the Little Black Album

So the other day at For Keeps Sake I found a lovely little black album from Cosmo Cricket, just lying there, looking lost and lonely.

And then I found the perfect paper and embellishments, also from Cosmo Cricket. (I love Cosmo!)

This little black album became a book about what I see everyday, but don't always recognize as the miracle that it is: the transformation of my little baby boy into the amazing 7-year old he is today and the wonder of who he'll be.

The idea for the album started with a picture I found of my boy as a baby. He couldn't have been more than 6-months old, and there he was "reading" a little photo album I had put together for him.

As sweet as that is, the sparks really started flying when I remembered another picture I have of his 6-year old self sitting on the couch, devouring a Star Wars book--and not just any Star Wars book--one from his daddy's childhood collection.

And I got to thinking about all of the things my son does now that have roots in the baby he was. And in the people who love him.

I had to get it in this book.

Well, some of it anyway.

Once I started looking there were so many photos and subjects to choose from! Do I put the picture of him riding his trike next to a photo of him on a two-wheeler with training wheels he named Flame Monster or next to the photo of him riding Flame Monster to the library (with no training wheels!) or next to the photo of him on the back of Babu's motorcycle?

So I made room for all of those with a mini book within a mini book!

And there was basketball, soccer, swimming, legos, Halloween, football, guitar, board games, Wii games, computer games, friends...

For those I just narrowed it down to five broad topics that I thought suited who he is today, made the left page be a "then" and the right page be a "now" page.

And I made lots of room for journalling and photos for each page.

Cuz I'm not known for my brevity.

Now,

just for you,

I have made this labor of love available as a class at For Keeps Sake.

on Monday February 22

at 6 pm

for $20

I will teach you how to make this album, and maybe you'll use some of the same titles I've used in my book cuz you'll have some of the same themes, but most likely you'll alter them to suit your child, your memories.

And that is what this wonderful hobby of ours is all about.

Making your memories come alive for those you love in a way that only you can do.