our little boy | a concept

A little something that I’ve been playing with.

I’m finally at a point where I feel I can share this project. I have made several of these – you may have been a recipient. The last one I did, I made with the intention of setting up a formula/system where I could easily create more, almost effortlessly. With a little elbow grease, I can complete this project in a day. When talking about his, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I’m thinking of mass-producing … but you get the idea.

Because of this quote-unquote ‘desire’ to ‘perfect the system’, I utilized some various things that I had been wanting to do … ‘when I had the time’. I cleaned things up a bit. I unified my products. I pooled my resources. I have something … finally … the way I want it.

This particular book, which I am calling simply, ‘Our Little Boy’ – was a gift to my dear friends, the Mitchell’s. You’ll remember their newest addition, Jacob, and the newborn shoot I did with him. This book was for him – for his family to document the moments that make up his first year of life.

The concept of this book is simple – it’s a twist on a normal baby keepsake book. More of a combination of a handmade scrapbook and a photo album. In fact, it is both.

The base for this project is, in fact, a normal 4x6 photo album. Building on that, are 4x6 cards – handmade by me – that offer a place to document various things. Like his birth story, a bio of him at each monthly birthday, and what his parents wish for him to have in life. There are stitched pockets for his hospital bracelets and footprints. There is a tooth chart. There are cards that briefly document the growing up years of his mother and father. And a lot more. But, again … you get the idea.

These cards can be slipped into the album in lieu of a 4x6 photography – and can be dispersed amongst photographs in the album in chronological order.

One of my favorite parts of this whole thing, are the 4x6 transparency cards. Simply embellished, these can be laid directly over a photograph to add a little pizazz. Just like what you would do in a traditional scrapbook … but without the work. There are transparencies embellished to document everything from his first family picture to his first steps to his first holidays. And everything in between.

In short, this book provides the opportunity for this little boy to have a handmade scrapbook … for a fraction of the effort. And, it lets his lovely mom just enjoy her new baby boy. Enjoy him and the memories that they create together.

Neat, huh. Sort of makes me want to get on the ball and document my own child’s early days. Because I’m frighteningly behind. Per usual.