Free Summer Travel Suitcase Mini Scrapbook Album with Step By Step Tutorial for International Scrapbooking Day

Welcome to The Cherry On Top and a super happy International Scrapbooking Day to you.

I had to rush through this project so it would be ready for you, but I just know you are going to love it. I might have to go back and take my time with another trip. This project can be whipped up in no time. Go hybrid or traditional. I went hybrid for mine.

This project has been on my short list for years. I finally got around to designing a fun layered template which you can grab in my shop, Kreative Design Studio. What better collection to use than my very own, Roam If You Want To. The colors are very fresh, fun and ideal for summery images.

Isn't it so cute?

Grab the download and add pictures, elements and more to the mini pages. Here's a close up of my pages. I did it all in PhotoShop Elements using my, Roam If You Want To Collection. The pages with the large photos weren't really all that ideal when folded with the other page on top.

Here are a few pages from the freebie including the super fun cover. Below are the printable pages.

Once you've designed and scrapped your pages, print them out and cut to perfection. I'd recommend a standard to light weight paper for the insert. Especially if you are going to have a lot of pages. You might want to consider picture placement and how your pages will look once folded and in the book.

Score down the middle of the suitcase template as shown. This will create a sweet little spot for your fill in pages. I scored mine with a ruler and a bit of pressure. You'll get a close up of that further down.

I scored all of my pages after adhering them back to back. This will make the fold or binding so much nicer and easier.

Using the regular printer paper didn't give my cover much support. You can either print your cover on more rigid paper or do what I did which was trace the template on to some lovely, rigid card stock that matched the colors from the collection.

There we go. All set! Note how I put the template at the bottom of the paper. No need to waste such lovely card stock, right?

OK, I'll admit. I started scrapbooking 30 years ago and I still go old school. Besides, I still don't own a cutting machine. I'm one of those people that do things by hand, slowly, carefully, quietly. I don't like using appliance and noisy machines. Of course, I'm on a tight budget, being a stay at home mom with little action in the shop. So, I often fussy cut and trace.

Below is how ya get to the center to make a cut out. These fussy cutters are awesome. The tips are very, very sharp. It was easy to pierce a hole through the middle of the triangle. Make a cross and work your way around. It's not difficult at all. Even with arthritic hands.

There's my scoring tool. Keep it simple, people. Line up the ruler where ya want to fold and gently press against the ruler for a score. Do it twice as shown.

Now you've got a perfect binding area.

Use double sided tape down the middle and add your first page, carefully. You can choose where you want to line it up so you get the perfect fit. I used the ends of the suitcase then the widest part, along the top for the perfect alignment.

Our first page is in and now we are ready for the second page. Y'all! All three rolls of my double sided tape were useless! I left them in the brutal attic heat to die. Hehehe...This tiny double sided tape was the only one still sticking. That's why there are two lines of double sided tape. If you love your scrap stuff, do not put it in the attic!!! Hehehe...

See how nice it all matches? Many beginners do no realize how important color is. Keep the same colors throughout your project for a better look. Since we used the rigid paper for the cover, our project stands up perfectly on its own. Whoo hoo! 

Because we glued our pages back to back they were very rigid.

Use our printables as is or use it as a template and design your own suitcase. The printable is nearly what you see here, below. I added the design in the middle. Your printable is the full flower pattern.

I hope you liked today's tutorial, project and fun free printables. If so, leave me a comment. I'd love to see your project. Share it here with a link or pop over to the group and share it there.

Happy scrapping!

 

Here's May's Free Digital Scrapbooking Template and A Sneak Peak at A Fun Printable Suitcase Mini Travel Album

Welcome to The Cherry On Top.

I've got your free monthly template ready along with page inspiration, a throw back preview of my Roam If You Want To Collection and a super, super fun summer vacation paper project for you. Let's dive on in to the scrap-a-licious-ness!

Here's my page and an alternative idea with the template. I've always viewed templates as a kind of spring board to a page layout. They are awesome to give us ideas for a page. Layered digital scrapbooking templates can be moved all around. So, you can customize until your heart is content.

I scrapped my page in minutes. Templates definitely speed up the process. I went pretty bold with the arrows. I thought they were fun and a bit modern which paired up great with my fresh collection, Roam If You Want To. The colors in my photos went nicely with the palette of the collection. I pulled out like colors for cohesion.

Most of the templates have a sweet outline option. This outline is ideal for providing contrast to a page. Go with a bold shadow and you'll get more depth and interest on your pages.

Below, Kait went subtle with her arrows and didn't use the outline. Her title was super clever, too. I just love birds and this one is so darn cute.

If ya don't love the arrows, ditch'm and use our photo spots and cluster placement for inspiration or as a layout guide.

 

Here are a few of the outlines. You can see how they will be perfect for cut file lovers.

This is the Roam If You Want to Collection. You can find a lot of it, under a different name at Design Bundles in Plus. I'm debating on whether to give most of it away. So, stay tuned!

I've been dying to do this project and got a wonderful start. The printables are all set and even the template has been tweaked to perfection. It should be ready by summer so you can get scrappy.

Above, are the printable papers all scrapped up and printed. Whilst below, are what the other printable pages look like. We'll cut out the cute suitcase, scrap up our insert pages and then put it all together. Excited?

When ya type in things like, "travel collection scrapbook" or "summer collection scrapbook" you'll be able to see hundreds of my designs, in Plus. Below, is a preview of one.

If you missed the free links or ya just can't wait for all of these amazing templates, hit up my shop and grab them all for under $5. I know, right?! I'll leave the links for the free templates for 1 to 2 months and that's it. So keep in touch with The Cherry or sign up for the newsletter to be sure ya don't miss all of this super scrappy free stuff. Scroll back and see what links are still live.

If you like stories about travel with lovable characters, adventure and romance, it might be for you. If you are interested, here is the first installation, you can read on the blog. I also offer an entire free collection for the book. You'll have to go back and grab all of the freebies. There is a lot! Here's the main part, but I've got frames and more, too. Use the search bar at the top left of the blog and or scroll down in the side bar and peruse the titles of previous blogs that can help, too. I'll give ya one link to get started. It's the last one. So, ya know you have to go backwards to get it all.

Let's see what ya missed so far with the monthly templates.

Here's some inspiration.

I've got a lot of different scrapbooking styles in this bundle. Below, is a more artistic style.

Theresa made a lovely page with a spring twist.

Below, is one of my favorites from the bundle, but ya missed the free link.

Kait's page is just gorgeous.

This was the first one. If you love it, you'll have to grab the bundle. It's only 3.99!

Jenn always does such gorgeous work.

This blog is full of amazing scrapbook inspiration, paper crafts, cooking ideas, printables, travel posts and freebies galore. Scroll through and enjoy.

I gave away an entire collection with farm house charm and chickens. You'll have to do quite some scrolling to grab it all. The Pinterest board, TCOT's Freebies will help greatly.

I've linked up a couple other blogs. I recently wrote about aloe and provided a fun freebie and revised some more cooking or kitchen printables as well. I gave this entire collection away, too. See what you've missed?!

Thanks a million for checking out The Cherry.