OK, this should get your creative juices flowing…here are 5 examples of accordion books and the types of photos you can turn into a book of your own.

1. OLD SANTA PHOTOS
 

2. PET PHOTOS
 

3. WEDDING PHOTOS
 

4. YOUR CHILD’S PHOTOS
 

5. YOUR HONEYMOON (or any travel!) PHOTOS & MEMORABILIA
 

Order your accordion book here by Monday December 1st for Christmas delivery!

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[thanksgiving 2008]

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Have you seen our new photo accordion books?

I’m so excited to finally be offering these. We worked really hard to get the design and construction just right, and I love how they turned out.

They are perfect gifts for the holidays - for grandparents, in-laws, or proud dads who seriously need to update their kid’s photo collection on display at the office. Order by Monday, December 1st for Christmas delivery.

Check back later this week for some accordion book inspiration. We’ll share 5 different real-life accordion books…from old family photos to pet photographs to kid’s photographs. You’ll find lots of creative ideas for capturing your family in one of these great little books!

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I didn’t think so.

The Real Simple article is out, and for those who haven’t seen it…here it is!

I have loved hearing from people who have been inspired by the article. So fun! But mostly, I just can’t get over how cute my grama is.

I’m going to see if I can get my hands on some of the photos that weren’t included in the article. The photographer took oodles of pictures that day and I’d love to share them here. Will keep you posted.

Thank you for all the sweet notes everyone!

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I have some exciting news to share! I am going to be in the December issue of Real Simple magazine! I have been keeping it a secret of sorts but just heard the issue is already out (on November 10?!) so I figure now is a good time to share.

Here is the story. In early September I heard from a writer for the magazine. She was working on a feature about women who had done creative family history projects. They were looking for one more woman to profile, and did I possibly have any personal family history projects that might be a fit? Um, yes.

Within a day we were scheduling a photographer to come photograph me, my project, my workshop, and even my Grama (of course it’s a family affair!) And I started answering all sorts of interview questions about the project.

The project they featured is one I made in a collage class in LA, before I even started Good Stock. It is not a book and I didn’t touch a computer while making it. So in some ways it’s different than what I do now. But in so many ways it inspired what I do now.

I call the project my Grandparent’s Story Box. I took old maps from places my grandparents liked to visit and collaged them into a handmade box. Inside, I made loose-leaf, oversized pages that tell different stories about my grandparents. For materials I used old photos, a thrift store typewriter, my grandparent’s maps, our family tree, old papers, and all sorts of vintage looking string and grommets.

And of course, because I always think in chapters, I divided the story into 4 chapters:

1. My Papa’s Story Growing Up
2. My Grama’s Story Growing Up
3. My Grandparent’s Story Together
4. My Own Story of My Grandparents

For my own story of my grandparents, I wrote 2 pages about their influence in my life and my memories of them. I gave them a typed copy of my story for Christmas that year.

What touches me most about having this project featured is I have always loved it! It was such a personal project for me, and I still add things to it when I come across something from or about my grandparents. In fact, my Grama uses it for reference sometimes because she knows I have so much of her history in there!

So that is my Real Simple story. I thought about taking photos of the box to share here, but our good cameras are currently in Nepal with my husband. And besides, the Real Simple shots will be so much better anyways. So I promise to post them here when I get my copy!

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OK, here is yet another reason to never throw away your old high school yearbooks…

Your friend’s son may someday become president! Woo hoo!!

And trust me, when that happens your kids will want to see your old yearbook photos.

Yes, my mom was high school friends with Barack Obama’s mom, Stanley Ann Dunham. So today I made my mom drag out her high school yearbooks. And here is what I found.

French Club, 1958. Look for the sassy glasses and serious look. That’s my mom. Obama’s mom is the next row back with the dark shirt.

Mercer Girls, 1960. Look for the girl who forgot her sweater that day. That’s Obama’s mom. My mom is right next to her.

Now, if that’s not cool I don’t know what is!

Thank you for not tossing your yearbooks, mom. And more importantly - thank you for your son, Stanley.

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