Brainstorm Stories and Themes

• When you are new to scrapbooking, it is helpful to brainstorm stories and themes that would make good scrapbooks. Instead of trying to scrapbook about your entire life at once, how about scrapbooking your spiritual journey, love story, wedding day, or the birth of your child? Perhaps there are themes of hope, love, or faith in your life. Using a manageable topic for your scrapbook will help you to coordinate your backgrounds and accents, and create a cohesive feel to your finished product.
  
  

Get Organized

• One of the best ways to create a memorable scrapbook is to make sure that you spend enough time planning before you begin. Take time to write out the story pertaining to whatever your scrapbook theme is. Make lists of pages you want to include and ask others for input. Plan your colors, backgrounds, and accents so that they complement the theme of your scrapbook.
  
  

Think Outside the Box

• When you are choosing materials for your scrapbook, don't get stuck in the traditional. Of course you will want to include photographs, but what about DVD's of family videos, a digital picture frame key chain, or a midi recording of an applicable song? You might consider using things such as fabric or watercolors to create backgrounds instead of the scrapbooking backgrounds found in craft stores. Creating windows and doors that reveal photographs can add an unexpected element, as can pop-ups.
  
  

Time, Time, and More Time

• Finally, make sure to allow plenty of time for working on your scrapbook. While you might plan your approach ahead of time, some of the best creative inspiration happens in the moment and is totally unexpected. Making sure that you are not in a rush will help to ensure that you have time for your creativity to emerge and that you end up with a quality product.