I'm starting work on a unique guest register for a beautiful South African girl's wedding. She was married recently in South Africa then had another wedding celebration in Zimbabwe where her husband comes from. The guest register, with an array of beautiful images plus the story of how the couple met and their time together so far, will be used at their Australian wedding celebration. Family and friends overseas will also be able to sign it. There will certainly be no other commercially available guest register to match it! It will be a real talking point at their Aussie celebration and a chance for all the guests to read their story and see their pictures. And it will be something to be truly treasured by the couple for many years to come.

OK, so it's not a life story - but I just adored doing it. It is a collection of stories a grandma made up for her grandchildren when they were little. She wanted to put them into a format so future generations could enjoy them too. 
It was a lot of hard work, but more fun than I've had in a long time - sourcing the images to suit the stories, compiling all the images, one over another and making sure the stories fitted. Oh, and choosing the colours - lovely bright, wild colours,  and making everything colour coordinated. It took me nearly an hour to get to her to give her the book and when she saw it, she cried. She said "I'm covered in goosebumps!" It was such a magic moment. We held hands as she turned the pages of her book. I also did a video of her reading one of the stories and set it to music - so she can play it on her DVD when people visit. I so love making people this happy!! 

This is a Moleskine leather bound book I've recently created - the black leather is very stylish! It's ideal for a story of how a couple met, their wedding or even for a someone's complete life story - and one would certainly make a unique and classy guest register for everyone at a ceremony to sign. The pages lie flat and there is even the same strip of elastic to keep the book closed as you get on a  those classic Moleskine notebooks. Remember them?

So many people have multiple house moves, and even move to different countries. While it's a good chance for a clear out - never, ever throw away old family photographs! Keep them in a shoebox, in a bag, in an envelope - in anything you can find, but never toss them out. There comes a time in everyone's life when it feels important to trace ones roots, ones ancestors - and these old images are priceless in recalling people, places and events. When it comes to having your life story written, these pictures tell a thousand words and once scanned and included in a book, will never be lost. And they will be treasured by future generations to come.

I created this book as a unique guest register for a renewal of vows ceremony. I made the last four pages at the back  with lines and sections for all the guests to leave their special messages. It caused lots of laughter and comments as people flicked through - reading the stories and looking at the pictures covering the couple's life together. And then I made another copy of the book for the mum of the 'bride' with special pictures and a poem just for her.

Am trying out Moleskine covered story books - the leather is so stylish and comes with an elastic tie, like the Moleskine notebooks. This is one I've done for my daughter and son-in-law's wedding - a sort of brag book to have on their coffee table...with the story of their wedding and all the preparations...and all the adventures of the big day - including me nearly missing the ceremony...  

I'm producing a book for an 80-year-old lady who used to make up children's stories to tell her young grandchildren. Now they are grown up they are frightened these stories will be lost...so have asked her to record them. It is my absolute pleasure to reproduce her stories into a beautiful book for her, her grandchildren and all the future generations to come...

I am designing a children's book full of stories that a beautiful grandma made up for her grandchildren when they were little. Now they are all grown up they've asked her to write down the stories so they can tell their own children. I've found brilliant software that allows me to use colourful images together with the pictures the grandma originally drew to illustrate her stories. They are even three dimensional and I'm having so much fun creating her stories both in words and pictures. I can't wait to show her the finished product!

A couple who are renewing their vows next month have chosen to have a book made as a really special guest register for their celebration, tracing their 25 years together.  


It's a wonderful journey, not just down memory lane, but a chance for them both to see how much they've learnt, changed and grown over the years. It hasn't all been plain sailing. Life and relationships never are, but they've worked hard to ensure they not only constantly challenge each other but also spend time nurturing their love. Hearing their stories and putting them into both a ceremony and a book have been a wonderful learning experience for me. I've been reminded how vital it is never to take anything for granted and to work hard for the things that are are important in life.

A life story book can include only what you want it to...perhaps the happy memories are the only ones you want to record? It's not necessary to dig up hurtful memories that could bring pain to members of your family who are likely to read your book. 
A sensitive interviewer  will discuss with you anything they feel may be of concern and then you decide if you wish to include it in your memoirs.