Clever Additions to Your Scrapbook

Creating a scrapbook takes time and a lot of thought but the rewards are tenfold. Not only do you create a time capsule for later years but scrapbooks make wonderful gifts that friends and family will treasure for a lifetime. Making your memory album stand out from the crowd is a matter of brainstorming items that become clever additions to your scrapbook. Whatever the occasion or event, there are always tangible leftovers such as custom-printed items that will make your scrapbook shine.

Whether you are commemorating a wedding, a christening, a new baby, a graduation or a family reunion, notecards, postcards and even e-mail messages make great additions to your scrapbook. Be sure to mat all the notecards with acid-free cardstock to preserve the integrity of the scrapbook. If you have two or three similar notecards try displaying them together. Show the front of one, the inside of another and the stamped envelope of the third. Always add a note of explanation, dates or names to personalize the notecard display.

Birth announcements, engagement announcements, pregnancy announcements and christening announcements (to name just a few) are perfect additions to a scrapbook. Announcements often represent the very beginning of an event, journey or story so it makes sense to place them at the front or near the front of the album. An announcement always looks best centered in the page and framed with a contrasting color to make it pop. A single sentence at the base of the announcement is enough explanation. Include stamped envelopes and mailing lists on the opposing page from the announcement to add narrative.

Thank you cards are another great addition to the event scrapbook. By sharing the words sent by the event host to friends and family, people can get an idea of the type of gifts or services people provided during the highlighted occasion. It’s nice to include one of the extra custom-printed thank you cards in the album and write a few words to narrate the event. Additional blank printed items are a great way to fill in the gaps in a memory book. Always use acid-free ink when writing in scrapbooks.

Complement handwritten notes in your scrapbook by adding custom-printed stickers. These days custom stickers come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and templates. Consider adding an image to your sticker template to make it even more special. Include details of the event such as dates, statistics, attendees, hosts, etc. on the stickers. Order a few different kinds so you have enough for every page of the album while still offering variety. Use leftover stickers as envelope seals.

Successful scrapbooks contain custom printing, narrative text and embellishments that complement the content. Take your time brainstorming the layout and contents of your scrapbook to ensure it’s as special a keepsake as it can possibly be. A little creativity and time and you will make a gift to treasure for a lifetime.