How to Make a Scrapbook page – 7 Simple Steps

Scrapbooking is a very popular hobby. There is an entire industry dedicated to supplies and tools just for scrapbooking. The possibilities are seemingly without end. Scrapbooking is a great way to creatively display and preserve your photos and memorabilia.

I love to share my scrapbooks with friends and family. Many comment that they would love to create scrapbooks to show off their photos, but they don't know how to begin. They are too worried about having to be the creative type.

Let me share with you the 7 simple steps that I use in creating my scrapbook page layouts. These simple steps are easy to learn and can be adapted to suit your own style of scrapbooking.

1. Choose your Photos – Decide which photos you want to use on that page. As a general rule three to five photos will usually work on a 12 X 12 scrapbook page layout. If you are using a smaller album you will need to adjust this. You may also choose to only include one or two photos if they are larger, you don't want to crop at all, or you want lots of space around them.
2. Decide on page layout – Plan where to place photos, journaling and page title. The page should feel balanced and pleasing to the eye. If you want some help deciding how to lay out the elements of the page, consider using scrapbook page sketches. These are great blueprints to base your pages on.
3. Choose coordinating papers and embellishments – A great tip for choosing your papers and embellishments is to pull some colors from the photos. Also consider the the subject of the photos. Choose colors that match the feel or mood of the photos. Cool blues might compliment photos of winter better than a sunny yellow. Theme papers are available for many events and holidays. Make sure you use acid free products.
4. Crop and mat photos – Decide which if any photos you want to crop. Remember that sometimes less is more when it comes to cropping. Crop out distractions, but keep some historical and place references.
5. Adhere Photos – Double check your layout, and adhere your photos to the page. Make sure you use acid free adhesives.
6. Add page title and journaling – Decide on a page title (every page doesn't absolutely need a title). The page title lets us know what the page is about. If you have a difficult time thinking of a title, don't worry. There are many resources for finding a title. Write a draft of your journaling on a piece of scrap paper first. When you are happy with it, transfer it to your page or journaling box.
7. Add Embellishments - Embellishments should compliment the page not overpower the pictures. For this reason I add them last. That being said, they can really add some spice and visual appeal to your scrapbook page layout.

Remember you can adapt these steps to fit your style and the type of scrapbook album you are creating. Scrapbooking is a very individual hobby. Use these steps as a guide and have fun!