Displaying photographs – in our homes, or photo albums, or office cubicles, or anywhere … is a way to recognize our blessings.
This month, Texas-based photographer Kristen Duke is focused on this very topic every single day. She has a whole lineup of others who are sharing inspiration (check out the schedule) and today – it’s me! A special hello to those who are here on my site for the first time. Happy Browsing. : )
I do love having photos – specifically family photos – all around our home. This invokes a feeling of togetherness, reminds us of our commitment to each other, increases our children’s self-worth, helps us focus on our blessings, and of course brings back fond memories that we love to remember. Here are some of my favorite photo-focused spots in our home.
You have to see this picture a little closer – it’s one of my favorite shots of Claire, taken by Natalie Norton.
You may notice I’m fond of linear arrangements and grids. For step-by-step tips on hanging a grid of frames with precision, check out THIS blog post. I also share my secret weapon for hanging frames on walls, regardless of the arrangement.
You’ll also notice that I have a splash of older pictures here and there. A few faces from our family history of course, but also pictures of David and I as kiddos. I absolutely recommend to anyone to incorporate a couple pictures from your own childhood into your home. It’s a daily reminder of that innocent youth, and your own kids will remember that you were once in their shoes. You haven’t been an adult your whole life, even though in their young minds it seems like you have been. : )
In light of sharing an abundant amount of Project Life inspiration this week, today I want to broadcast a very important reminder:
PROJECT LIFE IS DESIGNED TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS OF DOCUMENTING LIFE.
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I know, I know, I know. I’m the one sharing a smorgasboard of examples and blog posts that have an abundant amount of inspiration. I am fully aware that this can be overwhelming for some of you – especially if you’re just getting started. All of that sharing is mostly going to appeal to those who have the itch to get creative. I will continue to share creative ideas because you are a large part of my audience.
But … this post is for those of you who really do want to keep things simple. This is for the newbie. The brand-new-to-scrapbooking. The first-timer. The busy + tired. This is for those of you who want to throw in the towel because scrapbooking is just “too much”. This is for your friend/cousin/sister-in-law who doesn’t think she’s cut out for scrapbooking.
Project Life truly is a back-to-basics approach to scrapbooking. Pictures + words. That’s it. Slip it all into pockets and add title cards that are already designed for you. Don’t think about layout design. Don’t think about cutting and pasting anything. SIMPLIFY. Get it done.
I want to share a blog post with you, written by someone who stumbled upon the hobby of scrapbooking, totally loved it, and then found herself totally doing nothing because of how overwhelmed she felt by what everyone else was doing. I really do think many of you will greatly appreciate her words and relate to her experience. This is by Nathalie: Eyes on your own paper, ya’ll.
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My inspiration sharing for today is on the other end of the spectrum from what I’ve been sharing this week. You don’t have to go crazy customizing your Project Life album, because you know what? Your pictures and your words are custom and personal to your story.
Instead of showing you loads of ideas for creative ways you can use Project Life, I am so very pleased to share with you a complete album that was used in the most basic way.
Emily Straw used Project Life to document her family in 2011 – quickly, easily, simply. This is her email:
Hello, Becky! I have to say that I am so, so happy with my Project Life kit from 2011. I finished at 3am on New Year’s Day, in a tradition I decided to start by finishing my album on New Year’s Eve. This is the first year I used your kit and I love it so very much. I am not very eloquent with words, but I wanted to share my finished product with you because you have really helped our family keep our memories from this year safe and special. Thank you for designing such a wonderful system!
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A very special thank-you to Emily for sharing. I know her simple approach to Project Life will inspire many. As a reminder, the very basics are: Binder + Core Kit + Big Pack of Photo Pocket Pages (which are currently sold out but you can pick up some 12-packs or wait until the 60-packs are back in stock in February). Also note: Emily used the Turquoise Core Kit, but that just sold out as well. We still have Amber, Cobalt, and Clementine in stock. All Project Life products are shown here.
Project Life is about your life. Keep it simple, add a little flair, or get fully creative with it. The beautiful thing is – it’s your choice.
I know this isn’t what you’re expecting today, but this is real life right now: On top of the inevitable “holiday busy-ness” and all that comes with having extra family in our home (which we are so grateful for – honestly a huge blessing in so many ways) and having a new puppy that isn’t fully potty-trained yet … there has been so much more going on.
Our sweet 14-year-old friend fell out of a second story window and literally broke her spine in half just before Christmas. She is not expected to walk again but we are truly grateful she is still with us.
This week we learned that a close family member has stage 4 colorectal cancer. Stage stinking 4.
We also learned of another friend who has stage 4 esophageal cancer. He is 31 and father to 2 young children.
I’m not ready to share anything more at this point about either situation but my purpose in even mentioning these things is because it has prompted me to give you this specific “feedback” today:
Time is wasted if we are holding grudges or being judgmental or treating others unkindly. Life is too short to nit-pick and criticize. We truly do not know when someone we love (or even just like) will no longer be with us here in this lifetime. Please treat others with nothing less than respect and kindness. Please take the time to truly nurture those relationships that are most important. Focus on your family. Hold on to them tight. Be absolutely certain they know you love them.
I am mentally and emotionally preoccupied in various directions right now and my head is foggy, but it’s times like this that I am especially grateful for my faith and my personal testimony of God’s plan.
My “regular” Feedback Friday will return January 6. Next week you can also expect some blogging about scrapbook organization that I mentioned earlier, as well as an update on the Signature Binders (on their way + very close) and other products that are being replenished soon.
Many of you know that there are two things that I have avoided with strength and will power for a long time: Pinterest and getting a dog.
They’re completely unrelated but I’ve been putting off both of those things in my life for good reason. Both would entail more attention and time than I’m able to give. I know I would love it, but I can see how Pinterest would simply become addicting and a major time trap.
As for a dog? Come on, seriously. I do not have time. There is no way I can devote the energy that is required to take care of a furry thing. This isn’t the right phase of life. I already have a load of responsibility on my shoulders. I’m not ready. I have strongly resisted every time there was a heartfelt plea. Some of you are in my camp: “Stay strong, Becky. Don’t do it. It’s so much more work than you realize.” And others have said, “Do it, Becky. You’ll never regret it. Having a pet is the best thing you can do for your family.”
But here’s the thing. All things considered, this isn’t about me. And so … we pulled off a little Christmas Miracle for our kids. It really is a miracle for our kids because they knew I wasn’t ready for this yet. To wrap up the 12 Videos of Christmas series, I wanted to share the experience with you.
Thank you for joining me this Christmas as I shared 12 random videos throughout the season. Here’s a recap:
I’m really glad we turned this into a video contest this year because if we hadn’t, I would likely never seen this video. And oh, how I love this video.
Kris Murray of Three Hills, Alberta, Canada nailed it. She totally captured the whole day-in-the-life theme. She makes me want to take all those family video clips that I’ve been collecting and put them to music and make some family movies, which is something I would love to spend more time doing. I absolutely adore this look into her daily routine – her real life – which is something that I know a lot of us can relate to with kids + housework. Even if that’s not your life at all, hopefully you will be inspired to document your everyday.
Kris used a Panasonic Lumix FZ35 to film, and edited the video with iMovie on her Mac computer.
Her comments: I’m always searching the Internet for fun, catchy songs that I can use along with my home videos and I was ecstatic when I came across Joy Williams! I’ve never heard tell of her but fell in love with her quirky, upbeat, real-life lyrics and have actually put together a few videos using her songs.
When I heard “One Of Those Days”, I immediately thought of the craziness that is piled into a 24-hour time period in the Murray household and knew what had to be done. So, I committed to carrying around my camera for the WHOLE day and record EVERYTHING, from my family waking up on the wrong side of the bed, to morning coffee, tantrums, play/crafts, nap time, lunch/supper, laundry, right up until bedtime when my son conveniently falls out his bed. The day I chose to record our life couldn’t have been more fitting for the song.
Kris, you have utterly inspired me. Thank you for sharing!
This is my husband a “few” years ago. I know. Sooooo cute, right?
When David and I were newly married and in college, I worked as a receptionist on campus. I thought I was doing a great job but my manager made me feel otherwise. I felt defeated and frustrated and I realized this job affected how I felt about everything else. David was instrumental in helping me realize that simply getting out of that job and changing to something entirely different – something that I would truly enjoy – is what was necessary.
I quit. I found another job working for a family in the next town over as their “Mother’s Helper”. It was as fun as it sounds. I loved my job. I loved the Evensens. I loved how I felt about what I was doing. My attitude about everything changed – like magic. And – without this job I would have probably never met Lisa Bearnson, who invited me to join Creating Keepsakes magazine, which started everything for me.
Fast-forward.
A little over two years ago I was at a crossroads with my work again. Except it was different this time. I accidentally developed an actual career out of a hobby – and I loved my job. But in the evolution of my style and approach and practicality, I no longer felt like I had a place in contributing to a magazine that focused on the artistic side of scrapbooking. My passion was shifting.
David, once again, was instrumental in helping me through a significant transition. I resigned. Together we then decided that I would take my passion for creating solution-based products – and we would launch our company. We had a vision. He supported my passion. I honestly don’t know that I would have taken such a big leap without his support.
I know some of you know this, but in case you don’t – my husband is very involved in making our company what it is. I am the one you see all the time (too much, probably). But David deals with a lot of logistics, financials, and other behind-the-scenes stuff that’s pretty much essential for making things happen. And – the man has ideas. No, he’s not a scrapbooker. His career is in medicine. But when we put our heads together and listen to your feedback – magic happens.
Today is David’s birthday. If you feel inclined to leave him a note, go right ahead. He doesn’t love the spotlight and may even give me grief for blogging about him. But seriously – without him, Project Life may have never happened. For real. And PS – He actually came up with that name. Project Life.
I just invited you to wish my mom a happy birthday. I didn’t ask you to make me cry! You guys are so sweet, and have the nicest things to say. Thank you for helping make my mom’s day really special. Sounds like I wasn’t the only one getting weepy reading your comments. My mom emailed me last night and asked that I post this note + picture. And, like a good girl, I honoring that wish.
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Mom (Vicki) writes:
I want to thank each one of you so much for the wonderful birthday wishes you sent my way! Each and every one of them were very special to me. I DO have an amazing daughter and I feel so very blessed to have her (as well as our 5 wonderful sons!). I DID indeed have tears in my eyes as I read what Becky wrote to me. And what a total surprise that was to find it there.
My husband and I returned a few months ago from our wonderful mission for our church in Finland. (BTW … I could totally write volumes about that wonderful experience and the wonderful people we call friends, but this IS Becky’s blog!!). We are currently serving another mission for our church in Alexandria, Virginia as volunteers in the National Council For Adoption office. We love the great work we are doing and meet so many wonderful people.
Today, for my birthday, we had the privilege of being escorts to a 20-member Delegation from China … all government officials. Visiting the White House was a part of that. It has been a very rewarding and fulfilling day. Kiitos Paljon……Me rakastamme sinua!!
Becky indeed has the best ‘friends’ in the whole wide world. Thank YOU ALL for being so wonderful! This is a birthday to remember for sure!
Surprise! Bet you didn’t expect to see this on the blog today. You have been my biggest supporter since … forever. You check my blog faithfully, you are first in line to buy anything I produce (even though you totally know I’m hooking you up) and you are the first to be excited about anything I’m doing.
So today it felt completely appropriate to send you a big cyber hug since I’m not with you in person on your birthday. Plus, I kinda thought it might be fun to have a whole bunch of really kind strangers (and maybe a few familiar friends) add their birthday wishes. Go ahead, guys. Wish my mom a happy birthday in the comments!
Mom, thank you over and over for everything you do and everything you are. Thank you for always having a homemade dinner on the table when we were growing up. Thank you for serving your family, community, and church so faithfully. Thank you for choosing Dad – who also serves diligently and tirelessly. You are both such remarkable people and I will forever be grateful for the blessing of having you as my parents.
Thank you for being supportive every step of the way as I have struggled and triumphed. Thank you for never making me feel pressured in any big life decision I’ve made. I have always felt like you and Dad have completely trusted me. That’s one of the greatest gifts any parent can give a child.
I love your work ethic. You were never interested in paid work but you have worked just as hard as anyone in a high-power position. When I think of you, I think of volunteerism. I think of you holding hands with Dad. I think of you wearing that apron, and baking those awesome cookies, and delivering hundreds and hundreds of cookies to the nursing home, the city council meetings, the family gatherings.
Mom, I just made your famous Chili & Coleslaw Dogs the other day. Delish. I love making stuff that you taught me how to make — like Chicken Noodle Casserole and Deviled Eggs and sugar toast. Because every time I do, it reminds me of you. I think of you when I wear an apron or walk laps around the neighborhood or hear “We Built This City on Rock and Roll”. I totally laugh to myself just picturing you conducting that music from the driver’s seat in your Dodge Caravan when it would come on the radio.
Thank you for every sacrifice you’ve made on my behalf. Thank you for loving me through every tantrum (even though I don’t believe that I could possibly throw fits!), every mood swing (what!?) and anything I ever did that caused you worry or concern or heartache.
As I’m tucking Porter in bed last night, this was the conversation.
Porter: Hey Mom?
Me: Yes Love.
Porter: Remember when you came to my class to work on the personal yearbooks a couple weeks ago?
Me: That was fun, huh?
Porter: (Carefully and cautiously) Yeah. Um – well there was a kid in my class who said, “My mom is quite a bit thinner than your mom.”
Me: (Processing, processing …) Okay. So what did you think about that?
Porter: It wasn’t really nice.
Okay, so the conversation went on … and it was a wonderful opportunity to discuss LOTS of things, including manners and kindness, as well as health. I can probably break-down my feelings like this:
5% Defensive (if that kid had a clue about what’s going on in my life that makes regular exercise a struggle…)
10% Ouch
20% Sense of Humor (Thank goodness for that)
25% Wake-up Call (I’m fully aware that I’m not my thinnest self at the moment)
40% Grateful that Porter can comfortably bring things up like this me + we can talk openly about anything.
Raise your hand if you’ve had your kids gently/bluntly/abrasively/sweetly tell you something similar? : )
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{ #2 }
This is of far more importance than #1. I want to help spread awareness about something that has deeply and eternally affected a family local to us. Please visit emmettsfight.com and watch the two short but very effective videos. You will become more aware of the tiny batteries around your home and mine. And your heart will ache for little Emmett, who is a living miracle.
If you want to pick up a cute t-shirt or two – check out THESE. A friend has designed some for this awareness campaign and profits will go toward helping with this. In fact, she is offering free shipping to my blog readers. Just enter projectemmett at checkout (domestic shipping only).
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{ #3 }
I think a giveaway is a delightful way to kick off this week! The Autumn issue of Where Women Create is stunning, creatively invoking, and simply inspiring. As you flip through the pages, you will appreciate the various styles of decorating, living, and organizing. And – you will likely be inspired to try something new in your own space.
THREE of you will win a free copy of this issue. Leave your first name, city + state … and … I would love to hear ONE health tip from YOU (see #1). : )
First of all, congratulations to our two randomly-selected winners, who will each receive the new JoTotes bag!
1. Mark L. in Ft. Pierce, Florida who said, “This would be for my daughter if I won. She would not only be 100% surprised she got a new bag, but even more surprised by her father’s ability to pick out a fashionable camera bag!”
2. Juliane in Waldshut, Germany who said, “If I’m at the next wedding to make the pictures, I do not want to take my old, little pocket. I would like to take this wonderful bag, having everything perfectly under control. A woman just needs a great bag – and a great camera bag would be the crowning glory!”
Both of you can email jototes@gmail.com and they’ll work out the details with you.
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For today, I’m doing something a little unique. I’m turning the rest of this post over to my friend Rebecca Cooper, who is a guest here on my blog today. She is a very gifted photographer and one of the sweetest people I know, and she has a wealth of inspiration to share. With that, I give you … Rebecca.
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Hi everyone! My name is Rebecca Cooper and I’m so excited to be here with Becky to share some thoughts with you on one of my most favourite topics in the world…and that is photography!
As a professional photographer I take thousands of pictures for beautiful families each year around this time. Capturing “the” photo for their Christmas cards is often on their minds. Recording the changes that occur throughout the year as your family grows can be a lot of fun! But let’s face it, when it comes to getting family photos taken, FUN isn’t always the first word that comes to mind. I’ve been behind the camera enough times with my own family to realize that family photos, while they are treasured keepsakes, don’t come without some effort. Today I’m going to share a few quick tips with you that can help put the fun back in your next family photo session.
At a photo session for our family a few years ago, the above photo was one of my favorites. I sure love that sweet family of mine! While we’re all looking at the camera in this shot and mostly smiling…I have to tell you, that this was only, one of a handful of shots from the hundreds that were taken during the session, where this was the case. There were a few tears, an incident involving a bumble bee, a husband who was done taking photos much sooner than I was and some hilarious, but not quite hang-on-the-wall-worthy, expressions from the kids.
I remember feeling a little frustrated at the time that the kids were making silly faces and things just didn’t seem to be working out quite how I’d envisioned. But when I look back at these pictures now, I couldn’t possibly love them more! They make me smile and they portray our family so well – the outtakes more so than the frameable shots I think! Ha! That goofy grin was trademark Carson at 3 years old, Addie with her tongue sticking out is so typical of her quirky little personality and Emily, the sweetheart, was trying so hard to smile nice for mom – until she that bumble bee showed up, then it was all over.
Read on for a few tips I’ve learned from personal experience and from photographing hundreds of family’s over the years, that can help make your family photo session go just a little bit smoother this year.
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{ 5 simple tips for your next family photo session }
1.Have a plan.Plan the time of your photo session carefully. Make it a time when you won’t be rushed, children will be fed and well rested. Wear comfortable clothing. Pick a location where you can take the majority, if not all of your photos. Have a wishlist of photo ideas and poses you’d like captured ready for your photographer to help them know what style of photos you’re looking for (casual, silly, formal, etc.) Prepare everyone ahead of time so they know how long you’ll be taking photos and any behaviour expectations you may have. You want as many variables working in your favour as possible. Tired, hungry kids, uncomfortable clothing choices and multiple changes in location are all going to cut down on the amount of time everyone is happy and smiling for photos. Have a plan and make it a simple one.
2.Make it a flexible plan. While it’s great to have a plan, setting your expectations too high can often lead to frustration. Make your next family photo session less about getting the perfect shot and more about the moment, each other and the thought of what memories will be triggered by these photos years down the road. This will take a little bit of the pressure off and help everyone to relax and just enjoy the time together as a family. The perfect family photo may not necessarily be the one you envision. Open your mind, relax, have fun with it & the photos will reflect a lovely memory of time spent together. If you are relaxed, your children will be too.
3.Involve the whole family.Ok, that might sound funny, it is family photos afterall, but inviting everyone’s input (especially children’s) as far as clothing choices, poses and other ideas, helps everyone feel like the photo session is a team effort – not just something they’re doing because mo and dad said they had to. Let each family member take a turn arranging the family how they’d like to see them photographed. Watch out, this could get a little silly. When children are given some creative control and allowed to share their input they are so much more cooperative when it comes to taking photos mom and dad or the photographer would like.
4. Be prepared.Bring along some snacks, perhaps some games or other activities to keep younger children occupied while they’re waiting for other family members to have their photos taken. A few more things I also like to have on hand: a brush or comb, hairspray, water or something to drink, wipes, a treat (I am not, will not, never have been above using a little bribery ), an extra change of clothes in case someone gets dirty, a fun prop or two to personalize your session. Being prepared for situations that might arise during your session helps so much. Things go smoother and you can relax a little bit more when you know that if something goes wrong you’ve got some back up tools to help you out.
5. Have Fun.Most importantly make your family photo session a fun event, something to look forward to. Bring silly props – think fake mustaches, funky glasses, balloons or some bubble gum for a bubble blowing contest. Not only do they look cute in photos, props also serve a very useful purpose. They keep little hands busy, fill in time while siblings are being photographed and help to drawing out smiles and genuine interactions. Whatever you can do to ensure that your photo session is an event to anticipated, not dreaded is going to help make it fun and will even help set the stage for next years photos!
Wishing you all the best of luck with those family photos! I hope these quick tips will help make your next family photo session a fun and memorable one.
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For more tips on making photos fun and ideas to take great, natural photos of your kids, be sure to check out Rebecca Cooper’s latest eBook Don’t Say Cheese!
See Rebecca’s latest eZine article for Ella Publishing here, where she shares a few photo game ideas for making photos fun for kids.
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Check out Rebecca’s blog here. You can always count on eye candy, and she is sharing more great photo tips throughout the month of August.
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Go on. Leave your first name, city and state or country and we’ll announce the 2 winners in tomorrow’s post! THANK YOU Rebecca – these are great tips and many of us benefit from the information and reminders!
I can hardly believe it, but it’s already back-to-school season. Again. I am seriously loving all the school supply abundance in the retail setting. Always inspiring to me.
I know many of you are familiar with the in-the-classroom project I’ve been doing for my kids’ classes over the past few years. You know … the Personal Yearbooks.
I’m not going to repeat and reiterate everything in this blog post. I just wanted to bring this up – as a reminder to those of you who have considered doing this. And also, I want to be sure that all my new readers, particularly parents & teachers of school-age kiddos, know about this. Because it’s a way cool way to help young students create their own month-by-month documentation of a year in school.
I invite you to check out my Free Stuff page and learn all about it. (It’s a free downloadable PDF.) Why we do it, how we do it, supplies needed, plenty of tips, and all the ideas you need to get started. Share this with your fellow parents, teachers, friends with school-age children … anyone you think might be interested.
If you’re not able to take on the project yourself (perhaps you work full-time outside the home), just bring it up with your child’s teacher and you guys could always try to find a parent volunteer in the classroom. Most parents would be happy to do what they can to make this happen. It really is a treasured keepsake for the kids, and a very simple format.
Any of you who have done this, feel free to leave a comment with your own tips + ideas.
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I am getting a lot of questions about our pending school and child related scrapbooking products. This is a completely separate thing from this in-the-classroom Personal Yearbook project that the kids do. Yes, we are working on very cool, very solution-based products that will help you tackle all that childhood and school STUFF that accumulates with your kids … and even the stuff that you have from your own past.
We anticipate an early 2012 release date for these items. Because many of you are anxious to figure out what to do with all the pictures and papers and memorabilia that pile up – especially with a new school year starting – I will be addressing this topic in the coming weeks. We’ll talk organization and preparation. Can’t wait!
I know, I know, I know. Project Life is sold out and yet I keep bringing it up! You know why? Because you keep inspiring me. So I want to continue passing along the inspiration.
Aaaand … Project Life will be back in the house before we know it! We are anticipating September for the reprint of Amber Edition and Turquoise Edition and November for the two new 2012 editions. It’s never too early to get those wheels spinning, for those of you who:
A) are new to the Project Life concept
B) are already doing Project Life but anxiously awaiting the new arrivals
C) have friends + family members who should know about Project Life
So today I want to share with you two emails I recently received. One is from Gemma who is 17 and the other is from Karen who is 56. They are living on opposite sides of the country, in very different stages of life, with very different experiences. But they have something in common. They are telling their story. They are creating something so simple, and yet so much more valuable than they realize.
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{ Gemma from Bainbridge Island, Washington }
Hi Becky,
I am 17 years old. I started scrapbooking when I was probably 11 or 12. I love scrapbooking. I love being able to put my family’s memories in a book so they can look at it and remember it. Four years ago my family moved. I kept scrapbooking but I found it harder and harder to find time while I was adjusting to a new neighborhood and school. Then I just flat out stopped because I was so overwhelmed with all that was going on in my life. Earlier this year a family member of mine introduced me to Project Life. I started to do the digital version. It has really changed my life. I love being able to sit down with my parents and show it to them. I do not feel like I have to spend so much time trying to be the one who preserves my family’s memories.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you so much!
Gemma
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{ Karen from Pennsylvania }
Dear Becky,
I recently finished reading more than 200 letters that my father sent to his parents while he was serving in the Marines right after World War II. Reading each one of them has been an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life. My father has been gone for 18 years now, but I heard his voice again for three wonderful days. As I read, I heard my father trying to calm my grandmother’s concerns about the girls he was meeting on leave. (And now I know where my worry gene comes from!) I heard him give supportive words to his little brother about schoolwork and heard him tease his parents about their car, which seems to have been on its last legs. And I now know where that insidious melanoma cell that took him away from us far too early came from — he served in Califormia and spent many weekends going to the beach or pool to “get some color” in his pale, freckled skin.
I heard and learned so much, but I am greedy. Now I want to see it all, too. I want to see the barracks that he complained about. I want to see photos of his Marine buddies who meant so much to him. I want to see him roller skating. I want to see the girls who had my grandmother so worried. I want to see the house that all of those envelopes were addressed to. Unfortunately, this will never happen. And that is why Project Life is so important to me.
I am 56 years old. My children are now grown and living their lives happily , so my Project Life book is not full of their everyday adventures and experiences. But, I will have a record of the times we do get together, of the movies and plays that I have seen, of the books that I have read, of the recipes of family favorites, of the friends I now have time to see more often, of the events of the day. I am still living a life of everyday moments worth recording.
I am doing Project Life not merely for myself or for my children, but also for a great-great-granddaughter or grandson who will share my gene for wanting to know everything possible about his or her ancestors and their lives. He or she will want to know what I looked like, what my house looked like, how I spent my days. It doesn’t matter that I am not documenting the life of a young family. There is still so much of the everday life of a 56-year-old that I know will be interesting to someone, somewhere down the line. Answers to questions about life in 2011 and beyond are the gifts that I can give to those who come after me.
So, to all of your followers of ”a certain age” who feel as though they are struggling to find topics for their photos and/or journaling, I suggest they think about the questions their great-great-grandchildren might have about life in the year 2011. What seems so mundane to us now as we live day to day will be fascinating information for others later.
Thank you, Becky, for creating Project Life so that one day, decades from now, someone with pale, freckled skin and a healthy dose of curiosity will come across my Project Life book in an attic, wipe off the dust, and be transformed to another place and time.
Best,
Karen
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Okay, goosebumps. You got me.
Side note from Karen regarding the photo above: “I am holding my Project Life opened to the spread for the week during which I started to read my father’s letters. On the left is a collage of the typical places I stop by on an errand run (bank, drug store, etc.). On the right side, bottom left, is a photo of the old shoe box that contained all 205 letters. Also included on the right are a photo of the new eyeglasses I picked up that week and a photo of my cat playing fetch. Finally, there is a photo of my two children, whom we met for dinner at my son’s favorite restaurant in Arlington, Virginia .”
I’ve been getting lots of questions about this topic so today I’ll share with you how we usually organize block parties. Our process isn’t necessarily the way it works best for others, but this is our groove and it works for us. I hope you’ll glean some inspiration and possibly feel more motivated to organize a block party in your own neighborhood.
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WHAT: We have hosted a block party just about every year since we moved here 5 years ago.
WHY: We love a sense of community, we have great neighbors, and we seek opportunities to get to know them better, and have everyone become better acquainted with one another as well. It’s hard to build friendships without face time. Isn’t it amazing how you can live next door to someone and hardly ever see them?
WHEN: We’ve done every time of year – Spring, Fall, Winter. Usually we avoid the Summer time because it’s so hot in Arizona but we were just early enough this time that it wasn’t quite dreadful yet. Because of Summer time, we opted for a weekday evening (cooler temps, kids aren’t in school, and weekends are usually full or less-consistent in general).
HOW: Higgins style = simple. Simple = No decorations, no cutesy party favors, no making the food all by myself … not even planned games. I’m not really elaborate when it comes to parties. If I were elaborate, I probably wouldn’t have many parties ever, because I don’t have that kind of time.
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Step 1: A few weeks before the party, we sent a save-the-date email to all neighbors whose addresses we had.
Step 2: I made flyers.
Don’t be confused by the graphic. I used a map of our little neighborhood but distorted the image in this picture for privacy reasons. Here is how I set up the document in Pages (word processing on Mac computers):
Step 3: A couple weeks before the party, my good friend & neighbor Sarica and I took our kids on a walk one morning and the kids taped a flyer to every single door in our neighborhood. **Definitely involve your kids in the planning and preparations! This will help instill in them a sense of community.
Step 4: On the flyer, we requested that everyone tell us what they were going to bring (main dish or salad or side dish or dessert …). I kept a running list of these things, just to ensure we had a good balance of food items.
Step 5: On the evening of the party, we put a sign on the door, inviting all our neighbors to just walk in.
We set out plenty of these, accompanied with a couple of markers. (We have plenty of new neighbors so these name tags are instrumental in helping us learn and remember everyone’s names.)
Many neighbors came. Some were out of town. I love that all the kids knew to kick their shoes off by the front door.
And we spent the evening enjoying great conversation and catching up over plenty of food.
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{ BLOCK PARTY TIPS }
- Be sure to invite every neighbor. It’s not cool to leave people out. You probably don’t have everybody’s email address or phone number. Hence the flyers.
- Don’t expect 100% attendance. That’s just too many schedules to coordinate. Just pick a date and hope for the best.
- Collaborate with another neighbor and share party-planning duties.
- Child-proof your home if you’re not used to having children over. We have kids over all the time, so this was a non-issue.
- If your home isn’t conducive to large crowds (or you simply don’t want to have everyone in your home), consider a nearby park or even a cul de sac in your neighborhood that you could block off. Just choose a time of year that is ideal and comfortable to be outside.
- Have one, central place for all the food. Seems obvious, but plan ahead for this as you might need to gather a couple extra tables to set up.
- Name tags. Super helpful. See above.
- Welcome sign on the door. See above. This is especially helpful to new neighbors, to ensure them they’re at the right house when they show up.
- We don’t plan games because the kids are content to run around in the backyard, jump on the trampoline, etc. but you certainly could plan for a couple games. I do think it’s a fun idea. In fact, this is a perfect assignment for other neighbors or even have a couple teenagers take charge in the game department.
- Put a couple Sharpie markers by the cups so everyone can label their own cup. I like my neighbors but I try to keep my germs to myself.
- Speaking of drinks, this is a more personal preference. We don’t drink alcohol and we don’t prefer alcohol to be in our home. So we always provide drinks. A big water jug or water bottles or soda and juice or make a punch. There are plenty of options. For this recent party, we stuck with water because it was a hot day and we knew there would be a lot of congregating inside. Any spills would be water spills and I can handle that.
- Remember: This party isn’t about your house, if you’re hosting the party in your home. Don’t worry if there’s still laundry on your bed or dust on your blinds. This party is about building friendships within your community.
- If you have little ones, I recommend seeing if they could play at a neighbor’s for that hour or so before the party. That’s when you’re usually tidying up, pulling together last-minute food prep, etc. This will save you some stress if you have a hard time multi-tasking. My friend/neighbor Sarica had our kids over before this recent block party and boy, it was sure helpful to pull everything together without distractions.
- Need party food recipe ideas? Check out my collection of favorite Recipes (see categories on the right).
Congrats to the winner of Thursday’s giveaway: Karen in St. John’s, Arizona! She said “I would love to do t-shirts for family and friends to support my sister in Paralympic competition!” What a great idea, Karen. Shoot an email to Ricky@tamboink.com and they’ll hook you up with $50 toward your custom t-shirt order.
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Remember the Kiki Creates giveaway I did back in March? I said, “Check out this print. It’s fill-in-the-blank style and you write on the glass with dry-erase marker and change it as often as you want. I’m so getting this for each of my kids.”
Well I so did. I got 3 prints, put them in these frames from Target, attached them to the wall (with our favorite velcro) — the wall we see as we come in from the garage. And there is a dry-erase marker resting on top of the top frame for our convenience. Our little messages can change within a matter of seconds. Any time we feel like it.
I love that this is now the first thing the kids see as they walk in the door each day. Just another fun way to help our kids feel loved and special. And I love that this little project helps us to focus on the specifics of what we love about them. Sometimes it’s silly and light-hearted. Other times it’s more thoughtful and sincere. That’s the fun in rotating the sentiments frequently.
You can find Kiki’s latest designs in her super cute etsy shop. Plus, she has a wonderfully patriotic (and free) downloadable print here.
Every day is loaded with opportunity. You know the saying — Life is what you make of it. Yeah, I completely agree with that. Completely. And you know that I whole-heartedly believe that when we document bits and pieces of our life, we are more aware of how richly blessed we really are. Today I’m sharing few recent opportunities I’ve had in the past few days — documented with pictures + words.
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{ Opportunity: Scout Camp }
On Friday I spent the day with a bunch of 8- and 9-year-old boys at Cub Scout Camp. I had a million other things to do. It was hot. And boys are loud. But I love my son. And I value opportunities to be with him. And one day he won’t care so much to have his uncool mom around. So I’m soaking it in while I can.
Photo taken with my iPhone 4 and edited with the Camera+ app. This camp site was at the base of a desert mountain and just beautiful.
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{ Opportunity: Finding Inspiration }
One of the { POTD Ideas } I shared on facebook & twitter last week was THIS from Rebecca Cooper’s blog. I love taking pictures at ground level but I can’t remember the last time I set the camera down, put it on timer, and put myself in the shot. Rebecca inspired me to capture something that is veryeveryday in my life: Doing my work in the kitchen and Crew close-by, doing his “work”. I passed the inspiration on to my facebook & twitter readers. And I took the opportunity to actually act on an inspiring idea. And now I’m so happy I have this picture.
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{ Opportunity: Memory Lane }
David and I had the (very spontaneous) opportunity to stop by and see our first two little apartments (one block apart from each other) when we were newlyweds 15 years ago. A flood of memories rushed through our minds all at once and it was so much fun, super quick, and totally worth it.
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{ Opportunity: Family Bonding }
We created an opportunity to visit with some family this weekend that we don’t get to see very often. During church one of our nephews passed us these notes. Pick me up out of a puddle on the floor. Because honestly? I can’t imagine a sweeter compliment than to be called nice.
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{ Opportunity: Reconnecting with my Childhood BFF }
I’m holding back from writing and writing and writing all I want to share about Lydia. I could write a book about our adventures together and what I admire about her and how she has been — and still is — a great strength to me. But this is what I will say: The friends we choose? We can’t take that lightly for ourselves or for our children. If my children have only one close friend in their childhood, it will be enough if that friend is what Lydia was to me. Really.
I had several friends growing up that were dear to me and many fond memories with those friends. Lydia was/is everything a best friend should be — completely trustworthy, uplifting, honest, encouraging, and a good example. She was always a sister to me. We’ve remained dear friends all these years and can go a couple years without much more than a couple emails and easily pick up right where we left off.
I said I would hold back, didn’t I?
On Sunday night, Lydia and her husband and darling family were passing through town and so we had the very pleasant surprise of having them here with us for not even 33 hours. I stopped everything I had going on. Rearranged plans. Blew off my work. The 4 of us went to bed at 4:00 am the past two nights — stayed up talking and talking and talking. The opportunity was golden and treasured and refreshing and we are better for that time spent reconnecting with dear friends.
We have some very special friends - the Fuchs ("fewks") family - that are adjusting to a "new normal" with their special-needs daughter who had a terrible accident and is now confined to a wheelchair. You can read all about it HERE
For the benefit of Claire's family - and also for the benefit of many generous sponsors - I opened my blog for advertising for one month only! This is temporary + the ads will run February 1 - 29, 2012. 100% of the ad fees have gone directly to Claire's family.
Because of the nature of this fundraiser and the need to keep the entire process very, very simple - we are not taking any more sponsors at this time. Anyone who wants to reach out to the Fuchs family with a note of encouragement, or a letter in the mail, or even a cash donation, can find that information HERE
