Turning life's precious moments into keepsakes

Special occasions such as weddings, trips, birthdays, anniversaries and many others, are filled with memories worth keeping. Chances are you'll find yourself returning to these moments and reliving them time and time again on your own or by sharing them with others. So rather than just printing and sharing your pictures, do something different that will help turn your special memories into keepsakes.

“Everyone has memories that are special to them and worth preserving. For me, trips with my family and my children's birthdays are memories that I'll want to keep forever,” says Erica Ehm, founder and editor-in-chief of YummyMummyClub.ca. “I like using photo books because they tell a story about my most treasured memories through their design.”

According to a recent survey commissioned by Black's, 72 per cent of Canadians printing pictures of special moments or occasions in their lives do so to ensure memories are not lost. As such, it's important to be creative in the way we preserve these keepsakes, and photo books are great ways to do so. Here are some photo book ideas:

• Use a photo book at a wedding as a guest book. Include photos of the bride and groom throughout the years and ask guests to write their favourite memories of the couple, or advice on how to keep the passion strong.

• Create a photo book travel journal. Share the shots taken on your trip and leave room for travel companions and family to add in their own stories and favourite moments while on the trip.

• An anniversary or birthday often celebrates a milestone of passing of time. To commemorate the occasion, put together a book that includes photos of the honouree from when they were young, as well as photos of the guests attending the celebration.

More information on preserving special occasion memories is available online at www.blacks.ca.

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