I second what Nell has said. Go find your closest decent scrapbooking shop, and ask about classes. At my local you can do a 2-3 hr class for $20, and all you have to bring is your photos. You end up with 2 pages from it. They supply everything you need.
Then you can decide what you do from there. I find Spotlight a bit so-so, Lincraft is great for scrapbooking, but their prices are much the same as the local shop, and I'm sur you are the sort of person that would rather put their money into a working womans pocket rather than a big richy man!
Also, I have a loyalty card so when I spend $200, I get a $20 voucher, so if you are going to set up, it doesn't take long to spend that sorta money.

I recommend a mat, a ruler and a rotary cutter, but thats cause I use them for patchwork too. (well I use an old set for scrapping). I also have D-S tape, but only for the cardstock, and I use the proper photo sticky tabs cause you can readjust them if you make a booboo. Then you just sort of add things as you go. Everytime I go into Lincraft I check out their sale isle, and pick up a couple of little things.

Best thing I can recommend is choosing the photos for each page, along a similar thme and colourway, and then choosing your paper to match them. Once you have done the pages then you can think about embellishing it. Thats where the $$$ come in!! But dont make the mistake of buying background paper you like, and trying to match photos to it. Easier to workthe other way.

Its a great - albeith very messy - hobby.

Fi