Why Memory Preservation? Caring for your Heritage Part I

I am really passionate about my heritage.  My parents are in their 80s and the stories they have about growing up during the Depression and how they lived is both fascinating and important to me.  Luckily, my Mom has gone through the old family photographs and labeled the names of the people in them, but she hasn't added the year or locations. I am trying to work with her on that.

I have started scrapbook albums for her and all of my siblings (there are 5 of us) in order to preserve the photos.  She had the photos glued into a handmade album from the 40s or 50s - not acid or lignin-free paper so the photos were starting to deteriorate.  I am slowly moving them onto safe paper and building her an album.

Mom & Dad on their Honeymoon

Memories are an important part of our lives.  They tell the story of how we became who we are, and we can better understand that from looking at our past.  Old letters, photographs, newspaper clippings, the family Bible and other mementos help us recall our past and the history of our family and community.  All of these things are subject to decay and destruction if not properly cared for.

Over the next few posts, we will explore which items are important and how to preserve them.  And remember, I am here to help you with this process.  If you find that photos and the stories are important but don't have the time to create the album, this is where I come in.  Click my tab at the top to see how I can become your personal memory keeper.

Get Your Photos Off Your Computer & Into A Scrapbook

Picture taking has never been easier!  We have our digital cameras, I-phones, and I-pads!  The ability to digitally capture a moment or memory is available at our fingertips 24/7.  I looked in my iPhoto program and I have over 6,000 photos!  Wow - I really had no idea that I've had that many.  Can you imagine what 6,000 printed photos would look like??

It would truly be overwhelming.  Decluttering our photo program is another topic for another time, and I want to focus today on preserving the memories from your best photos.  So, where do you start?  Here are 3 tips from Rebecca Ludens, Scrapbook Expert:

1.  Choose Only the Best

Choose only the best. You do not need every photo on your scrapbook pages. Think about looking at this album 10 years from now. Which photos will remind you of the moment or event. Select only clear photos that tell the story or show the emotion. Look for photos that include close-ups, that do not have distracting background images, and that tell the story from a unique angle.  You may find that you have just one special photo that you want to highlight on a scrapbook page.

My First Half-Marathon

2.  Pick a Focal Point Photo

Pick a focal point. Once you have selected the group of photos that you will be using for your scrapbook page layout, select one photo that will be the focal point of the scrapbook page.  If you have a clear focal point photo, your scrapbook page will feel anchored. It will have a place for the reader’s eye to rest as she takes in the full story of the layout.

Notice the top photo is off center to draw attention

3.  Print Your Selections

Print your selections.  Now it is time to print your photos. Consider these two ideas:
1) If the paper that you have selected to go with your theme is overpowering or busy, you may want to print your photos in black and white.

2) You may want to print your focal point photo larger than the rest of the photographs to make sure that it is clear where the focal point is on the page. I frequently print my focal point photo as a 4x6 inch print and then print the rest of the photos a 2x3 inch prints (two per 4x6 inch page). You may also consider cropping some of the photos to be smaller in size.

If your photos are only on your phone or on your computer, when will your family and friends get to see and enjoy them? Also, when will you add that all important journaling to go with the photos. Print out some of your favorite pictures and scrapbook them today.

Happy Scrapping!

And if you need some supplies, visit my newly established E-bay store:  Create and Scrap.  New supplies added daily!

Scrapfit - a way to stay in shape with your LOs

I just discovered a new blog and wanted to share with everyone. It's Scrapfit and it's a great way to stay in shape with your scrappin'! The blog posts challenges 2 times per month and they have awesome prize packs!



Here's my version of Workout #1:
The challenge was to use water & ink on your layout. The photo is me in Eleuthra, Bahamas during our honeymoon. I'm standing on a rock cliff above the bay. I'm not sure if you can really tell in this photo, but I've inked the edges of the pages. From a sustainability standpoint, I re-used some scraps of paper for my journaling, and re-used scraps of paper for my palm tree.

This challenge is due on the 14th, but stay tuned for their 2nd challenge for the month of August!

Scraps of me!

Wow - a whole week went by and I didn't post anything. I just don't know where the time goes! I apologize for that.

In the meantime, I did work on a layout for me this past week. It's something that I'm trying to do since I spend the majority of my time working the business, I forget about my own personal scrapping.

In the recent issue of Memory Makers magazine, (and if you are reading it too don't forget about the 10% discount you'll receive if you order from the store!) the Reader Idea Gallery focused on honoring yourself by scrapping a page in honor of yourself. So, I looked through it, and while I didn't scraplift a layout, I was struck by Jennifer Armentrout's layout of her addiction to keeping scraps.

I looked down beneath my desk and saw the shoebox. You know the one - filled with pieces of paper. "Why do I keep this paper?", I thought. It struck me - because my Mom never allowed us to waste things growing up. There is always a practical use for everything. Mom didn't realize she was ahead of her time in the greening of our environment.

So, I came up with this layout - in honor of Mom:

The journaling reads: "Don't waste." my Mom always told me! So in a nice shoebox from my DH, I have all my scraps - big pieces, little pieces, funky shaped pieces. I have them all! And I use them. Mom always gives good advice!!