Wedding Albums

This custom scrapbook shown above is a perfect way to showcase either your photographers pictures or pictures your family and friends took of your special day. While this example is made for weddings and is a 9x9 it can be customized for any occasion with any colors. I can leave spaces for your pictures like the sample or you can provide me with the pictures and I will place them in the album. I can also provide as much or as little space for journaling as you would like. This preserves the story for your family and friends.

This slideshow does not adequately show the quality of the album and papers. Please contact me at mebfalcon@yahoo.com or 402-990-5631 to make an appointment to see it for yourself.

As a special offer these 9x9 custom scrapbooks will be value priced at $275 until September 30, 2009. If you would prefer a larger size the 12 x 12 albums will be $400. All prices include a high quality Close To My Heart album, page protectors, paper and embellishments similar to the sample. All products are acid and lignin free to guarantee they will last for generations to come.

Show those pictures

As you can tell I love scrapbooks. I love how they tell a story for future generations to enjoy. I also love to display my pictures throughout my home and office. I just completed this frame for this family photo that was just taken while we were on our first cruise. Just looking at it will
remind me of how much fun we had. You may be surprised how displaying your pictures can make you so happy.

Other great gift idea....

I want to show you this new box I just made for my cousin. She had a baby and I thought this would be a great place for her to save all of the little keepsakes, hospital items, special cards, first lock of hair etc. It is all acid and lignin free so she could even save favorite photos in here. It is made of study material and has a magnetic closure. This would be great as the packaging for a gift, decorate the box then fill it with baby items. It could be made for any birthday present as well. I made a second one to save my son's high school memorabilia. Please contact me if you are interested in learning how to decorate your own box or if you would like me to make one for you.

Photos make great gifts

I'm pretty sure you can't name five people you know that don't like pictures. Pictures bring back a feeling (usually positive) and make you remember a happy time. The possibilities are endless.....Here is a sample of a memory cube that I made. This cube can be decorated in any fashion and makes a great decoration for an office or table in your home. You could even decorate them for different holidays...think of Christmas paper with pictures of your kids ffrom previous Christmas mornings. How fun would that be! The cube is from Close To My Heart and is white and can be decorated in any fashion. Contact me if you are interested in making your own or having me make one for you.

Who are these people....

It's so important to identify who is in your pictures. You might think you'll remember (and maybe you will) but someday it could be your child or other family member sorting through your pictures and have no idea what they should keep and what they can toss. I've been there. I remember going through a large box of my parents' photos. Most had no names which made it so difficult. It was great when they were marked because I saw baby pictures of relatives that I've only known as adults and knew if a photo should be kept or tossed. I wonder how many important pictures I threw away because I didn't know if it was important or not. When writing on the back of photos, only use a special photo marking pen or pencil available at your local scrapbook store.

How do I preserve my pictures?

The last two posts talked about the importance of getting our pictures off the computer and out of bad albums. Once they are printed you need to keep them in a way that will help them last many years.

The following information from archiversonline.com , while rather lengthy, gives a lot of good information. In a nutshell keep them in acid and lignin free boxes or albums and keep them in the main part of the house, not the basement or attic. Anything that touches or is even close to the photos should be acid and lignin free.


Keep Cool & Dry
Besides exposure to light, heat and humidity are the biggest threats to your images. Increased temperature escalates the rate of deterioration of a photo. As a general rule the life span of a photo is doubled for every 10-degree drop in storage temperature. High levels of humidity encourage the growth of microorganisms, which attack the emulsion of a photograph. Fluctuating levels of temperature and humidity can cause expansion and contraction of the emulsion and paper of your photographs, which results in cracks and flaking. A simple rule is to store your photos in the main living areas of your house. Upper floors and attics can be too warm, while basements can be too humid.


Protect & Preserve
Be sure to handle your photographs with care to prevent fingerprints, scratches, folds, ink stains and other damage. Whenever possible, wash your hands before touching a photograph. Also avoid letting your photos come in contact with items such as paper clips, rubber bands, and staples. Storing your photographs in archival boxes or photo albums and scrapbooks will also keep them safe from environmental contaminants. Air pollution, smoke, dust, and gases from paints and cleanings supplies can all cause degradation of photographs.


The Right Tools
Unfortunately, if not done properly, the very act of organizing and protecting your treasured photographs can end up accelerating the aging process. The use of inferior grade products not designed for the long-term preservation of photos can cause irreversible damage. Some albums and pages are made with plastics that emit gasses that can cause photo deterioration. Adhesives used to manufacture albums or to mount photographs can also be a problem. Any paper product near photographs should be both acid and lignin free. Pens and ink used for photo identification purposes may be acidic, and can bleed, stain or even fade away. Before purchasing photo storage supplies do your research, use only products that have been tested for image permanence. Photo albums with magnetic pages are the most detrimental to your photographs.