Clips For Photos On A Budget

Need some clips to spice up your photo albums? This post is for you. We’ll walk you through how to make your own at home, and we’ll even provide a free downloadable template and clips for photos!

You’ll need the following materials: card stock, scissors, glue stick, clips. First cut all of the pieces out of cardstock paper according to the template PDF. Then use a glue stick to attach all of your pieces together in order from 1-9, line them up and clip them into place with some cheap metal clips (find some at any craft store). You’re done! Now get creative with it – mix and match different materials for different looks.

1. The Clips.

These are wood clips from a craft store. You should be able to get a set of ten for around $2-3. They usually come in a flat metal box, you can use that as your template for cutting. All you need to do is trace their shape onto cardstock paper and cut it out accordingly. This is one time when it’s best if you use a fine point pen to trace them because the metal cuts easily along the edges.

2. The Template.

Here’s a PDF file of the template. Print it out and cut everything out as indicated.

3. The Pieces.

There are nine pieces in total, once you have them all cut out, I recommend using a glue stick to assemble them into one long strip that you can fit all of the clips into (see image above). Use some sort of ruler or straight edge to make sure everything is even. The last thing you want is for it to be off by 1/16th of an inch and have everything not match up… trust me on this one!

4. The Completed Album.

Here’s a photo that I’ve used this album for to give you an idea of what it looks like finished:

You don’t have to stick with the same design, feel free to make one yourself!

5. Use it in your next photo shoot!

This is just a fun thing to do with a couple of your friends. Since you can clip multiple photos into this album, why not get some friends together and have them bring their favorite photos from the past year. You can take turns telling stories about each photo. It’s a great way to reminisce and makes for an easy alternative to the traditional scrapbooking that can be quite time consuming.

6. Give the gift of memories.

If you’re looking for a unique, inexpensive gift idea this holiday season, consider making your own photo albums as gifts. I made one of these, but instead of putting in clips, I placed one favorite photo on each page and then included some journaling and snapshots of when I took the picture. It’s a fun way to bring some old photos back to life and share them with others. I also recommend making one for yourself! You will walk away with a lot more memories than you started with.

7. Download template.

Here is the finished album printed out and on the bench ready to be put together:

8. The riddle is over.

Over the years, I’ve come across a few different types of clips and I can confidently say, they all do the job very well. The only downside to using metal clips is that over time, the coating on them will eventually wear off. This will cause the metal to rust and leave you with some quite unsightly ragged edges. If you’re planning on using this album for photos over a long period of time (two or three years) or are looking for something that lasts forever, choose plastic instead!

After using these plastic clips for two months now (I’ve used several sets), my primary complaint with them is that some of them have broken at their weakest point. These are usually the plastic tips, which makes them very fragile. I’ve found that placing a small amount of glue on the metal part of the clip will help to strengthen it up and make it not break as easily. If you want something that is more permanent, you’ll have to find a different style of clip.

On top of this, if you try to use these clips for photos with thick glass (like say an antique photo or family portrait), they can get stuck in place because they’re just not strong enough. I recommend using these clips for digital photos only, smaller photos/postcards and prints (anything with thinner glass).

9. The riddle is over again.

There are two styles of clip that I’ve come across, the most common being these plastic clips. I’ve found that the one drawback to all clips is that when they start to rust, they become very unsightly. You can get around this, however, by simply putting a thin layer of nail polish or some clear nail polish on them before you stick them into photos. Be careful of sticking too close too your photos or it can cause a white spot in your photo.

Summary:

Use cardstock paper and cut it out according to the template. Use a glue stick to attach all of your pieces together. Use cheap metal clips to attach them into place. All you need to do is trace their shape onto cardstock paper and then cut them out accordingly. Use a glue stick to assemble everything together into one long strip that you can fit all of the clips into (see image above). Attach the clips in order according to the template: 1-9.