Help-Baby album
Hannah Myers
advice.
My sil is pregnant, due around Christmas. (We have a shower this
weekend...dh is MAKING me go!) I know I've complained about this
before, so you might remember - dh and I have had infertility
problems...still not pregnant after 14 months of trying HARD! (All
tests are fine...it's unexplained.)
Anyway, I decided last night that for Christmas, I want to do a
"Dear Baby" album for the new little one. (Yes, torture, I
know...but crafting/scrapbooking is therapy for me, too!)
If you have the Simple Scrapbooks book, there's one in there where I
got this idea. I'm going to give family (just immediate family &
great grandma) small pieces of a/f paper to write the new little one
a note...before he/she is born. I bought paper today...since we
don't know if it's a boy or girl, I bought simple soft pastel plaid
for the background paper, then pale yellow vellum for titles, white
polka-dot vellum for pockets, and soft sage green for the notes. I
want it to be pretty simple.
Since I'm going (against my own wishes, remember!) to see the family
this weekend, I'm planning to take the notes with me, along with an
explaination sheet to hand out to everyone. I'm going to ask for
them back when we get together at Thanksgiving (so that no one will
have to mail/fold their papers). I really want to keep this a secret
from the mom & dad, though.
I guess what I'm asking from you all is some reassurance that this
will work out okay.
For right now, I'm thinking that on each page I'll have a
title...who the note is from. Then there will be a vellum pocket
with the note inside. I have some other colors of vellum and some
matching mulberry paper in case anyone has a really neat thing on
the note that I'd like to print and feature on the page. I figure
the first page of the album will be a real title page...should I
leave a spot there for the mom & dad to include a picture of the new
baby? And since I want to keep this a secret from the mom & dad, but
I do want them to have a chance to write a letter later, is it okay
if I just include blank papers in their pockets to write their
letters later?
I know none of you know my in-laws, but do you think people would
take this and do okay with it, or would they think it is a stupid
idea?
Oh yeah...no one here scrapbooks...so they'll probably use a regular
ink pen of any kind to write. I know that's not ideal, but I can't
figure out a way to have them use a "safe" pen without buying one
for each person.
Also...there really won't be any pictures in the album. Do you think
that's okay? I thought about putting a picture of each person on the
page with the note they wrote, but I'm not sure I have a decent
picture of everyone (by themself). And that will include so many
different colors, etc. I'm just not sure that will add anything to
the album. But, in 20 years, when this baby finally appreciates it,
should there be old pictures or just the notes?
Please help!!
Hannah in IN
CynthiaAAndrews
>picture of everyone
How about taking a picture of them at the event each one of them?
Just an idea...
<//><
Cynth / So California
Kindness is always Fashionable
http://hometown.aol.com/cynthiaaandrews/myhomepage/dog.html
http://hometown.aol.com/cynthiaaandrews/myhomepage/photo.html
http://www.egroups.com/group/Inspiration4Today/
Shelley McLennan
I have no idea how to solve the pen problem, that one is tough. But i think
you should ask everyone to give you a picture of themselves. Or you could
take your camera with you and take pictures yourself!
So? I vote for pictures!
Shelley
"Hannah Myers" <hannah...@ces.purdue.edu> wrote in message
news:3BD9C3BB...@ces.purdue.edu...
TeaLady
I give you all sorts of credit for even attempting this type of gift!!!!!
One thing to consider is whether your SIL will even know everyone at the
shower.... I only knew 2 people out of 30 at the shower my MIL threw for me.
I think photos of people would be a really nice thing, but don't be
surprised if you don't get photos from everyone, you may not even get
letters back from everyone.
That said, I think it is a wonderful idea, and very considerate on your
behalf!
--
Crystal / TeaLady
Finger Lakes Region, NY
http://tealady.freeservers.com/
Best prices anywhere on Bazzill Basics Paper.
Sharon R
people are scheduled to be there like half an hour, 15 minutes before the
guest of honour, bring your papers and some pens with you. Ask the guests
to write the note while they wait. If they can't think of anything witty at
that moment, ask them to please hand them in before they leave. This way,
you will actually get your responses back!
I would also do like someone else suggested and take a camera with you and
take a new pic of everyone. That way you also make sure you have a picture
of each person.
Sharon
Saskatoon, SK
"Hannah Myers" <hannah...@ces.purdue.edu> wrote in message
news:3BD9C3BB...@ces.purdue.edu...
Mary Hogue
cheap. Also, a digital camera would make taking those pictures really easy.
I'm sure that even if you don't have one, if you ask around someone will
have one that you can borrow. I would have LOVED a gift like this.
Mary in PA
"Hannah Myers" <hannah...@ces.purdue.edu> wrote in message
news:3BD9C3BB...@ces.purdue.edu...
-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----
Lori Shay
when she got married. all of the girls in the wedding party got two pages
to fill out and send back. i think everyone actually sent them back except
the bride's sister (who is KNOWN not to do such things). anyway, we were
just looking back through this album last night, and even 4 years after she
was married, she cried just looking through it. it was totally worth the
effort. i'm sure your sil will LOVE and cherish this gift and the love put
into it. i know it will be difficult for you, but i think the good deed
will come back to you tenfold when you finally have that baby you're
wanting!!
good luck!!
lori
louisville
"Hannah Myers" <hannah...@ces.purdue.edu> wrote in message
news:3BD9C3BB...@ces.purdue.edu...
Renee Reid
I think this is a great idea! I know I'm a bit behind on any
suggestions, but just let me say: My family is horrible at this sort
of thing, but I'm building a time capsule for my DS and they ALL were
very excited about helping out. (Something about babies makes people
change their normal behavior.)
I also wanted to tell you how brave I think you are! This is a very
sweet thing you are doing for your SIL. Sometimes we don't appreciate
how considerate these type of gifts are. Especially when they come
from someone who has ligitmate reasons NOT to go out of their way for
us. So incase no one else tells you. I appreciate it for her! ;-)
And keep your head up - we tried for 13 months before getting pregnant
and when we finally were - it just made us appreciate it even more.
Hugs & Kisses!
Renee in NA
Dizzy D
the pretty paper with the acid free pens. Make it like a quote and then
write the person's name.
You can take a picture of each person on the day you see them.
I can understand why you don't want to go to this shower
but atleast now you have a project to work on that might help keep your
mind off not wanting to be there. Its a great idea and your SIL better
appreciate it!
I just want to say you will be in my prayers. I had one son
8 years ago and after I had him I wanted another one but
it took 6 years before I got pregnant again and then after
the second I must have become very fertile because I just
had another 3 months ago. So I think went your least thinking of it you
will be pregnant.
annah Myers" <hannah...@ces.purdue.edu> wrote in message
news:3BD9C3BB...@ces.purdue.edu...
Hannah Myers
prayers!! Really...having a project like this did make the whole
shower experience much more bearable! And I'm a "project" person...I
like having things like this consume me so that I don't go nuts
worrying about everything else!!
Well, here's what I did...
I cut my journalling paper (sage green parchment) into 4x6 sheets,
then put 3 in each envelope with each person's name on it. I
included a note explaining what I was doing and why I needed their
help. I gave these only to the immediate family members and Grandma.
It would be nice if there were more (there will only be 12 pages or
so), but the extended family doesn't get along very well. I can
never remember who's mad at who, so I just figured I'd leave them
all out and make it a much closer family thing! Everyone seemed
excited and willing to at least help...my other sil even promised
she'd help her little boy (my nephew-2yo) color on his pages!
I used soft pastel plaid pages as my background pages, and cut it
all to size. (I'm doing it on 8 1/2 x 11, although I haven't bought
the album yet. I'm going to use a Generations by Hazel album, and
I'm pretty sure their measurements are pretty accurate.)
I did take my camera, and took black & white pictures of everyone
while we were out there (except the baby's dadddy...I didn't see
him). I decided you all were right...it would be best to include
pics. But I didn't want them to be the focus of the pages, or to
distract from the rest of the album. So I decided making them black
& white would help keep them from being too distracting. (And it
wasn't bad...only the 11-yo sil whined about having her picture
taken!)
So I'm well on my way! Thanks again for all your suggestions and
kind words!
Hannah in IN