How to Add Memorabilia to Digital Scrapbook Pages

This is a guest post from Australia’s top digital scrapbooking educator Melissa Shanhun, owner of Digital Scrapbooking HQ.

Do you struggle to add memorabilia to your scrapbook pages?

As a digital scrapbooker, sometimes I’m not sure how to add all that life stuff to my pages. Sometimes I pop it one or two things into my photobooks, or bind it along with printed pages in a home made album, but what about getting those items into digital form?

In my video today, I’m going to share two simple ways to add memorabilia to a digital scrapbooking page.

RSS subscribers may need to visit Simple Scrapper to see the video. If you have a scanner or a camera and Photoshop Elements (or similar editing software) you can follow along.

My Memorabilia Process

• Collect items and pop them in a plastic sleeve by approximate date to help me find it later.
• Scan flat items to include on my page and save the file along with my photos from that event.
• Photograph 3D items in natural light and save the photos along with event photos.
• Extract them for use on a digital page.
• Print and enjoy (and clear out some shelf space!).

Simple Memorabilia Tips

• Photograph your memorabilia on a plain, contrasting background if you want to extract it for use in a layout.
• Use a scanner to get clear text on flat memorabilia without messing with a tripod or photographer’s lighting set up.
• Use the quick select tool to select and delete the background quickly.
• Help memorabilia fit as embellishments on your page by recolouring or just choose a kit that goes with the memorabilia.
• Don’t fuss! If the memorabilia is a little creased up, it just adds authenticity.

At Digital Scrapbooking HQ you can see how I recoloured and adjusted the memorabilia to fit with my colour scheme as well as learn other extraction methods.

If you are keen to learn more about digital scrapbooking I have special offer for Simple Scrapper readers – $5 off any video workshop.