Tips For Planning A July Family Reunion

Planning a family reunion in July? You still have time to pull it off. Here are some simple steps to get that event planned, organized, off and running.

First off, avoid being the sole reunion planner. I suggest your start forming a family reunion committee of three or more members. Consider those who you are particularly fond of and are almost certain will attend the event. 

Reunion Committee Qualifications

Elect those who have some experience throwing parties, have successfully planned several events, are computer literate and enjoy all things arts and crafts. 

Board of Advisers

A family member who has spent some time as a travel agent or tour guide along the east coast would also be most helpful as a travel adviser.  Since most of your family don't have children and are at or coming close to retirement age a few should have some time on they're hands. The more help the better. 

Regarding Invitations: How your invitations look is not nearly as important as the content. People need to know what they can look forward to at the event. Who will be attending. The activities and entertainment featured. Using a survey find out what the majority enjoy doing. Consider their interests, talents, skills and education. 

Popular Reunion Activities: Most families a thrilled when when one of the activities involves a talent show. Others would love putting their arts and crafts creations display. Avid book readers would love to meet published authors in the family. Music lovers would enjoy poetry and piano recitals. Food lovers would enjoy Emeral style cooking and wine tasting demonstrations complete with jokes and live band. Some stand-up comedy in good taste is a great crowd pleaser. 

In Review

1. Form a family reunion planning committee of talented event planning enthusiasts.

2. Send out an initial survey regarding themes, venue locations and activities.

3. Consult your East Coast travel advisers for the best venues.

4. Collect survey results and vote on theme, activities and location.

5. Rally support and spur enthusiasm by promoting popular entertaining reunion activities everyone will enjoy.

6. Hold online talent hunt contests using Youtube, Skype or Google Hangouts.

7. Send invitations via email. Most folks have one. Send the rest via post mail.

If you're looking for more ideas, templates and worksheets for surveys, committee meetings, to create your family tree, printable invitations and family reunion keepsake booklet designer consult Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app at www.fimark.net. 

Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app

Happy Family Reunion Planning.

Two Fun Family Reunion Party Favor Crafts

Here are two fun weekend projects for your next family reunion event. Crafting family reunion party favors.

Get together with the whole family and pour tall cold glasses of iced tea or lemonade and lets get started. These two creative projects includes transforming an ordinary household item into a decorative family keepsake perfect for the picnic table or banquet dinner by making event logo labels for small spring water bottles or soap bubble bottles the kids will enjoy. You'll find great bargains on mini spring water bottles and soap bubble bottles at your local dollar store or order them in bulk online and save even more.

For both projects download the family reunion logo used for your reunion T-shirts. Have at the ready your family reunion theme and slogan. For theme and slogan ideas consult Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app.

Materials and Supplies Needed:

  Download the Free Party Favor Craft Template (Family reunion party favor bottle label cover)
  Card stock printing paper (Multicolored or reunion theme colors will do nicely)
  Candy bags or colored plastic gift wrap paper
  Candy (use on individually wrapped candy)
  White print paper
  Ink cartridge
  Printer
  Computer
  Scissors
  Hole puncher
  Clear tape
  Glue gun
  Glue sticks

Family Reunion Bottle Party Favors

1. Download the attached template
2. Fill in the slogan theme and dates in the columns as indicated
3. Print the page
4. Cut from the edge of the paper between the row dividing line to the opposite
   edge of the of the paper including the white space.
5. After each strip is cut wrap the strip around the bottle and tape the edge end to end where
   the white space appears.(For a neater more professional look use the glue gun and glue stick instead.)

Candy Bag Wrap Party Favor

1. Print the craft template listed above on colorful card stock paper.
2. Cut around the squares of the theme, logo, reunion date and slogan
3. Punch a hole in the corner of each square.
4. Place four or five pieces of candy in bag o on top of gift wrap paper
5. Hold bag of candy in the palm of your hand and twist bag creating a bottle neck close to candy
6. Tie candy bag closed using string
7. Put one end of the string through hole of printed logo label and gently tie to string near bags neck

Enjoy other fun family reunion party favor crafts when you access Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app.

It's event planning at it's personal best. The 132 page personalized family reunion event planning guide with signature poetic excerpts, a reunion planners journal, recipe compiler and genealogy worksheets. Set your course and take a remarkable journey planning your family reunion. Get the Family Reunion Planner Guide and Keepsake in PDF or Word Doc format when you access Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app.

Happy Family Reunion Planning!
Mark and Brenda

Wake Up - The Lights On Outside

This weekend Brenda and I entertained our one and only granddaughter, KK. Since the beginning KK and Brenda were the very best of friends and for awhile I have to admit I felt a bit of an outcast. You know the feeling. Like being on the outside, on a frigid day, looking in.  Brenda and KK have an unspoken language, energy and shared understanding of their girly girl universe that I simply know nothing about. That said, KK just did not quite know I fit in her world.

Well, you know what they say, If it's cold inside, turn the heat up. So I did just that.  I made a slideshow of KK from birth. We both made a big muppet style hand puppet together. We baked cookies together and I let her play my keyboard. Knowing that she loves to talk on the cell phone, sing and play along with nursery rhymes on my keyboard, I composed a jazzy version of her favorite nursery rhyme songs and called it KK's Nursery Room, which I recorded  and Brenda sent to her via cell phone. She called back saying she loved the song and over a short period of time an unconditional affection grew.

Five things made this visit particularly special for me.  First of all, although KK seems to personally own just about every stuffed animal and doll ever made, she favors the puppet we both made together over most of her other stuffed friends.

The third took place Saturday morning when I was trying to catch a few more winks before rising and starting the day. I felt a small thud and peculiar presence on my pillow breathing gently on my nose.  After I managed to open one eye I saw the welcomed intruder eagerly smiling back at me. "Good Morning. Wake up granddad," she said. "The lights on outside." Could any moment be sweeter than that?

The rest of the day went much the same way as it began. She put me in a head lock and when I asked her why she was clinging, she said without hesitation, "Because I love you granddaddy." She certainly has her own way of expressing it. But I'll take what I can get. A few hours later I hear my two crazy girls burst into laughter following a big gold medal burp belted out by MaMarie. After KK had a good belly laugh over the whole thing, she then repeated the burping incident and laughed again and again.

Another incident that made this weekend visit particularly special is the fact that she finally became friends with our house cat, scamper. Scamper prides herself on being the center of attention which is slightly diminished when KK comes to visit. Needless to say this shifting of attention usually toys with her esteem. But not this time. KK learned how to rub Scamper's head just the way she likes it. From that moment on they became best bed buddies. When KK jumps on the bed Scamper remains and even trys to share in some of the fun.

Last but not least, our granddaughter was dubbed KK by yours truly. I always thought is was a grandparent's prerogative to call one's grandchild whatever he or she deemed appropriate and KK just seemed right for me. Well on the final day of her weekend visit we called her Kaylah. Quickly we were corrected.  "My name is KK", she exclaimed. Not only has she accepted her nick-name, she insisted on being called KK from that moment on.

The slideshow included the many trips we took to the park playing on the swings and blowing bubbles.  Well, I guess you know the rest of the story. The fact is KK loved her granddad all along. She just needed to see, hear and relive the many memories we made together in order to truly appreciate her place in my world.

KK and her cousin Mekaylah both have vibrant personalities. They are old souls and are fast learners. They will likely be the center of our next family reunions for years to come. The stories we'll tell about their antics and attainments will keep us all enthralled and entertained for hours. Not to mention the slideshows we'll show, songs they'll sing and stories we'll tell while watching them grow. The photos we will take and the family mementos we will craft. This will be a reunion like no other and Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app will help us put it all together.

Happy family reunion planning to you and yours.

Get great ideas for your next family reunion using your family reunion planner web app.
Don't have Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app? Was $49. Now $39 for a limited time. Get 20% off. See my Profile for more information.

Fimark's Genealogy Presentation Awards February 2014

The Fimark Genealogy Presentation Awards feature of our family reunion planning blog presents creative, artistic  presentations from professional and amateur genealogy researchers, family reunion planners, artists, crafts-persons  and interior designers. Monthly winners are determined based on creativity, uniqueness and professionalism.
This months winning entries are:

The Heirloom Family Tree in a Glass Dome

Create a unique family tree using a random assortment of family keepsakes in a delicate glass dome.

Learn how to make this heirloom using a random assortment of family keepsakes, from a grandfather's spectacles to a baby's first spoon, takes on a cohesive, deliberate look that's both attractive and timeless when encased in a delicate glass dome. The little tree is a lightweight branch, then spray-painted matte gold and held upright with epoxy.

Voted 5 stars and one Like by Fimark's Genealogy Presentation Awards.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/124693483406817684

For more ideas see More Suggestions below.

The Family Tree

This gorgeous quilt incorporates old family photos and an ancestral diary. It was made by Eileen Campbell. Quilts like this can be made from photographs printed on cloth. 

Voted 5 stars and one Like by Fimark's Genealogy Presentation Awards.

http://www.pinterest.com/fimarkhome/genealogy-presentation-awards/

Both these presentations are ideal for family reunion genealogy presentation tables and reunion fundraisers.

More Suggestions:
When I saw these presentations my creative juices started flowing. In minutes the cup runneth over!.  I quickly entered by Zazzle craft shop and started tinkering with ideas on how to make my own  Family Tree Glass Dome. There are so many ornamental personalized keepsakes featured that would look great hanging from the family tree. It is a great place for making  keepsake gifts like watches, necklaces, ornaments, keychains, stamps and photo buttons. Visit our Zazzle page at http://www.zazzle.com/zzibcnet*/

The Legendary Heritage Heirlooms Story

Our Story

Fimark's Legendary Heritage Heirlooms began in the year 2005. The
concept was developed by my wife Brenda and her sister Shawn who
decided to attend a Galla event by none other than Ethnic
Expressions. Inspired by their rich decor and art I encouraged
Brenda to join me in promoting our own line of fine art, greeting
cards, portraiture services and clothing line. Our cousin LaTavia
immediately came on board and the two of them proved a perfect team.

We designed a catalog, CDROM presentation, scores of original fine
art prints and an engaging and entertaining home show presentation
complete with Family oriented games, gifts and discounts. The
clientele were excited and proud to be involved. It was not long
after that we started up home shows round about Baltimore city. I
loved sharing this venture with my family.

Brenda, and her cousin LaTavia successful planned family reunions,
community outreach events, weddings, receptions and parties. So
planning these events were a breeze for them. We soon got the idea
that we should focus on reunions. Before long our
primary focus became Family Reunion event planning.

After a little brainstorming we decided to put out product line online. From that came the idea of taking Brenda's Reunion Event
Planner and turning it into a compilation of applications for download. Now we sell all of our products online at Fimark Home Online, Amazon.com, Zazzle.com and Legendary Heritage Heirlooms.

Your Feed Back
Thank you for the many expressions of gratitude regarding how many of you loved our Family Reunion Planning resource since we launched in
2005.

Happy Family Reunion Planning!

Mark & Brenda

Legendary Heritage Heirlooms
http://lhh.fimark.net/Fimark Home Online
http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/The Family Reunion Store
http://astore.amazon.com/family-reunion-20fimarkhome@gmail.com

Preserving Memories With Old Greeting Cards

Making, preserving, and perusing memories is what family is all
about. In addition to running the Family Reunion Planner resource and
website I also operate a greeting card website. One page is devoted
to the question "What to do with old greeting cards?" Here are 9
creative and fun ways to turn your old greeting cards into useful
tangible art form.

Scrapbook Art: Cut out parts of the greeting card face. Not also the hand written words on the inside cover to add that personal touch and meaning to your photo scrapbook.

Photo Frame/Matting: Cut out a rectangle in center of greeting card
to fit photos. Tape photo inside frame/matting.

Frame Art: Buy small cute frames that feature designs and colors
that match the art and theme of a card you love. Matted frames work
well too. You preserve the card and it's meaning.

Baby Room Mobile: Using baby shower greeting cards cut cards to a smaller size and tie to mobile frame. Hang from ceiling. Cut out
alphabets spelling the child's name or initials. Cut out animal, toy
and solar system shapes. Hang from mobile frame.

DVD Cover Insert:
Use a card that has special meaning to you. Cut front face of card to fit DVD cover. Ad text to Card and insert card
in DVD cover sleeve. Perfect for family reunion, wedding and annivesary events.

For more ideas visit Fimark Home Onlines Greeting Card Crafts page.