How to Make a Coffee Table Album

A coffee table album is a way of showing your life at a glance. Your guests will flip through it during conversations or while you are out of the room. You don't need to have elaborate scrapbooking skills for this project. It's a way to tell the story of your life in pictures and words. Scrapbooking might be your hobby, or you may just want to create this one book.

Instructions

Make a Coffee Table Album

1

Use quality supplies. You'll want to pick up an archival quality album. You'll also need to use acid-free paper, pens and stickers. This way the pages of your coffee table album won't fade over time. You'll be putting several hours of work into this album, so make sure it will be around for years to come. Make digital copies of your photos or order extra prints before you start scrapbooking. This way you can use your pictures in other projects.

2

Stick with a theme. Since people will just be flipping through the coffee table album quickly, make it cohesive. Tell the story of how you met your husband, or showcase pictures of your child. It can be a brag book. You can also scrapbook a home renovation or favorite vacation. Use the coffee table album as a conversation starter. You can base each page around a question that you want people to ask.

3

Create your pages. You might want to work on your album over a matter of weeks, or just devote a Saturday to it. If you create it all at once you'll be able to keep the storyline and focus throughout. This will make the narration for your coffee table album tighter because you won't get distracted or forget.

4

Keep it simple. You can spend thousands of dollars on scrapbooking supplies. You can create dozens of pages. Just remember that you shouldn't overwhelm your guests. An album can get its point across in just 20 pages. Display your favorite pictures instead of scrapbooking every photo you can find. Let your photos be the focus instead of expensive embellishments. This way your book won't become outdated.

5

Tell a story. This is the whole purpose of a coffee table album. Don't get too caught up in making a pretty scrapbook. Instead, focus on what want to you say. Include tags or captions that detail the photos. You can even print out the story and use it as part of your page. This way the casual observer can learn more about you. Just make sure that you don't reveal too much personal information or any embarrassing secrets.

6

Protect your coffee table album. Many people will be looking through this book. Use page protectors so the oils on your guests' hands don't damage all of your hard work.