Glimpse into My Life Smash Book #17

Welcome back - let's keep it going!

Welcome to the original swappers and the new ones who joined us along the way! You can continue in the book you already have or start a new one.

This swap is to help us use the blank store-bought and handmade Smashbooks that we have accumulated. I know that many of the Smashbook swaps require you to create a layout and then send it to your partner, but I get a little possesive of my own personal work and would like to hang on to it. I am one of those people who think my future grandchildren will one day stumble upon my journals (scrapbooks and Smashbooks) and be be able to better know what kind of person I was by reading them. (This is written by soyprincesa2 but I agree!)

Here's the the scoop...........

*Each round has FOUR topics (see BELOW), BUT YOU ONLY HAVE TO COMPLETE TWO FOR YOUR BOOK to interpret as you wish- with art, photos, journaling, or smash in some ephemera or other scraps to tell your story. You will create the TWO layouts in any Smashbook you wish. For those of us who already did Rounds 1-16 just continue in the same book or if you need, start a new book.

A personal FYI - I make my pages loose on cardstock and then punch holes with an office 3-hole paper punch, and they are bound by binder rings. I have a lot of room to grow! But you could use a store-bought or repurposed binder, too!

*You may get to work immediately on your pages. At least ONE decorated/embellished page per topic is required... though more is fine.

After partners are assigned: You will photograph your 2 layouts and send them in an email as an attachment to your 4 partners.

The Nitty Gritty: Your partners will rate you a 5 for sending an email with photos and it would be great if they could comment on what they thought about your layouts/interpretations of the theme. As long as you did something in your book you should get a 5. All participants much be rated at least a 4.9. No recent 1's or 3's. Please folks, let's be responsible and carry through with what we commit to do. This swap is a Type 3 because there is work involved EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE NOT MAILING YOUR SMASHBOOK TO YOUR PARTNER!!! And please remember to rate when you receive. It is not that we are greedy for ratings, it is an acknowledgement that you have received the email.

The ULTIMATE goal is to have a beautiful completed, full, fat Smashbook. Are you ready for the fun? Then sign up and join us!

Topic #1 - SCHOOL PHOTO - Smash in one of your old school photos or some of your kids/grandkids/nieces and/or nephews and write about the year, the clothes, the hair style, your old glasses, or just what school photo day meant to you.

Topic #2 - SUMMER VACATION Where are you going? What are your goals for the summer? Cleaning? Reading? Painting the garage? Make a page with your summer plans and dreams. (My preschool is open year-round but I will get some summer fun stuff done on the weekends!)

Topic #3 - FAMILY RECIPE When is the last time you made your grandmother's apple crisp? Or Aunt Helen's sour cherry jelly? Make a page with a favorite family recipe, some photos and share the yumminess!

Topic #4 - FANTASY ISLAND Where would you go, if you could go anywhere? What will you pack? Which books or movies will you read/watch while relaxing on the beach or next to the pool? Dream big and nothing is too outrageous!

Two other notes - there is a Flickr group to showcase your pages so everyone in this group can see them. I'll post the link below.

Remember, you are free to add other pages to your book - I have a few on-going pages. On one, I glue all the stamps from all the Swap-botty mail I receive. On another page, I glue in all the stickers I come across - from produce and other shopping, from my students; wherever I find them, I add them in. So go ahead and start some of your own on-going pages.

Happy Smashing!

(And remember, if you have some ideas, send them to me. I plan to keep on going until you all cry out for me to stop. Plus I love the book I have been creating - It's fun to go back and look at it each month to see what I was doing and thinking each month.)