Frequently Asked Questions

How do my photos need to be organized?

Can I include memorabilia in my scrapbook?

What is journaling?

Can I see the layouts before they are completed?

When can I expect my album to be completed?

What if I don’t live in the Twin Cities?

Why is acid and lignin-free so important in preserving my photos?

How do my photos need to be organized?

If you have a particular album in mind, (ex. Baby’s 1 st year, wedding photos, etc.) look through your pictures that pertain to that event, or person and bring them to our consultation. If you find this process a bit overwhelming let me know, depending on how many photos you have taken over the years you may have quite a few and I can help by offering photo organization. At our consultation we will go through your photos and decide together what size and design style would be best. At that time I will make any important notes that you would like me to keep in mind about your likes, favorite colors and so forth. I will also need to know which pictures you would not wanted cropped or permanently adhered to the layouts. There are options that we can discuss to allow you to remove and replace the pictures on the layouts, so that will not be a problem.

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Can I include memorabilia in my scrapbook?

Yes, you can. They play an important part in telling your story that you captured in the photos. Memorabilia or newspaper articles that are not photo-safe will either be photocopied onto acid-free paper and you keep the original, or they will be sprayed with archival spray designed to make paper acid-free and preserve them for years to come. We will discuss based on thickness and size what will be the best way to include them in your album.

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What is journaling?

It is a way to tell the story of the event or person that the pictures alone can’t express. As you’re going through your photos think about what you want to remember from those pictures. Did something make you smile when you went through them, or is there someone or someplace that you loved and never want to forget? I can provide a spot for you to journal your thoughts and important details from these pictures. I will provide you with an archival safe pen to complete your album in your own handwriting. If you would like to have your journaling typed, then you can provide me with the text via email.

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Can I see the layouts before they are completed?

I will e-mail you pictures of the first couple of layouts to be sure that they are what you had in mind. At that time if you would like to make changes, we can make them quickly and make sure we are both in agreement on the remaining pages. My goal is to create for you an album that will capture your memories or provide the loved one you are giving it to a life long memory.

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When can I expect my album to be completed?

It will depend on how many photographs, the size and detail of the album you want. A 12 x 12 album with 20 pages can take anywhere from 4 -6 weeks. Smaller albums can be completed in a shorter time frame. We will discuss a time line at our consultation.  

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What if I don’t live in the Twin Cities?

We will do the planning and consultation via e-mail, instant messenger or phone. You can send me your photos either by mail or through e-mail and I will complete your album and ship it to you. Shipping and handling charges will apply.

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Why is acid and lignin-free so important in preserving my photos?

Acid is used in paper manufacturing to break apart the wood fibers and the lignin which holds them together. If acid remains in the pages, it can react chemically with photograpghs and acelerate their deterioration. Over time, acid breaks paper fibers down, causing the paper to deteriorate and become brown and brittle. Acid free products have pH factor of 7.0 or above. It's important that all materials (glue, pens, paper, etc.) used in albums or scrapbooks be acid-free.

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