One of the most common reasons for a scrapbook is to preserve precious vacation memories.  Not only do you want to remember those great trips and holidays, but you want to celebrate them as well.  So how do you go about creating great vacation scrapbooking layout pages?  What are some secrets to making your pages really stand out, but not be overpowering?  How do the pros do it?  There are actually a few simple tips to remember, and if you follow them, you’ll be making your own amazing vacation scrapbooking layout pages in no time.

Where and When Was the Vacation?

Was this a trip to the mountains to ski?  Or a summer cruise in the Mediterranean?  Did you visit a special museum or other tourist attraction?  The first step toward creating great vacation scrapbooking layout pages is making sure you really represent the theme or tone of your vacation.  If the vacation was in warm weather, you need warm colors like red, yellow, orange, brown, and green.  If it was a winter vacation, you need cooler colors like white, powder blue, and soft pink.  The key to making the best vacation scrapbooking layout pages is to be sure that everything coordinates and compliments, right down to your choice of colors.

What is Your Focal Point?

For most, the focal point of your vacation scrapbooking layout page is a photo taken during your trip or holiday, but it can also be a souvenir, such as something from a museum.  You don’t want your focal point to overwhelm the page, and of course it needs to coordinate with the paper you’ve chosen and your embellishments.  When choosing a focal point, make it something memorable and something that really stands out.  A bland picture of the sky may not make an impact with anyone who sees the photo, but that picture of your son or daughter skiing down the mountains, or the view off the rail of your cruise ship just might.  Vacation scrapbooking layout pages should really give someone the feel for what went on during your vacation, and should be something special – chances are you have dozens of photos to choose from, so don’t settle for just any old one.  Find the most memorable and the one that really takes you back to your trip.

Get Creative With the Layout

When making scrapbooks, many people make the mistake of thinking that the picture or focal point should be in the exact center of the page, as if they are putting it in a picture frame.  However, when doing any fun pages, and especially for vacation scrapbooking layout pages, you want to get creative with the layout.  Try putting the picture in an upper corner to leave room for added embellishments and wording.  Or, if you are using more than one picture, don’t just put them side by side.  Put one slightly on top of the other, or put them in a diagonal across the paper.  And don’t forget to add frames to the pictures, if you want.  This can be just some plain paper that coordinates with your page, or anything else creative.  This is the key to the best vacation scrapbooking layout pages – being creative and fun.  So, let your imagination run with it, and remember that you don’t need to make your decision right away.  Lay out the picture and everything else, and make your final decision before gluing things permanently.

Get Creative With Embellishments

Embellishments are the real fun part of scrapbooks, and especially so with vacation scrapbooking layout pages.  There’s no need to limit yourself to just what you can find at your supply store.  For example, if the vacation was at the beach, use some glue and some sand to create a makeshift beach.  If it was a cruise ship, try some braided thread to mimic a sailor’s outfit.  If you went skiing, make some cutout snowflakes like you did in school, or use cotton as snow and add some glitter to imitate the sun shining on the fresh powder.  Especially when working on vacation scrapbooking layout pages can you let your imagination run wild when it comes to the embellishments that you think really tie in with your trip.

Add Some Wording

You don’t need to be a poet to dress up your vacation scrapbooking layout pages with great wording; sometimes just one or two strong words will do.  For example, when you think back on your vacation, what are some words that come to mind?  Try these words and phrases and see if any would be a good fit for your particular vacation scrapbooking layout pages:  fun; excitement; fresh powder; untouched sand; starry starry night; cruisin’ to gorgeous; look at me; what a rush.  Be creative and use your imagination, and ask yourself what words or phrases you can use at titles or as added embellishments for your pages.

Mix Up Your Theme, or Make It Match

Are you the type who likes to see all the pages of a scrapbook match one another?  Or do you appreciate things that are a bit more eclectic?  Your vacation scrapbooking layout pages can all compliment one another, or they can all be different depending on the focal point.  If some pictures are of you in the car on the way to your vacation, and some are you on the cruise ship, and some of your relatives you stopped by to see, then they can all be different depending on the focal point.

However, one good idea for vacation scrapbooking layout pages is to do something, even just one thing, that ties everything together.  It might be a line of sand along the bottom of each page, or one particular embellishment that shows up on each page as well.

So give all these suggestions a try, and remember to set up your vacation scrapbooking layout pages with all your elements before you begin gluing.  If you do this, you’re sure to create a book of memories that will last a lifetime.