Issue May 2009
Women's LifeStyle Magazine May 2009
-
Limited Edition
“Rockford Independent”
April 13, 2009 – 1:59 pm
The Travelling Book Rockford Independent
As reported by The “Rockford Independent” Newspaper April 6, 2009
A Great Grandaughter Reflects
March 9, 2009 – 1:24 pm
Excerpts from A Travelling Book
Sent to us by Morgan Thomas
I must start by saying that picking one story to describe my GG is impossible. There are so many things that come to mind when I think of GG. I always remember when all of the family would be eating a late breakfast at her house up on beautiful Torch Lake and she would wake up from her “beauty nap” and come out into the kitchen. Her face would light up when she saw us all. She loved having us all there and sometimes I think that she took those naps so that when she woke up and made her entrance, all eyes would be on her (which of course they were). She always loved the attention, and we loved giving it to her.
Easter was always so much fun at GG’s House. Maybe it was because it didn’t take too long to find the Easter baskets in her - not so large- house. HEHE. I also loved cookie decorating , cooking and the family bonding time. I’ll never forget the time we cleared the furniture out of the living room so we could all do somersaults and head stands!! I couldn’t believe that GG even participated. She was always spunky and energetic. I loved those qualities about my Great Grandmother!
Another thing about GG was the she didn’t have to say much for you to know how she felt! If she was disappointed, you knew it. That was one thing I strived never to do- let down GG. I remember once, when Alicia, my sister, and I were having a petty fight over my Great Grandmother’s Wood lincoln logs, GG stopped us and pulled me aside. I don’t remember exactly what she said but it wasn’t mean or condescending. It still made me feel horrible. She possessed that gift and I never wanted her to have to use it again!
Ahhhh and who can forget GG’s stories? It’s Hard to forget them since she enjoyed telling them so often. Days as a head pastry chef in Ohio and providing fish dinners for her friends were among her favorites! As much as these stories became a tad monotonous, we welcomed them compared to her Bowel movement stories!!!!
Something that I was so thankful for was the ability to live with GG for a few months when she came to stay with my parents and me after she left her home of over 65 years! They say you don’t know someone until you live with them, and it is very true. I really grew to respect GG even more than I did before, I mean, who else would I wait on hand and foot? Even when her back hurt, she would always be enthusiastic about coming to my choir concerts and volleyball games. She really loved her family, and we really loved her in return. I can’t say enough good about GG, since she was simply and honestly a good person.
It was difficult near the end to see GG so frail, but she was still fighting up until the very end. Of course, I can NEVER forget the last time that I saw GG. Nana, Papa, and I were all in her room at Trillium Hospice Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We were in her room singing her favorite hymns. She had been unresponsive all morning and it was about time for me to head back to college. As I was getting ready to leave, I told GG how much I loved her and gave her a kiss. Just then, she opened her eyes and said, “I love you too, honey.You don’t know how much my family means to me.” That was the best gift I could have ever received.
I truly believe that I was given the best Great Grandma there has ever been. I learned so many things from her that I hope to pass on to my kids. GG will never be forgotten, She made sure of that!
GR Press 2/12/09
February 12, 2009 – 10:46 pm
Thanks To The
Great Northern Trading Company
for showing us some love in the Grand Rapids Press!
February 12th, 2009
Great Northern Trading Company Ad Grand Rapids Press
Travelling Book Upcoming Events
February 10, 2009 – 3:52 pm
March & April Events:
Great Northern Trading Company 32nd
Anniversary Sale
May 9th, 2009
1-3 P.M.
Great Northern Trading Company
10 Squires Street Square
Rockford, Michigan 49341 Map
John and Julia Thomas, Developers of The Travelling Book Series, will be available for book signing at the Great Northern Trading Company. John & Julia will also be sharing creative writing techniques and tools that will help you create a unique Travelling Book that will be treasured for generations to come
A “Theme Inspiring” Contest will be held compliments of “The Travelling Book Company” & the “Great Northern Trading Company”. Give us an inspiring, unique or funny theme title for us to add to “The Travelling Book Series”. If your theme idea is chosen, you will receive your very own “Travelling Book Kit” WITH the first printed copy of YOUR theme idea! Even if your theme isn’t chosen, don’t despair, your entry will be added for our Second Drawing where we will be drawing from all entries received during this event for a SECOND Travelling Book Kit to be given away! Don’t miss out on the fun and come join us!
All entries can be made in person at the “Great Northern Trading Company” or sent to us via email to: contactus@thetravellingbookco.com
Get the creative juices flowing and remember, people’s lives are colorful! Be creative, think outside the box!
For more information please contact us at: Contactus@thetravellingbookco.com
or call us at:616-302-0251
Travelling Book Workshop
Schuler Books & Music
40 Fountain NW
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
March 19th 6:30 P.M.
Map
Blount Private Party!
Travelling Book Workshop
Ada, Michigan
April 25th
6:00 P.M.
News Release 2-4-09
February 4, 2009 – 9:09 am
For Immediate Release
Contact: Julia Thomas
(616) 302-0251
jthomas@thetravellingbookco.com
GATHER STORIES, HISTORY, AND CONNECT WITH OTHERS WITH YOUR OWN
“TRAVELLING BOOK COMPANY’S” HEIRLOOM & COFFEE TABLE BOOK
ROCKFORD, Michigan, February 3, 2009 –The Travelling Book Company introduces a way to connect with others, one page at a time, and have it published as a soft cover coffee table book.
Introducing The Travelling Book & Kit, the newest way to preserve memories and stories while sharing them with others. The Travelling Book & Kit is meant to be passed around between families, friends and/or perfect strangers, so everyone can share stories, memories and pictures, and then have it published into a perfect-bound coffee table book available for purchase by the book’s contributors.
The Kit includes an heirloom-quality, all-wood (choose from four finishes), genuine leather-bound binder handcrafted in the U.S.A.; a shrink-wrapped theme packet (choose from five separate themes) or create your own) filled with 80 pages for writing and illustrating your stories or family history; and a Travelling Book gift box suited for shipping and gift giving.
Here’s how The Travelling Book works: Once the kit is purchased, the originator (the individual who purchases the Travelling Book & Kit) forwards the binder and theme pages to their friends, family and even strangers who then fill the pages with stories and pictures, based on the provided theme and the originator’s tailored instructions. After the book has been passed around and the pages filled, the last person to contribute to the book sends it back to the originator who then has the option to send the completed original contents to The Travelling Book Company. The Travelling Book Company can copy and publish the contents as a perfect-bound coffee table book. These books are then available for purchase by the book’s originator and its contributors. The original contents are sent back to the originator who can then store them in the wooden binder forever.
“Typically recorded are the date we’re born and the date we die, but it’s the journey in between that defines the purpose of our lives and creates our unique stories,” said Julia Thomas, developer of The Travelling Book Company. “This Travelling Book series helps preserve the stories of people’s lives and experiences to be forever recorded and shared with future generations.”
The Travelling Book Company offers the following five starter themes which can be tailored and built upon, based on instructions provided by the book’s originator:
Our Family’s Urban Legends. Every family has their legends and myths. This theme allows family members to share their recollection of “the story.”
Roads Travelled and Journeys Taken – Memorable Vacations and Favorite Places to Travel. With this theme, ask contributors to share stories of their unforgettable and memorable escapes. Photos, maps, menus and other memorabilia can be added.
A Tale Like No Other – Begin a Story and Ask Others to Add to It. Have you ever sat around the campfire, asking each person to orally add a line or paragraph to story? Now you can put it in writing and illustrate it, too. Contributors are encouraged to add to a story with words, original artwork, photographs and other memorabilia to illustrate an original tall tale. The idea is to pass the book around as far as possible (even around the globe) and end up with a unique, never-before-written tale or adventure.
Of “Relative” Importance – A Collection of Family Memories. Ask friends and family to add their favorite photos, stories, old letters and mementos to create a book of your unique family history. This is a wonderful theme to honor lost loved ones and to preserve their memories.
Celebrating Food, Family, Wine & Friends – A Collection of Recipes, Traditions & Memories Gathered Around the Table. You’re only limited by your imagination in what you collect for this theme. Suggestions include adding favorite family recipes, traditions, conversations, photos, etc.
“Each theme is meant to stir the contributors’ imaginations,” explained Thomas. “The more adventurous you get – both with your themes and to whom you send the book – the more original and interesting your book becomes. Our goal is to connect people and help them get back to the basics with good stories and to preserve the memorable moments of our lives. There’s no limit to what you can do with these books, and anyone at any age can easily contribute.”
The Travelling Book & Kit also make great gifts and can be presented as wedding or baby gifts, teacher gifts, workplace gifts and more. Present them empty to be filled by the recipient’s choosing, or as a finished heirloom.
About The Travelling Book & Kit
The Travelling Book & Kit is handcrafted in the U.S.A. Each kit includes an heirloom, leather-bound wood binder. Wood finishes are hand-stained and hand-sanded and come in choice of cherry, pecan, espresso and ginger finishes. The binder also includes a string and button envelope to hold extra pictures, mementos and memorabilia. (Retail $69.95) The themed packet contains instructions, a loose-leaf paper packet of 80 pages (60 lined for writing and 20 blank for illustrations and photographs) (Retail $19.95). Entire Book & Kit retails for $89.90 Extra pages to add to a theme, can be purchased at $11.95 per 40 page packet or $14.95 per 80 page packet. Each heirloom binder and theme is packaged in a Travelling Book box which can be used to ship the finished contents back to The Travelling Book Company or to present the binder as a gift. Contents can be copied and published as a perfect bound coffee table book (soft cover retails for $49.95). Contributors to the book can purchase copies of the coffee table book at the Travelling Book Web site.
The Travelling Book is available at Schuler Books & Music, 40 Fountain Street NW, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Schuler Books & Music, 3165 Alpine Ave. Walker, Mich. and “Great Northern Trading Company” 10 Squires Street - Rockford, Mich. & The Travelling Book Company’s Web site,
High-resolution product photo available at http://www.thetravellingbookco.com/images/product.jpg
Travelling Book Theme Ideas Preserving Life’s Memories
January 31, 2009 – 12:26 pm
The Travelling Book Company wants to share just a few of the great personalized themes that we’ve had people order for their Travelling Book! Get YOUR imagination going and think of all the possibilities the Travelling Book has to Offer! Don’t lose your stories, preserve them for a lifetime!
Have Your Theme Personalized for Your Travelling Book!
“Our Gifts From Kursk, Russia” Reflections of our Children’s Lives
This theme was ordered by a family that adopted two children from Kursk, Russia. They traveled with a group of other Parents who were also adopting children. In their Travelling Book, the parents are collectively telling the exciting stories of their trips, the way they felt the first time they saw their children, the struggles of adoption, Russia’s culture, & how the children have blessed their lives. What a great book of memories this will be for the children to always treasure!
“Memoirs of the Life of Irene Lundy”
This theme is being passed around to relatives, family and friends who are collectively sharing the stories of the
life of their grandmother/mother, Irene, who passed away in ‘08. They are finding out that many people have stories about parts of Irene’s life that they themselves didn’t know about. They are collecting stories from people that knew Irene even before her children were born. They are enjoying documenting a history of Irene they never knew existed!
“The “Redneck” Group of Travellers”
This theme was created By a group of people who get together once a year and take a “Redneck” trip. Their trips are always a week long with approximately 15 couples. I hear the stories are hilariously funny and they are now documenting each years trip until their Travelling Book is full. Everyone is excited about ordering a coffee table book so they can ALL have a copy of their stories to revisit and chuckle about!
“Words of Wisdom for Happily Ever After” Mr. & Mrs. Afleck May 23rd, 2009
This Theme was ordered for a wedding gift. The Travelling Book will be passed around during the reception for everyone to contribute their advice, wisdom and tips on how to have a successful marriage. The book will be presented to the couple after they return from their honeymoon.
Give us your Theme Ideas! Email us: Contactus@thetravellingbookco.com
