Preserving the Family Heritage

Several years ago after a family had buried the husband and father, the mother called the children together in the living room to go over the day's events.

She brought out two books... one for each of her children... containing birth announcements, school pictures, grade cards, pictures of friends-everything up to the present time.

Such a treasure to share! Although the children had not known about thebooks, the mother had preserved the past as a heritage for her children. The excitement of that moment offset the sadness of the day.

One of the most popular crafts today is scrapbooking. Both men and women are actively participating in capturing memories as a heritage to pass on to their families.

Getting Started
Sort your pictures. Shoe boxes or large, plastic zipper bags make excellent containers.

Choose a theme such as school, vacations, sweethearts, music lessons, sports, birthdays, family reunions, etc., and sort accordingly.

Invest in a few basic scrapbooking tools such as punches, scissors, tape, markers, paper, and stickers. Select acid-free supplies and albums for your scrapbooks. (Most local scrapbook supply stores offer classes to help you get started.)

Find a friend who is already into scrapbooking. Get together and get started. (There are great idea books on the market.)

If possible, set up a table where you can scrapbook; and as you have a few minutes, work on a page or two. It is surprising how much you can do in 30 minutes.

If you have other friends with whom you can scrapbook, set specific times to get together and work on your projects and share ideas with each other.

Put your name or initials on your scrapbooking materials and share punches, scissors, etc., so you have more choices as a group.

Visit your local scrapbook supply store frequently to find new items and get ideas.

Take pictures. Plan ahead and keep a camera handy for candid shots to use in your albums.

Remember that every snapshot has possibilities. Dress up old black and white photos with bright colored paper in the background.

Scrapbooking can be fun, and the results can be a lifetime treasure for those you love.

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