Photo Album Scrapbooking Ideas

Everyone I know who is working on a scrapbook photo album has one thing in common. They are behind on their scrapbooks! Pictures pile up in shoe boxes or on the computer until the task seems too daunting to even begin. I take almost 2,000 pictures a year, and while they don't all make it into a scrapbook if I didn't keep up it would be impossible to catch up.

When I create my scrapbook layouts, I use many things: pictures, paper/ stickers/ embellishments and tools. At one point I had a whole room dedicated to scrapbooking. I had 3 tables set up so that I'd have room when friends came over. I had a closet full of scrapbooks and supplies. I thought if I could leave everything out it wouldn't be so time consuming. I was wrong.

Creative Ideas for Photo Albums

Every time I wanted to create a layout, I had to go through my pictures to find the ones I wanted to use. Then I had to go through folders of papers and boxes of scraps to see what would go well with the pictures. Then I'd go through my binder of stickers and my drawers of embellishments (eyelets, buttons, etc.). Then I'd pull tools out of my bag. Finally I was ready to work on my page! On a good day, I could complete a single double-page layout in about an hour.

I started to think about that after I had my second baby. How was I ever going to keep up with a scrapbook photo album for each of them! I needed to simplify the process, without sacrificing my creativity. I thought about what I really liked about scrapbooking - having something special to hold my children's memories, the craft of putting together a beautiful layout. Then I thought about what I didn't like about the process - taking out and sifting through paper, stickers, embellishments and tools every time I sat down to work on an album.

So I thought about how I could spend less time taking out the necessities of scrapbooking. I call my method "speed scrapping" because it now takes me a fraction of the time to create a layout. First, I went to the store and I bought a large divided plastic folder that would hold 12x12 sheets of paper. The folder would hold the materials for each layout (pictures, paper, stickers, embellishments), with a divider separating each double-page. Then I organized my pictures.

Wedding Day Photo Album Craft Ideas

I put the pictures for one double-page layout in the first section of the folder, the ones for another in the second, etc. Along with the pictures I included any notes about page ideas on an index card. After all, I didn't want to hinder the creative process! I then went through my paper. I have full sheets in folders and scraps in little boxes. I pulled out the paper I wanted to use, put them with the pictures and then moved on to stickers and other embellishments to select the ones that I want to put with the layout.

When I finally have time to sit down with my scrapbook photo album, I can grab the folder, pens and cutters. Everything I need is at my fingertips. I can attend a crop without having to bring everything I own. I now keep my tools and pens in a large bag so I can pull it out easily. The old scrapbooking room is now a playroom for my children. Breaking the process into these steps keeps things simple and makes it possible to work a little at a time - which is all I have time to do!

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