Remember your fun in the sun with a summer scrapbook! If you are just starting out with scrapbooking, we highly recommend creating a summer scrapbook as one of your first projects. It’s an accessible project for all ages, has a clear timeline of what to document, and these three months are chock full of fun memories to document (especially if you created a summer bucket list!) Working on a summer scrapbook is also an enjoyable, creative activity to work on throughout the summer during those high heat days when you want to be indoors.
Here are our top tips for how to have fun compiling a summer scrapbook, and to create an album you will love reviewing later:
Decide Your Scrapbooking Method + Sizes
One of the choices that can be overwhelming for new scrapbookers is where to start! We always recommend keeping the end in mind, and deciding what type of project you would enjoy creating and flipping through later. In general, we think a smaller album size is easier to fill with three months of memories, and will allow for more flexible storage in the future. We’ve compiled a brief list of our recommended formats for summer scrapbooks.
6x8 Pocket Page Album
Pocket page scrapbooking is one of the easiest methods of scrapbooking, and the 6×8 albums are an especially versatile album size. If you choose this size of album, we recommend this printing guide: 3×4 photographic prints for the everyday candids, 4×6 photographic prints for special shots, and 6×8 photographic prints for bigger groups and events. You can easily find pocket pages for 6×8 albums designed to fit those print sizes and nothing beats the simplicity of sliding a photo or journal card into a photo slot.
Best for? We recommend this project format for photography enthusiasts who will have lots of photos at the end of the summer, or those who enjoy a cleaner look.
6x8 Summer Smash Book
Smash books are back in full force, and we love the creativity they allow. Our A5 Custom journals allow you to upload your own cover design, and then select the design for the inside pages. For photos, go as small as the 2×2 mini photo prints, to as large as a 5×7 photographic print for more memorable moments. Use photo corners, glue, or double sided tape to secure your photos inside your journal, and enjoy the creative process.
Best for? Summer Smash books are the perfect fit for those who want space to journal their thoughts, and for creatives who enjoy a more eclectic look.
Take Your Pictures
Now that you know what project you will create, go and snap some pics! If possible, keep aspect ratio and different color settings in mind to ensure you will love your prints. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of our most popular summer photography tips:
- How to Take Beach Photos on Your Phone
- 3 Tips to Rock Your Summer Photos
- How to Photograph Fireworks
- How to adjust Exposure on your Mobile Phone – a must when taking pictures in harsh or low light!
Tip: Did you go on a trip with a larger group and want to compile all the photos taken? Share the link to a collection on your Persnickety Prints account, and everyone can upload their photos to one central location!
Print + Design Your Pages
This is one of our favorite methods- keep the memories fresh, and write them down soon after they happen. We love the idea of a spread that is a monthly summary page, where you can keep a tally of how many times you completed an activity, hung out with friends, had a favorite treat, etc.
To keep on top of your memory keeping, schedule a time every week or month to go through your photos and submit them to print! Once they arrive, take an hour or two to document your memories and keep cool on a hot day.
If you’ve got a lot of plans this summer, organizing your memories by event can be a great way to stay on top of your photos. Between summer camps, Disneyland trips, beach days, you’ve got a lot you will want to remember!
We recommend planning an afternoon or evening the week after your trip to go through your photos, deciding what you want to send to print and what memorabilia from the trip you want to keep.
If you would rather do one big summer scrapbook day vs a monthly effort, plan ahead and hold a “Summer Scrapbook Day” at the end of August or beginning of September. Bring out snacks, your printed photos, and the memorabilia you’ve collected. We love the idea of organizing your spreads by favorite activity – group the pictures by all the times you went to the pool, watched movies in your backyard, and hung out with friends. This method is less focused on establishing a timeline, but more celebrating the themes of your summer. Don’t forget to list your summer playlist, and jam out to those same songs while you are scrapbooking!
Make sure to go through and send your summer scrapbook photos to print at least a week before your big scrapbooking day! Reference our typical processing and shipping times to make sure your order arrives on time.
Don't Forget Your Memorabilia!
You’ve held onto those concert tickets, parking validations, and programs – save those tangible keepsakes in your summer scrapbook.
tape them in
A perfect fit for your summer smash book. Bonus if you can create a pocket/envelope to store items you will want to pull out or creatively tape inserts with multiple pages so you can still flip through them.
Insert into a Pocket Page
These 6×8 albums with 6×8 pocket pages will fit most tickets and smaller items. If something is bigger – fold it into the 6×8 size, and pull it out later!
cut them down
If an item is too big to fold down into your scrapbook, consider cutting it down and keeping the smaller, most important pieces.
take a photo
if you want to remember an item but it simply is too big to keep, take a picture!
Add Some Flair To Your Pages
For both new and seasoned scrapbookers, a scrapbook kit can make starting your summer album feel much easier. Instead of trying to choose every paper, sticker, and embellishment on your own, you can begin with pieces that are already designed to work together. Use the 12×12 and 6×12 patterned papers as full backgrounds, cut them down for layering, or use them to add color behind your favorite summer photos. The included ephemera and stickers add a styled touch without requiring complicated page design. Journal cards can help guide your reflections and make it easier to write down the details you want to remember. Using a kit helps your summer scrapbook feel cohesive, colorful, and thoughtfully designed from the very first page.
Start Your Summer Scrapbook
Whether it’s practicing mindfulness as you journal, or laughing together as you reminisce about your summer, summer scrapbooks are a way of building connection with those you love. It’s well worth the time to document your summer fun, and to build memories you will look at for years to come.