Memory Boxes, How-Tos and Whatnot

I got a request from a potential customer for a gift for a baby girl, I'd had a project in my mind for a bit, something I'd been wanting to try, I told her the idea, she loved it, so I created it... It was fun, simple-well, not simple-simple, but Kim Marshall-simple, so I thought I'd share it with you, ya know, in case my thoughts could spark your thoughts, or, maybe you'd need to order one from Baby Black Dog...

I'd heard of Memory Boxes for new mommies, ways they could collect and/or store snippets of memories, either until they had time to work on their Baby Books, or, for keeping special items that might not fit in a Book. I think it's a lovely idea, cause, in this stage of my life, my biggest "want" is to encourage young parents to cherish these moments, see times, even trying ones, with a different perspective, knowing that they won't last forever, and, before they know it, their baby will be a DADDY living four hours away from you...but, I digress as I often do...

I found the most beautiful box at Target. It was a gift box but sturdy and perfectly suited for my Memory Box...

...and since this was a gift for a modern mommy of a baby girl, I loved the colors and patterns.

Then I set out filling my Box.

I have quite a collection of bags and envelopes of all shapes, materials and sizes. I'm drawn to them and most things made of paper. I think it stems back to my first job, working in the stationery department of Neiman-Marcus in Dallas, Texas. I learned about fine papers and invitations and Waterman pens and gift wrap. I think that knowledge and appreciation has stuck with me all these years. But, back to my how-to... I gathered an assortment of pretty things with which to collect...

...and put them in a muslin drawstring bag (one of my current favorite "things"), with a pretty tag of explanation. Oh, the tags! I love them...

I have an assortment of paper punchers, and I used an especially perfect one to create some tags for categorizing and labeling...

...I used pretty, textured papers and put them in a sweet glassine bag, and tied on a tag for 'splainin with a piece of pink baker's twine (another current favorite thing).

I also made some tags out of chevron papers to match some chevron bags I'd collected...

...added some of the twine and placed them in a bag. Then closed it with some graphic washi tape, isn't it just too-too?

I added some pretty ribbon...some black and white striped grosgrain and, of course, some soft pink torn fabric ribbon, of which I'm very fond...

No celebration (and that's what it is, you know...an Everyday Collecting Memories and Taking Care of Your Family is...it's a celebration!) would be complete without confetti. So I added a sweet bag of confetti, in coordinating colors, of course...

...and there's that tape again! Love that.

I added one of my handmade paper corsages, just for extra sweetness, and put it in a muslin drawstring bag with a "what for?" tag...

I also added a hand-written note of how to use the Box, and placed it at the top of the package...

I used lots of pink shreds and tied everything up with the black&white ribbon...

I'm thrilled with how it turned out, and I think it will make a lovely and thoughtful gift. You may have someone in mind for one yourself. Use my thoughts to spur your own. Or. I've put one together for sale in my Little Shop. You can find it here...just in case...

A Custom Book Project

So, I have this Little Shop that I kinda like. This. I've been tweaking it and the way I think about it a bit...

Several weeks ago, my very-supportive and visionary friend asked me if I (and my Little Shop) would take on a special order, that she wanted me to create a Baby Book for someone special. I told her I'd look into it and began poking around...

The Baby Books of my own children are still unfinished (my youngest son is 26), but gave me some "don't do that" ideas. I read blogs for the takes from different mothers about wants and wishes with their current Baby Books. I looked in brick and mortar shops to see what was offered. I looked at websites to see what was popular.

I have to admit. I don't do well with comparisons. I always find something I prefer in someone else's work. But, in the Search for Baby Books, I began to gather my own ideas and liked the way I was heading. So I continued down that road...

The biggest challenge was how I was going to bind the book so I talked to a couple of local printers, seeing just what was available, thinking I would create the Book from scratch. But one day, I stumbled upon a Book in a favorite shop: a small, 3-ring binder Baby Book. A perfect solution for the way I was thinking...the pages could be added or changed as desired, so that I didn't have to make chronological decisions for this new Mommy and her wishes for how to keep track of these memories. 

I remembered that Target has the cutest little notebooks, small 3-ring binders. Really, Target has the cutest of a lot of things! They were the perfect size, about 6x9", just right for some thoughts and a photo or two.

Instead of many wordy pages, I made journaling prompts...

...on pretty shapes of cardstock. Things that could spark a way to capture a memory (your room, your first haircut, your arrival, etc) and could be easily adhered to a page, then I edged them in gold ink, just because. I also made some fill-in-the-blanks pages...

...for keeping track of weight and such...

I made pages from pretty sheets of cardstock and from watercolor papers. I made some pages from illustrations I'd cut from really old cards and Little Golden books...

...thinking a photo could be displayed on them.

I made some special occasion pages, too, like a First Birthday page...

...a page for Shower Memories...

...and, maybe my favorite, an "I'm Here" page, complete with a bag of confetti...

...and a fold-out for Birth Information.

I used the computer for some things, but mostly I hand-lettered everything using a gold Sharpie.

I put the journal-prompts, along with some pretty tags, glassine envelopes and sheets of sticky-dots for adhering, in a big vellum envelope, used pretty paper brads & bakers twine for closure and attached the whole envelope to the inside back cover. This way, everything this New Mommy will need to work on her book will be on-hand...

The Book cover was of the perfect colors-pink, peach, gold and minty-green, so I just tied a pretty ribbon around the cover...

 ...added a name plate to the inside, and packaged some extra pages...

...to go along in the gift.

This Book became the perfect combination of gathered-thoughts plus my own way of doing things. Oh, and a pretty binder from Target.

Use my thoughts to spark your own creativity, or, I could help you with that... This one is already sold, but I'd love to create one for your Special Occasion (think: babies, weddings, engagements!). Message me, we'll talk. Here.

Categories, Dreams and Life

I don't really fancy this to be a do-it-yourself blog. Mostly because there's a category of those and I don't want to try to compete or fit-in. Instead, I want it to be a be-yourself blog. There's no competition for any of us with that.

I wanted to begin by saying that.

To remind you and me that we don't have to fit into a single category. Let's make & be our own category...

So, this morning, I'm having an epiphany of sorts as I've allowed myself to dream. 

A big, scary personal dream.

I think the word "dream" has always bothered me a bit. Overused. Misused. Others made to suffer for our pursuit of said-dreams. But I think mostly what bugs me is that we treat "dreams" as though they're off in the distance. They're elsewhere and we have to chase them far and fast. And for me personally, I was too busy living a dreamy life. My life with my family, my home, my dogs, my friends...I've always been contented with my life. A perfect life? Ummm, NO! Far from perfect. Let me clarify that. Do I now or have I ever had a PERFECT life? NO! But, are dreams always perfect? I don't think so. I used to dream I could fly like a bird...but my dream-friends thought I looked weird, so...

But, for the past few months (while I've been living and helping and loving and working and...) I've been pursuing my own personal dreams. Mine. For me... This blog is part of that dream. My Etsy shop is part of that dream.

I say all that to say this to you: Dream. Hold tight and pursue your dreams. Don't let your dreams die in a sea of self-doubt. But, while you pursue those dreams, remember to LIVE the dream. My good friend, Aaron, replies something like that when asked "How are you?". So, I'm passing it on to you...

This morning I admitted a scary, big dream that I plan to pursue this next year, maybe I'll tell you about it one day. It was a big deal. Made me feel strange and elated and hopeful.

But.

I also brushed my teeth. And drank coffee. And thought about my children. And walked my dogs. 

And on our walk I found this...

...right outside my house.

And my beautiful Labrador found a baby pine tree and it was a magical scene.

And I noticed the wisteria were fully-and-fragrantly blooming, so I took a picture...

And I found this in my own ill-tended-to-but-much-appreciated yard...

My everyday life. Yes. My dream life. 

So, Dear Friends, this is my challenge and my well-worn-advice to you...

Keep dreaming. Go after those dreams. Don't be talked out of them. Keep them. Treasure them.

But also, don't forget... Go live the dream.

The Chains of Everyday (or, A Very Dramatic Way to Title a Post About Parties)

...then, I remembered paper chains (you know, Dear Friends. Middle of a conversation)...

I had a long time to prepare for a Dear Friend's baby shower, so I got to fuss over the details a bit more than usual. And really, details are what sets one thing apart from other things...whether it's a party, or a gift you made for someone, or even if it's the details of your everyday life. No one else can recreate those details just like you. And recognizing and appreciating those details can make your heart light and your mundane life anything but mundane... And isn't that how it should be?

Don't sit around, waiting for the "next big thing".

You know that Little Boy that calls you Mommy? You know that kitchen window where you collect your Maileg Mice? You know that laundry that you need to get done today, and decide to use a new scent of detergent? You know that corner you pass on your way to work every morning, the one with the tree that's flowering so beautifully this time of year? Yes. Those are your "next big things"...

But, back to paper chains...

Scraps and bits of paper have to be one of the easiest and most plentiful sources of supplies. Often when I'm working on a project or a party, I'm taken aback by how pretty my trash looks! Much too pretty to grow away...

I remember putting together chains of paper as a class when I was in elementary school. Probably, it was to keep us busy and occupied, but it always made our classroom look festive. My teachers must have been very wise, to have accomplished all those things with the simplest of activities and using the most inexpensive of materials, and here I am, MANY years later, blogging about them...

Leftovers. Strips and scraps too small to reuse for most decorating. But not for this Creative Genius! (PS, just a week prior to taking these pictures, I saw an Instagram picture of paper-chaining from a famous party-planner that I follow. So, it's really alright for me to refer to myself as Creative Genius since it's a bit tongue-in-cheek. But, it does take a bit of genius to recognize a great idea, so...)

You know the drill, right? Make a loop out of a strip of paper and glue it together (I actually stapled these because I had to transport them a good distance). Then take another strip of the same-ish length, stick it through the loop you made, and glue the newly-created loop together. Keep adding and gluing, mixing up the patterns and colors as you go... Make it as long or as short as you like.

This is just a "pile" of the chain, before I used it as decor, but already it made me visually-happy!

Once at the shower, we strung, "hung" and laid the chains here & there. Adding a bit of pattern and color in various spots...

I think they were a festive addition to an already lovely venue (my Gracious Friend, Kim's, home), a beautiful party scheme and a perfect reason for a party, a Dear Friend's new baby...

Actually, I'm so proud that I remembered to take pictures of the chains along the way of their life-cycle. I often get so excited about decorating and creating that I forget to photograph. And it's the first thing that my mother, you know, the Discoverer of Raw Materials, will ask, "Did you take pictures?", as she is my Biggest Fan and wants to share me with the world.

So, here you are, world... Now, go make an occasion, you Lucky You!

A New Spot. And Some New Inspiration...

I am a homebody. I love bring home. I love being with my husband. He really is my best friend. I love my routine. And my pups. I love my kitchen window. It's one of my favorite spots to decorate. I love to make my bed and do my laundry. I love that my GrandBoys and Adventures are (sorta) within arms-distance.

But. I'm also a traveler. I like flying. And long car rides. I like experiencing different seasons-and even different cultures-as a result of just a few hours of either. I like airports, some not as much as others. I like the stops along the way. But mostly, I love that there are people I love in lots of different places. All over the country. All over the world. But really, I'm a sucker for Birmingham...

There are people I love in that City. Part of me lives there. I visit as often as I can and stay for as long as I'm able. 

One of my new perks of being in Birmingham, besides my New GrandGirl, is a new favorite store, Paper Source. 

I think shopping and inspiration should go hand-in-hand. When I walk around in a store, I want my head to swim with ideas and thoughts and things I'll want to do when I leave there. Paper Source for me is that kind of place and I've been wanting to share it with you...

It's is a spot for cards and seasonal gifts and embossing powder and wrapping paper. 

Oh! The wrapping paper! Museum-quality-art on a roll. Sheets worth framing. Or, of course for wrapping the perfect gift, one of my favorite activities.

I'm not a prolific stamper, but look at this wall of rubber stamps. The designs we could emboss (remember my earlier post bout that?) with these. What fun!

This is silk ribbon. Hand-dyed. And just enough of a length to tie around that Perfect Gift.

This paper chain kit! Such a cute way to "get started" with being creative. Also, I've got an upcoming blog post about paper chains and their how-tos, so stay tuned...

Specifically, I went this time looking for these...

...little glassine envelopes for a baby book I'm custom-creating for a Baby Black Dog (Babyblackdog.etsy.com) customer. After a few trips around the shop, I told the salesperson, "I'm looking for packages of tiny envelopes..." And she showed me a back wall that I'd never seen, containing the perfect answer to my need...

Paper Source is located at The Summit in Birmingham and so-near to Anthropologie, how convenient! You need to stop by and dream. And then let me know what you've found... They also have an online shop that you'll enjoy, for the times when you can't physically get there.

Inspiration can translate into areas of your life where you'd least expect it. Thought I'd remind you of that today...Make room for it whenever possible...

Projects, Notelets and Mathmatics

I was putting together an order for a Baby Black Dog customer. It was a gift that she bought and was having me send it directly to the gift-ee. By the way, did you know that Babyblackdog.etsy.com is a perfect place to shop for gifts? Well, it is.

I was putting the finishing touches on the gift and grabbed a mini card and envelope to attach with her greeting...I have a stash of cute cards and envelopes that I always have on hand...

then I realized, "those aren't Baby Black Dog cards"...

So off I went to remedy the situation.

I tore open one of the envelopes, to create a template...

...chose some patterned paper scraps...

...cut, glued and formed the envelopes. Then, got my paper cutter-one of my most-favorite project tools-and some white cardstock and, with much effort in a this-is-ridiculous-I-used-to-be-a-teacher sort of way (cause, in case you don't know, me & mathematics just don't get along), cut some fold-over notelets...

...which were promptly embossed with a coppery-gold new embossing powder...

...such a pretty shine.

I stamped the back of each with my awkward (for now) Baby Black Dog stamp and created my own stash of all-occasion notelets...

...and, for their first official "usage", I attached them to the gift-order I was sending out...

Necessity is the mother of invention, I've found it to be true. Of course, I use the word "necessity" loosely, as in telling the Popcorn Lady at Target, "I need a bag of popcorn", but you get the idea...

The Wonderful Everyday...

Dear Friends...

I like to begin my posts as if we're Dear Friends in the middle of a conversation...

          -You've Got Mail (loose) reference

So...Dear Friends,

I was thinking of one of my Favorite Things. Yes, I have lots of Favorite Things. And People. I have lots of Favorite People. Oh! And Places. I have lots of...you get the idea...

I'm sure my mother taught this particular Favorite Thing to me, as most of my creativity can be attributed to my mom. She is the Discoverer of Raw Materials... Sometimes it takes me years to be able to visualize what it is that she sees in something. She's the kind of "creative" that you can't learn. You just appreciate "it". And do what "it" suggests...

Anyway, she is a huge fan of clear, glass jars for keeping stuff. Big jars, little jars. And inside those jars she usually stores things she's found for me but that I haven't quite caught-on to...cause when I do, her jars of treasures are no longer her's...I take them home and they become mine.

I have a closet that is a good size. It used to house wetsuits and Lacoste shirts and baseball cleats.  And it smelled of adventure. But then one day, it was just a big, empty room with no useful purpose. A place where Love used to hang his clothes...Sigh...In case you didn't catch on, that was a reference of my unwillingness to be a Contented-Empty-Nester, but that is a subject for another time and, another blog, Kimcanandsocanyou.blogspot.com (shameless plug!) to be specific...

Anywho. The closet is now my workspace. It's where I house my supplies. And my inspiration. I have drawers of drawstring and cello bags. I have boxes of cardstock. I have an entire drawer of chenille chicks. And I have lots of jars...

...sitting atop an old card catalog, a favorite-find from the Discoverer of Raw Materials...

The jars are (fairly!) organized and contain this-and-thats. Old Scrabble letters and plastic cameos. Dominos, don't know why, but I have lots of dominos. I have vintage French flashcards in one jar. And ballerinas that hold birthday cake candles. And tiny, glass Christmas ornaments...

Things that I create with. Stuff that inspires me. Lots of things I took from my mom...

For me, it's a good way to be aware of my supplies, but I also use them for decorating. The ballerinas are currently part of my fireplace mantle-decor.

More importantly, the jars make these everyday items look festive, and that's my favorite thing. It's a philosophy. It's an outlook. Don't save your best just for company. 

My hint for you today is to look around you. Take notice of what makes up your Daily Life. Little Boys who smell of adventure and bubble-solution. Little Girls who collect stuffed toy mice. Puppies and their food. You know, Life...

Now. Take some of the ingredients of that Daily Life and display them like precious works of art (cause, that's what our Daily Lives are, you know)...

Cupcake papers... I have to climb on a chair to get the ones I need. But they look happy, so I like them there...

Dog treats...

Pacifiers. Golf tees. Pods of coffee for your newly-discovered-and-daily habit...

Cello sponges used to wipe Labrador-drool off the hardwood floor. I mean, ya know, in case you need a suggestion for a friend...

My wish for you for today is this: that you stop fighting the everyday. Enjoy it. Embrace it. Be thankful for it. Dress it up. Put it in a glass jar and take a pretty picture of it. And then, show it off. 

Or sumpin like that...