Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Five Must-Make Mini-Albums Series- Tribute Album



Today's album was made for my mother on her birthday a few years ago (it was a significant one...) and was not only my most well-received gift EVER, but the most fun for me to make.

To start off, I chose my standard 8" x 8" album size and a package of Basic Grey's Skate Shoppe paper and letter stickers.  I purchased some matching Bazzill cardstock to use for the page bases and photo mats.  Embellishments were from my stash.

Then, I enlisted the help of others by sending the following email to my mother's friends, relatives, etc.:
Dear Friends and Family,
   I am putting together a special tribute scrapbooking album for my mom, (insert name), for her upcoming birthday in (insert month) and I need your help!  Each one of you has a special place in my mother's heart and I would love to highlight your relationship with her in this album.
  If possible, please email me a photo and short response to these statements/questions:
  1) "I'll never forget..."
  2) "I laugh when I think about..."
  3) "Things that remind me of Carol..."
Please keep this to yourself as I want it to be a surprise!  THANKS!
Sincerely, Joy

Here's where I explain that in the album:


Tip #1: Get others to help by writing and providing photos.

So, by now, you are probably wondering how well that letter went, or if I got a lot of responses, etc.  Well, someone emailed me within two hours of that email and it was a fall-off-your-chair, laugh-out-loud story that I didn't even know!  I was thrilled!

Here's some things I did along the way:

Tip #2 answers "What to do when you don't get a response but you know the person is special":


Write it yourself!  Maybe even write a story they've told you in the past about your loved one or that you know they think.  Do not get angry/annoyed.  Just roll with it and fill in as needed.  If you don't know a story, just put their picture in the album with their names.  There are no scrapbooking police that will come and tell you that you did it wrong.  Do whatever you want.  But make it fun for you!

Tip #3 answers "They told me their story and mailed it to me on ugly paper or in a card that doesn't match my chosen paper scheme."

Here's what you do: make a pocket page at the end of the album to store the paper/card with the writing. Then, re-type it on your journaling block/tag/etc.  Or you could make a flap, adhere the letter to that, and then she could lift it to read it.  Don't let this bog you down - just keep on rolling.

Tip #4 answers "They didn't send me a photo, now what?"

I snuck over to my mom's house and went through her photos when I knew she was out.  Then I used those.  I did not remove them from albums, unless I took them away and made a copy and put it back.  I kept the whole thing a secret and my mom never found out.

I printed a lot of the journaling on transparencies due to the fact that I wanted it on the background paper and it just made it easier.

Finally, since her pets have been such a large part of her life, I had a little section about the pets.  In fact, the final page is from the family chihuahua (a dog I loathed), in the dog's voice.  I thought it was hilarious, myself.  You can see it at the end of the photos below.

I finished this album late one night and first thing in the morning, I was over at mom's house making her look at it.  She got such a kick out of it!  She still enjoys looking at it, as does everyone in the family.  What was fun is that there is a variety in how people answered things - such as, my brother did a "things that remind me of mom" by each of the senses.  I put these on tags and make a pocket page.  It's really an interesting way to describe someone.  I loved it!

Here are the photos:










What do you think?  Ready to make one of these?  It really was a blast and so fun to see what people said - so much love expressed in those notes.

Check back for tomorrow's "home sweet home" album...

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48 comments:

  1. Very nice,,You did a great Job!!!
    Imogene
    sweetlilcricut.blogspot.com

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  2. Awesome! I can imagine it was the best gift ever. My family should consider doing the same thing for my Mom
    Thanks for sharing
    Susan

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  3. This is the best one yet! I'm sure she loved it, and I bet a lot of others are hoping that they get one of these from you someday too.

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  4. This album is my favorite to date! It's would be a wonderful gift, luck person who gets one of these.

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  5. I really need to start making smaller scrapbooks. I'm making my first 8x8 album, but sometimes I feel so confined. Thank you so much for sharing these mini-albums. I'm getting so many ideas!

    Natasha
    craftingwithnatasha.blogspot.com

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  6. What a great album! I can just imagine how special your mom must have felt receiving it! I absolutely love the chihuahua page! My mom had one for 13 years & I don't know how that little critter ever survived that long. Thanks for sharing!

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  7. What mom or anyone wouldn't be over the moon with such an awesome gift. Not only did you make an album for her but you filled it with so many wonderful memories and personal touches. A group effort brought together by you!
    Thank you for sharing! :)

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  8. My mother and my aunt did a similar album to this for my grandmother and even today some 20 years later it still gets lots of laughs. Brilliant idea.
    Kim xXx

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  9. These are the most special kinds of gifts!

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  10. I made an album like this (but 12x12) for my grandparents 50th. the whole family (36 of us!) wrote our favorite memory on a little card I had provided and it was amazing because the pictures I had matched the memories perfectly. I was able to do a page for every memory (some memories were similar so it wasn't 36 layouts!..maybe 24 layouts) it is my favorite album and my grandparents show it to everyone. I love the idea of doing a smaller one for my mom and including her friends!

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  11. What a great and fun idea! I might try this for my parents 40th anniversary. TFS

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  12. What a super idea. It makes such a wonderful gift. It is on my list fo things to do.
    Cathy
    mexicopetshop@hotmail.com

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  13. Fantastic idea. Thank you for sharing. Your projects are always amazing.

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  14. What a really special present. I am sure your mother loved it.

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  15. Cute,cute, cute! Love that you got others' input for the book.

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  16. I am so enjoying this series of projects you're sharing with us this week & know that I will be referring back to them soon as I want to "tackle" similar projects. Thanks for the tips & inspiration!!!!

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  17. oh my gosh, WOW. what a treasure

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  18. I love this project! You did an awesome job. Your family will treasure this for many years.

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  19. What a special ablum. I bet she cried!

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  20. That is a phenomenal gift! I have a "significant" birthday coming up next month but would never be so lucky because I have 3 sons and no daughters. (None of them scrapbook! LOL) They did surprise me a couple weeks ago by giving me a surprise party!!! I cried my eyes out with joy ;) Our oldest son was home for a visit and that's why the party occurred so early. Maybe it made it all the more of a surpise.

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  21. This is an awesome idea and I'm going to use it for my mom's birthday coming up next January (gives me 10 months!). That should be plenty of time to get what I need from others and assemble the album! Thanks for a great idea! It will be her 80th birthday and a milestone.

    Blessings, Donna
    grandma4five

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  22. This is such a great gift, I would have loved to see your mom's reaction.
    Gloria

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  23. Great idea! I see myself making one for my mom is the very near future :)

    kperlic@hotmail.com

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  24. What a beautiful album..such a warm and heartfelt gift! TFS

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  25. So beautiful! I love the pull out notes!!! Such a great touch!!! TYFS!!! candkmason@gmail.com

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  26. Quite an undertaking and such a successful one. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  27. This is such a thoughtful gift. It's great how you included everyone in putting memories together. The dog page is hilarious! I appreciate it and will use your idea on how to share memories of a not-so-cherished-by-all family pet. We have one. My 13 y.o. Jack Russel Terrier. I'm the only one who loves her.

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  28. Great job you are inspiring me to go make some more albums. I made my mom and dad a 50th anniversary album from us kids throwing them the party that was a 8x8, 20 some pages and left a few blank for her to fill in and insert pictures..she never knew I was doing it.
    Thanks for sharing with all of us.
    bjblair26@aol.com

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  29. Joy,
    I bet your mom just loved this gift. How very thoughtful of you.

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  30. Joy, these minis are wonderful and I really do appreciate your sharing with us - it is very helpful to see the finished look to see how it all comes together!! happy scrapping...

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  31. I made one of these when my mom turned 80 (she'll be 89 next month & still rides her bike!) She still takes it out and looks at all the pics and comments! I added lots of old photos I found. Then to top it off, we contacted all our friends and relatives to send her a card, hoping to get 80 - she got over 100! Such great personal touches are wonderful for our older family members. Love your album!!! The dog page is awesome! Thanks for sharing!
    jdwlo

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  32. Thanks for the ideas. I like you included the family.

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  33. This is lovely! I did a similar project for my oldest son's 16th birthday. I started several months ahead and sent out letters to family, friends, past and present teachers and church family that have known him all his life. I also sent requests to stars of his favorite movies, tv shows and news shows (he loved watching the news/weather). The letter was asking for advise as he grew to be a man and advise and encouragement on choosing a career. It was amazing the responses! I was reduced to tears when I saw that he'd taken it off to college with him -- it meant that much!

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  34. What an amazing project! It's perfect for any number of special occasions. Thanks!

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  35. Gifts like this outshaddow any other gifts forever because it is truely the gift that keeps on giveing. Every time they are looked at the memories just flow. I did a full sized albumn for my inlaws 60th wedding aniversary with pictures and memorabilia from both ods their childhood years, dateing, early marrage, through raiseing 5 children, till their anniversary includeing the now married children with children and grandchildren of their own. It was put on display at their party for all to see.

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  36. What a gift for your mom, thanks for sharing a great idea!
    lindamcintosh at verizon dot net

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  37. What a great album. I have been wanting to put something together about my parents. They are both gone now but it would be a great way for my grand children to know their Great Grand Mother.
    Thanks,
    Shari Y

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  38. the best gift in the whole wide world...

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  39. thanks for the inspiration. I bought a kit years back to do this for my Dad and never get around to doing it, now maybe I can
    upnurse at aol dot com

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  40. What a wonderful idea fir an ageing sibling. I might just do this for my Sis for her next birthday - I have one year to get it done. Maybe my daughter as well!TFS
    mstgane
    Ann

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  41. A beautiful tribute scrapbook; what a wonderful gift. Love your use of colors as always

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  42. What an incredible gift!! Thanks for sharing!

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  43. What a wonderful book! As my mom's memory is beginning to fade, this would be a wonderful thing to keep the memories of friends and family for her to look through. I think I'll do it not as a birthday but as a just because. She talks more about old friends and I'm hearing stories now that I never knew. I'm sure childhood friends could tell a few too!

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  44. Another great idea...I'm sure your mom loved it and will always cherish it. I did a similar one for my parents' 50th Anniversary and they thought is was pretty special. TFS!

    Carol aka cyimbugbitten
    bugbitten at hotmail dot com

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  45. I really liked this book and the idea of it...a dear childhood friend just passed away recently and there will be a Celebration of Life for her in April and I have been contimplating what can I do... i think this would be a nice thing to give to her family (parents & sisters) as she was alone,but had many friends, family, colleagues who loved her (she was only 43). Thank you for this wonderful idea and I should start the emails pretty quick if I want to have it finished :)

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  46. A wonderful inspiraton! Thanks for all the tips on making an album like this.

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  47. Great job and alot of work.

    mmlmn @polarcomm.com

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  48. I was going to make an album for my mom's bday this year, but I love the idea of having other people participating as well! I will push it to Mother's Day...I think she will enjoy it better! Thanks for the wonderful idea!

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