If you do 3ing binder album scrapbooks or "art books" - come in!

[wvasweetness]

I know several of you have mentioned that your albums are 3ing binders and/or that you've done artwork books (for school age kids) in 3ing binders.

I currently scrap 8x8" and print 7x7" completed albums through Blurb... but all of my son's artwork, papers, and certificates from school are 8.5x11". So I'm thinking that a 3ing binder type album may be more appropriate. I will admit that I like the look of a bound album better - but these 8.5x11" items just don't fit into the 7x7" albums that I have printed and I don't want to photograph every single piece to downsize and add digitally... KWIM?

Please tell me your method!

- What size do you scrap/print?
- What is included in your 3ing binder album?
- Where do you buy clear sleeves/protectors for a good price?

Any pics of a completed 3ing binder album or album in progress?

[Kjersti]

I print 12X12 and use three ring binders. 12X12's are huge but I looooove them so much!!! I print them at Persnickity but only when there is a sale. I got my protectors at the local scrapbook store but they were quite expensive. I'd also love to know where to get nice heavy protectors but at a good price!!

[heathergw]

I like the page protectors at scrapbook.com... and they have sales every once in awhile... but I agree with Kjersti, they can be kind of expensive if you're printing up a lot of pages. That being said I really like the 12x12 3ing binders. I bought some at Target on clearance for really cheap.

[MamaBee]

I print 8x8 and I like the Making memory 3 Ring... they are hard to come buy and usually get the ones with premade pages (which I toss after snagging the buttons off the pages )... found them really cheap at Big Lots for like $4 a piece. And then I buy my inserts in bulk through Joann.com

I haven't added my kid's artwork yet... but I normally take photos of the things he brings home from like vacation bible school anyway - so I'll probably do a blurb book for that since I don't like bulk in my albums.

[rach3975]

Here are my favorite 12x12 and 8.5x11 page protectors in bulk. They're about $20 for 100. I sometimes have 5 or so arrive damaged (once permanently damaged due to arriving wrinkled and once repairable due to not being cut completely through on the top opening) but it's still worth it compared to the cost of purchasing 5-packs in the craft store. I use them for postbound albums, but the listing says they fit 3ing binder albums, too.

For kids' art, I tend to buy a regular 3ing binder and office page protectors (like this 200-pack for $25 from Staples). I've also gotten these multi-page page protectors that are great for bulkier art projects. The high capacity protectors stick out of some binders a little, so you have to try them in the ones you want to use. IIRC, binders with wider spines accommodate them better.

[Nettio]

I scrap and print 8x8 and occasionally 8.5x11. I use the American Crafts 8.5x11 albums and put all of my different sized pages mixed in the same album. This is a really old photo but the pages inside look like this:



Right now I use the page protectors from American Crafts but I've debated about switching to the We R Memory Keepers page protectors because they seem a lot more sturdy. I bought mine at Scrapbook.com.

[AmyG]

I scrap in 12x12 and 8.5x11. I use We R Memory Keepers 3 ring leather binders. I get the extra pages from scrapbook.com. You can look at Amazon and Overstock.com for better deals.