51
storieswith
Recording the everyday things
because theymatter
BYALI EDWARDS
Themajorityof our lives aremade up of smallmoments. Birthdays, holidays
and other special events are awesome, but, inmy humble opinion, it’s the
magic of the everyday that’s reallyworth capturing.
i lovehowyou callmemama
supplies
CARDSTOCK,
Bazzill Basics,
PATTERNEDPAPER,
CratePaper; STICKER,Me&MyBig Ideas;
CORK
SHAPE,
StudioCalico;
LETTER STICKERS,
BasicGrey;
PENS,
AmericanCrafts
From the very beginning ofmy scrapbooking
experience, I’ve loved everyday stories. Documenting
the simple, routine details of daily life, such as the
foodwe eat, the conversationswe have, and the
rhythmof our days—this ismy passion.
This desire to record the little details intensified
aftermy son, Simon, was diagnosedwith autism at
age three, whichwas about a year after I’d started
scrapbooking (he’s now 12). Capturing and celebrating
his developmental successes, nomatter how small
and nomatter how delayed, truly helpedme grieve
and process his diagnosis. It also helpedme in the
very practical wayof documenting his progress
(something I continue to do today).
Another reason I lovewriting stories about everyday
life is that those are the stories I’m interested in
hearing frommy parents.Whatwas their daily life
likewhen I was a kid?Whatwere their routines?
What didwemost often eat for breakfast?Where
was our favourite place to goout to dinner?What
books and toyswerewe into? I askmyMom these
sorts of questions. Some she can remember and
others have been lost through the passage of time.
I want to capture these everyday stories formyown
children and keep them from being lost to time.
They never get old and they are always evolving and
changing as our life experiences continue.
the 3 i’s
