Is Scrapbooking Still Popular? Is It Worth it and Current trends

Is scrapbooking still popular in 2023? The answer may surprise you.

Is scrapbooking still popular? It is a common misconception that when we entered into the digital age all handmade hobbies, including scrapbooking, went out of style. However, recent studies show that the scrapbooking industry today still has a strong presence worldwide. It is reported that there are over 25 million scrapbookers in the United States alone. Especially with the increased visibility from social media this number continues to grow.

Like any hobby, whether it be scrapbooking or drawing, it is guarantied to change overtime. As we introduce new technologies and tools it makes sense that our creative outlets will evolve as well. Consider drawing for example; The earliest drawings were found on stone. Then, it moved to pencil and paper. Today, people still draw using a pencil and paper but now have the ability to draw digitally – creating digital designs and animations on a computer. Similarly to drawing, scrapbooking has evolved in a comparable way. Many people still enjoy traditional scrapbooking with physical paper and embellishments. Although now with the addition of digital scrapbooks the hobby is regaining popularity. That is good news because hobbies that grow and evolve are here to stay for a long time.

Is Scrapbooking Still Popular In 2023?

What Is Scrapbooking? The History & Emergence

Traditional scrapbooking is considered to be the use of physical paper and glue to adhere memorabilia. As it has been around since the 15th century it has allowed people to document their family history and monumental moments. In fact, the history of scrapbooking dates back to before photography was even invented. People would store old letters, playbills, tickets, and memorabilia in books. Journals, diaries, recipe books, and Bibles were just some of the makeshift scrapbooks where people would store their keepsakes.

Starting in the late 1800s with the rising interest in scrapbooking, companies started to sell post-bound scrapbook albums. Famous author Mark Twain invented his own version of a scrapbook album which he sold to consumers. His patented invention included adhesive-filled pages where no gluing was required. The Mark Twain Scrapbook was hugely successful and earned him roughly $50,000 dollars (quite significant during that time period).

With the invention of photography scrapbooks became even more widely used. Until the 20th century, getting yourself photographed was a timely and costly affair. Then, along came the Brownie camera. This handheld camera made photography more affordable and was able to be taken anywhere (Source: “The History of Scrapbooking“). As photography became more widely accessible scrapbooks were used to preserve these photographed moments. Soon family scrapbooks were commonplace and by the early 2000s scrapbooking was mainstream.

Past Studies

There has been a lot of discussion over the question ‘Is scrapbooking still popular?‘ According to Google Trends scrapbooking hit a peak during 2003-2004. During this time scrapbooking was a 2.5 billion dollar industry. Within the United States alone over 25 million people, mostly women, took part in this hobby. As well as over 3,000 scrapbook specific stores nationwide during this time period (Source “Blooming Scrapbooking Industry“).

As we entered into the 2008 financial crisis we started to see a decrease in interest for craft hobbies as a whole. Afterall, who had the time or money to spend on such interests when there were bigger issues to handle at home? Also, the mom & pop scrapbook stores that were once abundant in every state were now struggling. Keeping up the supplies and operating costs were specifically tough. Especially when competing with big box-stores such as Walmart and Amazon. Consumers could now find competitive pricing within these retail giants and even purchase online making the competition tougher than ever. It was also around this time we start to see the introduction of social media. Think back to the first days of Myspace and Facebook.

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Impact Of Social Media

Social media makes it easier now more than ever to publish your favorite people, places and events. As social media became the next big thing in the 2010s some people began to neglect traditional hobbies and leisure’s. Social media is addicting and time consuming, so it makes sense people started spending less time on their crafts, including scrapbooks. Who needs scrapbooking when you have Facebook and Instagram to document fun stories and family photos? The answer is those of us who value creativity and the traditional preservation of family history.

Sure, it is true some people have completely replaced traditional scrapbook albums with Facebook albums. On the other hand, social media has actually enhanced creative inspiration and community. For example, Facebook groups and Pinterest boards gives us thousands of scrapbooking ideas. They can be excellent places to meet fellow crafters around the globe and create genuine communities. I for one love joining Facebook scrapbooking groups within my city. They often have in-person workshops or weekend retreats to get together and craft. Additionally, Pinterest and TikTok are my go-to places for layout inspiration when I am feeling stuck.

Social media is just one of the ways scrapbooking has evolved over time. It has given people within the community countless opportunities to be inspired and share their passion with others. In fact, after not touching my scrapbooks for a few years it was while I was searching on YouTube that I came across someone sharing their work. This ultimately inspired me to get back into the hobby after being on hiatus. You never know who you may inspire while sharing your own projects online.

When Was Scrapbooking Popular/ Modern Day Scrapbooking

Marielen Christensen is often credited as the “founder” of modern day scrapbooking (Source “Modern Scrapbooking”). It is true scrapbooking has been around for centuries, though it was quite different than modern day scrapbooks. In the 1980s Christensen was recorded as the first person to use clear page protectors in her albums – something that is considered an essential in scrapbooking today. She introduced a unique record keeping system when documenting her photographs. Which included utilizing fun colors, patterns, and embellishments in addition to the photos.

The first modern scrapbooks were typically sized in an 8 1/2 x 11 inch album. As this was the most common size paper on the market. Although, by 1990 when digital cameras became more mainstream scrapbookers sought after a larger option to better fit the 4×6 inch photos. Thus, 12×12 inch paper and albums became the new standard. With the development of digital cameras also came colored photographs which were introduced during the modern scrapbooking era.

In 1981, Marielen Christensen opened a scrapbooking store called “Keeping Memories Alive”. Located in Spanish Fork, Utah, this was considered the first store that solely specialized in memory keeping craft supplies. This was the start of scrapbooking as we know it today. Which inspired thousands of others to join in on the hobby and for many other scrapbooking stores to emerge. This leads us into the current scrapbooking trends which will help answer the question ‘Is scrapbooking still popular?’

Scrapbooking Trends 2023 & Digital Scrapbooking

Although scrapbooking today shares many of the same characteristics to the modern day scrapbooks of the 1980s, there have also been some changes. With all the advancements in technology along came new tools and techniques. A few of those being die-cut machines, patterned paper packs, puffy stickers, pocket page scrapbooking, gold foiling and so much more. Today’s scrapbooking trends 2023 consist of more colors and vibrant embellishments than perhaps what was done 30 years ago.

Another big scrapbooking trend today is digital scrapbooking. Digital scrapbooking consists of using digital clipart and patterns to create online layouts. Crafters will use digital scrapbook software such as Adobe, My Memories Suite, and Canva. There are many benefits to digital scrapbooking such as affordability, and the fact that no physical supplies are needed other than a computer. However, for creatives such as myself nothing can replace the joy of making pages by hand.

One of my favorite current scrapbooking trends is creating handmade mini albums. If you wish to learn how to make your own mini album check out my blog post here. Mini albums are great for a variety of reasons. Firstly, you can fully customize the album cover any way you would like. Including picking out the paper pattern for the background. These albums can also be made into any size. Secondly, you can add in interactive elements onto your pages. Some examples of these are waterfall elements, flip up pages, and shaker tags. Interactive elements are a great way to add personalization onto your scrapbook pages.

In 2023, Pinterest named paper crafting one of the largest emerging trends (Source “Good on paper”). According to their analysis everything from paper mache to quilling art was up significantly compared to last year.

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Is Scrapbooking Worth It? The benefits And Rewards

Aside from the obvious benefits of scrapbooking: photo preservation and documenting family stories, there are many additional benefits to this hobby. For one thing, scrapbooking can help alleviate stress and anxiety (Source “The soothing benefits of scrapbooking”). Crafting is an excellent distraction from the everyday stressors in your life. It allows you to focus on the now and keeps you busy with your hands. Scrapbooking also has the ability to mentally transport you back to a specific time and place. By looking at old photographs a person can experience the closest thing to time travel. Especially those we suffer from Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can benefit greatly by recalling old memories.

Another huge benefit of scrapbooking is that it allows you to build stronger relationships. You likely learned scrapbooking from your mother or grandmother. This provides the perfect opportunity to sit down and spend quality time together. It is also nice to learn more about your family history and funny stories of the past. You also have the opportunity to join other scrapbooking communities whether it be online or in your own city. People who take part in this hobby are of all different ages and backgrounds. Take a chance and get to know people in your community who enjoy this similar interest as you.

Lastly, scrapbooking is an amazing creative outlet. Paper crafting allows you to use your hands and create something beautiful. You have the ability to tell your story in your own tangible way. Considering all the current scrapbooking trends and techniques there is no shortage of ideas. Next time you feel yourself in a creative funk try picking up new die-cuts or fun paper packs.

Is Scrapbooking Still Popular Today?

Is scrapbooking still popular? The answer is absolutely yes! How we scrapbook may change based on new technologies. However, the art of story-telling has been around since the beginning of time and will only continue to grow. Many people even have a preference for tradition; Meaning they have no plans of transitioning to the online environment of digital spaces. Traditional scrapbooking will always have a place inside people’s homes. Especially as family scrapbooks get passed down from generation to generation.

Lastly, whether or not a hobby is “popular” should not influence you to continue or start that activity. If you enjoy creating with your hands and telling stories then I encourage you to start a scrapbook. Scrapbooking today can be extremely rewarding. If you are interested is joining this community or want information on how to scrapbook then please check out the other resources on my blog. You may find lots of inspiration on ways to craft your story.

This post answers the question – Is scrapbooking still popular?

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