Scrapbooking is one of those pastimes that seems like it should be simple but is surprisingly complex when it comes to creating the most effective final product. To simply paste down some photos and ticket stubs on a page is one thing, but to take it to the next level and truly make your scrapbook a work of art is going to take some planning. If you want to work on a memory book that is both fun to put together and beautiful enough to browse through in the years to come, here are five can’t miss tips to get you headed in the right direction.
1) Choose a Theme
Whether you want a theme per page or one subject for the entire scrapbook, it is important to know ahead of time what you want to accomplish. It will also be important to keep the theme in mind when you begin to compile your keepsakes. For example, if you are creating a goal-based scrapbook you may want to look through magazines for inspiring images, but if you are documenting a recent vacation you will want to make sure you hang on to any loose papers that you amass during your travels. This will also help you select the best book and accessories for your project.
2) Be Inspired
Every scrapbook will be unique to the personal experience of the person creating it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t seek out a little creative inspiration! If you are not already on Pinterest, it is a DIY’ers haven and home to thousands upon thousands of scrapbook-related pins. See what type of scrapbook you are drawn to before getting to work on yours; it will definitely help guide you while picking up supplies at your local craft store.
3) Plan Ahead
If you sit down to create your book without spending some time planning for it, you will find very quickly that you don’t have anything to include! Once you’ve decided to get into scrapbooking, make a point to collect ticket stubs, maps, photos, business cards, etc whenever you find yourself in a situation that seems worth documenting. This is yet another good reason why it’s important to have a theme picked out! And it’s not just the contents that you need to plan for, but the book itself. Craft stores are the perfect places to find all the decorative accessories (not to mention glue sticks) that you will need, and your favourite journal of course always makes the perfect home for your memories!
4) Print Doubles
In our digital age, the thought of printing photos (let alone doubles) may seem a bit outdated. However, photos are some of the best parts of any scrapbook so you are going to want to make sure you have some ready to include. You will need to crop and paste your photos to fit your scrapbook layout, so if you are using vintage or one-of-a-kind images (e.g., the ones printed at theme parks) be sure to make copies before getting out the scissors and glue.
5) Have No Fear!
The goal of scrapbooking should be to honour your memories, but also to create pleasant new ones! If you are stressed out and grumpy while putting together your book, that experience will carry over into the final product. Grab a friend, put on some music or pour a glass of wine before getting down to business and you’ll find that scrapbooking could end up becoming a fun new passion for you! And don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t come together for you: that’s why there are professional services and online apps available to help you out.
About Paperblanks®: At Paperblanks®, we believe that art should have a place in all aspects of life. That’s why we follow the artist’s way in everything we do – creating, crafting and releasing designs we believe have the power to touch people. For more about Paperblanks®, go to our website at paperblanks.com.
That’s a good tip to consider your theme and what kind of decorations to include in the book. You might want to find some memorabilia if you’re making a book out of family photos. My mom has a lot of old photos I’ve been meaning to organize.
Thanks for the suggestion 🙂
Looking through memorabilia you already have is a great way to create a memory book, and give new life to personal items that been in your family for a long time. Good luck with your organisation project!
I definitely think that saving anything, even if it seems unimportant at the time, is worthwhile. If you don’t like it in the end, you can always throw it out when you decide not to use it. I always recommend saving wrapping paper from presents to use as a background (I saved some wrapping paper from my 18th birthday that created a really nice background to my 18th birthday picture!).
I think the main thing to say to people is that scrapbooking is supposed to be personal, and the only person who can decide what is personal to yourself is you so just do what feels right.
Hi Chloe,
This is a great tip! It’s so true that you never know when some scrap piece of paper will become the perfect decorative touch!
You can’t go wrong if you follow your instincts when it comes to creating the memory journal or scrapbook that speaks to you.
Thanks for sharing,
Robyn @ Paperblanks