best way to remember?

[purple_hippo]

My grandmother passed away a couple of months ago and, as my grandfather had already passed away and my mum is an only child, we have inherited a vast amount of old photos, documents etc and I'm the only one who seems really interested in them at the moment.
I'd love to put together some sort of album/scrapbook/tribute for my mum/the family but I'm not sure what to do and how to go about it.
Here's what I have to work with:
* photos - heaps!
* memories - mine and a 20-odd page letter my mum's uncle wrote and sent from overseas
* documents and paperwork - including passports, my grandfather's army paperwork and more
* old cards, letters etc
* lots of family recipes (and btw many need translating - anyone here speak fluent dutch?)
any help is great!

[monstergirl]

What a great way to pay tribute to your family. What I'd suggest:

1. Divide your stuff into piles (recipes, letters, etc), and try to group your photos roughly by year (1900s, 10s, 20s, etc). Get help with grouping the photos, and I reccomend keeping a little notebook handy to jot down any info family members give you (Oh, that was our first car...etc). These groupings can become 'chapters' of your scrapbook, *OR* you can use the chronology to group similar items together (granddad in the service with his letters home together, family pics with recipes, etc).

2. Check out "Simple Scrapbooks" (they're on the web, i think it's http://www.simplescrapbookmag.com but I'm not sure; google it and you'll get the link); they have a "formula" for planning a scrapbook with a theme, and you can get ideas for cover page, inserts, etc.

3. Search the web and/or check out Memory Makers/Creating Keepsakes/Simple Scrapbooks for "Heritage" page ideas. That's how I'd scrap all the memoribilia, and this will give you ideas for page design, colors, embellishments, etc.

If you don't already scrapbook, make sure you:
**Do not crop these photos unless absolutely necessary. You probably can't get reprints, and you may inadvertently cut someone/thing important out of the frame. For heritage photos, its all important.
 
And, make sure you invest in some simple, archival materials (black ink pen, adhesive squares/photo corners, acid/lingin free papers and cardstock). With that you can put together the bare-bones of the scrapbook. You may also want to purchase some archival spray, that will keep the papers from crumbling away from age (but check manu. directions and test a little corner first...!) An initial outlay of about $15 can get you started with a very simple book.

Hope this info helps you; I'm not sure how much scrapping experience you have; I've made several scrapbooks for friends, for myself, etc etc. I'd keep it simple at first, get to know the options out there and not go wild with embellishments, and develop a plan for what you want the book to look like.

Good luck, and please post your progress!
peace
monstergirl

[purple_hippo]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Any ideas are welcome.
I had thought of doing something vaguely chronological (pre-war/post-war/coming to Australia etc) but then there were things like recipes which fit nowhere. And then it was the case of do I scrapbook or make a "book" (with photo pages in it), that I can print, bind etc (ie using copies of the photos). Maybe a scrapbook too? It's going to be a huge project! *Sighs* I'll keep you posted though!

[monstergirl]

Yeah, no matter where you start it always looks insurmountable. Just take it step by step, and the ideas will come to you as you work on it.

If you're thinking of making multiple books (ie, copies for your family...is that what you're thinking of when you say binding, etc?) you can always color photocopy the pages and have them bound together, or use a digital photo program (scan in pages or just the pictures and memorabilia, put the book together then print out); there are online services that will make bound books out of your digital media, for a price.

Again, good luck!
peace
monstergirl

[ilonavg]

Fluent Dutch over here.

[purple_hippo]

thanks, if it's okay, I might PM you when I finally get some of the stuff scanned in. 

[ilonavg]

thanks, if it's okay, I might PM you when I finally get some of the stuff scanned in. 

Yes, of course. Looking forward to help you out!

[RERose]

when my aunt was moving we found huge boxes of all my grandmothers old slides, photos and 8mm films.  i made digital scrap books (pretty much scrap book pages turned into dvd menus, and where  some pictures would be, plays movies) for my family for one christmas, but my families HUGE (my moms got 16 siblings) so it actually has become a series done by decade burned unto dvds, with supliments as more things are found in more attics.

[purple_hippo]

wow, i dont know if I'd have the technology for that! sounds awesome though. I could do a master copy with the originals and a scanned cd to mail to family overseas....