What size scrapbook?

[anne930]

We are planning a DCL Christmas cruise in December and want to scrapbook the trip. I saw a scrapbook at Michael's yesterday that I like - I think it has 12x12 pages. Is that the best size for a scrapbook - I know we will have a lot of pictures and souvenirs to include. Is that a good size for my first try?

 

[scrapperjill]

You must be new to scrapbooking??? Myself...I like 12x12 albums... I find they give me enough space to fit alot of photos on...or more room to be creative with. BUT I also think each scrapper has his/her preferred size. I've done a couple smaller albums...and while I think they turned out great...I think for something like a cruise vacation album I'd want the larger size.

For my first cruise album I started using a CM 12x12 album...but ended up using FOUR (yep 4) 12x12 CM albums for a ONE week vacation with DCL. ....as it turned out I had way to many awesome photos to scrap....so I had one album for EACH port and TWO for the ship itself. (you can see some of the pages from that trip in the link below...in my sig)

I've also found I really like mini albums....BUT you can really only do mini albums for small projects...

 

[Spinning]

scrapperjill! I just looked at your cruise pages! I love them! No wonder you had to scrap so many pages! Did you blow some of your pictures bigger than 8x10? to cover the entire width? I really like that look...

Back to topic:
I love the 12x12 format. But I also love the 8x8 size. For my main vacation books I use 12x12 you can fit more on a page. Sometimes the smaller format is good for people just starting since you can use one or two pictures to fill up the space. I use the smaller size mainly for gift albums. Or very special tributes to something.

 

[scrapperjill]

Spinning...Yes I did enlarge some of my photos. I think I made them 10x12 (at Costco...one of their standard enlargment sizes). I too love the look it creates...Of course you can't do it very much at all or you'd go through a TON of pages.

I agree that the 8x8's and even the 6x6 albums are a LOT of fun. And make wonderful albums for display (like on a table)...or as gifts.

I think size has alot to do with the amount of photos you have and how many of each particular event. For example if you have say just one photo of this and/or that....you may want to do a smaller album. Myself I like keeping like photos together. (ie..character photos, dinnning, shows, our room, the pool......and so on). For my albums I have a hard time mixing those sort of things up...so if I had just one or two photos from each catagory I'd probably be moved to do a smaller album to keep the photos seperated. BUT if/when I have quite a few photos from an event/place then I like having the larger page to keep like photos together.

I guess something else to think of is...Are you planning on useing all or most of your photos...or are you planning on only selecting a few of the "best" photos to tell your story. I'm really bad about using ALOT of photos....but I've thought alot about slimming down and only using a couple of the "best" for each event then do more journaling to tell my story. I think if I did that....I'd use a smaller album...maybe 8x10 or smaller.

 

[Amyg]

I started with 12 x 12 and it remains my favorite. It seems that most (not all) of the pages in the scrapbook mags are 12 x 12 as well. It can accommodate a good number of photos and yet it's compact enough to store upright on my shelves.

 

[Lanie]

Scrapperjill, I LOVE your layouts!!!! I also really like the idea of using vellum paper and printing your journaling... Hope you don't mind if I "steal" that idea ...

As for the album size, I really like my 12x12, as I can fit almost ALL of my vacation pictures...

However, I will use an 8.5x8.5 to scrapbook small events, like my university graduation ball, as the pictures would not fill a 12x12...

 

[scrapperjill]

Lanie...."steal" away ....a couple tips however...it does take quite a while for the ink to dry on the vellum...and check/change your printer settings....so you get the correct amount of ink. I love doing the journaling on the velum...I use to print it out on cardstock....but decided I like the look and flow with the vellum better (You can get it to blend and go with the lo so much better.

 

[Davids-Coco]

I agree that 12x12 is my fav. The smaller ones are fantastic for smaller events. But, when you have a ton of pictures, souvies, and "stuff" you want to include, then you end up needing more room. I would also rather have nice clean 12x12 pages rather than cuttered 8x8 or 7x7 pages.

CM came out with 12x12 gold dust pages... I wish those would have been around for our Happiest Celebration trip!

 

[Lisa]

I started with a 7 x 7 album for my first album but quickly switched to 12 x 12. Now I only use 7 x 7's as a gift or for birthday celebrations.

 

[Nikkole]

I started with a 8x11" scrapbook when my son was born. After going to WDW and going on a shopping spree of scrapbook items, I made a 12x12 disney album. I realised that almost all the papers and albums are 12x12. Definetely something to consider if you want to buy items from the shops.

 

[Yzerbear19]

I started my first book as an 8.5 x 11 in, but found it to be kind of small, plus it seems that most of the really cool paper is 12x12 so I switched over to the larger size and really like it. It does allow to use more pictures on the page.

I actually need to work on mine. I haven't worked on it in over a month. I'm splitting my summer vacation into three books: Gettysburg, Antietam, and Washington DC since the battlefield ones are going to be large. I take too many pictures!

 

[anne930]

Thanks for all the advice. I guess the 12x12 is the album of choice. I have a lot to learn, so wish me luck!!

Thanks,
Anne

 

[azgal81]

I enjoy the 12x12 as more you can fit more in it!

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

I enjoy the 12x12 as more you can fit more in it!

I think that's really it for me as well. I might try a smaller size for a specific proect (a gift, etc.) but 12x12 is really where it's at for me. This is especially true in my case because most of the Disney stuff comes in 12x12 to begin with. Much more freedom, IMHO.

NED