E-Mail Print Share

The Alternative Archivist: Six ways to elegantly preserve childhood memories

1 of 6

Scrap the Scrapbook

Ever since "scrapbook" became a verb, a cottage industry, and a source of herculean guilt for mothers everywhere, there has been an equally forceful movement against the ornately fonted and filigreed tomes. After all, every mother knows that once all the lunches have been made, swings pushed, and diapers changed, there's little time or energy left for a project she finds largely obligatory. (Not to mention that it can be a demoralizing undertaking for anyone who is all thumbs with the pinking shears.)

So why not match your desire to preserve childhood ephemera with your own aesthetic and level of craftiness? Here are six easy ways to commemorate moments big and small—just pick the method that best suits your lifestyle, skills, and passions. No rickrack necessary.

1 of 6