Scrapbooking Small Heirlooms

Not sure about the smartest way to scrapbook different mementos? Adhere to these guidelines for common heritage-album keepsakes.

• Pressed flowers&#151Enclose in a Mylar sleeve.

• Newspaper clippings&#151Treat with a deacidification spray and encapsulate, or use a color photocopy.

• Letters&#151Treat with deacidification spray. To make both sides readable, place in a separate page protector,in a keepsake pocket, or color copy important passages for display.

• Cards and programs&#151Treat with deacidification spray and place in a keepsake pocket. If you want the inside to be visible, open the card and place a length of ribbon vertically along the inside fold. Then fasten the ribbon to the background paper just above and below the card.

• Polaroids&#151Use color copies.

• Fabrics&#151Encapsulate, color copy or photograph wool or silk items. Hand-stitch other items to your page.

• Coins&#151Place in keepsake pockets. Arrange so they’ll stay in a single, flat layer.

3-D Danger Zone
The “layered look” is popular in scrapbooking these days&#151but certain embellishments can damage photos or attract insects. Employ these items sparingly or avoid them altogether:

If you want to use 3-D embellishments, stick to safe-scrapbooking rules: Don’t let them touch photos. Enclose mementos in plastic sleeves or keepsake pockets, so they don’t harm your pictures, either.