Monday Giveaway : Studio Calico

My grandfather just had a fire and lost a lot of his prized possessions. It has really given me a drive to capture memories of what I love, so that even is something happens I have those memories preserved.

Many reasons - favorite is the fact that forthcoming generations will understand their ancestry more.
Nicky Anderson

i recently found out that a boy i taught at vacation bible school in ukraine was baptized -- that is why i do what i do! it reminds me of what people have done for me and what small part i may have played in the lives of others.

My favorite thing about memory keeping is the flexibility. You can put pictures and stories in a ready made album or you can put them in a printers drawer on your wall. I love the creative freedom of it all.

I think my always-favorite thing about memory keeping is that it forces reflection. When we are documenting our lives and doing it authentically, we can't really just "go through the motions."

It's knowing that I'm leaving MY legacy behind. My father and his uncle traced our family history back to the 1600's and put books together for any relatives that wanted one (including the family crest). Their research included maps, land deeds, legal documents of all kinds and words. I'm now taking my branch one step further by adding in the pictures - capturing the stories with not only the words, but the images that will keep them alive.

My favorite part is the actual scrapbooking. I have a very technical job and I love the creative release and the chance to touch, feel and create with all the wonderful paper and embellishments. I do this for me!

My favorite thing about keeping memories right now is getting my great-nieces interested in continuing what I've started. Just spent the weekend with them, and they're so enthused and fresh! It's great fun!

For me, my favorite part about recording my memories is that it makes me appreciate everything about my life more and look at my life in a different way. I also love feeling creative and artistic and watching my sons look at the scrapbooks!

Like many of us, I am sure, I started memory keeping for my son. However, I have to admit at the current moment, I am enjoying doing this for my parents. As Grandparents that live far away, they do not get to see all the wonderful daily things their grandson does. Creating diffent types of albums for them throughout the year helps them feel connected to their grandson across the miles.

Journaling....We just moved so I am not currently scrapbooking. I can't wait to catch up and start documenting more of what I am journaling on. For example, my two year old son is suddenly afraid of bugs, and is calling them "huggy bugs" instead of ugly bugs. I can't wait to scrapbook that!

My favorite thing about memory keeping is being about to keep those precious moments that we encouter in life everyday. Without scrapbooking the reasons why the pictures were taken might be lost. Thanks for the giveaway!

Hi Ali,
I have many favorite things about this hobby. The one that sticks out the most is the idea of my children, Patrick 16, Mitchell 11 and Vincenza 9, enjoy looking through our albums and especially seeing me before I was struck with MS. My daughter was so young when I was diagnosed that this is the only way she has ever known me. It is fun to have her see mommy when she could walk and run and play. They have grown as people reading about my fears and anger towards this disease and understand when I tell them that "MOMMY MAY HAVE MS BUT MS DOES NOT HAVE MOMMY!"
ps: thanks for photobooth Friday. It inspired my daughter and I to find one and have our photo taken.
Love and God bless,
Shaun

Hello, Ali,
Thanks for the opportunity for a great give-away.
My favorite thing about memory keeping right now is just good old documentation. I am doing scrapbooks for my adult children, going back in their childhood and highlighting events and the every day. I want their lives to be "on record". My other favorite thing is just for me . . . that I get to use the creative side of my brain. I just LOVE this hobby.
Thanks for all of your continued inspiration. I get so much out of your blog.
Jenell

My favorite thing is knowing that when my family looks back on my albums they will always have the memories of our wonderful times spent together.

hi Ali! thanks for the chance for the awesome kit! lately i am focusing on the freedom i feel when i realize that there is no right or wrong way to scrap. this makes me happy.

I haven't scrapbooked in months but that doesn't mean I don't think about it constantly! My 2 daughters, 4 yrs and 20 months, will do something new or so sweet and I always think "that would make a great page". I need to actually jot down little notes and take more pictures and that way I'll be able to freeze that moment in time. That's what I love about memory keeping, it freezes little moments that you can never get back.

At the moment, I am using scrapbooking as a healing tool. I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder almost a year ago and am having to morn "life as it was" and learn to love the new life. It has been very difficult emotionally and physically. I find that pulling out some of the "old" familiar products and photos helps to bridge the old and the new to some extent. It can heal a lot of wounds and help wipe away tears. I'd really enjoy playing with something new. Thanks for all your inspiration!
Kristen for Houston

The great thing for me about memory keeping is capturing the little things along with the bigger picture that together tell the true story. Changes, good times, sad times..the stories that can be told through pictures and words are just so important to me.

Okay, so like you have a million comments already. But I will give it a go anyway.
Right now I am on a "history" kick. I have gotten out my old handwritten journals and have begun to type them up for a book (of course I will keep the handwritten ones still). Then I am inserting pictures in that pertain to certain stories. So pictures + words = my history.
Fun times.