| After putting in all the time and effort into researching | | | | book. Then the next page should hold the oldest |
| your family tree, at some stage you will want to show | | | | documents you have. Always include, full names, dates |
| off all the work you have done. One of the best ways | | | | and the locations that people lived in. One of the most |
| to do this is to scrapbooking. Using a scrapbook works | | | | enjoyable aspects of genealogy is talking to your older |
| very well firstly it protects all of your work from being | | | | relatives about their families, you will often find |
| lost or damaged. Secondly it give you a nice way to | | | | interesting facts out about your family that you didn't |
| flip through and examine all your hard work. | | | | know. Most of this comes just by word of mouth, don't |
| A family tree scrap book is no different from any | | | | worry about it, just because there is no documentary |
| other form of scrap book. When you start out, pick a | | | | evidence that some event took place it doesn't |
| strong sturdy book, obviously this should be large | | | | prevent you putting it in the scrap book does it. If a |
| enough to hold all the information you intend to gather, | | | | story is good print it out and attach it to your layout. |
| in fact I would get a book that was a bit bigger. | | | | The structure of the pages after this is a matter of |
| Alternatively find a book you can add pages to. This | | | | personal choice. It is often dependent on the family that |
| will allow you to add further information that predates | | | | you are researching. If you start with your mother's |
| the facts you have already collected. One of the | | | | great grand mother, you may wish to continue with |
| beauties of scrapbooking your family tree is your | | | | that side of the family through all the generations to |
| family can add to the book in the years ahead, it can | | | | your mother. You can then repeat this process with |
| be turned into a priceless heirloom. The best way to | | | | your father's side. Alternatively you may want to |
| arrange a scrapbook is, like a photo album, in | | | | structure it so that everything is in time and date order |
| chronological order, oldest at the front, newest at the | | | | and intertwines both families at the same time. It really |
| back. | | | | is personal choice. |
| In your enthusiasm to start don't forget to spend a little | | | | There are several important guidelines to follow when |
| time working out the layout of the pages. Your layout | | | | putting your family scrapbook together. Each pages |
| should contain pictures, birth, death or marriage | | | | should only hold one person or couple. All dates and |
| certificates, each should have a label attached. | | | | names should be clearly visible and legible, I would |
| Organise everything before you start putting them in | | | | recommend printed or typed labels. Most importantly |
| your scrapbook. Get those documents, photographs, | | | | of all, invest a lot of time, effort and patience when |
| awards, medals and whatever else you plan to put in | | | | completing the scrapbook. It can be an every growing |
| your book, in some semblance of an order. The very | | | | heirloom that can last for generations. |
| first page should have a description of what is in the | | | | |