Why can't I keep my photos in my old photo album?
Many old photo albums are the magnetic variety with the plastic pages that pull back to reveal lines of glue for you to stick your photographs to and adhere the plastic page back in place over the photos. Over the years acid causes the glue to yellow and the photos to become discolored or deteriorated. Old albums may not be made of photo-safe material and be acid and lignin-free.

What is acid and lignin-free?
Acid is a chemical agent used during the manufacturing of paper that causes paper and photos to deteriorate. This disintegration can be slowed considerably when acid is removed from paper during the manufacturing process. Lignin is the agent that holds wood fibers together in a tree. Newspaper has a high lignin content and you will notice that it becomes brittle and starts to yellow after only a few days. Lignin can also be removed during the manufacturing process to make scrapbooking paper safe.

Does this mean that I cannot include newspaper articles in my scrapbook?
Of course not! Photos in the Attic can include your newpaper articles and other memorabilia that are not photo-safe in your album by photocopying the article onto acid-free paper or by spraying the items with an archival spray designed to make newspaper clippings and other paper products acid-free and extend the life of the item.

Do I need to organize my photos?
You should group similar photos together and put them into labeled envelopes prior to our consultation. This will make the process much faster. You and I will go over each photo at the initial consultation and I will make notes on important information about each photo and whether or not the photo can be adhered permanently in the album or cropped to take out any background noise.

What is journaling and who provides it?
Journaling is the story that your pictures tell and is one of the most important, if not the most important, aspect of your album. It is a written account of the event in the photos including names, dates, places, etc. I will leave space on each page and provide a permanent, acid-free black marker for you to do your own journaling. Your grandchildren and great grandchildren will appreciate reading the stories in your won handwriting. Photos in the Attic can do computer-generated journaling for you at an additional cost. You will need to provide the who, what, when, where, why, and how of each group of photos and any other stories that you want included.

Can I see some of the pages of my scrapbook before it is completed?
Of course! I will e-mail you copies of the first couple of layouts to be sure that I am designing your pages the way you envisioned. At that time we can discuss any changes to the design or layout. My number one priority is designing an album that you will absolutely love and be happy to show your family and friends!

How long will it take to complete my scrapbook?
This will depend on how many photographs and the level of detail you want in your album. We will go over this at your initial consultation. Normally, a 20 page 12x12 album will take about 6 weeks to complete although this will depend on the complexity of the layout design.

How do I pay for my scrapbook album?
Photos in the Attic accepts cash, personal checks, money orders and cashier's checks for the payment of your album. One half will be due at the time of contract signing to pay for supplies for your album and the remaining balance will be due when your album is delivered.