Care of authentic leather photo album

Even in this digitized world of web uploaded images and online photo sharing, the old fashioned photo albums have stood the test of time and not lost their charm. An authentic leather photo album is akin to the most treasured family heirloom, in which you preserve and protect the most-prized memories of you and your loved one’s lives. Turning the pages of an old leather photo album is like taking a walk down the time into the bygone days that you wish would have never ended – pure nostalgia.
Authentic leather is virtually timeless, just like the memories stored in the leather photo album, and with little care and maintenance will last well into its vintage age. Here are some tips that will help you to care for your authentic leather photo album better:
Authentic leather is a beautiful material to work with and requires very little cleaning, if any. As leather photo albums are rarely exposed to extreme conditions or likely to get soiled, just simple dusting with an old rag is enough to clean it. Leather tends to retain dust and moisture, which if not cleaned regularly can discolor the leather and damage the finish. Hence, remember to dust the album regularly.
In case there are any stains or spots on the leather cover, rub it off by using a cotton ball soaked in alcohol or nail-paint remover. If you have pasted any photo or design over your leather photo album, check if it is compatible to alcohol/ nail-paint remover by rubbing it on an inconspicuous area. Do not allow the stain remover to spread inside the photo album, as it can destroy your prized photos permanently.
Leather photo album covers do not require any leather cleaners; one because the leather over the photo album is seldom exposed to severe dirty and climatic conditions, and secondly, these cleaners can potentially overrun and destroy the photos inside. Just regular dusting is done as explained before is usually enough.
Conditioning the leather cover once in a while is a wise idea. This helps to lubricate and replenish the suppleness of leather, which in turn increases the life of the leather. When buying a leather conditioner, go for non-petroleum based products. The mineral oils in such conditioner can damage the leather over time. Look out for products that provide thick, greasy conditioning.
Polish your album cover once in a while to give it a nice glossy effect. When using a polishing agent, try it out on a small corner and leave for few hours to days and check if it suits your leather before using it over the whole album. Remember conditioning and polishing are to be done occasionally for some extra care, regular use of conditioners can damage the leather's life. Obviously, you should not polish at all if your leather has a matt rustic finish.
Rub a moisture barrier over the leather album cover before the onset of rains or other high moisture conditions. This will prevent stiffness and spouting to occur.
Never store your leather photo album in plastic as it is impermeable to moisture and will hence promote the growth of mildew and bacteria, which in turn destroy the leather and its binding. Always cover your leather photo album in quality tissue or muslin cloth or any other “breathable” fabric to protect it from moisture and mildew. Never expose your leather album to extreme sun or any form of heat. It will not only damage the leather and its finish, but also makes the photos fade.
Last but not the least, treat leather the way you treat your skin (that’s what it is after all). Improper treatments, harsh chemicals, and over exposure of elements can all cause irreparable, non-irreversible damage to the leather. Think of care and maintenance of authentic leather photo album similar to skin’s anti-aging treatment. Is something not good enough for your skin, then not for leather either.

How to personalize a leather wedding photo album?

Flowing gown, flowers in hand, you walk down the aisle to your loved one amidst the blessing glares of everyone important; Wedding is the most important day in every woman’s life. This is the day you are treated like a queen. Seldom do the memories of your marriage cease to enchant you – your husbands loving smile, the pride evident on your fathers face, your mothers eyes brimming with tears of joy and sadness, and most important the glow on your face – how can you ever forget them. I am sure, many among us would want to revisit this day just to experience all those wonderful mix of emotions… Well, time machine is yet to be invented, but, until then, a wedding photo album is the best alternative.
A wedding photo album is not only a great way to commemorate and relive your nuptials, but a poignant keepsake too. What is better than leather to exhibit the formality, elegance, style, and sophistication that define your day of joy. Leather wedding photo albums are not only voguish, but also last for life. The memories might wither but not the album! It is an excellent wedding favor option as well. Personalizing the album just adds icing over the cake that can be passed down the generations as a family heirloom! There are many simple ways to do this. Here are a few pointers on how to personalize a leather wedding photo album:
Choose the leather finish that best suits your genre.
You can use a wood burning iron to create a rustic look.
Emboss the leather cover of your wedding album with your and your partner’s names. You can have metal (choose gold, silver, or any other metal of your choice) engraved around your names for an added effect.
Select the photo that best represents your wedding day and paste it on the album with permanent leather safe glue. Even better you might want to rope in some professional help and get the whole photo embossed on the cover.
Ask your dresser to provide with some extra fabric that was used to stitch your wedding dress and paste it on the edges of your leather album cover.
Other interesting ideas to decorate the cover would include hand stamping the leather with patterns of the flowers used in your wedding, engraving the impressions of your wedding bands, or any other pattern that is unique about your wedding day.
Once done with decorating the cover of your leather-wedding album, proceed with the photo selection. Carefully choose the photos. Here, don't be tempted to paste each snap into your album, you want only the best and select memories to stay with you and be shared with your friends. Many a times, your family or friends might have clicked a set of photos, which might add color to your photo album. Do not shy away from pasting some candid but classic photos from the wedding day, they will surely bring smiles in your face, even after years.
It is not so necessary that your wedding photo album have only photos. Add some personal touch by pasting your wedding song lyrics, the vows, the wedding invite, reception place cards, or anything that you feel significant.
Most importantly, whichever way you choose to personalize your leather photo album, remember, it must highlight your personality. After all it is YOUR wedding photo album. Do not follow what is in fashion, rather, choose what is the best. This way, you will cherish your wedding album as much as you treasure your wedding day.