About Suzy Adams Expertise I can assist you in getting started and what is really needed. What different products may be used for and why to scrapbook. Am able to respond to questions regarding specific theme scrapbooks such as family albums, gift albums, baby albums and recipe albums. Also give advice on different size albums and what may work best for you.
Experience Have been scrapbooking for over 6 years and worked in a local scrapbook store as a consultant, buyer and teacher.
Question -------------------------
Hello again. Thank you so much for your insightful and helpful hints on how to go about organizing my scrapbooks. Now I have another question. I have in my memory and written down, several stories along with many things I want to remember such as things that happened to my parents, stories they told me, information about people in the photos, etc. How do I best go about presenting this all? I thought about putting it all in the computer and printing out separate pages to be included in the scrapbook (like putting each page in a plastic sleeve so it could be read on both sides) or do I journal it close to the photos it relates to. I have much text to be included and do not want to waste presious scrapbook pages if you understand what I mean. Any thoughts to help me do a good job? Thank you.
Followup To
Question -
Hi. I am planning to make an heirloom album with my mom's old photos to preserve them. Then I decided to do an album of her life and possibly my father's as well. The magnitude of this project is daunting and I can't seem to get started because I want to "do it right". How should I start the book? I want to include family trees, but that's a lot of information to put on scrapbook pages. Do I start with grandpa/grandma and then go to each side? And lastly, I have trouble finding heritage album supplies. Can you help me? Thank you.
Answer -
This type of project is very time consuming but well worth the effort. You will most likely have to do 1 album for each of your parents and within those albums include your grandparents if you choose, or one album for each parent and one album for grandparents.
Personally, i say that you don't worry about the grandparents just yet. If you have pictures of your grandma pregnant with your dad, i would put the majority of those in my dad's album, leaving 1 for later if you choose to.
I would start each album with a cover page. maybe 1 5x7 or 8x10 nice photo of your mom (or dad) as a baby. with their name and birth date or a title there.
When you turn that page, i would start a 2 page spread of your family tree. There need not be any pictures here if you do not want any. Just a family tree that shows several generations (at least grandparents, parents, you, etc) on that parents side (if your doing mom's book it would be only her side of the family) i would then start the book from birth to present, grouping by years if possible.
Because this is not your child, you need not include every picture. Include the best of the bunch if you have too many. group them by year and then you can do a 2 or 4 page spread of each year. remember to include as much journaling as possible--look on the back of the photos. are there dates or names on the back? if so, then bring that forward by writing that next to the photo once you adhere it to the page. Or, save the journaling for last, leave space for it and after the album is done, sit down with your parent and ask for their thoughts. I would still continue to add any info by the pictures if possible
I would keep the pages simple as your focus needs to be on the pictures. include a page that has an envelope or pocket to have copies of birth certificate, marriage certificate, diploma put into.
Using black or tan pages might give it a more classic look. Also, ephemera might be a good choice for decorations. this is using acid free/lignin free paper products that you can cut or tear and adhere to your page. paper piazz offers several booklets to get the ephemera suchy as vintage or botanical. Or look online under dmarie.com--inspiration--layouts---grandparents. The ones that are monochromatic or more "vintage" looking versus bright and bold colors tend to look best.
The key is organization. Get organized before you start. Group your pictures how you want them in order. Have all your supplies handy, including a ruler to add straight lines for journaling.
I hope this helps, email me back if you have any more questions
Answer sorry for the delay as i have been out of town.
as for the journaling, i would make sure that each photo has some writing under/near/next to it. even if that is just identifying the people/place in the photos.
Do you have any of the stories you want to tell in your parents own handwriting? if so, i would use those throughout the book and then anything you talk about typed out. that way it shows that handwriting is from your parents and type is from you. are you using a 12x12 album or a 81/2 x 11 album? if using a 12x12 album, i dont see how printing on a sheet of paper and putting it in a page protecter will look good. it might end up looking sloppy. you might be better off printing on regular sb paper one side only and using a page to adhere it. then you can add a title in stickers or some other type of embellishemnt.
if you are using a smaller album, then you might be able to print the page out and use a page protector. my only concern is looks. i think that albums that important should be somewhat uniform. if you end up using just printed paper and page protectors, then spread them out. (such as tell 2 or 3 stories on 1 front/back sheet and put it at page 4. then your next set of stories which is also only on 1 front/back sheet goes 4 pages past that first one) does this make sense? spread them out.
