[Deb C.]

I'm just starting my scrapbooking journey and was wondering what size you like the most and why. Very interested in the responses.

Thanks.

Deb

[Belle]

In South Africa, the standard size paper is A4. 297mmX210mm. That is slightly longer but narrower. All our picture frames are that size as well. The 12X12frames are very expensive. Mostly we must make our own scrap books to fit the sizes that we make, if we do not scrap A4 or A5.

[Smiles]

I seem to do more layouts in 4x6 than anything else!

[SandiC.]

I have a mixture of sizes. 12x12, 8x8, 8.5x11, both portrait and landscape, 5x7, 6x6, 4x6. Probably most are 8x8.

[Sara Arell]

I do all of my layouts i 8.5 x 11 - that's just the way I learned many years while working in a print shop although I do try once in awhile to do one i 12 x12, I still prefer my 8.5 x 11.

I find it so much easier to find scrapbooks and binders to go along with the 8.x x 11 page and I just like the looks of them better than the larger 12 x 12 - and of course, I can print at home!

[Syndee]

I love the 8.5x11 size so I can print out my layouts!

[Jo Corne]

this is a very interesting question because...
as a designer in the publishing world, I design on A4 pages (210 x 297mm) which is slightly larger than 8.5 x 11 and I am so used to it I don't give it another thought
as a scrapper I design in 12 x 12 and haven't given it much thought.... until now...

I would like to try the A4 size, as I know it, and see if that makes me feel like I am designing a magazine page as I do for work or if it doesn't work for me at all... but first i need to finish my 2011 book for printing and they are all in 12 x 12 sizes...

good question

[April Showers]

When I first started scrapping, I made the choice to use the 12x12 size because it fit more photos and there were more ways to arrange them. I've done plenty of pages in other sizes, but I'll definitely finish up the albums I'm working on in the 12x12 size.

[tiza126]

I scrap in 12x12 size, but print them in 8x8. I like the nice square layouts

[Pebbles-J]

It honestly doesn't matter to me. I enjoy 8.5x11 and 12x12.

[Florida granny]

My favorite sizes are 5x7 and 8x10 because they are standard photo sizes, I can get them printed pretty cheaply, and they fit my photo page protectors. If I am going to print a 12x12 layout, I'll reduce it to 8x8 and have it printed at 8x10 then trim the edges. I haven't tried 8.5x11 yet, but have purchased some backgrounds from SG in order to see what it's like.

[teecee]

Same as Tiza - I usually scrap 12x12 and print 8x8.

[Heather09]

Like, Tiza and Theresa, I scrap in 12x12 but print in 8x8.

[Cheri T]

Because I either print my own or have them printed (scrappingsimply.com) on photo paper, I insert my pages in top loading postbound albums. I buy a variety of page protectors and just stick whatever I want in there. If I do a 2-page spread in 8.5 x 11 I'll stick it in between 12 x 12 pages right in the same album. It looks a little funny, but I don't mind. The old-fashioned scrapbooks were always a bit of a hodge podge and I figure why should mine be different? I could never do all printed by Shutterfly books b/c I like putting in so much memorabilia and occasionally am given pics I just want to scrap the old paper way rather than having to scan them in. I do sometimes photograph memorabilia or scan it, but oftentimes if it's smaller art projects from the kids or little books my 8 year old has written I like including the original on the page (when he'll let me, lol).

[Smiles]

Cheri T, on 28 December 2011 - 03:29 PM, said:

Because I either print my own or have them printed (scrappingsimply.com) on photo paper, I insert my pages in top loading postbound albums. I buy a variety of page protectors and just stick whatever I want in there. If I do a 2-page spread in 8.5 x 11 I'll stick it in between 12 x 12 pages right in the same album. It looks a little funny, but I don't mind. The old-fashioned scrapbooks were always a bit of a hodge podge and I figure why should mine be different?

I like your system!

[CRS]

I first started scrapping in 8.5 X 11 size, but I wasn't very comfortable. I love 12 X 12 now, but print it in 8 X 8. It's a little harder to find scrapbooks, but I like a challenge!

[Deb C.]

If you scrap on an 8 1/2 x 11 template, can you reduce the LO to 8 x 10 so you can print it and frame it?

[PBarnes]

I scrap at 12x12 and print some at that size and some at 8x8. I love the "bigness" of a 12x12 album and feel that it does give me room for more photos.

[elibar]

Deb C., on 28 December 2011 - 10:05 PM, said:

If you scrap on an 8 1/2 x 11 template, can you reduce the LO to 8 x 10 so you can print it and frame it?

In case you didn't see it, Deb, Ro answered your question on this thread:

Question About Lo Sizes

[elibar]

I'm undecided here. When I started paper scrapping long long ago, far far away, I used 8.5x11. I was very resistant to 12x12 for several reasons. One, I'm thrifty - scrapping in 8.5x11 was cheaper all around. Two, 12x12 looked so huge and I was intimidated by the sheer size of the papers and the albums. I didn't have room on my shelves for albums of that size! Three, I've always been a bit of a rebel when it comes to trends, especially when I feel like I'm being "bullied" into it. I felt this way in some of the Creative Memories parties and crops that I attended. I made one 12x12 page at a crop, and it's still in a 12x12 protector all by its lonesome somewhere.

When we moved several years ago, all my scrapping stuff got packed up and I wasn't scrapping for a while. When I started up again, I was using a whole different size: 5.5x8.5 (half sheets), for a whole different purpose. I make prayer journal pages and use a mini 3 ring binder and mini page protectors. So I just cut my papers in half, and I was still using readily available supplies. This is a nice size for my prayer journals, especially when I can slip my church bulletins in it if I want to save them.

When I started digi scrapping, I started scrapping in 12x12 format, printing in 8x8. 8x8 albums aren't the easiest to find, but they are pretty available. Every time I find a sale on 8x8 albums, I'll pick some up. So I have a bit of a stockpile. So I'm not quite ready to switch.

But my albums all a mishmash and they don't look good on my shelf. The old paper 8.5x11 albums are in very bad shape and some are falling apart. I'm thinking it would be nice if I re-did them all! I could get some nice coordinating binders in 8.5 x 11, and maybe I could finally after all these years, get the pages in chronological order. Mixing in the paper with the digital, the 8.5x11 with the 8x8. I think that would be neat.

If I did that, going forward, I could work in whatever size best fit with whatever I'm working on. Even that genealogy project that's gathering dust.

[Vince00]

Thanks for all the tips, was just starting out so thought it was all about the 12x12 size.

I found out real quick after I had my 3 pages for my daughters proffessionaly printed and I tried to find a frame, went to multiple craft shops and had the choice between 2 in total. Expensive or plain jane, I went with the plain jane as it was basically a slim black border that I wanted anyway but will have to seriously consider my next pages, if i'm not making a 12x12 or 8x8 book I will have to really think about making it 8x10 so I have better options.

[Bride]

I'm with Tiza - I typically scrap 12x12 and print out 8x8 or 10x10 .... unless I'm doing a special project with 6x4's!

[B&K Mom]

I'm part of the "Scrap 12x12; Print 8x8 Club"

[mimes1]

I make my layouts in 12 x 12 and print in 8 x 8. I don't have space for 12 x 12 albums on my bookshelves, and 8 x 8 fit so nicely. Most of my layouts however are in 3 ring binders, printed 8 x 8 on 8.5 x 11 paper without the last little bit cut off. Kind of like Cheri, having a mish mash of various sizes and styles doesn't bother me one bit.

My daughters have 8.5 x 11 binders with sleeves in them with all kinds of things in them from over the years. I really like the way they look and feel, and pretty much anything goes in them.

I'm sure I'll stay largely with 12 x 12 and 8x8, but I like the idea of doing some 8.5 x 11 pages.

[Jenna]

I am a picture fiend, & I must admit that there are few photos that I am willing to leave out of the party. That said, I scrap and print 12x12. I have scrapped 8.5x11, in fact that's where I started before I knew it was "scrapbooking" - I peeled pics out of old magnetic albums, colored the pages with markers or covered them with wrapping paper or my own artwork, & glued (with Elmer's! gasp!) the photos & memorabilia back in. After I tried the larger size I loved it because it allowed me to have more photos on a page without having them look crowded + I was using fewer pages (I frequently have 80 pages for an album per year even when I scrap 12x12 so this was critical to me). Shelf space wasn't a big concern because my dad & Bryan both woodwork so I can "special order" shelving if need be, of course it doesn't really bother me if they hang over a bit anyway & I keep all of them on the bottom shelf of a sofa table - it's like it was made for them!

I scrap in standard picture sizes if I intend to print them for gifts or for framing. I do print my 12x12s to frame on occasion but framing isn't too problematic because Bryan can make one for me if needed. I have had luck getting individual sides of a frame to make a 12x12 frame at craft stores that do framing.

I did all 4 of my kids' baby books (birth through 1st birthday) in 12x15 & I REALLY loved working in that size - I could still use lots of photos if I wanted to & I could have them larger too. If I thought I could find someone to print bound books in that size I'd probably scrap in 12x15 most of the time.

I keep a couple of 8.5x11 books - mostly friend albums since I don't get lots of photos in the mail or emailed to me. They are easier to manage in the smaller size.

[Smoky]

I've mostly been doing 8.5x11 layouts, landscape rather than portrait. I've had a couple of Shutterfly books printed that way, and I love them! I got one for the price of shipping, a little over $7! Of course, I go way over the 20 page base book. I would print my own layouts, but I don't get along that well with printers.

The two main reasons that I don't do 12x12 are that they're more costly to print, and there's not a bookshelf in my house that will hold one! I really prefer not to stack books. I find the 8.5x11s are nice and wide, but just short enough to fit on the bookshelf. My pre-digital scrapbooks are simple 8.5x11 binders with sheet protectors.

I love the look of 12x12 and might do some in the future for babies, weddings, etc. I just don't know where I would store the albums!

[Eden]

I do a lot in 210 x 297 mm. First, because in Australia we are metric people and second becuase that's A4 so it's easier to print. I also do all my printable albums in A4 size but I also do a lot of scrapping in 12 x 12.

[jorunswithscissors]

Great Question and Great answers too! -- I have always scrapped 12X12 back in my non-digi days. So 12X12 is natural. -- I have always wanted to print my digi layouts and think I will join the 8X8 club for that. But I find for me, that scrapping on smaller spaces is more challenging and takes me longer to scrap. You would tend to think otherwise right? --- My latest though would be to select the "Other" option here -- because I am into "out of the norm" sizes and shapes for my layouts phase.

[sarabethp]

I mostly do 12x12 because that is what everyone has been doing. I like squares I do most of my printing as 8x8's though.

[sanot]

When I started a year ago I did 12x12 with the intention of printing 8x8. Never got any printed though. Then I read Ro's article 12/2011 about the 8.5x11 and decided to make the switch. I found a great printer for CHEAP on Craigslist and just printed my layouts last night for the first time. they look great and I can't wait to get them in page protectors and in a binder. I'm looking forward to the immediate gratification of printing at home and putting it in the book right away. The book will come together faster because I see the progress. Plus I can stick a class photo of the kids, a report card, a letter or something between the layouts. Whatever size fits your preferences and makes you happy is what size is best for you! Have fun!