Monday Giveaway : Studio Calico

I'm creating art journals with folders, scraps of memorabilia - a program, a ticket...and then using paper, paint and embellishments to portray how I FEEL...some of my best ideas come to me during a cultural event...like dance...I always bring a notebook with me and will write in the dark...

I'm 57 years old and have joined the generation of women who are beginning to experience loss in their lives - loss of parents, either thru death or their loss of memories and have realized how many of their stories and experiences are now lost because they were not recorded in one way or another. I look at my beautiful 6 year old grandaughter and realize how much I want her to know about me and the world I experienced. I try to record things with her as the audience listening to the story telling.

sharing the story

My favorite thing right now is seeing my children look through my work. Seeing how excited they get at photos of themselves from a few years ago and asking about the places we went, the things that we did, reminds me why I do this.

my favorite thing like so many others is watching my kids look back at what I have recorded..no matter how young or old(ages 8 to 2o)...they're eyes light up and they always have such a beautiful smile while flipping thru the pages...a memory I'll keep in my mind forever.

My favorite thing about memory keeping right now is the joy it brings me. Looking back on days in my life spent with family, friend or myself makes me happy. I scrap to be happy and enjoy the captured moments.

My pages are a real pick-me-up. Sometimes I get in a little funk and I think I haven't accomplished much or done enough. When I look at my pages, I realize that's SO not true and I feel better.

My favorite thing about memory keeping right now is the memories I am scrapping about my husband and I ....almost 2 years into marriage, no kids, still figuring out the world together. We have great times together and I think when we have kids in the future they will appreciate seeing what their parents were like before they came along.

Ali... my favorite thing about memory keeping right now is trying to keep track of my feelings and emotions. I have an 8 month old an I don't want to just tell him he was a good baby, I want to tell him how he made me feel when he did things and my emotions about being a mom. I want to remember the specifics, not just the general events.

My favorite thing about memory keeping right now is the joy it brings me. Looking back on days in my life spent with family, friend or myself makes me happy. I scrap to be happy and enjoy the captured moments.

My favorite thing right now is when my kids pull the scrapbooks off the shelves (I've finally moved them into the family room for easier accessibility) and I hear the "I remember that" or "Was that me as a baby?" and the memories come flooding back. I may not have time to scrapbook much lately, but it makes it worth it when I do to hear those comments!

My favorite subject when I was in school was art so it's natural for me to continue my arts and crafts in adulthood. I love creating gift albums (either for them to put in their photos + words) for family and friends and cards to brighten anyone's day.

My favorite part of memory keeping right now is being able to go back and pull out the scrapbook of our trips. My favorite right now is the trip to Europe in 2000. My dad passed away in 2002, and so looking back on the scrapbook which took months to complete is a great way to remember how much fun we had while we were there. I love opening it up and remembering the little moments of things we did like meeting a friend of my dad's out of the blue at a salt mine in Germany. We didn't even know he worked there. Or seeing my chemistry teacher along with kids from school from the year before in a small no-car town in Switzerland.. It's a lot of great memories to look back on and smile!

I have always loved writing it all down, now I have a place to put it. There are many precious memories with my family that I love to scrap.

I'm in love with the story telling. My children are growing to fast. They are saying and doing things for such a short amount of time. I want to make sure I document all their little quirks.
Thanks for the giveaway Yippy!!!

My favorite thing about memory keeping is recording the memory. I have a horrible memory, so writing the fun or important things that happened triggers my memory.

Hi Ali, wow what a great give away. I have your Cocoa Daisy july kit and this would be a wonderful addition to my travel theme projects. Thanks, hope my name is picked,
Catherine
PS I am in your album class in Provo next week!

My children are 10 and 7 right now and I'm suddenly realizing that they are growing up. I want to embrace all that they are now as they grow. It feels so elusive and fleeting and I find that recording those moments now helps me to feel like I have a grasp on it all. A little less panic and a little more enjoyment.
-Sarah

The very best thing is the reactions of the viewer. Watching the kids look through their albums, remembering the moments and the feeling at that time. Realizing how good their lives have actually been even if it doesn't feel that way at the moment. Perspective on the big picture of our lives. Teenagers are not always enjoyable but I can look back and easily recall all the good moments, calm down, and handle today better. Finding your site, work, books, style has been a real joy for me!

Knowing that my daughter, family and future family members will know more about their family and ancestors than I do because of me.

For me it's the little things. I love to look back and be reminded of the day I picked our own raspberries, or actually baked a recipe or just plain old enjoyed the company of someone. These little reminders of how great life is come in handy when life sometimes gets me down. Thanks Ali for all your inspiration!

My favorite thing right now is seeing the facial expressions on family and friends when they look at a page or mini-book that I've created ... especially when they are a part of it.

My favorite thing is telling the stories that document our memories. Jess

My favorite thing is telling the stories that document our memories. Jess

My favorite thing right now is a book I finished for myself, of my childhood pictures. I took the time to create something very special to me, and I love the finished product. Hopefully I'll have children someday who will like to look through the book too.