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July 26, 2012

capturing memories with organized photos




I'm a huge fan of taking pictures. I love how they capture life's special memories and help us remember a moment in time. It's a wonderful way to help recall our life stories and celebrations. Once you press that button, that precise moment is captured and it can never be captured again. Reminiscing with pictures brings such comfort and joy.  When I look at photographs, I'm transported back to that time the picture was taken and I become emerged in whatever the event, people, or feelings that are associated with the photograph.



My favorite way to organize my pictures today is with photo books.  I put it on my calendar to do list and work on my photo books every couple of months, otherwise if I let too much time pass the task becomes too large and I feel overwhelmed. 

A couple of years ago I started digital photo scrapbooks for my kids through My Publisher and love them.  I started from their births and did one page each month until they were a year old, writing in their milestones, memories, poems or any other special thoughts.  And then after a year, I just did random holidays, vacations, and any other special events.  They are so easy to put together quickly and have lots of fun templates for the kids' activities.  They are 12 X 12 pages and the quality is great.  My kids love looking through their books and asking questions about themselves.  The pages above are from their digital scrapbooks and these below are also from their books to show some of the different templates and designs.

























Here are the books all these pages are organized in.  I've put these books out at the kids' birthday parties and our guest have really enjoyed browsing through them.



{Love how simple these books are with these little details}

Since the books above are specific to the kids' milestones and other special activities and events, I do one hardback family photo book a year that contains pictures of the whole family.




I also have many old photo albums that hold my pictures from the pre-digital days. I don't know how we ever got descent pictures without viewing them first. My husband made shelves in one of our closets so that I have a place to store all of my old albums.




And then I have several places around the house where I display pictures.  I have little vignettes set up that include some framed photos.


{my entry table photo display}



{my daughter's room has a couple of vignettes with framed pictures}

{my mantle with framed pictures of preston and lyla}

Off my kitchen I have a little desk space and behind that space I have a picture board where I display random pictures.  With this board, I can easily swap out the pictures without having to mess with frames.  I love having these smiling faces in my little work space :)

{my desk}

{behind my desk}


I cherish my life's precious moments through my pictures and having them organized and displayed helps me fullfill that. 


29 comments:

  1. Thanks for the compliments on the coat closet organization. Love your ideas for photos here. I am SO bad about keeping up with ours!

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  2. I love this idea. I am a scrapbooker (not digital) although I am so behind!!!! Yours look so great!

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  3. Love, love, love this! My first project in our new home is to organize all of our photos, I have a lot more work ahead of me because ours are so unorganized! Thanks for sharing, may be asking you for some tips! Great seeing you last night!

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  4. This looks like such a neat tool...and easier than making a million trips to hobby lobby for supplies! :) Thanks for sharing!

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  5. Hi Becky,
    Where did you buy the book that the scrapbook pages go in?
    Tiffany

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    1. Hi Tiffany, I bought the books and clear pages through the site as well, but it was a couple of years ago. I think 12 X 12 pages are a standard size for the larger scrapbooks, which you can find lots of places like Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Target, etc.

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  6. I love how you've captured your family memories.

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  7. Oh my gosh, I absolutely love the books! Those are precious! What a great idea. I have made a few on Shutterfly and I just adore them!

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  8. Thank you everyone for all your very sweet comments. My photos are so, so precious to me :)

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  9. Wow love how organized all your photos are.

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  10. Ahhhh! You are making me realize I am not done with my 2011 album. Shame on me. Beautiful photos, girl. I am so impressed with how organized you are with all of it. PS.. .love your desk area. Thanks for linking up!

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    1. Thanks so much Courtney for your sweet words and for hosting the link party. It was fun to look through and get some great ideas and inspiration. Have a great weekend :)

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  11. love it! :) I became your newest follower! :) Erin

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  12. Gorgeous photos! I am inspired to attempt to do this. I am going to check out the site that you use. Thanks so much for sharing. So you order the initial book, and the subsequent pages can just be added to it? I am RIDICULOUS about photo taking, and have a few THOUSAND pics of my kids, but they are IN MY COMPUTOR and not displayed. It is also fun to find out your son's name. I have a baby named Preston, and it isn't very popular so it is fun to find another one with his name. I love the style of your blog and will now be following:-)

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    1. Thank you for your sweet comments. Yes, I bought the inital book from the site, but the pages are 12 X 12 which I think is the standard size of the larger scrapbooks pages from Michaels, Hobby Lobby, etc. so you could pick up a book anywhere. Then the digital pages fit into the clear sheets which you can add to as needed. I did my son's up until age 5, which five years of special event photos fit nicely. So fun that you have a Preston too. I love that name and love that it's not so common :)

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  13. That is fantastic to have all those great memories in photos like that! I love the pic of y'all in the pool! And I'm sneaking peeks of your house too- looks gorgeous!!! New follower:)

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    1. Thank you so much Megan for stopping by and your sweet comments. So excited that you are following :) Have a wonderful weekend!

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  14. I also make photobooks each year and am currently REALLY behind and overwhelmed! I love the idea of working on the books every couple of of months! I'm going to add this to my calendar :). Your photobook pages are adorable!!

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  15. What great ideas. Thanks for joining the party at One Creative Weekend! I hope to see you back tomorrow.

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  16. Love the way you decorate your house! and your kids are dolls. I am visiting from the sassy sites link party. I am you newest follower! I blog over at http://www.garagesalesrus.blogspot.com/ I hope you will stop by and do the same. I also have an awesome giveaway going on with a Cricut Machine! It's only got a few hours left on it so hurry over and enter!

    Robin

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    1. Hi Robin, Thanks so much for your very sweet comments. I'll hop over to your blog and check it out too! Have a wonderful weekend!

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  17. Love this!I must print out my pictures!Thank you for following,followed back!Have a great weekend!I love your blog by the way!:)

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  18. Hi Becky,
    Congrats on Mystery Hosting the Moms Mingle. I'm excited to have found your site and followed via GFC & BL. Love the scrap pages you have here, I do the same but am terribly behind. I've been wanting to do annual books for years. Thanks for the motivation.

    Angie

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  19. Love all of these ideas! Your vignettes are all so pretty! I am totally motivated to get our yearly photo album up to date now! Thanks! And thank you for linking up!!!

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  20. So impressed with your dedication to getting the books done little by little, definitely makes it less overwhelming! Great post!!

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  21. these are SO CUTE! im totally taking your suggestion and setting a reminder to do it every few months. Seriously way too many pictures!!!

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