DIY Traveler’s Notebook Album


I’ve been working on a new mini-album and wanted to share the very economic album I’m using. I cut down a 6″ x 8″ chipboard binder to fit traveler’s notebook-sized pages! I originally got the idea from Jessica Rubio, who cut down the same binder to 3″ x 8″ for her trip to Mexico. I wanted to do the same thing, but slightly wider, to accommodate TN pages.

While I love working in the traveler’s notebook format, I don’t love the limitation on bulky items and odd-sized pages. I also don’t always scrapbook chronologically which means using a traditional notebook can sometimes be a challenge when my mini-album is ordered chronologically. I like being able to jump around and move things if I need to.

Cutting down the binder is pretty straightforward. When you’re finished, you will have an album that will fit standard size TN pages (4.25″W x 8.25″H), or pages of up to 5″W x 8.25″H (this is the width adjusted when the TN paper is in a page protector).

I am using this 6″ x 8″ chipboard binder from Hobby Lobby (but you could probably use another 6″ x 8″ binder). It has a 1.5″ spine, 3-ring configuration, and comes with some page protectors. It retails for $6.99 but the store was having a sale on this entire brand (The Paper Studio) so I got it for $3.50 + tax.

For this project, you will need:

  • a binder
  • a box cutter, x-acto knife, or something similar to cut with
  • a ruler
  • a pencil
  • Fuse tool, for page protectors (optional)

First, I measured 1.5″ from the edge of the binder with my ruler and pencil. I marked the inside of the binder, but it doesn’t really matter since it’s pencil and can be erased later if the line isn’t completely cut away.

Next, using my ruler and box cutter, I cut through the binder along the line. As you can see, I don’t have a proper cutting mat but just layered several layers of newspapers under the album. You will definitely want something underneath your cutting area to avoid damaging your work surface.

The box cutter cut pretty cleanly for me but if your cut wasn’t as clean, you could probably clean it up with some fine sandpaper.

That’s it! Now you have an album that will fit TN-sized pages nicely. You can add them directly into the album by punching holes into the papers!

But, if you don’t want to do that, you can also use page protectors…

Page Protectors

If you’d like to use page protectors in the album, the album does come with 12 page protectors. There are 4 different configurations, 3 of each kind. Hobby Lobby also sells refill packs of these 6″ x 8″ page protectors. They come in a pack of 16 (4 each of the 4 different configurations) for $4.99. Unfortunately, I am only interested in the 1 full page pocket configuration and it doesn’t seem like they sell packs of just this type of configuration. But at $2.50/package (again, there was a 50% sale when I went into the store), it was still pretty cheap. I can also use the 4 pocket configuration as a two 3″ x 4″ pocket configuration in this album by just cutting off the other two pockets.

To make the page protectors fit in the album, I used my Fuse tool to fuse a line down so a TN (4.25″ x 8.25″) paper would fit.

So there you have it! I’m pretty happy with how this turned out will probably do it again. I only know of one company at this time that makes a similar sized album, but it costs a lot more! The cost for this album was about $6 ($3.50 + $2.50).

With 1 refill pack and the page protectors that came in the album, I ended up with seven full page protectors and seven 2-(3″ x 4″) pocket page protectors (but you could easily make more with the leftover 14 page protectors using the Fuse tool). And if you need more than 7 full page protectors, it’s cheap enough to buy more refill packs (what I will probably do).

Now I’ve got an album where I can add TN pages, with or without page protectors, 3″ x 4″ pocket cards, and different-sized odd cards as well:

As you can see, I’ve already started working on my album and will share more about these pages soon! 🙂

I hope this post was helpful!

, ,

20,606 responses to “DIY Traveler’s Notebook Album”

  1. The wedding of the 15-yr-previous Anne to the newly returned 25-12 months-outdated army veteran seems to have been prompted by Anne’s disclosure to her dad and mom that the household’s minister, the Reverend Charles Inexperienced of Truro Parish, had taken opportunities along with her.

  2. Предлагаем услуги профессиональных инженеров офицальной мастерской.
    Еслли вы искали ремонт телевизоров xiaomi в москве, можете посмотреть на сайте: ремонт телевизоров xiaomi цены
    Наши мастера оперативно устранят неисправности вашего устройства в сервисе или с выездом на дом!

  3. Предлагаем услуги профессиональных инженеров офицальной мастерской.
    Еслли вы искали ремонт телевизоров xiaomi адреса, можете посмотреть на сайте: ремонт телевизоров xiaomi сервис
    Наши мастера оперативно устранят неисправности вашего устройства в сервисе или с выездом на дом!

  4. Wow that was strange. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyways, just wanted to say fantastic blog!

  5. Good day! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could find a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having problems finding one? Thanks a lot!

  6. [url=][/url]
    Временная регистрация в СПб: Быстро и Легально!
    Ищете, где оформить временную регистрацию в Санкт-Петербурге?
    Мы гарантируем быстрое и легальное оформление без очередей и лишних документов.
    Ваше спокойствие – наша забота!
    Минимум усилий • Максимум удобства • Полная легальность
    Свяжитесь с нами прямо сейчас!
    Временная регистрация
    [url=][/url]

  7. When someone writes an post he/she maintains the idea of a user in his/her mind that how a user can be aware of it. So that’s why this post is amazing. Thanks!

  8. Normally I don’t read post on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very pressured me to check out and do so! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thanks, very nice post.

  9. A motivating discussion is worth comment. I do think that you ought to write more on this subject matter, it may not be a taboo matter but typically people do not talk about these subjects. To the next! Many thanks!!

  10. If you have been binge-watching motion pictures these days, you’ll have come throughout “Pirate Radio.” Director Richard Curtis’ 2009 comedy-drama stars the late Philip Seymour Hoffman because the Depend, a disc jockey for an unlicensed rock radio station that broadcast from a rusty, decrepit ship off the British coast in the mid-1960s, defying government authorities to spin the rock records that weren’t allowed on the BBC on the time.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.