Any experience scrapper knows that no album is complete without some great scrapbook sayings and quotes.  Sometimes it's true that a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes you may need to actually add some words to that picture to get your point across!  Unfortunately some beginners and even those experienced in the hobby often forget some basic rules of using scrapbook sayings and quotes and find that their pages are overwhelmed with words and phrases or they're somewhat bare and dry.  They might also not know how to make the words match the page and photo, or how to make the words stand out on their own.  So let's go over some basic tips on using scrapbook sayings and quotes and how to make these really complement your page and not detract from it.

For one thing, remember that the words or phrases you use for scrapbook sayings and quotes should match the photo or the page.  As an example, you might just have the word "love" in big letters at the top of the page if the photo is of a couple, a small baby, or even a parent and child.  But if you use it on the page where you have a photo of your dog, this might be confusing.  You know you love your dog but someone else might see it and be scratching their heads in confusion.  There is no end to the variety of scrapbook sayings and quotes that are available and words you can use as well, so while something might make sense to you be sure that it's not so obscure that someone else is left confused.  For that dog photo, try the phrase "puppy love" rather than just "love," or something more appropriate for a pet.  You may notice there are many phrases and words that are great for children and some that are more serious for adults or for serious occasions like weddings.  Choose appropriate wording with all your scrapbook sayings and quotes and you'll see that pages are more appreciated by those with whom you share your album.

Another point to remember about scrapbook sayings and quotes is that very often, less is more.  Too much wording can make a page seem very busy and distracting.  You may want to use your scrapbook sayings and quotes to tell an actual story but this might take away from the photo or element on the page.  At the very least, remember to use a plainer font for the most wording you have and leave the fancier fonts for the simple scrapbook sayings and quotes or the single words you use.  This way your page won't seem busy and crowded or cluttered.  When in doubt, use less wording as you can always add something later on; it's very difficult to take things away once they're glued to or printed on your page however!

One thing you can do with your scrapbook sayings and quotes is to use them as actual elements on the page that complement your photograph or memento.  For instance, you can wrap the words around the picture like a frame.  Or you can put one word on top of the picture and one on the bottom, anchoring it to the page.  Many also find that longer scrapbook sayings and quotes can be written out in a neat square underneath the photo as if it's an extension of it.  You can also use them to tie in each page of a larger album.  Many find that one word written out in the same font in the same spot of each page gives the album a nice theme or tone.  As an example, there are many short scrapbook sayings and quotes you can use for weddings, such as "from this day forward," "to have and to hold," and so on.  Use a different one on each page of your wedding scrapbook but in the same spot and with the same font to really pull the entire album together.

Be sure to mix up your scrapbook sayings and quotes as well.  Use one word or short phrase like "love," "child's play," or "summertime" in large fancy letters at the top or bottom of the page and then add more of your wording in a strong but plain font in another part of the page or right next to this.  The contrast of the two typestyles will really make both of those elements pop.  If you use the same font for all your scrapbook sayings and quotes they won't stand out on the page and may just have all their wording run together.

Probably one of the most important things you want to remember about scrapbook sayings and quotes is that you don't want to overuse them.  Too often people think that they must have a lot of wording on every page to "explain" things but this just isn't typically necessary.  Think of an actual photo album - you don't usually use words there and yet you appreciate the pictures anyway.  The same is true with scrapbook sayings and quotes; they should be thought of as just another element on the page that's meant to decorate the photograph or memento, not overpower it.  There's no rule that says you must use any scrapbook sayings and quotes, so use some discretion!  If a page seems too busy or if it seems as if the words are distracting from the photo or memento, take them out.  People can typically look at a scrapbook page and understand what's going on so there's no need to think you need to explain everything.  Sometimes less is more, and this is often true when it comes to scrapbook sayings and quotes, and especially for pages where you have a lot of decorative elements already.  If you have a number of elements and decorations on the page and use a lot of wording as well, everything may seem cluttered and busy and this would just detract from the photo.

Further Resources:

Scrapbooking Quotes and Titles Ideas Book