Is This a Weird Idea?

[LeeAndra]

So the only thing that I wish we had in digital scrapping was a(n easy) way to have pages of different sizes in the same album. I know that I could print layouts at different photo sizes and put them in a scrapbook album and be hybrid but individually printing pages is going to be $$$.

I currently print my family albums as softcover 8 x 8 albums. Would it be weird or weird-looking if I were to print a softcover album that had pages of different sizes inside? This would mean that I would have to upload all of them as the biggest page size with white parts that I would then cut off once I received the album. Does that make sense? Has someone out there done this before?

Talk me into or out of this for my 2026 album, friends!

 

[Brendazzle]

I'm hoping someone has done this and can show you photos because I am intrigued. I've never thought about it before and it sounds fun. I'm terrible at logistics though so I need to see someone else's success.

 

[bestcee]

I did print some pages long once, like an extra 1/2", I don't think I still have the book. But, the 'chapter' of each book I cut out like a tab, and cut the rest shorter.

Based on my experiences with digital and paper, the one thing I would recommend is keeping the spine the same size. Like 12x9 & 12x12, or (2) 6x6 stacked on a page, making a 12x6. Because cutting into the spine is a problem.

Personally, I've been sticking to 12x9 or 21x6 pocket inserts when I want to add additional items to my 12x12 books, but I haven't printed yet. I only started doing this in the last month or so.

 

[fruitysuet]

I've never printed any digital scrapbook pages in any form. Are you talking about printing a book then just cutting away the open edge of some smaller designed pages. You would have to consider that the page on the reverse of the one you want to cut would have to mirror it, ie you couldn't have a smaller page on the front with a regular 12x12 on the reverse, similarly if you had the same size on the reverse, the blank space would have to match exactly.

I definitely wouldn't recommend wanting to cut horizontally towards the spine as you'd struggle to get a neat finish without potentially damaging other pages.

If you wanted to display different sizes I'd recommend getting pages printed individually and using page protectors into an album.

 

[Memaw2Wm]

I'd use a 12x12 background page ... either white or other solid color, or a coordinating print ... then "lay" my smaller layout on top ... lastly printing 12x12 or 10x10 or 8x8.

 

[jagruti patel]

I have thought about this, but not sure I would do it myself. I would be worried about how it printed and if I could cut it out nicely without it look like I cut it. The perfectionist in me worries about that.

But I love the idea of having smaller pages in between larger ones to make them stand out.

If you do it, please share!

 

[jacinda]

At first I was going to say yes, you are crazy! But the more I think about it, the more I like the idea. I think if you're familiar with the printer, and know how the layout sits against their margins, then you can easily allow space to later cut out.

I can totally see it working for big events where you have a ton of photos. I'm sure you've already thought of lots of ideas or you wouldn't have started this post, but one idea that comes to my mind is to scrap a regular page as below (say the binding of the book is on the left of the photos).

Then scrap more pages using only the photo section outlined in red:

Back page

Cut off the white half and voila, you have a scrapbook page with flipable photos. The Title and journalling stay visible the whole time, but you can access all of the photos and they stay connected to the original title and story.

I also think just random 6x12 or 8x12 pages like travel notebooks inserted randomly would be interesting too:

 

[MamaBee]

I like the idea... it's like a junk journal. I would love to see photos of the end product.

 

[allyanne]

I have done what Jacinda showed. I would make a half page (usually extra shots and things I wanted for a weekly spread), and leave the left side blank (which would be corresponding right side after your turned it), and then I carefully cut that part off once it was printed in the book. It turned out great, and I think KCB had some templates like that a long time ago? Anyway, this is a great reminder, and I'm going to do it again! The half page would be between the main pages of my weekly spread.

I'm not sure how it would work to do the other sizes, but if you do it, let us know how it goes and how you like it! I am interested!

 

[joelsgirl]

I think this is such a fun idea! When I did paper Project Life for a couple of years, I loved that I could include layouts of varying sizes. It adds so much interest to an album. However, I've never done it with my digital prints because I don't trust myself to cut straight lines, and I'm afraid I would ruin the album.