When my sister graduated from high school, my aunt gave her a scrapbook. It didn’t look like much at first glance. The cover was plain green and it only had a few photos on it. Inside, though, that book was bursting with handpicked photos, captions, and adorable embellishments. My aunt spent four years learning how to make a scrapbook, collecting decorative pages, stickers, and stamps along the way. Fifteen years ago, scrapbooking didn’t have as much of an online presence as it does today, so my aunt designed the cover, page layouts, and embellishments herself. If online resources like FaveCrafts and AllFreePaperCrafts had been available then, she might not have spent hours struggling to put it all together.

Scrapbook Cover Ideas

Even if you don’t copy one of these templates exactly, these scrapbook cover ideas can make putting together a memory book so much easier. If you’re just learning how to make a scrapbook, take advantage of free printable designs and patterns for covers and layouts. You can make your scrapbook look like it was made by a professional without actually paying one.

We have great cover ideas at FaveCrafts, and one of my personal favorites is this Tropical Memories Scrapbook Cover. I can’t help it; when it’s snowing outside, all I want to think about is the beach. This cover is especially fun because it incorporates several different media, including paint and glass, to achieve its summery look. AllFreePaperCrafts has some wonderful scrap book cover ideas, too, whether you want your scrapbook to be classy and chic or cute and whimsical.

DIY Scrapbook Embellishments

My sister’s scrapbook was absolutely amazing and perfectly suited to her hobbies and interests. Because she spent a lot of her time at music department rehearsals, concerts, and other events, my aunt dotted the pages with notes, instruments, and marching band shakos.

Scrapbooking has become even more popular, so you can find embellishments to fit almost any theme. If you can’t find what you need in a store, there are tons of ways to make DIY scrapbook embellishments for only a few dollars. Take these Blooming Scrapbook Flowers, for instance. All you need is paper and a thumbtack to make one of these beautiful blooms.

Scrapbook Layout Ideas

I’d occasionally flip through the pages of my sister’s scrapbook, wondering what the layouts for my book would look like. “Here’s where she’ll put the newspaper clipping from the play I’ll star in,” I’d think. “This would be the perfect layout for my Junior Prom photo with my super cute boyfriend!”

I finally made it through high school–without auditioning for a single play OR attending Junior Prom–and at my graduation party I could hardly wait to open my aunt’s present. I opened her gift box to find a hoodie from my college-to-be. It was a sweet gift; it just wasn’t the gift.

My aunt was so worn out from putting together layouts for the first scrapbook to even consider making one for me. Luckily, I can make my own cute pages with the help of scrapbook layout ideas like this Budding Stars Scrapbook Layout. Pink is my favorite color, so if I had starred in a play, this is definitely the page I would’ve chosen for that newspaper clipping.

BONUS! We’re giving away one Timbergrove Scrapbook Set, a fabulous kit filled with coordinated paper and stickers. It also has some helpful tips on how to make memorable scrapbook pages and greeting cards. Check out our giveaway page to enter. You have until February 11 to enter to win this fabulous scrapbook set, so try your luck today!

Have you ever been absolutely positive that you were going to get a certain gift? What did you get instead?