Hey there StoryKeepers,
I’m so excited. I did a monumental thing this weekend. I completed the last volume of our first Disney trip from 2012! Yes, I said volumes, 4 to be exact. Go Big or Go Home is my motto in Scrapbooking and I wanted to include all the photos that I took including the ones of our shenanigans on the way down to Florida since it was also the first time we had traveled that far.
The Walt Disney World Album was bought at Downtown Disney (Now Disney Springs) on the last day we were in Florida. I knew this project would be massive so 3 ring binders were the way to go. These babies hold roughly 40 pages (20-page protectors) in each album. The albums I decided to go with are my tried and true from We R Memory Keepers. I get them from Amazon. I also like Scrapbook.com 3 ring binders and their page protectors are awesome! I have a full variety of the 6 x 8 and they don’t disappoint. Sadly, Disney no longer makes scrapbook albums. The only albums I could find this past summer were 8×8 photo albums.
This has been a labor of love. I started this project in August 2022 shortly after returning from our 2nd Disney trip and worked diligently on it with the hopes of completing it by Christmas. I ended up stopping it in November because I had Christmas projects and gifts to complete and needed a break from it. By the end of January, I was back in it and finished it this past weekend. In all, there are 156 pages that span 4 volumes! I integrated multiple collections from Simple Stories Say Cheese 2,4, Main Street, Little Princess, Howdy!, Safe Travels, and At the Park as well as Echo Park’s Alice in Wonderland, Practically Perfect, Magical Adventure, and Lost in Neverland. EK Success Disney Princess papers, Scrapbook Customs Jasmine Inspired paper, Queen and Co. papers and Embellishments, Bo Bunny Safari, Cricut Princess, Pooh, Monsters Inc paper packs along with miscellaneous papers from my stash. I have to note that I have been collecting items here and there for over 10 years so I have an extensive collection to scrapbook with. I also invested in Disney-inspired stamps from Studio Calico, Echo Park, Simple Stories, and Elle’s Studio. Some of which I can use on other theme park projects.
Helpful Hints
- Scale your project to you and your budget. I wanted this to be special and over the top so I planned accordingly. I purchased things over time rather than all at once. I also purchased a wide variety of collections that I knew I could make work together.
- Be sure to journal during your trip or after so you won’t forget any important details. This was an invaluable tool since this trip was 10 years ago and I have problems with recall memory. If I don’t write it down, I can’t recall the information.
- Don’t be afraid to mix and match collections and manufacturers. You don’t have to be matchy-match throughout a themed album. Allow your photos to dictate the color choices for that page which provides visual interest throughout the album. To tie the pages together I used a hidden Mickey on each of the pages in the albums.
- When shopping for your supplies first check and see what’s out there and write a list of what you like and what you have bought so far. It’s really easy to lose track of what collections you have and overbuy things you already have. It also prevents you from buying something you like to then find something you Love!
- Do your due diligence when looking for supplies. There are great places online to buy supplies that won’t break the bank. I am a big fan of Echo Park and their outlet store has awesome sales all the time. They also have free shipping for over $50 which you can’t beat. You do have to practice patience as their processing times can be long especially during sales but I promise you it’s worth it.
Lastly, Be true to your own style! I don’t ever want someone to look at my pages and think that their pages aren’t as good as mine. I have been scrapbooking for over 20 years and have developed my style through years of making and training. I think I have a rather uncomplicated style that uses color to create visual interest and highlights the photo and story. Scrapbooking is about preserving your memories through your creativity. There are no right or wrongs, only beautifully created pages for you and your family to look at and enjoy!
Kim
P.S. Stop by tomorrow for the walk through video of all 4 volumes that I hope inspire you to get your travel memories preserved!