5 Things You Need to Bring Back Tactile Memories
It’s no secret that here at Everyday Experiential, we believe in staying present throughout your everyday experiences. While remaining present can certainly help you retain more of the precious details that make your experience noteworthy, memories fade naturally over time.
In 2021, let’s make a vow to bring back tactile memories.
Ever heard of a smash book? It’s sort of an informal way to scrapbook your memories - a no-fuss way to make your favorite days on the planet just that much more tangible long term. There are books out there specifically branded as “smash books” with patterned paper and a marker included, but we like the idea of starting with a clean slate and making it your own.
Here’s a list of some things to get you started making your first smash book. Go as wild as you like or keep it simple - but for heavens sake, let this be the year you finally allow your memories to live somewhere other than your phone.
Notebook
This spiral bound sketch book has paper with a pretty high gsm, which means your markers won’t bleed through when you start drawing and coloring things in. You can also safely adhere things to the pages without worrying that the page won’t stand up to the weight of your saved hotel card or luggage tag
Markers
We like dual tip markers because they give you a good amount of control. You can outline things with a fine line as well as color in the big things. You can also use the brush tip for calligraphy if that’s your thing, or go abstract and color a plain line behind something written in black ink for a subtle pop of color.
Instax Printer
This printer might be a little bit of a splurge, but here at EE we can’t resist the pull of a Polaroid photo. This instax allows you to print your cell phone photos on Polaroid film so you don’t have to remember to bring another camera on your adventures. You can also mark them up, print still images from videos, and filter images to your liking with the app - so your memories can be as personalized as you want.
Bonus: if you and a friend or loved one are making the book together, you can both connect to the printer via Bluetooth! The dreaded wait for a Dropbox link or shared album is over :)
Washi Tape
If nothing else, this is what’s going to give your smash book some flare... whether you’re using it to tape pictures into the book or just to accent / decorate your pages, washi tape is a great way to up the ante on how crafty your smash book looks & feels, without being a formal (intimidating!) tool. You can also find sticker packs & patterned paper to take it a step further.
Glue Dots
If you plan on saving physical things to put into your book, washi tape doesn’t always hold and glue sticks / liquid glue aren’t always a practical solution. This multi-pack of glue dots comes in 3 different strengths so you can decide if you want something to live on the page permanently or if you might want to pop it out at some time in the future.
BONUS: Heat Embossing Toolkit
Okay, so this one is totally not a necessity… but how else are you going to label the front of your book? This kit allows you to free-hand a front cover, dust embossing powder on the front of the book, and take your smash book from a sketch book with stuff in it to a custom photo album! Neat right? We know :)
We’ll leave you with some inspiration images of our favorite smash books on Pinterest. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s to cherish the memories you share with the ones you love... and we hope making a smash book in 2021 and beyond will help you do just that.
As always, remember to stay present in your everyday experiences.
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