Adhesive – so many!!!  3d foam pads to give dimension to your layouts, glue sticks which are ideal for sticking photos (as long as it’s archival-safe), glue dots, tape dispensers, glue pen, metal glue, dimensional glaze.

Album — The finished article – your book in which you store your finished layouts.  They come in 3 standard sizes 6x6, 8x8, 12x12, and also 8.5x11 inches. You can buy albums covered in leather, fabric, or even to co-ordinate the theme within.

Altered Art – turning plain objects into works of art!  Popular items are lunch tins, trinket boxes, plain mini-books.

Archival — Term describing a product or technique used in preserving artifacts, photographs, memorabilia and other items. This is important in scrapbooking to ensure that your adhesives, pens and papers will not damage your photos over time.

Brads – in the old days we called them paper fasteners, but these are now a staple ingredient within scrapbooking. They come in a variety of sizes and colours and can be used to fix paper together, or to attach embellishments to your page.

Cardstock — Thick paper, used widely in scrapbooking as background paper, to frame your photos, or to make titles or embellishments.  Items described as “cardstock” (such as stickers) are heavier in weight than normal paper.

Chipboard – thick sturdy card cut into shapes, letters, tags etc.  You can decorate them with paper, paint or anything else in fact and use them to enhance your layouts.

Crop — To cut or trim a photograph. Also a term used to describe a group of people meeting at a venue to scrapbook together, often hosted by an expert who will tutor, and share techniques, products, and information with the group.

Die-Cut Designs — Paper or cardstock designs or lettering cut from die cut machines.

Embellishment — Any item that will enhance your layout.  This can include buttons, stickers, tags, flowers, brads, eyelets, charms, etc.

Emboss — To create a raised surface by applying heat or pressure.

Eyelets – another essential for a scrapper –  available in a myriad of colours, shapes and finishes which will co-ordinate with any project.  You will also need an eyelet setter to attach them.

Journaling — any words written on your layout - from titles, captions and quotes to stories detailing the event within the photo.  Journalling can be hidden in pockets or envelopes, or displayed openly on the page. Journalling can tell a story, detail facts, or relay your personal feelings.

Journaling Templates — templates with space left for text.

Matting – cutting paper or cardstock to a size slightly larger than your photo, and then sticking the photo on the top to make it stand out visually on your page.

Memorabilia — any items relating to the event which you are scrapping – this could include tickets, coins, wristbands, documents etc, which you can include in the layout.
 
Mount — to adhere a photograph, embellishment or other item to another piece of paper.

Page Protectors — acid-free plastic pockets within the album, into which you place your finished layouts.

Paper Trimmers — paper-cutting tools which cut paper with a moveable blade.

Pens – you will need to obtain specialist pens for your scrapbooking projects.  They need to be archival-safe.  A black pigment pen is a useful tool for your journaling and doodling on your pages.

Rub-ons – we used to call these transfers at school!  Words, frames, images that can be transferred onto your layout by rubbing over them with a wooden lolly stick.

Scrap-lifting – copying ideas from other sources such as magazines or books to use on your own layouts.

Self-healing cutting mat – A large mat onto which you can cut your papers using your craft knife, or set eyelets.  The nature of the mat ensures that you can use it time and time again.

Sketch – a basic outline of a layout for you to follow in your own layout. (see our sketches page for some ideas)

Staples – you can now obtain these in colours and finishes to match your theme.  Ideal for attaching ribbons and journaling notes.