Celebrating Your Memories Outside the Box!

For those of you who read this blog last week, you may recall that I was making plans to sort through old photos as a winter project. I also promised that I would share with you a marvelous idea. I suggest that as soon as you finish reading this, you visit this website: www.tabithageary.com. This woman has developed a product that every family will want to have – for every member of the family! She has taken the concept of scrapbooking and combined it with the concept of a photo album, and thrown in that unique blend of love found within each family. She then creates a book that I promise will just blow you away.

I’ve seen her work and it’s absolutely amazing, so amazing that her company has been named a finalist for the Martha Stewart "Dreamers into Doers" contest.

This is a product that has the potential to go so far beyond a family album. In this time in our country’s history, when so many of our young people are far off fighting a war that we all wish would end, this book could make a huge difference to their emotional well being.

For the families who have lost a special member and want to make sure that person is never forgotten, this book can link the generations.

To record a special vacation, an achievement, a moment in time, check out Tabitha’s website today. Oh! And the very best part is you can just cart in all those photos and momentos and Tabitha and her staff will put it all together for you!

Celebrating Memories

Okay, everyone, as much as you wish to remain in denial, the facts are clear. Summer is over and we are moving well into the fall season. Nothing wrong with that! Fall is a beautiful time of year. The air is a little crisp, leaves are turning colors and there are even a few special holidays ahead. Halloween is great fun for old and young alike. That’s followed by Thanksgiving – my personal favorite holiday of the entire year. But we all know that as we move into December, anything can happen. The weather can make dramatic changes and we may find ourselves indoors more than we’d like to be. Even those pampered souls in sunny southern California may experience several days of rain (please, let it rain!) What to do with all that indoor time? You know you always promise yourself to clean out the closets, basement, drawers and cupboards. Maybe you’ll even do a bit of that this year, but you should have one or two fun projects lined up for the encroaching hibernation season. And if you need supplies for those projects, the day of the first blizzard is not the best time to go out shopping.

Promise yourself that in the next two weeks, you will choose a project you’d enjoy working on and do a little research to determine what you will need to begin and complete that project. Make a list and go out and purchase those supplies now. Then you’ll be ready. I’ve already determined what my project will be. I want to arrange my photographs. While going through boxes to estimate just what I’m going to need in the way of photo albums I began thumbing through old photos. Nothing can eat into a day like going through old photos. But what a terrific way to spend one’s time.

Early in 2008 our family lost a very special member. My husband’s great-aunt passed away at the age of 102. I miss her every day. Peggy Berlin, more than anyone I know, always had a way of making me feel not only special, but worthy. A hug from Peggy was a loving gift. She also told the best stories. Please humor me for a moment while I share one of her stories with you.

Peggy and her husband, Harry Berlin, owned an ice cream store on B Street in downtown San Diego in the 1920’s and 30’s called Berlin’s Chocolate Shop. A frequent customer to the shop was a gentleman who worked for Ryan Aeronautics Company. One day this man came into the shop and introduced to Harry and Peggy the shy, young man with him and said, “You’ve never heard of this man before, but I guarantee you that after next week the whole world will know his name.” That shy, young man was Charles Lindbergh. Peggy told me when she asked for his order (he ordered a lemonade) he blushed.

Well, I’ve gotten a little sidetracked here, but the message I want to leave you with is this: Go through those old photos and memorabilia. Look at them closely. Remember the people from your past. Maybe even shed a tear or two. But appreciate having had those certain people in your life and celebrate that bond.

Be sure to come back next week for some terrific ideas to save, enhance and treasure memories.