Creative Albums group crafts scrapbooks

By JILL SHERMAN, DAILY SUN

THE VILLAGES — Jo Anne Gerhardt needed help. She found the perfect place to get it.

“I have a whole bedroom filled with pictures,” said Gerhardt, a Village of Liberty Park resident. “I am coming here to learn what I need to have to (make a scrapbook).”

Her heart raced as Gerhardt walked excitedly into Canal Street Recreation Center on Wednesday. She was greeted warmly by Jan Turner of the Creative Albums group, and the two women seemed to become instant friends.

“It seems you never meet a stranger,” said Turner, a Village of Mallory Hill resident, “in scrapbooking.”

It would be important for Gerhardt to get her pictures organized. Turner said it is always best to start with current pictures. Gerhardt’s first scrapbook could merely showcase photographs, or it could be given a theme and embellished with pretty papers and cutouts.

Either way, some journaling — the recording of at least names and dates — should be done.

“If you have some information,” Turner said, “it’s going to be meaningful to the next generation. It’s all a matter of heritage and preserving our memories.”

Some details in the journaling always add a nice touch.

“Don’t just write the date and place,” Village of Chatham resident Barbara Howard said. “Write your feelings.”

Turner discussed some of the most basic supplies needed for scrapbooking: buffered pages that are acid-free and lignen-free, and photo-safe adhesives for pictures. Protective sleeves help keep pages in pristine condition.

There was no way of telling what type of scrapbook Gerhardt would make; she would have to examine her organized pictures and go from there. For a themed scrapbook, Turner suggested making a Villages A-Z scrapbook — she had made one and other album makers were doing the same.

Making scrapbooks for family members is also an excellent idea. Turner crafted her first scrapbook 12 years ago when her oldest grandson graduated from college.

“When people receive scrapbooks,” Turner said, “it’s like a prized possession.”

The Creative Albums scrapbooking group meets at 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays at Canal Street Recreation Center. Call Jan Turner at 205-8487 for information. Visit districtgov.org/images/ClubsListing.pdf for contact information about additional Villages scrapbooking groups. Scroll down to “Scrapbooking.”

Jill Sherman is a reporter with the Daily Sun. She can be contacted at 753-1119, ext. 9253, or jill.sherman@thevillagesmedia.com.