Scrapbooking is one of those crafts that sounds deceptively simple, cut some photos, stick them on paper, add some stickers, but quickly reveals itself to be a rich, endlessly creative practice with its own tools, techniques, vocabulary, and community. If you've been curious about getting started but felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of options, supplies, and styles you see online, you're not alone.
This guide is for complete beginners. By the end of it, you'll know exactly what you need to buy (and what you don't), how to plan your first layout, and how to create a page you're genuinely proud of, even on your very first try.
What Is Scrapbooking, Really?
At its core, scrapbooking is the art of preserving memories in a physical, decorated album. A scrapbook page typically combines:
- Photographs: the heart of the page
- Patterned or solid paper: as a background and design element
- Journaling: written text telling the story behind the photos
- Embellishments: stickers, die cuts, washi tape, ribbon, flowers, chipboard
But scrapbooking has evolved dramatically. Modern styles include clean minimalist pages with just two photos and a few strips of washi tape, right through to elaborate 3D mixed-media pages with layers, textures, and handmade elements.
Step 1: Choose Your Album Size
The most important first decision is the album size, because it determines the paper and protectors you'll buy for the rest of your scrapbooking life (at least until you try a different size!).
12x12 Inches (30x30 cm)
This is the most popular and widely used size. The large surface gives you room for multiple photos, journaling, and embellishments on a single page. The downside is that storage takes up more space. This is the best size to start with if you want the most product options.
8.5x11 Inches (A4 / Letter Size)
A smaller, more manageable size. Easier to store, and if you use a standard printer, your journaling and photo printing fits perfectly. Fewer paper options than 12x12, but still plenty.
6x8 Inches (Pocket Scrapbooking)
The entry point to "pocket scrapbooking": a style popularised by Project Life. Cards slot into pre-divided plastic protectors. Very quick, modern, and requires minimal cutting or measuring.
Step 2: Your Starter Supply List
You genuinely do not need much to create your first scrapbook page. Here's a focused starter list:
Essentials
- Album: a ring-bound or post-bound album with page protectors
- Cardstock: solid-colour heavyweight paper (the foundation of most pages)
- Patterned paper: a 6x6 or 12x12 paper pad in a colour theme you love
- Adhesive: a glue stick for paper and a dedicated photo-safe tape runner for photographs
- Scissors: a good quality, sharp pair
- A trimmer: a small paper trimmer for straight, clean cuts
Nice to Have (But Not Required)
- Alphabet stickers for titles
- A few embellishment stickers or die-cuts
- Washi tape (comes in endless patterns, get a small starter set)
- A journaling pen (fine black liner works beautifully)
"Start with what you have. Scrapbooking is not about having the most supplies. It's about the story you're telling."
Step 3: Choose Your Photos
For your very first page, choose no more than 2–4 photographs from a single event or occasion. This keeps the focus tight and your design cleaner. Good first topics:
- A holiday or day trip
- A birthday or celebration
- A season of the year (autumn walks, Christmas morning)
- A pet or a child at a particular age
Print your photos if possible, 4x6 inch prints are the standard. Most supermarkets and pharmacies offer same-day photo printing for a very low cost. Having physical prints in your hand transforms the design process.
Step 4: Plan Your Layout
Don't just stick things down randomly, sketch a quick pencil plan on a scrap of paper first. A basic layout formula that almost always works:
- Place your largest photo first, slightly off-centre
- Add a strip or block of patterned paper as a background accent
- Place your remaining photos to balance the composition
- Reserve space for a title and a small block of journaling
- Scatter a few embellishments to fill small gaps
Step 5: Build Your Page
Work in layers from bottom to top:
- Lay out your cardstock background
- Add any large patterned paper panels
- Position photos (don't stick yet, try different arrangements first)
- Once happy, adhere papers then photos
- Add title using letter stickers or your own handwriting
- Write journaling (date, location, who's in the photo, what made it special)
- Add embellishments around the layout, flowers, brads, washi tape, stickers
The Journaling: The Part Most People Skip
Journaling is the written text on a scrapbook page, and it's the element that transforms a decorated photo into a genuine keepsake. In 20 years, you won't need to remember what your child looked like at age 3, you'll have the photos. But you might desperately wish you'd written down what they said, how they laughed, what the weather was like, or why that day felt so perfect.
Journaling doesn't need to be long. Even a single sentence matters:
- "She kept calling them 'flower clouds', she was four."
- "The best rainy Sunday we've ever had."
- "I didn't want this day to end."
Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
- Using non-acid-free products on photos: always buy acid-free adhesive and paper to prevent photo damage over time
- Overloading the page: more is not always more; leave breathing room
- Buying too many supplies before starting: buy a starter kit, make your first pages, then identify what you actually need
- Saving pages "for when I'm better at it": your first pages will be beautiful, even with their imperfections
Ready to Start?
The best scrapbook page you'll ever make is the one you actually make. Don't wait until you have the perfect supplies, the perfect photos, or the perfect inspiration. Gather what you have, pick a memory you love, and start. The rest will follow naturally.
Have a look at our guide to essential tools for paper crafting for specific product recommendations, and our post on creating beautiful two-page layouts once you're ready to take the next step.