How To Start Scrapbooking With 6 Tips From an Expert
The popularity of 90s trends continue to grow this year with the rise of Barbiecore and that includes the trend of scrapbooking which has amassed 3 billion views and climbing on TikTok. You’ll easily find washi tapes, puffy stickers, and other paraphernalia necessary for the hobby, which is also a great way to unplug and destress after long days of staring at the screen. Earlier this year, we spoke to a Penangite who is a pro scrapbooker and has a unique talent for calligraphy and an eye for vintage ephemera.
Its popularity is such that for KL-born Jane Lee, it’s a side hustle. She boasts almost 150k followers across her social media channels where she chronicles her hobby and her work as a Destination Wedding Photographer. A clip of hers titled ‘Tell Me You Journal Without Telling Me You Journal’ even went viral with 3M views on TikTok. In the video, Jane amasses odds and ends such as a beer label, a coffee cup sleeve, and even a restaurant tray liner from her travels to keep in her journal.
@hellojanethecrazy Wait till the last ?? #traveltiktok #journal #fyp #recycle #stickers #stationeryaddict ♬ Wait a Minute! - WILLOW
Rojak Daily spoke to Jane to find out more about how she got interested in scrapbooking and tips for beginners to get started.
“I first got into scrapbooking through a natural progression of my love for keeping memories and staying organised. Ever since I was young, I've been keeping a diary where I would store cinema tickets and photographs as a way to document them.
"As I entered college, I started using a planner to keep track of my daily plans and expenses. This habit continued when I entered the executive world,” explained Jane.
“However, it wasn't until I quit my job and pursued a career as a full-time photographer that I truly delved into the world of scrapbooking. I began to explore and experiment more in my journals by incorporating stickers, various media, and anything that could fit into my journal to enhance the visual appeal and storytelling aspect of my memories,” she continued.
A Ritual That’s Worth its Time
With the stress and pressures of modern society, journaling is a powerful self-improvement activity. “I love scrapbooking for several reasons, primarily because it serves as a creative outlet and a way for me to release stress. Engaging in the scrapbooking process is incredibly therapeutic. It allows me to immerse myself in a calming and focused activity that brings mental clarity. Scrapbooking has taught me the value of being patient.
"Creating a journal spread requires a significant amount of time and attention to detail, and this helps me to appreciate the journey rather than solely focusing on the end result,” said Jane.
While it's tempting to see perfectionism as a positive quality, it can also do more harm than good. “Through this hobby, I have learned to accept that it's okay to make mistakes and be imperfect while creating something beautiful. It reminds me to let go of perfectionism and simply enjoy the process.
"Furthermore, scrapbooking enables me to tap into my inner child. It brings a sense of joy and freedom, allowing me to let go of inhibitions and create something fun and unique. It's a nostalgic experience that makes me feel like a carefree kid once again, unburdened by worries and solely focused on creating something wonderful,” added Jane. `
Jane shares that she loves the hobby so much that she has “created so many journals that I haven't bothered to keep count” and stores them in an airtight sealed storage box due to Malaysia’s high humidity all year round. From this picture alone, we’re counting more than 20!
6 Tips for Beginners
Although there’s no right or wrong, Jane shared some tips to get you started off on the right foot if you’re an absolute newbie.
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To start off with journaling, everyone should have a canvas as a base background.
I personally like using the Midori Travelers Notebook (priced at RM270 for the regular-sized starter kit) as my journal because of the wide range selections of paper inserts that are removable and the high-quality Japanese paper that is suitable to use with heavy media. If it’s out of your budget, you can also consider other options on Shopee such as this one.
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A writing/drawing medium of your choice
It’s best to decide on a single medium to start with whether it’s using pencils, gel pens, or watercolours if you are into painting. Note: this writer personally sticks to pens because the colours stand out more and paintbrushes aren’t my strong suit.
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Start collecting scraps
This can include anything, and we mean anything with an aesthetic look, or which holds a special memory for you. Okay, maybe not quite leftover pizza but this includes bills, movie tickets, food labels, price tags for clothes, and more. “I paste these when I am unsure what to write on an empty page, instead of discarding them as I usually would, I re-use them in my journal instead.” Note: this writer likes to keep business cards of restaurants that I visit during my travels, and I’ve even kept confetti from Disneyland!
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Get creative by adding real thoughts of the day
A journal is expressing yourself and keeping your memories. Something that may not mean anything much now may stir up certain memories in years to come. This can be a quote or a short conversation you had with a friend. Write them on a page.
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It Only Takes Five Minutes
If you think it's too much, just try journaling for only five minutes a day and you'll be amazed at what kind of journey you will go on if you keep up that consistency.
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Where To Get Your Stationery Supplies
If you’re anxious to get cracking, fortunately, we have access to several stationery stores that offer a wide variety of options, including Japanese, Taiwanese, and American stationery here in Malaysia. These stores operate both physically and online, making it convenient to explore and purchase items.
Jane shared, “Some of the stores I frequently visit or order from are Smidapaper, Tabiyo Shop, CzipLee, and Stickerrific. Additionally, Tsutaya Bookstore is another great place where I often find interesting stationery items to incorporate into my journals.”
Mindless Art Journaling Workshops for Beginners
If you have no idea where to start even with all those tips, Jane also hosts monthly workshops titled ‘Mindless Art Journaling for Beginners’ which has even counted author and social activist Marina Mahathir among its attendees. We can’t imagine signing up for a workshop and meeting the prominent figure there! During the sessions, Jane guides beginners to discover the joy of journaling.
“My workshops are available both privately and publicly, offering an intimate and personalised experience. The price range for these sessions starts from RM200 and above. At the moment, I host workshops in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, and I frequently share announcements and behind-the-scenes glimpses in my posts and stories on my Instagram.”
Time to start chronicling your memories, folks!
Follow Jane on Instagram, subscribe to her on YouTube or visit her website.