A Very Special Memory

You have to love Graphics 45 paper for scrapping your special memories. I actually did this layout a couple of months ago in a class at my Local Scrapbook Store, Memory Lane. I collect old world Santa's and my original plan was to use pictures that were taken this past Christmas with me standing with my collection. But I decided to use some much older pictures and I would like to share the story behind them.

As long as I can remember we put 3 non traditional items on our Christmas tree. They were an Indian doll, small panda bear and a cupie doll along with a more traditional Santa. I believe the first 3 items may have been won at a fair and put away to give to me at Christmas when I was quite young. The cupie doll disappeared years ago but when I got married I took with me the other 3 items.

I continued to put them on our tree. Anyone who saw them, including my husband, thought they were rather silly items for a Christmas tree but to me they were precious. Sadly, about 10 years ago, we had a flood in our basement and the items were ruined. I must admitted I shed a few tears when I had to throw them out. Each Christmas I think about them as I decorate my tree.

I have had a box of negatives that I got from my Mom about 30 years ago. I never really did anything with them as it was fairly expensive to send them away and have prints made. A couple of months ago I borrowed a negative reader and quite enjoyed scanning them. A lot of the pictures I have never seen before so it was exciting getting to see them.

I was looking at some of the Christmas ones I got developed and low and behold there were 3 pictures taken around 1959 when I would have been 4. I am holding the very dolls I just told you about. I must admit there were a few more tears shed when I saw them.

There were only 3 kids at that point , my brother Jim and 2 more sisters Debbie and Cathy would come later. But I still love the pictures taken of my Mom, Dad, sister's Ardell and Rose and myself. I decided they would be perfect for the layout I did in class. I have shared the layouts with my special friends in my Scrapbooking groups but thought some of my blog followers and my family might enjoy seeing them. Oh and by the way, I'm the really cute one in the picture LOL