GIMP is good, but very complicated for a beginner. I suggest Photofiltre – its cheap and very clear and simple to use.

You will have to learn a few basic functions – how to create a new blank image (the first step) , how to resize your photos, then to copy and paste them into your blank image. Then you’ll need to learn how to move them around to fit nicely as a collage.

You can create a digital scrapbook page or pages at CropMom (http://www.cropmom.com). CropMom is free to use. But if you want to print your layouts, you should purchase the high-resolution, print-quality JPEG files of your layouts. It’s very inexpenisve. In fact, it’s MUCH less expensive than purchasing software such as Adobe Photoshop Elements, which you really would need to create a decent digital scrapbook page.

You can use CropMom, and if you like your layouts, then you can purchae the JPEG files for printing.

CropMom lets you add your own text. It has thousands of scrapbook graphics you can use. You can rotate and resize photos. You can add frames. And it’s easy to use.

You also may be able to do it using photoshop, but there may be a better way. Rather than buying hundreds of sheets of photopaper, you could buy one digital picture frame and set up the photos on a rotation. They sell HD wireless digital frames at Ceiva which I believe would accomplish the task.

You can get Windows Live Photo Gallery from which may help you accomplish your task.