Ocean scrapbook ideas are a beautiful way to capture the wonder of the sea, using photos, memories, and little nautical details to tell a story you can actually hold in your hands.
These ocean scrapbook ideas cover under-the-sea, nautical, pirate, lighthouse, and deep sea themes. You’ll find color palette tips, title ideas, and a gallery of ocean scrapbook layouts you can copy. Scroll the gallery, grab a theme, and build your page around one strong focal point.
The ocean is honestly one of those jaw-dropping, humbling things that never gets old. The colors, the motion, the mystery, the way it can feel peaceful and powerful in the exact same moment. And scrapbooking or junk journaling is the perfect way to express that feeling, because you are not just saving pictures. You are building a whole vibe around them.
This post is packed with ocean scrapbook ideas and ocean scrapbook layouts you can actually use, from under-the-sea pages to nautical themes. Expect sea creature stickers, pirate ephemera, lighthouse accents, ship wheels, and layered details that make your scrapbook pages feel like a mini adventure.
Creating ocean scrapbook pages is such a fun way to capture trips, aquarium days, boat rides, and even those random afternoons when your kid was obsessed with sharks for no reason. Ocean layouts can be bright and playful, or moody and mysterious, depending on whether you go tropical reef or stormy seas.
We pulled together a mix of ocean scrapbook layouts and ocean junk journal inspiration from talented creators so you can steal color palettes, title ideas, and embellishment combos without having to overthink it. Grab a few basics from craft stores, then add your own personality with scraps, textures, and whatever random nautical bits you’ve been hoarding.
(If you are looking for more of a beach day or beach trip vibe to go with your beach photos, we have a post focusing just on beach scrapbook layouts for that)
Jump to Ocean Scrapbook Ideas Sections
These will help you navigate this page with ease.
Want More Ocean and Summer Scrapbook Ideas?
Check out our Summer scrapbook series and beachy theme posts for even more inspiration!
- Summer Scrapbook Ideas (coming soon)
- Beach Scrapbook Ideas
- Mermaid Scrapbook Ideas (coming soon)
What are some good ocean themes for scrapbooking?
Ocean themes are the easiest way to make a page feel cohesive fast. Pick one vibe and commit to it, then build around a few repeating elements like anchors, rope, waves, or a specific creature.
Some ocean theme ideas that work great for both scrapbooks and junk journals:
- Sea creatures: whales, sharks, turtles, octopus, jellyfish, coral reefs
- Pirates: treasure maps, skull motifs, old parchment, ship wheels, compasses
- Lighthouses and coastal towns: lantern light, seagulls, driftwood textures, nautical stripes
- Boats and sailing: sailboats, life preservers, knots, navy-and-red accents
- Stormy sea: darker blues, distressed papers, vintage nautical ephemera, shipwreck vibes
Pro tip: if you want your page to feel “ocean” instantly, use one strong nautical element like rope trim, netting, or anchor icons in more than one spot.
FAQs: Ocean Scrapbooking & Junk Journaling
A scrapbook is usually built around photos, memories, and keepsakes, often with a more organized, album-style look—like many of the neutral scrapbook layouts in this post. Junk journals are all about freedom and fun! They don’t have to include photos and often use found papers, ticket stubs, and layered textures. If you want to see the difference in action, just scroll through the ocean page ideas right here for inspiration! We also have a post giving examples of the difference. Check it out here!
We have NEVER met a pun we didn’t like. Ocean titles are so easy because the theme hands you the drama on a platter. Try ideas like “Seas the Day,” “Salty Air,” “Ahoy, Adventure,” “Deep Blue Memories,” “Treasure Found,” “Ocean Vibes Only,” “Seashell Stories,” “Under the Sea,” “Captain’s Log,” or “Life’s a Beach (but make it nautical).” If your page is pirate-themed, anything with “map,” “treasure,” “ahoy,” or “captain” instantly sells the story.
I mean……buying scrapbook supplies is kinda like a hobby in and of itself. At least for me. Start with the basics: an album or journal, tape runner or glue, and scissors. Then add ocean-friendly extras like nautical stickers (anchors, ships, lighthouses), label stickers for journaling, and a pen that shows up on darker backgrounds. For pirate pages, grab anything that looks vintage: map prints, kraft tags, faux parchment, or distressed textures. If you are building a whole water-themed album, you can also mix in a few materials like twine, netting, or textured cardstock for instant ocean vibes.
Pick one “star of the page” and let everything else support it. Your focal point can be a big title, one main photo, a lighthouse cutout, a pirate ship, or even a giant sea creature sticker. Then repeat smaller supporting elements around it, like tiny fish, waves, or compass details, so your page feels balanced and not cluttered. If you are tempted to add everything, do a quick gut check: does it match the story of the page, or is it just cute?
What colors work best for ocean scrapbook layouts?
For ocean layouts, color does most of the heavy lifting. The easiest palette is classic blues (navy, teal, aqua) with white and a tiny pop of red or gold if you want it to feel nautical.
If your page feels “too flat,” mix in texture and contrast:
- Use pattern paper that looks like waves, maps, or nautical stripes
- Add kraft or parchment tones for pirate spreads so it looks like old treasure charts
- Use black or deep indigo for dramatic “deep sea” pages
- Bring in metallics (gold coins, compass details) for pirate and lighthouse themes
Keep it simple: pick 2–3 main colors, then repeat them in your title, mats, and embellishments so the whole page looks intentional.
Monsters of Mayhem Crafters
Before the gallery, here’s a quick peek at the Mayhem Crafters side of Slowestuff so you can find more layouts fast.
If you haven’t before stumbled across the Slowestuff website, we have an entire section of the blog dedicated to scrapbooking & junk journaling! The crafting group of the blog is made up of monsters, check out their introduction post here!
If you still want more, check out Paper Muse, my free assistant build just for scrapbookers! She’s got ideas for seasonal pages, supply lists, junk journal prompts, you name it. Try Paper Muse now!
Ocean Scrapbook Gallery
Check out all of these gorgeous scrapbook or junk journal layouts.
All creators are credited, and their Instagram page is linked to each picture, so please do check out their pages to see their other work too!
Disclaimer: Affiliate links are included for convenience and ease of reference. If used for purchase, they will result in a small commission at no extra cost to the buyer.
Where Can I Find Scrapbook Supplies?
We know that seeing other people’s (or creature’s) junk journal layouts or scrapbook journals often makes people want to get the same supplies as those being used.
We welcome you to visit the Monster’s Junk Journal Scrapbook Storefront (linked below) for full details and easy way to find all kinds of amazing scrapbook stickers, ephemera, tools, storage, and more for your scrapbooking hobby.
It is a great way to find stickers, papers, and embellishments that fit beach scrapbook ideas, plus plenty of summer-themed supplies that work for vacation pages.
Mayhem Crafters Storefront
Quick link to our storefront if you want to do a little browsing!
Mayhem Crafters Amazon Storefront - Junk Journal Supplies, Scrapbook Supplies
22 Ocean Scrapbooking Ideas & Pages To Inspire
We hope these ocean scrapbook ideas sparked a bunch of new layout inspiration for your next spread. Save your favorites, borrow a color palette, and do not overthink it. Ocean pages are supposed to feel fun, bright, and easy, just like the best kind of day by the water.
Please definitely tag us with your creations! We would love to see them!
If you want more general scrapbook or junk journal inspiration, check out our scrapbook layout section of the blog for lots of inspiration!
Hey crafty peeps, let’s be friends on TikTok and check us out on Youtube at Slowestuff or Mayhem Crafters!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the Slowestuff newsletter for year-round content! We love to talk about seasonal topics, and keep an ongoing discussion about books and scrapbooking all year long!
Happy Scrapping!
Mayhem Crafters, crafty division of Slowestuff Blog
Love scrapbook content? Pin This Post To Your Scrapbook or Journaling Boards to Find It Later!
Leave a Reply