creative ways to make your own scrapbook albums?

[leesespieces]

i finally gave in and started buying the supplies to start scrapbooking!! i've been avoiding it for so long because i see how much some people end up spending on it and i was bad enough buying yarn all the time LOL. but it sucked me in and now i'm exploring all my options. i've been seeing some really cute handmade scrapbook albums around here, rather than the big fancy ones you can buy. i've seen the paper bag ones and heard of some cardboard ones, but i'm not sure how to do all that. what are some other materials and techniques you guys use to make your own scrapbook albums??

[kstaron]

I use a three ring binder and sheet protectors for my regular albums. works great for 8.5x11 paper. I can deco the folder all I want. Makes it easy for the everyday chronological type of scrapping. And way more economical than a scrapbook bought as a scrapbook. 

[Persephone Hazard]

A binder's a good idea, I might try that. I keep wanting to get into scrapbooking, but falling down at the first hurdle - I have no idea what my actual scrapbook would be!

[MissDisney]

i make most of my mini albums from scratch

i bought a set of spines for like 6 dollars (and i got ALOT of spines for it) and i use the chipboard from different items as covers

it involves alot of math, but i think its worth it in the end.

if you would like i can do a tutorial for you and post it here

i would do all the math parts, but it would be a good way to learn all the steps so you could do it for yourself

ANOTHER way to bind is using ribbon, my best friend uses that method the most

[bc7ate9]

I often use regular 3-ring binders too.  (If you do buy a ready-made scrapbook, I definitely suggest getting the kind with rings and not the post-bound style!)

I also make a lot of my albums with chipboard and binder rings that you can buy at office supply stores - especially for mini books. 

Another idea is a Zutter Bind-it-All.  You may not want to make the investment, but I got one and have been making all sorts of perfect books!  (Well, perfect for my needs!)

[KCMonkey]

I don't scrapbook, but I just found these eco-binders at Office Max.  They are sort of like chip board which makes them a perfect clean slate.

[Phizzychick]

I've only made one so far, but I recycled the cardboard from an old wine box

I cut it just a little larger than the pages and then attached a chipboard strip down the ring sides which I hole punched in 3 places. The strip was because I didn't think the cardboard would hold up too well being pulled on the rings all the time, but it also gave it a nice shape. Then I covered the whole thing with brown gummed art tape to firm it up a bit, painted it up and voila, this is how it turned out...

[SewHelpMe]

Phizzychick!  Love, love, love your book!

I just made a scrapbook with handmade covers for a foster dog we had (and I didn't get a picture of it because I was scrambling to finish before her forever family showed up!). 

Anyway, I cut covers from a soft dog food "tray" and then covered them with patterned paper.  I punched holes down the sides to match the holes of the plastic pages and then added 3/16" metal eylets to reinforce the holes.  I held the whole thing together with metal binder rings like Phyzzichick used (you can get those at any office supply store or even at Walmart if you're in the US).  I also tied ribbons to the rings just for fun.  To finish it, I covered chipboard letters with patterned paper and spelled out the dog's name for the cover. 

What I did is definitely NOT professional-book-binder quality, but I was quite pleased with how it turned out.

I'm making another handmade scrapbook just like the one I just described for the Biggy Iggy Auction/Fundraiser next month.  I'll definitely take photos of that one.

[Velvet Rose]

Has anyone here made a paper bag album?

I would like to try one but I am worried that the bag will not be acid free - even though it will be covered in acid free paper. Would that be a problem?

[MissDisney]

i have made a couple paperbag albums

i dont really care about acid free anymore (it just costs to much, mostly i mean adhesives though...i still buy acid free stickers and paper) BUT you can just spray them with archival mist and they will be fine