Scrapbooking Ideas

Preserve Memories with Scrapbooking

Many of us take hundreds of pictures each year, spending money on film and developing, only to put our pictures in a box in a closet or under the bed. Putting pictures into a scrapbook album is a great and easy way to preserve your pictures. It allows you and others to be able to enjoy them, and it doesn't have to be time-consuming or difficult.

Getting Started

The first thing you need is an album. There are a few different methods - 3 ring binders or hinge albums. These can be purchased anywhere from your local Walmart store to a scrapbooking store or a consultant. Albums come in many different sizes, and you should choose a size that is appropriate for your project. For example, if your 10-year-old daughter wants to make an album of her school friends, it won't need to be as large as if you are making an album of your wedding pictures.

The most important thing to keep in mind when buying an album and pages to go in it is that they need to be acid-free. If possible, they should also be lignin-free. Using paper that is not acid free will cause your pictures to break down over time. This is one of the main problems with the old metallic picture albums, and is the reason many pictures our parents took have changed colors over time.

Supplies

There are certain supplies you will need before beginning an album. This is an investment, but will pay off as you continue to scrapbook, as they can be used again and again. Many companies and craft/scrapbooking stores have these items. You will need templates and cutting tools so that you can cut your pictures and borders into cute shapes. You will also need some adhesive. You can use acid-free glue, or photo mounting tape. Never use regular glue sticks or tape; they will make your photos age faster. You will also want to get some pens to write titles on your pages and to label your photos and record your memories.

The easiest thing to use that will enhance your scrapbook pages is stickers. You can also use paper die-cuts or printed paper.

Getting Organized

Before you start your album, you should get your photos and other memorabilia organized. Buying an expandable folder and organizing by year is often a good way to start. If you have a lot, you may want to consider a folder for each year and then organize by month. You should also separate your photos by album, such as your child's baby album vs. your family vacation album.