What does the closing of Memory Makers and Simply Scrapbooks Magazine mean for the scrapbooking industry?

Keeping a print magazine alive takes millions of dollars in revenue. Because of the less-than-robust economy there simply isn't enough advertising money around to keep those behemoth magazines alive. Does that mean there are no customers? Does it mean [nmslink:scrapbooking ,scrapbooking ] as an industry is dying?

Not at all, says Sara Domville, president of F+W Media, the public relations manager for Memory Makers Magazine. She is quoted in the Salt Lake City Examiner as saying the industry is "maturing" and "The marketplace will be challenged and needs to continually transform to meet the needs of consumers."

The ability to transform quickly and easily to meet the changing needs of customers is a golden opportunity for the scrapbook artist. A large magazine needs millions of dollars in revenue to stay afloat, tens of thousands of subscribers, and it adapts to the needs of the consumers very slowly and at great cost. The small home business can target a small, highly specialized segment of the market, dominating that market and generating significant profit. As the needs and tastes of the consumer change, the small business can easily change with it.

For the small business woman who is looking for opportunity, the various facets and multiple opportunities presented in the [nmslink:scrapbooking ,scrapbooking ] industry make this an idea time to start a home business.

Starting a home scrapbooking business can be done with very little investment. Unlike other home businesses that might require expensive equipment, or training on complicated software, anyone who is already enjoying scrapbooking as a hobby will have a foundation of skills and the proper tools in place. One of the real advantages of a scrapbooking related business is the ability to turn any number of skills into a profitable business serving this market.

For example, one of the least favorite aspects of scrapbooking for many is writing the stories and quotes to go with the photos. A competent writer can offer her services on a one on one consulting basis or write and sell a book of quips, quotes and story starters.

Another example is the organizing consultant; rather than entering the general and very competitive home organizing market, an organizer could specialize in meeting the specific needs of the scrapbooker.

A skilled web designer will find a ready market developing web site themes specifically for families wishing to share digital scrapbook pages on their own website.

Those already skilled in scrapbooking techniques, whether as an expert at layouts and design, writing and journaling, digital scrapbooking or teaching, there is opportunity to service scrapbooking consumers. Some possible examples are:

• Partner with a wedding photographer and make custom albums for bride, bridesmaids, and family members, or make mini albums as wedding favors.
• Start a website selling premade baby albums.
• Connect with genealogy buffs and help them create heritage albums.
• Design and sell digital embellishments, papers and graphics.
• Write a how-to blog.
• Create booklets of quotes and journaling prompts.
• Provide ideas for layouts and templates.

Although the current economy is challenging for many traditional companies, the trend is for smaller, more flexible businesses with special skills, to meet the needs of a targeted market. The consumer has come to expect to be treated as a unique individual with unique needs and tastes. A small home business is ideally suited to meet these expectations.

Sue Scott is the owner of yourscrapbookpages.com and the irrepressible encourager at susanscott.org, two sites dedicated to business and personal coaching for small business owners. If you're a woman entrepreneur interested in starting a scrapbooking business visit http://www.yourscrapbookpages.com to sign up for a free introductory web course today.

Father's Day is right around the corner, but it's never too late to create a scrapbook he'll love and cherish for years to come.

Using a small memory book, you can create a small book of photos from the family events within the last year.

Materials you'll need are:

• Small memory book that holds about 20 pages
• Photos of the past year's family events
• Layout pages in themes the Father in your life will love: Golf, Nascar, Home Improvement, his favorite TV show or Movie, cars or trucks, computers or electronics, etc.
• "Dad" themed embellishments
• Scissors
• Acid free adhesive
• Lettering or stencils

Once you have all the materials needed, organize the photos chronologically. Using themed layout pages as suggested above makes creating a book for Father's Day quick and simple. Use photo corner holders or photo frames for a nice touch.

Use embellishments and Die-cuts to add texture and depth to your Father's Day scrapbook and make it unique. You can find a large assortment of embellishments right here on My Scrapbooking Supplies to suit just about any hobby or past-time the Father in your life may be into.

Since Father's Day is just a few days away, you will want to get started on your Father's Day Scrapbook now! Within a couple hours time, you will have an awesome gift for your Dad that will bring back memories for years to come. The Dad in your life will know you were thinking of him every second while you created this special memory book especially for him.

Scrapbooking has been around for ages, but it has recently experienced a surge in popularity. People from all walks of life have discovered the joys of creating albums to showcase their treasured photos and keepsakes. But with all the elaborate scrapbooking techniques and myriad embellishments available, getting started can be intimidating.

The truth is, anyone that can use scissors and glue can scrapbook. And you don't have to spend ridiculous amounts of money to create attractive pages. With some basic supplies and a little imagination, you can create lovely scrapbooks that will be adored for years to come.

What You Need

You can get started scrapbooking on a small budget. Here are the things you'll need.

* An album - Scrapbooking albums come in all shapes and sizes. The most popular are 8 1/2" x 11" and 12" x 12". They can be found at most craft supply stores if you don't have a scrapbooking supply store nearby.

* Paper - Scrapbooking paper can be found in a variety of solid colors and patterns. This will be the basis for each page. You may also use scrapbooking paper for journaling and to create your own photo mats and embellishments.

* Cutting tools - You can easily get by with just a good pair of scissors. But an Exacto knife might make photo cropping easier. And if you're no good at cutting straight lines, you might want to invest in a paper cutter.

* Adhesives - There are all sorts of adhesives one could use for scrapbooking. Glue sticks and double-sided tape are quite popular. Some scrapbookers also use rubber cement or glue dots for certain applications. But when you're getting started, just use what you're most comfortable with.

* Photos - Beginning scrapbookers often start out with old photos that they've accumulated over the years. This makes for a nice, nostalgic album. Of course you can also take new pictures for your scrapbook. A digital camera and photo printer are two modern conveniences that make scrapbooking easier, but they are not necessities. Photos taken by a film camera work just as well.

When purchasing scrapbooking supplies, it's important to make sure they are acid-free. This will keep them from harming your priceless photos.

Basic Techniques

You don't have to know a lot about scrapbooking techniques to create an attractive album. Just a few simple techniques will suffice.

One of the first things many scrapbookers learn is how to mat photos. This can be accomplished by simply cutting a square or rectangle that is about a half inch longer and wider than the photo you want to mat. Then glue the photo to the center. To make a photo really stand out, double mat it by cutting out a shape a half inch longer and wider than the first mat, and center the matted photo on it.

Journaling gives scrapbook pages a nice personal touch. Simply write a note about the photos on a page, telling what was happening or sharing your thoughts on the subject. Use paper that coordinates with the background, and be sure to write with an acid-free pen.

Adding borders to your pages gives them a finished look. You can make them out of strips of coordinating scrapbook paper. You don't have to border all four sides. A strip along the top, side or bottom will do. For easy embellishing, use some stickers.

There's no need to throw in the towel if you don't have the time, money or know-how to create elaborate scrapbooks. Just start off simple, and learn new techniques as you go.