What are clear albums?

Clear albums are one of the hottest new design trends to hit the scrapbooking and art scene! Clear albums are usually made of acrylic, acetate or other similar transparent or see-through plastic material. They are available ready-made in lots of different shapes and sizes. A variety of manufacturers sell them, so you have lots of choices. Clear Albums are easy to personalize, customize and embellish. Best of all, they look really fantastic when they are completed! Clear albums make great gifts too.

What kinds of projects can I make with clear albums?

Here is a short list of the most obvious uses for clear albums:

• Scrapbooks
• Mini Books
• Altered Books
• Art Journals
• Idea & Inspiration Files
• Organizers, Day Planners, Calendars, Diaries etc.

If you really wanted to go out on a limb and be creative, you could probably think of lots of other uses for them too! Use them to create a custom album to display your art trading cards. Use the clear album pages separately as the basis for collage, altered art, wall hangings, Holiday decorations and ornaments, ETC! Your imagination is really the only limit!

Where can I buy clear albums?

There are lots of places to buy clear albums! Please check our Clear Albums Resource Directory to find a variety of retail stores where you can buy clear albums. The directory also includes listings of designers who sell one of a kind, unique, and custom made clear albums. We feature a variety of clear albums and related products on this web site, so if you'd prefer to just browse through our pages to find clear albums that catch your eye, please check out our Featured Clear Albums Product Pages. You can also shop by manufacturer if you know which manufacturer's clear albums you like, or you can view clear albums by size.

Can I make my own clear albums?

Yes! We are working on preparing an article about various ways to make clear albums. When the article is finished it will appear on our Clear Albums Articles Page. Please check the articles page for updates!

What’s the best adhesive to use with clear albums?

The "Best" Adhesive is really a matter of personal opinion. For areas where the reverse side will show through, it's a good idea to use an adhesive that will dry clear. We highly recommend Zip Dry Paper Glue. We make some other suggestions on our Adhesives page that we hope you will find helpful. Other than that, you can pretty much use any adhesive you like.

Can I journal on clear albums?

Yes! However, please keep in mind that not all pens and markers will work well with clear albums.

Which pens or markers should I use with clear albums?

You have lots of choices! We recommend that you try:

• American Crafts Slick Writers
• Sakura Soufflé 3-D Paint Pens
• Sakura Gelly Roll Glaze Pens
• Sakura Identi-Pens
• Sakura Permapaque Opaque Paint Markers
• Sakura Metallic Pen Touch Calligraphy Pens
• Sakura Pen-Touch Paint Markers

Please Visit Our Pens & Markers Page For More Information About How To Choose A Pen Or Marker To Use On Your Clear Album.

Can I stamp on clear albums?

Yes! Easily. Keep in mind that not all inks are formulated to work with clear albums, though.

What’s the best ink to use for stamping on clear albums?

Click here to view our page about inks and ink pads to use with clear albums, where the question is answered in depth.

Are there any openings on the clearalbums.com design team?

No, not at the moment.

Where do you buy the vintage postcards and ephemera shown in the projects on this site?

Ebay, usually.

How do you make the paper lace shown in the projects on this site?

Visit paperlaces.com to learn how to make your own paper lace which you can use for scrapbooking, card making, altered art, collage, and paper crafts.

How do you make the cool spiral designs shown in projects on this site?

That question could actually be the topic of a whole separate web site. I wrote a tutorial that covers the basics: How to Paint Spin Art. Hope you find it helpful.

Are there any large sized clear albums? I love the look of clear albums but I really don't care to do mini albums at this time.

Try this 12x12 square clear album by D. Reeves. Another alternative is using Hambly's Heavy Clear Overlays along with the Crop A Dile plus binder rings. OR even better, you can use Clear Scraps Acrylic Sheets along with bindings from the Zutter Bind It All Machine to create your own full sized 12" x 12" clear album.