Rethink the Size of Your Scrapbook

Welcome to the third post in this series on ways to get more scrapbooking done. Whether it’s a little tweek to how we think about something, or actually changing the physical items we are using, we are looking at ways to move forward to get more pages completed!

Let’s move on to Step 3: Does Size Matter for Your Scrapbook?  Some people find that it is much easier to create scrapbooks from smaller sized pages.  They don’t feel the need to use as many photos per page as possible, to get the most bang for their buck, so to speak.  Other people also find it easier to design on smaller pages.  If you find it takes you forever to create a 12×12 page, try 8 1/2 x 11, or 8×8.  Don’t forget 6×6 albums which can really help you scrap even more quickly!  You may even think about using a method some call progressive scrapbooking.

You may even like to do mini-books for events such as birthdays, weddings, holidays and that’s perfectly fine.  One of the most important things to remember is that there is no “right way” to scrapbook.  It’s all about preserving memories!  So, whatever size scrapbook is more comfortable for you to work in, you may decide to make that your go-to size.

No matter what your favorite size album to work in, you’ll want to take into consideration what you will be doing with the album.  Are you are working to put it together as a heritage album and a large album will give you a lot of room to work in?  Do you only have a handful of photos of a special event and you are going to put them together and give the book away as a gift?  Or are you working on an up-to-date, day to day album of your current life and events?  It’s okay to use different sized albums!

Flickr photo credit: Bunches and Bits {Karina}

If you are working on projects in which you are documenting your current life, such as Ali Edward’s project, Week in the Life, a documentary project to capture the simple everyday details of your life with photos and words each week, you’ll want to take into consideration being able to keep up!  You may find it easier to keep up with a two page layout of the week if you are using an 8.5×11 page size as opposed to 12×12.

Many people are using the page protectors which are divided into sections, allowing you to slip pictures, journal cards, etc. into each pocket; especially those who are participating in the widely popular Project Life.  Becky Higgins has a line of product available for Project Life, and many other places are carrying similar products. The little pockets on these protectors can hold little embellishments or other little items and in a way can sometimes be tiny pages on their own!

Stop back in for our discussion of Step 4: Ring Bound vs. Post Bound

Thank you for stopping in.  Tell us about your favorite size pages to scrapbook in!

Disclaimer: I am not being compensated for any product lines mentioned in this post. 

 

Be a Photo Time Traveler

As we continue to discuss ways to get more scrapbooking done, let’s talk about:

Step 2:  Be a Photo Time Traveler

Free yourself from chronological scrapping!  In other words, you don’t have to scrap your photos in chronological order, year to year, or even month to month. You can take photos from last summer’s picnic and make a layout today, then make a layout of your grandparents wedding tomorrow, and then maybe the next day create a layout of the birthday party yesterday.  You get the idea.  Jump from time period to time period.

I’m sure you are no different than anyone else, and you have a few pictures that each time you come across them, they bring a smile to your face!  Or you may have a favorite event that you would really like to put on a page or two.  So do it!  Don’t feel like you didn’t get to that segment of time yet!  You have permission to take those photos, no matter what date they were taken, and make a page or two, or three.  Trust me, it is rewarding to get those treasured photos or moments put on a page!  If anybody tries to stop you, tell them I said it was okay!

Check back for Step 3: Does Size Matter – for Your Scrapbook?

What picture brings a smile to your face every time you see it?  When are you going to put that memory on a page?

 

Help, I Have Too Many Photos and I Can’t Get Started!

Do you feel like you have so many pictures that you’ll never get it done?  Do you need some guidance?  How about just moral support?  Over the next few days we are going to discuss how to move forward and have time to get some memories documented.

Step 1:  Be realistic and don’t beat yourself up over all the pictures you want to scrap, but haven’t.  It doesn’t really matter whether your stacks of pictures are of years gone by or just from last month.  The fact is, you probably have more pictures than you’ll ever scrap, and that’s okay!

Don’t look at a mountain of photos and think you are going to have to get them all into albums.  Think of those pictures as your supply.  Just because they are there doesn’t mean you are going to use all of them.  They are your source.  Just like going to the grocery store doesn’t mean you bring one of every item home for dinner; having all those pictures doesn’t mean each one will make it into a layout.  For example, in this age of digital photography, we are taking more and more photos, and often feeling more behind than when we had to have film developed!  You may have 50+ pictures of a child’s birthday that are all “wonderful,” but even if you did one page with the best photo, or even two or three, you’d have that special event captured on a page!   So don’t let your quantity of pictures overwhelm you from the beginning!

Watch for Step 2 in this series, “Be a Photo Time Traveler.”

No Tricks, Only Treats Today!

I’m sorry you missed this offer!  Stay tuned for other free offers!

You can sign up in the box on the right for other free offers.

 

I’ve had so many people tell me that the buttons and bows on the digi page I did looked like a lot of work!  Guess what — it was!  I decided to gift you a copy of my layout!  All you have to do is sign-up in the box at the right, and press the orange button.  You’ll be taken to the page where you can download a set of the pages.

You’ll have a chance to select:

  • a set for My Digital Studio 2 (MDS2)
  • simple PNG file
  •  or even a set of layered PSD files.

How’s that for a ScrapAhead™?   Enjoy!

Here was what the finished pages looked like.   Add your own titles, text and photos and you have your own pages!   If you are not seeing the signup box, please click here:

 

Halloween 3-Photo Scrapbook Layout with Buttons and Bows

Do you ever feel like you are behind in scrapbooking your pictures?   Don’t feel like everything has to be put into layouts based on a day-by-day, chronological order!

I ran across these cute pictures of our Princess 2 (granddaughter) and thought they would be so cute in a page all together.   Because of all the buttons and bows, it would have been quite heavy and bulky using real product, so this is a digital page.

With all the open space in the layout, you can easily get by with adding the different patterns of paper behind the photo mats.  In this case, the circles help pull together the design with the round buttons of the border.

Notice how some of the buttons are overlapping a bit and the shadows on the buttons are individually adjusted so that they appear more like they are overlapping each other.

The little black bows remind me of little bats – which was a happy accident!

What kind of happy accidents have you had in scrapbooking a layout?

This layout was done with Stampin’Up! My Digital Studio, (MDS).  I receive no compensation for mentioning it.