Questions for a no-frills photo album

Hi, I'm new here. I committed to myself that I would do a 1-year scrapbook for my two kids - whew! Lots of work! Here after, they are just going to get a CD of the rest of their pictures!

However, I still want to make some very basic photo albums (curate the pictures, if you will). For these, I just want to put together the most basic of photo albums. But I don't like those albums where you just insert a picture it the sleeve - too many wrong orientation slots not matching up what you have! So I'm looking for suggestions that stand the test of time.

I'm planning to use a 12x12 album. I am fine with making a page and slipping it in the sleeve - I don't need NOT to use the 12x12 plastic holder. I want to make it look old fashioned, so would like to use photo corners. I would prefer to use a tan-colored solid page, but I do worry that the color of "tan" made by a given manufacturer will actually change over time (for example, I bought those photo boxes from Michael's Recollections line several years back that looked like cardboard material/color, but the newer ones are more "yellow-y", almost manila folder colored. End result is I have a bunch of boxes in the closet that are darker than the others. Anal, I know. But it does bother me a little bit.) I don't want to have the same result with my photo albums over the years (yeah, I guess I could control that within each individual album, but I would hate to waste paper in the future because it didn't match, or couldn't fine one more piece of paper to finish an album - then I would be really pissed!)

So would you layer it: black page, black photo corners, white border, then picture? Or white page, black photo corners, black border, white border, then picture?

Also, Im wondering if you often find yourself printing out smaller than 4x6 pictures (or cropping them down), so you can fit more than just 3 pictures on a page (or less if you consider the border(s) and had everything in the same landscape or portrait orientation).

Thanks!

Hi! this sounds like a cool project. I want to see what you create.

I love "tan" or Kraft paper. You are right, there is more than one shade of tan. I have a pack of Paper Studio and a pack of Recollections 8.5 x 11 and they are not the same color. I totally understand your being "anal" because I am! I would suggest that you pick one brand and stick with that brand even if you have to order online rather than trying to match it up at different stores. I LOVE kraft paper and I have several pads that are printed on kraft and also kraft core paper from Coordinations.

I wonder if Bazzill has a 12x12 kraft you can buy in bulk packs....I don't see it here in the superstore.

As far as matting and using black and white either way would work but I would most likely do white on the inside and black as the outside.

Thanks for the suggestion on bazzill. They would probably have be fairly consistent - over years, which is what I will need if I want to start this now and not on my death bed :-)

Even better - I didn't realize "Kraft" is one of their colors!

Hi: You said: So would you layer it: black page, black photo corners, white border, then picture? Or white page, black photo corners, black border, white border, then picture?

when you say "border" are you talking about mats?

Either would look good with pictures but using only one mat would be easier. I print out lots of wallets (2x3") to use on my layouts and trim my 4x6" when can so as to get more photos on a page.

good luck.

Have you thought of using some WRMK album pages or simple stories or whatever other pocket pages? they don't have to be ProjectLife, and the other companies make more standard 4*6 sleeves with various orientations, and other spots can be filled with journaling or inserts. You can mix them with 12*12 if you wish too..

I use regular photo albums that have 5 photo sleeves on the page (2 vert 3 horiz) and fill the spaces with 4*6 scrappy inserts, which are quick and fun to do.

Finally, you can choose to print photos with borders, which will make your project even easier) depending on the printing software/studio/website, you may be able to print white borders only or colored (black) or shaped (hand-torn, zig zag, etc).

Sunnydi - Yes, I mean mats. I guess I was thinking black mat, photo corner, then white mat+picture.

Olesya - Yes, printing them out with a white border would be same thing, and I dont know why I didnt just think of that! Definitely would be much simpler. I'll have to look into that. Thanks also for the suggestion on slipping in the cards. I'd seen that sold, but hadnt really explored it. Now I will.

Ugh, planning for wallet sized pics would make more sense, but now I guess I'll have to mentally lay everything out first before printing it all out!