I admit it–I’m a photo-holic. So, when my boyfriend and I took a trip to New York City last fall, I knew that my camera would be getting quite the workout, and indeed, it did. I came home after six days with well over 1,000 photos! (My boyfriend joked that if we made a soundtrack of the sounds we associate with NYC, the clicking sound of my camera shutter would be at the top of the list!)
Then, reality set in. How in the world was I going to scrapbook 1,000 photos? I’ll be honest…the idea of making a scrapbook of our trip was a little intimidating at first. Like most people, I don’t have a ton of extra time on my hands, and if I only made elaborate pages with one or two photos each, I’d never finish. I needed a plan.
This was the solution that worked best for me:
1. I used a binder with a combination of scrapbook pages (most with multiple photos per layout) and pocket pages.
2. I kept the page designs super simple to really focus on my photos and stories, and not all the other “stuff”. I can always go back later and add more embellishments if I feel like it, but if not, at least I have a completed page in my scrapbook! This made the process go faster, too.
3. I used some sketches and “scraplifted” ideas I saw in magazines or online, and then added my own spin to them. No one will ever know the difference, and it saved me a lot of time!
4. I utilized collages to fit several photos onto one large print, or shrunk them down to fit more photos on each page (you can do this on Archiver’s in-store Digital Print Station). A few of my favorite photos were enlarged.
5. Extra photos that went with a layout were placed into pocket pages. I added journaling to some of the pockets (or captions on top of the photos) and put them all inside my binder. Easy, easy, easy!
I spent one night sketching out how I was going to put my binder together and the layouts I wanted to do and then went to work. A few crops later and my album is nearly complete–what a great feeling!
Tags: Pocket Pages, Scrapbooking
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I have a trip that I have a ton of pictures! I am totally using your idea. Great scrapbook!
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I just started doing the same thing and I LOVE it! So easy. I’ve been telling all of my scrapbook friends about it.
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My hubby & I are both shutter bugs!! We went the the U.P. in Michigan for out 5th wedding anniversary 5 years ago and in 2.5 days took about 600 pictures!! I actually decided to just take the best of the best and made a really nice 8×8 digital book with them. I have not done a ton of digi scrapping (I prefer the real deal paper & embellies style), but the book turned out great, and I was able to use all the best shots in the best way. Now, that said, we went to South Dakota & Wyoming in 2001 and there is a very large shoe box of about 11 rolls of film worth of pics ( no digi camera back them) sitting around still unscrapped. I like how your book turned out with the photo pages, I think if i ever get to those I will have to use that Idea!! I am a huge scrap lifter and sketch user so that part I have down to an art!! Thanks for sharing your pages with us!! Looks like it was an amazing trip!!
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VERY well said! I have been freaking out lately!! I seriously can’t go to the park with my kids with out taking 20 pictures! How do I ever keep up?
This is fantastic. I have an album for each of them sitting empty in my art room, because I wanted to scrap every photo of them, if I could now just put them in the album then scrap as I can maybe that would be better!
At the rate I take photos, I would have to scrap EVERY day for hours to keep up with my momarazzi self!
Jacki
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this is by far the most useful blog i have ever seen about scrapping on the internet. i have been actually scrapping all of college and it is taking forever! in the future i’ll be almost solely using your method. yours is the first book i’ve seen that has a binder and not solely one style page or the other, and it is simple, modern and clean. like you said, i can always go back and add things but at least i will be able to enjoy my completed work MUCH faster!
thank you for writing this and helping me realize that i don’t have to spend an hour on a page to make it look good!
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I have started using this method of scrapbooking and I love it!! Relieves the pressure of scrapping every picture and solves the problem of what to do with those that don’t make the scrapped page. You also can move through a mountain of pictures much faster!!
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I have 270 pic of a trip we did and have never scrapbook before. I can make just about anything but this is something that I find overwhelming. But looking at the way you but your together makes me want to get all my pic out and try. wish me luck
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I love the simplicity of this book, and the pages are beautiful! You don’t need a lot of embellishments when you have such great photos! I might steal your layout plan for my trip to NYC back in 2006! Thanks for sharing!
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Scrapbook retreats are fun because you can get away from the busy life and work on your scrapbooks all weekend
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I’m still trying to play catch up from my wedding in 2007. I want to take my time with our wedding album I’m making and our 2 week honeymoon. I think this idea will really help me especially with the honeymoon album. We have so many great pictures and I just can’t choose just a few. Thanks for the great idea!
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What a great idea! I will be sharing it with a friend who has tons of pictures from a trip to Europe. I will probably use the idea the next time I go to visit my grandson – always take lots of pictures of him.
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Wow, I love this! Great idea, thanks for sharing. I promised one of my girlfriends a scrapbook of her daughter’s first year as her birthday gift six months ago. The child’s birthday is now in two weeks, I will definitely be utilizing these tips. Bless you.
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I can so identify with you. I have seen so many envents and treasured places through my camera lens. Loved your friends comment about the sound of the camera clicking. I love that sound!
And then all those wonderful pictures. I love every one… but no, you can’t scrap EACH one. Your solution is great to at least get them all in a book. You can always pull a few out every now and then and do some more scrappy pages. But of course, by then, you’ll have a few more hundred. from another subject. LOL I have a NYC box from a few years ago, yet to scrap, so this was really interesting! Thanks so much for sharing! -
That is an awesome idea! My 17 year old grand-daughter just got back from a trip to Spain (luck box) and we too are photo nuts, she has 1000 pics she said, so I have a job to do and a mission to get done for her. This was a school trip with the Spaish club. Any idea’s??
Thanks, Judy -
This is indeed an answer to a problem that most of us shutter bugs have. Last June my Husband and I did a 40th,wedding anniversary trip out west. We did 8 states in 11 days (I never saw snow in June before but I was never in Montana in June either lol). The mere thought of printing and scrapping all 700 pictures is mindboggling. However your idea sounds like a great one to try. After I finish my vacation book then I can do one for my daughter’s wedding from July of 2009 and then one for my new grandson born in August 2009.(it was an extremely busy summer) I’m still taking pictures of his every move it seems. If, I mean WHEN I get one album done I will let you know how it comes out. Thanks so much for sharing.
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