Like many scrapbookers in the industry, there is rarely a day that goes by when I'm not creating. And while most of the time I find I have plenty of photos, topics, and memories to document, every now and then, the ideas don't flow. It's these times that I rely on our Family Memory Jar to help spark an idea for a page.
I discovered the idea for the Memory Jar on Pinterest. Its basic purpose is to provide a collection spot for family memories. Placed in a easily accessible spot in the house (ours is in our kitchen desk area), family members can grab a strip of paper, jot down a special moment they want to remember, and place it in the jar. The memories are saved until the end of the year, when you can read through them together and recall those special times.
While I love this use for the jar, it's also become my go-to source when I need a quick idea for a layout. I can grab a strip from the jar, select some photos to go along with the memory, and get it documented on a page. Recently, I pulled one of my daughter's recollections from the jar of her first roller coaster ride at the amusement park this summer:
Since I had only taken some quick photos of that outing (and they weren't that fabulous), it wasn't high on my priority list of things to scrapbook. But after reading my daughter's words (and realizing it was a very special memory for her!) I was prompted to create a page about our adventure. I printed out the phone photos, pulled out some supplies, and got to work. This is the page that resulted:
I love that the Memory Jar helped me create a page about a memory I might not have otherwise scrapped. I love that it was quick and easy and didn't require a great deal of thinking on my part. But the best part? The Memory Jar allows (and encourages) my family members' perspectives to be included in my scrapbooks, which only makes them more special and treasured.
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