Keira's ABC Book

So, I recently finished a project for Keira. Between the several months of tumbling around in my head & a couple more of actually getting it all done & put together, it has been at least six months in the making. I think it came together rather nicely, & thought I would share some photos. I stood in the doorway to get some natural light, & used Keira's puff quilt as the backdrop.

{ forgive the photo quality & the glare... 

& as always, just click on the photos to enlarge }

The mini Project Life album in cherry, which can be found through beckyhiggins.com, was perfect for this project.

Besides our own photos, I used printables (obtained through Pinterest, Mama Miss, Google images, Persnickety Prints, & Becky Higgins) & some cards from various Project Life core kits I have. 

{ feel free to click on any of the links to find out more! }

To the photos & adorable Mama Miss alphabet printables, I added text via Picasa. (I also printed an extra set of the alphabet cards, & a few extra of the sign cards, to laminate & use as a set of wipeable dry-erase flashcards for Keira. I plan to punch them in the corner with a hole punch, & put them on a key chain clip to hold them together. I'm sure she'll love it, too!)

The bunk bed photo is only one of three in the entire book that isn't my own. I decided to include it, however, as we actually have this bunk bed set for Keira, but have yet to set it up. So one of the things I love about this project is that the photos are personal to Keira... places we've gone, things we've done & seen, & parts of our simple everyday.

Another thing that is so great about this project, & one which Keira just loves, is that she can use a dry erase marker on the pages to practice writing her letters & it just wipes right off! So useful! You can see her handiwork in the last couple shots!

I think the most time-consuming part of this project was just figuring out which words to use. I wanted some to be simple, & others more difficult, so it could grow with her... at least for a little while. Also, coordinating words with the photos while trying to maintain a good variety of both.

Keira is so fascinated by these animal eyes we saw on Pinterest, so I customized a collage of them, via Picasa again, inserting her own eye as the human eye. Hooray for personalized photos!

I included the ASL alphabet signs because Keira loves to practice signing!

I love that this project is full of love & memories, & will hopefully serve as a practical & priceless heirloom for many years to come.

There are 40 pages in the Project Life mini album. As there are only 26 letters of the alphabet, & an additional title & back page, I filled in the additional 12 pages by extending some of the letters to a two-page spread, or adding an alphabet printable, as shown below.

All of the photos & printables were printed by Persnickety Prints.

Love them!

Keira took this juicy juice photo herself! I just had to include at least one kpic!

I included photos of things Keira loves,

such as these from the garden!

The first time ever to dip her sweet toes in Pacific Ocean waters,

& our regal, former kitty, Raj.

Things she loves to play with, & pick. Hey! Those start with 'p', too!

More filler alphabets.

A shot from our former home, & things mama makes.

More from the garden.

& more from the garden. Also, 

Keira's little feet on a Mother's Day morning.

{ note the mismatched socks? I didn't, until we were already on our way to church that is.

Oh well. 

As Keira would say: 'too late now!' }

& more of what Keira loves.

& yet even more of what she loves.

& as Keira loves to sing (from her Signing Time Music DVD): 'ABCDEFG, HIJKLMNOP, QRS, TUV, WXYZ, so many letters, so many signs, so many words in so little time!'

It's not perfect, but it's definitely something special,

& Keira loves it more than I expected she would! 

Success!

A wonderful Memorial Day weekend to one & all!