going to 12x12--need help

I feel like such a ditz asking for help on this but I really need it...I am going to try again on the 12x12 album size (since I still have it) but I am a little frightened...most of my paper is 8x11 and I am only going to do the 12x12 for my Christmas album...I went to a friends house today and she does 12x12 and her albums are absolutely wonderful and her pictures are regular size too---it was great! anyway, since I had decided to do a seperate Christmas album, I figured why not do it in 12x12 and see how it goes? I'm really scared though that I am going to love it and want to convert all of my 7+ albums to 12x12 ...so not only do I need someone to help me using my 8x11 paper in my Christmas album, I need someone to tell me not to convert over, which wouldn't make sense anyway because I don't scrap in chronological order anyway....ok, so now I'm babbling and really starting to annoy even myself so I will go now and wait for those replies to come rolling in....

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Keep Scrappin' Along
Shelley *Ü*

I'm going to be NO help to you right now because I am all for 12x12! I'll try to get you to switch over! Just kidding.

I love the 12x12 albums, though, because you don't have to crop the pictures as much - or any if you don't want to. I did one album in 8x10 and I'll never do it again. As far as the paper goes, you can do a lot with the 8x10 paper. I use it all the time to make triangles for the corners or squares or other shapes to put on the page. I've even taken the full paper and stuck it right in the middle of the 12x12 page and decorated around it (you have to have the right paper for that to look right, though.) Anyway, just play around and I'm sure you will come up with something. One thing I really like that my lss showed me is "paper stretching." If you have a 8x10 page with a border on it that you like you can cut that out and put it on the 12x12 page. It's kind of hard to explain but you have an "L" shaped cut out from the smaller page and glue it to the bottom and up the right side of the big page. Then you can cut out other pictures or pieces from the 8x10 paper and embellish with those. (Have I totally lost you??)

Whatever you decide, I'm sure everything will turn out wonderful!

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- Families are Forever -
Tamra

Well, I am going to toot my own horn for just a second and tell you that I have an article here on this site in the "Articles and Tips" section, called "Slice, Snip and Scootch"--it's all about using 8.5x11 paper on 12x12 pages. So maybe it could help you with your Christmas album.

I do really love 12x12--I made the switch over a year ago and would never go back. But converting your albums sounds like a total headache! Maybe for now, you can just walk on the wild side and do 12x12 in your Christmas album and any other specialty albums you decide to do!

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Janelle :-)

I am all for 12 x 12! it's great. but DON'T try to convert your old stuff. seriously...why would you want or need to? Trust me, people reading your books won't notice, or care. They just want to see the pictures!

Do check out that article Janelle mentioned. It's great! There are tons of things to do with 81/2 x11. I use WAY more of that than I do 12x12 and I only do 12x12 for my son.

Glad your making the switch. I understand your fear (I was too) but once you get the paper in front of you you'll see how easy it is. So don't think about it too much and have fun scrappin! Get one under your belt and you'll be a pro

Michelle

I love the article Janelle! Now I have so many more ideas to use my 8x10 paper on my pages! Thanks for "tooting your own horn!"

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- Families are Forever -
Tamra

I haven't read the article but I use two pieces of complimentary 8.5 paper to make an 11x11 square. This is what I mount into my 12x12 album. It leaves a little boarder but the pages look beautiful and I don't have to limit myself to the small collection of 12x12 papers which don't really fit in CM 12x12 albums anyway.

KellyAnn

I have always used 12 x 12 albums and I don't understand your fear....all of my paper is 8 1/2 x 11. If I decided to wallpaper my white scrapbook page I go buy what I want in 12 x 12 otherwise I just use paper around the pictures. If I am going to do a border along a side of the page I piece it together and coverthe seam with stickers or words or something but 11" paper makes a nice makes a nice strip for the side with about 1/4-1/2" space top and bottom.

Good luck but in the long run you will be happy with the 12 x 12 because you can fit more pictures on and two pages spreads are awesome!!!!

Well, I decided to hold my breath and just jump in....I just finished a two page spread in the 12 x 12 size and I really like it...now I have to go and post my pages on the challenge board.....

I have to go with everyone else on the 12x12 books, but I also still do the 8x11 at the same time. Sometimes my subject matter doesn't warrent a huge page and I'm not that good at taking up space with embellishments.(not yet anyway). My opinion is that if your going to go with your first 12x12 album, that Christmas is the way to go. If your anything like me who used 8 rolls of film for Christmas this year between the two families. But don't give up hope. Nobody said you can't do both sizes at the same time. Good luck to you and I hope after you get over your first page, you'll stop being afraid and enjoy the extra space!

Sorry I cannot help you! I am all for 12x12! I have ONE 8x11 for an ABC book, but for pictures & journaling I need the space of the 12x12. You can be so much more creative in 12x12. Yes, the paper is more expensive but at my scrapbook store they have discontinued paper on sale all the time.
Also, buy cardstock in bulk calling by Making Memories direct, it is SO much cheaper! Or Michael's also sells bulk cardstock cheaper too.
You will find in the end 12x12 is so much funner!

You can use your old 8x11 paper as matting for pictures or journaling. As scraps for die-cuts & punchies...

Thanks to everyone who replied to my sos! I am definately going to do my Christmas pictures in 12" and just last night I decided to do a vacation album in 12" also. I just have so many pictures from those two subjects and 8" just wouldn't cut it. I would have to do 8-10 page layouts and that is just way to much! Even with doing the 12" size I know I will still have a about 4 page layouts but I figure that's better than 8-10 pages. I know I wouldn't want to look at an 8-10 layout in someone else's book, much less create one!

I just finally got around to reading the Snip, Slice & Scootch article Mystie wrote. That is such a great article. Thank you very much Mystie for writing that. I have lots of ideas now for creating my 12x12 albums which I have started with my Easter pictures and my zoo pictures. I am anxious to do more now with the help of your article. Now all I need is a really GREAT selection of 12x12 cardstock.