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Christmas isn't over yet!

Whether you visit websites to download ready-made digital scrapbook pages to insert you pictures into, or just want to make your own physical book, it doesn't matter.  I, myself am still trying to digest all that is "out there" on the digital scrapbooking subject ...(most of the pages I've encountered seem quite "busy" and "congested" for me, however,  I'm sure there are some out there that are more subdued and classic...I'm interested to say the least.)
HOWEVER - regardless of how you choose to preserve your pictures - today I offer ideas on TYPES of books that you might want create.  Theme books - if you will.
Now, when I say "books" I'm speaking either physically or digitally - whatever you choose.  These ideas transcend method.  But some of my ideas mention physical materials that you can always find digitally as well, I'm sure. (If you're "into" digitally preserving, then I'm sure you already know where to find "stuff" to use - I'm not well versed enough in that arena to be of much help yet. - I like the website http://scrappyblogbackgrounds.blogspot.com. She lists dozens of sites where you can gather digital backgrounds / pages.) 

For general record keeping, I mentioned that I keep histories chronologically, but there are certain times when an occasion warrants it's very own history.
My next few postings will have some ideas you might consider that I've enjoyed using over the many years I've been wildly preserving:

- CHRISTMAS PRESERVE -
I like to gather papers that are the colors of Christmas: green, red, gold, silver, black is even really pretty, or you can even create your own paper using a Christmassy photograph that you took yourself, or that you like from a magazine and scanning it, saving it, manipulating it in a photo software (I like Google Picasa) making it a washed out, faint image so as not to "overpower" the pictures you insert on top of the image , then inserting it onto a document page like Powerpoint, and then inserting your pictures on top, one at a time and arranging them how you like etc.
In this history, you would, of course, have pictures from the season's events.
Pictures of people around you, your home decorations, your tree, all the presents
Gifts given / gifts received lists
Activities participated in - programs, announcements
Favorite Christmas pictures (some magazine covers have beautiful Christmas pictures)
Stories, song lyrics, poems
The Christmas card, picture, letter you sent out to others
Christmas cards you've received
Art work that children in your life have created
Special recipes you've cooked
What you took or did for the neighbors
Movie stubs and pictures of movies you've seen during the season
Listings of favorite TV shows/movies/sports events
Service project details that you've participated in
A journal entry about your impressions of the holiday
Special memories that were created
Traditions observed

As you notice, a lot of these ideas require that you do some writing - it's not just all about pictures.
Some of the most important memories and histories are the written(typed) word.
Then you may organize all this "stuff" into a binder with a cool picture on the front (I use presentation binders)
Every year I set these books out for everyone to pour through, enjoy and reminisce with - it helps us remember what an awesome time of year Christmas is.










Comments

  1. The Starter HouseJanuary 27, 2010 at 4:46 PM

    This is good stuff mommy! i've been trying to figure out how to archive so that our small apt can house stuff minimally...i've been doing little collage videos and taking pix of things like invitations, wedding announcements, bday cards etc that i've collected since being married. then I recycle all of those, and just keep them as a digital pic. I try to keep just the important physical stuff..and have gotten that down to a little silver box. phew! I do burn dvds, cds of pix and videos and just got a new external hard-drive so they'll all go on there so they aren't taking up space on my compy. yeah good times.

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