Shadow Boxes are My New Scrapbooks

Once upon a time, I scrapbooked everything.  Pictures, tickets, school work, hospital bracelets. All the paraphernalia that came with life's events, big and small. And then suddenly - poof! - my time to select papers and buttons and stickers disappeared. Yet all the stuff of memories remained. And piled up. And I kept saying, "I'm gonna get back to scrapbooking."

In the meantime, I've found another solution, at least for some of the stuff.  I'm putting the physical remembrances from our events in shadowboxes.  It's easy, it makes a nice display in any room, and you can add to it. No glue or stickers required, unless you really want to add all that extra.

Shadowboxes come in different sizes and configurations.  Most have a picture mat inside so you can include a picture on the back "wall" and then put the associated stuff in front.  I picked these up at Michael's craft store (on sale!)

What can you put in a shadowbox? Anything from any important or memorable event.  You can be real extra fancy and add embellishments and doo-dads around the frame, if you'd like.  I might get to that, eventually.

Swimming ribbons. This box has a slot on top so more can be added easily.

Sorority Box. Conference nametag, event tickets, committee badges. I'm going to put in my membership cards, too.

Ticket box. Movies, Broadway, concerts.  A tennis tournament.  A Metro ticket from Obama's inauguration. Dinner menu from our anniversary celebration

New baby? Consider a baby picture with memories from those first fleeting weeks - hospital band and bassinet nametag, a picture with the grandparents, a silver rattle or first pair of socks.

School?  Along with a picture from the first day of school, add a school nametag, pencils, an art project. For the graduate, include a picture from Kindergarten and their senior photo, the tassle from their cap.

Sports?  Post a team photo and winning ribbons and awards. Add goggles for your swimmer or pretty ribbons for cheerleaders or gymnasts.

Vacation?  Include your favorite photo and memorabilia - seashells, postcards, matchbooks, tickets, brochures.

And - I had a brainstorm while working on this post - these would make really cute gifts! How about a picture of the mom-to-be and let guests fill it with notes or giftcards? She could use it for the baby's things (see above) in a few months.  Or for the high school grad heading off to college - fill it with cash and giftcards.  For the birthday boy or girl - include a photo and some of their favorite things.

Be creative and share any ideas you have in the comments below.

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The last "firsts"

With your first child, every new milestone is remarkable and awe-inspiring. The first yawn, first smile, first tooth, first tooth lost. Learning to sit up, to stand, taking the first step all on her own. The first word, the first day of school. All the firsts are exciting because they are the “first”.

With the second child, as a parent you realize that not only is the first amazing, but also that the “last” is fleeting. The toothless smile, before she could sit up, the last time he crawled, the last time he babbled before saying a real word. The last diaper before being fully potty trained. The last time he will want to kiss you by at the bus-stop. You don’t see the last time coming and before you realize it, you’ve almost forgotten it.

When you get to your last child, whether the third or fourth or fifth or tenth, you realize that this is the last “first” you will experience. This is the last first tooth lost. The last last day of pre-school and the last first day of Kindergarten. The last first visit to Santa, the last first birthday.

And you slowly come to realize that parenting is a continuous loop of witnessing the firsts and last, greetings and farewells. Our growing family still has a lot of firsts to experience, lasts to keep in our memories, and last firsts to make us wonder “where did all the time go”?