Learn More About Scrapbook Photo Album

An effective way of keeping photographs is by organizing it in a photo album and this is great but if you want to add a little twist you can make a scrapbook photo album. This may be time consuming compared to stacking the photos in an album but admit it, this is more fun and you can add your own taste and style in keeping your photos. Creating a scrapbook is priceless because it is done by you and every minute you spend in making the scrapbook is precious not only because you have exerted so much effort into making it more "personal" but also because you have added love into it.

• Gather all materials for the scrapbook making like special paper, scissor, stickers, ribbons and colored pencils. Make sure that you are using an acid-free paper to prevent damaging the pictures.
• Make a theme or a timeline when making your scrapbook photo album. Example, if you decide to display your photos on your wedding day make sure that you have stickers, printouts or special paper that coincide with the wedding theme. You can also include your wedding invitations, little souvenirs and wedding gift cards given by the guests in your scrapbook.
• Avoid using newspaper clippings with your photos instead have it photocopied using an acid-free special paper. Remember that some newspapers and magazines can damage a photograph because of the acid content of the paper.

Pictures can be ones window from the past and the one thing that is of concern to all of us is how to make photos last longer. There are so many products available in the market these days that can help prolong the life of a photograph. Consider, for example, a photo mat. It may seem a very simple construction of paper or wood but it is actually very helpful in protecting your photos and the picture frame. Many don't realize how important it is to make use of a photo mat because they do not know the importance of this innovation.

Printed paper is best used as an accent rather than a background, as it's often "busy" and your photos may not show up well on it

You can also use an acid-free photo albums, many companies already realized that using an acid-free material to store photos is important to keep the pictures in its original state that is why you should make sure that you work with acid-free products with your pictures.

Scrapbooking has skyrocketed to the top of the list of favorite hobbies of Americans. I recently read that there are more scrapbookers than golfers in the United States! Scrapbooking helps you to preserve your memories, organize your photos and perpetuate your family history. Maybe you've decided to jump on the bandwagon, but you have no idea how to get started.

So what supplies do you need to begin scrapbooking? The number of scrapbooking supplies available can be overwhelming to the beginner.

First of all, you need an album. Make sure it's made from archival quality materials. That way it won't harm your precious photographs. There are all kinds of albums, but my favorite is a 12x12 album with clear pages open at the top (called top-loading.) With this kind of album, you make your page on a sheet of 12x12 cardstock and just slip it into the plastic page, which will protect it. There is no need to buy page protectors separately.

Next you'll need paper. Get several colors of plain cardstock. This can serve as backing for your pages as well as paper on which to mat your photos. You may want to invest in some printed paper, too. Printed paper is best used as an accent rather than a background, as it's often "busy" and your photos may not show up well on it.

You need adhesive with which to attach photos and embellishments. I prefer tape runners, which are easy to use and dispense small pre-cut pieces of double-sided tape. Some people like to use glue sticks, squares of double-sided tape or some sort of cement. Just make sure it is photo-safe.

Of course, you need scissors to cut things out. Another great investment that I use constantly is a small paper cutter. Mine cuts paper up to 12x12. I use it to trim photos as well as paper.

The last thing you absolutely have to have is pens. Buy ones that say they are archival quality or photo-safe. You may want both fine-tip and calligraphy-type pens. You'll use these for captions, journaling, and dating pictures.