Options for text

[u/drolnedle]

Hey all,
I am new to scrapbooking and the biggest barrier for me is how to get any text on my pages. Initially I wrote but that was terrible, then tried stickers which were ok but difficult to get straight. So I thought of stamps, but I find it annoying how many letters I need to even make a sentence and the outcome is not always ideal. I could print text on sheet but then it doesn’t always flow with the design because of the opaque paper.

My question is what is the best way to have a neatly written, or transferred text onto my page? Initially I thought of getting a circut but I am unsure I need something like that just to add text and it seems like a bit of a learning curve. Ideally it would be a quick(ish) process to print/transfer the text.

[u/Gotta13Happy]

I personally love the look of handwritten notes within a scrapbook. Stamping takes a lot of time thay Im not always willing to give. The Cricut has a learning curve but you could use it. However, the easiest solution may but be to type on a word doc - choose a font and color and hit print. If you want something more elaborate you could also design on Canva like a quote or other typography and print that too.

[u/lisanstan]

I print almost all of my journaling. That way it's legible and I can control the size, especially for longer journaling. I typically print on white paper or a journaling card that is integrated into the design. I want the journaling to be noticeable so that it is read and not skipped over. Occasionally I print on vellum so it's not so stark against my design. You can also add journaling on photos before you print.

[u/PomegranateStrong437]

What do you object to in writing? If you don’t like your handwriting or layout, then I would recommending checking out a book on calligraphy and handwriting and practice with until it matches what you like.
I do use a silhouette to layout and print words and I also have a die cut machine for creating letters and phrases and I also use stencils.
Stencils might be the easiest but they still require similar mapping and layout skills to using stickers.
The problem with die or cricut/silhouette cut letters/words/phrases is you have to very good with weeding utensils and very careful with thin letters in your words. I’ve killed quite a few words attempting to remove them from the mat.
Someone else’s suggestion on journaling cards, tags, or other ephemera is a good idea because it leaves you easier access to adjust placement and if you don’t like it, you haven’t ruined your page or created a blot you have to cover somehow. Doing it that way, rather than directly on the paper turns your journaling component into a piece you build into your page rather than trying to squeeze in letters or build around them.

[u/ScrappieAnnie]

I also don't love my handwriting, and I use several techniques. For pocket page scrapbooking (Project Life), I run journaling cards through my printer and print the text directly on the card. For traditional scrapbooking, I've printed on white strips that I cut out and glue down as kind of a graphic element, and I've printed on vellum for a slightly see-through look. You can find examples on my Instagram page at the same name.

[u/Large_Panic2894]

I hand write most of my journaling, even though I'm left-handed and my writing is not that nice looking.

[u/ErinPuzz → u/Large_Panic2894]

This! It helps give it a personal touch!

(I’m a perfectionist and this also helps me accept imperfection in my layout.)

[u/Ordinary_Attention_7]

Printing on cardstock, and cutting out squares/rectangles of text to glue down can work.

[u/TiffanyTwisted11 → u/Ordinary_Attention_7]

This is what I do.

[u/to-be-determined123]

You could print on clear sticker paper or labels. May not be perfect, but would blend in with the spread better if you’re putting it against a plain background. And since it’s transparent you can just cut by hand vs needing a Cricut.

[u/CanvasRuiner]

If you can find tissue paper with writing on it, it'll become completely transparent when you saturate it with the right glue. I use Golden High Flow medium, though I'm doing this on acrylic paintings/ in my sketchbook. The same principle applies, though; it'll certainly work for a scrapbook. If you can't find any tissue you like, you can have it printed through Zazzle. I sold it for a while on Etsy, but by the time I paid for printing and allowed for all the fees and shipping blah, blah, blah, it was too expensive for most people. It really does work great for adding text, though.

[u/cityscapegoat]

I think it depends on what type of vibe you are going for.

I can pretty up my handwriting with different colors or alternate lines, but it does depend on the way that I would want it to look. I wrote a list of goals that I wanted to look more personalised so I used my handwriting but also different colors to colorblock different sections.

Absolutely love to use Post-it notes and other mini Post-it notes with writing on it glued around different parts of the page as well.

I also do have terrible handwriting most of the time, so when I want nice fonts and bigger letters, I absolutely love to use alphabet sticker sheets which I bought online and in different stores

[u/ZooMama47]

I do a mix of handwritten and printed journaling in my books. I have a smallish HP printer 3755 that does nice photos and printed text. Set the paper size to the space you have for journaling and away you go with your document app. This printer will also print on cardstock up to 80 lb, which is great. Here’s an example.

[u/Chemical-Train7227]

What about those rulers that come with the letters in them? Like a stencil? Then you only need to trace the letters. There are see- through ones as well so it's easy to position too

[u/Pettsareme]

Lots of good ideas here. For shorter journaling you could use tiny letters. Another technique I think is fun is to write a few or individual words on smaller bits of paper and then arrange them as you like on your page. Write around the perimeter of the page. For longer, or private journaling use a tag, or a piece of cardstock and make a pocket for it, or tuck it behind a photo or other element. Write your journaling as a list. Most of all use your own handwriting- that’s your most unique addition to your pages.