Album size, for a gift
 

Help! I am making an album for a friend of a friend and I have no idea what size to do. I initially thought 12x12 because that is what I do for my personal albums. But I am doing this album . . . with no pictures! I am just making pages and they will add pictures later, I know, crazy right? Do I do an 8x8 or 8 1/2x11? I am so indecisive so if anyone has any thoughts on the way to go please share with me!

Album size
 

I have done lots of these. First, think about the number of pictures in the album and per page. I did a wedding album in 12x12, because I wanted/needed to have many pictures and many pages. I did a Christmas album that was 8x8, and a pet album 8x8 (2 pictures per page), and a baby album 6x6 for 1 picture per page. Start with the theme and the size of the pictures (that will dictate how much room you have on each page for embellishments, then decide on the size of the album. Also, don't forget tags or some other way for them to journal about the pictures. I usually just leave them loose in the bottom of the page protector so they can put them near the picture. I usually add a nice pen and a tape runner to complete the gift.

I agree, 8x8 or 8.5x11 size would be a better gift size. This is an easier size to leave on your coffee table when done, or to store in your bookshelf. 8.5x11 binder type albums are easy to re-arrange when they are ready to put the photos in, and the paper size gives you room to include 2 photos per page with room for embellishments.

8x8 leaves room for journaling and to see the pages around a 4x6 picture.

I was going to recommend 8.5 x 11 albums for a gift (though an 8x8 or 9x9 are good sizes too). I'm actually working on a gift album as well for my grandparents anniversary and wanted to pick a size that would easily fit on a bookshelf and be something that is easy to handle and pull out to show others. I personally scrap in 12x12 size because I'm awful about narrowing down the pictures I want to scrap, but that seems awfully large for someone who doesn't have many (or any) other scrapbooks they are storing.