Book Review: "The Best of British Scrapbooking and Cardmaking"

Joanna Campbell Slan's new book The Best of British Scrapbooking and Cardmaking is dedicated to "scrapbookers and cardmakers all over the world." From the very first page it is clear that this book is different. Scrapbooking is not limited by lines on a map. We are immediately reminded that preserving memories is international.

The Scrapbook Pages and Cards

The Best of British Scrapbooking and Cardmaking contains more than 120 scrapbook pages. Each of them is displayed large enough to see the layout in detail. Small embellishments, which you might have missed otherwise, are shown close-up in greater detail on each page of the book. You are sure to be inspired by the range of techniques and styles of scrapbooking. British scrapbookers, according to Joanna, are less likely to hold on to a stash of paper saving it for "just the right page" - never using it. Instead, the designers use their supplies to add texture and creativity to every scrapbook page in the book.

The book also contains over 40 images of cards. Many scrapbookers are cardmakers. If you have supplies for scrapbooking, you of course have everything you need to make beautiful cards for any occassion. The cards shown in this book are perfect examples of why this cross-over makes so much sense.

Tips and Techniques

My favorite part of The Best of British Scrapbooking and Cardmaking is the "Tips" found on each page. Whenever I looked at a scrapbook page and wondered, "How did she do that?" I could quickly find the answer in a tip box on that page of the book. While some tips explain techniques, other give you additional ways to incorporate in your own albums the ideas shown on the scrapbook pages in the book. Some of my favorite tips give you simple graphic design help for laying out your pages or adding embellishments.

Rebecca's Comments

The layout of the book is clean and simple, showcasing the most important part - the scrapbook pages. While reading this book, it really struck me just how universal it is to want to not only preserve memories but also to express ourselves creatively. The Best of British Scrapbooking and Cardmaking is an idea book that you will turn to for inspiration again and again. As a bonus, the book contains a special "How to Win Scrapbook Contests" by Shimelle Laine, a member of both the Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame and the PaperKuts Power Team. You can also find this great article on the British Scrapbooking website.