Think outside the photo box...

A photo book doesn't need to be limited to a book of photos. A book of your child's artwork is a great way to memorialize their work and put it into a format they can view regularly. And there's also the added benefit of clearing out those dusty boxes of art and other keepsakes that are piled up in your closet or basement!

Maybe your child just graduated from elementary school or middle s

chool? A book that captures all of their work through those years is a great way to celebrate the occasion. Keep in mind that it doesn't need to be limited to just art - this type of book is a great way to showcase some of their creative writing as well.

To get started, the first thing you'll need to do is convert your materials to digital format. You should use a good scanner and make sure that the resolution is high enough to produce large, quality images. For 3D images, you'll want to take a great photograph against a neutral background so you can edit that background out later. Back up your digital images and then...wait for it...throw it all away!

Now that everything is digital it's easier to organize. You can organize by grade, chronologically, or by the type of art - perhaps your little one went through a phase of self portraits and you want to show the progression. This is where you can get creative and let the book tell a story. Once you're organized, the next step is to create a layout that reflects that story. Finally, send it to print and sit back and wait for your book.

A book like this makes a great gift, but don't forget to order a copy for yourself!