If you think scrapbooks are old, outdated or out of style ? think again. Scrapbooking is a multi-billion-dollar industry that has progressed just as the computer has. There's a good reason why it's so huge and why it's been around so long. Scrapbooks keep your memories and allow you to be creative with it at the same time. If you've run out of ideas, fret not. We're going to run through some great things you can put in your scrapbook as well as some ideas of when you might want to start putting together your next one.



Let's go.

The Recipe.

What's a recipe? It's a list of ingredients. So let's get your recipe for a fun scrapbook that will have the ability to transport you back to the memories it depicts instantaneously.

The first ingredients you'll want to include are, of course, pictures! ?Scraps? are what they used to call unmounted pictures, so you really can't have a scrapbook without pictures in it. Include the ones that evoke the most emotion from you. Maybe it's a still picture of a flower taken on the top of a mountain you hiked. On the other hand, it might be an action picture of your son or daughter's baseball game or volleyball shot. Colorful, part the moment, representing something you love. That's how to choose the ideal picture from the possible thousands you may have on hand. Also, if you're making a themed scrapbook ? it should obviously fit that too.

Another great, but slightly lesser known ingredient to is include tickets. It doesn't matter what kind of tickets because they all have a few things in common: It means you went to some special event and that there's probably a story that goes along with it. So whether we're talking about airplane tickets, sports tickets, movie tickets, theatre tickets or museum tickets ? you might consider including them.

Some other ideas to put into your scrapbook are: personal writings by you or to you, magazine articles or titles, drawings, stamps, glitter, any collectable cards that you don't expect to sell for millions in later years and possibly parts of maps you might have used during some getaway. They're great ways to bring your scrapbook to life.

The Right Time.

Scrapbooking is a personal affair, so only you will know when the best time to start putting one together is. But just in case you think you should start a scrapbook based on your favorite bathroom reading'we?ll offer a few suggestions.

One great idea is to have a scrapbook in addition to or in place of, the traditional photo album. Just as the whole family is in the photo album, you can try to get the whole family involved in adding something to the family scrapbook. Everyone can take turns with full pages or two people to a page, 3 or everyone. It doesn't have to be all in one night, but it's a great ongoing family activity you can start tonight.

An obvious one is to make a scrapbook based on the family vacation, but here's something to keep in mind: If you really want to be able to recall the memories of a vacation, make the scrapbook while you're still ON the vacation. Why? Because it's the little things that you include in your book that will bring back those memories. For example, maybe a conversation about a seashell had everyone laughing silly ? well you might forget that seashell incident and only remember the main events: the ocean, the water park, the golfing, etc?.

Remember - it's the little things that really give a scrapbook the most character. Those little details give them life. Get creative with yours and think about having the whole family or your loved one get in on it as well. Scrapbooks are a great way to preserve some of the best memories you'll have.