DIY Memory Game

How annoying is it when a project or idea starts out really good and then quickly ends up going pear-shaped? Very. Especially when your free time is fleeting.  However, because I'm all about sharing and caring, and the project DID eventually turn out, I will pass it on - "warts 'n all".
 
I love "Project Life". I have been doing it since January this year and I'm a big fan.  If you haven't heard of it and have no idea what I'm talking about, you might want to check it out.  In short, it is a beautiful form of memory keeping that has been made super-simple.  Think scrapbooking but without any glueing, cutting, tools or skill required. Anyway, this isn't actually a post on "PL" but if I have piqued your curiosity and you want to know more, then have a look at Becky Higgins' website.  It's pretty awesome and completely inspiring.
 
So, now for the connection.  While reading Becky's blog one day, I read about a "DIY Memory Game" made with spare Project Life "filler" or "journalling" cards together with family photos.  I loved it.  Immediately.  I knew I was going to recreate it.  I set to work.
 
It was a "relatively" (more about that further down) simple process:

1. Choose your cards/cardstock for the back of the photos
2. Choose your photos. I used very ordinary photos cropped to head & shoulders size
3. Print out your photos in "wallet" size
4. Adhere photo to card
5. Laminate
6. Trim to size
7. Print out instructions if you want them

 

 

And, you're done!  Now you have a beautiful, fun, family-oriented Memory Game with very, very special characters.  We have had a lot of fun with it and our son has improved each time he's played.  Our daughter is still a bit young and would probably eat the cards so I'm hoping they'll stand the test of time and still be intact when she's old enough.
 
Now for what they don't tell you, and where I started to see the "pear" emerge ...

1. Do not glue the photos to your card.  The glue will show through on the card and look ugly.
2. Do not then try and fix the problem by adding an extra layer of cardstock to the back because it will be too thick, won't laminate properly and will look ugly.
3. Do not laminate the cards in an A4 pouch because then you have to cut them up and the layers will most probably separate and look ugly.
4. Do not then try and glue every square millimeter of the separating layers because the glue will ooze out all over the photo, your fingers, your table and make a complete mess.  Learn to live with these little imperfections otherwise you will go insane and things will get ugly.

So, the moral of the story is ...

1. Use double-sided tape between photo and cardstock.
2. Do not have more than two layers.
3. If you want to laminate, use wallet-size laminating pouches and laminate each one separately.

See?  Sharing and caring.
 
How about you? Have you ever started out with a plan and then had to rethink & redo along the way? Perhaps that's half the fun.  Catch you next time ...