One alternative to hand-scrapping is to compile the book digitally.

"There's the old-school scrapbookers like me," said Monica Rasso of College Station, who has dabbled in the digital arena. "Then there's kind of this new wave of scrapbookers. They get around with their laptops and the papers are already in their computer program. You place the pictures where you want and you place your captions, and then you send it to a Web site and they will print it out and bind if for you."

This technique has advantages, Rasso said. "In some ways, I think digital scrapbooking saves you money."

Although Rasso's hobby usually means putting her hands on paper instead of computer keys, she crafted a digital book "for one of my sons' first birthday. I made one book and sent [copies] to all the grandparents so it was pretty simple to do and it takes less time."

Jean Presnal, another area scrapper, also does some digital work.

She recently finished scrapbooks for "my wedding to my husband, a digital one of my granddaughter's wedding ... and also some others as gifts. I just keep working on the rest of them, hoping one day, you know, I'll finish," she said laughing, admitting that her current projects are "a continuing saga."

The following tips for digital scrapbooking are from Txscrap mania.com creator Kathy Short:

• When creating digital pages, design options range from using standard image editing software (Photoshop, for example), to digital scrapbooking software such as Scrapbook MAX!, to online services (Smilebox.com is one).

• More and more scrapbook stores and big-box stores such as Hobby Lobby and Michael's carry digital products on CD.

• Watch Web sites for "laptop crops" and other opportunities to gather with other digital scrappers in a social setting.

• Attend a traditional scrapbooking retreat and take your laptop.