Tips for Creating a Great Scrapbook Album
1. Identify as many people in your photos as possible, and add specific places and dates whenever possible. Ask other and older family members for help in identification. Family get together are very useful for soliciting this type of help.
2. Be sure to wash your hands before handling old photos. The dirt and oils from your skin could damage them. The same is true for handling photo negatives.
3. Since all of the elements in your album should be acid-free, it only makes sense that you store your supplies in archival quality boxes and envelopes. You'll find these at most stores that carry scrapbook, photography, or stationery supplies.
4. Create an interesting composition by placing photos of different shapes and sizes together on the scrapbook page. Back some photos with colored papers cut out with decorative-edge scissors. Leave others unframed.
5. Use your heirloom photos in your album or make color photocopies of them. If you decide to use the original photos, consider securing them to the scrapbook pages with photo corners, instead of permanently adhering them.
6. To capture all the shading, make color photocopies of your black-and-white or sepia-toned photos, rather than making black-and-white photocopies.
7. Your heritage album will be an easier "read" if you title the pages (or sections). It's easily done with a family member's name written in a calligraphy pen and framed like the photos.
8. Include small mementos on your pages -- newspaper clippings, old letters, awards, certificates, ribbons, calling cards, or a lock of hair. These items add interest to the pages -- and to your family's history.
9. When recording the information in your family album, use your own handwriting. The warmth of penned notes and labels will give your album a personal touch that can't be generated with computer lettering.