Friday 11 November 2011

Countdown to Christmas - Journalling Jar


Hi there everyone, today is the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the eleventh year and is my second project for Creative Craft World and I have made a journalling jar.  This is an perfect present for a grandparent or an "older" person and the idea is that you make a whole list of questions you'd like them to answer about themselves and their lives that you may not know about and each day or whenever they feel like it, they take a question out of the jar, stick it to the top of the page in the journalling book you will provide and then write the answer to your question.  They can include photos if they wish and any little bits of info that they can recall and then one day, you'll have this fabulous book of things you didn't know about your family member and they are written down forever.

I did two jars a couple of years ago for my parents in law.  Father in law is really enjoying doing his book and recalling all the funny little incidents of his past, but unfortunately, it was too late for mother in law as she's got alzheimer's.  This year I'm giving mine to my husband.

You will need a jar - I used a kilner jar but an empty coffee jar would be fine.
Some double sided papers not too patterned on one of the sides so you can print onto it
notebook
pen
glue stick

At the end of this post are some questions to give you a head start.  Print them out onto double sided paper, printing onto the least patterned side.  Make sure you leave a space between each question so you can cut the strips out then pop them in the jar as they are or roll them up like I have done.   Either looks good.
cut into strips and pop into your chosen jar.


Decorate the jar if you want but make sure you add some instructions on what to do either on the jar or on the inside page of the notebook.


Questions

Describe your favourite holiday since you’ve
been married.
Describe your son:- his personality, his traits
and what makes him special.
Describe daughter – her personality, her traits
and what makes her so special.
Describe your wife.
Where did you live as a child? Describe your
house.
What was the garden like where you lived as a
child? What did you like to play out here?
What old wives tales did you learn from your
family – cures for toothache, headache and
colds for example.
Who was your favourite uncle? Why?
Who was your favourite aunt? Why?
Write about your teenage social life. Where
did you go, what did you do and any old
girlfriends/boyfriends.
Describe your first home as a married couple.
Tell about any handed down talents.
What is your Mother’s best trait and her
worst? Do you share any of these?
What is your Dad’s best and worst trait? Do
you share any of these?
How do you feel about winning/losing?
What is the most exciting place you have ever
been to and why.
What is your worst/most embarrassing
moment?
How did your Dad support his family?
Where was your favourite place to go with
your family when you were a child?
Describe a favourite childhood friend and
what you did with him/her.
What’s the most wonderful thing that has
happened to you?
Describe a typical Sunday in your home as you
were growing up.
Have you met any famous people? Who, and
what did you think of them?
What frightens you and why?
Where did your grandparents live? What was
their home like? Did it have a certain smell or
look?
Did you have a close relationship with your
grandparents? Write about it.
Did you have a bicycle as a child? Describe it.
Do you or did you and your father share any
interests? What were they?
Describe a childhood Christmas.
What did you do as a child that got you into
the most trouble? How did your parents
react?
Describe your wedding day.
What are your favourite goods?
How did your mother spend her time
Were you responsible for any household
chores? If so, what were they and which did
you enjoy most and least?
Did you get a comic when you were a child? If
so what was it and what was it about?
What is your favourite TV programme at the
moment? Why?
What was your favourite holiday as a child?
If you weren’t a human being, what creature
would you like to be?
If you could do anything in the world and
money was no object, what would you do?
Who were your Grandparents? What were
their names. Do you know who their parents
were?
As a child, what games did you play indoors
with your friends and family?
Describe the birth of your children. How did
you feel?
How did you meet your husband/wife?
Describe your first date.
What was your favourite book as a child?
What is the most serious illness you have
had?
What are your 10 favourite songs of all time?
What makes you angry?
Write about some of the places your parents
too you to as a child.
What was your favourite meal when you were
a child?
What makes you angry?
What was your first car and how much did it
cost?
Describe Christmas in your home now.
What was your first job? How much did you
get paid?
Which is your favourite season and why?
If you could chose a different period to live in,
when would it be?
If you had to leave your home in an
emergency, what 5 things would you take
with you and why?
Name everything you have done that has
made you proud and why?
What would you like to be remembered for?


Try Googling journalling jar questions for some alternatives.

I hope you enjoy this crafty project and if you have a go, leave me a link so I can pop over to your blog or gallery and have a peep.

Another project tomorrow:)

8 comments:

*Nora* said...

Such a darling idea Susi! Will make one for both sets of parents soon =) Oh and I love the new blog look! Love Nightmare before Christmas! One of my fave movies of all time!

Curly said...

Oh Susi that is a fab project, it's so perfect for my mum I will have to save one of my killer jars for this one. Many thanks hun.

Janet said...

That's lovely Susi,

Unknown said...

Gosh, that is so clever, simple and effective. I think I just solved a christmas pressie dilemma :) Thanks Susi xx

Karen said...

Fantabulous xx

Carin McDonough said...

Wonderful idea, I have been meaning to do one of these for a while, thanks for adding the questions! :)

MiniOwner said...

Just perfect for my sister. Thank you, Susi.
Sue x

Trish said...

Lovely idea Susi - I'm now wondering who I can make one of these for!