Anatomy of an Album
Tags:
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. ]
Comments
Sign in or sign up to comment.
180 comments
wow! what a fantastic post!
ali, i love all of the variety within the album. it makes for such a fun way to "read" the story!!!
xo, j
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Thanks for sharing. I too have used a ring bound album before but it was a gift for my MIL. I didn't think about the gap between a 2 page spread until I was talking with a friend about using them and she mentioned it.
So I was wondering if it would bother me- now I know it doesn't.
I do have a question- how many pages fit in this album?
thanks
dr
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
All I can say about this post, is that it is the most inspiring post to date! I read it before I went to work this morning and I didn't want to tear myself away from the computer to leave the house...I just wanted to stay here and read it again!
I love the idea of sewing the two page protectors together for three page layouts! That is a must try for me and I love that there area areas on the reverse side of the divided page protectors to do something with. Soooo cool!!
Thank you for sharing this and inspiring us all the way you do. Can't wait to see your next post regarding the questions!
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU!
Been wondering and wondering how
your albums are put together.
HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF HERE...
Love your simple solution to the
post-bound problems.
It's all so FLEXIBLE and FREE
the way to you it! Allows more
time to focus on the art and the
story rather than the storage.
Again, THANK YOU!!!!!
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Hi Ali-
Love how you are showing how to display these 12 x 12 albums so they can be seen and touched.
Question: where do you keep all the mini/smaller sized albums you make? Are they out on display also?
Thanks!
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Great ideas!! I was looking at the photos of your albums before and wondering how exactly they were all put together. I love the work you've done in them (:
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Dear Ali ~ I had the pleasure of meeting you last year at CKU-Anaheim and have been following you ever since. You are such an inspiration to me.I love reading your blog. I've been using ring albums since I started 10yrs ago, but in today's post you have helped me see that scrapbooking in chronological order, every single picture, double page layout and perfectly embellished pages is not required or necessary. It's taken me quiet a long time to let go and work on pages just because I love the picture or the product I am using. My desire for telling a story has become more important because years from now that's what will matter. Thank you for sharing so much of your creativity and allowing us to open ourselves to more goodness. I can see how much Simon enjoys his albums as do my children and it just validates the reason why I scrapbook. I can't imagine not doing this even when people ask me, why? They just don't understand and that is ok with me.
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Hi Ali,
I noticed that you do not put backing or another page behind all your pages, why not? It would bother me if I left them like that, what was your thinking?
Thanks for the inspiration,
Jen
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Love love love it! Thanks so much for sharing! I love the differnt sized pages and I am switching to 3 ring. I have never liked post bound...they seem so unneccissarily complicated to add pages and move them around. Thanks again!:)
Rebecca
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
You are so inspirational!!! thank you so much for sharing that with us!!! I'm off to my scrap area to work away!!!!!!
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
love the different sizes! off to stitch some tailor made page protectors!
www.scrapsnthings.etsy.com
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Ali, first of all thank you so much for posting on your album! I just recently went out and converted all my layouts to the AC binders and I love it. Thanks for the idea :)I feel alot more organized and I feel these albums will go thru the long haul....my question to u is how many pgs (or protectors) do u usually use in your albums?? It's alot easier to add more pgs in this album and I dont want to go overboard and make my albums too big and bulky..thanks soo much!! Tina
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Ali, once again, I'm so inspired by your work! I love how the multiple page sizes in the album really make it look like a SCRAPBOOK. Know what I mean? Love it. Thanks, Lori
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
WOW you put some much into that album! It looks great! I'm been tossing around the idea of using a three ring. Lovin yours!
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Thanks for the inspiration! I was sad that I couldn't take your class at Portland CKC this year.
I was going to email you a question, but this post gives me the perfect opportunity. I think I remember you posting that you had read Stacy Julian's new Photo Freedom book, which basically outlines her Library of Memories class. I'm currently taking it on her BPS site (week 2 so just started). Good stuff. I am excited to break free from the pressure to scrap chronologically. (I just finished 2005, so perfect transition time.) Love her idea of storage binders to "see" the photos to scrap and the category drawers to make connections between photos over time. But I noticed that you recently pulled all your completed layouts and were putting them in albums by year and approx date w/in the year. I was thinking of doing the same for the final step of LOM, instead of filing in category albums. Just wondered your thoughts on that. Free to scrap non-chronologically, but add to yearly albums. (whew! sorry that was so long! perhaps I should have emailed!)
#2--I think I saw a list of what page protectors/brands you use in your AC ring binder album...but if you could review, or was it in the latest CK with the divided pages article? AC 12x12, AC 8 1/2 x 11, and ?
Thank you so much!
From another AE.
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Ali~ Just wanted to say that this is truly a work of art. And completely inspiring!! I have never before actually thought of putting different size pages in the same album, and I must say, just the thought of it has given me wings! Thank you so much for sharing the anatomy of one of your albums with all of us.
A lot of my questions have already been asked, but one more that I have is this...I noticed on some of the pages there are tabs sticking out at the top. I was wondering if these marked months in your album or if they were just design pieces of various layouts?
Thanks again for being such an inspiration!
Stephanie
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
So crazy how I was wondering this! Girl this helps me a lot. Right now I have all my pages in two huge stacks. Getting droopy and are all out of order. I knew that when I was ready to get to it and put them in albums; I wanted to do it right.
Thanks so much ^-----^,
-Karla
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
No question - I just have to write a note and THANK YOU for all the inspiration you've given me! Just love your new book (Life Artist) and have read it over and over again. I have started to create my pages in a new way, seeing other things and thinking other thoughts when I create. Feels soooo good!! :-) Now I just wish I could keep up the work with putting all the pages in my albums too. *ROFL* I have a couple of years to deal with.
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Dear Ali,
I'm always thinking that to put scrapbooking pages inside a plastic bag is very cold. For your experience, is it possible to file them without plastic ? or it's risked ?. Have you ever tried it ?
Many thanks for everything and best regards for you and your family.
Maica.
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Hi Ali.
Thanks for taking the time to put this post together. I've always loved your work and often refer to your articles and books when I'm in need of inspiration. And I just know those AC albums are going to be sold out everywhere, just because everyone is going to go get them :)
I read lizee's question above about making page protectors for 6x12 layouts if you don't have a sewing machine. She can probably use brads, staples, or punch holes and put ribbon all the way through. I think that would look great.
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.