Creating Your First Scrapbook

Posted by Nick Niesen on November 1st, 2010

Your honeymoon in Hawaii was simply an occasion made in heaven. You've just spent 2 weeks in the most beautiful tropical paradise you've ever been to, and now you'd like to capture those memories in one handy, convenient place. Your friends are suggesting that you start a scrapbook album, but you don't even know how to make one! Scrapbook albums can be a lot of fun to make, even if you have never tried one before. So how exactly do you make scrapbook albums? Let's look at the process, step-by-step.

First, the basics. Scrapbook albums come in a variety of materials, sizes, and styles. The primary step in creating scrapbook albums is choosing the album itself. Some of the costly ones usually are made of leather. But since important albums, like your honeymoon scrapbooks, are valuable, however, you may feel like selecting a high-quality and hard-wearing leather album for yours, so don't scrimp on it if you can help it! Cloth-covered scrapbook albums are also a good alternative, however. The fabric used in these albums is usually book cloth, so you can rest assured that it is strong. Cheap scrapbook albums are also obtainable, if you want reasonably-priced ones to begin with. These are typically made of heavy cover stock, plain or covered with paper.

Standard scrapbook albums have a utilizable page size of 12x12 inches. The scrapbook album itself may measure 13x14 inches or more, but part of that is the book's spine. Some scrapbook albums can get bigger, as big as 18x20 inches. As a beginner, you may feel like choosing your first album from standard-sized scrapbooks, given that the majority of scrapbook supplies are prepared to that standard.

The assortment of scrapbook album designs has also flourished together with the growth of scrapbooking?s popularity. Plain cover scrapbook albums now come in many colors. Some scrapbook albums may have a military-themed cover, while others might have a fun cartoonish theme, with popular cartoon characters embellished on the cover. Tropical scrapbook albums, which you might prefer for your Hawaii honeymoon, would be gorgeous in scrapbook albums with a vivid red or blue Hibiscus-patterned cloth cover.

Once you have selected the scrapbook album, you now have to arrange the pictures and memorabilia you will apply. Pay attention to the subject matter of each piece in addition to the colors. Honeymoon scrapbook albums already have an overall theme ? the honeymoon! Your subsequent step will be to settle on sub-themes for each 2-page spread. For example, you might have a theme of your arrival at Hawaii, with approach photos of the island from the air. This theme could also include photos taken upon landing.

Outline the rest of your photos, deciding on a subject matter for each spread. You may want some legroom for notes and other elements you would like to insert later, so don?t give in to the temptation of packing your scrapbook pages with photos. You might furthermore decide to add a bit of torn paper underneath the photos to set them off from the backdrop. On some pages, you may fancy placing a paper frame around the photos.

Whewn the photos are all arranged and affixed to your liking, it's time to add your notes, or ?journalizing?. These notes are nothing more than captions to give details about the photos in your album. You may want to cherish a special memory of what was said when a certain photo was taken ? or a comment about what happened right away before or after. Your comments can be added on little pieces of paper that are added to scrapbook albums, much like how photos are added.

Embellishments, charms, stickers, and other small pieces that add interest and personality to your scrapbook will be the final touch in creating scrapbook albums. You can pick out the decorations and embellishments you?ll put on your scrapbook depending on the theme you?re using. Honeymoon scrapbook albums might include small hearts or kisses. Hawaiian scrapbook albums, or other tropical scrapbook albums, might include small sandals or seashells.