Scrapbooking Glossary
- What is Scrapbooking?
- Scrapbooking is the art of compiling your family photos together and creating a wonderful family keepsake album for generations to come. It is so important to not store your pictures in shoeboxes, drawers and most importantly albums that are full of ACID such as magnetic and pocket page type albums!
- Acid
- Acid is a substance in many papers that eventually causes the paper to crumble to dust. It is the acidic action on the fibers of the paper that causes it to weaken and fall apart. The less purified paper is, it is more likely to contain a higher amount of acid.
- Acid-Free
- Paper that contains no acid and has a pH level of 7.0 or greater. Special precautions are made when manufacturing the paper to eliminate any active acid that might be present in the paper pulp. But unless the paper manufacturer buffers the paper with a neutralizing substance it is not considered completely acid- free. (Newsprint is 98% acid free and we all know how newspapers turn yellow over time ~ the 2% does count! Make sure you use 100% acid-free paper)
- Acid Migration
- The transfer of acid from an acidic material to a less acidic material or pH neutral material. Acid always migrates to neutral materials. Neutral does not migrate to acid materials. Acid migration can occur when two materials are in intimate contact. It is recommended to use page protectors on your album pages to prevent acid migration from happening, especially when displaying high acid memorabilia in your album.
- Archival Quality
- This term has been used and abused by many companies since the scrapbooking "craze" began. Be careful and when purchasing products that say "Archival Quality" but no where on the packaging does it state acid free, lignin free.
- Cropping
- Allows you to cut unknown subjects or unnecessary background out of a photograph. Cropping allows you to fit more photos on an album page and gives you a clearer focus on the subject of the photo.
- Journaling
- Journaling is writing about family memories and personal stories. This is the most important thing you could do in your family keepsake album. Writing and telling family stories is so important for our children and many generations to come. It is the journaling that we do in our albums that becomes a treasure for everyone to read.
- Lignin
- Lignin is the substance found in tree pulp that causes paper to turn brown. It is becoming more common that acid free paper is lignin free as well. Lignin is commonly found in newspaper.
- Pigma
- A brand name of ink used in Sakura brand pens. The Pigma ink is fade resistant and water-proof and takes on the pH level of the paper.
- Pigment
- Pigment states that the ink is colored and does not mean that the ink takes on the same characteristics as Pigma ink. It does not mean that it is considered safe.
- pH Level
- Acid is rated on a scale from 0-14. A substance that has a pH level of 0 is very acidic and one with a pH of 14 is alkaline.
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
- A common plastic, but harmful when used as an album page. PVC releases a chlorine gas that attacks photographic images, causing the photos to fade and discolor prematurely.
