Once Upon A Time...

For as long as I can remember, I have told stories.

My daughters love them, as they should. Who else's stories should be more revered than their mother's? But there is one little fairytale that captivates them everytime.

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl who was loved by all who knew her. She had eyes as blue as a summer sky and a smile that could light up a room.

The story would go on with what girls dream of doing, like riding horses on the beach or walking a tightrope above the Grand Canyon.  Why do stories mesmerize us so?

Is is that we are delivered to a different place while listening to a good story? I think so. Our children believe what we read to them when we kiss them goodnight.

We have an opportunity to weave our very lives into their dreams and make our children and ouselves the heroes in our own stories.

What stories do you tell?

No, not a scrapbook! Before You Were 5

 I am a mother, a wife, sister and friend. I am an artist, a writer, party planner and crazy person.

I am also a personal publisher and with that comes joy. I never thought I would love creating digitally because I am very tactile. Paint in my cuticle, glue in my hair (now there's a vision), but truly, I love creating this way.

When my youngest daughter turned five and I wanted to create a highly personalized board book for her that documented the previous years of her life. No, not a scrapbook. A professionally bound book, glossy, real pages, published book!

I started with a template and altered it to fit my needs, much like a dress maker alters a pattern to fit a person. Here is the original template:

Before You Were Five

designed by: Kari Pieratt

8x8 Board Book

Template ID: 50666

But, I don't have a boy, so I began the simple drag and drop process of making the book for my daughter. Here is the finished project.

 

I am delighted with the book, as is my daughter! The postman delivered it to us in the middle of her birthday party (how's that for perfect timing?!) and she stopped everything to examine every page carefully. Be still my mom heart. <3

Before I Was Your Mother...

My kids love to hear stories of my as a child, especially the naughty ones! I remember asking my parents these same questions. Why do children delight in hearing about us before we were the mothers and fathers?

Because it gives them a sense of belonging; a history of themselves. It is becasue of this I am currently working on a storybook that is 8x8 in sized. Hardcover for durability and about $50 when all is published and delivered.

Think of this. Mother's Day is coming and your children will spend hours working on a  gift for you. Why not spend just a little time making them something too? They can read it while you are off getting a manicure and then talk about it when you meet up for lunch!

Here are some excerpts from my own book:

Simple to create, this project is a template in the Template Gallery at http://www.myphotofairy.com/. You can do this, and I will help.