31 DIY Photo Album Ideas That Make for a Perfect Gift (original) (raw)

Store your most special memories in a beautiful place. Make your very own DIY photo album! Get creative and make it a gift for someone special. 🙂

I have a forever-growing pile of photo albums in my attic. While I’m all for digital recording of photographs, nothing can beat the feeling of running your fingers over an old photo of happy times.

Photo albums are hard proof of all those feelings. They’re a tangible testament of your life, your memories, your work, and your achievements.

So, here are 31 DIY Photo Album Ideas for you to explore and recreate for your own photos!

1. Explosion Box Album

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Explosion box albums are so unique and fun. They’re all but bursting at the seams with memories and photos.

So much so that the box actually does burst open to reveal the memorabilia inside it in all its glory and splendor. You’ll need several sheets of cardstock from here, a scoring tool like this, and your usual craft supplies.

Now, this project doesn’t specifically call for anything more. But is any explosion box complete without this confetti and glitter?

2. Magnetic Album DIY

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Did you hear that happy little click when you shut this album? That’s the magnets clicking place and holding your memories tightly within the album. It’s pretty handy, isn’t it?

A photo album with a magnetic flap will help keep your photos and other travel mementos safe and secure. You won’t ever have to worry about losing anything!

Grab some magnetic tape from here for the flap and patterned papers like these to line the album. You might also consider embellishments letters, something metallic and bold that can really pack a punch.

3. Magnetic Instagram Photo Box

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Everybody is posting pictures online on Instagram these days. People hardly ever use photo albums. So how about you bring these two together and have the best of both worlds?

First, pick out your favorite photos on Instagram and have them sized and printed. Next, find a paper mache box from here, a sheet of poster board like this, and finally, some spray adhesive from here.

Have several birthdays or anniversaries just around the corner? I bet this magnetic box would make a great gift.

4. Mother’s Day Photo Album

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This year on Mother’s Day, how about you gift your mum something handmade? It doesn’t matter how many times you give your mum a framed photo.

She’s going to love it every time. I bet she’d also prefer sparkly jewelry to go with the photos, but that’s neither here nor there.

Pick 10 to 12 photos that you’re particularly fond of to get started. You’ll also need some photo mounting squares towards the end of the project. You can find them right here.

5. Photo Board Book

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If you’re like me, you probably pull out photo albums all the time to thumb through the pages. But over the years, a regular photo album’s spine and cover can bend or become tattered.

I think the solution to that would be to buy sturdier album books. Or, you can make a photo board book that’s sturdy and tough.

This DIY photo book folds in and fans out, as well. So you don’t have to worry too much about creases and dog ear corners. You can find chipboard sheets here.

6. Mini Origami Photo Album

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Don’t you love origami? It’s positively magical that you can transform paper into gorgeous works of art with a few strategic tucks and folds.

So, what will you need for this mini origami photo album? The first step would be to narrow down the photos you want and then have them sized and printed.

Next, grab some of this origami paper. Keep an eye on the pattern as you start folding the paper.

You can tuck each individual frame into the next one as you go, and that’s very convenient, isn’t it?

7. Lunch Bag Photo Album

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This DIY album would be perfect for the next family day project at your kids’ school. All those colorful scraps of paper would make a really pretty lunch-box photo album.

I bet you already have most of the supplies you’ll need, including paper lunch bags and punch holes. But it wouldn’t hurt to check.

You can rope your kids into the project as well. I bet they’d love to spend time making this album. It would be the perfect opportunity to reminisce about happy memories!

Here are some more paper crafts for adults that you’re going to adore!

8. DIY Valentine Love Book

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With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I’m sure you have a ton of ideas about how you want to spend it. But have you thought of a V-Day gift yet?

How about this Valentine’s Day Love Book? It’s the perfect gift to celebrate your love and to remember all the happy times you spent with your significant other.

All you need is a stack of index cards from here. You can stick your photo on one side and write the story of your love on the other side.

Check out more of these Valentine’s Day gift ideas for inspiration.

9. Folding Envelope Mini Album

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Envelopes are charming, aren’t they? They hold so many secrets and happy news, kisses and tears sealed and tucked away within them, and letters from loved ones.

How about we make more memories with envelopes with this envelope album? Decide how many photos you want and for what occasion.

Do you have a bunch of envelopes lying about somewhere? No? Then grab some from here.

Or, you can make your own. Look here to find out how to make a paper envelope.

10. DIY Fabric Photo Album For Baby

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Putting together a photo album for a baby is very symbolic. It’s as much an album for you to remember the good old days as it will be for your kids in the future.

Making a fabric photo album helps you customize it however you want. You can pick the fabric, prints, size, and latch system.

A simple button loop like this would be sturdy and last a long time!

If you have some scrap fabric lying around, look at these DIY Scrap Fabric Projects for inspiration.

11. Tiny Travel Album Box

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Are you on the road a lot for work? Perhaps you travel a lot, and you’ve been to and seen so many wondrous sights and places.

You probably won’t have enough room to make and store dozens of photo albums. But check out these tiny travel album boxes.

You can line them on a bookshelf, and they’d be such an eccentric work of art, too. Once you’ve assembled the box, buy square labels from here and jot down which place the box denotes.

12. Mini Album

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Summer is the time for long days on the beach and going on family trips and vacations. So how about a mini album for the “Summer of xxxx,” and all the wonderful adventures you had that year?

Heck, you can make one for every year and make it a tradition. You already have everything you’ll need, except, perhaps, a key loop. So, just look here.

13. Upcycled Album Book

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Did you have a favorite story growing up? Mine was Anne of Green Gables, and it reminds me of happy days in happier times.

Do you know what else speaks of happy days and happy times? Photo albums. I think it would make perfect sense to incorporate both!

Just grab your book of choice, your photographs, and some glue. Every picture you stick will now lie in a bed of words from your favorite book!

Isn’t that such a lovely sentiment?

14. Creative Instagram Photo Journal

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If you have a ton of photos posted on Instagram, here’s a creative DIY craft project that you’re going to absolutely love. So first, go ahead and print out a bunch of your favorite photos.

If you’re printing them at a store, you can opt for a polaroid-style print—they never go out of style. The best part is that you can maintain this album as a journal too.

You can keep adding to it over time, and you’ll have a lovely book of memories in the end.

15. DIY Recycled Box

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Hold on just a second before you throw out those empty cereal boxes. I think I have a DIY project that calls for some empty cereal boxes that you’re going to adore.

Did you ever think that you’d be able to use cereal boxes to make a photo album? But that’s exactly what we’re going to do now.

Do you have a bottle of glue like this? Good, now grab your craft scissors, too, and get started on cutting the boxes.

16. DIY Camera Film Photo Album

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You don’t find camera rolls too often anymore. So, do you want to make one? Not your traditional camera roll, but a camera roll album.

It all comes down to the cylinder tube you make. You will need some crafting paper, first. Cut it into a long rectangle and start rolling it into a ‘tube.’

This tube will be the center roll for your frame and help you turn your photos. It’s very convenient too, isn’t it?

Check out more brilliant crafts you can make and sell.

17. Wedding Invitation Vintage Photo Album

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A standard and traditional wedding invitation with the enclosed RSVP cards are simple and lovely. But do you want to take it up a notch? Do you want to put your own spin on the wedding invitations?

Then how about turning your invite into a mini album-like pouch? You can include photos of you and your significant other or even individual photos you have with your guests.

Feel free to play it up however you want. You’ll need these craft bags to get started.

18. DIY Leather Bound Photo Album

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Doesn’t this album look absolutely decadent? If you have photo albums that are in desperate need of a makeover, then you can refashion them into these leather-covered albums

But let’s go one step further and make this album from scratch. That way, you can have the exact same worn parchment-like effect on every page.

Practice writing fancy calligraphy because this album needs more than a loopy scrawl. Don’t forget, you’ll need these pens.

19. Pop-Up Photo Box

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Sometimes, the closest you can get to reliving happy memories is through photographs. Let’s make it as life-like as possible and turn those photos into a 3D pop-up box?

First, pick out your box from here. You can use wood stain to turn it into something more sophisticated. However, you can easily buy a carved ornate box like this in the first place.

Have your photos sized and printed only after you pick the box. Otherwise, you might end up with photos that are too big to fit in the box.

20. Fabric Covered Photo Album

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Do you have an old album with a tired-looking or tacky cover? With just a few yards of fabric, you can turn those photo albums into something beautiful and colorful.

They’re also easy and inexpensive gifts. You can buy a plain old album and jazz it up with some pretty cloth. It’s much more affordable than an elaborately designed album.

You have to wrap the album the same way you’d wrap brown paper on your school notebooks. So, grab your scissors and some glue and get started.

Check out more DIY scrap fabric projects here.

21. Zig Zag Mini Photo Album

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Whoever assumed that photos could only be one-dimensional have certainly never seen this zig-zag mini photo album. Look at the myriad of colors and all those photographs just springing from the base.

It’s certainly interesting to look at but fret not, because it’s easy to make, as well. The only thing you need to watch out for is how you cut the photographs.

Just follow the pattern carefully, however, and you’ll get there in the end!

22. Flip Photo Album

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If you’re looking for a handmade DIY project, then take a look at this DIY flip photo album.

If you make a groove in the back of the block, you can hang it up on the wall. However, it would look just as good on top of a table if you mount it on a stand.

You’ll need a wooden square block and a marble tile or board if you’re making it a table stand. You’ll also need a couple of these brass shoulder hooks.

Once you’ve printed the photos, you’re good to go.

23. DIY Instax Photo Album

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Have you ever made a DIY photo album with an Instax printer like this? You can print out any photos on your phone or tablet using Instax film.

The printer is super chic and portable. All you need is to fill it up with Instax mini film, and it’s ready to start printing.

Grab some supplies while the photos are printing. You’ll need washi tape, some patterned paper, double-sided tape, and finally, a spiral-bound notebook or album from here.

Once you’re done, tape the pictures in the album, and voila!

24. Accordion Photo Box

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No, you will not be restyling an accordion to display your photos. The reason why we’re likening this DIY photo box to an accordion is that it, too, folds and expands like that.

With just your photos, some cardstock, some glue, and a pair of scissors, you’ve got yourself a cute-as-a-button mini photo box.

You can make a box like this for every trip you take. Or, you can start a tradition and gift one box every year to your family at Christmas. It can include all the beautiful highlights of the year!

Here are more DIY Christmas gifts ideas that are easy to make and cheap to boot!

25. Mother’s Day Photo Album

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You can never have too many photos around the house of you and mum. With Mother’s Day right around the corner, you can make this photo album with your own two hands.

You’ll need to find a chipboard photo album from here and make some paper flowers out of colorful scrap paper. You will also need to use a hot glue gun to secure all the embellishments and flowers in place.

Speaking of flowers, a dozen roses and some chocolates along with this album will make your mother’s year!

26. Scrapbook Album

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If you think of it, scrapbooks and albums are not all that different, are they? They’re both used to hold memories, just in different forms.

So it’s time we bring the two together for this DIY craft and make a scrapbook album. You can pick whichever system works for you: binders, rocket pages, bound notebooks, and more.

A binder, I find, works best in many ways. You can keep adding to your scrapbook album as time goes by if you use a binder.

Just don’t forget this punch hole, and you’ll do fine!

27. Story Book Photo Album

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All photo albums hold memories. But do they tell stories?

Whether it’s the story of romance, love, family, or friendship, you must record it. How else will you remember the tiny moments that make up an entire lifetime of happiness?

Chronology is the key to telling a successful story through photos. With a few craft essentials, you can make your own storybook photo album, one that will tell a story—your story.

Once you’re ready to finish your story, grab this suede cord and tie it all together.

28. Brag Book

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How positively creative is this idea for a photo album: a brag book!

You can fill it with happy memories of achievements, milestones, and anniversaries. Just getting through life is something to brag about, so make sure you document every happy moment you wish to remember.

Do yourself a favor first and get a multipurpose craft tool kit from here. The kit is a great addition to your craft supplies and will come in handy for this project as well.

Check out more crafts for adults like this!

29. Keychain Photo Album

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You can tuck a tiny photo of loved ones into your wallet, sure. But how about you try something a little more creative, like a DIY keychain photo album?

You’ll need to get your photos printed on a wooden block first. So, pop into your local office supplies store, and they’ll hook you up.

Next, you’ll need a bit of leather for the keychain, and you can find it here. You can use a rotary knife to help you cut the leather.

You know the last thing you need, and that’s a key ring. Look here!

30. Vintage Suitcase Album

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This is the kind of suitcase you’d see at antique stores. It brings to mind a traveling band of performers carting around a suitcase full of mystery and magic.

I don’t know about mystery, but you can recreate that magic right here. You can be that cool aunt with the funky suitcase album at family gatherings!

With every year that passes, add more photographs to the suitcase until it all but bursts with magic and memories!

31. Purse Album

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Maybe we got carried away and took on too much with an entire suitcase album. So let’s downsize a little and make a purse album instead!

You can jazz up the ‘purse’ with embellishments, lace trim like this for extra frills, and even have a snap-lock in place. You can also consider using a magnetic flap to close the purse.

Just make sure it’s bold, dazzling, and full of photos and happy memories!