One of my traditions is making a "yearbook" for Rick, with photos and poetry summing up parts of our year or just things we care about.
It started as a Christmas gift idea the first year we were together and I was working so close to the wire (I do work best under deadline!) that in subsequent years, it moved to Valentine's Day when things were a little less stressful.
Since then, I've written about our trip to Japan, the little lawnmowing kid, the story of how we met, chronicled the evening we saw the movie "Big Night" and went home and made pasta, and lots of moments in our lives -- very large and very small.
For a person who takes as many photos as I do, you'd think scrapbooking would be second nature, but it's probably the one paper thing I don't particularly enjoy. Yet putting these together is always such a joy!
And watching Rick read the poems is equally joyful.
Here are a few moments from our year...
I was was lucky to get a great book at Jane Rosemont's garage sale -- it's the kind when after you turn all the pages, you turn the cover and then keep turning pages -- it goes round and round!
Over the course of the year, books have ranged from handwritten with drawings and no photos (or paintings) to collage to 12x12 scrapbook format. Recently, I've been useing a color theme and choose three or four papers that work with the theme. This year, it was pretty much natural colors -- greens, beiges, tans, naturals, and one silver-gold-white sheet.
I tear the paper and use a mix of vertical and horizontal elements. After the poems and photos are down, I use ink-to-paper to add color to the pages. Later I add embellishments and texture.
The layout below focused on Greg's surgery. On the photo at the left are packing tape transfers -- the child and the young man.
This year I chose the font "papyrus" for the poetry -- it worked well with the papers.
For the first time, I did two spreads where I didn't use poetry at all. "Road Trip to Sand Lake" was a transcript of a particularly trying car trip when Kevin was driving Rick's car -- and Rick wasn't liking the speed! Greg and I sat in the back and I made a transcript of the conversation.
First, preheat oven to 350 and put in a roaster (or any pan a bread pan will fit into), filled half-way with water. (Use bottom rack -- you may need to remove the rack above)
- These two steps are very important!
- Cooking hint -- be sure you don't use a glass bowl that breaks into the water pan, making you have to throw out the chocolate and butter and aren't you lucky you had chocolate and butter left from Christmas or else you'll have to go to the store again. And shouldn't you know better?
- (Variations: kirsch, orange liqueur, or nothing if you don't want the flavor)
- More options -- dust with cocoa or powdered sugar (I did this and it sort of sunk into the wet; I suspect if I'd done it with the leftovers, it would have been fine).
well aren't you just the sweetest and romantic person EVER !!!
ReplyDelete{ummm....that's not what I did for v-day....see blog}
Ohh - I love the idea of a yearbook! I never thought of that. You've given me a great idea. Our 20th anniversary is coming up soon and this would be perfect!!!
ReplyDeleteThat is the coolest book. And so neat how you make him one every year. Do you write all the poems too? You have so much talent!
ReplyDeletexoxooxox
That is a great idea to create a yearbook!!! I know nobody full of so many wonderful ideas like you are!!!I admired all the pretty hearts you showed in your last post....we haven`t got anything like that here.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful and romantic tradition. It's a beautiful book.
ReplyDeleteJoanne
Wow! That is just a priceless, special gift to be cherished. So romantic and beautiful! xo
ReplyDeleteYour yearbook is amazing, such a beautiful gift! That cake sounds delicious, too. Kind of decadent, I expect. But that's the point, right?
ReplyDeleteI love your pages!! They are wonderful!!! YUM. I didn't even look at the ingredients to the cake. Not gonna. Nope. I could almost taste it from here. xoxo
ReplyDeleteJeanie, that is SOME book! I love the pictures, the font, the topics, the idea - all! And I love that you shared it with us.
ReplyDeleteand the sun on the snow on the patio!
Rick is very, very lucky, which I am sure he knows.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful memoir of your year - thank you so much for sharing such a personal thing with us.
(The car trip page CRACKED ME UP!!)
Happy Valentine's Day, Jeanie.
Jeanie, you are just the most amazing and thoughtful person! That is such a special keepsake
ReplyDeleteI'll be keeping you in my thoughts as you approach your surgery. Please keep us updated as you can.
Oh your creativity kills me. So jealous everytime I visit your blog. I wish you could osmosis some of that to me. Your book is AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteWhat a marvelous, wonderful gift. What a treasure! I love the idea. And the scrapbook/yearbook. WOW!
ReplyDelete