Along Came Summer...

The past few weeks have been busy, and the next few weeks look to be even more hetic as the last.

Ah... Summer.. the time when - there is no time...lol..

I must first appologize as the June newletter will not be going out this month, nor shall the July or August.

Yes, I'm taking a summer break. Again I applogize. But I promise the newletter will resume in September 2010.

For the next three months I will be working on the 2011 edition of the MOOD Organizer, attending conferences, family vacations, and continueing to make wonder book creations and memories with my children.

You may see the blog start to dwindle during this months too, I hope you all can understand.

I will be however... busy like a bee.. for the launch of the new 2011 MOOD ORGANIZER and posting a ton of new journaling ideas.

Don't forget to take those pictures, write down those special moments, and stop by every once in a while to let me know what you're up to on here or on our facebook page.

By fall I'm hoping to have a new line of flip album guest books, brag books, and journals available. I'll be keeping the shop updated over the summer, so feel free to stop in and browse.

Enjoy the summer. For unlike memories, these days shall not last. :)

Journaling Idea #4 - A Memorial to Someone You Love

Memorial Day is all about remembering those who have died for our country. We celebrate it by gathering together as a family, honoring those currently in the military, and creating family traditions. However, throughout our lives there is always just that one special person who we'll never forget.

Today's Journal idea is to write a memorial in honor of that special person in your life.  For me it was woman named Joanne, a dear friend, mentor, and co-worker who passed away in 2000 a few months before she would have danced at my wedding. Now, she's dancing in heaven.

Who was that special person who impacted your life? Why? and on what day do you miss them the most?

Journaling Idea #3 - It's all about your day

This week's journal tip comes from Journalbuddies.com.

This site has a lot of innovate journal ideas for children. Which has inspired me to post not only adult journal ideas, but to add a weekly KIDS IDEA post to the blog too.  I've also added their link to the side bar of this blog if  you'd like to jump over and check it out. :)

Thank you journalbuddies.com for today's inspiration.

Everyday can be an ordinary day, a creative day, or a special day in our lives.  But today's journal idea challenges you to rethink your day and compose it in 20 words or less.

Yep, think about your day and in twenty words or less describe your day in your journal this week.

Get creative! Instead of saying my day was was "Fine" look up and learn new words through a thesaurus. That "fine" day just might turn out to be a "beautiful", "outstanding", "rare", "not to shabby" day.  When we are able to use specific words to describe how we are feeling, events, and situations, it helps us and others (if we choose to share) relate better to our world. (It's an old writer's technique to keep readers involved into a story.)

This journal idea and challenge is also recommended and can be a lot of fun with a child.  Who knows you and your child may want to exchange journals and see how your day compares to theirs!

Have fun!

Wedding Guest Book Flip Album

Today I had the special privilege of custom designing a guest book for the son of our previous pastor.

Their colors are yellow and green.  Making this guest book was a beautiful challenge for me as is any custom ordered guest book I put together.

This unique flip album guestbook will hold cherished memories for generations to come.

I started out searching my local fabric and paper suppliers for just the right materials to match the bride's color theme.  I couldn't resist this floral yellow fabric.  I used a chocolate shimmer fabric for the binding and stitched it together with yellow ribbon using a tortoise shell pattern.

For the end I used a two toned yellow half inch ribbon.

What's really unique about my guest books are they work two ways.  This guest book flip album opens as a autograph book on one side allowing your guest to write short little notes of memories past or marriage advice to the couple.  Then half way through this guest book the paper changes to card stock and is designed so the couple can place photos and use the second half as a photo album.

Since this guest book is made in the traditional Japanese stab stitch technique this book can be flipped one way for a guest book and flipped over with the binding on the right side ( as in the Japanese style) and used as a photo album.

Now this couple open this guest book on anniversaries or lay out on a coffee table to share with guests into their home!  All pages inside this book are acid-free so they're memories will last a life time!

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Baby Album

Last week was filled with baby showers around our household.  My son's preschool class decided to have a baby shower for one of the teacher's aids who has been teaching them sign language all year.

Although, Ms. Allison doesn't know what she is having (a boy or girl) in a few weeks, my son insists it is going to be a boy! He wanted to make Ms. Allison something special... so with a little help, he made her a twinkle twinkle litte star baby album.  

After he went through my fabric stash and found this cute twinkle, twinkle little star fabric we set out to make  the baby album covers. Then a day before the shower, with the covers and pages still needing put together, my scaitic nerve in my back decided to protest, leaving me quite frankly - laying on my back.

Yet, my son and I managed to complete the book, and while I rested he made his own wrapping paper from some brown postal paper I keep to wrap books for shipping.  Since tape might tear his beautiful artwork, he found some ribbon in my box and we tied it around his gift.

The photos are taken by my son, so they are not as "picture perfect" as they could be, but I think they are great, taken from a five year old.

My son was so excited to give his gift to Ms. Allison.  It was a surprise, just like her party! 

This morning when I took him into class, the ballons and streamers were still decorating the room. Sadly to say, I had to miss the party to rest my body and help my back to heal, but it was fun hearing all the details from my son as he experienced his first baby shower.

A few days later, we attended another baby shower and as we left his cousin the same age kept saying, "But I didn't see the baby."

Lol.. my son was nice enough to explain - in five year old terminolgy- that the baby was still the mommy's tummy.

Ah... I love creating things with my kids and hearing when they've caught on to something I've taught them. I'm sure in the future my son and I will be working on a lot more projects together.  He's already asking if he can help with a guest book I'm making for a friend. I'll be sure to post the photos soon.

Memoirs of Mom

This morning I got up and looked at my calendar, not only was it still on April, but when I flipped it - Mothers' day is only a few days away!!

Wow where has the time gone!  No wonder my mom has been calling me these last few days.lol... I haven't even started thinking about a gift yet (shh... don't tell my mom). :)

As I was sitting here thinking about my mom this morning it reminded me of the things that stood out most about her as I was growing up.  Things like how she always kept her kitchen neat and tidy, and still does. How we used to live in an old farm house while I was growing up.  My mom used to help milk the cows and send us off to school at the same time.

So I sat here making a list of all those things, that I remembered most about my mother. Then I composed them into a short little poem.

I'm thinking that poem would be perfect for the front pages of a blank journal, where my mom could open it up and read it, know how much I appreciate the things she's done for me over the years, and give her space to reflect, expand, and write the things that stand out most about raising me and my brothers and sisters that would create a memoir from our mother.

Today, that is my mission.  To compose this poem in its entirity, and craft a journal that is just for my mom.

I may have to throw a few pictures of the grandkids in there for good measure. :)  But I'm excited that mothers'day is soon here.

I'm looking forward to seeing why my own munchkins have in store for me in the days to come. 

What about you? What memories do you hold most dear of the things your mom has done for you?

Graduation Farewell Autograph Albums

It's that time of year!

College Graduates, High School Graduates, all the way down to Pre-School Graduates!

Graduations are a time of farewell to something past and the beginning of something new. Graduations are also a time of celebration for those who have acheived accomplishments of suceeding in passing on to a higher level of education or moving on to a life time of learning in their chosen career paths.

Those times spent learning, meeting new friends, and journeying through self discovery will never be forgotten.

These graduation albums are a great little way of keeping those memories for long after we have started the next generation of our family.   Filled with lots of pages for autographs and well wishes of friends and family, and acid free - linign free card stock for photos too!

Not just your ordinary album.

Not just your ordinary autograph book.

At it's small size of 5.5" x 8.5" it's perfect for passing around at graduation, graduation parties, or while your packing up in the dorms or on the last day of school.

Because these little books can serve more than one purses you can flip them from one cover to the next. (one side autograph book, flip over and the other side an album).

They make a unique and memoriable gift to any graduate. 

The ones pictured above I've personalized inside to send off for a few relatives embarking on a new journey as one graduates from college and the other from high school.

You can find these or similuar autograph albums in my etsy shop.

Don't see one you like? Contact me through etsy's convo or email me and I'll be happy to make one for you.