Photos

     Lily loves looking at photos and I love taking them.  The only problem is that she just doesn't know how to not rip or crinkle the photos.  I suppose that's normal for a 17 month old, but I cringe everytime she gets her cute,little, messy hands on them!  So about six months ago, I copied a bunch of photos and inserted them into a small photo album.  You know the ones, they sometimes come with your pictures when you pick them up at the store.  This worked out great, for about 3 weeks. 

     It was then that I noticed there were some pictures missing.  After taking a closer look, I realized not only were there photos missing but entire pages.  My little turkey thought it would be fun to destroy the photo book that Mommy made.  I had to laugh but I was a little frustrated.  Lily wants to carry her pictures around with her but she also likes the crinkle sound that the picture book makes when you crumple the pages.

     I just figured that Lily would have to make due with her half destroyed photo album.  Until, my MOPS meeting last week.  We were talking about inexpensive crafts that we could make with our kids, since Spring break is fast approaching.  (Spring break gives me the hives when I think about it...I have to entertain all 3 of my kids for 24 hours a day, while the weather is still pretty unpredictable...this usually leads to some headaches and tears.)  Anyhow, one of the moms showed this cute little photo book that she made, all from things that you have lying around the house. 

     Today Lily was cooperating and I decided that I'd better take advantage of it.  Here is my version of the Photo Album.  Hopefully Lily won't destroy this one, but if she does it's easy and inexpensive to make another one.  I'm eventually going to make an ABC and number book for Lily.  These are so light weight and will take up very little room in the diaper bag!  My back will be thanking me for that.  The bigger Lily gets, the heavier the diaper bag seems to be getting :)

1.  Just take some sandwich sized ziplock baggies

2.  Print a bunch of photos in 5x7

3.  OR take cute paper and add your photos on top of the paper

4.  Trim the photos/paper and insert inside the baggies.

6.  Line up all of the baggies.  Make sure that the photos

are closest to the sealed part of the baggies.

7.  Staple the baggies together.

8.  Use duct tape and tape over the staples.  This prevents

little fingers from getting poked plus it looks really cute.

**I found cute duct tape at Menards (home improvement store) and at Joann's Fabrics