Family History Wall

A few years ago the seedling of an idea began to grow in my mind.  I wanted to create a space in our home featuring our family history.  After years of planning and collecting--and altering plans because of moves--my plans are coming to life.  It's not in its final form by any means.  I still would like to collect pictures to add--but it's a start.

Here are some of the items I've hung so far:

Engagement photos of my parents and my in-laws

Four generation photo of me when I was a baby

Handkerchief which belonged to my great grandma

 

Teething ring that belonged to my husband's uncle who died as a child

State of Oklahoma (where we lived for 9 years)-- I bought the shape and cut it with my Silhouette

 

Watercolor map of our town in North Carolina--done on this great site

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

Scripture--Joshua 24:15

Picture of an LDS temple

Family Tree (cut from my Silhouette)

Copy of a list of family goals written by my grandparents years ago-- 4 things we will do daily, weekly, monthly and yearly

4 blank frames . . . which I will eventually add silhouettes of my boys (using this method)

I love how this all came together and I am excited to add to it--hopefully some wedding/engagement photos of our grandparents.  Because we believe that families can be linked together forever I want my boys to know where they came from.  This is just one small step I've made to share that with them.  

What do you do to share your family history with your children and others?

 

Family Tree

I was browsing through BHG and found this adorable family tree. What a fun project to do with your kids and a great way to take an opportunity to tell them about their ancestors.

This isn't the best picture but I wanted you to get an idea of what it looks like.

Isn't it darling?

I've included instructions and a link to the templates. My kids are too little for this one but I'm definitely saving this idea for the future.

• Tree and ornament templates
• One (1) 24-inch high cardboard box
• Corrugated cardboard sheets
• Thin shirting or packing cardboard sheets
• Pencil
• Craft knife and several blades (buy blades suitable for precision work)
• Quick-setting gel glue
• Acrylic craft paints in metallic or shimmer finish
• Small paintbrush
• 1/16-inch circle and 1/8-inch circle hole punches (optional)
• Fine-tipped scissors
• Ornament string or metallic embroidery thread
• 2x3-inch copies of family photos
• Double-sided scrapbook paper

• Download the Tree Template
• Enlarge the tree template as needed and cut out.
• Trace around the template onto the cardboard box and cut the panel out
  using the craft knife. Repeat two more times, to make three tree panels in total.
• Trace around each cardboard tree panel (front and back of each panel) onto the
  smooth side of the corrugated cardboard and cut out with the craft knife.
• Glue the corrugated cardboard to the front and back of each cardboard tree panel.
  Set aside to dry. When panels are fully dry (10-15 minutes), glue the edges of the
  panels together to create a tripod effect, so that the tree stands on its own.
• Hold together with your hands for a few minutes until the glue begins to set.
  Let the tree dry while standing

• Print out the ornament templates and cut out.
• Trace around templates onto the shirting cardboard and cut out with craft knife.
• Use hole punches to make decorative dots, if desired.
• Paint the individual templates with acrylic paints and set aside to dry for about 10-15 minutes.
• Trim photos as needed for each frame and adhere the photo to the second layer of each ornament.
• Glue the top layer of the ornament onto the second layer.
• Cut lengths of ornament string or embroidery thread, fold over to make a loop, and adhere to the
  back of each ornament with a little dab of glue. Set aside to fully dry before hanging.
• Hang ornaments on branches as desired
• Lastly, cut leaf shapes of varying sizes out of patterned paper (fold paper in half and cut
  out half-circle shapes) and glue to the tree branches.

Corrugated cardboard available at some art supply stores or box stores; Most other
supplies available at craft stores: X-acto knives and blades; Beacon 3-in-1 Advanced Craft
Glue; Folk Art acrylic paint by Plaid (Metallic Pearl White, Metallic Antique Gold, Metallic
Peridot - paints can be combined for custom shades); Making Memories scrapbook paper.