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Huge Outdated Wallpaper Books


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Hi,

 

I'm brand new at this.

 

Surely some here use outdated wallpaper catalogs as scrapbooks.

 

My wallwpaper books are huge. The smallest is about 24" x 24" and 4" thick. The backs of each page are blank except for the names of each sample page. Some books are filled with textured paper, with 5"x3" samples overlapping one another like carpet samples. I can get dozens of these books at a time for free from a very expensive interior decorator's store. They are really impressive.

 

I'm a bit overwhelmed, but I'm thinking I'll get lots of colorful maps to cover the backs of the pages and put my poetry and snippets overlapping them. I know I can get maps if I write to various city tourist and local government agencies and departments. I can spend money on old atlases, but, does anyone know if I need something other than a laptop to download from google maps in color? Do I need to purchase an android phone or Kindle?

 

And I have plenty of magazines with pages that I don't care about one way or another. Can I get entire magazine pages that are highly waxed, like National Geographic, to stick forever? Glue isn't likley to sink in to the paper. Should I use corners cut from envelopes to hold them in place?

 

Anyway, I'd love to read about peoples' experiences with such massive books. Crumpled tissue paper wouldn't be too cosly. Will it stick to the backs of the pages, perhaps needing multiple coats of thin glue? I have very few photographs. My family just didn't bother and I don't live near any of them now.

 

Are there some good examples of timelines that stretch from page to page about ancestors and what they lived through in history... such as, my great, great, great grandmother was a ..(example) sole survivor of the civil war and lost a son in 1961 from this cause at this battle, and another son at this battle in 1863 of this cause in this place...and this son was lost in Viet Nam in 1968...All along a timeline of events. Any examples?

 

Thanks much,

Leslie

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It sounds like an absolutely cool project! I've actually never heard of using the actual wallpaper book as the scrapbook.

The one thing that really concerns me about your project is your use of the word "forever." Many (all?) wallpapers contain acid...whereas when you want a "permanent" "forever" scrapbook, you want all the supplies to be acid and lignin free...No acid, no lignin.

 

That said, as long as you understand that things may yellow with time, or if you were able to find an acid-free lignin-free wallpaper book (and they may exist, I don't know) - then I say go for it! If no one on here has any further info for you, I'd check Pinterest and such places to see if you can find others who have embarked on such cool projects.

 

One of our hybrid team may have more ideas on what kind of adhesive to use to stick down your National Geographic pages...my best idea would be Scor Tape, available at your local scrapbook/art store or online. And I got that idea from Lei on our hybrid team:)

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Hi, thank you!

 

At a dollar store I was lucky enough to find some packages of acid-free black paper that I can glue under and over a picture.

 

What I mean in "forever" is to leave the books to great, great (etc.) grandneices and grand nephews. Better yet, if I do an impressive job they could be used as examples in craft classes. I have plenty of these books to make mistakes in the first ones.

 

I'm getting excited about it just sitting here.

 

I don't want to break any rules here, but if there are any sites where I can download maps that would be wonderful. I'm just starting to look on the internet for city tourism boards and the national parks. There are often times old postcards in one used bookstore or another.

 

If someone wants to find them free, it can be difficult to find them if grade school teachers beat you to it. So big hardware outlets might not have any to give to more people, or the typical wallpaper stores. This is an expensive store in the city that I go to, and they are excited to give them to me because they hate throwing them out. And they can be found at goodwill types of shops for a steal.

 

I'm grateful for every idea.

 

Warmest wishes to you all,

Leslie

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Very good idea, to back photos with the acid-free paper:)

As far as maps go, I really don't know...unless you have friends with old atlases, maybe from their cars, that you could cut up? I like the idea of the maps!

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Hi Leslie,

I share the same concerns as Michele outlined in the comment she posted in the other thread where you asked about this.

I would advise against using wallpaper books for something you want to last for generations. You definitely want to use all archival products if you want them to last a long time.

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