Yesterday I shared my Command Central area which included our Family Memory Board.  The Family Memory Board is a great way to see & enjoy those digital photos you have stored on your computer.  Not only that, the family memory board is a simple way to create a sense of belonging in your family.

I used to be a consultant for a wonderful company called Once Upon A Family.  Lorle Campos, the original Founder of the company, said it best about creating a sense of belonging:

The Power of Family Photos

“The most effective thing you can do to create a sense of belonging is to display family photos and memorabilia where they can be shared and enjoyed by all.  Photos are incredibly powerful in how they enhance reality.  The things we keep and the photos we choose to put into albums represent the best of times…events and periods of time that felt good to us.  When we look back at them, we often remember them as even better than they seemed at the time.  You may hear your kids whining and complaining on the annual summer camping trips, but when they look back at those photos years, months or even weeks later, all they remember is how much fun they had.  We tend to forget everything else.  We remember these events as joyful because we want them to be.  That is how powerful photos are.  But they don’t do us any good stashed away in drawers, or closets or boxes in the attic.  Organizing photos and keepsakes, in ways our families can share and enjoy, is very important.”

How to do a Family Memory Board

1. Make or purchase a fabric covered memory board, with crisscrossed ribbons.
2. Hang on the wall {or in my case place on counter to lean against a wall} in a central place where family members can see it often.
3. Choose one great photo a month, print it out and place it on the board.

• There are many tutorials on how to make a fabric covered memory board.  I chose a few and made a  Memory Boards Pinterest board.  Click here to see the boards.  Click on the pin in the board, then click on the photo to be taken to the tutorial.  I just had to include this giant memory board:

 

• If you like my Family Memory Board, you can guess where I bought it…Once Upon A Family.  However, it does not come framed.  It looks beautiful without the frame.  I displayed it for years without a frame before deciding I wanted to dress mine up a bit.  I bought this 27″ x 21″ frame at Wal Mart, discarded the glass, placed the board in the frame and taped {with packing tape} the board to the back of the frame.  Make sure your frame’s opening is 18″ x 24″.  I use mine to hide cords as well, so it does double duty! 😉  Many stores sell memory boards though.  You can find them just about everywhere now.

 

• On this size board (18″ x 24″) you can easily place 12 – 4×6 photos, one for each month.  If you would like to choose 2 or more photos a month, I recommend printing your photos wallet size or 3 1/2 x 5.

“Your Family Memory board is a powerful way to show your loved ones how important family is, and these photos are a constant reminder of all the fun things you have done together.  They say: This is who we are… this is how we celebrate life together… See how much we enjoy each other’s company.  You’ll be surprised to see how often family members stop and look…along with their friends.”  Lorle Campos

I’m happy to be associated with Once Upon A Family again through their new affiliate program.  I have used their products for years.  They have left a lasting impression on our family.  The only way I’m compensated for this post by OUAF is if you purchase a product by clicking on the links included in the post (I receive a small commission.)  However, I want you to know that whether you purchase or make your Family Memory Board, it makes no difference to me.  What matters is that you begin the tradition in your home to create a sense of belonging and unity in your family.

Do you already have a Family Memory Board in your home?

Let’s celebrate this family tradition together!

A week from today, Tuesday, October 11, 2011 Family Brings Joy will host a Family Memory Board Link Party.

Please save the date and share yours with us.

P.S.: Nice comments help motivate me to keep blogging. 😉 Thank You!

Celebrate Family,