Albums
12 × 12 inch albums are the traditional size and have the widest choice of papers. A4 and smaller 8 × 8 albums are quicker to fill and easier to store.
Shop nowCraft guide
Scrapbooking supplies
Holiday snaps, a baby's first year, a wedding, a grandparent's memories: scrapbooking turns the photos stuck on your phone into something you can hold.
A scrapbook layout is a page (or double page) that mixes photos, patterned paper, a few words of journalling and some decoration. There's no right or wrong style: some people love layered, busy pages, others prefer clean designs with lots of white space.
Memory keeping has also moved into pocket-page albums and travel journals, which use the same supplies but take less time per page.
Supplies to look for
Patterned paper pads
Pads contain coordinating designs, so everything matches without effort. Choose one themed collection per album to keep it cohesive.
Shop nowPhoto-safe adhesive
Look for adhesives and papers labelled acid-free and lignin-free, which are designed not to yellow or damage photos over time.
Shop nowWashi tape
Thin decorative paper tape that's repositionable. Great for borders, framing photos and adding a pop of colour.
Shop nowEmbellishments & stickers
Chipboard, stickers, enamel dots and die-cuts add texture. A little goes a long way, especially if you post pages in sleeves.
Shop nowPunches
A corner rounder softens photo edges instantly; border and shape punches are quick ways to create decoration from scraps.
Shop nowBuying tips
- Print photos at home or through an online printer in standard sizes like 6 × 4 inch; they're easy to arrange on most layouts.
- Sketch a layout on scrap paper first, or copy a layout you like as a starting "sketch".
- Use a journalling pen that's pigment-based and fade resistant for handwriting on pages.
- Keep offcuts in a folder by colour; they're perfect for cards later (see cardmaking).
- Store albums upright, out of direct sunlight, to help protect photos.
Good to know in the UK
Although the UK works in A-sizes, scrapbooking kept its American 12 × 12 inch standard, so you'll find papers, albums and page protectors in inches. If you prefer A4, check that the page protectors and papers you buy are the same format as your album. Storage for 12 × 12 paper is also a different shape from A4 storage; see our storage guide.
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Just starting out? Read the beginners' guide or pick a weekend project.