Vacation Scrapbook Album: Nine Ideas for Putting Together a Fabulous and Frugal Scrapbook

Vacations are near the top of the list when it comes to memories you'd like to preserve in a fun way. Use these nine tips to prepare and gather items along your travels, and when you return, you'll already have all the makings of a great scrapbook.

Designate a carry-all. Before you leave on your trip, decide where you will store scrapbook items. Clean out a pocket in your purse and use it for scrapbook items only.

Pack a canvas bag. As you collect items, empty them into the bag each day. This way, when you pack to leave, you'll have everything together. When you arrive home, you'll already have a transportable craft bag full of goodies to scrapbook with!

Select a scrapbook. Before you head out for your trip, decide what scrapbook you will use to store your memories. If you do not have an extra on hand, purchase one before the trip. This way it will be waiting for you when you arrive home, you will have more time to scout for sales, and you will not push off putting a scrapbook together.

The biggest obstacles to preserving memories is not having the proper materials to work with and procrastination- if you have the scrapbook waiting for you on your return, you'll be more likely to begin filling it right away.

Stop on the road. If you decide to drive, be sure to stop at tourism centers along the way of your route. You'll find a treasure trove of free scrapbook items there and possibly some souvenirs, too, such as key rings.

Explore the hotel. Hotels are like the jackpot of free scrapbook items. Think "outside the box" and look for items such as coasters and stationery with the hotel name and logo. Most hotels give out key holders with hotel information- these make great pocket holders for your scrapbooks- save them!

Head to the lobby and collect brochures. Check at the front desk if they have special free items such as hotel calendars, buttons, postcards, or stickers.

Ask the restaurant. If you are traveling with children (or even if you are not and are not shy to ask,) ask for an extra children's menu. Generally, there are good color restaurant logos on the coloring pages, and there may be fun local tie-ins to amusement parks or other attractions. If the restaurant has cardboard coasters, napkins or other items with logos, save one for your scrapbook. Ask if they also have postcards or stickers available for tourists, many do.

Also, pay attention to the lobby. Often, you will find local papers and attraction brochures available for patrons to pick up.

Double up on the attraction. If you visit an attraction and they hand out maps or guides, pick up two. Place one in your scrapbook pocket to preserve it. If you don't mangle the other one by the end of your visit, you may have double, but chances are the one you use as a guide will get wrinkled or torn during the visit.

Check with guest services at the attraction site to see if they have complimentary postcards, stickers, or other items of interest available. Some theme parks even have items such as band aids with logos, so be sure to stop at the hospitality/first aid area, too.

Keep an eye out throughout your visit to the attraction. Many museums have additional brochures or fact sheets set up near special exhibits. Theme parks may pass out buttons or stickers, ask for an extra!

Look to the environment. Beaches often offer flat shells or broken pieces of shells that will make great page decorations. Leaves that have fallen, small twigs on the ground, and hiking or lake maps are all great embellishment items for scrapbooks.

Always be sure to check before removing natural items, though, some areas prohibit collecting materials such as shells or foliage.

Make time at home. Shortly after arriving home, you will generally rush to print the vacation pictures. Put the same priority on your scrapbook efforts. Keep the bag with all your items, pictures, and scrapbook near a location that you use often and are prone to have idle time, such as your family room couch or computer desk.

You already have oodles of items to make fill your pages, so the scrapbook should come together lickety-split!