Have you ever been to anything more fun and enjoyable than today's scrapbook parties?  These types of gatherings are becoming popular with experienced and novice scrappers alike.  Some are just an afternoon while others might last an entire weekend!  More than just a time to put together scrapbooks and albums, those scrapbook parties that have been planned out carefully and that are put together with some thought and effort can be a great time for the girls or for entire families to get together and enjoy a fantastic hobby.  If you're someone that wants to plan some scrapbook parties and you have some natural abilities as a hostess then you may be all set, but for others you may want to consider a few basic tips and pointers.

For one thing, when planning scrapbook parties decide if you want it to be for the girls alone or for families.  Keep in mind that younger children have very short attention spans no matter what you're doing so if you do invite the kids, it's good to make provisions for other activities as well.  Many who plan scrapbook parties for families find that it's helpful to have video games available or to do so during the warm summer months so the kids can go outside and play when they get restless.  You may have some type of "Normal Rockwell" setting in mind for your scrapbook parties where everyone is going to gather around the table and have a great time together but in reality it's best to understand and try to accommodate a child's lack of attention than to try to force an activity upon them.  Remember, scrapbook parties should be enjoyable for them too and they certainly won't be if the kids feel pressured to sit still for hours at a time or if they're just not interested in scrapbooking overall.

If you're planning scrapbook parties just for the grownups then you may have a bit more leeway as to what you can plan and provide.  Most appreciate some materials being available for them and you may also want to consider running off some samples of your favorite designs you see online for scrapbook parties.  There are some experienced scrappers that can show up and have their own material ready and their own ideas about what they're going to do, but others might need some prodding.  You may be thinking that it will cost some money to provide elements and papers for scrapbook parties but really, these things are so cheap it will probably cost more for the refreshments than for the supplies!  Think too of how you can use everyday items and provide these at your scrapbook parties.  You might have puzzle pieces from jigsaw puzzles, hair ribbon, toothpicks, popsicle sticks, bits of cloth, buttons, and yarn available with some suggestions for how they can be used on different pages.  It also helps to have available for your scrapbook parties some words and phrases that many people use on scrapbooks as they are often stuck for new and interesting quotes and sayings.  You can easily run some off from the internet and just have them available in list form.  And of course you can encourage your guests to bring not just their own materials but anything extra they may have to share with others as well.

When planning scrapbook parties you can go as elegant or as cheap as you want when it comes to refreshments.  Some girls appreciate some soda and chips, or you might serve some vegetables and dip, or you can go very elegant and have wine and appetizers.  Scrapbook parties are also a great opportunity to try a chocolate fountain and everyone can bring something they use for dipping - marshmallows, fruit, pretzels, and so on.  A nice fondue can also be appreciated.  As with other parties, scrapbook parties can be as fancy or as plain as you decide they're going to be!  Just ordering a pizza can be fun, but if you want to go all out you can even decorate your home or a room with balloons, streamers, and so on.  Remember that the more festive the atmosphere, the more fun your guests are sure to have.

Some who sell scrapbook supplies find that scrapbook parties are a great way to sell their product; they plan these just like companies plan home parties to sell small appliances, jewelry, makeup, and so on.  Sales reps can demonstrate some new elements or products that are available and drum up interest this way.  If you're planning scrapbook parties for this purpose you may want to remember that some guests will resent having to sit through a long sales pitch when they thought they were attending an actual party, so keep any actual demonstrations to a minimum.  Guests at scrapbook parties want to have fun; they're not there to make money for you, so use some discretion in this area.  Even at other home sales parties they plan different games and giveaways for everyone to enjoy rather than just trying to sell their goods!  So remember that scrapbook parties are parties and you want to make sure everyone enjoys themselves; if you do, you'll probably get more sales anyway!  Keep it light and fun no matter what you do.

Whatever your reason for having scrapbook parties keep in mind that scrapbooking is one of the most affordable and simplest hobbies out there, so don't overwhelm yourself with too many details.  Most scrapper appreciate the hobby because there's little pressure to learn methods and techniques and because it's so relaxing.  Your guests will probably love being around other scrappers and will appreciate some time to indulge in this hobby together, so you don't need to worry too much about doing things the "right" way.  Make sure they have some great refreshments available and that everything is low-key and you'll have much more success with scrapbook parties than you may have imagined.