In 2012, one of my personal goals is to get better and more efficient at our memory keeping. Right now, each of my boys has a box that keeps their memorabilia up to age 1. Then…everything sits on external hard drives. Are you the same way? Digital pictures are fantastic, they let me capture every little expression my boys make. However, if I never do anything with them…what good is that?
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not an old school scrapbooker…or really any kind of scrapbooker. Did you have supplies like these rad scissors everywhere in the early 2000s? I know they were everpresent in my house.
I do LOVE work like this. It’s more graphic and cool, I guess. However, as many times as I have tried–I just can’t get into traditional (or digital) scrapbooking. It’s just not me, apparently. And, you know, I’m all about dropping a hobby if it makes you feel guilt or bad about yourself. No room for that in my life, let me tell ya. Probably not in yours either…
So, for 2012, I am using my iPhone as my main device of everyday picture taking. Sure, I’ll keep my massive DSLR on the kitchen counter like always…but I’ll lift some of the pressure by knowing I’m doing something with images and memories, at least. It is January, after all, and my extended family is still bugging me to get pumpkin patch pictures edited. I just don’t have the extra time to spend on that right now. You might feel the same way. Because of that I’ve simplified for 2012. Less stuff, less fuss, less guilt. More images and more notes, together making for more kept memories.
Like I said, the iPhone is my device of choice this year. I plan on using Instagram to capture lots of everyday memories in a social way, sharing them via Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Instagram is a free app that is addictively fun. There are a lot of fun New Years prompts going on in that community right now. You can follow me at thetinytwig on Instagram, if you want!
Photo 365 is an app that holds a calendar full of images. You can go in and enter a picture plus text for each day of the year. I am shooting to take a picture everyday this year. I am planning on not using the camera directly in the app, but uploading from my library each day. I love that you can add a bit of text to keep the memory.
1000 Gifts is the free app from best-selling author Ann Voskamp. Just like her book of the same name, the app encourages you to count the blessings in your everyday life. She contends that when you are giving thanks, there is no room to live in fear. That it is in giving thanks that we are closest to God. I really love the idea of counting my blessings visually–the small moments of everyday life. This is a numbered list, not dated–but I still love the idea.
If you are wanting to print from you iPhone pictures, you can use Printstagram or Postal Pix. Postal Pix prints 4×4 images for only $.29 a piece. There are certainly cheaper ways to print, but being able to perform the whole process seamlessly on my iPhone is priceless. I do things like this while I’m waiting for prescriptions, waiting in the preschool pick-up line, etc. That is worth the slightly more expensive price!
I am contemplating using Photoshop to drop in the square images into a template like this one from Paislee Press. I can see it being a really beautiful album at the end of the year.
But, even if you don’t have Photoshop, you could use an album like one from kolo. Then, you could paste these templates in Word or Pages and drop a picture on top of the square that says “picture here”. The other space is for journaling, which you could do via a text box. Then, print as a 4×6 and slip in the album.
If you haven’t visited kolo, you definitely should. Their products are beautiful and would be so special to hand down to your kids someday.
What do you plan to do with your memories this year? Will you be keeping them in any particularly easy and fuss-less way? I need any tips you may have! :)
Have you checked out The No Brainer Wardrobe yet? Get a sneak peek in exchange for a tweet or facebook post, watch the trailer, or read about personal styling options at the book’s website, www.thenobrainerwardrobe.com!
20 Comments on "less fuss memory keeping"
Well, that project life is cool and so’s an iphone, but I have come to realize that I’m technically challenged, and to put my energies towards my giftings, rather than what frustrates me (thanks for showing me I can do that!) I do scrapbook – when I make the time. All the photos are printed (I use snapfish pennyprint coupons every few months and order my favorites), memorabilia collected in one place, supplies stockpiled, and about once a year I put aside other projects and crank out an album or two.
The thing that keeps it from being overwhelming is that I keep my goals reasonable for this busy mommy of 3 under 5 yrs – My goal is a first year album (all special and pretty) for each child, then a family adventure album kept up to date. When the kids are older they can learn to create their own memory books, but until then they each have Their Book, that makes them know they are a special, treasured member of this family.
how do you get the pennyprint coupon? just sign up for their emails?
another good idea might be to keep a folder on your desktop and drop in the favorites you want to print when the time comes…then print them all when the pennyprint coupon comes along.
Oh, this is a big one for me this year! I don’t have an iphone, but one of my goals for the year is to learn to use my camera (that I’ve had for a year, and I still can’t use it right!) But I haven’t thought much about what I’m actually going to DO with those pictures once I take them. Thanks for the tips!
Thank you for sharing how simple it can be to keep memories and organize photos! Bookmarking this one for sure!
I think it’s more about the “getting it done” than getting it perfect…especially in this instance!
In case you haven’t heard of these already, check out: http://stickygram.com to turn your instagram photos into magnets and http://stitchtagram.com to turn them into a pillow :)
How did I miss that Ann has an app for counting blessings?! I love that and am downloading it now. Thank you for noting it!
I know! I randomly came across it one day. I don’t think it was super-promoted.
So excited to read this post! I had no idea that existed. I have a 9 month old and she’s the third child. Poor kid has nothing but iPhone pictures (and I’m a professional photographer- eek!). Even though they’re ‘only iPhone’ pictures, they’re all special to me and capture soooo many of her little moments. Now I can show them off in an equally cute way! She may not have the scrapbooks that her big brother and sister have, but she’ll have something just as fun!
Yeah–you and i are in the same boat! pro-photog, 3 kids…and that poor third kid. :) i was just thinking i needed to do some portraits of him. maybe i’ll do that today!
Love this!! (Love instagram! And AnnVoskamp!)
Last year I made it my goal to start separating my photos into folders titled by date and description. It totally worked! Now when I go looking for specific photos, I can actually find them! Maybe this year I’ll go back and organize the folders marked 2009, 2008, 2007… haha! Maybe that’ll happen! :)
Just found your blog and I love it. I actually gave myself the challenge of doing a picture a day this year. I’m also a pro-photographer so this is more for my own fun and creativity, but has completely tied in to Ann Voskamp’s 1000 gifts. I didn’t know there was an app, so thank you! I wanted to also let you know that blurb.com has books that you can make from your instagram account. The website opens your instagram account so it makes them easy to build, drag and drop, and once you do, just put in your notes. I’m including the date and then caption/title and a little ‘blurb’ about it– which have been more about finding thankfulness. Anyway, you might want to check it out. The album template above does look pretty too.
I’m a Smilebox addict. It is digital scrapbooking, but automatic. you choose the photos and template that you like, and the program instantly places them for you! With minor tweaking, it looks amazing! You can send for free, or pay a small fee a month to be able to print and send without ads. You should try it out, it’s super easy and fast!
ooo, i should try it! thanks for the heads up.
These are great ideas! Thank you for sharing! I don’t have an iPhone so I’ll have to see if these apps or similar ones are available for Android. I’m *definitely* going to look up Ann Voskamp; her book sounds like a good read. I’m not familiar with her, so thanks for the introduction!
I just came across your website and I simply fell in love with it. I am fairly new to all this — blogs, project life, etc. but I absolutely want to make it all work. Sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed though by everything that everyone around me is doing and I feel like I’m falling short on my goals but thank you for your very simple motto “Inspiring women to create lives of more passion and less fuss” BEAUTIFUL!! Thank you Hayley. Thank.You.
so so so glad you’ve stopped by! i don’t make it all work at every moment. i go in phases of embracing one bit more than the others…but, over time i’ve fallen into a pattern that works for our family. :) i’d so love for you to stick around–the community of women who gather here is really sweet and genuine and caring!
That’s my plan, to stick around and learn and love it all — one step at a time. And getting those lovely emails is superb! Thanks for your reply. Many blessings! <3
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