That's right, men, the scrapbooking craze isn't just for the ladies anymore! Many men are finding that scrapbooking is a great way to express some creativity, preserve their precious memories, and above all else, spend some quality time with the family without video games or television. So speaking just to the men, the scrapbooking craze can appeal to you as well, but how? You may have seen some scrapbook pages that were anything but masculine, so how can you make it work for you? How can you avoid the frilly, silly, girly pastime and really make it something that "the guys" can enjoy?

One good thing about scrapbooking is that there is no right or wrong way to compose a page, and no right or wrong thing to preserve and to use as elements. Dig out those pictures of your last fishing trip or that great golf scorecard that you couldn't bear to throw away because you finally broke 90. These are great items for men. The scrapbooking craze really took hold for women because they were able to keep those funny, silly, sentimental photos and other items from their lives and you can do the same.

Once you have the mementos you want to put on your page, then you decide what decorations and other elements you want to use on the page. This is a great creative outlet for men. The scrapbooking craze really saw the women get creative with their decorations - buttons, dried flowers, yarn, twigs, and pieces of fabric or pockets from old jeans. All of these things are often used for scrapbook page decorations. You men can do the same. Use fishing lures for that picture of the fish. Use golf tees to decorate that scorecard. You can purchase many items that you can't find around the house and chances are that your scrapbook supply store will have some accessories that are perfect for you.

The scrapbooking industry is responding to the needs of men who are into this hobby. More and more manufacturers are releasing designs that appeal to men. There are now albums and supplies in masculine colors and patterns. The biggest change has been in the scrapbooking supply themes. You can find embellishments and papers on so many typically male interests, like fishing, military, poker, golf, and team sports.

We may never see men gathering together for scrapbooking crop parties. Yet that idea is certainly not impossible. However, men want to preserve their memories as much as women do. Men also are becoming more aware of the importance of archival safe albums for their photographs. Men want a way to collect their photos and record their memories. They may not want them overdone with embellishments, but their scrapbooks will still reflect their unique personalities and styles.

And if nothing else, men, the scrapbooking craze is a great way to spend time with your family and your kids. If you don't want to do your own pages, sit down with your kids as they do theirs. The days of the kids gluing macaroni onto construction paper and calling it art are over; creating scrapbooks is the new craze, and rightly so!