Summer Memory Book

 I've blogged about our far-flung family and how we try to stay connected.  My favorite idea is the family compound, but since that's not likely to happen, we try other ways to stay connected.  Google chat ( in our experience much better than Skype),  shared photo-streams, lots of calls, emails and packages mean we  get to share in their every day lives.

 I've been making memory books for our Montana granddaughter for several years and usually much sooner than this!   She visits us every summer and I want her to remember all those fun times.  This year I found these cute book covers at Pick Your Plum.  The covers are made of very thin wood with a name cut-out at the bottom - so sweet!

I forgot to take a "before" picture, but here is one from PYP:

I colored the covers with several shades of blue Distress Inks and paints.  I just happen to have a set of alphabet stamps that fit the letter cut-outs and like how the stamped letters make the letters easier for to read.   (Names with lots of letters are a bit harder to read than the ones with just a few).

I used plain white paper for the pages and let Washi tape do double duty - securing the pictures and adding some fun color.

Some stamped circles toned down all that  white space.

I like making flags with wash tape for some outside the page interest.

 Not surprising, this is my favorite picture.  Siobhan loves to spend time in my studio investigating all my stuff and making art.  This was her first experience with embossing .  Don't you just love how she's concentrating on the process?   She was pretty impressed with how embossing works - another convert is born!

 Heading out to Montana to deliver this book in person.