Tip of the Month

This month's question is about idea books. What are your three all time favorites? What ones should you have left on the shelf? Why do you like or dislike them?

kathy m from San Jose CA writes...
My 3 All time favorite idea books---1) BH sketches--I use this book all of the time. 2) Simple Scrapbooks by Stacy Julian, not so much that I got a ton of stuff from it, but because it gave me the idea for my kids school albums and also inspired me to create an album about my scrapbooking. 3) would have to be Tagging along by Katherine Brooks, there were a lot of really cool techniques in that book that I used. My least favorite type of books are any kind of gallery book where it just shows tons of layouts. I\'m less likely to buy those.

ginger from California writes...
I love love love love idea books! I always buy them as soon as they come out! Have to have them all! My favorites are: 1. BH Sketches...very versatile and so many great ideas out of it! 2. Bazzill Color one....love this one!!!! 3. BH\'s first idea book there....can\'t remember the name of it now....how sad is that? I can hardly wait for the new bazzill, junkitz, hof, and chatterbox ones that are coming out! ginger

Kim in TX from Dallas, TX for a few more days writes...
My 3 favorites, in order: 1. BH Simple Sketches 2. Card Crazy from Deluxe Designs (That\'s another book Katherine Brooks is in, I love her stuff!) 3. Tagging Along by Katherine Brooks. I\'ve bought lots and lots and lots of idea books, but there aren\'t very many that I actually use on a regular basis. These are probably the only three that I look at and use often. The BH creative companion used to be on this list, but I usually just look in simple sketches now.

GBS from Baton Rouge, LA writes...
I don\'t use a lot of idea books. There are two that I really like a lot. 1) BH Creative Sketches. This is WONDERFUL for when you are \"stuck.\" I don\'t always just follow the sketch, it often gives me ideas to make the layout using parts of the sketch. Just enough to get me moving creatively. Yet, they are wonderful to totally go with the sketch, too. 2) Designing with Photos. This book is slam full of tips for photography, which is a BIG part of scrapbooking. It is a wonderful asset for scrappers!

INJacqui from Brown County, Indiana writes...
Are we the BH fan club or what? My three favs are: 1) BH Simple Sketches 2) Scrapbooking Secrets of BH 3) A tie between Bazzill Color and Scrapbooking Life\'s Little Treasures. I never go back and look at my HOF ones or anything that\'s just a gallery of pages. I really prefer the technique kind overall. Jacqui

Jeanne from Oasis Scrapbooking in Cranbrook writes...
My favorite book is Fantastic Scrapbooking by Hot Off the Press. It is filled with wonderful ideas and tells how to do each technique. Also, The Art of Scrapbooking by Paper Kutz. It is new and filled with all the new techniques. After these two, my three paper piecing books by Hot off the press. The first book is falling apart from use.

Tracy *SBA* from Wisconsin writes...
I love idea books my favorites are 1)BH Sketches because it really helps me to just get started some times as to where the pictures should go. 2)BH creative companion for the same reasons if I just need some thing to go in that little spot I can thumb threw it and some thing will just pop out at me. 3.)would have to be my 201 & 201 paper piecing books I know they aren\'t so much an idea book but a pattern book but I seem to have these out alot when I have a bunch of pictures I find something cute to go with them and build a page from there. But I do find my true ideas from all my many magazines! I will grab a bunch of them to take with me to a crop and just page threw them and I may like the way the background is done in one layout and a tag in another and I go from there. I usually just need that fresh idea to get me started then I go from there.

Gail in NJ writes...
My favorites are also all Becky Higgins: Scrapbooking Secrets, Creative Sketches, and My Creative Companion. I have others that I like, but I much prefer these three that give techniques and/or sketches versus layout after layout. With just layouts, I feel that its just like reading the magazines. I also find BH\'s style very do-able.

Judy in AK writes...
I have about 7 ft. of idea/technique books so that is a very hard question. I can\'t \"just name three\" of them as best because my books cover so much territory! But, off the top of my head... The ones that impressed me the most are: \"DELUXE COLOR BLOCKING IDEA BOOK\" by Joldeen Hansen & Amanda Mclaws, \"SCRAPBOOKING SECRETS\" & \"CREATIVE COMPANION\" both by Becky Higgins, \"MARVELOUS SCRAPBOOK MAKEOVERS\" by Creating Keepsakes, and all of the \"PUNCH YOUR ART OUT\" books by Memory Makers. The only book I have which I was tremendously disappointed in was \"THE JOY OF PUNCHING\" by Sheryl Herchenroeder. Though advertized as a punch art \"book\", it was actually just a few 3x5\" cards held together by one plastic ring. It consisted of just faces made with punches. It was also overpriced by at least 3 times, if not 4. Worst value for the money of any I have. Though I may have 1 or 2 others, that weren\'t the greatest, in the tons of books I have, they don\'t stand out in my memory like this one does.

Jennifer in OK writes...
Hmmm.. I\'ll have to try those. They sound like a hot item. I really like the CM page ideas. You get new ones every three months and they are pretty cheap. They are only $5.50 for about 15-20 new pages (4 per page). I use them all the time. The CM Fast Formula\'s are great too. They show you a layout idea and then several varations of it using different shapes, etc. I have a subscription to CK, but at this point, a lot of that is over my head. I haven\'t dove into the fancy stuff yet. Neat to look at, when I get the chance.

Chris in IN writes...
I don\'t usually buy idea books but the one I HAD to have and LOVE is the Lisa Bearnson QVC one. Oh my this one is a must have. This book keeps scrapbooking to the basics and the simple ideas will have your mind racing for ideas. This is exactly my style, not to \'edgy\' or over the top with unafordable lumpy crap. This is exactly where my pages are and forever will be. This book is simply just a must have! The best part it comes with a sm scrapbook with pages & accessories, plus a free font cd with Lisa\'s favorites. Love it! Love it! Love it!

DawninNoVa from Northern Virginia writes...
My 3 long-time favorites are: Scrapbooking Life\'s Little Treasures, Tagging Along, and Color Blocking Idea Book. My newest favorites are: Designing with Words and CK Scrapbook Tips & Techniques (A Treasury of Favorites). The CK one has lots of ideas and is a bargain with a 50% coupon, especially since I dropped my CK subscription a long time ago. I also prefer technique books as opposed to gallery books, and I\'ve been eyeing the PK Art of Scrapbooking. I don\'t have any that I hate; I think I\'ve gotten \"something\" out of all of them.

Meesie from Chambersburg, PA writes...
I\'m like the others. I love the BH books: Scrapbooking Secrets (the SB Bible to me!), Creative Sketches and Creative Companion. I also love the LB QVC book. All of the others I have aren\'t used nearly as much. Someday, I may add the Anna Griffin video if I ever get around to watching it.

Jill in Texas writes...
CK\'s Hot Looks for Scrapbooking. This book has lots of pages by Kelly Anderson, I just LOVE her work. I never say in a magazine that I actually love someone\'s work, but her pages are AWESOME!. The second book would be the BH Sketches. I have four large boxes of photos that I am going to start on next week and this book is going to help me get them done. The third book would be the Chatterbox Make It Meaningful Book, which really isn\'t an idea book but a book about the albums that won the Chatterbox Make It Meaningful Contest last year. Hmmm...wonder why I like that one so much?

KsCrafter from Kansas writes...
I use the CM idea books, page patterns and fast formula\'s for ideas. sometimes they help by just giving me a general idea and I tweak it just a bit to add my own creativity to it. I also have the cropy cat cards and they have some great ideas with the patterns for the PP\'s. Of course my all time favorite place to get ideas is here on the board.

AZ Deb from Nome, AK writes...
I only have a few books. My favorites are 1) BH Sketches ( I know, just like everyone else). There are so many ways to combine her ideas. I love it! 2) Simple Scrapbooks. Though I think she really under-estimates how long it takes to do these, the concepts of simplicity are fabulous. 3) Rebecca Sowers \"scrapbooking life\'s little treasures\" ??? or however that goes. I love how she guides you through thinking about what you really want and need to put on paper for your kids, family and friends, as well as yourself. It\'s just beautiful and inspirational. Things I don\'t use so much are HOF and other gallery type books. Though I rush to buy them, I look at them for a few weeks then they\'re stashed for the duration.

Sue in Grapevine from Grapevine, TX writes...
Three faves: BH sketches, BH Creative Cards, & SS Celebrations. All these books contain things that are easily attainable for most scrappers. Wish I\'d saved my money: Scrapbooking Life\'s Little Treasures (pretty, but not my style), MM hardcover idea books (just the same LO\'s from mags) & 50 Hottest Products ( by CK or PK)

Maria in Columbus writes...
For me it is (same as many others) 1) BH Sketches, 2) Scrapbooking with LB from QVC, 3) Card Crazy from Deluxe Designs. I\'m not huge on idea books, but these are the only three that I haven\'t resold after buying. These are my stand bys. Love all the classic looking layouts.

Cat from Dallas writes...
Instead of having a favorite I am creating my own idea book by cutting out and saving layouts and articles from my favorite magavines. I divide them into catagories of lettering techniques, children general, holidays ( by Holiday), heritage, college, male oriented, sports, girly girls, and just cool. I put each into a page protector and store them in binders. Trying to have a budget for this hobby I find that I enjoy this more than buying idea books on top of magazines.

Jeanette Dolphin from Florida writes...
My three favorite books: 1) All literature from Becky Higgins (Scrapbooking Secrets, Creative Companion, Sketches) 2) Memory Makers - Layout Mania - I knew there was \"the basics\" of design...and now I know them. 3) Simple Scrapbook - That\'s my style! I love their magazine/website...They have great ideas!

Aileen writes...
When I first started scrapping I bought all the CM idea books and collected crop talks. Since then I\'ve sold all my CM books and most of the crop talks. I don\'t have any idea books, I like using magazines better. That way I have fresh ideas every month and I can always look back at older issues for ideas too.

Johanna from Washington writes...
I am not really a idea book gal but I do like the ones put out by simple scrapbooks and also the Scrapbooking with Lisa Bearnson from QVC. It is great since I bought just about everything they are making their layouts with.

Glenda from Clinton writes...
I like Ivy Cottage Creatable Cards 1. It\'s kinda for beginners, but it was a great starting place for me. When I want to make a card I flip through there for ideas. I also use some of the ideas to spin off ideas to use in my scrapbook. I\'m a simple scrapper though. It might be too simplistic for others. But if you like it simple, yet need ideas. I love this book. I just ordered #2, I hope it\'s as useful!

SnoopMurph from AZ writes...
My favorite idea books are 1) BH Creative Sketches, which is just so easy to use and to feel inspired by. 2) Card Creations and 3)Bazzill Color Book. There are some books that I like to look at, but I don\'t usually buy, such ones with only layouts. I also have a ton of lettering books, but I find that I look at them less and less.

Barb in Buffalo writes...
My favorite idea books are Creative Cards and Memory Makers Scrapbook Borders, Corners and Titles and MM Quilted Scrapbooks. The ones I wish I\'d left on the shelf are the idea books by Creative Memories. I just don\'t scrap that way any more.

Barb in Buffalo writes...
OOPs! I said Creative Cards....I meant Card Creations.

Barbi M from Lehigh Florida writes...
I absolutely love th BH sketches book, didn\'t think I would and now it is my favorite. I also like the Monochromatic book and card creations. I didn\'t care for the deluxe cuts book at all.

Rinda writes...
Simple Scrapbooks Design Book - it was really an update of an earlier one, but I think it\'s the best on helping someone understand design (which is help that I need desperately!!). Rebecca Sower\'s Scrapbooking Life\'s Little Secrets - Best book on meaningful journaling, plus lots of other great little boxes. P.K. Tips & Techniques 1 - I think this book was really jam-packed with ideas for lots of embellishments. I find I can always turn to it for ideas. Should not have bought: P.K. Power Team Books; Designing with Color. Rinda

Michelle Rae from Washington, PA writes...
I have a bazillion idea books but definately have my favorites. (1) BH Sketch Idea Book hands down. I\'m waiting impatiently for the second sketch idea book to come out!!! (2)Rebecca Sowers Scrapbooking Life\'s little Treasures. I loved that book! (3)This is my latest favorite Ck\'s Hot Looks Idea book. I don\'t think it\'s one that will go everywhere with me until the end of time like the other two do but I really have found alot of inspiration in this book! ~Michelle Rae

lana from ohio writes...
CK\'s Scrapbook tips and techniques and cm\'s creative paper techniques are my favorites. I should have left memory folding on the shelf - I have never even tried it!

Bridget from in MD writes...
1. KI Memories Book 2. BH Sketches book 3. BH Creative Companion book I really like the books that show me page design and I love the KI books for ideas on how to use thier products. =)

Paula in GA from Brunswick, GA writes...
My three favorite books so far are: Becky Higgins\' Sketches - I love this book, use it a lot. Scrapbook Storytelling by Joanna Campbell-Slan - A real surprise. I\'ve reread this many times to get ideas for albums, layouts, etc. Has a wealth of information. Memory Makers Photo Kaleidoscopes - I really loved this look when I saw it on a layout & this book really has a lot of ideas for making kaleidoscopes. As one woman said, I don\'t really care for the books that just have layouts in them. They\'re nice & I scraplift from them, but I really didn\'t learn anything from them. I want to get a book on color & photography soon.