Fiskateer Fun

May Flaum, lead Fiskateer often pushes our limits with her Fiskateer Challenges. I always try to meet the challenge. This slide show is my mini-book answer to her

Family Tradition/Celebration Challenge.

The mini-book is about the Thomas family reunion from 2006. We have a reunion every year and I've attended since I moved back to Florida as a teenager. It has just changed over time. When Great-Great died, we moved it to her daughter's house, my grandmother. When my grandmother died, my Aunt Pat purchased the house and started the tradition again. This time we meet during the 4th of July weekend.

The Thomas Reunion of 2006 was a special year. My daughter had not been back to a Thomas reunion since she was an adult, so no one really knew her. But she won every one's heart. They love her and are proud of her. Also, this was my Aunt Evelyn's last reunion. She passed away before the next reunion. Aunt Evelyn was the first of the daughters of Nettie and Joseph Thomas to pass away. It was very hard, on many different levels, for everyone.

The book: I'm no mini-booker. I can create a layout and have the most fun doing it. But mini-books challenge me to my soul!!!

I used white paper, Heidi Grace's Midnight Kisses paper line and ribbon, Tim Holtz Dabbers, Heidi Grace stamps and flocked accents, Fiskars tools (trimmer, punches, shape cutter, scissors) and gel pens, and Cloud Nine/Heidi Grace rain dots. I tried to "dirty" up the book a bit with my copper Dabber. Put my photo's in and in Donna Downey fashion "slapped" the paint on. LOL

The flag pin on the side of the book belonged to Aunt Evelyn. I'm always misplacing it so I hooked it to the book and now I know how to locate it. I also added mirrors to the front. I stamped, using Staz-on ink, a Heidi Grace family tree!

The tags all have family quotes on them. I used my own handwriting, which is down right awful, but I soften the blow (to me) by journaling in a "swoop". I just cut out a piece of paper using my wavy cutter from CM and used it as a guide for my journaling. Not great, but memorable to my family.

One thing I did not do and that was to tie ribbons to the rings of the book that we all love to do. I felt that the ribbons would distract from the cover of the book, so I deliberately left them off.

Again, I'm not mini-booker, but I try. When I try and try...I'll get good. Watch and see. LOL

I will be back to my regular posts in a day or so.