Heritage Scrapbooking Products

What are you going to do with the dozens of family photographs you’ve unearthed in your family history research? Don’t file them away or paste them hastily into an album. A family heritage scrapbook, complete with journaling about ancestors and explanations of family relationships, is a loving way to preserve your family’s unique story. Here are four of our favorite heritage scrapbooking products to get you started:

Your one-of-a-kind family photos deserve an extra-special home such as Westrim Crafts’ strap-hinge albums. Plastic straps in the binding (concealed by a removable spine cover) slip through hinges on each page. Choose from leather or gold-bordered linen covers in 12×12-, 81/2 x11- or 7×51/2-inch sizes and several colors. Each album comes with 10 sheets (20 pages) of acid-free paper, and they’re expandable so you can add pages as you discover more ancestors. Prices range from $13 to $35. (800) 727-2727, www.westrimcrafts.com.

Old-fashioned black-and-white photos call for a classic-looking scrapbook page. Enter Provo Craft deckle-edge scissors. The timeless pattern, which resembles the edges of the finest stationery, adds just the right touch to photo mats or color photocopies of old letters, marriage certificates and other documents. Deckle-edge scissors cost $1.99. (800) 563-8679.

Paper Pizazz Big Memory Mats by Hot Off the Press let you create a beautiful page quickly without cutting your photos. Just cut out the mat openings, mount the mat on cardstock and slip your photos between the papers. The 12×12-inch acid-free papers have floral and holiday-themed embellishments and space for journaling, and cost $5.95 for 16. (503) 266-9102, www.craftpizzaz.com.

You know the value of adding names and dates to all your scrapbook pages, and Mrs. Grossman’s paper company has a lovely way to do it. Paper Whispers labels (starting at 25 cents each) are acid-free stickers with laser-cut lacy edges that look just right on wedding and baby pages and with formal portraits. Or use the metallic gold laser-cut letters for a striking title page. (800) 457-4570, www.mrsgrossmans.com.