Words shared - Vol 1.

The most important element of a Fondfolio memory book are the words that people contribute. I often refer to them as the “soul” of each book — without them, it’s just a pretty package. The real gift for the recipient is that all the people they care about have taken the time to write to and about them in loving detail. My efforts to turn this collaborative text into a beautiful keepsake simply support and enhance that core of thoughtful words, like the frame around an artwork.

I’ve made hundreds of books at this point and have proofread many thousands of entries. The stories and memories that stand out to me tend to be so specific that they are universally appealing — anyone could relate to and be moved by the words without knowing the recipient or the contributor. Here are a few of my favourites (shared with permission):

Explain how you came to meet Ed.
Ed’s my big brother - the brother I felt closest to growing up. He and I attended grade school together for just two years, but some of my most vivid memories of 1st and 2nd grades are moments with Ed.
My favorite memory is walking with Ed to the bus stop one morning. Ahead, I could see my friend Dinky walking toward the corner. Dinky was always first to the bus stop which meant she was able to secure first in line onto the bus by placing her lunchbox down on the sidewalk and marking her spot in line. I remember sighing aloud, “Awh man, Dinky gets to be first again.” And without a word, Ed grabbed my lunch pail, raced down the block past Dinky and placed my lunchbox first in line for the bus. How thrilling!

Imagine Donna became an inanimate object. What would she be, and why?
A pair of glasses. She sees the good in others, and is able to help others see it as well. She explores things from multiple angles so she can understand situations from as many viewpoints as possible. The glasses also allow her to focus on the positives as well as the feelings of others. She can find the beauty where others miss it.

Describe a quality of Jen's that you admire.
Jen is funny, fun loving, and fiercely loyal. She embodies a phrase our crazy uncle Jimmy always used to say: “if you want a party, be a party.” I always feel like I’m at a party, a really good one, every time I’m with her.

3 copies of a remembrance book I made recently to celebrate the life of a woman, for her mother and two sisters