Monday, January 17, 2011

MY "BLOGGING" BOOK

Hope everyone had a good week-end...Mine was pretty different for me as we hung pretty close to home and didn't "do" much of anything at all. I came down with a cold last Wed. and haven't felt like doing much. Really wasn't too bad as far as colds go, but I always feel like if you rest more it will go away quicker, so I have been doing a lot of that. I'll admit I was kind of paranoid too after my last one developed into pneumonia, (SUCH a nightmare) but didn’t even really get a cough with this one so I was grateful ~ now if my ears would just unplug, haha…

However, one of the things I did do I am VERY excited about. I have been thinking for quite a while now how I would LOVE to collect all of these blogs I have written and put them in a book. Seemed like such a perfect way to not only have a journal of it all, but pictures to go with it etc. I thought how I would LOVE to have such a thing that my mother wrote, or my grandmother etc., so I imagined my kids might someday too. (not that any of them read this very regularly NOW though, haha) Now my original plan was to do it through Blurb which I have used before. I put together a family cookbook for Melody when she was engaged. It had recipes from both our side of the family and Mike’s. It had personal messages from family members to both of them, favorite Bible scriptures and prayers, and lots of pictures. It is a hard back book with over 100 pages. It took me months!


I had a book printed for me, my mother, Mike's mother and Mike's grandmother.  I should have made a paperback copy for Mel and I to use, and had this hardback one to "save"...I am soo messy when I cook...live and learn  = )

This is the inside of the cover flap.

A sample of the personal messages section...

This is a sample of a recipe from the dessert section.  There were 5 sections of foods...all of the pages (or most of them anyway) had a picture of whose recipe it was, and a scripture at the bottom of the page.  This one was of me...look at how dark and short my hair was, haha

Now I am not the speediest person in the world, and it might have been that I was also making her aprons for every holiday I could possibly think of, and was knee deep in wedding plans as well, but whatever it was it was QUITE the undertaking. Sooo, I have not exactly been in a rush to get to it. And meanwhile of course I have been blogging since Feb. of 09. BUT THEN!! I read on Genn’s blog @ Life at  the Hass House about how she had done a book of her blogs through Blog2print! It was soo easy. They do everything for you by simply copying your blog page by page etc. Now I chose to do mine as a simple copy so that the pictures would be with the corresponding post the way I originally did it which does make it more expensive. You have the option of picking and choosing what you want, changing pictures etc., but seemed like WAY too much work to me. And for what I wanted, it did seem like the better option. It was not exactly inexpensive, but felt like I couldn’t put much of a price on such a keepsake. I did choose my picture for the front and back of the book. I should have it in a couple of weeks and I will of course take pictures to show it to you then. I guess I could have waited until then to share this whole thing with you, but I was too excited. Now this one is for 2010 and covers from Jan. to Dec. I will do one for 2009 next month so I won’t have the expense of two books in one month. I really don’t see the need to print out all of my pictures anymore either with these books. When you have been married as long as I have (almost 36 years) and have as many kids and grandkids (16 altogether so far ~ counting my sil and dil’s) there are WAY too many pictures to really store and keep track of. This just seems like the perfect alternative. Now I still have individual wedding albums for all of my kid’s weddings, and a LARGE picture collage that displays recent pictures of them all in my home, (and a couple of special pictures of course) but I have decided that I am not going to print out pictures anymore and keep tons of albums. I have boxes and boxes of pictures both in albums and just loose. I was always going to keep it all organized but somehow life got in the way and it all got away from me. I am not sure WHAT to do about them all. When we moved recently it made me take a GOOD look at just how many I have. I might divide them all into piles of each child, but even that would be a MASSIVE undertaking, so for now they are stored in my giant walk in closet and even some in our shed. For some reason it bothers me and I will have to eventually address it, but for now these neat little books with a journal of our life in both my thoughts and pictures seems just perfect. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH Genn for the suggestion!! I have also decided to start writing (maybe one day a week or so I don’t know yet) about my past. How I met my husband, old family memories, etc. so that it will all be chronicled in the book for my kids and grandkids to have should they ever be interested.

So there you have it.  Guess maybe I should start praying that it all comes out as well as I am hoping.   Hope you are all having a WONDERFUL Monday!



17 comments:

  1. Your cookbook for Melody is awesome and so professional looking. What a great gift! I'm a messy cook too so thanks for the heads up. LOL.

    Beth of "I'm Heading for My Destiny" had done one of those blog books too. I hope yours comes out great. I think it's a great idea as a keepsake. I might want to delete a few of mine though. Ha.

    Blessings and love,
    Debbie

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  2. Wow!!! on the cookbook...I love that. I started collecting recipes and stories and I have them on the computer, but I haven't put them into book form yet...so maybe when my daughter marries...which should be yearsssssssssssss from now. ha, ha

    As for printing my blog...I am wanting to do that since I did the 15 weeks of post about my youth, I would like to have that saved, I may never do that again.

    Well your weekend was slower than usual...but your mind was running over time with projects...what a creative woman you are...and what treasures you are leaving to your family....

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  3. I just love that cookbook that you made for Mel. What a wonderful idea! I might do that for Christmas gifts next year. I know we have a lot of old recipes from my Nana that would be great in a book like that. I think my Grandma would love it!

    I too need to get my blog bound. It seems like such a big project though, I can't seem to get around to even want to do it. But I so badly want them around this house to pick up and look at! One day...one day! Can't wait to see yours!

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  4. Love this post Debbie, and that cook book is priceless!!My mother hand wrote and gave me one several years ago, and I just love it. Love the photo of you.
    I am so looking forward to you sharing this new book. I have thought about doing the same, but didn't know how, and now I have this information.Thank you so much.
    I have the same problem with having so many photos, and have them stored in a cabinet, they are so disorganized, I have ben planning for three years to get them together and give them to the family. Maybe this is the year.
    Hugs,
    Sue

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  5. I have heard about a few other
    blogging friends doing that.
    I think it sounds great and
    I might like to do it.
    Your cookbook for your darling
    daughter is so great!! What an
    absolute treasure! You're a
    thoughtful mom, Debbie. I didn't
    even recognize you with the
    dark hair. You were pretty then
    and pretty now!
    Blessings,
    Sandy

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  6. Love the cookbook! Love the printing of blogs too.

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  7. What a great looking cookbook! That is a neat gift.

    I'm so glad you liked Blog2Print. I thought it was so easy. Can't wait to see mine!!

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  8. This looks like such a wonderful gift. I am sure she will treasure it forever.

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  9. That is just soooooo AWESOME!!! What a wonderful gift!! No doubt, a gift they weill cherish for years to come!!

    Love &Hugs!

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  10. Debbie -

    Sorry it has been so long since I commented - I have been meaning to get an email off to you and then I don't find myself two minutes on the computer. We are somewhat iced in this morning and I am trying to catch up in my office:)

    So many things to say - but I really want to congratulate on the weight loss last week and getting back on your program. I'm with you - and I think the whole discipline of dieting is so much more than just eating and losing weight! There are so many applications - and lessons to learn through dieting.

    I wanted to tell you about the book Made to Crave - which is about that very thing - and about this Bible study (online) that I started this week using this book. I'm just getting started with it so I can really offer an opinion - but I am excited about the possibilities! I, too, started my diet again last week. We can be encouragers for one another!!

    And - I have to tell you the cookbook for Mel is precious and priceless!! I am always amazed at what can be done on the computer. I love the idea of getting blog posts on hardcopy.....something to think about.

    Hope that cold is completely gone soon - and that you are having a great week!! I think of you often - huge hugs, friend.

    Jennifer

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  11. Hi Debbie,

    Love the cookbook you did for Mel, I think everyone should have one especially with all the personal comments and photos.
    I have wanted to bind my blog too, but I haven't taken the time to look into it. I would want to just include the fam and not the tablescapes which sounds like extra work .... yikes!! But it would be fun to have. I will have to get motivated. :)

    Have a great day.
    M

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  12. Wow - that is an awesome idea!! How wonderful.

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  13. Debbie, I'm so glad you shared this and I can't wait to hear how your blogging book turns out! I have wanted for a while to get my blog preserved in a book (since it is likely the only scrapbook of their childhoods my children will have) but it is one "to-do" list item that just sits there unchecked off. But, if you love yours then I know that will inspire me to finally do it. And I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has trouble keeping printed out pictures organized -- of course you have a better excuse considering more years and grandkids worth of pictures! It does always nag at me that I don't have well organized albums so I need to either let it go and say it's just not going to happen or figure out a manageable way to do it! As usual, you are a blessing to me!

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  14. I love the cookbook too! I started one, but it's one of those things I still have in a box with loose recipes everywhere.


    I did do the blog book though, and I am doing one for each year, like you said. I did mine through Cutest Blog on the Block, and they also copy your blogs in about a nano second, and send a beautiful hard covered book. It's so much fun to look through it.

    Sounds like there are many good stories ahead!

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  15. Hi Debbie - Hope you are having the beginnings of a great Friday and looking forward to the weekend! Goodness, sometimes the weeks go by so fast! Just stopping by to send you a hug!!

    Take care - Jennifer

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  16. I always print out my posts in a word document after writing them; put them in a three ring binder, but I like the idea of blog2print... headed over there now to check them out.

    Oh, and the pictures... gracious, I don't know what to do with them all. Wish I had more energy to print them out (I have done some photo books with Shutterfly on occasion). Thanks for the tip!

    peace~elaine

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!