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DIY family photo album design. Master class "Creating a class chronicle"

Instructions

Since the word “chronicle” itself implies the placement of materials about events in chronological order, it is best to conduct it from the very beginning, from the moment when the children first came to this place. Be sure to take a group photo. Indicate the first and last names of everyone, the first and middle names of the teacher. A temporary inscription can be made in pencil on the back.

Create a special folder on your computer where you will put all the materials. It can be called differently. The main thing is that you remember where you have photographs and text files with stories and memories of various events. Even if you draw up your chronicle in an album, such a folder will be very useful to you. You can make several more folders inside, sorting the material and then by events. Don't forget to indicate the date of each event in which the children participated.

Surely your archive will contain photographs taken with both digital and film cameras. Scan regular photos and add them to the appropriate folder. Supplement the archive with scans of children's drawings (for example, if one of the children successfully participated in a competition or exhibition), impressions of events, reviews from parents, etc.

You can create a class chronicle in a large album, just like the mothers and fathers of your students did. It is better to take an album with hard pages. True, even in this case one cannot do without computer technology. It is better to type texts and captions for photographs and then paste them on. You can design both the cover and title page. Of course, if there is a good artist, he can do this with paints or felt-tip pens.

Place your earliest general photograph on the first page. Indicate who is depicted on it. Arrange the remaining photos in chronological order. For example, you can allocate one page of the album for each event. Write at the top what kind of event it was, paste a photo under the title, and place reviews below it.

In some cases, you can limit yourself to just photographs. For example, it is not at all necessary to talk in detail about the concert in which children participated. It is enough to indicate the name and date, and everyone will see the rest in the pictures.

It is very convenient to make an electronic version of the chronicle. Its simplest version is available to absolutely everyone. Type all texts in Word program or another editor with similar functions. Form them into one document, arranging the texts in chronological order. Place marks in the places where you will insert photos. You can do this by selecting part of the text and changing the font color.

Insert photos. This can be done through the “Insert” tab of the main menu. There is an "Image" function. Select the "From File" option. The program will prompt you to select a photo on your computer. Do this, and then through the “Format” tab set the wrapping. This is necessary so that the file does not turn out to be too bulky and so that the pictures do not go away when you format the document.

If you want to know what it might look like DIY family tree book, then carefully read the materials in this publication. After studying the manual, it will not be difficult to independently draw up a family chronicle of the clan, which will be passed on to future generations of the family. Let's divide the process of creating a family heirloom into two main points: the inside of the book and its cover. Take our recommendations responsibly, and then you will be able to fill the book with competent and interesting content. The article is accompanied by several pictures showing templates of the genealogy book (personal sheets). Print them out, fill in the information, and you will have a beautiful design with your own hands.

Let's look at the content first, since it is the content that makes a book valuable, and the cover and design are only additional decorations. You can start compiling a family pedigree with your own hands without conducting genealogy research in the federal archives.

However, with the verification of archival documents and further confirmation of the facts in government institutions, the pedigree book will become more reliable and informative. In addition, searching for ancestors by last name is a fascinating process that you can do with the whole family, which will once again bring your relatives closer together. We draw the attention of readers that below is a list of fundamental sections; if the compiler wishes, they can be expanded with secondary items. You will have to decide for yourself how to prepare a pedigree book with your own hands to suit your needs. And so, the list of sections of the book, according to the site administration, looks like this:

1) Preface of the genealogy book with introductory information;

2) Genealogical terms and special scientific concepts;

3) Origin of names with surnames and geographical names;

4) History of ancestral villages, description of life and everyday life of different generations;

5) A report on the genealogical research of your family;

6) Generational listing of family members, including brothers, sisters and others;

7) Family tree with the location of the relationship diagram on it;

8) List of genealogical sources of information, extracts from archives, photos.

So that the reader understands the publication about how to make a pedigree with your own hands, we will describe the points in detail, paying attention to the nuances of the registration process. Do not confuse the preface of a book with its contents, which should come at the beginning, after the title (front) page. In the introductory part, we suggest placing a text of 1-2 pages, telling, for example, why it is important to know one’s ancestors, why a person needs a pedigree, and what it is. At the same time, the reader will tune in to a certain atmosphere and “failure” into the past by reading a book with the history of the family. Specialists from our family research bureau “Keepers of Family Secrets” have described all thematic materials, so you can easily find comprehensive information in the section with unique articles.

Genealogy, as a science, is replete with specific concepts; not everyone knows what a family tree is, who the godfather, matchmaker, brother-in-law or other relatives are, and who they are to the main person in the pedigree. It is recommended that the terms used in the book be explained in the second section, before the main description of the family history begins, so that the person understands what is being said we're talking about. Here, it would not be amiss to reveal the concepts of classes, for example, about peasants or nobles, if such ancestors were present in past generations of your family who lived during the period of Tsarist Russia. You can clarify the definitions by studying the genealogical directory, a separate section of the Livemem website. High-quality design of a genealogy book with your own hands will allow you to read it in one breath and with a full understanding of what is happening.

How to make a family tree with your own hands - a guide for the book

If you want to write an interesting genealogy book on your own, then place a section on the origin of names and surnames, and explain the history of the emergence of settlements where representatives of the clan lived. There are general and specific principles. We consider common cases when a person inherited a surname from his father’s name. The process looked like this: in a family where Ivan, who had no last name, was the head, children were born. Whose child is it? Son or daughter of Ivanov. There were other ways, for example, formation from the name of the village. Special cases include assignments based on the type of activity. For example, a blacksmith received the surname Kuznetsov when the authorities were puzzled by the issue of more accurately identifying the inhabitants of the country. Of course, one paragraph of a manual about a genealogy book cannot display all the variety of options; to be closer to the essence, you need to analyze a specific surname.

The situation is similar with geographical names, but this point in the genealogy book can be especially interesting, since in the process of studying there is a possibility of coming across information that it was your ancestor who became the founder of this or that village, and perhaps an entire city. The history of surnames and localities can be found in federal archives and local history museums, libraries; some data can also be obtained from the Internet. The choice of instrument is at your discretion, but if you need a true pedigree with your own hands, then turn to reliable historical sources.

When the authors of our bureau prepare genealogical books, the 4th section turns out to be the most voluminous, on average 30 pages per family line, but sometimes it reaches a hundred. This point overlaps with the previous one; if necessary, combine them. Tell us how the village appeared, what the population as a whole did, and how your ancestors worked, their military services to the Fatherland. There is plenty of room to roam around here, and the volume and readability of the text of the genealogy book depend on your talents and creative abilities. Mention about professions, everyday life, holidays, family experiences, life path, fill out the genealogy and other materials about relatives from past generations, found with your own hands using the research methods described or through the paid services of archivists. The history of the family should become the most fascinating section of the content if you approach the independent writing of the family genealogy book with enthusiasm, hard work and the desire to create a masterpiece.

The genealogical report is placed in the pedigree at the request of the owner, but filling the book can be done without it if research has not been carried out. The section is a list of studied publications, analyzed documents, verified publications involved in the search for ancestors. With the soulless compilation of this part of the pedigree, the meaning of posting the report is lost. However, if you add a detective component to it, similar to an investigation, then such a text will fit perfectly into the book and will only add interest to the readers. Use phrases like “in order to find my great-grandfather, I had to...” or “it seemed to me that the search story was over, but it was not so...”. Improvise, and the content of the genealogy book will become richer, captivating reading relatives or friends with the plot.

The next part of the genealogy book contains generational painting. As it is not difficult to guess from the name of the term, its meaning lies in the composition of the family described for each generation. Note that painting can be of two main types: descending and ascending. It will be most convenient for you to understand this concept using a simple example (in this case, the ascending version is used):

I, Ivan Yakovlevich Ivanov (conditionally);

Ivan's father Yakov Georgievich;

Jacob's brother Ruslan;

Mother of Ivan Agrippina Fedorovna, nee Mikhailova;

Livemem does not recommend posting any information about family members other than their names and degree of relationship in the generational list, so as not to create confusion in the book. It is better to place additional data such as places of birth and years of life on the family tree, and biographical information in the section with the history of the family. A pedigree diagram is an analogue of a painting, but in the form of a graphic table. You can study a detailed guide to compiling a family tree in the articles section, and in this publication we draw the attention of visitors to the attached picture with a template, which shows simplest scheme, which clearly demonstrates family ties. If a basic layout is enough for you, you can save it on your computer, print it out and paste it into a pedigree book, having previously entered your relatives. If there are a large number of people in your family, we suggest purchasing a family tree by looking at the templates from our designers in the catalog.

DIY pedigree template - cover of a book about family

Do-it-yourself family pedigree cannot be stored without a cover, because this is the history of the ancestors, which will be inherited by descendants, so this task has to be dealt with. Before talking about three solutions, let’s finish with the final part of the content - a collection of genealogical sources. The section described is not required, but if there is a need to make a book case into a means of storing a family archive, such a desire is welcome. When children or one of the relatives becomes curious and wants to know how the pedigree was collected, you can show the specific document from point 7. In this part you can include extracts from archives, copies or originals of birth, marriage or death certificates, certificates from government and departmental institutions, copies of pages of scientific publications, literature, photographs and more. Use our DIY pedigree template, which has been developed by professionals in the field of genealogy for many years, and you will get a valuable book about family history - a family heirloom.

As for the cover of a genealogy book, there are 3 common options for solving this issue. Choose the most suitable one for yourself, based on your available budget, time and desire to participate in the process of creating a family heirloom case. This is what our list looks like:

a) buy a pedigree book from one of the manufacturers (ready-made models);

b) request a service from one of the bookbinding shops in your city;

c) purchase all the necessary materials and make the book yourself.

With the first solution everything is quite clear. There are several manufacturers of genealogy books in Russia, the range of which is presented in our catalog at the link provided. Come in, choose the model you like from 3,000 to 50,000 rubles, and you will have a ready-made book with a case and cover for every taste and color. There are models from genuine leather and with the use of a cheaper artificial substitute, which reduces the price. There are books decorated with bronze, precious stones and velvet, with a variety of designs and the ability to personalize the purchased copy. In general, look, ask the price and choose if the method of purchasing a factory-made pedigree book suits you.

The second method involves a more individual approach and long-term production of a family pedigree. You need to find in your city or on the Internet, but with delivery to your place of residence, a bookbinding workshop or printing house that publishes books in small editions. You develop with your own hands appearance cover of the genealogy book, hand it over to the company, and after some time (about a month) they give you ready product. If you yourself cannot provide the original layout and come up with a design, then, usually, such services are provided by the same companies, and you can order them. The total cost of printing one copy of a book without frills is approximately 5,000 - 40,000 rubles. This price also includes the indication of the surnames on the front side, which are dedicated to the restored history of the family. By the way, if you conducted a search in military archives, then the results of such research will appropriately supplement the text.

When choosing the final option, the creator’s hands are completely freed and freedom of creativity appears, and the final appearance of the genealogy of the book is influenced only by the direction of fantasy. At self-production Keep in mind that the base must be made of high-quality material, for example, durable, moisture-resistant cardboard or environmentally friendly wood, so that the cover does not deteriorate over time. What to decorate and how to design it depends on your needs and preferences in art. We will only recommend using special mechanisms for attaching pages, which will allow you to supplement the genealogy book in the future. We wish you a successful search and hope that this article on how to make a family pedigree with your own hands was useful and helped you create your own family heirloom.

If you have any additions, please let us know in the comments and we’ll do it useful resource together!

All rights reserved, text copying is permitted only with a link to the site.

Probably six months ago, I started collecting photographs of my ancestors and information to create such a book. The idea for this book has been brewing for a long time, but it still hasn’t matured—it’s obvious that I’m raising its importance too much. This is really, really important to me. I attach great value to the knowledge and memory of my Family.
This book is, so to speak, the beginning, it is half (even a little less) of the Pedigree book that I want to do for myself. The book “Living Water of Memory” is a book made as a gift to my dad about the history of HIS Family. That’s why half))), there are only my father’s relatives.

I thought about the name for a long time. There were options “Pedigree book”, “Strength of the family”, “Family chronicle”, etc., but somehow it was not the same. And when I came across the title of a book on the Internet, “Living Water of Memory,” I realized - here it is! The name is actually lively and strong, and, most importantly, not banal. Living water heals the body, and living water of memory heals the soul, gives protection and strength to the Family. The meaning of the name is revealed on the first page, so everything is clear))).



On the first spread I placed the Family Tree. I did this spread already in last moment, as they say, there is nothing superfluous in it. But he turned out so cool! The colors are such - I'm in love!!!



Second spread. Dad's grandparents. On the left - on my mother's side, on the right - on my father's. I deliberately left the spaces for the inscriptions blank, for fear of writing something wrong. The plan is to sit down and fill it out with dad. So far I have entered first names, last names, and years there (I haven’t photographed this yet).



The third spread is dedicated to dad's parents.




The fourth spread is dedicated to my dad, the starting point of the designated Family Tree.


I love this photo!))))

Many people have old family photos at home, carefully stored in grandmother's albums. Looking through old family photos, questions often arise: “Who is in this photo?”, “Who is this person related to me?” Time passes, people pass away, family ties are interrupted. Preserving the memory of our ancestors and passing it on to future generations is within the power of each of us. Let it be just family photos of grandparents, parents and children, or large family trees with roots going back centuries and extensive family connections - for each family its own history is important and dear, and it’s not too late to start compiling it at any moment.

Learn to create real masterpieces! Watch the video Master classes on scrapbooking

Photo of an old album

The idea of ​​creating a genealogical album came to me a long time ago, since I have been researching the history of my family for several years. In some lines it was possible to establish family ties up to the 1600s, in others everything ends at the fifth generation. Of course, it is impossible to collect photographs of all your ancestors - some photos simply have not survived, and for earlier generations there is no question of photographs. But even records with names, years of birth, facts about the life of your ancestors should be included in the album. I want to say right away that this is not an ordinary album, and will require a lot of time and effort, but believe me, once you start exploring your history, you will want to know more and more.

Where to begin?

Where to start working on a genealogical album? So, the very first stage is systematization the information you already have about your family. Make your family tree - you, your parents, grandparents, etc. Write down all the names, dates, select photographs. Talk to representatives of the older generations of your family, ask your grandparents. Try to write down everything you learn, since in future searches all the facts, even seemingly insignificant ones, may be useful.

Next stage - search for information in Internet resources. So many useful information for pedigree research is contained on the All-Russian Genealogical Tree forum. Here are excerpts from historical documents, links to useful sites, and an exchange of opinions from both historians and ordinary people interested in their roots. Information about the participants in the war can be found on the websites OBD-Memorial and Feat of the People. Here it is worth looking not only for your direct ancestors - grandfathers, great-grandfathers, but also their brothers, as this will allow you to collect more information. On the OBD-Memorial website, when searching for dead and missing soldiers, reports of irretrievable losses of personnel indicated the personal data of military personnel - full name, year of birth, place of birth and conscription, place and reason for departure (death), as well as full name and address of immediate relatives to whom the funeral was sent (the soldier’s wife or parents). The Feat of the People website contains information about awards given to soldiers - orders, award certificates, etc.
Detailed recommendations when searching for data about front-line soldiers are presented in the article “My Immortal Regiment. How to collect material for a memory album." The website “Victims of Political Terror in the USSR” will help you find repressed relatives. Information about the participants of the First World War and the Knights of St. George can be found on the website “In Memory of the Heroes of the Great War 1914-1918”.

If, having studied electronic resources, you want to continue researching your ancestry, the next step is appeal to the state archive. There are 3 options for obtaining information here: visit the archive yourself and search in archival documents, make an official request to the archive or use paid services of historians and genealogists.
The first option is possible if you live in the same city where the desired archive is located or have the opportunity to travel there. The advantage of this method of searching for information is the opportunity to study ancient manuscripts yourself, to see with your own eyes the records about your relatives made a hundred, or even two hundred or three hundred years ago. But you will have to spend a lot of your personal time on this, which is a big drawback for many people.
The second and third options do not require personal presence. A request to the archive can be made by mail or through the official website of the archive. The advantage of this method is that you will receive an official response to your request, certified by the archive management. The disadvantage is that archive workers are often very busy, and you may have to wait several months for a response to your request. The third option is to use the services of genealogists who conduct searches in archives. The advantage is that you will receive information much faster, the disadvantage is that such a search will require you to material costs to pay for the services of a historian (although this often does not cost much more than an official genealogical request to the archive).

When searching in the archive, you need to have initial information - at least your full name and place of residence (documents in the archive are grouped by settlements, and not by last name). It should be borne in mind that you will have to study documents from the beginning of the 20th century and earlier, so you need to know where a person lived during this period.

What to look for in the archive?

Now a little about the documents that are worth studying in the archive first. The first is agricultural census 1917. The census was carried out door to door. The questionnaire indicated the owner of the yard, whether he was an old resident or a migrant, the year of resettlement, the province of departure, the composition of his family, indicating age and relationship in relation to the owner, land holdings and farming.

1917 Agricultural Census Questionnaire

1917 Agricultural Census Questionnaire - reverse side

Another database very useful in genealogical searches is collections of metric books. Until the 1920s, all facts of birth, death and marriage were recorded by clergy in metric books. Such books were kept in every church, and those that have survived are all transferred to the archives. Each book consists of three parts - about births, marriages and deaths. Records were kept in chronological order throughout the year. The first part of the book, dedicated to the registration of newborns, indicated the date of birth and baptism, the name given at baptism, parents and successors (godparents)


Sheet about those born from the register of births


Sheet about those born (reverse)

When baptizing adult non-Christians, entries were also made in this section indicating age and previous religion. In the records of those getting married, in addition to the full names of the bride and groom, their age, religion, whether they were getting married for the first time or not, as well as the full names of guarantors (that is, witnesses) on both sides were indicated. When registering the deceased, the date of death, date of funeral, full name of the deceased, his age, cause of death and place of burial were indicated.

When searching for information about ancestors who lived in the mid-19th century and earlier, it is necessary to study revision tales. These are censuses of peasants regularly conducted in Tsarist Russia since 1718. We should start with the last (tenth) revision, which was carried out in 1858.

Revizskaya tale of 1858

The peasants were registered by household, indicating all family members, their relationship to the owner of the household, as well as the age of each family member at the time of the current and previous audits. Revision tales from the beginning of the 19th century and earlier contain censuses of peasants without indicating surnames (only first and patronymic names - for example, Stepan Ivanov's son), since the official assignment of surnames to peasants only developed in the mid-19th century.

Revizskaya tale of 1816

Documents of the 17th century and earlier were written in Old Church Slavonic, so it is quite difficult for us, modern residents who do not have sufficient knowledge of Old Russian writing, to parse the records in documents of that era without the help of specialists.

Census book of 1677

So, I have shared the main points that will be useful when compiling a genealogical album. As you already understand, the work is painstaking and long, but it is really worth it. The album will become your real family heirloom, preserving the memory of your ancestors.

Family album - important element every home. It is the center of attention when visiting friends and relatives, at family celebrations and in warm moments of memories. This is a secret of the past, a kind of relic, the life story of each of us. Today, most photos are stored on phones, tablets, and mobile phones. But it’s much more pleasant to turn through the pages of history and touch pictures than to view them on a monitor. A handmade photo album will be a successful alternative to electronic folders.

Photo album using scarpbooking technique

The scrapbook is a literal translation of the newfangled trend of creating photo albums. Such albums can contain everything: dried flowers, “tags” of a newborn, small meaningful things, cuts, lace, beads and, of course, photos. Design imagination knows no bounds, and modern materials make it possible to realize any ideas.

Masters work in several directions:

  • modern. All current attributes, stencils, blanks, bright prints, rhinestones, etc. are appropriate. In this direction you can often find shabby chic;

  • V retro And vintage albums use aged paper, cute trinkets, jewelry, clippings from old newspapers or magazines, lace, braid;

  • romantic implies the use of everything delicate and airy: lace, fabric, ribbons, decorations, braid, poetry.

When creating an album on any topic, it is important to think through the basic design and create a color composition. Basic scrapbooking tips for beginners:

  • decide on the style in which the album will be made;
  • choose the background of the pages. It should be combined with the shades of colors used in the album;
  • think over the semantic content of the album, if you need to select poems, quotes, make clippings.

How to make an album with your own hands, see the video below.

A love story: wedding album

A wedding photo album does not have to contain exclusively photographs of the celebration. You can start a story about your family with a story about how you met: photos together on vacation or dating moments.

When creating a wedding album with your own hands, you need:

  • choose size. The 30*30 cm option is ideal for placing several photos on a page. The parameters 20*20 cm mean a standard photo on the page and a few small things. But the album 25*25 cm is the average option. You can place several pictures and diversify with additional inserts;
  • Materials you will need: thick paper (cardstock), film with a pattern (overlay), cardboard figures (chipboard), foil, beads, garter, invitations, napkins, bows, buttons, lace, cards, tulle.

Watch the video below for the album creation process.

And naturally, yours family life will have a happily ever after, so you need to provide pages for future anniversaries.

How to make a cover in the video below.

Creating an album for a newborn

When creating a children's album, it is appropriate to use a variety of scarp paper, stencils, and baby things. The following may be useful for registration:

  • a hand or foot print of a child. This can be done using regular gouache, or on a special base, which is then placed on the cover;

  • pregnancy photos and ultrasound images;
  • horoscope, name meaning - all this will be a good addition to the album;
  • pictures of your favorite toys will decorate the pages;
  • a lullaby for your baby is suitable for a photo of a sleeping child;
  • first phrases, a memorable drawing, a page from a diary - everything that seems ordinary now can be of great value in 10-15 years;
  • menu, favorite dish, favorite cartoon - mentioning these moments will be a good addition to the photos.

How to create a children's scrapbooking album, see the video below.

A children's album made from envelopes will be creative and non-standard. Watch the master class in the video below.

Chronicle of generations in photographs

A family photo album is an excellent wedding anniversary gift for your nearest and dearest. The history of their family, photos of children and all significant events can be placed under one binding. This album will look good in a vintage or retro style.

For a family chronicle album you can use:

  • lyrics that are relevant in certain time, poems and sayings, newspaper clippings;
  • significant things or their photos;
  • artificial flowers, various stamps, elements of old costume jewelry, iron butterflies, flowers, figured photo frames, suede and velvet.

See the video below for an example of the design.

An integral part of such albums is aged paper. It's not difficult to do:

  • in order to give the edges a “frayed” look, you need to treat them with a distresser;
  • coffee will turn a white sheet of paper yellowed with age. Brew 5 full teaspoons of coffee in 200 ml of boiling water. Let it brew for 10 minutes with the lid closed and strain. Lightly crush a sheet of paper, dip it in coffee and hold for no more than 5 minutes. Dry and iron;
  • Black tea will give yellowness to the paper. Brew 5-10 tsp. in a glass of boiling water (depending on how much the leaf needs to be yellowed). Leave for 10 minutes and strain. Keep the leaf in tea leaves for about two minutes. Dry and iron. You can drop tea leaves onto the sheet several times.

It's a good idea to create a family tree. You can bring your idea to life by drawing it, cutting it out of cardboard, felt or fiberboard.

How to make a family tree with your own hands, see the video below.

DIY travel book

For travel lovers, a travel book will be relevant - a book of photographs, notes, plans, saved tickets and small souvenirs.

How to create a travel album, see the video below.

The travel book contains:

  • a lot of entries. By hand and not necessarily with a ruler. These could be stories about your expectations from the trip, what you managed to achieve, a description of the highlights of the trip;
  • You can devote a page to each topic: food, relaxation, sights, new acquaintances;
  • special pockets for small souvenirs.

Review the full design of the travel album in the video below.

Stroller, heart or house: creating figured photo albums

Who said that a photo album must be rectangular? Figured albums look bright and unusual. You can download ready-made stencils from the Internet, or you can create them yourself. Unrivaled Family album blogger Elena Stepanova made it in the shape of a house. The author made a multi-story house and placed the photographs as follows: as the family grows, the floor increases. The result was amazing.

Figured albums can be family, children's, or reflect the hobbies of household members.

A pet album is interesting for children, because filling it with pictures of the pet is very entertaining.

How to design a figured album, see the video below.

Mini-album for beginners

This album will be a good start for those who are trying their hand at scrapbooking. It can be designed in the form of a book, box or accordion. The last option is the easiest to implement. All you need is 70*10 cm cardboard, decorative paper, double-sided tape, tape. The album is composed as follows:

  • folds are made on the cardboard at a distance of 10 cm. This will be the binding;
  • the cover will be two squares measuring 10.5*10.5 cm, covered with decorative paper, which are attached to the binding;
  • Sheets of decorative paper measuring 9.5*9.5 cm are glued to each page of the album;
  • the album is decorated with a ribbon tie.