Tail Trail

Tail Trail is a scrapbook-style accordion for a pet: eight tall panels with tape frames and handwritten captions that stand on a shelf next to the treat jar. It is for the dog's first year, the cat who moved in, the rabbit the children promised to look after, and for the pet-sitter who deserves a thank-you. The scrapbook style prints cream panels with a paper texture, Caveat handwriting for the name and captions, and tape across the corners of every photo. The cover panel holds a photo with the name and a subtitle. Then two photos stacked, a photo with a caption and date, three stacked, a photo with a journal block for their biography, two stacked again, another caption panel and the back panel with a small photo and a sign-off. The tall stacks are made for pets: a dog sitting is a portrait, a cat on a windowsill is a portrait, and the three-stack takes the burst-mode sequence of a jump.

The tape frames hide blur and crooked edges, so this template forgives fast subjects. Keep captions to a few words so the handwriting stays legible. Because it prints single-sided, ordinary inkjet photo paper is fine and even good matte cardstock works; the texture is printed, so no special paper is needed, though a cream 160 to 200 gsm stock makes it feel like a real scrapbook. Score the folds and fold zig-zag. Two A4 sheets make eight panels. Twelve photos fill it, and the kitten version at four panels needs only six.

Printing this accordion is forgiving because it prints on one side only, so the glossy or satin photo paper home inkjets do best on is exactly right; nothing has to line up on the back. Each A4 or Letter sheet gives four tall panels (A3 gives four bigger ones), and an 8-panel album is 2 strips joined with a strip of tape on the reverse. Use 160 to 200 gsm so it stands on a shelf, and score before folding on anything heavier or the ink cracks at the crease. Fold zig-zag, mountain then valley, using a ruler for the first crease. Print at 100%, not Fit to page, with borderless mode on if the printer offers it. The template uses 12 photos across 8 panels.