Scrapping in a4 size?

**Karen G** · 24-01-2012, 05:02 PM

Just been reading an article in a mag about scrapping in non scrapbook industry sizes ie a4 to fit into standard UK size ring binders. It seems like a great idea and certainly much cheaper than the d ring albums provided by the scrapbook industry! Does anyone currently do this and also are acid free punched pockets available in a4 size or do you just use regular punched pockets?

I'm seriously considering swapping to this size to enable me to have more funds to spend on stash goodies rather than paying for expensive albums!

**PurplyDragon** · 24-01-2012, 05:08 PM

i switched to a4 size a couple of years ago after i had rebuild my entire stash... i never much got on with 12x12, so i needed a change.

im not a true fanatic about acid free, i figure that so long g and they had survived a good 80-90 yrs.

the nice thing about a4 is, that i can print off my digi los at home and put them into my albums as well, plus there are so many fab ring binders around at next to nothing price wise, it allows me to spend more on actual stash

**Karen G** · 24-01-2012, 05:15 PM

Thats a good point about printing digis. I've done a few and not printed them because they were too big for my printer! I'm liking the sound of a4 even more now!

**lou@papermaker** · 24-01-2012, 05:17 PM

I'm with picxie, I'm not an acid free fad, esp in this digital age, but I do scrap a4, I'm not sure the bigger 7x5 photos looks so good on this size but I enjoy working with a4 and its so much easier to get card to play with.

I just popped my finished ones in a bog standard ring binder

and as a footnote - why should we always be dominated by sizes from USA?

**susiefish** · 24-01-2012, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by lou@papermaker

I'm with picxie, I'm not an acid free fad, esp in this digital age, but I do scrap a4, I'm not sure the bigger 7x5 photos looks so good on this size but I enjoy working with a4 and its so much easier to get card to play with.

I just popped my finished ones in a bog standard ring binder

and as a footnote - why should we always be dominated by sizes from USA?

I totally agree why keep to 12 by 12. I am swapping to A4 this year too. Nice prettier, and far cheaper binders out there to be had and digital layouts in A4 are easier to print at home too

**Syl** · 24-01-2012, 05:53 PM

mmmm, will have to think about this too, sounds really good and you can decorate the folder the way you want it to look too.
Great idea ladies.
Will have to use up the dozen or so 12x12 albums first though...lol

**Alisong** · 24-01-2012, 05:58 PM

This was discussed several years ago and at the time the plastic A4 wallets from WHSmiths were labelled as being acid free - not sure whether they still are as I haven't bought any for a while.

**Mrs Cheshire** · 24-01-2012, 06:22 PM

helsbells (Helen) scraps in A4 and is on the design team for Sarah's Cards. She recently shared some recent layouts she'd made on the blog!

**scrapdolly** · 24-01-2012, 07:45 PM

Whilst not A4 I scrap 8 1/2" x 11" most of the time, both landscape and portrait. I am more of a rectangle girl than a square girl LOL

I totally agree about size being very personal and whilst there are some things that work well on a particular size I think you can adapt anything to whatever shape you want.

I also do a fair bit 8 x 8. It means I can print digital pages if I want, I can print titles on regular paper pages and it takes up less room. I have about 30 full 12 x 12 albums and they take up a LOT of room and are heavy when full. I like the flexibility of a smaller size

Once I have used up all of my 8 1/2 x 11 albums ( a while to go yet) I may well switch to A4 (Unless my dream has come true in which case I will be living in the US and able to scrap US letter size still)

**Jenny C** · 24-01-2012, 07:45 PM

I also have lots (and lots) of albums to use (from the last TKMaxx sale) but scrapping A4 really appeals to me too. The layouts always seem to look very neat and the thought of being able to buy albums for a couple of quid and decorat them myself really appeals!

**welshscrapqueen** · 24-01-2012, 09:03 PM

Beware of being too complacent about non acid free !
I started 'scrapping' about 20 years ago - bought massively expensive albums by a German manufacturer (Kenro) i think they were and they were those paper ones with that thin paper in between each page. Thye cost £25 each in those days - they have all gone brown and i have had to take all the photos out of them and keep them in a box until i can scrap them properly.
Now those years have gone by in a flash - so i stick to all acid free..

**welshscrapqueen** · 24-01-2012, 09:05 PM

Also - those A4 page protectors are not all photo safe - someone investigated this on the threads a while back and rang manufacturers and found out exact details - Mary Anne may remember !
I use the stuff from Arrowfile - but all the geneology pockets available cheaper should be safe