Scrapbook design by Erin Roe.

We live in a very busy, instant, microwave type world. We also all want to be great parents and keep all the sentimental memories alive for our children, especially when they are born. So how do you take care of a newborn and save their special moments in a scrapbook at the same time? We all have only 24 hours per day, with other tasks, work, chores, or priorities that may come first before creating a scrapbook. Who can relate?

1. Use Digital Scrapbooking.

More and more of us are constantly carrying our phones wherever we go. Use your cell phone camera more and take pictures of your daily life. It is not going to be a mundane topic years from now. Your kids may wonder what life was like for you as the parent, when they were born. Even 10 minutes before bed every other night, can be more time spent on creating a digital scrapbook page, than no time before bed. There are so many you tube videos out there to help you learn quick ways to make an easy scrapbook page to get you started.

2. Organize your Supplies for Scrapbooking

Just like your bills you may separate out for tax purposes, you can have different envelopes for daily or weekly events, photos, or drawings from school for your kids. This will make it easier if you also separate the folders out by months in the year. Then, you are sure to save time later, not having to put everything in order of days, months, or years. If you are using digital scrapbooking, make sure to save your photos with dates on them too. You do not want to forget later when your child first learned how to walk. You can even use folders and subfolders on your computer to organize your memories. Also make sure to have a separate folder for “templates” or other different scrapbook clipart or overlays you want to use later, to simply pull from and make your special page.

3. Turn Off Distractions

Again, I know you get busy like myself. I just do not want any of you to be so busy that you have regrets later in life, by not saving or preserving your child’s most important milestone moments in a decorative or scrapbook way. Not everything can be eliminated, I know. However, I am sure you need your time alone many times, so turn off the tv, lock yourself in the bathroom if you have to, to get away from your kids for a while. Shut down your email, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Do you check Facebook when taking a shower each morning? I hope not, so set aside time for you again to scrapbook.

4. Find an Easy Scrapbook to Use

I have tried to make a fancy scrapbook in the past, but it started to take too long. Instead of wanting to give up, I decided to use a regular photo album to start something, anything. Check out this website to learn how to even use a photo album to get you started on scrapbooking easy, clean and scentsible at http://www.cleanandscentsible.com/2011/05/scrapbook-saturday-no-2-quick-and-easy.html.

5. The Fastest, Easiest, No Guilt Scrapbook Idea

Our most favorite idea for the busy parent is to use a decorative Baby Scrapbook to preserve your sentimental stories, photos, and even other mementos that you cannot fit in a scrapbook. A Baby Time Capsule is better than a scrapbook, because it is even faster and easier to use. It seems like the more kids you have, the less time you have, so by your third child, you start to fizzle on creating keepsakes like an elaborate scrapbook. Make sure to include a small photo album in the Baby Time Capsule. Photo album cover included with the sticker pack in the time capsule kit. So check out the unique and artistic Baby Time Capsule from http://www.timecapsule.com/product/milestone-collection-baby-time-capsule-keepsake-gift/.

What would you put in your Baby’s Time Capsule? Comment below.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Marcie

www.timecapsule.com

The post 5 Quick and Easy Scrapbooking Ideas appeared first on Time Capsule | Personalized Gifts.

This is a continuation of our blog posts discussing, who all can use a time capsule. Time capsules are not just for the receiver, but for the giver who created it too. Grandparents are special people in this world, filled with treasured stories to tell us all. They are filled with so much wisdom.

When you make a time capsule about your life, your grandchildren gain understanding and insight as to why you are filled with your wisdom. It will be pure joy to save special paperwork or projects your grandchildren made on their own, for you. Time capsules help bring together many families and close the generational differences and/or geographic distance.

One special day, my cousins, aunts, uncles, and my parents decided to make the most special gift we have ever given my grandmother. She is one of the funniest, sweetest, and wisest woman you will ever meet. She has a lot of stories herself about life during the ‘good old days.’ We wanted to give back to her in a creative way, and make it something that would be remembered for years to come in the future. This is the point of our time capsules, to give back all these stories for generations to come.

How to Make a Grandparent’s Memory Book or Scrapbook

Luckily, we have a few creative people in our family, and we all communicate well. So, each family member was mailed decorative card stock paper in different sizes, like index cards. We were each assigned to think of sentimental stories, funny sayings, or fun memories we all remember Grandma saying or doing with us in years past.

The family profile really started to fill in quick, as we started to hear past stories about what my father did with his mother and brother when he was younger. This was such a great bonding moment for us all. This is also a great way to make sure your family heritage is passed on, and never forgotten. You can write about family accomplishments, milestones you have overcome together, projects made, and overall how things used to be (in the world without the internet or cell phones).

• Pictures of your grandparent’s wedding

• Pictures of what work in the fields looked like in the past

• Pictures of what family time consisted of in the past

• Pictures of family Christmas get-togethers

• Pictures of old vehicles driven or old tv shows of your grandparent’s time

• Pictures of making your favorite recipe with your grandmother

Do not forget to put in the Grandparent scrapbook, great photos to make her laugh, cry, and reminisce. Showcase her personality. Again, similar to our time capsules we sell, you can also include newspaper clippings about your grandparent, the bandana he or she always used, the candy wrapper showing her favorite sweet, her grandchildren’s artistic drawings, or anything else meaningful to describe her. Make sure to include a journal time line in the scrapbook answering the who, what, when, where, and why the moment was significant, for each photo or note card story you fill out.

After gathering your photos, stories on the colorful note cards, and memorabilia then you can put together your scrapbook pages, along with the additional scrapbook stickers, art, or stamped images to add more character and make the scrapbook a finished product to be proud of.

Presenting the Grandparent Memory Book or Scrapbook

It’s a party. It’s a celebration of life. Make sure you wrap the Grandparent scrapbook, and give it as a gift when you are all gathered around as a family. Also make sure someone video records this milestone moment. You do not know what you have until it is gone. You can even save your scrapbook in a Baby Time Capsule, to give to the next grandchild who is about to be born. What a legacy gift that will be. Get your artistic Baby Time Capsule from http://www.timecapsule.com/product/babystimecapsule/.

Start today and document your family’s history and create a lasting gift for future generations. This is a heritage scrapbook project that keeps on giving.

What is your favorite memory about your grandmother? Comment below.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Marcie
www.timecapsule.com

Note: Grandparent photo with baby taken from http://www.grandparents.com/family-and-relationships/grandparent-names/choose-your-grandparent-name

The post How to Make a Memory Book for Grandparents appeared first on Time Capsule | Personalized Gifts.

Father’s day is just around the corner. What are you going to do? Why not create something different this year, and make it an unforgettable gift that lasts a lifetime.

Record your memories in a book, scrapbook, audio file, etc. That is what a dad really wants – to know he is loved and appreciated.

There are so many stories I remember with my father, like helping make homework fun, to the point that now I love math. I used to cry myself through the math homework, but because of my father’s patience and creativity, he took on my challenge to turn math into games, to help me remember better. What do you remember the most about your father?

How to Remember and Thank your Father

Not everyone will have a happy Father’s day. For some it is a painful reminder that dad is no longer around. It does not have to be that way though. You can still honor your dad by leaving a legacy and telling your children stories about their grandfather. Create a memory book for him. While you miss your father, help yourself through the continued grieving journey and explain to your children what all you learned from him, passing on his wisdom, insight, funny stories or jokes.

Thank your Father with Photos and Memories – Help Keep Traditions Alive

Whether your dad is with you still or not, plan the best Father’s day this year with a gift of shared stories and mementos. Create a gift to pass on from one generation to another, telling your father’s history and contribution to your family. Create a time capsule for your dad.

What to Put in a Time Capsule for your Dad. Make Unique Father’s Day Keepsake Gifts.

A time capsule for your father, is the most personalized gift you will ever give him. You can make this a family gift, having your mother or siblings help, or make is special only from you. Look around your house, your mother’s house, in your old photo albums, in his secret cave man rooms of fun, to find things to put in the time capsule. Ask family members and his own friends to fill out letters or “Message to the Future” notes about where they predict he will be later on in life.

Other Things to Include in Dad’s Time Capsule

• Stories about funny or sentimental moments you had with your father (written or voice recorded).

• Then and Now photos of your father.

• Written letters to him about milestone moments in his life or how he was there for you in your life for meaningful events.

• Include an “All About my Dad” worksheet to fill out for family members.

Download this FREE Printable “All About My Dad” for you kids to have fun filling out. Get it at http://allforthememories.com/blog/2011/6/7/free-fathers-day-printable.html

• Play a practical joke on him, and put it in the time capsule. You know you owe him for all the jokes he played on you.

• Include your dad’s favorite magazine or newspaper in the time capsule (so when he opens it about 20 years later, he can read about his interests in the past and what life was like then at that time.)

• Current photos of your dad’s house, before he does anymore remodeling. You could also include a picture of his current car he is driving, which will change in the future.

• School projects or drawings from you or your siblings of your dad or made for your father.

• Ticket stubs from special movies seen, or places you went with your father.

• Anything special from his job, to show his accomplishments in life at this time.

These are just a few suggestions to get you started on such a memorable activity and gift for Father’s day. You could even have fun and hide the time capsule in your home, then set up a geocaching game to have him find his own gift, then open the time capsule to see what is inside. Keep in mind, this time capsule can be closed again after he opens it on Father’s day, to be displayed for several more years into the future, when you and your siblings get to decide when he opens it again. When he reopens the time capsule again, in the future, it will be like re-living and re-celebrating this Father’s day all over again. What a fun moment that will be to see whose predictions were right (in your letters), or to just listen to the stories all over again and see how much your dad has changed.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

www.timecapsule.com

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