Last Monday, May 12th, my mom turned 50!! I’ve been planning my gift for her for probably a year now, and been working on it since February. I really wanted to give her something that was representative of her last 50 years and all of the lives that she touched. I decided to collect letters from all of her closest family and friends, and put them in a binder. I let everyone know, mostly via Facebook, what I was doing, and what I needed from them. Thank goodness for Facebook, because it gave me the ability to connect with people I didn’t really know very well. Everyone I talked to was excited about the project, and though some needed more prodding and reminding than others.

To make the book, I bought an 8.5×11 scrapbook from Hobby Lobby. When I got home, the first thing I did was take it apart. Even though I already had a few letters I knew that this would be the easiest way to re-arrange as letters came in. I really wanted the first page to have a bit of a wow factor, and so I came up with the idea to sew “50″ onto the first page, and fill it with sequins. I realized that I could print the number in a size and font that I liked, place it behind the page, and then trace it with a dry-erase marker. Then I was able to sew around the trace on my sewing machine (using a thick thread and stronger needle). I tried it once for practice on another old sheet protector, and then went ahead and did it on a page for the book. I then filled that page with gold and black sequins, and then sewed off the top to seal it.

In the next page I put an image I took of my mom a few months ago. I edited it, and kept it a secret, and then gave her the file after I gave her the book. On the back of that page I slipped in a page entitled “50 Awesome Things About Turning 50″ that I found online, and then the letter from me on the adjoining page. I filled the rest of the book with letters I’d received from ever part of her life. I tried to mix them up as best I could, so that it was a good variety as she flipped through.

I am seriously so happy with how it all turned out, and how it was received. My mom is pretty great, and I’m glad that I could give her something so awesome, and could bring together so many people from her life to do it

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!

-Meghan