My 2018 Family Yearbook

Y’all! Happy Valentine’s Day to me! I am thrilled to do this post to share my 2018 Family Yearbook! I just received it in the mail this evening and I could not be happier. I finished the pages back in December but needed to think about how I wanted to print them. I was not sure if I wanted to do individual page prints, or if I should venture to collate them all into a book. 

For my 2017 family yearbook, I printed each 12×12 page, put them in sheet protectors, and saved them all in a D-ring binder. This time around, I was interested in an option that would take up less space. Also, I have been using the Forever website since Summer 2019 for organizing and archiving my family photos and Forever offers the ability to create archival-quality photo books. It seemed to make sense to stay in the ecosystem and make books on the Forever platform. However, I can only put 99 pages in a book with Forever and I have more than 120 pages. Ultimately, I did decide to split the year into two volumes, and print with Forever (I was also able to take advantage of a great 50% off sale).  

And I am in love with these books! The book size overall is 12×12 and the scrapbook page image inside is 10×10.  I used the web-based Design & Print feature at Forever, which lets you create physical products without downloading software and it’s as easy as using drag and drop to stick the pages in their respective spots. I literally made these books during my 25-minute bus commute to and from work one day on my phone. 

The pictures below give you a sense of the size and the scale. 

And, I just HAD to make a video too! Click on the picture below to see a video overview of my yearbook.

I am quite mesmerized. There is something to be said for having my year chronicled like this and have a tangible product! And, because Forever prints using paper that is acid-free, lignin-free, and buffered — this means the paper it is printed on will not contribute to deterioration over time. Not every company that helps you make photo books can meet these standards for long-term preservation. 

What are my next steps?

• The book is archived in my Forever account, just like all of my other media. Since it is there, it will be digitally available for generations. So, I am going to make a QR code and affix it to the inside cover to ensure that whoever picks up the book knows that the digital version is available online. 
• I am going to re-print my 2017 yearbook and do a 2-volume photo book set as well. I feel an urge to “match” – ha! I still have not finished my 2019 book so my goal is to print both 2019 and 2020 in early 2021. I’ll then have a nice collection going of 4 years of family yearbooks – yay!

These books will indeed become heirlooms to pass down through the generations- ways to document for our children and loved ones our experiences from year to year. This is another example of how I am truly working to get the most value from my decision to go with Forever as my permanent home for our family photos & media. Not only do I have a solution for organizing and preserving (long-term) my digital memories (photos, videos, documents, audio), but I can ensure that those memories get enjoyed in our physical life too and are not just digital. It’s nice to have the best of both worlds!