To really dress up a scrapbook and get the most out of your hobby, you might want to consider working with and creating two-page scrapbook layouts as much as possible.  This means that you can keep photos and other mementos together and can have twice as much of a scrapbook page in every creation!  There are some pros and cons about incorporating two-page scrapbook layouts into your designs and some things you want to remember before you try your hand at this.  Let's look at a few of those tips and hints right now.

First, remember that it's very easy for one scrapbook page to start to look busy so of course it's even easier for two-page scrapbook layouts to look crowded and overdone!  Even experienced scrappers often make the mistake of trying to add anything and everything that appeals to them on a page and then of course they often add paragraphs of verbiage on top of that.  You want your two-page scrapbook layouts to look really planned and professional but sometimes that old saying, "less is more" is really true.  While it's a good idea to set out all the embellishments and elements you want to add, be prepared to leave some for another page.  To make sure you avoid allowing your two-page scrapbook layouts to look overly busy, follow the same rule you would with any scrapbook page - put all your elements on the page without actually adhering or gluing anything until you're absolutely sure that it's what you want.  This way you can take away elements, move items around, and so on.  This rule is good for all scrapbooks but especially important when you're working with two-page scrapbook layouts.

Some other things you might consider have to do with the photos or main focal point of the two-page scrapbook layouts.  It's easy to just pick two of your favorite photos and use those but remember that these two pages will be seen at the same time as if they're one large page, so you should definitely choose focal points that match or at least complement one another.  This might mean two photos taken at the same time but from two different angles, or one large photos and then one large memento.  As an example, if you're creating two-page scrapbook layouts for a wedding you might choose a photo for one page and then use an invitation as the focal point of the other page.  It might not seem logical to have one page of the bride with her bridesmaids and then the other photo is the bride and groom together; they just don't really complement one another.  Try using photos that were taken within moments of one another to really make them seem as if they were planned when creating two-page scrapbook layouts, or two photos of the same pose but one is close up and the other zooms out, and so on.  Develop a critical eye when it comes to your focal points and be choosy.

It might also help if your two photos seemed as if they were telling a quick story.  As an example, suppose the photo on the left page of your two-page scrapbook layouts was of a couple in front of their camping tent sharing a sweet kiss.  The photo on the right page is of that same tent and all we see are their feet sticking out as they've obviously moved into the tent for some privacy!  The caption across the two pages might be something like "Virginia Really is For Lovers!"  You see how those two photos on two-page scrapbook layouts tell a story since the second photo obviously happens after the first and this adds a lot of visual interest to the layout itself.  Take a look at your potential photos and see if any wouldn't work this way - the dog sneaking up on the cat in one picture and then the cat pouncing on the dog, two kids playing in the sand in one photo and then getting rinsed off in the bathtub, dirty clothes and all, in the next.  With some imagination in this regard you can probably find lots of sets of photos that would work well for two-page scrapbook layouts.

And to really bring together your two-page scrapbook layouts, make sure you have the same decoration scheme or common elements running through them.  It would make no sense to have the one page in bold primary colors and the next page in the colors of autumn.  Many even find that they can run a border along the edges of both pages or in some way have it snake or curl across both pages of your two-page scrapbook layouts.  This might be something as simple as a piece of twine or yarn or a row of buttons or eyelets.  You should also consider using the same font or typestyle in any of the verbiage that is one both pages, or make sure that it's complementary.  For example if the left page has one word or short phrase you can use a very fancy font, and then the right page of your two-page scrapbook layouts can have a short paragraph in block letters.  This way it won't seem as if the two sets of words are competing with one another but are complementing the pages.

You can of course draw inspiration for your two-page scrapbook layouts from the work of others but make sure you incorporate your own ideas and embellishments as well.  Choose items and words that mean something special to you.  Start with the two photos or mementos you can use that complement each other on your two-page scrapbook layouts and then choose your colors and decorative elements.  Don't be afraid to take away some items as you work on the layout itself.  If you follow these tips and just keep practicing, you may find that your two-page scrapbook layouts are the best you've ever created!