Scrap Simple

We've had a great week of vacation. Crystal Hot Springs (umm...public bathing with strangers, priceless) followed by breakfast in the canyon with some amazing parents, Trafalga and the local Arts Festival has made for one incredibly fun week. I have pictures and they overwhelm me. Every time I take one I think "do I scrapbook this one of (insert child's name here)?" And if I have a darling shot of one kid, don't I need to have something darling (or at least in existence) for each one? If I don't take a picture--which is proof we do productive, fun, family bonding things with our kids, did it happen? So scrapbooking has become a chore--see if I make one kid a book, they all need books, and then I need a book so when I'm old, grey and forgetful (yesterday) I can remember I had some great parenting moments.

This summer I've run across two things to help me out with this chore and reduce guilt and the time I spend pasting pictures. so I can have more time playing.


1- A #10 Tin Can--This is simply a large coffee can (or if you're from Utah, any of the large food storage cans). These are big enough to hold pictures, tickets, programs or other stuff to scrap later. It also comes with a plastic lid so all your memories are secure. I add notes of what we liked or best memories of what our trip was about and then later when I have time (I am guessing that will be about the 12th of Never) I can go back and try to retrieve our memories. Better yet, I can give the kids their own cans and make them scrap it themselves. In either case, and because I am a craftoholic--I take said can (see pic below) and cover it with fun colored paper, add a title to the can like --Crystal Hot Springs Vacation June 2013--and maybe some stickers. As I collect my memories--notes about funny things that happened or funny things the kids said, pamphlets, pictures, tickets, etc. I have everything in one place. And it's reusing something that would have gone in a landfill--so yeah for doing something to help the environment!

See how cute this one is below? I have a cute place to store everything so when we have a free minute or two I can scrap it and be done--times six books.

















2- Flash drive- I got one of these for Christmas and didn't know what to do with it. I transfer my pics from my camera to the drive and they are safe if the computer dies, I can put them in a fire safe in case someone lights my illustrious kitchen on fire, I have them easily accessible and organized and most importantly in one place.  I have gotten some great online deals on flash drives at Best Buy, Amazon and Target--most under $8.

As a spin off to the tin can idea you can make some great gifts from these cans. A time capsule of "baby's first year"--cuz not too many new mom's have time to scrapbook with a newborn--it makes a great gift if you create the can, add pictures of family or family stories so the baby can have a sense of their family. You can also cut the bottom of a can with a pop top off and clean the can, then fill it with goodies and glue the base back on. These are fun ways to package teacher treats, or Mother's or Father's Day treats.

Click HERE for some fun ways to reuse metal cans of all sizes. Click HERE for a tutorial on how to make the tin can treat gifts.

I really want my kids to remember--especially as they catapult into the teen years, that our family has fun, and their mom had it all together at one point in time. I want them to see that beyond all the chores, lectures, yelling and hair pulling, that our family is unique and amazing and lucky to be us. Hopefully collecting memories and doing something with them will help them realize how much I love them next time I have to "parent" them, or they are bored or mad I won't let them do something that "everyone else is doing." Hopefully....the memories will speak for themselves.