Story Starter for Halloween

I just finished my 6th Story Starter filled with MY MEMORIES of Halloween. I’m going to share it with you, but as I do I want to emphasize that these little albums are NOT just another 4x4 mini book.
Did you get that?
NOT a mini book!
Story Starters are an exercise in rediscovering (unboxing really) details about any person, place or thing that you want to remember. This process invites you upstairs into your amazing brain and your attic of memories where you have stored away every experience, conversation, adventure, song, movie, friend, job, vacation, holiday—you get the idea—that’s stored up there. And, it’s ALL up there! But you do need to open the right boxes and then ask the right questions, so the box you’re revisiting will stay open and show you the memories you’re after. The key to your success is the workbook that comes with every Story Starter kit.

Here, I’ll walk you through the process for me and my Halloween memories. I started by closing my eyes and asking my brain to find and open the box marked Halloween. As a reminder, I’ve been around for more than half a century, so my Halloween box is big and deep, but I’m always blown away at how many details I can unpack. When I opened my eyes I recorded details as fast as I could. I then sorted those bits into bigger chunks to create an outline. ONLY then do I go to my computer and call up some Halloween images. With this process, we don’t start with pictures. We start with memories—stories.

Let’s take a little break here and watch my mini movie, so you can see the end result …

How much do you love that music? Raise your hand if you watched the Munsters after school like I did?

Thanks to my Library of Memories, this is what happens when I open my photos program and type TH_Halloween into the search bar.

From this selection of images I am able to find several that I can use to illustrate the story chunks on my outline. But, there are a few chunks that would be better illustrated with older photos. This is when I go downstairs and open my Things We Do category drawers and see whats behind the Halloween tab. YES! score. I found 4 photos that I want to use. And, finally I pull out my Storage Binder that is currently storing prints from my childhood. I found 2 more photos that will work!

Note: I wish I had links that define more of the tools in my Library of Memories system. Clearly I new to get a few more posts written. But, I am someday very soon going to publish my FREE introductory eCourse called The Principle of Photo Freedom, which is all about my Library of Memories. You can sign up to be notified HERE.

Back to my little book. I now get to write out my memories on the little story cards that come with the kit and pair these story chunks to the photos I’ve selected. Not at all required, but rather FUN is the option of adding stamped images to your handwritten stories.

When I’m all done I slip my story cards and my photos into my book and proudly display it in my living room. I adore the fact that these little books can be used as home decor and that (here comes the unexpected bonus) as your family members view it, these pictures and memories invariable spark memories for them as well. So, a Story Starter not only helps you start a story, it helps others do the same. Like I said, BONUS!

I’ll be sharing more about my Halloween book in my insta-story today over on my @storybystacy instagram account.

and, Don’t Forget … I’m teaching Story Starter at the upcoming Pinner’s Conference in Salt Lake City, UT November 3rd AND in Phoenix, AZ November 9th — I would LOVE to see you at one of these events. You can save 10% on your admission with the code CTMH ❤️

I’ve been working hard on my presentation and I’m excited! You do not actually have to have your own kit to come to my class, but you’ll probably want one after its over and you’ll be able to purchase one or more at the Close To My Heart booth.

Can’t wait!