Photo Creativity with Digital Scrapbooking

Making my rounds at various tech shows this year, I've noticed that digital scrapbooking has really taken off. There are some really simple-to-use software programs that put creative scrapbooking in reach of people who have never made artful scrapbooks with photos before because it was too time-consuming, messy, or they didn't think they had the talent, patience, or eye for it. (Yes, I am talking about me.)

Here are three software programs that make it easy to do more than merely organize your photos and maybe print some of them. 

MemoryMixer by Lasting Impressions: A nice software package with several templates and easy-to-navigate tools that allow you to go simple or complex with your photo designs. You can mix video clips with photos, add music clips or narration, and scan important family history documents into a digital album. You can burn CDs and DVDs with the latest version of MemoryMixer Version 2 ($80). There's also a Lite version ($35) with fewer backgrounds, embellishments, and Quick Mixes, templates that automatically fill in your photos. It works with PCs and Macs.  

Digital Scrapbook Memories: If you've never thought you could create scrapbook pages, these CDs will dispel that notion. You can choose among six $25 CDs with many, many images of scrapbook buttons, scraps of material, backgrounds, letters—all kinds of embellishments. The CDs work with image-editing programs that support PNG files—such as Adobe Photoshop and Corel Draw or Photo-Paint.  I like the palette of colors and the overall look of the pages that come together with these programs.

Corel Media One Plus: This $50 software program will allow you to edit photos and videos, then make collages, scrapbooks, calendars, cards, and slideshows. You can share your creations via email or burn to CDs and DVDs. You can also back up your photos and creations in an online archive. Corel offers a 30-day free trial so that you can test out the features to see if it's worth $50. You may be better off with the scrapbooking software if you're looking to try something very different.

If you're looking to do something special with your photos and videos for holiday gifts, or you've got someone on your list who you think would like to stretch beyond photo organizing, these are a few software ideas. If there are others you love, please share them below.