Yesterday, we offered a few ideas on how to organize your scrapbook. Those tips won’t do you much good if you lack a storage solution. This post will highlight the pros and cons of various album types.
3-Ring: These albums are most like 3-ring school binders. One type, the C-Ring, is less popular for scrapbooking as pages have difficulty laying flat once there are quite a few. Of 3-ring albums, D-Ring are the most popular. While there is a space between pages down the middle, D-Ring albums offer the most flexibility for rearranging and inserting new pages. Also, the roominess offered makes D-Ring albums best for combining your digital layouts with hybrid projects or inclusion of tangible memories.
Post-bound: Your first scrapbook was likely a post-bound as these are very easy to find. Posts screw together to add expansion-capability, but there can be problems with breakage. Pages lay flat and close to one another (great for 2 pages spreads), but it can be some work to rearrange or add new pages. Older post-bound albums can be retrofitted with the new Pioneer Snapload system, which combines the expandability of post-bound and the ease of top-loading page protectors with the durability of strap-hinge.
Strap-hinge: Like post-bound, these albums require some effort to remove, rearrange or add pages. However, they are popular within paper scrapbooking for durability. These pages have hinges on the sides that look like heavy staples. The straps are fed through thes hinges to hold the album in place. Therefore you would sandwich the hinged blank page between two digital layouts and use a side loading page protector to cover. Alternately, some albums come with hinged top-loading page protectors.
Albums and page protectors can be found everywhere these days – including your local superstore. Watch for sales or coupons at your favorite hobby centers, superstores and online shops to save on these essentials. Scrapbook supplies are almost always photo-safe these days, so there is little need to worry about your discount purchase.
Other considerations:
- Cover material: Consider how your album will be used and stored over the years. Do you need a wipable surface or is a fine cloth more your style?
- Expansion thickness: Do you prefer very thick albums or will each story be compact?
- Page size: Do you scrap in multiple sizes? Consider that a 12×12 album might best allow you to store your art in one place.
- Look of the spine: How do you want the album to appear on the shelf?
The bottom line – If two page spreads are important to you, then choose post-bound. If maximum flexibility is key, then choose D-Ring. What kind of album do you prefer?
The clock is ticking and time is running out to enter our “defining {you}” course giveaway!
I like the three ring ones the best, that being said I haven’t printed a LO in SO long, a have a ton that need printing though! lol
Eve’s last blog post..More book reviews!!