How to make a DIY scrapbook album

Capture favourite memories with this stunning DIY scrapbook album, ideal for special occasions, or just to remind someone they're loved.

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Holly Spanner

Published: February 2, 2021 at 9:39 am

Displaying pictures in a DIY scrapbook album is a wonderful way to preserve special memories, whether it be a wedding, milestone birthday, family reunion or special anniversary. For this project, our designer Sue Hughes has created a flipbook style scrapbook. The design gives plenty of space for showcasing photos, so you can include all the special moments and people. The idea is to tell a story through pictures, with personal anecdotes along the way, and it’s the little details that will make it extra special; reserve your best embellishments for the front cover and save your favourite photo for the centre page of your DIY scrapbook album.

Scrapbooking

Here's a top tip: take the time to plan and arrange all your photos before you stick anything down. For added interest, use a variety of long-range, indoors, outside and close-up photographs. Choose different papers and embellishments to coordinate with each photo for added interest, but try to avoid adding too many bulky embellishments to your pages.

Use different patterned papers to suit the recipient, and if you want to boost your stash – we’ve got you covered with our extensive library of free patterned papers!

Don’t forget to share your wreaths on Facebook or post them on Instagram, we love to see what you make!

Make your own DIY scrapbook

You will need:

Card (white)
Patterned paper
Ephemera (to decorate)
Photographs

Step 1

Cut a 290 x 162mm piece of white card. Mark on a long edge and score down at 55mm, 65mm, 225mm and 235mm. Fold score lines so outside panels are on top. Cut two 162mm squares of white card. Attach one to top of each outer panel.

DIY scrapbook – step 1

Step 2

Mark three 290 x 155mm pieces of white card each at 65mm and 225mm on one long edge; score down. Fold each outer panel in to create gatefolds. Take one gatefold (central gatefold) and stick another gatefold flap to each side to create the ‘flip’ pages.

DIY scrapbook – step 2

Step 3

Stick the ‘flip’ pages inside your cover by applying double-sided tape to the reverse of the central square panel. This will fit neatly inside the middle of the cover, leaving the side flaps free to fold around it when the album is shut.

DIY scrapbook – step 3

Step 4

To create an extra page at the middle of the album, cut a 260 x 150mm piece
of white card, score and then fold lengthways at 130mm. Stick the extra page into place inside the central gatefold section as shown.

DIY scrapbook – step 4

Step 5

Select the photographs you want to display, then trim and layer each onto some coloured card, leaving a narrow border around the edge.

We’re making a wedding album, so we’ve chosen Hunkydory gold Mirri card to mount our photos on! Experiment with different colours to match the occasion. It’s also a good idea to play around with colour photocopies before cutting up expensive prints.

DIY scrapbook – step 5

Step 6

Now go ahead and fill up your album! Play around with layering up patterned papers, photographs and ephemera. Try sticking photos at jaunty angles, adding strips of washi tape, adding stickers, or even adding some brush lettering. The possibilities are endless! Make sure you use the front and back of each page and don’t forget to decorate the front.

DIY scrapbook – step 6

Avoid using wet glue to attach your photos as it may show through or create bubbles in the surface. Instead, use a dry adhesive such a glue tape runner or extra-strong double-sided tape.

DIY scrapbook – step 10

Introductory photograph by Rirri

Now you’ve made your DIY scrapbook why not learn about bullet journaling? We have a guide on how to bullet journal here on Gathered if you’d like to try.

Staff Writer, BBC Science Focus

Holly is the Staff Writer for BBC Science Focus and looks after the popular Q&A section. She holds an MSc (distinction) in Geoscience (Space and Climate Physics) from UCL, and specialises in astronomy and earth sciences. Before joining Our Media, she worked as a geoenvironmental consultant and engineer, informing on ground risk and remediation in the north of England, while hunting for exoplanets in her spare time. Alongside this, she was regional editor of a popular theatre website for nine years, and has a solid background in curating and developing content for the digital space. Holly is also an artist and illustrator, and regular contributor to the craft website, Gathered. She has previously worked with the RSPB, English Heritage, Disney, Pilot and Brother, as well as on BBC Good Food magazine, Home Style magazine, and Papercraft inspirations magazine. She enjoys photography and has a sustained interest in antiques.