Tips for Finishing a Big Album Project

There comes a time when many a scrapbooker is faced with a Big Album Project . It might be an album for a graduation event, a gift album for a new baby or simply the 1,393 digital images from your dream trip on safari. Facing such a project can seem monumental, but that doesn't need to be the case. Relax, read on and discover ways to tame the Big Album Project.

Taming the Beast

When faced with a major project, keep in mind a few guidelines to help tame this beast.

• Not every photo needs to be included.
• Not every layout needs to be a scrapping work of art.
• Consistency is your friend.
• The memories matter.
• A plan of attack keeps you motivated and on track.

We'll take a closer look at each of these guidelines to see how they can help you face your project without fear.

Photos Tell the Story

The digital era has given us the freedom to experiment and usually this results in better photos. It also causes us to experiment, take lots of photos, and then keep them all anyway.

Don't feel you have to do this! Look through the photos you're considering for your album and choose the best ones to help tell the story you want to share. If you must keep the rest, place them in a digital photo album or an attractive photo-holder type of album.

I've done a fair amount of world traveling, and when I return, I want to savor my recent experiences. I've noticed that certain photos seem to capture these experiences best. It might be a beautiful scene at sunrise on an Australian cattle station that captures the essence of that place. It could be a photo of me interacting with the locals. Whatever it is, look for those photos that best display the moments in the story your album will tell, choose some supporting details, and let the rest go for now.

Beauty Is Relative

If you visit this website, chances are you also read the scrapping magazines and await the latest trends in layout design. For these projects, you can set some of that aside for now.

Especially if this will be a gift or an album on display at an event like a graduation, your family is not going to notice if you've used the latest techniques. They simply enjoy the story in the photos and narrative that the album shares. When I've done albums like this, I will create a special first page, scatter a couple of technique-laden designs throughout, and then do everything else with clean, classic lines. I can honestly say that not one person has ever commented on the fact that I neglected to use the newest embellishments. Even if it's just for your own enjoyment, you may be pleasantly surprised to see how much you enjoy looking at your memories, tastefully displayed, and within five years of the date of the story they tell.

Consistency Is Your Friend

When I've done large projects, I choose a color palette that is simple, yet offers variety. Most often, I choose plain cardstock and have fun seeing what I can do when I limit my choices. Another option is to choose one of the coordinated lines of papers and elements and stick with those. An added bonus to this approach is that you may find that you really do let your photos and stories shine, and the memories aren't lost to the dazzle of the techniques. Making a strict choice in the beginning also eliminates some of your decision-making stress. Some of the design choices I've made include-

• Using a single monthly kit design from Club Scrap to do a 50^th Anniversary album.
• Using a black background with terra cotta and harvest gold cardstocks for a Kenyan mission trip album.
• Buying a coordinated set of Provo Craft patterns to complete a graduation gift album, augmented by cardstock that maintained the monochromatic color scheme.

Aim for the Target

When creating a Big Album Project like this, keep in mind the reason you're doing it in the first place. You want to look back and remember the times or the experience pictured. In twenty years, I can guarantee you won't remember what the "hot trend" in scrapbooking was at the time you did the album. It really doesn't matter. What matters is that you might also forget some of the details of the times or experience unless you tell the story.

Memory fades, and working to tell the story while it's still fresh will result in a keepsake that will be far more treasured than an album filled with intricate designs that barely hint at the stories behind the photos. Keeping this thought in mind will help you create a true masterpiece to be enjoyed in years to come.

Stick to the Plan

As I begin a Big Album Project, I spend some time first thinking about the story I want others to see as they look at the finished design. Doing this helps me keep my focus clear and choose my photos well. Once I know the rough outline, I plan out each layout and make a specific outline. I list out the outline and pile the photos and other memorabilia in their respective order. For my British Isles trip album recently completed, I plotted out 30 layouts, including the title and final pages. In the end, I eliminated a couple of those layouts as redundant. It helped a great deal to watch as my stacks went down and that list of layouts got crossed off as they were completed.

Give Yourself a Hand

You've worked hard to tame the beast, crossed off your list and you're finally finished.

Sit back, look over your work and enjoy the story all over again. You did it!