Anatomy of an Album
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Here's a look into Simon's 2007 album. It's a good example of what all the mixed-up page sizes look like when they are together in the album. I have also created a new photo album over on the side bar so you can see all the photos in a group.
The album interior you see here is not in date order for the year yet. I grabbed my 2007 pile and put them in randomly before heading to the Portland CKC Convention last weekend. Planning to move them around within the album so that they are as close to chronological as possible (taking into account single page layouts vs. spreads vs. different sizes).
I like chronology in the anatomy of my albums, but am not concerned with it in terms of story telling + creating.
I am using the cloth 3-ring binder albums from American Crafts - you can find them online here and here or check at your local store.
[ Many of the pages below are featured, with supplies listed, in my book Life Artist © 2007 or in my column in Creating Keepsakes © 2007 ]
This layout, created in 2007, shows a variety of different photos over the last few years. Makes a nice opening page.
For more information on divided page protectors check out this post.
The back of this divided page protector (and others you will see below) are currently empty. My plan is to create pages/content to fill in those spaces or just add in photos.
Another back that can be filled in with either a complete story or five different ones (each on their own individual canvas).
One of the big hurdles for people to move away from post bound albums seems to be a fear that 2-page spreads won't translate with the ringed-gap in the middle. I have no issue with 2-page spreads that don't "touch." I find that my eyes automatically connect the two together based on their shared colors, photos, embellishments, and design.
Another common question I receive is what to do about single page layouts. I have been doing a combination of single and double pages since I started scrapbooking. I like having variety. I just stick the single page layouts right into the album (in date order when I am paying close attention). Your children and your family will not even notice that there are single page vs. double page spreads. They are going to be interested in the photos and the stories. Some stories need two or more pages; others need just one.
And again, one of my favorite things about these sorts of albums is that it is easy to insert new pages and move things around to accommodate new stories you are telling.
This is the back of a divided page protector with two, 6 inch x 12 inch pockets. I am thinking that I will do two individual pages that are each 6x12 for these spaces.
In addition to the purchased divided page protectors, I also have quite a few page protectors that I have simply cut and stitched to fit my page size. The ""today you" page here is one that I ran right through the sewing machine to create the 6 inch x 12 inch pocket.
Such a great helper in turning the pages for me.
Here's an example of a layout where I stitched two page protectors together (which creates a seam that brings the double page layout together). I did this mainly because it was actually a three page layout and I wanted to literally communicate that within the album. Close up:
One of my all time favorites. Words + photos.
Thanks buddy!
Questions? Leave a comment and I will answer them in an upcoming post.
[ Follow up post with Q & A can be found here. ]
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180 comments
All I can say is... WOW. That looks sooooo good. And the photo of Simon is a hoot! You gotta love them when they are like this! Thanks for sharing Ali - you're a big inspiration (as always).
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Hi Ali,
Any suggestions for how I can create a digital scrapbook for my students' school year? (I have 20 fourth graders.) I don't mind putting in some time, but since I have so many photos of them all, this "yearbook" project might take too much time to do by hand.
Thanks,
Stacey
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Oh wow-what a great post...so awesome to see your vision as a whole. I bought a 3 ring album last year and have been buying different size page protectors and now I just need to sit down and get some layouts done! Your method gives me the ability to scrap out of order with out the hassle of taking apart a post bound album to fit layouts in where they belong-what FREEDOM!!
mary
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Gosh! that was some serious eye candy!! thanks for always being so inspiring. (
and for taking the time out to INSPIRE all of US).
Love it.
I changed over to this about 8 months ago and have found a Freedom in my scrapbooking I was looking for. Highly recommend it.
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This is great! Thanks for sharing!
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Do you try to do the pages as you take the photos or do you wait until you have time to do several pages? My husband and I are taking my grandson on a 2,000 mile driving trip this summer and I plan to take my computer, printer and scrapbook supplies to do a scrapbook, for him to have, along the way (we'll be in a motorhome). I thought I'd have my grandson do the journaling. I'm going to try to do most of it digitally. I have PE. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself with us. Sue Berker. Illinois
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Ali thanks for sharing your album. I am glad to see that you do mix your pages up a bit. While I love chronological (sp) order I also like to scrapbook photos on my mind so ring binder albums are perfect for this. It is always so good to see what other people do with their albums and their take on it. Thanks again for sharing really do appreciate it and the time it would take for you to share it with us.
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Just beautiful!
Wondering what, if anything, you put in the window on the front of the album? I use these same albums and have yet to come up with anything I really like.
Thanks for sharing - and great helping Simon!!
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Every single page of yours is so inspiring. Thanks for sharing. You truly are an inspiration!!
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Ali,
I am in awe... you never cease to amaze me. I have never thought of taking pages of different sizes and putting them together in an album. I have also never tried the binder album. You might have gotten my brain rolling here! Thanks for all of the inspiration!
Stephenie
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Ali, wonderful post. I am currently working on making my LIBRARY OF MEMORIES system work for me.. this week, I am working on putting together a cabinet in my dining room and my 12 AC ALBUMS on it, along with album labels , storage binders and category drawers for my photos.. I want it all within easy reach all in one place! Next week.. on my TO DO LIST.. is organizing all my finished layouts and putting them in the appropriate albums.. loved looking into Simon's! question for you - how many page protectors are in Simon's album? are they all AC brand besides the divided ones? how many layouts do you think are in that album, do these albums hold, depending on layout thickness, use of embellishments? would love to hear your answers! HUGS thks for sharing all you did.. you never fail to inspire. I'd love to just hang out with you for a whole week, and let some of that inspiring goodness rub off on me.. hugs
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Ali, wonderful post. I am currently working on making my LIBRARY OF MEMORIES system work for me.. this week, I am working on putting together a cabinet in my dining room and my 12 AC ALBUMS on it, along with album labels , storage binders and category drawers for my photos.. I want it all within easy reach all in one place! Next week.. on my TO DO LIST.. is organizing all my finished layouts and putting them in the appropriate albums.. loved looking into Simon's! question for you - how many page protectors are in Simon's album? are they all AC brand besides the divided ones? how many layouts do you think are in that album, do these albums hold, depending on layout thickness, use of embellishments? would love to hear your answers! HUGS thks for sharing all you did.. you never fail to inspire. I'd love to just hang out with you for a whole week, and let some of that inspiring goodness rub off on me.. hugs
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Thanks for sharing your inspiration once again. You Rock! I LOVE the photo of Simon peeking up at you in between turning the pages for you. You should put THAT one in a scrapbook for sure!
Corinna
www.myscrapbooklife.com
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SO awesome! Thanks for sharing!! Don't you just love to look back over your albums?
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WOW! I can't thank you enough. I have read all of you books and probably most of your articles, but it was so helpful to see it all together like that. YOU ROCK! Thanks so much
Cyndi
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Where do you find all these different sizes of page protectors?
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Ali....Thank you Thank you Thank you....I just LOVE your album...it's fun to see it all together...I love looking at my own scrapbook pages, but when they are all together, in an album...it just seems so much more "finished", and it's fun to see all of these layouts that we've been seeing here and there, compiled together!
I had the same question as Bonnie Rose (just above me in the comments)
It looks like you have about 26 pages (52 layouts) in your album...which is awesome...but, I just purchased a WeR 12x12 D ring album (the linen ones, which I just LOVE) and I can only fit about half that many pages in my album....totally bummed about that one, do you find that your albums are stressed at all? I feel like if I add more pages that they won't stay in the rings...? My pages are not all that bulky, a couple of them may be, but mostly just paper...
I work at our LSS, and I have been comparing the AC albums that you use, and the WeR album that I purchase for a while now (before purchasing my albums) and I decided to go with WeR, mostly for the color and texture of the album, I truly felt as though they would hold the same about of pages, that is the only thing I'm disappointed with. I only have 12x12 pages in my album right now, and I have plans to add some other sizes, do you think that is what gives you so much more room? The different sized pages?
Thank you so much for your daily inspiration...I look forward to reading your blog everyday!
Hannah May
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hello ali. :) thank you for sharing this with us (especially me who don't have an idea on how i will arrange my layouts - by date/occasion). right now, my layouts are arranged by date of accomplishment.
anyway, i want to ask if you are using acrylic sheets in your first few layouts in the album since i can see the back of the pictures?
if these are acrylic sheets, isn't it hard bringing your layout together? and what materials work best with these sheets?
thanks so much. :)
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Wow Ali! You're the best! Thank you for taking the time to post this great album. It is always inspiring to see your work. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
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I have to say that THIS is a real true scrapbook. What I mean to say, I remember going thru my grandma's books - just stuff in there - all sorts of treasure to be found - and your book has recaptured that look. So often as scrappers I think we tend to forget about those who will actually be looking at the books in generations to come. How cool for them to find tidbits here and there - little mementos - NOT some very prettily embellished, tied with a bow package that so many layouts are today (yes, including mine even!). Thanks for showing this to us - it is just simply spectacularly wonderful.
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