Add Text to a Scrapbook

A scrapbook should tell stories and one of the best ways tell them is with words, of course. Your scrapbook is an illustrated chronicle of your life, and the lives of your loved ones. Using text in a scrapbook is commonly called journaling, and it will help pull your illustration together. Put as much thought into your wording and its placement as you do into the placement of photos and mementos. You can use your computer and printer, hand-write or stencil text for a scrapbook that will delight generations well into the future.

Steps

Nailing the Basics

1. Pick the right paper. Scrapbooks should be made to last and acid-free paper will last at least 100 years. Plus, anything with a pH level below 7, or not acid-free, will make photos fade over time. This is important whether you’re printing text from your computer or cutting out stenciled letters. Any paper you buy at a scrapbook shop or in the scrapbook section of a craft’s store will be acid-free.
2. Make sure the rest of your tools are acid-free and fade-resistant. It’s not just the paper that has to be acid-free. Markers, pens, and glue should all be suited for scrapbooks. Products that are not labeled "acid-free," "archival" or "photo-safe" could react chemically with your photos. Things not acid-free will make paper deteriorate more quickly too.
3. Refer to other scrapbooks for inspiration. If you don’t know anyone who scrapbooks, that’s okay; you can look at scrapbook websites or buy a magazine. Look at as many examples as you can. Seeing what other scrapbook enthusiasts have done can help inspire you as you create your own unique scrapbook.
4. Keep the structure of your page in mind. How you place photos, trinkets, and decorations in a scrapbook is going to affect what kind of text you use. Sometimes, you may want your photos to be the main focus and use text to just enhance them. Other times, you may want your journaling to be a central focus. In this case, you will want to pay close attention to placement.
5. Write about events like a journal. After you have the photos you want for a particular page, think about what you want to say about them. Dates and labels are a given. What sets a scrapbook apart from a photo album is the something more. If you’re recording a birth, you may have pictures of the new baby and a tiny hospital bracelet. Journaling is about the details of the day, like how happy you were or when visitors first arrived.
6. Write short captions. In addition to longer journal-like text, you may want shorter captions that explain photos and memories quickly. You can place text on ribbon-like strips of paper to record names, places and dates. Captions work really well to explain to viewers what is happening in a particular photo, such as "Grandma nearly blew out all the candles on her 100th birthday cake."

Using Your Computer

1. Use lightweight card-stock or smooth paper. When using a computer to type text you want to adhere on your scrapbook, it’s important to think about how you’re going to print it. If you decide to use card-stock, make sure it's lightweight enough to run through your printer. If you use paper, it should be smooth, because it will be hard to print on textured paper.
2. Check the size of your paper. Most scrapbooks are 12 inches by 12 inches and the standard size printer paper is 8.5 inches by 11 inches. You cannot use paper that will cover an entire scrapbook page with most printers. Change the orientation to landscape and use the widest margins possible, if you want to cover a lot of paper with text. You can print directly on your scrapbook canvas only if you have a wide format printer.
3. Choose the right font. Whatever application you use to type text on your computer, you will have a lot of choices when it comes to font. Remember your first priority is to make your text readable. Standard fonts like Times New Roman and Arial are very readable and look neat. Try other fonts, if you want to elaborate on the theme of a page. Fonts like Comic are good for kid-themed pages, while you can use a font like Papyrus for travel or artsy-themed pages.
4. Check the size of your font. No matter what size paper you print on, you can choose many different sized fonts that you can trim and glue on your scrapbook. Look at your scrapbook for reference and think about your layout, while you explore the right size of text. Labels and headings should be larger that journaling text.

Handwriting and Stenciling

1. Use your handwriting. This can be daunting, if you’re not fond of your penmanship, but this personal touch can be worth the effort. It’s especially nice to use your own handwriting for heartfelt journaling. Think about your great-grandchildren looking at your handwritten thoughts decades down the road.
   • Line handwritten areas in pencil first with a ruler or straightedge.
   • Write the text out with pencil before you trace over it in pen.
   • Erase the pencil marks for beautiful, thought-out writing.
   • Mimic different styles of lettering, if you want to try something other than your natural handwriting.
2. Use stencils. Stencils come in all shapes and styles, and they can be a great way to add text to a scrapbook quickly. Cut large stenciled letters out for titles and headings. You can use contrasting colors or different textures for an extra pop. If you're strapped for time, you can stencil letters directly onto your scrapbook and color them in.
3. Try calligraphy. Dip a brush in an ink pot to try your hand at Write Calligraphy. If you don't want to get that fancy, you can look at styles of letters you like and copy their basic shape with something as simple as a marker. Calligraphy works great for labels and short pieces of text.
4. Explore different lettering mediums. Adhesive backed and paste-on paper letters come in all sizes, styles and colors. Your local arts and crafts store will carry many different lettering options for scrap-booking. Take your time to browse these options, but keep in mind specialty letters that are pre-cut with adhesive can cost more than other text.

Placing Your Text

1. Use block text for journaling. If you have a piece of journaling longer than five lines, blocking text off is best. Look at the area you need to cover on your scrap-page and adjust your letter size accordingly. To create a block of text in MS Word place your cursor where you’d like the text block to start, press Ctrl+Shift+F8 to create a block, and extend the block around the text you’d like to include.
   • After you create a block, you can center text, if you wish.
   • Pay attention to line-spacing.
   • Use a piece of scrap for handwritten block text too.
2. Use decorative tags. Sometimes you may not want to use plain paper or card-stock to print or write a block of text. If you have pre-lined or embellished paper you want to print on, you simply have to plan this out a little more carefully. First, measure your piece of scrap. Then, drag a block around your text that is the same dimensions as your scrap. Change your font size and line-spacing accordingly.
3. Print on practice paper first. The best way to check if you have the right size font for your layout is by printing your text on regular paper first. Make sure the paper and type is the same size you’ll use for the real printout. Cut your text from the practice paper and check the placement on your scrapbook.
4. Layer text over images. If you’re printing photographs, you can add text directly to them on your computer. You can also label directly on photos with markers or pens. Alternatively, you can use digital word art from a program like Photoshop to print onto your scrap paper.

Tips

• Use a journal to refresh your memory about a particular event.
• Keep notes with your photos. When you are ready to put the photos into a scrapbook, information about names, dates and events will be handy.
• When you are journaling in your scrapbook, try to write what you would say if you were looking at the scrapbook with a friend. Write in your normal everyday voice.
• Use a relevant song, book or movie titles as headings for scrapbook pages.

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