Archive for the 'Articles' Category
Embracing new Trends
© Copyright Ada Kanu 2008
One concept I see that has appeal to both younger and older scrapbook enthusiasts is the trend of products featuring skulls, flames, etc. Although some have called this into question as to just how many people would use these designs, I personally have to admit I think it’s fabulous!
On a business perspective, I believe these products will appeal to more people than one immediately thinks of (younger boys who scrap, and the family and friends who scrap them).
Teen girls have been embracing the skull theme for quite awhile now, and will probably continue to do so even after its trendiness has passed. (And don’t tell me Hot Topic-shopping girls don’t scrap! They’re some of the most creative of them all. How exciting to finally find scrapbook materials that fit them.)
The “pirate” type aspect appeals to all who are obsessed with “Pirates of the Caribbean,” or simply pirates in general. (My friend Jess, who dressed as a pirate for Halloween, will go crazy once she sees these.)
Harley riders scrap too! These products may appeal to this demographic as well. EK Success already has its Harley-Davidson line of products; this is a complementary addition to that.
This new addition of scrapbooking products also provides an opportunity to market to a fresh set of potential scrapbook enthusiasts.
Many retailers may look at a product line and think, “Oh, my customers would never want this!” (Which may or may not be the case - never assume you know everything about your customer. She/He may have teen children who are into dressing in an individual fashion; she/he may have a relative obsessed with pirates; she/he may want to document her/his earlier, “crazier” years.)
But think of the potential customers you could be reaching! Let’s face it, many people still have a skewed view of “scrapbooking.” They still assume it’s a bunch of middle-aged white women scrapbooking their babies’ births using pastel pink paper and flower stickers. To be able to reach out to specific groups of people - and offer them something tangible that means something in their life - well, that’s what spreading the joy of scrapbooking is all about.
Sure, we’re not talking about a huge demographic here. It’s not like you’re going to see an immense rise in sales from the (potentially) few who got turned on to scrapbooking because you introduced them to products such as these (and others). But if it helps get more customers in your door (something independent retailers need to do), then why not?
Some ideas:
Look to see what groups/organizations are located in your area. Ask if you can leave flyers or (better yet) speak about scrapbooking at a group meeting.
Try to team up with a store like Hot Topic (although this may be difficult, as they are a corporate chain.) Are there independent record stores nearby? What about teen activity centers? There are also several “punk craft shows” across the country (I kid you not - I recently attended one.)
Don’t forget, custom scrapbook artists can also benefit, as it simply adds more versatility in the types of pages you can create for your clients.
A few resources:
http://www.junkitz.com
Extremely Boy Collection By Teresa Collins
http://www.magisticalmemories.com
Designs by Susan Rodriquez
http://www.creativeimaginations.us
The Skull and Xbone Collection
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sue DiFranco is the founder of Fun Facts Publishing and the author of more than a dozen books on building and marketing scrapbooking businesses and services. To learn more about how to turn your scrapbooking passion into profit, visit http://www.funfactspublishing.com to read a library of FREE information and get started today!
Blog-entries protected by digital fingerprint:0964acc1331c0d652a1372531c5f5208
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One concept I see that has appeal to both younger and older scrapbook enthusiasts is the trend of products featuring skulls, flames, etc. Although some have called this into question as to just how many people would use these designs, I personally have to admit I think it’s fabulous!
On a business perspective, I believe these products will appeal to more people than one immediately thinks of (younger boys who scrap, and the family and friends who scrap them).
Teen girls have been embracing the skull theme for quite awhile now, and will probably continue to do so even after its trendiness has passed. (And don’t tell me Hot Topic-shopping girls don’t scrap! They’re some of the most creative of them all. How exciting to finally find scrapbook materials that fit them.)
The “pirate” type aspect appeals to all who are obsessed with “Pirates of the Caribbean,” or simply pirates in general. (My friend Jess, who dressed as a pirate for Halloween, will go crazy once she sees these.)
Harley riders scrap too! These products may appeal to this demographic as well. EK Success already has its Harley-Davidson line of products; this is a complementary addition to that.
This new addition of scrapbooking products also provides an opportunity to market to a fresh set of potential scrapbook enthusiasts.
Many retailers may look at a product line and think, “Oh, my customers would never want this!” (Which may or may not be the case - never assume you know everything about your customer. She/He may have teen children who are into dressing in an individual fashion; she/he may have a relative obsessed with pirates; she/he may want to document her/his earlier, “crazier” years.)
But think of the potential customers you could be reaching! Let’s face it, many people still have a skewed view of “scrapbooking.” They still assume it’s a bunch of middle-aged white women scrapbooking their babies’ births using pastel pink paper and flower stickers. To be able to reach out to specific groups of people - and offer them something tangible that means something in their life - well, that’s what spreading the joy of scrapbooking is all about.
Sure, we’re not talking about a huge demographic here. It’s not like you’re going to see an immense rise in sales from the (potentially) few who got turned on to scrapbooking because you introduced them to products such as these (and others). But if it helps get more customers in your door (something independent retailers need to do), then why not?
Some ideas:
Look to see what groups/organizations are located in your area. Ask if you can leave flyers or (better yet) speak about scrapbooking at a group meeting.
Try to team up with a store like Hot Topic (although this may be difficult, as they are a corporate chain.) Are there independent record stores nearby? What about teen activity centers? There are also several “punk craft shows” across the country (I kid you not - I recently attended one.)
Don’t forget, custom scrapbook artists can also benefit, as it simply adds more versatility in the types of pages you can create for your clients.
A few resources:
http://www.junkitz.com
Extremely Boy Collection By Teresa Collins
http://www.magisticalmemories.com
Designs by Susan Rodriquez
http://www.creativeimaginations.us
The Skull and Xbone Collection
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sue DiFranco is the founder of Fun Facts Publishing and the author of more than a dozen books on building and marketing scrapbooking businesses and services. To learn more about how to turn your scrapbooking passion into profit, visit http://www.funfactspublishing.com to read a library of FREE information and get started today!
Blog-entries protected by digital fingerprint:0964acc1331c0d652a1372531c5f5208Helpful tips for the beginner scrapbooker
© Copyright Ada Kanu 2008
Make a Duplicate
Nervous about cropping your original pictures? Instead, use duplicates you’ve made on your color copier!
Best Wishes for Baby
Be sure to save a page in your baby book for visitors. Draw lines with a ruler 1/2″ apart to create spaces for special signatures or best wishes.
Photo Puzzle
Use puzzle templates to crop photos into interlocking puzzle pieces!
Cool Kids
Have croppin’ kids dedicate a page to the hip and happening in pop culture. Photograph clothing, save ticket stubs and include a list of “faves” for each year.
Powerful Punches
To sharpen both sides of your punches, punch through very fine grade sandpaper.
Paper pH
Before using paper with an unknown acidity level, use a pH pen to test. The color of the pen’s mark will indicate the paper’s acidity.
Wedding Bubbles
To create a bubble background page, put food coloring in bubbles and blow onto a white background page.
Keepsakes from Kids
Encourage your children to write down their thoughts. Their handwriting will add personality to any album or scrapbook.
Story Stickers
Journaling combined with stickers can create a unique story for your book.
Newsprint Die-Cuts
Look in your newspapers or magazines for large bold words. Copy the words onto to acid- free paper, then create die-cuts to embellish your pages.
Showing Off Sports Photos
Why not use a game ball motif as a frame for sports photos? Trim away stickers to expose photo through opening, or use sports-themed die-cuts.
Gift Wrap Background
Color copy leftover gift wrap onto acid-free paper, then use as a fun background or mounting paper for birthday-themed pages.
Collecting Creative Ideas
Take advantage of the abundant creativity at crops. Carry a disposable camera, then photograph unique ideas or designs you’d like to try.
Rubber Stamp Test
Before using a new rubber stamp, test 2-3 times before stamping on scrapbook page or background paper. This will ensure an even disbursement of ink.
Inspiration from the Daily News
Check out your local newspaper for ideas on documenting your family’s history.
Teacher’s Album
Take photos throughout the school year to include in a year-end teacher appreciation gift.
Waste Not, Want Not
In scrapbooking, hold onto all your supplies — even the tiniest scraps of paper, which can be used as leftover paper for punch art. Small squares of paper — about 1″ — can be used to make colored photo corners by cutting them in half diagonally. Mix and match leftover letters and scraps to create page titles.
Photographic Page Titles
Mount copied photos to die cuts to create titles with photographic panache.
Quotable Quips and Phrases
Looking for the right words to capture a moment? Check online web sites for public domain quotes that can be used on your scrapbook pages.
Backgrounds in Bloom
Photocopy pictures of flowers in bloom to use as colorful backgrounds.
Organizing Your Gear
Use inexpensive mailing labels to mark tools and supplies.
It’s There in Black and White
To capture details in a photograph, use black and white film. Regular color film can’t capture details in the same way as the contrast of black and white.
Storing Vacation Souvenirs
To add flair to your vacation pages, make a photo pocket collage to store vacation brochures, collectibles and small souvenirs.
Capturing a Voice
Incorporate a memory button into your scrapbook or heritage album to record a grandparent sharing special memories and life experiences.
Summertime Fun
To add summertime fun to your scrapbook pages, don’t forget to include humorous pictures of sunburns or ice cream-stained faces.
Who, What, When, Where
Always use a photo-safe marker to record important information on the backs of photos
Collegiate Cropping
Select an organizer to store college souvenirs throughout the school year, then scrapbook a year’s worth of memories during the summer.
Seniors and Small Items
Tweezers make working with smaller punches, stickers or die-cuts easier and allow more precise placement.
Inexpensive Flower Press
Use a heavy phone directory to press real flowers. Later, use the pressed flowers to create beautiful garden-themed pages.
Unique Travel Album
Record your travel experiences in a creative way: mail postcards that detail memorable travel experiences to yourself. Collect in a mini-album.
Creating Custom Stamps
Die-cut poly-foam, then use a heat gun (and screen, if desired) to add texture.
Mom’s Precious Memories
In your baby or family album, include a hand-written account of your memories of the day your child was born.
Crimped Texture
Run paper through a crimper to create textured backgrounds for titles or journaling cards.
Recycled Holiday Spirit
Die-cut or punching holiday-themed page embellishments from old holiday cards.
Darken Paper Color
Use a rubber stamp with watermark ink to deepen paper color.
Paper Doll Fun
Die-cut paper dolls and doll clothes from a thin magnet, then use your refrigerator surface to re-arrange and re-style the dolls.
Organized Paper
Find small pieces easily by organizing paper scraps in brightly-colored hanging file folders.
Creative Creasing
Use a bone folder to create a solid crease in pop-up elements.
Idea Book
Carry a purse-sized journal to sketch or collect new page, album or embellishment ideas when inspired.
Seashell Storage
Die-cut a clear page protector into a pocket shape. Use the pocket to stylishly store beach treasures.
Completing the Kit
To easily ensure that photos of a special event are captured, toss a disposable camera into the gift kit.
Blog-entries protected by digital fingerprint:0964acc1331c0d652a1372531c5f5208
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Make a Duplicate
Nervous about cropping your original pictures? Instead, use duplicates you’ve made on your color copier!
Best Wishes for Baby
Be sure to save a page in your baby book for visitors. Draw lines with a ruler 1/2″ apart to create spaces for special signatures or best wishes.
Photo Puzzle
Use puzzle templates to crop photos into interlocking puzzle pieces!
Cool Kids
Have croppin’ kids dedicate a page to the hip and happening in pop culture. Photograph clothing, save ticket stubs and include a list of “faves” for each year.
Powerful Punches
To sharpen both sides of your punches, punch through very fine grade sandpaper.
Paper pH
Before using paper with an unknown acidity level, use a pH pen to test. The color of the pen’s mark will indicate the paper’s acidity.
Wedding Bubbles
To create a bubble background page, put food coloring in bubbles and blow onto a white background page.
Keepsakes from Kids
Encourage your children to write down their thoughts. Their handwriting will add personality to any album or scrapbook.
Story Stickers
Journaling combined with stickers can create a unique story for your book.
Newsprint Die-Cuts
Look in your newspapers or magazines for large bold words. Copy the words onto to acid- free paper, then create die-cuts to embellish your pages.
Showing Off Sports Photos
Why not use a game ball motif as a frame for sports photos? Trim away stickers to expose photo through opening, or use sports-themed die-cuts.
Gift Wrap Background
Color copy leftover gift wrap onto acid-free paper, then use as a fun background or mounting paper for birthday-themed pages.
Collecting Creative Ideas
Take advantage of the abundant creativity at crops. Carry a disposable camera, then photograph unique ideas or designs you’d like to try.
Rubber Stamp Test
Before using a new rubber stamp, test 2-3 times before stamping on scrapbook page or background paper. This will ensure an even disbursement of ink.
Inspiration from the Daily News
Check out your local newspaper for ideas on documenting your family’s history.
Teacher’s Album
Take photos throughout the school year to include in a year-end teacher appreciation gift.
Waste Not, Want Not
In scrapbooking, hold onto all your supplies — even the tiniest scraps of paper, which can be used as leftover paper for punch art. Small squares of paper — about 1″ — can be used to make colored photo corners by cutting them in half diagonally. Mix and match leftover letters and scraps to create page titles.
Photographic Page Titles
Mount copied photos to die cuts to create titles with photographic panache.
Quotable Quips and Phrases
Looking for the right words to capture a moment? Check online web sites for public domain quotes that can be used on your scrapbook pages.
Backgrounds in Bloom
Photocopy pictures of flowers in bloom to use as colorful backgrounds.
Organizing Your Gear
Use inexpensive mailing labels to mark tools and supplies.
It’s There in Black and White
To capture details in a photograph, use black and white film. Regular color film can’t capture details in the same way as the contrast of black and white.
Storing Vacation Souvenirs
To add flair to your vacation pages, make a photo pocket collage to store vacation brochures, collectibles and small souvenirs.
Capturing a Voice
Incorporate a memory button into your scrapbook or heritage album to record a grandparent sharing special memories and life experiences.
Summertime Fun
To add summertime fun to your scrapbook pages, don’t forget to include humorous pictures of sunburns or ice cream-stained faces.
Who, What, When, Where
Always use a photo-safe marker to record important information on the backs of photos
Collegiate Cropping
Select an organizer to store college souvenirs throughout the school year, then scrapbook a year’s worth of memories during the summer.
Seniors and Small Items
Tweezers make working with smaller punches, stickers or die-cuts easier and allow more precise placement.
Inexpensive Flower Press
Use a heavy phone directory to press real flowers. Later, use the pressed flowers to create beautiful garden-themed pages.
Unique Travel Album
Record your travel experiences in a creative way: mail postcards that detail memorable travel experiences to yourself. Collect in a mini-album.
Creating Custom Stamps
Die-cut poly-foam, then use a heat gun (and screen, if desired) to add texture.
Mom’s Precious Memories
In your baby or family album, include a hand-written account of your memories of the day your child was born.
Crimped Texture
Run paper through a crimper to create textured backgrounds for titles or journaling cards.
Recycled Holiday Spirit
Die-cut or punching holiday-themed page embellishments from old holiday cards.
Darken Paper Color
Use a rubber stamp with watermark ink to deepen paper color.
Paper Doll Fun
Die-cut paper dolls and doll clothes from a thin magnet, then use your refrigerator surface to re-arrange and re-style the dolls.
Organized Paper
Find small pieces easily by organizing paper scraps in brightly-colored hanging file folders.
Creative Creasing
Use a bone folder to create a solid crease in pop-up elements.
Idea Book
Carry a purse-sized journal to sketch or collect new page, album or embellishment ideas when inspired.
Seashell Storage
Die-cut a clear page protector into a pocket shape. Use the pocket to stylishly store beach treasures.
Completing the Kit
To easily ensure that photos of a special event are captured, toss a disposable camera into the gift kit.
Blog-entries protected by digital fingerprint:0964acc1331c0d652a1372531c5f5208Digital scrapbooking
© Copyright Ada Kanu 2008
Scrapbooking has always been a favorite past-time for young and old alike. Believed to have its roots traced back to the Amish, scrapbooking provided a form of storytelling to younger generations through pictures and journaling.
With the invention of digital scrapbooking, keeping those memories has become easier to share through a view mouse clicks.
With the numerous programs available to scrapbookers, one often has the problem of deciding to go along with premade templates that you drop your photos into or starting from scratch and creating layouts. I personally prefer the later as it allows me unlimited freedom to decide layout colors, designs, embellishments used and even the number and size of photos.
Blog-entries protected by digital fingerprint:0964acc1331c0d652a1372531c5f5208
No comments
Scrapbooking has always been a favorite past-time for young and old alike. Believed to have its roots traced back to the Amish, scrapbooking provided a form of storytelling to younger generations through pictures and journaling.
With the invention of digital scrapbooking, keeping those memories has become easier to share through a view mouse clicks.
With the numerous programs available to scrapbookers, one often has the problem of deciding to go along with premade templates that you drop your photos into or starting from scratch and creating layouts. I personally prefer the later as it allows me unlimited freedom to decide layout colors, designs, embellishments used and even the number and size of photos.
Blog-entries protected by digital fingerprint:0964acc1331c0d652a1372531c5f5208
