Gray is The New Black

Have you noticed it, or is it just me?

Actually Paper Craft Magazine just had a simular statement a few months ago in one of their issues. Things have been changing from formal black to slightly gray when it comes to weddings and graduations.

And not only is gray climbing on the popularity scale, it's getting twisted with colors like gold. How unique is that?

But don't just take it from me, Hello Beautiful has this to say about the grey trend, and even the stars of letting go black and turning grey according to the NY Times Daily.

Sophistacted
Refreshing
Neutral
Comforting

Is Grey the new black? What do you think?

Amore Scrapbook Photo Memory Album Keepsake

My husband's side of the family is a Italian. This photo album was inspired by the word "amore" meaning love in the Italian language.

I had this cute blue cherub angel love paper from DSW and used a recycled orange bag for the netting. (a brilliant idea by my son.)

A lot of love went into the creation of this book, and a lot of little hands helped put it together.

I created a felt pouch for this album just like I did for the A Lifetime of Love Album.  Using some red fabric paint we decorated the felt pouch with this book's title Amore.

The inside of this book, look like this (in random order):

This one was also placed in my shop over at etsy. I'm working on make a video as I mentioned about doing for the A Lifetime of Love album, which I'll share with you in tomorrow's post.

My favorite feature of this album is actually the red netting on the front. As I mentioned, it is a recycled orange bag. When my oldest daughter asked what to do with the bag, I told her to throw it away. Bless my son for speaking up and saying, "But we can use it!" When I asked how or for what, he said, "On the book."

My oldest daughter loves the wooden beads we placed on a journal card that you can slip a photo down through the ribbon or write on. Of course, my youngest child loves all the sparkling rhinestones.

What's your favorite feature of this Amore album?

Memory Journals

I've been working through a book lately, titled "Making Memory Books and Journals by Hand."

Today I came across an interesting little sidebar that I thought I would share.

"Stronger than a string of diary entries, more powerful than your average photo album, able to recall long-ago experience with a single page, memory books just might be the finest way to celebrate all you hold dear. It's no wonder they have become so popular.

And one of the best things about memory books is that anyone can make one. We've all got our memories, our snapshots, our mementos.

How far you choose to go with your memory book is entirely up to you. Be sure to enjoy this artisitc freedom.

This is a very personal craft. that means whatever direction you go in with your book is the right one. You have only yourself and your memory to satisfy."

From KRISTINA FELICIANO, Making Memory Books by Hand, Introduction, copyright Rockport Publishers 2000.