Choosing the Right Scrapbooking Paper Is Crucial in Protecting Your Memories
Imagine the time and care that you have put into you're your scrapbooking projects to ensure that you have your precious memories put together to last for a lifetime, and then years later discovering your beloved memories have deteriorated. I know that is a painful predicament to imagine, but it something that is very likely to happen to many people who have scrap-booked without using the correct paper to preserve their memories and hard work.
Paper used in creating scrapbooks should be special acid free papers which will not harm the photos and other memorabilia put into them. As a matter of fact, you should always check the label of your supplies to be certain that they are photo safe materials. Creating Keepsakes is a national magazine which has approved certain paper types and materials, and you should look for the CK-OK emblem on the supplies you use to insure they are safe for your photos.
Photo safe papers have the acids removed while they are being manufactured. The natural acids which occur in paper products will cause photos and other paper products to deteriorate rather quickly over time. This will result in ruined memories which were thought to be forever. One thing that you should remember is that the human hands also release an acid, so while handling the scrapbooking materials you should always keep skin contact to a minimum. The acids found in your hands can cause otherwise acid free paper to cause damage to the project over time. It is advised that you invest in a pH testing pen to test the paper products before you use them.
Another type of scrapbooking paper you may want to look into using is lignin free paper. Lignin is a natural element found in fibers of wood which promote bonding, and is found in newspapers. Lignin has the tendency to cause paper to quickly turn yellow and turn very brittle. You should avoid using any supplies which may contain lignin. One of the ways that people unwittingly ruin their scrapping project is that they use original newspaper clippings in their projects. Instead of using the original clipping, you should always just make copies onto photo safe paper and use it in your project.
One easy way to be sure you are getting photo safe materials is to not scrimp on the costs of your scrapbooking supplies. By purchasing top quality scrapping supplies, you are virtually guaranteed to get photo safe materials which will not ruin you precious memories. You can find plenty of photo-appropriate paper supplies online, as well as the larger hobby and craft outlets.
