ABC Album Title Page Poems

These first three poems are a collaborative effort by posters on a scrapbook board . . . Donna in MB, Canadian Jean, Denny Davis, Jean in TX, MemoryAngel, Scrappin Karen, buysalot and SLTcmc.

ABC Book Poem

A special album you now hold,
Better than silver, nicer than gold.
Captured moments, frozen in time
Dozens of words, some of which rhyme.
Each page was made with loving care,
For you to look at and to share.
Go through the album, look carefully,
Here's a picture of you, a story from me.
Interesting people and things that they do
Join in the fun as I show them to you.
Keepsakes and photos, treasured so well
Learn what stories the pictures can tell.
Memories of people important to you
New photos, old photos--more than a few.
Open this album and start to explore
Pictures and memories and so much more.
Quotes and poems and things about you
Remembering things you used to do.
Sit down and read, look at each page
To see all the pictures of you at each age.
Unique are these pages created by me,
Vast are the memories for others to see.
Who's happy? Who's sad? Who's in between?
X marks the places and people you've seen.
You can read this book to the last page and then,
Zoom back to the beginning and start over again.

ABC Book Poem - alternate version

A special album you now hold,
Before you are treasures untold.
Childhood images, laughter and glee,
Displayed on these pages for you to see.
Everybody you love is pictured here,
Friends, family and others held dear,
Go ahead, look, you'll like what you see
Here in this book about you and me.
Interesting people and things that they do,
Join in the fun as I show them to you.
Kittens and mittens and birds in a tree,
Look at the pages--remember with me.
Many bright pages, more than a few,
New photos, old stories--and some about you!
Our story within these pages is told
Passing the tales to both young and old.
Questions and answers are what you can find,
Reading this album with a curious mind.
Sharing with everyone things from the past
Treasures that surely a lifetime will last.
Under each picture a word or two
Very neatly describes the photo to you.
Who do you know, where have they been?
X marks the places and people you've seen.
You've read the whole book? Well then . . .
Zoom back to page one and start over again.

ABC Book Poem - heritage version

A heritage album you now behold,
Before you are priceless treasures untold.
Captured days, special moments, and smiles,
Dozens of pictures taken from life's miles.
Every detail's recorded, you'll find it here
Friends and family and places held dear.
Gateway to yesterday, open and see
Heritage keepsakes of our family.
Interesting places, family stories and lore,
Journaled with love and laughter and more.
Keep this album safe, and pass it along,
Let other generations know they belong.
More than just memories, there's love in it too,
Neatly preserved for the future to view.
Our stories within these pages are told,
Passing the tales on to both young and old.
Quotations and poems, stories and more,
Remember the faces, pass on the lore.
Share with the future these things from the past,
Treasures that surely a lifetime will last.
Understanding our history's important some say,
Valuable lessons in life can be learned that way.
Walk through the years that pass in review,
eXamine the memories saved here for you.
Yesterday's treasures, conserved carefully,
Zealously guard them for all to see.

ABC Title Page Idea

1. Mat a photo or poem and center it on the page.
2. Use large ABC stickers to make a title above the poem or photo.
3. One possible title: All About Me - From A to Z
4. Draw a wavy border around the outside of the page in a coordinating color.
5. Along the border write A is for apple, B is for ball, C is for car, etc.
6. Add appropriate small stickers here and there.

ABC Title Page Poem

Here are my favorite ABC's.
They come in many sizes.
Some are wearing happy smiles
While others wear disguises.
I hope you'll laugh or giggle
When you read my ABC's
And maybe you will see yourself
Before the XYZ's!

ABC Signature Page Poem

You saw my favorite ABC's.
In their many shapes and sizes.
Some were wearing happy smiles
While others wore disguises.
I hope you laughed and giggled
When you read my ABC's
And hopefully you saw yourself
Before the XYZ's!

The Zebra

(a cute poem for the 'Z' page of an ABC book)

Thank goodness for the zebra!
He's a special animal, you see;
For without the striped zebra,
What word would start with Z?

F is for Fire truck

(Phyllis McGinley - adapted for a scrapbook by Denny Davis)

F is for Fire Truck
Painted bright red.
When the signals blast
It follows fast
As the chief flies on ahead.

Buses pull to the curb
At the siren's furious cry,
For early or late
They have to wait
When the Fire Truck races by.

Practice Your ABC's

(great for the first or last page of an ABC album)

Act silly
Believe in Magic (or)
Believe in Yourself
Create adventures
Daydream
Enjoy the little things
Find time for fun
Go to unexplored places
Hug Somebody
Imagine . . .
Join clubs (or)
Just join
Keep it simple
Love all creatures
Make time for friends

Nap when you can
Open you mind to new ideas
Play every day
Question the answers (or)
Quiet your mind
Run with the wind
Sing favorite songs
Take days off
Uncover your talents
Venture out (or)
Voice your opinion
Walk on the wild side
X-pect the best
Yield to the moment
Zzzz peacefully at night

Turning Lemons into Lemonade

I accidentally skipped the letter 'Y' in my niece's ABC album! Instead of re-doing it, I wrote on the last page: "You might have thought I skipped the letter 'Y', but I didn't because this whole book is about Y-O-U!" Then I put a collage of pictures that I didn't use in the rest of the album.

ABC Albums Ideas

(adapted from ideas by Ronna E. Nyman, Carol W. and Rachelle L.)

Sentiments albums make great gifts for any occasion. They are compact and take very little time. An ABC Sentiments album is easy to make. If you have a lot of photos without dates you can use a larger album.

There are many ways of making an ABC album. Usually each page will have a letter of the alphabet on it. The letters can be stickers, die-cuts or written with pens. You can use one color or style of letter throughout the album or a variety. Primary colors are great for kids' books; gold or silver work well for anniversary, wedding, or adult party; blue for boy; pink or purple for girl; etc.

Types of ABC Albums

• Classic: one word and one photo with lots of journaling
  (example - A is for airplane; photo of child getting off an airplane, journaling about the trip--possibly on an airplane die-cut)
• Formal: one word and many photos
  (example - B is for brother; several photos of brother)
• Collage: many words and photos beginning with the letter
  (example: 'c' words around the border and several photos, die-cuts and stickers of various things that start with 'c' or on the 'A' page have a photo of your child near an airplane, eating an apple, and with Aunt Lynn)
• Planned Words: The letter of the alphabet will begin a phrase that tells something about who is in the photo or who the album is for. For example:
  • 'A' is for the Adoration I have for you.
  • 'B' is for Believing in me.
  • 'C' is for the Caring way you teach your students.
• Bible Verses: The beginning word of a Bible verse corresponds with the letter of the alphabet. Use stickers for the first letter of the verse then write the rest with a pen. See the religious ABC lists file for ideas.
• Poems or Quotes: Same as the Bible verse method only using short poems, nursery rhymes or quotes.

Borders for ABC albums

It is quicker to use the same border on each page. Coordinate the pen color with the ABC letter. For an easy border cut cardboard with decorative or straight scissors. For a word border cut two templates, one 1/2 inch smaller than the other. Trace the large size, and then trace the small size within the large. Write words between the borders. For example, on the 'A' page write apple, ant, aardvark, etc. Decorate with stickers or die-cuts that begin with 'A'.

Planning is Important

• Decide which type of ABC album you want to make.
• Choose the colors of your letters.
• Use ABC lists and dictionaries to find challenging letters like 'X'.
• Decide which photos to use.
• Decide which photos will go on each page and put them in order.
• Make the borders on all the pages.
• Adhere ABC letters to each page.
• Adhere photos to each page.
• Write words, phrases, or verses.
• Decorate with stickers and die-cuts and if you want.

Some people include pages for seasons, colors, shapes, numbers, etc.

ABC Album Class

(adapted from an idea by NW Scrapper)
(Some of these ideas can also help you organize your own ABC album.)

• Have handouts with ABC lists--or refer them to this website!
• Have various colors of ABC die-cuts or stickers. Use all one color, or mix. (red A, blue B, gold C, then blue A, gold B, red C, for the next person, etc.)
• Cut up ABC sticker sheets, giving a variety of colors to each person.
• Give each person 26 envelopes big enough for a 4 x 6 photo, labeled A, B, C, etc. to sort things in. For example the 'S' envelope might have a photo of a child going down the slide, Blue 'S' die-cut, red 'S' sticker, sea lion and sled stickers, etc.
• Gather up odds and ends of stickers (where some stickers are missing or you only have one module). Cut them apart and divide alphabetically. For example a single apple under 'A'. Give each participants a variety. They can add stickers or die-cuts they already have.
• The envelopes helps people see where they have too many pictures, or not enough.
• Use large photo corners to hold a button for the 'B' page, a coin for the 'C' page, lock of hair on the 'H' or 'L' page, etc.

Phonetic ABC's

These words are used by the military and others to spell out a word to make it clear in a radio transmission. Usually this is used when words or letters have a similar sound. This is the most recent version which was adopted in 2008.

Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu