Friday, April 26, 2013

Template Spotlight: Family Reunions

Are you heading to a get-together with a couple of cousins this summer? Or perhaps you're celebrating an 80th birthday or 50th wedding anniversary? Maybe you're off to a three-day reunion with planned activities and a family history display. No matter the kind or size of the family reunion you're attending, deepen your connections by using these ideas.
 

I know when I saw this template, I immediately thought it would be great  for my family tree, but my husband's might have to be a few of these or maybe a full storybook :)

Going Prepared
 

Get more from your reunion by taking along printed projects that show and honor your family connections. "Family Tree," by Lynda Angelasto is a great place to start! A 14 x 11 poster, template 89969, this classic style representation shows your place on the family tree in fairly simple fashion.
 

Or take along "Start and End with Family" project designed by Sandra Dovre, template 43867. These playing cards artfully showcase family facts and photos. Reunion attendees can learn about family while bonding over card games.



If you have access to historic, vintage family photos, consider making a book for extended family to enjoy. "HM F is for Family 8 x 8," template 81709, by Roxanne Buchholz, is an 8 x 8 story book that's perfect for this project. It's an ABC book of family quotes with room for plenty of priceless pictures. Include more contemporary photos and use Studio's sepia filter so they blend with the older style pictures.




Another way to show off the family photographic legacy is with a beautiful set of canvases like these matched pieces by Lynda Angelastro. "Vintage Memories," 18 x 18 canvas deep, template 71834, "Vintage Memories 1," 12 x 12 canvas, template 72455, and "Vintage Memories 2," 12 x 12 canvas, template 72456, would make the perfect, heartfelt gift for grandparents celebrating their anniversary, or a great-grandma presiding over a family reunion.




If your reunion is honoring a grandparent this year, check out our update of the very first Heritage Makers storybook. "The First Storybook," by Candace May and Sharon Murdoch, is an 8 x 8 storybook, template 90227, that's perfect for celebrating the life of a much loved grandparent.

Making the Memories Live On
Keep renewed relationships and reunion memories vibrant with some simple souvenirs that highlight the event. For a fun keepsake of the reunion, make a copy of Cynthia Coulon’s “Rohde Reunion,” square flip book, template 90279.





For a contemporary photo book of the event, preserve the family memories in Jill Means’ “Family Event Book,” an 8 x 8 storybook (template 41311). Its clean and totally customizable format allows you to fit the color in the book to the theme of any celebration.
Send a deck of playing cards to your siblings to help reunion live on. It’s easy with Sandra Dovre’s “Family Reunion Memories,” template 33777. Fill the deck with photos taken at the get-together, and memories will be relived each time the cards are used.Growing a Legacy
Let your children know they are part of a larger, loving family. Take the time to go to reunions and extended family get-togethers. Bring along projects that celebrate your connections. And don’t forget the camera! Photograph everyone and everything and get the stories and their photos into projects your kids can reflect on any day of the year. It’s a legacy your children deserve. Take a little time to help it grow.

Monday, December 10, 2012

8 x 10 Metal Print

I did this metal print for my in-laws for Christmas this year, as it was so gorgeous we couldn't help it :)



I love how vibrant and deep the colours are on it, and of course the pictures don't do it justice!
It's also a challenge to even TAKE a photo of the metal prints without having some form of reflection in it. I think I did pretty good though.


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Seattle Trip Ornament

Since we mostly travel as a couple my husband and I, it is almost impossible to get great pictures of the both of us....Without an arm extending out of the picture :)

So I decided that this would be our commemorative tradition for holidays and trips we take together:) A picture of him on one side, one of me on the other for our Christmas tree.


Here is one from our most recent trip to the Seattle coast! I'm so proud of how it turned out!

Monday, November 19, 2012

Our Christmas letter!


I decided that we would do a Christmas letter update and card all in one this year... Check it out!


I made it from Heritage Makers' 8.5x11.5 trifold business brochure... I am in love with the way it turned out, now we've decided to insert them into envelopes and mail them that way, but if you are extra-savy, you can just seal the one end with a sticker or tape, put on address labels and a stamp, and BOOM! stick those suckers in the mail!













Sunday, November 18, 2012

Our new Grand Bucket Bags!

So I have been wanting one of these bucket bags for a really long time.... In October Heritage Makers made them available for general sale (for publishing points YAY!)

So of course I ordered one, and glad I have! It turned out beautiful!


 This is the capture I took of it to see how it would look...and get design advice from Julie:)











 And this is how it turned out.... It is gorgeous! And I mean pretty much every bag I've seen published and in pictures on facebook, they all turn out beautiful!








 This is our Grand bucket bag, but you can earn the smaller bucket bag for $60 when you host a qualifying workshop!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Mother-in-law Mug

I published this mug a little while ago for my Mother-in-law's birthday in November. I absolutely loved how it turned out! It was absolutely gorgeous!



Here is how it looked when I received it in the mail! I can't wait for her to get it.... This is the part of Heritage Makers gift giving I love... Totally personalized gifts that speak from my heart to the people I care about!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Heritage Makers Reunion Necklaces!



I am in love with the Idea of DIY if not totally into the projects that take way too long. I have recently discovered (with our basement reno) that it's not the act of painting I enjoy, but rather the finished product. This has led me to alter my decision to repaint accent walls in the rest of my house because it turns out, I don't really like painting!

DIY I love though includes making scrap page tiles and magnets for your fridge as well as these awesome necklaces that I brought back from Reunion. Now I'm thinking I should have bought more than just a four pack of them..... Woe is me!


This is how they came... With glue and a card with instructions all ready!






This is how they turned out! Aren't they beautiful?