For my birthday my Dad took me out to a nice dinner and sent me an awesome gift of three vouchers for 2 professional hardcover photo books each. He expressed he'd LOVE to have a copy of the books I made so I set out in my mind to put together 3 books worth of photos that I'd love to have for years and years and years. The anti-Instagram album.. when you actually printed photos you loved and kept them in your home! I do have a huge photo wall/gallery on the staircase at home but that wall doesn't cover even 1% of my favourite photos.
Now, this is almost what one of my 30-30 list items tried to be and that was to make a video movie of the kids. I haven't actually accomplished it in more than a year of trying, so, that gives you some idea of how long it took me to even fulfill my own 3 album birthday present. I had 5 months to work on it, by the way.. 2 weeks before it's expiry date is when
I started. I always rush things and they don't turn out the way I intend so I was frustrated I left it so long because I needed them to be perfect.
So while I hunted, gathered, organized, re-organized, shut the computer off in frustration, organized again, hunted more pictures, cursed the software I was using, came up with theme ideas, realized I was doing everything the hard way after finishing almost all of it then going back and re-doing it the easy way, getting screwed on shipping charges... THEN, with a whole DAY to spare..
I was done. Relief!
The best thing was that in sorting all my photos I got a chance to look at all my (digital) cottage photos together and it made me really happy for the first time in a while, where that feeling was replaced with missing our time there and other things that didn't make me happy. I think my idea to make one album entirely of the cottage was the best thing that I could have done.. I'm so excited to get it. I may even gift my extra album to my cousins instead because I think they would love everything I put together.
So, why not share some old/misplaced photos!
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our old dock before the new owners tore it apart and made it 'better'?
some things are just perfect the way they are. |
The only thing that did make me kind of sad is that Kieran only got to go one year, and therefore has one year's worth of photos to choose from. Ethan had MANY many-many.
One picture that did NOT make it into my cottage album for sheer lack of good resolution size, this photo from 1992..3? It's only the funniest picture EVER. There's a 10 or 11 year old me TOTALLY PISSED that my grandmother made me wear an old lady shawl just before this photo... IN AUGUST. My expression is basically like F this shawl, and I do not hide my feelings apparently even for pictures! Then there's my cousins and their... hair... and you won't notice but they are wearing those baby soother charm necklaces as was the fad at the time. Maria with her Blue Jays World Series Champs sweater on, also in summertime. It's the year she wore hoops and thought she was the Italian "
Selena". Ugh, it's all just so fantastic, it's my favourite photo sometimes. My secret ambition in life is that we re-create this photo now. Ironically I can't be sad when I look at it because it's just so ridiculous!! So, enjoy.
