Family History Gift Idea - Accordion Album Tutorial

In the past I have made family history accordion albums for family members. I mixed things up a little last year and didn't give a family history album for the first time in three years and I heard that it was missed. So.... this year I felt I had to carry on the tradition that I started. I enjoy making these albums because I feel close to those family members who have passed on as I collect pictures and information to put in the albums that are dedicated to them.

Here is how I made the albums...

1. Take two 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper. Score at 10 1/2"and 5 1/4".

2. Lay both pieces of card stock on the work table, with the inner flaps facing up. Glue the two pieces of card stock together on the 1/2" folds, overlapping the folds (one of the folds will go on top of the accordion album and the other fold on the bottom). Make sure you figure out which side of the fold the glue should go on before you glue.

This is how the pages should look. This gives you eight pages to work with.

3. Now you can decorate the album any way you like. I like to include lots of pictures, family history and a family tree.






I try to personalize each album. For example, the album pictured below was for my brother Paul. I had a family picture, that I took another picture of, zooming in on my dad and brother Paul.

With the album I made of my dad, I was blessed enough to have LOTS of letters from him. I scanned a few of the letters in my computer and picked out some of the words I knew would have meaning for my siblings. My dad shared some life advice, compliments and other words that touched my heart, and I knew those words (in his handwriting) would touch my siblings hearts.

If you are lucky enough to have pictures of other family members, put those in as well, along with information of family relation, names, birth dates, birth places, etc., etc. 

I loved finding pictures and reminiscing with what I remembered of the loved ones that have passed away. I really tried to get to know each of these family members. What were they like? What were their hobbies? What are some treasured memories of them? The albums are really very small for what COULD be put in them. Add on another page if you run out of room.

Don't forget after making these albums for others to make one for yourself. Display this album on the coffee table on the loved ones birthday, father's day, mother's day or other occasions. I have a Christmas window sill display of some Christmas decorations I inherited from my grandmother. The album of her would go very nicely in the display.