Yahoo Lifestyle 
Immortalising memories: 12 ways to archive the good times
1. Sporting achievements in a photo collage
Whether your child came first or last in the 100-metre dash, chances are you’re still pretty chuffed with how they performed. If you’ve snapped a bunch of photos, sit down with your child and make a collage out of the images. Add in the ribbon that your child won to give it some extra sporting flavour and hang it on the wall. For extra snaz, frame the finished product.
2. Make a holiday memory box
Travel is one of the greatest things you can do in life. But once you return home, the memories soon fade. Try keeping a daily journal about what you do on your trip and set aside some small mementos such as ticket stubs and key chains to bring back home- it will only take five minutes out of your day. Once you return from your trip, buy an attractive timber box and fill it will the keepsakes and journal from your trip. Each time you open the box a flood of wonderful travel memories will return.
3. Keep a journal
These days it feels like everyone has a blog. They’re great for sharing travel adventures, but when it comes to intimate details there’s no better option than keeping a diary or journal. Don’t bother writing about what you ate, just focus on the important details. If your child lost his or her first tooth, or you went on a date with someone for the first time, keep a note - it makes it easier to recall.
4. Frame your kid’s drawings
Kids love getting creative. It’s their way of expressing their thoughts and feelings. If your child is a prolific painter, your fridge is probably looking pretty full. Rather than take the paintings down and store them in a cupboard, take photos of the artworks and have them printed out in an attractive box grid pattern. Frame the artwork and hang it on a wall. Your child will love seeing their work on display.
5. Write memories on a dinner plate
This next idea is a little unusual, but it can be a really attractive way of preserving memories. All you need is a white crockery set and a pen suitable for writing on ceramics. Write around the edges of the plate in small letters, turning the plate as you go. Once you’ve filled the rim of the plate, pop it in the oven to set the text.
6. Create a photo wall
If you’ve got walls in your home, which we’re assuming you do, then you have a world of opportunities to display your precious photo memories. Websites such as Pinterest can be useful sources of inspiration. Black and white prints can create a big impact, while a juxtaposition of different frames adds an element of whimsy.
7. Buy a decal for your wall
Wall decals can help create a big visual impact. There are some really eye-catching designs out there, but our favourites are the ones you can add to. Tree designs that stretch out across your wall are perfect canvases for you to stick family photos onto, while photo frame shaped designs are ideal if you prefer a more traditional look.
8. Write a book
A wonderful way of preserving family memories is to write them down. It doesn’t matter if you’re the oldest person in the family or the youngest, you still have a story to tell. Write down your precious memories and share the book amongst your family members. Leave blank pages for them to fill in their memories. Everyone sees things differently, so piecing the puzzle together can give a more complete package.
9. Create fill-in-the-blank templates for kids
Seeing the world through the eyes of a child often gives us a new perspective on something. If you’re travelling with kids, or you just want to give them something to do on weekends, give them activity templates to fill out. At the top of the page, create a space for who, what, when, where and how. Further down the page, set aside an area for more details, a summary of the trip such as the coolest thing you saw or the best food you ate that day, and a blank box for a drawing.
10. Start scrapbooking
For those who are on the creative side, scrapbooking is another perfect way to hold on to memories. From the precious early years of your child’s life to your own great sporting exploits, a scrapbook can be a perfect way to archive your memories. Just buy a DIY starter kit at your local craft store and then let your creativity flow.
11. Ask questions
Every year on your child’s birthday, ask them a series of easy questions such as “Who is your best friend?”, “What is your favourite game?” and “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and write down the answers. As your child gets older, it will be interesting to revisit their earlier answers to see how they’ve changed.
12. Make a yearly photo book
With smart phones now turning everyone into a budding photographer, chances are you’ve got a lot of photos sitting on your phone that you never look at. At the end of the year, turn your images into a photo book. It’s a great way to archive photos for the future, and if you lose your phone you still have the memories.
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