Preserving Thanksgiving Memories for Scrapbooking

Last year our family tried out a new way to preserve Thanksgiving memories, and the result was truly a treasured keepsake.

A day or two before Thanksgiving, my daughter and I used a turkey rubber stamp to make place cards for all of our family members. We colored the place cards with colored pencils and wrote people's names on them with a metallic gold pen.

We then cut up strips of paper to put into a small basket to distribute before Thanksgiving dinner. The day of Thanksgiving, after all of the guests had arrived, we handed out the slips of paper and asked everyone to write down something they were thankful for.

Now you should have seen the looks I got! Keep in mind that there were family members of all ages, from young teenagers to adults. Most of them looked at me like I was crazy (because this memory-making stuff is all new to them), but I told them they had to do it before they could eat.

So they all sat to write down what they were thankful for. Some came up with something very quickly, and others sat there perplexed and worried they were going to spell something wrong. Several didn't write anything down at all.

The end result was a wide variety of very thoughtful answers. I put away the slips of paper, made sure to take some good family pictures (carving the turkey, eating dinner, visiting with each other, napping after dinner), and made sure to keep some of the place cards.

I don't always get to my scrapbook pages immediately after an event like this. I do, however, make sure everything is in one place so that I can assemble my pages when I'm ready.

I later went to the store to buy some pre-cut Thanksgiving and fall images for my scrapbook pages, and then framed my pictures with some coordinating cardstock pieces. I then laid out two scrapbook pages with the photos, a couple of the turkey place cards, and most of the slips of paper people had written on. I tried to arrange a person's slip of paper near their photo.

My finished project was by no means fancy or a work of art, but it will always be an irreplaceable treasured family keepsake.

Photos of finished project: http://www.crafty-moms.com/scr apbooking/sample_layouts_4.shtml

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For scrapbooking, card making, gift-giving ideas, and more family memory-making activities, visit http://www.crafty-moms.com

---

Rubber Stamping: From Maya Indians to Scrapbooking

Who would have thought that your scrapbooking and card making... Read More

Using Your Dogs Hair

Dog hair (called chiengora)can be spun into yarn, much like... Read More

Create A Gift Basket For A Cat Lover!

The choice of what gift to give your family and... Read More

Machine Embroidery Digitizing - What Youll Need Besides the Software

You've purchased an embroidery machine, practiced the designs that were... Read More

Make Your Own Citronella Candles

Need a cost effective way to get rid of mosquitoes?... Read More

Are Your Collectibles Valuable? Heres How to Find Out

The first thing you will need to do is check... Read More

An Introduction to Lanyards

Lanyards are pieces of rope, wire, or cloth specifically designed... Read More

The Making of a Slipcover: A Lost Art

Today in this world of fast everything, most of us... Read More

Embroidery Basting Frames Use for Stabilizing Designs

Using a basting frame around designs can do a great... Read More

How to Make Gel Candles - 11 Easy Steps

Do you love burning beautiful, scented candles? And do you... Read More

Ever Wanted to Make Your Own Themed Gift Baskets?

If you've always wanted to know how to make your... Read More

The Surprising Popularity of Cigar Smoking

The practice of cigar smoking has been on the rise... Read More

Aromatherapy Candles - How to Select the Right Scent

Feel sad, tired, or a little bit stressed? Something as... Read More

Mini Rc Cars

Did your heart ever palpitate for fast driving? Did you... Read More

Scrapbook Photos -- Getting Adventurous With Your Layouts

When you have selected the photos for your scrapbook, you'll... Read More

Learn Exactly How To Repair Your Sewing Machine At Home!

My name is Tony Asef and I start my own... Read More

Making a Living Making Soap?Questions to Ask Before You Begin

Soap making can be a wonderful hobby but if you've... Read More

Embroidery Sewing Quality of Machine Embroidery Designs

Many new to embroidery have experienced numerous problems because of... Read More

Sell Hobby Items by Mail

You can, if you are ambitious, start a Mail Order... Read More

Getting Started With Radio Control Cars

Take note that you need to decide whether you want... Read More

From Clutter To Treasure: Re-use and Not Reject!

Make use of clutter to decorate your home! Sounds strange?... Read More

Jewelry Insurance - Hints and Tips So You Dont Get Ripped Off

As crime and drug use increases, the risks involved in... Read More

How To Make a Pinata

MATERIALSA Large Round or Oval BalloonNewspaper, torn into 1 inch... Read More

An Easy Way to Understand Your Collectibles

What kind of gifts you often receive? Is it toy... Read More

How to Use Feathers and Dried Flowers to Give Your Scrapbooks an Artistic Feel

Feathers make exotic and interesting embellishments and borders. Feathers add... Read More

Treasure Hunting - Part Two

Treasure hunting begins at home. People regularly find famous old... Read More

A Brief History of Japanese Daruma Dolls

Daruma dolls are representations of the historical Indian priest Bodhidharma,... Read More

Origami Instructions - Getting Started

The birthplace of origami is still a mystery. Paper was... Read More

A Look at Cabinet Humidors

Cabinet humidors are specially designed for the serious cigar aficionado.... Read More

Beautify Your Stamped Cards with Creative Coloring

Stamping is one of the most versatile crafts around because... Read More

I Didnt Know These Are Slowly Destroying My Scrapbooks!

Once you spend your precious time and energy creating a... Read More

Kids Crafts: Balloons, Bubbles & Balls #1

Craft: Colored Bubbles Activities: Flyswatter Bubbles, Cotton Ball Pickup,... Read More

How to Make Quilted Silver Beads

After making the leaf bead, I was impressed with the... Read More