Paper Scrapbook Albums

Paper scrapbook albums come in many sizes, textures and colours. What type is best for your project?

"Life is Simple...Eat, Sleep, and Scrapbook
~Stickers 'N' Fun Scrapbooking Quotes"

Paper albums have probably been around for centuries. There are many varieties of them, and some you can even make yourself.

The type of paper you choose will be important. Consider such things as

• How heavy will the pages end up being? This will determine the strength of the pages you might need, (the weight of the paper in other words). It will also help you choose a cover. For light, thin paper albums a cover can be correspondingly light and thin, and vice versa.
  
• How long do I want this particular paper scrapbook album to last? If it is a temporary project, I can choose material that is not as durable as paper I would choose for a heritage album, for example.
  
  
• What size photos do I want to place in the album? This will help determine the size of the album I choose and the strength of its binding
  
  
• How much will my album be handled? Do I need to cover the pages with protectors?

Common Sizes for Albums

Albums can be custom made by you (or others) to suit the projects you have in mind (see Paper Bag Albums, for example).

As another example, I made a Circle Journal by having heavy card cut to a 6" x 6" (15 x 15cm) size. This was a good size for mailing the Circle Journal to all the participants in the project, though it was not a standard sized album.

The standard sizes of albums generally available are:

• 8" x 8" (20.5 x 20.5cm)
  
  
• 10" x 12" (25.5 x 30.5cm)
  
  
• 12" x 12" (30.5 x 30.5cm)
  
  
• "12" x 15" (30.5 x 38.5cm)
  
  

You will consequently find paper and embellishments made to fit the standard sizes. This makes it easier to create pages quickly and conveniently.

You will find albums that are both larger and smaller than the standard sizes I have listed. Some are made entirely of chipboard and not paper at all. There are albums made of leather, fabric, polypropylene, and many other mediums.

Of course, as a creative papercrafter, you will find you can adjust premade embellishments and paper to fit albums that are not a standard size, and have a lot of fun doing so!

Do You Have Scrapbook Page to Share?

Do you have a scrapbook page you have completed? Do you have a picture of it too? We'd love you to share it!