molly irwin

remember the box?

Remember this post from September?

I've had a number of people coming in to the site following "kindergarten memory book" links.  There's big interest in the subject and I hope this project -- as it comes together -- might be of some value to others.

One of the considerations in putting this together is that I want to create a personalized book for my daughter, while at the same time, I need to make something that can easily be duplicated for 27 students in the class.  Yes -- that's a big class.

For my oldest daughter's class, we accomplished this with ring binders and clear sleeves, so that each child's pages could be slipped into the pockets.  That had been sort of the traditional format in years past and I didn't change it at the time.

   

We used a different colored spine of folded cardstock for each month, included a pocket for a disk with slideshow with more images, and added the scanned signature of each child.

A few more sample pages:

While I was happy with the results at the time, it was a big undertaking.  We printed them from our home printers.  The books were big, time-consuming to layout, and expensive to produce.  I did it ... I learned ... we'll do it differently this time. 

Somewhere between the dog-earred group class photo of my childhood and the enormous binder [documenting their every song] there is a happy medium.

Another consideration was that I am working as part of a team.  I don't usually design by committee so it was with some trepidation that I attended our first meeting last week.  On the way over in the car I considered my options.  Would I use my advertising Account Executive approach to 'pitch' my ideas?  In the end I decided to mentally back-up, be completely open, and not even concern myself with whether I be assigned the design responsibilities.  I let go.  Honestly, It felt good.

The meeting went really well. The women were so nice.  We all made specific contributions and decided on a format that will work -- with a focus exclusively for the class group. 

This year's books will be 8.5 x 11, horizontal, digitally printed with a spiral binding.  (None of us were crazy about the plastic coils and I may look into metal binding options.)  After those decisions were finalized, it was then that I decided how to incorporate the customized aspects for my own daughter.

So... where do we stand now?

• Year-end kindergarten celebrations (all requiring photos) are taking place this month. 
• We've set a submission deadline (for parents to provide input) of May 15. 
• I have a format in mind and a template on my computer ready to go. 
• I've ordered 8.5 x 11 cardstock covers and a few little special Heidi swapp clear elements for the books (The class theme is butterflies). 
• I've lined up press time with our digital printer who is ready to go with 100#, matte stock, plus spiral binding. 
• As for that box of papers piled high?  That is the custom part for my daughter, and I plan to share that here as well.  Soon, I promise.

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Until next time, I wanted to remind you of the two beautiful projects that I referenced earlier, both of which were created exclusively for individual children: Noel's is here and Lisa McGarvey's, here.

Do you have a fun sample of a school memory book to share?  If so, please add a link in the comments. I'd love to see it.

feathered headresses and corn bread

An entry for the kindergarten memory book project. 

Not the stuff of the stereotypical book.  But i want to keep it real; sincere. This isn't fiction after all.

[For a woman who's been shooting everyday images for a few months, wouldn't you know I forgot the camera at home for this "big" kindergarten event.  Thanks to my friend Megan for snapping a few for me today.]

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The Thanksgiving feast

Your class had been preparing all month: discussing native Americans, making beaded patterned necklaces and feathered headdresses, choosing your own squaw princess names, and crafting tom-tom drums. 

For you (for us) this only meant that your anxiety over the event had been building for equally as long.  We tried at home to offer assurance that Mom will be there, right by your side, and we recounted the tale of Helen's same experience just a few years ago.  Still, you didn't want to think about it at bedtime last night and were distracted this morning enough to not mention anything. 

During the procession into the school hall, you grimaced and tucked a couple strands of hair into your mouth (a new comfort mechanism you've started in the last two months) barely looking up even as you saw me.  While other children laughed and caroused, you sat quietly by my side ... trying to hug an uncooperative Marty or shift your little body as close to me as possible, because you were uncomfortable with the little pilgrim girl to your right. 

You nibbled some popcorn, an apple wedge, a cornbread square and a small serving of corn.  It just didn't seem like enough (to me) to hold you through the afternoon.  It was all you wanted to manage with the excitement going on around us.

Then something good happened: your friend Reily came up and tapped your shoulder with the biggest smile and warmest greeting.  This gave you just the boost you needed to feel okay.  Good timing, as just after Reily bounded away, they called for Indians to gather at the front.   This was it: the moment you had been dreading for weeks.  However, in light of this friendly encounter you felt energized; more confident even.  You simply stood and with a quick "bye" went off to join the rest.  I had to check myself; was it really that easy?

Situated comfortably between Jo Jo and Riely, friends since preschool, you seemed fine; happily anonymous among the crowd.  Still, when the singing and gesturing to songs, like "Lullaby little papoose" or the energetic "pow wow" song began, you remained motionless; stoic.  I'm really glad that you have a buddy to prod you on, as Riely did, even though you participated only to the level that you chose.  No peer pressure was going to sway you on that one.

As your Mommy, it's hard for me to stand by and watch when you are so uneasy and want to be rescued.  Sharing a smile and a wave from across the way was the best I could do in that moment.    But you did good, Joanie!  You did great.  You did as much as you could do, in your own way.  And I'm so proud of you.  With each small accomplishment like this I'd like to think that you grow.  At least that's what we parents tell ourselves to get through it, as a way for us to deal with our own uncertainty perhaps.

keep it neat

Next up in the continuing kindergarten memory book project:

step # 2: crop it.

If it doesn't fit neatly into that box, it won't fit into any sort of assembled book.  Not that you will use everything, mind you, but if you crop this stuff as you go along it's a lot less work later on.  A little bit here, a little bit there - keeps it managable in the spring to pull it all together.

Even though I'm considering a tall, narrow book I'm not cropping anything to smaller than 8.5 x 11.  I've been known to change my mind and don't want things to be too small if that should happen this time.

Also, I took down a few more notes about school.  Specifically, Joanie is not a fan of the uniform socks.  Each morning it's a struggle.  Remember, it's okay to document the little things that may seem unpleasant now, but she'll remember that with a laugh when she's grown.  Another big deal at school is the chocolate milk.  I never let her have that at home and this is a real treat. 

Okay, keep taking those notes.  It will pay off in a truly personal keepsake for your child.

get a box

Okay, I'm going to do a sort of work in progress - tracking my process to create a kindergarten memory book for my daughter this year.  School has just begun and I am neck deep in other graphic design projects (which I'll be showing here soon.)  So the first step (and only step to do right now) is keep everything organized and together.

Step 1:  get a box.

This one is just right.  It is 8.5 x 11, from a recent  Amazon order.  In it I will place all of her little projects and writing samples that come home, a notebook and pen.

I want to jot down Joanie's observations from time to time.  These are to be her memories, not mine.  I want to capture the great little things she says.  She always has some good ones.  For example, the very first day she came home all charged up, telling me about the butterfly box (a reward system her teacher implemented for reading at home). Leaving those things in the box, instead of just my moleskine in my purse helps me stay organized.

Right now I'm considering a 6" x 11" format with a 1/2" spine, folded from a scored and folded cardstock (or manilla folder) cover.   The cover will conceal a wire-bound spine beneath.  Pages would be different widths, and various materials, with touches of colored pencil accents throughout.  I like the idea of repeating a medium that she uses in class.  That's the current thinking.  Two other great ideas that I've seen lately are Lisa McGarvey's and Noell Hyman's interpretations.  There are aspects of both of these books that I love.

This format might change as I turn it over in my mind and talk about binding options with the local kinkos.  This may well be the only post in this category until after January as I don't plan to work on this again until after the new year.  Just containing those papers and notes is all that needs to be done until then.