20 Scrapbooking Ideas to Preserve Your Memories
You finally have a place to put those old ticket stubs, family photos, and more.
These days we have photos all over our screens—in our text threads, on our social media stories and posts, uploaded to this app and that one—but do you ever wonder how we will look back on them 20, 30, and 40 years down the road? One preserver of memories will know will live on for our kids and grandkids, though, is the old-school scrapbook. There's something extra meaningful about not only having your photos on printed pages but artfully placed on layouts along with memorabilia like ticket stubs, children's drawings, notes, and pressed flowers that can just take a few simple supplies.
The next time you are feeling crafty you could DIY a gift or some paper flowers, or perhaps the best gift to mark a birthday, be it No. 1 or No. 40, is a scrapbook of aesthetic pages showcasing the most colorful parts of life you have shared together. While you're at it, you might as well wrap the finished product just the right way before its grand unveiling for a kid or for an adult.
And now for 20 scrapbooking ideas to inspire you to pull out paper, stickers, and scissors and get to creating, whether you are. a beginner or a pro. With this list, the possibilities will be endless for the memory-keeping fun you'll create.
Vintage Scrapbook Page
Vintage family photos deserve a treatment that's as charming as they are. Here, use scrapbook embellishments that look as if they were pulled from an antique book.
Get the tutorial at Paper Craft Secrets.
SHOP BURLAP
DIY Scrapbook
Using patterned paper and twine for binding, you can make standalone scrapbook pages that celebrate the amazing trips you’ve taken.
Learn more at Lovely Indeed.
Scrapbook Shape
For a truly eye-catching scrapbook page, use photos and embellishments to create a shape, such as a Christmas tree. The quotes, stickers, and small photos will no doubt look adorable together.
Learn more at Scrap Sweet Scrap.
Mini Scrapbook
A scrapbook doesn’t need to be a big undertaking—literally! You can make a miniature version of a scrapbook with notecards and scrapbook paper that you cut in smaller pieces.
Learn more at Scattered Confetti.
Tiny Envelopes
Here’s one way to keep your tiniest memories safe while making them look endearing. Drop handmade, teeny envelopes into a sheet protector and then place it in a binder. They can easily hold ticket stubs, mini photos, and other things you’ve held onto. Bonus idea: You can also use this concept to make your own scrapbook advent calendar for the holidays.
Get the tutorial at Felicity Jane.
Scrapbook Story Page
A scrapbook should always tell a story, whether it’s through photos or actually writing a story and featuring it on a page. Write out your memory, then place accompanying photos around it.
Learn more at Pam Baldwin.
Scrapbook Selfie
Sure, we usually reserve selfies for Facebook or to stay on our phones for all of eternity. But why not show pride in your photos and put them in a scrapbook? A page like this allows your selfie to take center stage amid oh-so-cute embellishments.
Learn more at Alt & New.
Colorful Page
Color is one way to instantly make a scrapbook page your own, showing off your tastes and theming the hues to the feel of the page. You can go completely kaleidoscopic with ink vibrantly covering the shapes and words showcased on your page.
Get the tutorial at Snapping Monsters.
Floral Page
In the case of scrapbook accessories, we think that more is almost always better, and that’s definitely true of flowers. Instead of including just a few, go all out with a layered page bursting with blooms.
Learn more at Splashes of Colour.
Three-Dimensional Page
Sure, you can decorate a scrapbook page with flat embellishments and stickers, but they can actually jump off the page to create visual interest, too. Try it out with green leaves that look as if they’re growing from your scrapbook.
Learn more at Always Scrappy.
Scaled-Down Photo Page
You can always scrapbook traditional 4x6 photos, but images come in a variety of sizes these days. Opt for scaled-down photos to fit more onto a page, then include a few embellishments to add visual interest.
Get the tutorial at Heidi Swapp.
Magazine Envelopes
To make your scrapbook look even more unique, include a few envelopes that hold small memories and other surprises you’ll enjoy for years to come. (These envelopes have been made using magazines.)
Get the tutorial at Hey Wanderer.
Everyday Scrapbooking Materials
We love the darling, colorful scrapbook embellishments that you can buy at the store, but have you considered using a few items from around your house? Notecards, leftover ribbon, and black tape make surprisingly good scrapbooking supplies.
Get the tutorial at Root & Branch Paper Co.
Washi Tape Page
Place differently sized pieces of patterned washi tape on the top of a scrapbook page to add some attention-grabbing detail.
Get the tutorial at Jillibean Soup.
Scrapbook Pattern Play
The whole idea of scrapbooking is to let your creativity run wild, and that certainly goes for layering patterns on a page. We say pattern a page to your heart’s content! Words, polka dots, stripes, hearts ... the more, the merrier.
Learn more at Juliana Michaels.
Photo Page
A plastic photo page can always serve as a scrapbook page, a method that’s definitely suited to beginners or those who want to try something new. Slip cards, gift tags, or photos into the sleeves for a photo-album-meets-scrapbook.
Learn more at Laura Vegas.
Grid Scrapbook Page
Here’s an easy way to organize your photos and embellishments on a scrapbook page. Create a grid on the page using ribbon and rick rack. It’ll look fanciful and fun, and it’s a great way to spotlight your memories.
Get the tutorial at Paige Taylor Evans.
Pops of Color
You can create a whimsical feel with your scrapbook accessories by using star stickers, butterflies, glittery letters, birds, and hearts.
Get the tutorial at Maggie Holmes Design.
Rolodex Scrapbook
Dig out your old rolodex (or buy a new one!) and use it to make a totally unique scrapbook. Add quotes, photos, and stickers to the cards, and flip through your memories.
Get the tutorial at Jamie Pate Designs.
SHOP ROLODEXES
Stamped Words Page
Photos and embellishments are a wonderful combination, but we think that words should always make an appearance on a scrapbook page, too. Stamp them out and make your stories, favorite quotes, and calendar dates come to life.
Get the tutorial at Heidi Swapp.
Shelby Deering is a lifestyle writer who specializes in decor, home tours, wellness, travel, vintage, and feel-good stories for national publications. She’s from Madison, Wisconsin, and when she’s not writing, you’ll find her running local trails, shopping flea markets, or going for walks with her husband and corgi.
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