Scrapbooks are an interesting way to bring your experiences and memories to life. You can make a scrapbook filled with photos, personal items, and more when you want to tap into your creative side or when you want to have a keepsake of your past. I received two large scrapbooks one year, and I thought that creating a collage of my experiences was so fun. I made a scrapbook of my semester in Washington, D.C., with the first scrapbook. As I share 6 quick tips with you, I will share a few of the pages in my D.C. scrapbook.
#1: The Supplies
You can make a scrapbook with just photos, or you can add in decorative accents as well as physical items. You will need a few supplies, most importantly is the book. In addition, you might need construction or scrapbook paper, which is offered in various sizes and designs, and you will need pictures. Don’t forget to grab some glue or tape, stamps and stickers, markers or gel pens, and anything you think you will need to decorate your book.
#2: Theme
Your scrapbook doesn’t need a theme, but you all know by now that I like a little organization. When your scrapbook is themed, it makes it easier to choose the pictures in the book, as well as to easily access the photos and memories you want to recall when you know which scrapbook they will be in. For my first scrapbook, my theme was Washington, D.C., and I put together a book of my experiences in D.C. When I want to reminisce over my time in D.C. I automatically know where the photos will be.
#3: Choosing your Pictures
It can be hard to narrow down which pictures will go into your scrapbook. When you first start, I encourage you to choose as many pictures as you want, if they fit your theme. Next, categorize your pictures, which will help you lessen the number of photos you choose even more. For example, I categorized my photos from Washington, D.C. into federal buildings, family visits, miscellaneous locations around the district, the people I’ve met, special events and site visits, etc. By narrowing down which categories I wanted to highlight in my book, I eliminated a lot of photos. After you figure out which categories you want to display, consider how many pages are in your scrapbook, as well as how many photos you can display on each page. This will also help you to eliminate pictures.
#4: Prep and Play
Before forming your scrapbook, it is wise to prep the book and play around with its look. Layout your pictures and pages so you get a picture of what your scrapbook will look like. Do not adhere the photos to any of the pages, just yet. You should play around with the layout of each page and each photo until you are satisfied with the intended outcome.
#5: Decorating your Book
Once you have figured out your book’s layout, you can add in some accents and decorate the pages. Again, do not glue down any items or cement anything permanent until you have played around and chosen your final look. You can add in stickers or decals to your scrapbook for an added effect. If you are artistic, you can add in drawings and symbols to elevate your book. In addition, consider writing descriptions or key words or phrases that fit with each page of your scrapbook.
#6: The Finishing Touch
Now, you can put it all together. Press down your photos, add in your decor, and put each page into place in your book. Complete each page of your book slowly and give your book the attention it deserves. When you are done, don’t forget to take a look at what you have created!
I hope these tips will help you to create your first scrapbook. I will be sharing a video on how I am creating my Arizona scrapbook on my YouTube channel. Check it out — Here. Subscribe to my channel for more content on scrapbooking, as well as traveling, food, and coffee life vlogs, here — Life with DW!
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