| If you've ever wondered how scrapbooks began | | | | Jefferson, the politician, were both avid |
| you're not alone. Most people are familiar | | | | scrapbookers. They kept close journals, |
| with the photo album and understand that once | | | | records, and details of their lives by |
| the camera enabled people to have their own | | | | creating scrapbooks that displayed personal |
| photos, these photos were stored and | | | | memorabilia. |
| organized in a sensible manner. However, | | | | |
| scrapbooks are a bit more detailed than photo | | | | Not only is scrapbooking a step above the |
| albums. Scrapbooks also contain other | | | | traditional family photo album, scrapbooks |
| information, documents, text, and images than | | | | are also very popular for those who are |
| mere photographs. In fact, the art of | | | | involved in genealogy. In the past, these |
| scrapbooking includes using other items that | | | | scrapbooks were referred to as memory books, |
| are appropriate for the subject and | | | | and they were used to document family |
| displaying them in a creative and beautiful | | | | journeys across generations. It was only |
| manner. Scrapbooks are much more than photo | | | | logical that these books would contain |
| albums. They have the ability to tell a | | | | personal information to help explain the |
| story, and are comparable to journals with | | | | nature of each memorabilia that was included. |
| photos. They are true memory books and are | | | | |
| very sentimental. I'm sure you've heard the | | | | Scrapbooks offer many more advantages than |
| saying, "Every picture tells a story," well, | | | | traditional photo albums. The way scrapbooks |
| scrapbooks provide the room to "tell the | | | | are displayed, the ability to create books |
| story" alongside the photo. | | | | with themes, and the ability to pour out your |
| | | | own creativity, heart, and soul into your |
| The inherent wonder and beauty of scrapbooks | | | | scrapbook is a benefit not provided with |
| is found in the fact that generations may not | | | | photo albums. |
| only view the photos as they would in a | | | | |
| family photo album, but have a theme, style, | | | | Another important aspect of scrapbooking is |
| and journalized information to help explain | | | | that old photos that are in traditional photo |
| the photos as well. Since scrapbooks are | | | | albums are often displayed in paper that |
| often customized and designed according to a | | | | contains acid. Over a period of years, this |
| theme, it makes it much simpler and more | | | | paper deteriorates and leaves the photos to |
| organized for readers to understand what was | | | | become damaged. It is imperative that old |
| taking place in each photo. | | | | photos are removed from these albums and |
| | | | displayed in safe, acid free binders or |
| However, what may be interesting to realize, | | | | papers. Many people are choosing to replace |
| is that scrapbooking is in fact older than | | | | photo albums with scrapbooks to not only |
| photo albums. Before there were cameras and | | | | protect their sentimental photos, but to |
| family photos, there were news clippings, | | | | combine them with journaling and other |
| magazine stories, drawings, notes, and | | | | important memorabilia. The popularity of |
| memorabilia. These items were often arranged | | | | scrapbooking continues to rise as more people |
| and displayed in books and the art of | | | | discover the benefits and advantages of using |
| scrapbooking was formed. It is said that | | | | scrapbooks as compared to photo albums. |
| both Mark Twain, the writer, and Thomas | | | | |