The Book for Mary's Children

In case you haven't been reading this blog, a good friend of mine died on May 3rd. She was thirty-three and had just given birth a week earlier to her third child.

Having children myself, I couldn't - didn't want to - imagine Mary's children growing up without knowing their mother, so I decided to make a scrapbook for them and asked some of her friends to write about Mary, letters that I would include in the book.

Today, I finished it. In a way I am glad that it is done, so that I can finally give it to her children and her family and they can fill it with pictures and letters themselves, sharing memories about this beautiful woman, wife and mother for her children to cherish as they grow up.

But... I'm sitting here crying as I type this because now that it is finished... While I was working on it, I felt a connection to Mary. We had lost her, but she was still something I could hold onto while I spent many bittersweet hours making this book for her children. She's gone. She's really gone. And I have to let go.

(Image heavy under the cut...)

This is a twelve-page album of my own design, but adapted from an album by papercrafter45 on YouTube. It is 6"x9". I used Graphic45's Secret Garden paper and embellishments. Because it is going to be given to a family with small children, I didn't want to add a lot of embellishments that were bulky or could be easily pulled off by small fingers.

All pictures contributed by her friends have been omitted from these pictures.

 The front cover of the album.

 The inside cover without photo mats. (The color is inaccurate on some of these pictures - my camera went fubar - and I have indicated on the photo if the colouring is off.)

 With photo mats.

 The first full set of pages, without photo mats. (Colour is not accurate.)

The same pages with photo mats and the envelope containing Mary's poetry, stories, and artwork.

That same page when flipped open. The drawing is by Kurt Halsey, a favourite of Mary's, and there are several of his drawings that I have included in the album.

 The second set of pages, without photos or mats. (Colour is not accurate.)

With photos, extra mats, and a poem from a friend included in the pocket.

I have deleted all of the text from the photographs posted here to preserve the privacy of the writers.

 The next set of pages. It includes a belly band that holds photo mats and tags on the left and the page on the right flips up and folds out.

With the right page flipped up to reveal the pocket underneath with another letter from a friend and room for more mats and tags.

The same page when the flap has been flipped open. (Colour is not accurate.)

The next pages with a small banner and a wooden Mommy and me embellishment.

 The next set of pages with room for large photos or journaling.

The same page when it has been fully extended. There are some photo mats and tags included in the center section.

The next set of pages with a large pocket on the left to hold photos or journaling. There is also a journaling tag on the pocket itself. There is a large open area on the right for larger photos.

 The next set of pages, with a corner tag that will hold a journaling tag and room for photos on both sides.

The same pages when they have been fully opened. I included photo mats and tags that fit in those blue areas in the center section, if, at a later time, someone would like to add small photos or journaling there.

 The next two pages. The left has a large vertical pocket and the right side has a small horizontal pocket.

With photo mats and tags and another drawing by Kurt Halsey.

 The next set of pages. The left side has a large vertical packet and the right side has another of the flip up and out pages.

With photo mats and tags in the pocket.

 Flipped up. The gray square is a letter from a friend that I covered up for privacy.

The same page flipped open to reveal another small pocket.

The next set of pages with a large vertical pocket on the left side and photo mats, tags, and another drawing inside. Another area for a large photo is on the right.

 The last full page fully extended.

 The inside back cover with a pocket on the left and a picture of Mary on the right, as the last photo in the book.

The back cover of the book.