Craft: Upcycled/Recycled Scrapbooks

Recycled Scrapbooks

We’ve done this project several times so the boys can create their own scrapbooks and chronicle some of their interests and adventures.

These easy and inexpensive scrapbooks are a great way to document field trips, vacations, family reunions, sports, and hobbies. It’s amazing what kids (of all ages) come up with using things headed for the trash can.

When we go on field trips, my boys often ask me to take photos of specific things they want  to remember, or I hand them the camera and let them click away. For this project, I print the photos wallet-sized on glossy paper so a bunch will fit on the same page.

Materials used:

• Sturdy cardboard cut from empty boxes
• Leftover scrapbook supplies (stickers, papers, yarn, letters, etc.)
• Clothing tags, discarded file folders
• Rubber stamps/ink/paint
• Glue sticks
• Stapler
• Hole punch
• Twine
• Binder rings
• Scissors
• Paper cutter or ruler

I help the kids cut out their cardboard covers, and once they’ve chosen the papers they want to use, we cut them all out assembly line style.

Although these journals can be any size, when working with all of my boys at once, I have found it easiest to make the covers and pages all the same size so we don’t have to measure over and over again. If you don’t have a paper trimmer, older kids can do the measuring and marking on the papers before cutting them out.

We use whatever leftover cardstock, scrapbook papers, gift-wrap, magazine/catalog pages, and envelopes (saved from junk mail) we have on hand.

The one rule we follow is not to purchase anything new to make these.  

Cutting out all the pages is the most time-consuming part — you may want to have this done in advance for younger kids. Don’t bind the pages yet.

Once the pages are cut, plan out the theme, choose photos and embellishments, and get busy putting it all together.

Papers are glued onto the cardboard covers, and inside pages are glued together back-to-back.

Kids love getting to experiment with rub-ons, stickers, rubber stamps, paint dabbers, staples, etc. as they journal, create collages, and arrange their photos.

Once all the pages are done, place them in order, line them up to punch the holes, and add twine or binder rings to hold them together.  Easy-peasy, and so much more precious than scrapbook pages I could make myself.

{These also make wonderful grandparent gifts.}