Scrapbook Album in a Weekend - 4 Tips for Coordinating a Theme or Gift Scrapbook

You can make an album in a weekend for yourself or as a gift. In order to get a scrapbook done quickly, you do not have to sacrifice style, you just have to have a plan. These four tips will help you design a plan for your album.

1. Select a Smaller Size Scrapbook Album - When you visit your favorite scrapbook retailer, you will find scrapbooks in a variety of sizes, colors, and themes. For a gift album or a weekend project, you will want to choose a smaller size album. One of my favorites is an 8x8 inch scrapbook. These books maintain the same proportions of a full 12x12 inch scrapbook, however you only need one or two photos per page. With the smaller page size, you can get scrapbook page layouts done more quickly with fewer supplies.

2. Choose a Color Scheme - Select a color scheme that you will use for the entire project. A good rule of thumb is to pick 2-3 solid color cardstocks plus 2-3 coordinating patterned papers. This selection will allow you to make each page interesting and nicely designed without causing you to agonize over the paper selection for each and every page.

3. Pick Out a Style of Embellishment - One style of embellishment thoughout the scrapbook will continue to unify the theme of the album. You have many choices when it comes to embellishments. Do you want to use buttons and floss, paper piecing patterns, stickers, die-cuts, chipboard? Choose one or two items that you will repeat on each page of the scrapbook.

4. Leave Space for Full-Size Photos - If you are making a gift album that will have photos added to it later, you will want to provide spaces for the pictures to be added by the recipient. The person that will receive the scrapbook may not be a scrapbooker. Leaving room for full-size, uncropped 4x6 inch photos, makes it easy for someone else to add the photos to the book.

By working in a smaller size album, choosing a color scheme, and having a plan for your embellishments, you will be able to coordinate a beautiful gift scrapbook in a short amount of time. Finish it off with room for full-size photos and you have the perfect gift for even a non-scrapbooker. For an example of an Album in a Weekend Project visit Nautical Baby Scrapbook - Getting Started.