Monday Giveaway : Studio Calico

My favorite thing about memory keeping is watching the evolution of our family. It began with my husband and I, then our son and finally our daughter. Recently I've noticed the change from young family to a more established unit, we have really started doing more mature things with our family, like our first big family holiday. It's great to see our family evolve into this amazing, fun group that we all love spending time together. It's great to look back and see what we've done, but right now I'm more excited to see what stories are yet to be told.

my favorite thing is looking at the photos. I don't mind taking a long time to make a LO because that means I get to pour over the memory that much longer while I make the page. It's so awesome to relive all of those moments over and over again.
Rachel in MO

I read a quote once from Anis Nin, "we write so that we may live life twice, once in the moment, and once in retrospection." That is what scrapbooking and journaling is to me. Actually, it allows us to live life at least 3 times! Once in the moment, once as you reflect while actually scrapbooking, and over and over in retrospection as you go back through old albums and read old journaling!

Saving the story & emotion with the photos - saving the memory of what was going on and being felt - not just the picture.

My favorite thing about memory keeping right now would have to be journaling my thoughts and feelings. it feels amazing to put all those things in my brain down on paper...to be able to read my thoughts in my own words.

My favorite thing about memory keeping right now is working on a digital scrapbook to surprise my dad at his 60th birthday party in a few months. My parents just came to visit me (from OH to WA) and we had such a good time seeing the sights together.

I have a new found passion for finishing up those projects that I've brought back from every crop, show and event I've ever attended. This thrills me as I hate waste and those projects just sitting in a box in my scrapbook room represent waste to me. Thanks for asking! :D

Keeping a memory means that it will never be forgotten and will be there someday in the future for my kids or grandkids to discover and cherish all over again.
Thank you Ali for sharing all of your wonderful memories with us.

I love how when you look at the page or picture you remember something a meal, a smell, a conversation that you might have forgotten if you hadn't taken the picture.
That kit is sooooooooo cool
denise in california.

My favorite thing is knowing how wonderful it will be to look back (and maybe giggle) at who we are now and celebrate who we have grown to become. (And the second reason is, I have such a TERRIBLE memory, and my scrapbooks and photos help me remember all of the great times I've experienced.) Scrapbooking rocks!
~ Charity in Mesa

Preserving the moments that my kids will probably not remember because they are so young. I wish I had more documentation of my early years.

My favorite thing about memory keeping right now is the physical escape it gives me. Sometimes it's not about the perfect layout or the right embellishment but simply escaping with tools, glue, paper and a mission. Escaping from the dishes and the dusting and DH's job interviews and the demands of my 6-yr old. Immersing myself in a world where I create what I want to and enjoying the hands-on, tactile experience that memory keeping is. Thanks for the giveaway Ali! :)

My favorite part is doing something creative with my photos!! I love creating a fun way for people to enjoy going through my photos.

It simply helps me prioritize whats important in my life.

My favorite thing is taking that perfect picture or finding those perfect words to capture the sentiment of a moment. It only seems to happen once in a while.

My favorite thing is remembering those forgotten little moments. The things I would not have remembered if not for this hobby.

Creating pages about my son is the most important thing. I am so in love with him and can't create enough pages capturing his everyday adventures and special memories. I started scrapbooking when my husband and I got married and kept up with it...but I became absolutely obsessed when I was pregnant and after giving birth to our son, who is almost 3 years old. I just want to remember everything and have something wonderful for him to enjoy now and in the future. My friends and family love looking at my albums and our son, Riley, loves to see himself on the pages. This is why I scrapbook!

Hi Ali: My favorite part now is going back to the basics and focusing on better photography--just finished a fantastic online class with Alison Tyler Jones. I love the idea of telling the story through the emotions of pictures. I am good at the smile-at-the-camera and landscape pictures, but the emotional scene is hard for me to capture. Maybe because I feel like I am peeking into a private moment? Yet, those are the most powerful - remember Life magazine? Sorry, I am going on... Also, I am focusing on the basics of putting art on the page--inspired by you: paint, watercolors, drawings... less about the fancy embellishments, etc. I am really enjoying this journey! Thanks!

My favorite thing about memory keeping is how much of a stress reliever it is for me, as well as how it allows me to reflect and appreciate what I have sitting in front of me RIGHT NOW...as opposed to making me yearn for more and more and what I DON'T have. Memory keeping for me is a way to just relax and indulge in a simple pleasure that makes me more aware and appreciative of how amazing the world is, how lucky I am and just how many blessings surround me everyday. Memory keeping for me, really, is the most amazing drug out there!! Memory keeping for me is way beyond scissors, paper and glue. It is a tool that enables me to see beyond and relish in the simple beauties and relationships that I am so lucky and fortunate to be a part of!

Hi Ali!
I love the flexibility of memory keeping right now. There is no right or wrong way. It can fit anybodies' personality, budget, or time.
Thanks for all you have done to share our passion with the world!