How to Use Binder Scrapbooks

You’ve just returned from the vacation of your life, with tons of photos, ticket stubs, maybe even a dinner menu from that great local restaurant you discovered. What do you do with these items? Preserve them by creating a memorable scrapbook to display for friends and family. Binder scrapbooks can help make projects like these immeasurably easier, and the creative process is actually fun!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Binder scrapbook
• Expandable bindings
• Scrapbook paper
• Scissors
• Photo tabs/glue
• Photos/souvenirs

1. Assemble your memorabilia. If you already have souvenirs gathered in one place, go through them and decide what you really want to save. Binder scrapbooks allow you to use more than just photos to showcase your memories, so get creative by including other items such as concert tickets, hotel keys, travel brochures or the airline itinerary from your trip.

2. Choose a binder scrapbook. Binder scrapbooks leave room for endless functionality since they come in various sizes, my personal favorite being the 12-by-12 inch size. These pages are big enough to house six single 4-by-6 photos or a combination of a few photos and other items. Many binder scrapbooks are expandable, which is a great option if you want to include multiple trips or events. Use the extenders that come with the scrapbook to expand the bindings and add more pages. Good scrapbooks can be found at arts and crafts stores or at independent scrapbook boutiques.

3. Gather supplies. At the minimum, you'll need "filler" pages to insert into the plastic sleeves of your scrapbook. Most binder scrapbooks have either white or black pages already in place, but if you want anything more colorful, such as a colored background or one with a design, you'll have to get those separately. You'll also need an adhesive such as glue stick or photo squares. If you want to get creative, scrapbooking stores also offer a plethora of stickers and other trinkets to help decorate your pages.

4. Create pages. The best way to create pages is to lay them out side by side as they will appear in the book and then lay your photos and souvenirs on top of them to see how they will fit and look together. Group things by subject or chronologically so the viewers can follow a logical flow later. Once you have decided where they will go, attach them to the pages using the minimum amount of adhesive possible.

5. Bind your book together. After all the pages are complete, let them sit so the adhesive dries and then slip them carefully into their individual protective sleeves. Arrange the sleeves in the order they will go in the scrapbook, one on top of the other, making sure that the binding sides are all on the same end. All the holes should align with each other. Then open the scrapbook, undo the metal pegs that hold the covers together and feed the pegs through the holes/openings in the sleeves. Afterward, reattach the lids of the metal pegs, and finally close the cover of the scrapbook. You're finished! Enjoy your artwork, and remember, with binder scrapbooks, you can always come back and add more!

Tips & Warnings

• For extra unique results, cut out pictures, quotations or single words from magazines to supplement your own photos and souvenirs.
• Irreplaceable and valuable items can be damaged by adhesives used to attach them to the pages. To preserve your items, first put them in a clear plastic sleeve, then attach the sleeve to the page.