Top 10 things that changed the face of scrapbooking

[MaryAnne]

As you may know, we are a Mac family. But we get PC Pro anyway, just because there are usually interesting articles and reviews. The current issue has a piece on cameras, so DH passed it on to me as soon as he was done. The article is a good one, but the cover story caught my eye - 100 Technologies that changed the world. Which got me thinking about the things that seriously shook up scrapbooking.

For me, there are a few things that changed how people scrap.

1. Obviously, digital photography, and the ability to alter your photos, resize and crop them, without needing to go to the photo processing place has to be up there near the top.

2. Surely, to go along with that, has to be Krista Boivie in the 2002 Hall of Fame, who was, I think, the first person to bring digital scrapping to the world. Can you believe it was that recently?

3. And perhaps CK (or was it Memory Makers?) as the first scrapbooking magazine is a contender. More so that the first online forum? The first scrapbooking online forum was, I think, DMarie. That was 1997 and I THINK it beats out 2Peas, although it was surely a close run race and I could be wrong. The first "test" gallery post on 2Peas was in 1998, so I don't think I am. Of course 2peas soon took the lead. I wonder who was the very first ever scrapbooking blogger?

4. The Hermafix photo adhesive runners are surely a big one - prior to that it was glue or the Creative Memories photo tabs that you had to apply one by one, manually. And the temporary adhesive runners by Herma were a big step forward as well, letting you reposition stuff easier.

5. 12 x 12 cardstock was possibly the biggest change, giving scrappers a bigger canvas to work on.

6. And hand-in-hand with that has to be 12 x 12 albums as well. Which came first or did they arrive at the same time? I think they must have - no sense in 12x12 paper without an album to hold them! And hand-in-hand with the albums had to be the post-bound album to replace the horrible CM strap hinge system. Ugh.

7. You have to add the Fiskars personal trimmer (why does that ALWAYS make me think of shavers rather than scrapping? ) which was the first to accomodate 12x12 paper. Before that, it was just a knife and ruler, or the CM guillotine that was only small enough to crop photos.

8. And the first Creative Memories shape cutting system - which actually was not a good thing when it meant people cutting up original, perhaps their ONLY, photos into circles or ovals or stars. But for cutting cardstock and paper, and for matting your photos perfectly, it was a big help.

9. We have to mention Becky Higgins and her first Creative Companion - I believe that was the first case of seeing sketches and a jump-start to building a layout.

10. Then, I think, the Sizzix and QuicKutz - not sure which was first (pretty sure it was the Sizzix) that brought home, affordable die cutting to the masses, and made cutting titles less of a chore.

Some of these things we take for granted now, but when they "hit" they seriously changed how we scrap.

What have I forgotten? Is there anything that you recall that was a milestone in scrapbooking that you think challenges these things for the Top 10? Do tell. what seriously changed YOUR scrapping? I'll bet Shimelle has some ideas as the only person ever to win both the Hall of Fame and the Paper Kuts Power Team both (and they changed the rules and the timings after that to make sure it never happened again!) she may even deserve a place for doing the first online scrapbooking class.

[ifa]

This is very interesting MA. I came to scrapbooking much later than any of these innovations that I am kinda taking them for granted.

[Alipeeps]

^Likewise, all these things were pretty much standard by the time I was introduced to scrapbooking in 2004 so their impact kind of passed me by. My scrapbooking world has always included things like digital photography, 12x12 papers and die-cutting systems, to the point that it's weird to think of scrapping without them!

[ProudWickedFan]

Sizzix was definitely before the Quickcutz which I bought and sold again very quickly after realising that I'd have RSI before I was 32 if I continued using it!

i'm guessing the later innovations would be the Craft Robo, the first thing since industrial plotters for scrapbookers to be able to cut their own titles etc and it lead to the plethora of electronic cutting machines we have now.

[MaryAnne]

I def. started out with a craft knife and a metal ruler, the CM photo tabs, and was on DMarie and used 2Peas when they first came online, although never joined 2Peas properly until a few years later when I got a scanner and wanted to upload rather than just read . But I always scrapped 12 x 12 and never bought a QK until they were almost on their way out. Heck, I only got a manual die cutting machine in the last 6 months, although I've had a Craft Robo for many years, got that just about as soon as it was available.

Now, it seems to be more improvements on exiting things (better Sizzix machines, and other options, better trimmers, better circle systems, better adhesive applicators like the ATG and the tape runners, better and more innovative punches) and fewer real innovations (I think the BIA was a massive innovation, but the Cricut, using carts, was a step BACKWARDS, going from cutting any font or file to carts only, until SCAL and MTC made it a more versatile product)

I just find it interesting, looking back historically, at how it has all changed so much.

[scrappyJan]

I was introduced to scrapping through Creative Memories and I was hooked from the word go. The only embellishment we had at the first party I went to was some coloured paper that we cut into triangular shapes with fancy scissors! Funnily enough those pages still look rather nice... go figure!!!!!!!!!

As far as innovations go, I like the D ring albums, my Expression and Sure Cuts a Lot software, the infinite variety of patterned papers and flowers... I love flowers and bling jewels.

It is no wonder that my scrapbook requirements have progressed from one little set of drawers to a whole room. Long may the innovations continue.

[CraftyPrincess]

For me I think it was fun patterned paper, it used to be so much more difficult to find stuff that I liked. It used to be lots of twee and floral and fussy or themed and then companies like Making Memories I think it was, (early 2000's? I just remember a striped cardstock they did and a green dot I got tonnes of and did whole albums with) they came out with bold stripes and polka dots in really fun bright colours and more and more companies sprang up offering something different and innovative. That's what kept me around anyway and the innovations in papers and patterns just keep coming

[Mollymoo]

Like Ifa I came into this much later so all those innovations were pretty much in place more like I was just discovering them.

The interesting trend for me at the minute is the back to basics of the smash and ditto type scrapping. It reminds me of my childhood and holiday albums I did as a kid...

I do have lots of duh! moments as they bring out products from other areas like doilies, paper clips, bulldog clips.....

[Debbie]

Ooh, interesting! What I find fascinating is how stuff gets adapted from other industries, like Craft Robo, originally designed for cutting vinyl signage. I had one when they first came into scrapping, and loved the idea of cutting anything you wanted, but hated the unreliability of it when cutting Bazzill. Cricut was a real step forward for me as far as that was concerned. I think it's such a shame that Provo won't do a deal with SCAL and MTC.

What else? The Cropodile is an adaptation of the thing they use to ring farm animals. Lots of the bits and bobs we use are converted from sewing things, like the thing I can't remember the name of that we had for cutting borders: a set of little discs that went round the edges of your photos.....

I reckon the biggest innovation product-wise was the first 7G release. It was so different to anything else on the market, so un-cute and sophisticated in comparison. I think that also led to the whole altered/TH/vintage/shabby look that's so popular.

And yes, digital photography and message boards have made a massive difference. I don't think scrapping would have taken off over here at all if it hadn't been for the www.

I wonder what the next big thing will be?

[LouiseJB]

Biggest & best thing for me - Tim Holtz

[BevS97]

(I think the BIA was a massive innovation, but the Cricut, using carts, was a step BACKWARDS, going from cutting any font or file to carts only, until SCAL and MTC made it a more versatile product)

I can't think what BIA is, but Cricut's biggest innovation was bringing cutting to the masses. The CraftRobo was just too hard to use for most crafters. People are looking for things to make their lives easier not harder.
Cricut offered limited fonts with the cartridges, BUT you can cut them in any size which is a big step forward from the QK or Sizzix.

I can't remember the name of that we had for cutting borders: a set of little discs that went round the edges of your photos.....

That would be a magic matter

[MaryAnne]

I reckon the biggest innovation product-wise was the first 7G release. It was so different to anything else on the market, so un-cute and sophisticated in comparison. I think that also led to the whole altered/TH/vintage/shabby look that's so popular.
...

I wonder what the next big thing will be?

Yes to 7G! They were so "out there" when they hit the shops, everyone was OMG! Love it! or Ick. It's all brown and muddy! but very few people had no opinion on it

Funny, the first HOF was 1999. Who of the winners do we remember?
Angelyn Bryce
Heather Holdaway Thatcher
Vikki Trantham
Karen Petersen
Jodi Olson
Emily Magleby
Kim Heffingon
Kerri Bradford
Desiree Tanner
Joyce Schweitzer
Jenny Jackson
Brenee Williams
Denise Stott
Diane Garding
Brenda Bennett
Jennifer McLaughlin
Lori Bergmann
Sharon Lewis
Emily Waters
Heather Lancaster
Karen Glenn
Gale Holdman
Sally Garrod
Shannon Wolz
Beth Wakulsky

I think I recognize a couple of them, but there is no one that I follow. Looking at the layouts in that book, we have moved on SO FAR from that sort of scrapping. There are very few stickers, virtually NO 3D thick embellishments, a bit of yarn and some 3D paper fringes, but maybe one ribbon bow, a bit of thread and a bit of thick, rough twine. Lots of hand cut titles from patterned paper, more handwriting than computer journaling, a fair bit of paper piecing of things like the SF bridge, an airplane, apples, etc, less stamping than I would have expected, lots of die cuts, paper dolls, and A BANNER. That was a surprise given how popular they have been in the last year or two. LOTS of two page spreads, more 8.5 x 11 pages than 12x12 ones. Possibly less than 10 pages with only one single photo on them.

Hambly Studios has an ad (!), and EK Success, Clearsnap inks, Accu-Cut, Coluzzle, D.O.T.S stamps, Paper Adventures, Stickopotomus, HOTP, Provo Craft, Frances Meyer, and Page Toppers (!) So a fair few that are still around and have moved with the times.

[MaryAnne]

BIA is Bind-It-All

[shimelle]

Very, very interesting!

First, comments on your original ten, MA! 12x12 albums definitely came before 12x12 paper, I think - as early CM was 12x12 pages but just little pieces of paper. That was why you could always spot a CM page, since they had to be white as there wasn't any paper to cover the background. Keeping Memories Alive predates CM, but I think they started their papers in 8.5x11 and then added 12x12 later. I used to love their papers - subtle, one colour patterns on a patterned paper that was a bit thicker than most papers (a bit like many patterns now but very different for back then when everything was the thickness of cheap typing paper). They are still in business but don't make the papers any more - just albums and then they sell other brands in their shop.

I think there was always debate about which came first with CK and MM, as CK did a preview issue to test the market then there was a big gap before their next issue - and MM started publishing on a schedule from issue 1 right around the same time. But in the early days they marketed to two separate audiences, with MM taking a lot of influence from CM and CK was more in tune with the customers from the early stores in Utah (Keeping Memories Alive, Pebbles). So early issues showed a big divided between 8.5x11 (CK) and 12x12 (MM), then when both titles grew from their small specialist markets to being on newsstands and in the big box stores in America, we saw a lot of mixing and expanding of styles along with the contributor base coming from further away (though still almost entirely American).

dMarie and scrapbooking-dot-com both had very early message boards. Neither of them had stores at the time. I think Two Peas became the first site to really integrate the community and the shopping, and I remember it was such a big deal when the message boards opened there. They were also pretty innovative with their design team and people would stay up till midnight to see the new pages go live once a month. That predated blogging, so it was one of the only places where you could see a whole selection of brand new pages online and it felt like getting a new issue of a magazine almost. Of course now we have lots of content online and are spoilt for choice!

HOF and 3D pages is an interesting one - my HOF entry was very lumpy but they only printed the flat pages! At that point, they still had a charter of only showcasing things that were definitely photo-safe, because we were all using film so everything was considered an original photo. I have always wondered if they realised the pages were 3D from the entry (you had to send in colour photocopies) or if they thought they were flat items like photo-ish stickers? We had to enter with 8 pages then send in those 8 plus 10 more, and they chose the flattest layouts I sent in and returned all the cinnamon sticks, pop dots, folded paper, gathered ribbon and everything else. Interestingly, the only layout I sent in for both Hall of Fame and Power Team was never published by either - it was sent to both publishers at different points in time and was rejected by both. Guess what it had in all the embellishments? *Butterflies* - who knew!?

Okay... let me think of what really makes my top 10 and I'll post it. Hmmmm *thinking cap on*

[MaryAnne]

Now see? I knew you would have the low down on it all

I did forget about scrapbooking dot com - I never liked the site design, and of course when Two Peas opened I rarely went back to DMarie (actually shocked to see the URL is still active) as again the site design was rubbish.

At the time we had this weird sort of massive hybrid TV/computer (it was by Gateway but I forget the name - something like Destination or Dimension) but the coolest thing was it had this wireless trackball mouse/remote that you cradled in your hand, rotating the track ball on the underside and clicking on the remote control part. But the TV was very big, like 42" (which was huge for a standard TV back in the 90s) and one of by neighbors, a CM lady, was going on and on about how great DMarie was. I had just discovered 2Ps so I sat her down on the couch and brought it up on the TV She was soon a convert.

I used to have the scrapbooking ladies around and we would sit, have a coffee, put our feet up, and browse 2Ps on the screen as a group.

I can't wait to see your list.