Digital Scrapbooking Craft Sites with Free Downloads

Although scrapbooking is a unique and enjoyable way to exercise your creativity and preserve your family's memories, stocking up on supplies can be pretty costly. Between paper that costs $1 a sheet, stickers that go for $3.99 and embellishments that can run you anywhere up to $20, scrapbooking is an expensive hobby. Because of this, more and more croppers are turning to digital scrapbooking to create their pages. Many people already use their word processors to design word art or print our journaling blocks to use on their layouts. Digital scrapbookers use computer programs like Adobe Photoshop and Jasc Paintshop Pro to create the entire page.

Digital scrapbooking has rocketed in terms of popularity since more and more people began using digital cameras to take their pictures. Once the photos are imported onto the computer they simply stay there rather than being printed out onto specialty photo paper. If you're a Photoshop genius then the next step, which is to create a layout incorporating the image you've selected, is easy. Some scrapbookers, however, especially those who are just starting out, prefer to use a template. A template is a pre-made layout that already includes the background paper, embellishments and other effects with empty spaces for you to put your pictures and fill in your own journaling. The colors, blocking and borders are already pre-selected; all you need to do is print it out once it's done.

Without a doubt, digital scrapbooking is a lot more affordable than traditional scrapping. However, paper packs still run around $3.99 and complete kits can cost up to $15. Luckily, there is a way to scrapbook without spending a dime (other than the cost of paper and the ink that fills your printer.) Many digital scrapbooking sites offer 100% free downloads for you to use to create beautiful works of art.

Embellishments are an important part of any scrapbook page. Embellishments are basically accents that brighten up the layout and add a little something extra to highlight the photos. Embellishments can be tags, buttons, eyelets, ribbon, fibers and slides.

All computers come with a handful of fonts for you to use on your pages. Most of these fonts are pretty basic though, standard typesets like Arial, Times New Roman and Courier New, and while these are perfect for smaller sections like picture captions or journaling blocks, you might find yourself wanting something fancier for your headings and sub-titles.

Tutorials are an invaluable tool when it comes to digital scrapbooking. A good tutorial will have a step-by-step visual guide explaining how to get started on creating your first digital layout. Commonly intended for Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Paint Shop Pro, tutorials can also explain how to create tags, add a drop shadow and install and use different brushes.