Later, as you create a layout, you can set aside most of them. Look for photographs that communicate by showing facial expressions, body language, clothing, actions, home or neighborhood, and background. Like photographs, keepsakes are connected with the story s history. Keepsakes are items such as letters, post cards, newspaper and magazine clippings, recipes, souvenirs, programs, reviews, journal entries, ticket stubs, drawings, children s handprints and footprints, documents such as birth, death, and marriage certificates, deeds, and awards. Props are materials that can serve as symbols or metaphors for the story-perhaps as background on the story page or as frames for photographs.
Props can evoke a subtle layer of the story.
You might use a leaf to express nature, a child s drawing to evoke playfulness or innocence, a candle flame to represent hope or tranquility, and a nest to symbolize preparations for a new baby. If the setting is relevant to the story, you might illustrate it with floor plans, maps, post cards, or drawings. You can even use color and symbols to evoke feelings and reveal layers of meaning in your story. To add a personal touch, you might use thumb or handprints, a clipping of hair, drawings, your handwriting, quotes from your story, quotes from books, and poems. If you do decide to use a keepsake or prop, you can include the original by gluing it onto the page or by creating a pocket with acid-free paper to hold it.