We just returned from a fun family vacation to Florida. Along the way I picked up a bunch of beach and nautical souvenirs. And then there are the hundreds of photos of my granddaughter that we took! Unfortunately, shells don’t transfer too well into scrapbook layouts. On the drive back, I was reflecting on how I might create a three dimensional display of the trip. Somewhere, I have seen the idea of making memory jars. These are clear glass jars filled with various items that were collected along the trip.
My three year old granddaughter, Trinity, loves the color pink. So when we were at the beach, we were all on the lookout for shells that were pink. This is a project I plan to do next month when I have finished with all of my travels!
- Shells
- Sand
- Photo
- Caption including people who attended, dates and location
- Glass jar with lid
- Larger glass jar or vase that can contain the smaller one
Instructions:
- Clean all glass containers. Fill jar with memory items. Cover with lid.
- Place smaller filled jar inside larger. Insert photo and label in between jars so that photo conforms to the shape of the jars.
- Add raffia or other natural materials such as rope or jute to the top of the jar. Add embellishments to the ends of the raffia.
Another project I made that reflects my love of the beach was a set of three stacking boxes. They were constructed from mat board in light aqua, yellow and grayish purple. They fit inside each other for efficient storage. I decorated them with shells collected on one of our vacations. Pretty matching organdy ribbons were glued in between the shells for an airy effect. When the boxes are placed on top of each other, they are shells to be seen on all sides. I picture these boxes set on a screened in porch in a beach cottage. Visitors to the cottage would add their special treasures to the boxes- ticket stubs to movies they enjoyed during their stay, a brochure or matchbook from their favorite restaurant, or maybe just a reflection of their thoughts on their day at the beach. The boxes are like three dimensional scrapbooks that are updated by all who contribute their memories. I also made a matching photo album but it could also be used as a guest book in this cozy cottage!
However you decide to document your memories, anything is better than nothing! Whether you create an elaborate scrapbook or a simple memory jar, you will have something to remember your vacation with and every time you see your project, you’ll remember the time happily spent.
Tags: beach memories, beach. stacking boxes, matboard, shells
