Page Size Question...

[g8rbeckie]

I scrap 12x12 because that's what I did as a paper scrapper. It also gave me plenty of room to cram in lots of pics without having to go through the time-consuming process of designing multiple pages.

For digi-scrap...none of these things really matter?! White space is all the rage (although not my strong suit), and I get so much scrapping done that I have a hard time coming up with more than 3 pics for a page anyhow!

SO....I'm thinking of switching to a smaller page size. I was thinking about 8.5x11. I kind of need to decide soon, because I want to start clean at the new year.

What do you guys think? Why does everyone scrap as 12x12? (or is it 8x8 and I just haven't noticed, LOL! a square is a square!!)

[SeattleSheri]

All of my pages are 12x12. I print some as 12x12 and some as 8x8 (it depends on what is on sale, lol) If you plan to ever print them as books, you are more limited with the 8.5x11 canvas, than a square canvas. If you aren't concerned with HD space, I'd stay with 12x12, you can always print smaller. Good luck with your decision!

[Nettio]

I actually scrap 8x8 because I had a hard time with the size of 12x12. Having one photo that was 8x10 and fonts that were a huge point size was something I just couldn't wrap my head around. So I scrap 8x8 and that seems to work a lot better for me. Plus it's a lot less taxing on my computer as well.

But I know a lot of people scrap 12x12 and print 8x8 so that's always an option as well.

[rach3975]

When I started digiscrapping in 2004, almost everyone scrapped 8.5x11. I won't switch to 12x12 because I'd have to stop printing at home, and I won't switch to 8x8 because I don't want to go smaller than my current size. (I have way too much waiting to be scrapped and prefer multi-photo, well journaled layouts.) I like 8.5x11, but it's getting harder to find albums as more and more scrappers switch to square. I wish there was another option, maybe 9x9 or something, but there isn't so I'll stick to 8.5x11. So I'm all for you switching to rectangle :) Gotta bring more scrappers back to the dark side!

[lauren grier]

I use to scrap 8x8 .. I only recently switched to 12x12.. no one noticed :p lol

[mrs_jb]

I scrap 12x12 and if I print, 8x8. However I've seen really great pages as 8.5x11, so I think it's a really great option too!

Ali Edwards (http://aliedwards.typepad.com/) scraps a HUGE variety of paper and digi layouts and I love the variety in her albums... it's just different than what you normally see.

[Darcy Baldwin]

I scrap 12x12, but print 8x8.

[Darcy Baldwin]

I actually scrap 8x8 because I had a hard time with the size of 12x12. Having one photo that was 8x10 and fonts that were a huge point size was something I just couldn't wrap my head around. So I scrap 8x8 and that seems to work a lot better for me. Plus it's a lot less taxing on my computer as well.


Do you just resize everything when you open it?

[nikkiARNGwife]

I scrap 12x12 but I print 8x8...I'm just too lazy to resize everything until I can do it all at once when my page is finished lol

[Sharon Kay]

Sometimes it depends on what the CUTE scrapbook size is available. I used to do only 12x12 because I was a paper scrapper (with just one or two 8x11).

Now that I am 100% digi...I started doing 8x8 because I could print at home...but the Boy Scout album is only available in 12x12 so I was printing at Kinkos where I could get a discount. Well I bought an Epson Photo 1400 that prints up to 13x19"!!! Now I have the freedom to print both 12x12 and 8x8!!! ...and the LSS put some scrapbooks on sale a few months ago ... buy a 12x12 and get an 8x8 free! ...so I will be flip flopping depending on what I am working on...actually those 12x12 books will help me get all the old paper scrapped layouts actually put into scrapbooks now! ...just gotta save up and buy all the refill pages to put INSIDE the books. lol

Hoping once I get all the Christmas stuff done...to spend the time after Christmas and get the layouts put away.

[Keely~B]

I scrap 8x8. I have my F2key assigned to copy and resize 12x12 to 8x8, it's so quick that the resizing isn't a big deal. When I paper scrapped I was a 12x12 or 8.5 x 11 and those books seem ginormous to me now.

[joelsgirl]

I scrap 12x12 and print 8x8. I personally like the square, but I hate the big size of a 12x12.

[MamaBee]

I scrap 12x12 and print 8x8. I personally like the square, but I hate the big size of a 12x12.

Me too!!

[ColleenSwerb]

I had a 10x10 book printed through WHCC recently and I LOVE that size. 8x8 seems too small as a former 12x12 paper scrapper, but 12x12 is just too huge. I think the inbetween size of 10x10.

[Sheana]

I recently switched from 12x12 to 8x8. I like square but I don't like the big 12x12 pages.

[Heather Roselli]

I wish 10x10 albums were more common and I'd go that route. I did 12x12 as a paper scrapper and those albums are just too hard to store and too hard to look through. When I went digi I switched to 8x8 which I do really like. But I like my photos big and with the small picture/white space style popular, I'd love to have 9x9 or 10x10 pages so my pics could be larger IRL even with the white space, yk?

I used to create my pages in 8x8 and print them 8x8, but lately I've gone to creating in 12x12 to avoid resizing everything as I create the page. Then I resize and save as 8x8 for printing.

[HeatherKS]

I scrap 12x12 because that's what I did as a paper scrapper and that's what my albums are that I'm trying to finish up. I did a book for my SIL for Christmas in 8x8 and it seems so tiny to me now that I have it in my hands. I don't think I could go that way for all of mine because it seems so small. I think 10x10 would be perfect too maybe scrapbooking companies will figure that out and start giving us more 10x10 options. :)

[juliemarie]

I scrap 12x12 but print at 8x8.

I was an off size paper scrapper, most of my paper layouts are 8.5x11.

[DawnMarch]

I totally agree that I would love to see 10x10 albums. 8x8 seems way too small when you're used to a 12x12 page, but I'd love something more easy to store.

[kresta]

I scrap 12x12, but print 8x8.

Ditto!

[carriesmom]

I scrap 12x12, but print 8x8.

Double Ditto! I have only printed in 8x8 and it is the perfect size for me. Large enough for detail but small enough that I can easily take it with me.

[Tracyfish]

I scrap 8x8 because that's what I print in books. If I scrap 12x12 like using a template or something, I usually forget to resize to 8x8 and then I have to do it when I go to print them.

So yeah, 8x8 for me and I just resize papers and such as I go along creating.

[SeattleSheri]

Tracy, you don't have to resize 12x2 to print them as 8x8 :) The only thing that matters is the aspect ratio. You just will have a more concentrated DPI, which is good!

[Stacey42]

I scrap at 12x12 and print at whatever size is on sale at the time :) I have books in 7x7, 8x8 and 12x12 and albums in 8x8 and 12x12. I keep the .psd and resize it accordingly whenever I get around to printing.

I scrapped at 8.5x11 when I started with digi because I thought it would be easier to print at home but I soon realized I am never going to buy a decent photo printer & the cheapy deskjet simply doens't do that well. Once I decided everything would have to be printed elsewhere I switched to the bigger canvas for more space

[Chels85]

8x8 for me

[kscwgirl]

I scrap 12x12 and print 8x8 but I don't resize since I print mostly at scrapping simply and I don't have to resize. :D

[Amber1279]

when I was on my old computer with very little RAM, I scrapped 8x8 and resized to save virtual memory space while scrapping. But that was back in like 2005.

Now with my new laptop I scrap 12x12 so I can print whatever size I want too.

[wvasweetness]

I scrap 12x12 and print 8x8.

Recently I've started scrapping 12x12, then SAVING 8x8 to save some space (I figured that little bit of space on every layout adds up!)

If I have low res pics to scrap or want some more stretch out of elements, I scrap 8x8. But I'm so used to scrapping that 12x12, when I scrap 8x8 I always end up getting my journaling font sizes too big when they're printed.

[scrapperjade]

I'm another that scraps 12x12 but prints in 8x8. I hate the 12x12 size - they are just so huge!!! I think 8x8 is a perfect size :)!

[scrap2day]

I've switched to printing 8x8 too. When I was a paper scrapper I used 12x12 but I noticed that it was difficult and heavy for children and my elderly grandmother to hold and view. The 8x8 is perfect for them.

Since I don't have as much "real estate" with the 8x8 I need to go back to doing 2 page spreads. For some reason when I went digital I went to one page and that doesn't fit all of my journaling so that it is easy to read. Going to try to start doing 2 page per topic again in 2010.

[clearskies]

Ok...so I guess I'm an oddball... I scrap and print at 12x12. It seems in our family there's usually multiple people looking at an album at one time, so it's nice for everyone to be able to see.

I did do an 8x8 for my MIL for Christmas and it seemed so tiny!

I admit the 8x8 was substanially cheaper, but I only print 5 or 6 books year and only during sales.

[Nettio]

Do you just resize everything when you open it?

Yes, I just resize as I go. I usually open all the papers from a kit at once so I just resize them all then and drag them onto my layout. Elements I just resize as I go. But I don't save the resize, I keep everything 12x12 in case I want to use them for other projects as well.

[meems]

I started out as a rectangular scrapper but b/c I lack forethought (is that a word?) failed to scrap either landscape or portrait consistently and ended up with layouts going both ways. Which makes putting together an album somewhat challenging. So I switched to square to avoid that problem. And I do 12x12 and print books at 8x8. I tried to scrap at 8x8 but felt too confined.

[maryinaz]

Ok...so I guess I'm an oddball... I scrap and print at 12x12. It seems in our family there's usually multiple people looking at an album at one time, so it's nice for everyone to be able to see.
Nope, I'm right there with you! I have hundreds of paper layouts in 12x12 so I stuck with that size in digi. IF I were to ever do a whole book to give to someone, then I would consider an 8x8. I'd definitely be tempted by a 10x10, though.

[littlekiwi]

I scrap 12x12 but print 8x8

[g8rbeckie]

Wow, I never knew us 12x12'ers were the minority! I guess I'll keep scrapping 12x12, but when I print next, I'll check out 8x8 and 10x10 options.

I did check scrapbookpictures.com (my favorite print site), and they charge the same for 10x10 and 12x12 pages.

I never do books because I can't scrap chronologically, LOL!