Tuesday TIp - Journal Jar Ideas

Editor's note: Today's post was written by Sandra Gardner-Benward

What the heck is a Journal Jar? (orginally this was an idea submitted to SHARE-SISTER by Ann Boldt- no longer available) This was Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society member Sammie Hudgen's offering at the February Show N Tell evening. A simple idea but it can be very effective. Sammie has an aunt that just didn't want to talk about herself and family. She sent a jar and a binder to her asking her to just pull out a question each day and anwser it in the binder. She said no. Sammie again asked saying while you are enjoying your morning coffee, would you consider pulling out a slip of paper from the jar and write about it in your binder. She said yes. YIPPPEEEY!!! But now she doesn't want to give up the binder - well that is another story for another time!!

 

Now the Jar itself...........  you start with a quart canning jar with lid, ring and a small piece of cloth, some rafia, a blank recipe card  AND.....  now write out the questions that you would like answered. Give this some thought. When done, cut them into individual pieces and place them in the jar. Put the material on top of the jar, place ring on top and tighten it down. Tie raffia around the neck of the jar with the a recipe card attached saying-

RECIPE FOR MY LIFE HISTORY combine a generous slice of your life history, a dash of nostalga, several cups of facts and feelings and 104 deliciously interesting questions. Take a few minutes to enjoy the memories. paste or write the question at the top of a blank page., Fill in your answer. Don't worry about your handwriting or spelling - just tell your story. This product was prepared to preserve your life as a message. Enjoy the scrumptious, home-made memories that celebrate something very important - YOU
(NOTE: you certainly can decorate jar your way with your own greeting) You could very easily put a binder together with a question at the top of each page and just send out the binder. But where is the fun?

The project gives 104 questions......  too many to list here but I will list a few to give you a good starting place -- obviously you will want to customize your questions depending on who you will be sending this too ....... (NOTE: if you want the entire list please send me a message  and I will scan them in and email it to you- I did find several duplicates in the list but having this many questions to pick from without thinking about it is great)

1. Tell something about each of your children, their personalities, their talents, traits, that make them different and special.
2. Describe a favorite vacation of your married years.
5. Describe your wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses, if mail your suit, best man and attendants, etc
8 Describe your mother's wedding dress - what do you know about her wedding?
12. What do you feel has been the most significant world events that has taken place in your lifetime and why?
15. Describe your yard as a child - did you help with the yardwork? What are your memories - draw a diagram if you can.
19. Describe your first home as a young couple.
25. What were the favorite places to go with your family when you were young?
30. What is your mother's best trait?
36. Describe a favorite childhood friend and somethng you did with her/him.
37. Tell about your grandchildren. How many - how did you feel about being a grandparent?
42. Describe your Sundays as a mother/father or as a child.
50. Where did your Grandparents live? What was their home like? Did it have a certain smell or look?
63. Describe a childhood Christmas.
70. Do you remember any of your four grandparents? Any greats? What were their names? Any memories that you have.
77. Thinking back was there a teacher who had a great influence on you?
83. Did you go to college or have vocational training - where or when?
91. Write about some place you went with your father?
95. Describe a typical day during your Jr. High years.
96. What kind of extra-curricular activities did you participate in at school?
97. Tell about the houses you lived in childhood - addresses, phone numbers, etc.
99. Tell about all the places you have worked.
102. How did you mother spend her time?
103. Were you responsible for household chores? What were they? Which did you enjoy most/least?

 Enjoy the Project and Good Luck.

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