If you have ever walked down the scrapbooking aisle in a craft store and had sticker shock,

felt you had no time to cut and paste, or figured you were not crafty enough- think again.

Here are simple scrapbooking tips that will make anyone a pro. Create one-of-a-kind gifts, without spending a lot of time or money; it will just look like you did.
Skip the premade, overpriced accessories and use what you have around the house. Gather loose beads from broken jewelry, odd buttons, scrap ribbon, fabric and wrapping paper. Use colorful paper (wrapping paper or pages of magazines) to border photos. Save time cutting around people and keep pictures as 4x6, place them in neat columns for a clean symmetrical look. If a photo happens to have a lot of empty space (dark or uninteresting background), this is where you can use your embellishments. For example, you might add a quote or saying (tip: silver marker works great over a dark background), or tie ribbon through a button and loop it to mimic a ring, adhere to the photo of your engagement night.

Try virtual scrapbooking- Download free software that lets you edit, crop, and layer photos already on your computer- no printing, cutting or pasting necessary. Download pictures and logos from websites of what you have seen (think maps, menus, or calendar of events). You choose your own layout, background, and text. It makes a great gift for any occasion. Try SmileBooks.

Find more ideas at Celebrations or share your own.