How to Create a Photo Memory Book

Grandparents have a lifetime of memories to share and leave for all future generations to come. Creating a photo memory book filled with photographs and memorabilia of life and family of the past, as a legacy for all future generations to come. Its' creation can have a two fold effect- filling you with vivid memories {while creating it}, and sharing 'those memories'-with family members now and with those who may not as yet been born.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Scrapbook or album
• Sheets of album pages
• Acid-free note paper
• Double sided tape
• Photos

1. 
    
   Family past

   Gather all family photos including those from generations past. Check out old shoe boxes or unused suitcases that might hold old pictures. Ask family members for old pictures of their family members. Scan or make copies of all that would be appropriate to be added to your family album. If you don't own a scanner, your local photo shop can complete this process for you.

2. 
    
   Age yellows

   Sort by year, date and family names. Create a file, either in your computer or file cabinet. Repair those that might have been folded, or those that are yellow with age. Attach a sticky paper next to those pictures and mark down further facts or data that might further identify the era or specific family member.

3. 
    
   Ticket memories

   Locate other memorabilia from years past, such as the books you read and houses and cars you lived in or a memorable book of matches, a theater billfold, theater tickets or a picture of you at a dance. Pictures are like puzzles, the more you find, the easier it is to put the pictures together, and the more you can share about your life as it was growing up. Date and add each recently located old memory item to the already created picture file.

4. 
    
   Album viewed

   Consider creating (also or instead), a photo memory book that comes alive with music and voice. Select any one of the many album creation programs available online (see Resources below). Computer generated memory books can be copied on a CD, printed or sent electronically to each family member to keep, copy and share with generations to come.

Tips & Warnings

• Photographs that might be discolored can be restored. Ask at any photo store in your vicinity. Add names to a photograph by sticking acid-free note paper to the back of a photo, found at most scrapbooking stores.
• Pictures in a photo memory book, might, in time, turn yellow or fade.

Resources

• Create a photo memory book at Shutterfly
• Try Lifephotos

[photogiftgal]

on 9/15/2009 I'm a fan of the online photo memory books -- they can be either hardcover or softcover, with a photo cover jacket or not. I believe they'll hold up over the long haul of being passed down to family members.

If you have memorabilia items like matchbooks, theatre tickets or programs, you can simply take closeup photos of them for inclusion in your online book. If you run across a pair of great-grandma's lace gloves or an old hat, just take a good closeup photo and incorporate it into the photos from that era. These can bring a new dimension to an online photo memory book.

tish
http://simplephotogifts.com