The same came be said of today's scrapbooks. If you're not using acid free supplies, you are risking having layouts that eventually will show discoloration or stains. But no worries! The following provides everything you need to know about acid free scrapbooking!
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Acid free means that on a scale of 0 to 14, the item has a pH level of 7 or higher. With this level of pH, layouts stand a much better chance of staying intact and not aging.
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Much of what is available on the market today is considered to be acid free. However, you need to read the labels to make sure that the paper is indeed acid free.
By starting with an acid free background, it will help protect your photos, embellishments and other items that you adhere to the paper.
Because acid free paper is more expensive than regular paper, you might want to look for good deals. Joann Fabrics frequently has 10 sheets for a dollar and the large pads of scrapbook paper are often on sale for 40% off at the beginning of each season. Walmart also offers great deals on scrapbook paper.
The American Crafts ph Tester Pen
So what if you already have a big stash of paper and you're not sure if its acid free or not? Well there's a great tool that can help you find out by detecting acid!
The American Crafts ph Tester Pen, such as the one that Amazon sells, contains a specially formulated solution to measure pH levels. You simply draw a short line on the paper and if the line appears blue or lavender then the paper contains a desirable acidity level. However, if the line is yellow or colorless, then the paper shouldn't be used for scrapbooking. This pen is especially handy if you have an older scrapbook, or even a photo album, and you want to find out whether or not your photos are safe from yellowing or deteriorating.
•Acid-free glue sticks. Companies such as Scotch and Elmer's now offer acid-free glue sticks. These are good to use when adhering paper to paper. Although these glue sticks could be used for photos, it's not recommended. Sometimes the glue is lumpy and will cause little bumps behind the photos.
•Acid-free photo corners. To safely adhere photos to your layout, use a product such as Scotch or Lineco photo corners. The photo corners can be placed on two or all four corners of a photo and then adhered to the layout with the self-sticking backs. One nice thing about using photo corners is it allows you to remove a photo if you ever needed to make a copy of it.
• Acid-free tape. Using a tape glider, such as 3M, will allow you to apply a thin, strong line of acid free adhesive that will bond instantly with the materials that it's in contact with. You can also purchase tape squares, but you want to be careful not to handle the sticky part of the squares too much.
• Acid-free scrappy glue. When gluing mixed media, such as glitter, jewels, sequins, buttons, etc., scrappy glue is a super-strong acid free glue. The glue will dry clear which makes it one of the best scrapbooking supplies to keep on hand.
As you know from experience, putting together a cherished scrapbook involves a lot of time, effort, and love. By using acid free materials, your scrapbooks will be able to be passed from one generation to the next, without worrying about yellowing, deteriorating, or brittle pages.
