Sharing Your Life Stories...

I have to share this list with you...someone emailed this to me and I thought it was perfect to share with you all!!

"I'm a totally ordinary person," you shrug. "I'm not famous. I haven't done anything important. In fact nothing really outstanding has ever happened to me. Why would I want to share my life story with anyone, and, for that matter, why would I want to listen to or read the life stories of other ordinary people? And why on earth would I want to write my life story? It's so boring! Memoirs are for celebrities."

Fair questions. Here are a few possible answers. At least 55 reasons why you might consider reflecting on, sharing, and even writing your life stories and listening to the experiences of other people. You may have--or find--additional reasons…

1. You'll learn something from reflecting and from remembering.
2. You'll learn something from telling, both orally and in print.
3. You'll learn something from hearing and/or reading the life stories of others.
4. You'll practice listening skills, boost empathy, deepen relationships.
5. You may experience some cathartic pain, which is often good for the soul.
6. You may heal old wounds--or soothe current pains.
7. You'll deepen appreciation for your life characters--family, friends, coworkers.
8. Those who hear or read your stories will better understand the real you.
9. You'll recapture memories and experiences you assumed were lost.
10. You'll trace and uncover some important threads through your life story.
11. You'll reveal something of what's important to you, what you deeply value.
12. You'll share--and spread--vital values, through what you tell (and don't).
13. Life review may reveal patterns, connections, hidden insights.
14. You'll more deeply appreciate your own heritage, culture, ethnicity, roots.
15. You'll understand, appreciate, and connect with people different from you.
16. You'll find you have a special gift to give that only you can give.
17. You may bring genealogy to life, humanize and honor your ancestors.
18. You will clarify the cultural context, history, and settings that impact your life.
19. You may clarify family and ancestors' cultural context, history, and settings.
20. You'll more deeply connect with your past and your people, living and dead.
21. Paradoxically, You'll more deeply connect with others' past and people.
22. You'll have a good excuse for a healthy cry or two, and lots of laughs.
23. You'll have a great time, enjoying the exploration and the sharing.
24. You'll get a powerful educational tool to share across the table or across time.
25. Your struggles and triumphs, however small, may inspire others.
26. You may inspire yourself.
27. You may surprise the spouse, child, kin, or friend who "know you well."
28. You may increase others' understanding of "people like you."
29. You may prove that there is no one exactly like you.
30. You may wonder at the miracle of our common humanity.
31. You may have a precious written gift (whether book or one-page memento)
32. You can leave a valuable legacy, before it's too late!
33. You can make photo albums and scrapbooks far more meaningful and fun.
34. Brief stories can add meaning and value to heirlooms or artifacts.
35. Your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews will learn "real" history.
36. Family may see you as more than merely Mom, Dad, Gram, Aunt, or Uncle…
37. Family may come to understand their own rich connections and contexts.
38. Family may get a kick out of making fun of you and the "olden days."
39. You may answer some questions that have been nagging you.
40. You may raise questions to spend the rest of your life answering.
41. Past experience may suggest how to best live your future, however long.
42. Your past could help others learn how they might best live their future.
43. Your mistakes may help others avoid some of theirs.
44. "Mistakes," "losses" re-examined may turn out to be blessings in disguise.
45. Opening your senses and imagination will enrich and enhance each day.
46. You'll build, enhance, deepen relationships with folks living and dead
47. You'll build, enhance, deepen relationships with folks known and unknown.
48. If you write it or have it written, you'll have interesting reading.
49. All your life, you can continue learning from rereading. And write more!
50. If you write it or have it written, you may achieve a sort of immortality.
51. You'll illuminate your perspective on culture, religion, places, people, life.
52. You can show appreciation for those who have enriched your life.
53. What you know, care about, feel, and think won't die with you.
54. You may grow spiritually, feel more kinship with humanity, a oneness.
55. You'll discover you aren't so ordinary after all! (Who is??)
    

Tuesday Tradition #40 Writing & Sharing Your Love Story & Giveaway!

I just realized this is the 40th tradition that I've posted...wow! I have to say I'm ever so slightly proud of myself. We've got quite a collection of traditions here. There are plenty to go around and enough to last the entire year. I hope you enjoy them all and please feel free to share and pass on all of yours as well.

With Valentine's Day knocking on the door, L♥ve is in the air. What a prefect time to reflect, write and share your Love Story. Many people never take the time to write down the details of a love story. We all have a love story....some are fairytale-like and others...well, let's just say lessons can be learned.

Take the time to sit down write a few words in your journal or "type" them up and tell about how you met, your first kiss, when you knew "he" was the one. Or how about the first time your eyes met? The first time your boyfriend met your parents? You can't help but have those sweet feelings flood your heart again and put a smile on your face.

Need some help remembering those moments? Well, I have the perfect tool! By using Cherish Bound's "Falling In Love" Story Starter, you'll be prompted with over 50 ideas and questions about your love story. With room to jot down your thoughts you'll organize and collect all those memories in one place. Something fun to do is have your hubby answer the same questions and create a "He said, She said" version of your love story. My hubby and I did this...Oh, it was fun!!! And let's just say we both remember our Love Story VERY differently...but I so remember his adorable perm, checkered Vans, and gray parachute pants with safety pins all the way up his calves.......beautiful!

This is one of our most popular Story Starters for good reason. Read through the questions with the one you love and write your story to share with everyone. And when you're done collecting those memories...You can put them into this adorable "Love Book" from Cherish Bound. It's the cutest 5x5 book with pink and brown accents. SOOO CUTE!

Would you like a chance to WIN the Falling in Love Story Starter?

• Then share with us one quality that made you fall in love with your husband by leaving a comment. I know there are so many, but pick one...or two and share them.
  
• For a second chance to win, follow my blog! If you already follow leave a second comment to remind me or let me know you're a new follower.
  
• Make sure you leave an email if you don't have one in your profile. Giveaway closes Friday, Feb. 6th @ 9pm! Winner will be drawn by random.org.
  

Calling all Team Moms and Room Moms!

Is that you? Are you in charge of gift ideas for coaches and teachers? Are you sick of the dreaded dust-collecting trophies and metals or boring apple-themed gifts? If you answered yes, sort of, maybe or no...Keep Reading.

From my personal experience I can tell you that what I'm about to share with you is valuable information...seriously. It will change you. You will no longer be the mediocre mom or dad who collects $20 per family for gifts that are somewhat mundane and meaningless...that pretty much does nothing for the soul. So if you're ready to be popular...possibly famous...Keep Reading.

It's time to up the ante ladies (& gents)...it's time to raise the bar of team, coach and teacher gifts. With a little prep and some help from me you'll be the talk of the town and so will your gifts. So what am I talking about?

These....

Yes, you can put together gorgeous photo/story books for those important people. I've done MANY of them and have yet to encounter a recipient that doesn't tear up, thank me on a daily basis, show EVERYONE that walks within 25 feet of them. These books will have more of an impact than you know. Here are some of the books and stories behind them.

Teacher Books:

This book was done for a 4th grade teacher. Each child drew a picture and/or submitted a photo along with a story or thank you note. The hand written letters and pictures were scanned into the book. I saw the teacher receive this book and it's now been 4 years since she received it. To this day she still thanks us for putting together her "most prized possession" ever!

This is a book I just did for my son's kindergarten teacher for Christmas. We collected favorite recipes from all the kids in her class, along with a drawn picture or photo from each child. We put together an entire collection of recipes...over 50 pages! The name "Secret Ingredients" came from the inspiration of the children...one of the mom's interviewed each kid and asked them what their favorite recipe was and what the ingredients were...hysterical! It's a good thing those little ones aren't cooking! She has expressed her appreciation over and over again. She said she had never received anything more spectacular as a teacher.

Team/Coaches Books:

These team/sports books are becoming the replacement for cheap trophies and metals. This first set of books are soccer-style "yearbooks" that recap a season for the players and coaches. Players can give their two-cents, what they learned, greatest moment, etc. Action shots of the kids can be placed right into the book giving each player a spread or two.

This is one of my favorite coach books I've ever done. This was a big season for these girls, lots of long hours and hard work. Each girl took the time to write the coaches letters of appreciation and what they learned. We put all their letters and photos in this book and gave it to the coaches for their end of the season gift. Little did the girls know that they too were getting a book....but theirs had personal messages from the coach. Everyone was touched by the words, photos, and grateful to have this treasure.

This is a players book that we did for each child's end of the year gift. These took a little more time because they were all individually customized for each kid. We even interviewed the little guys and asked them questions about their season. The answers were priceless!

There are 100's of options, 1000's of sports & Millions of stories to be shared and given at the end of each sporting season. From Cheer Squads to Hockey Teams, Swimmers to Golfers...every athlete and coach has a story to tell. If you'd like more information on getting started just drop me a comment or email me at tarabrown at cherishbound dot com. I have an entire "workshop" I'll email you so you can have direction and steps to follow. Don't wait!

Confessions of an Ex-Scrapbooker #25: 2009 Family Yearbook Challenge

Today's confessions is all about helping you find the easiest ways to capture your family's memories from 2008. Some tips, tricks, and ideas for 2009 as well....

& the announcement of the

Family Yearbook Challenge 2009!!!!!

With 2008 coming to a close and 2009 already underway, now is the time to remember and record all of your family’s 2008 adventures. There are 100’s and 100’s of events and moments worth recording from just one single year. So how do we organize and and stay on top of all those stories? How do record and pick out the most important events?

1. Don’t wait! Get a jump on your family yearbook as soon as you can. Have a goal to finish it by January 31 of the new year. Use the buddy system for find a group of friends that want to do it with you...doesn't matter, just get it done!!

2. Get your family involved. Have your husband, children, grandparents and friends share their favorite memories, stories and photos. Ask them about their favorite events, memories and stories from the year.

3. Do an A-Z book. When you’re “chronologically” challenged, resort to the A-Z style. Pick a few favorite pictures and memories that work with the intended letter. I've done quite a few A-Z books....I'm not 100% perfect with organization of any kind, so I resort to the A-Z style often. Plus my KIDS LOVE THEM!

4. Use your calendar from the previous year. Sometimes flipping through your old calendars will help remind you forgotten events. Calendars of all kinds, whether electronic or paper, hold most of our important memories without us even know it. It's a great tool to use!

5. Try out Cherish’s Bound Family Yearbook Story Starter. I use one of these every year. With it’s pages of questions and room to write, our year is organized and ready in no time at all. It's broken up into sections to help you write stories about all different areas of your family's life, events, and it's a great tool to interview your children, spouses, family and friends to get their two cents as well. There's room to write in it too!

6. Don't feel the need to have EVERY SINGLE picture in your book. It's the stories that count. The photos are the bonus....so don't waste too much time hunting down photos. Your family will thank you for the collection of "stories" as you watch them sit around the couch and READ about their family's adventures.

7. Keep it simple. Less is more…

Now here's a FANTASTIC idea that I stumbled on yesterday over at Robin's Life. She's a Scrapper, digital scrapper, yes, that's okay.....anyway, she's doing something every week of the year. So each week she'll have a page or two done of the events that happened. By the end of 2009, she'll have all her memories and ideas captured and ready to share. BRILLIANT!

I'm so inspired by this idea that I'm going to start a weekly "Yearbook Class" to help you capture your families memories WHILE THEY'RE HAPPENING!! Monday Morning I'll post the first Class and every Monday in 2009 after that. Spread the word...I'll have a button for you, prizes, giveaways, and at the end of the year, one lucky follower and classmate will get their family book PUBLISHED FOR FREE! Yep! For free. I'll have all the details on Monday. But we're going to need to get started quickly to catch up with the 19 days that we'll be behind on....so get ready!!

This will not be Digital Scrapbooking....I'm no expert in it and have absolutely no right to subject you to my skills....I can do it, but can't teach it. (Does that make ANY sense at all....)This will be a class about collecting the stories writing it or typing it...organizing your photos and getting them all in one place. They'll be in a "file" system on your computer where you can watch your family's story unfold and then share it with them. If you're a digi scrapper....have at it! You'll know what to do :O) Robin has great ideas too!

So....Who's in?

Hope these simple tips will help motivate you and help you tell your family’s stories year after year. And don't forget to spread the word about our Family Yearbook Challenge 2009!

Happy New Year!

Stories are EVERYWHERE!

I'm having an big-time story overload! Seriously big! I don't even know where to start this post......

Reason #1: Jessica Sprague's "Stories in Hand" starts today! You have until midnight tonight to register for FREE, yes FREE, class! Click here! This class is going to be amazing! A little crafting, a little story finding...actually, A TON of stories will get organized and sorted...and if you know me...I'm all about getting your stories.....well, "in hand".

I'm working on "day one" right now, and this project will be an amazing gift to ME and to family and friends on my holiday gift list. I'm so going to make a TON of these as gifts! I don't want to spoil the fun! ....you have to go check it out for yourself and get signed up NOW! (clap-clap-clap)

Reason #2: Over the weekend I was helping my mother and aunt, who have a combined age of over 115 years, (yikes!) finish up their Cherish Bound Storybook project. This has a been an ongoing project for the last few months, but I have to say....I'm 100% shocked at how much these two fine ladies have done on their own, 2500 miles away from me.

We've had to communicate via phone and email only...which means, I've walked them through learning how to download pictures, scanning, turning pictures, even EMAILING a picture! Woo-hoo! Yes, it took over an hour to learn how to download a picture, but they got it! I realized I took my simple computer knowledge for granted....huh! Try chatting on the phone with these two for an hour or so....exhausting fun!

The "tech" part of helping them with their first attempt at a Cherish Bound book has been quite the experience. When the project started both could check their email, but that was about it. Seriously. With some coaching, patience, some more coaching, and a lot more patience, they are about 99% complete with their story book.....

Now what book are they doing? What story have they been writing? Together they have written an entire life history of their childhood, and growing up with their brother and other sister. This book was written in their point of view but will be a Christmas gift to my other aunt and uncle. They have capture their memories, stories, big events, simplicity of life, and lessons learned. They added many beautiful pictures with stories beaming from the images.

As I went through and started editing the book for them I was lost in their lives. I was so taken back by the many stories that I had never heard. I was mesmerized by the 100's of lost photos that had been found and made familiar again. I learned about family members that I never knew existed. I was reminded of the beautifully simple lives that people led. I met grandparents and family friends that I'd never met before. I laughed, cried, plugged my ears....yes, there were stories that I may not have wanted to know about ;o) I couldn't believe the stories that sat before me....I couldn't believe I hadn't heard them before.

After I was done editing the book, I called my mom at my aunt's house (taught them how to use speaker phone) and we just laughed! 2500 miles away, we were connected. I realized that they had so much more to them...they were kids, teens, troublemakers at one time. They had actually lived real lives! I learned where I come from. I saw so many of my own characterises and traits in them.

I can't wait for them to submit this book. I've already called a copy of the book! I can't wait to sit down with my kids and husband and share these stories with them. Stories are powerful, they do connect and they will teach.

Cherish Bound's Newest Member of the Family.... "Our Favorite Recipes"

Cherish Bound's new book, "Our Favorite Recipes" will be ready on Nov. 1, just in time of the holidays!! This adorable 5x7 designer book is perfect for Christmas!

What are you giving for Christmas this year?

Can you believe the holidays will be here in just a few short months...actually weeks! (I consider the holidays officially underway on October 31.) So what are you giving this year to all the special people on your list? Giving the same-old-same-old....New underwear? Oh, wait, a coffee cup? I bet you give ties, right? Hum....how about switching up the gift giving traditions this year. How about actually putting some thought in to it and giving a gift that will not only change you, but change the person you're giving it to. What gift is that? The Gift of Story.

Can you picture this.... Yeah, go read that real quick and then come back. A little tear? Hit a little close to home? I bet it did. That is the power of story. That is what can happen at each and every family Christmas party. That is the emotion and love that can be shared throughout your holiday season. With a little help from me and Cherish Bound you'll create a holiday tradition of story that will forever change your heart and those around you.

So what gifts can you give through Cherish Bound? The list is endless and the recipients are...well, just about everybody! But here is a list to help you get started.

Mothers, Fathers, Mother-in-laws, father-in-laws, sisters, brothers, cousins, best friends, aunts, uncles, daughter, son, grandmother, grandfather, niece, nephew, teachers, bus drivers, neighbors, pets....okay. You get the picture right?

So what can you give them through Cherish Bound?

1. Family Recipe Books: Create a book filled with family favorites and add images of family, scanned in original recipe cards, pictures of the food, stories about where these recipes have come from and the memories that have been made while enjoy those yummy foods.
   
2. Tribute to Mom/Dad/Grandparents: Tell the important people in your life just how much they mean to you. Give them the gift of story by reminiscing about the past, present and the future you have because of them. With added photos and your text this story is sure touch the heart of everyone who receives it.
3. A-Z Books: A-Z books are SO much fun! There are 1000's of ideas that you can do with A-Z's. Here's a few....The A to Z's..... of why we love (whoever), of 2008, child's favorite things, holiday memories, family traditions. There are so many ways to share the love through the ABC's.
4. Sports/Hobby/Collection books: Create a book just for the sports lover in your family or highlight their great achievements or special hobbies and collections like fishing, dirt biking, camping, coin collections, baseball cards, etc.
   
5. Family Traditions: Have each person in your family write about their favorite traditions and memories from the holidays. Grandma's love those!
6. Photo Brag Books: No time to write? How about a book filled with snapshots and photos off all your adventures or best pictures throughout the year?
7. Family Yearbook: If you're like me, you live far from family and you don't get to share your amazing adventures with them as much as you'd like to. So put together a family yearbook from the past year. Get the kids involved, the hubby too and together as a family create a yearbook that you can share with all your family!
   

So there are a few "Book" ideas to get you started....but there are so many more! Just think about the special people and why you love them. Something will come to mind. But wait..there's more! Cherish Bound has an AMAZING product line. Here are some more ideas!

1. Chat Cards: LOVE THESE! Chat Cards come in three different types, Family Chat, Gathering Chat & Child Chat. They are a deck of 50+ cards that have TONS of question on them to help promote great storytelling and conversation. Neighbors will love a deck for their kitchen table, Gathering Chats are fun to use at your own family parties, and teachers will LOVE the child chat cards....great for the classroom!
2. Journals: Heritage, Traditions, Favorites and Gratitude. Pre-published 5×5 hardbound journals with questions, spaces to write, room to attach photos and memories. (MY favorites!) Need to connect with a Teen? Get them a "Favorites" journal, take them out to dinner alone and ask them all about their favorites. Find out what THEY like and what makes them tick. Start a gratitude journal in your home or share it with your sister's family. Heritage journals are a prefect activity for your children at the holidays. This journal will help them interview their grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles and anyone else who has a history.
   
3. Lifeprints are a great product to have at the holidays...especially the Family Gathering Lifeprints. This set of 16 leaflets all have the same set of questions and room to write. Each family member can answer the questions about their favorite family gathering memories, food, people, etc. All the information can be collected and turned into a great family gathering yearbook!
   
4. Story Starters are little booklets full of questions to help you explore a particular theme of story. With space to write and places to jot image ideas, Story Starters help you organize and write your stories. You can also give the gift of story to someone else by picking some Story Starters out and adding a publishing gift certificate to the package. Let them write, create and design their own stories.

Again, there are so many ideas with Cherish Bound. Make your gift list now and get started! If you'd like to learn how you can get FREE publishing for Christmas please email me at tarabrown at cherishbound dot com. You can hold ONLINE gatherings and workshops at www.momchats.com You can invite your family and friends to join us in the chat room and we can share story from the comfort of our very own computers!

End the stress and chaos of looking for the perfect gift! Cherish Bound has the perfect gift for everyone on your list!

Give the Gift That Keeps On Giving

Picture this...

"Chaos reigns as wrappings are torn off and squeals of delight fill the room, except in one corner all is calm. Grandma has stopped unwrapping gifts and is reading a book! Eyes misty, a smile lingers on her lips as she looks across the room towards you. Your eyes lock as she tries to whisper a thank you. Words fail her - instead she clutches the book to her chest as tears spill over her cheeks. The room falls silent as all stop to watch this tender scene. Realizing she has their complete attention, Grandma begins to read. Gifts are put aside as they lean in to hear the story.

Obviously, this is no ordinary book! It's a Cherish Bound book you created just for her. This is not a fictional tale, it can really happen - I've seen it!" -Teresa Clark

The holiday gift giving season is fast approaching. Start a new tradition of story in your family this holiday season. I can help you organize, plan and find the stories and gifts that best suit those on your holiday list. NOW is the time! Give the gift that keeps on giving....

If you'd like to learn how you can give Cherish Bound to those you love, please contact me at tarabrown@cherishbound.com or leave a comment.

Remembering Kindergarten

This rite of passage comes far to quickly! It feels like yesterday baby #3 arrived and he'd be at home with me forever! As fast as this much anticipated event arrived, I know it will go by even faster as I immerse myself in the normal daily routines and schedules. And not just for me, but for my son too. Life changes every day for a kindergartner.

The first few days were down right pathetic. He's taller than your average kindergartner, looks like he's heading into the 2nd grade or so and probably comes across as a "tough guy". But don't let it fool you....days one, two, and three, were a pretty sad sight. Anxiety the night before, crying all the way to the bus stop. It was a mother's nightmare, but luckily for me, he's #3 of five so my skin is a little thicker than your average first time mom. But man, that sad little face pressed up against the bus window just about did me in. It was bad enough that the bus driver actually honked to get me to turn around, opened the door for him to give me one last hug. It was priceless. I tried not to giggle because he was focused and trying really hard to be "all growned up", but he was just too cute.

Today started the second week and in just seven days he's made an entire 180! Woke up a few minutes early, got ready without a tear, and ran to the bus stop excited for his day to begin. I was pleased and relieved, but it also reminded me that time is going to fly by. If I don't capture his stories fresh with emotion (and my own memories) right now, it'll be too late. The stories will either change and not be capture correctly or we'll just never get to it.

Remembering Kindergarten can seem like a daunting task, but following a few easy steps and tips will help you capture those most important memories and stories straight from the kindergartner. I see too many times "mom's" version of the story, and while I think we should have some say, it's their version that is the most memorable. It's their version of the story that is real. No mother can retell a story like a kindergartner can.

5 Easy Steps for Remembering and Capturing Kindergarten Memories

1. Keep all photos in a file on your computer labeled Kindergarten

2. Keep ONE small plastic bin for favorite art work, writing samples, etc. These bins get full quick, so let your kindergartner pick their favorites each month. You can pick a few too if you really need to, but let them pick their favorites. It's their memories! Scan them as you pick the favorites so they're already stored and edited in your picture folder.

3. Start writing down the stories NOW! Don't wait. Keep a note book or a document file in your picture folder on your computer that you can write or type funny sayings, stories or events right when they happen. Details fade after a while. And get your kindergartner's version of the story as well.

4. Ask him questions. What are his favorites? Who are his friends? What is he learning? And so on and so on....these will change from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. Find out the answers to these and other questions now. If you need some ideas, Cherish Bound has a great Story Starter just for kids called "My School Days". You can interview your child and write the answers right there in the book.

5. At the end of the school year you're organized and ready to published your child's first year of school in a beautiful hardbound book. Compile all the photos, classwork & art, and stories in digital format. Drag and drop everything into a Cherish Bound book for publication.

I can promise you that these memories will stay alive forever if you preserve the stories, get your child involved in the process and publish them in a Cherish Bound book. The smile on his face will be priceless! There's nothing better than watching your own child hold a book all about them, written by them, just for them!

Holiday Planning Party!!!

Christmas and Hanukkah are less than 150 days away!

Friday, August 8th @ 11am
www.momchats.com

Have you started planning your holiday gift giving list? Join me at www.momchats.com and get started with your holiday planning through Cherish Bound. Get some awesome gift ideas for personalized books and calendars, Publishing Gift Boxes, and Unique products. Organize your lists: who to buy for, what should I publish, make & buy, how much do I want to spend, and how can I get it all for FREE! I promise you will LOVE the ideas and I'll help you get started now and finished before Thanksgiving arrives! Plan now so you can enjoy the holidays!

Top 10 Summer Memories!

Summer is now furiously coming to a close...as a mother I welcome it with open arms and throw out a few obnoxious hallelujahs! Even though my children are longing for a schedule, they would rather plan a few more beach days and sell a little bit more lemonade. I will admit that there is a tincy-wincy part of me that is a sad about this particular moment in time coming to an end.

Next year my sweet 14 yr. old will be driving with a permit. My 12 yr. old will be an official teen and won't be the same little girl she is this summer. My 5 yr. old boy will graduate from a cute toothless innocent little boy to a bike-riding neighborhood terror! He'll be a bit more mature and will probably want to have adventures with the neighborhood boys instead of treasuring hunting with his mama. And the twins...gosh, they'll be little kids! No more toddlers toddling around, mumbling gibberish. So yeah, there's a part of me that's sad at the end of each summer.

In order to keep a small part of this summer's memories alive, I'm having my my kids write and publish a "Top 10" book about their "Top Ten Favorite Summer Memories". I want them to be able to remember their summer memories vividly. Although summer was my favorite time of year as a kid, I'm beginning to have a hard time remembering details, and I would love to be able to see how I really felt and what I really thought about those amazing summer days. It's one of those things that you have to record so you can relive the moment...you can't rethink it. You have to relive it through words.

So here's a sneak peak at some of their Top 10's:

State Championship Softball Victory, first year of Especially For Youth Camp, getting fake glue-on nails, moving to a new house, learning how to do a flip on the trampoline, "skinny" jeans, catching a frog, learning to ride a bike, swimming, backyard camp out, lemonade stands, picnic at the park, seeing an alligator in the pond, grandma and cousin Cody visiting our family.....

Those are just a few, but those memories are theirs! They're not mine. I was there for most, but had I written these Top 10 Summer books by myself, I would have missed some very important summer details. I would have never thought that getting FAKE glue-on nails would be a highlight. But that's the beauty of being a 12 yr. old girl. And seeing an alligator? I completely forgot about that until I was reminded by my amazing boy. It's so entertaining to take a peak into their minds. I love seeing the world through their eyes. I love hearing their version of the story. It's much more exciting to hear what they have to say.

Take the time to find out what your family's Top 10 Summer Memories are! Interview your children. Find out their version of the story. You'll be surprised at what they say. Don't forget to have them write down how they felt, what they've learned, and who they spent time with.

Leave a comment about some of your favorite family's favorite summertime memories and you could win a "Top Ten Mini" Story Starter from Cherish Bound. Be sure to check back to see if you won!! Contest closes on August 17th....the DAY BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS!!

A Gift for ME!

For the past 4 years I have published almost in the 100's of books. Many of them were presents for family and friends, sports teams, teachers, and special people celebrating special times. Watching those people open their presents and find a book made a especially just for them, makes my heart fill with joy! I can't even explain the emotion that runs through me every time that happens. Many times I hear back from a customer telling about their experience when they've given the gift of story to someone they love. And they too cannot explain the overwhelming joy that brings a tear to the eye.

Tuesday afternoon I was pulling into my driveway and stopped and grabbed the mail. As I opened my mailbox I saw a brightly-colored package with some "Happy Birthday's" written all over it. It had to be for me because my birthday was this past week. I was so excited! I had no idea who it could be from, but I hurried up and tore it open and to my surprise I received a Cherish Bound Book in the mail as a gift from my "Bestest Friend" in the entire world.

I sat in my car for about 15 minutes reading this story...remembering so many amazing times that I had forgotten about, and laughing hysterically as if she was sitting right next to me. I couldn't help but let a few tears pass.

She took the time to write a story about our friendship, how we met, how we've connected through Cherish Bound and our families, our struggles and triumphs, added great quotes about best friends and even added some pictures from when we first met all the way up until the present. She custom designed a beautiful cover in digital scrapbooking software and added a cute photo of us from about....10 years ago.

This book is a treasured gifted. I've never really been on the receiving end of this process. I'm always giving the books or helping people create the books to give to others. But this time, the gift was for me! Not only did this help me remember how blessed I am to be helping people do this all over the US, but it reminded me that the power of story is really a gift. It's a gift that needs to be shared and passed on no matter how young or old you are, the gift of story is priceless! I will never forget the feeling I had as I sat there in my car reading a story that was written just for me.

Tuesday Tradition #24

I've mentioned in other posts about our family spending one evening per week together. We usually find time Sunday evening because weeknights are just crazy for us. With so many other commitments it's hard to get all 7 of us at home at the same time. So Sunday evenings are set aside just for us.

We did a fun activity a few weeks back that not only was good quality time, but also helped us keep our tradition of preserving our memories and stories in a forward motion. We all love memory keeping and of course, we do all of our stories and books with Cherish Bound. The finished product is extremely exciting to get and we love seeing all of our family's books on the shelf, but it's the process of putting these books together that is becoming a great family tradition.

We used Cherish Bound's Christmas Story Starter and answered various questions...favorite traditions, favorite gifts, memories, stories, people, etc. Each of us took the time to answer the questions and of course it brought up lots of memories for all of us. We all remembered different stories and each of us had stimulated each other's memories. We talked about family we hadn't seen in quite some time and people that we missed. Some of the youngest can't write very well yet, so they drew pictures and interpreted them for us.

We sat there and talked for a few hours. Talking as a family and having good conversation is scarce now a days, but we make it a point to spend time together, quality time! Those few hours a week are what keep our family tight and help our kids remember that we're on their side they do have people who love and support them.

After we were done we gathered just a few pictures to go in our book and we published it that night! This past week we got our book in the mail and it was so exciting to sit down and look at our great work, but also to read the stories over and over and over again!

Some of My Hero's and People of Influence

There are so many people in my life that I would consider "Hero's". My mom of course is at the top of my list..."Super" hero is more like it. CP (she knows who she is) is probably one of my most favorite people on earth..."bestest" friend ever and a true hero in every sense of the word. I adore Carol Rice, co-founder of Cherish Bound, and rank her at the top as well. Their influences and examples of being a hero are all different, yet each one has touched my life and changed it in more ways than one.

Another personal hero is Nelson Mandela. Wow! What an incredible man! If only the world could have a few more Nelson's around...what an amazing place it would be. The stories I've read about him and the faith that he exhibits on a daily basis put him on my Hero Pedestal!

Just recently I added another hero to my list...Christopher Columbus. Now I know that may seem odd, but recently someone special shared a quote by him with me. It's one of those goose bump quotes.

"Our Lord unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my enterprise called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt but that the Holy Ghost inspired me?"

My spine tingled as I read it and I became so intrigued by this historical hero. Not only because of his faith, but his will and determination to go the way he was intended to go. I don't think many people realize what a hero he was....and still is to this nation, and to this world!

Cherish Bound has great Mini Story Starter for $1.50 called "My Hero's and People of Influence". I love it because it's simple, small and "mini". It has 10 questions, a sample story and ideas to help you get your "Hero" story started.

"This mini will help you develop a story about influences-those people who have shaped your beliefs, development and character. Your heroes might be sports, religion, politics, entertainment, or even super-heroes. Think about school and music teachers, coaches, and professors. Maybe your hero is your best friend, partner, sibling, cousin, roommate, companion or neighbor. Is there a professional hero such as a boss, partner, co-worker, or mentor that has been a significant influence? Our everyday heroes are everywhere. Use this mini and the Lessons About Life story starter to discover your hero and their special traits." --Cherish Bound

Cherish Bound also offers a beautiful designer book just for the "Hero's" in your life. Look around because there are "Hero's" all around you....thank them.

Preschool Book...LOOK-LOOK-LOOK!

Here's a sample Pre-school book! This is a Cherish Bound "Legacy" style book. That means that this book is already designed with the colors, fonts, and embellishments/designs. Makes it so easy for you! You just have to drop your photos and text in.

You can also see how there are photos and scanned images as well. You can take any of your children's art work, handwritten letters and notes, drawings, awards, etc., and add them to your books!

Product Spotlight - Vacation Dailies

It's summer and that means VACATION! Everyone I know is out gallivanting around the world! Except for me of course....actually, I'm choosing to stay close to home this year. We're taking a year off from vacations and enjoy ourselves at home. But for those of you that are out and about Vacation Dailies are just for you!

Vacation Dailies are a set of 16 story "leaves" that contain multiple questions about your adventure. They are designed to help you write your story ONE DAY AT A TIME! Telling your

vacation story while you're on the vacation...BRILLIANT! The questions are organized i n event/chronological order to help you better record your memories and stories that are happening. You have plenty of space to write your side of the story, but you can also get multiple perspectives on your vacation by having your children, husband or other guests write their thoughts as well.

There is even space for you to mount a matching photo or you can publish our "Vacation" story when you get home in one of Cherish Bound's professionally bound books.

The "Landscape"

The beautiful Landscape book...yes, that's probably my favorite style of Cherish Bound book to publish. I gives me a warm fairytale feeling. I have flashbacks of being read to by grandparents and even my own parents and I always picture large flowing landscape style books spread across our laps. It evokes deep nostalgia in my soul. Hummmm.....

So here are a few of my favorite "landscape" style Cherish Bound books that I have published. Of course they're all my favorite.

This is the story about my twins and the stories about their surprise arrival and pictures up to about 10 months old.

For Mother's & Father's Day 2007 I gave each of my parents a book about my memories and stories of growing up with them as my mom and dad. By using the Tribute to Mom/Dad Story Starter I was able to remember memories WAYYY back. It helped me discover some amazing stories and memories that I never knew existed.

This is book was a gift to all the softball coaches on my daughter's softball team. Each coach got a book at the end of the year. All the girls wrote about their favorite memories, stories and what they learned during the season.

This is a book I did for my grandmother who told me stories about her mother and father, her youth and her experiences as a mother.

If you're interested in publishing a landscape book through Cherish Bound contact me today! I'll help you get started sharing your stories!

Wedding Guest Photo Book

Traditionally at weddings there is a guest sign-in book. It used to be that the guests signed the book and scribe a personal message to the newlyweds at the wedding or reception site. I've noticed over time it's become more of an autograph book for the guests rather than a book of wisdom. I've seen some new traditions of signing the matte around an enormously large over-sized picture of the bride and groom...where the heck is that going to go after the honeymoon is over? But I have seen the cute platters you can sign, very cute! Or the quilt thing...WAY TOO MUCH work to just go writing all over it. Anyway, this tradition has potential....as one of my customers discovered.

A Wedding Guest Photo Book! I would have never thought of it, but one of my customers recently made a book for her daughter who was getting married. She wanted something original and different. She didn't want the typical "Sign your name thing"...she wanted something beautiful, but simple, and something that would last forever...something her daughter would want to keep 5, 10, even 20 years after her wedding.

I asked myself, "Self, where is your guest sign-in book?" And I struggled to remember, but I'm almost positive I threw it away about 3 years after we got married. It was just a bunch of scribbled names and I didn't really see the thrill of keeping it...so I'm pretty sure I dumped it. Matter of fact, I think I had one of those ugly feather pens....oh, my gosh I think so. Uhhhh! Why.......

Anyway, after hearing what my customer did I realized there is an entirely new twist to the guest sign-in book tradition. She took all kinds of her daughter's and soon-to-be son-in-law's pictures from youth, teens, dating, college, engagement and changed them all to black and white photos. (This can be done at home in photo software or by a professional). She scanned all the paper photos and put them onto disc. Others were already digital so they were in her computer ready to be edited.

After editing and coloring the pictures the way she wanted them she opened up a new project in her Cherish Bound publishing center and created an 11x8 landscape Cherish Bound photo book and dropped in all the photos in the available templates. No words, no captions, just pictures. She left plenty of space around the photos for guests to not only sign their name, but have room to write beautiful sentiments and words of wisdom.

The cover was STUNNING....just a full-bleed large black and white candid picture of the couple on the beach. She did add text to the cover, their names and the date of the wedding, but that was it. It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! This keepsake will never be stored in an attic or brown box. It has earned its right to be part of this couple's decor forever.

Sigh....just love this picture.
I remember when....life was that calm and quiet, no throw-up on my pretty white dress, actually when I looked good in a white dress. Moving on....

My New Favorite Book

I posted a few times about the photo/memory book I was making for my 14-year-old daughter that was moving on from middle school to high school. You catch up on those post by clicking here and here

Well, I got the book back and gave it to her.....and it's now my new favorite book. Not only does it look awesome, but the pictures, letters and words of wisdom from her family and teachers are so encouraging and motivating. I've seen her many times lying on her bed flipping through the pages and reading the letters that were written just for her.

So here are some pictures of the book...

I did the cover with digital scrapbooking downloads from Shabby Princess
I created the cover with the "Express Yourself" Collection
I loaded the entire page as an 8.5x11 portrait size into the Cherish Bound full-bleed template.



I then added pictures and text using the Cherish Bound templates. Cherish Bound has beautiful background pages and colors already available, so I thought I'd save myself hours of time and stress and just use the templates and colors provided. They matched PERFECTLY with the cover colors too. I used the background called persimmon. This page background is gorgeous. It has very faint paisley pattern running across the bottom of each page....it's just plain pretty!



I did an A-Z of "Surviving Middle School". The book was 69 pages, which covered 3 years of stories and memories from school events, sports, holidays and even the new arrival of our twins.