This "HOME" book idea has been percolating for a few months but once we found out we'd for sure be moving I decided to get a little more active and start documenting. I put together a mini book to remember our first apartment together. I love the idea of just adding to this book as we move (because P's military there are a lot of moves on the horizon). I think it would be cool to just have a small tab separating the zipcodes and new houses.
Last week I went around my house while the light was good and took the 32 photos in the above collage. I keep my camera oriented vertically because I new the book pages would be portrait photos. I didn't do any cleaning up before hand, I just carefully "edited" what was seen through the viewfinder. I paid special attention to the colors of our home, the art on the walls and all the little details that are so easy to forget (including the inside of the refrigerator).
I gocco printed the cover and US map and then pulled together a few
patterned papers. I also stamped some frame stamps on cardstock which
make perfect spaces for text or small photos. The book is 4x6 and the pages are just photos and papers adhered back to back.
In addition to photos, I included text about our house. Small things
like what we pay for rent and utilities. I listed my LOVES and HATES
with our current living situation. I added a thought from me and a
thought from P about what makes our house a home (years from now, I
would love to ask my little ones the same question). I also added little details like a scanned image of our door key (blurred for safety) and a receipt from the grocery store (actually, in the photo it's a PS receipt. We need to get to the store). For our next home, I'll be sure to save things like paint chips and furniture tags - but for now, this works well.
This is our first home together. It's my first apartment outside of college, and while I have fabulous intentions - it looks nothing like the homes on my favorite decor blogs. But I think it is still important to document. I love that I'll have a little book to remind me how we lived from August 2007-March 2010. Plus, in ten years, I might be a little closer to making it on Apartment Therapy and then I will know just how far we've come.
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There are some HOME minibook kits available in the shop.
