Five Ways to Preserve Summer Memories

There's a fact I need to face. Summer is steadily drawing to a close. Each August, the realization of just how fleeting the summer season is shocks me. Fireflies go to wherever fireflies head, the wafting smell of backyard barbeques grows more and more faint, and there's an overwhelming urge to buy things in plaids as a new school year approaches. In fact, next Wednesday on Patch we start gearing up for the new school year with Moms Talk.

Before all that happens however, I thought I'd offer a few ideas for making the magic of summer last—through memories.

Below are five easy DIY ways to hold onto summer memories curated from some of my favorite sites and blogs.

1. Make a vacation memory jar

These easy-to-make jars require no more than holding on to a few precious mementos from the summer. Movie stubs, shells, postcards, notes and other knickknacks can be stored together to create a three-dimensional snapshot of your summer adventures.

2. Order prints from your smartphone

You've snapped countless hipstamatic photos from your phone this summer, now what to do with them? Well now thanks to HipstMart Print Lab you can order prints right from your phone. Just upload them to the site and have the prints shipped to your mailbox. It's that easy. Post them on the fridge, put them in a photo album, scrapbook them, whatever you'd like.

3. Write your memories down

If I don't write it down, I find myself forgetting what happened. That's why I love these notecards from Tiny Tales. All you have to do is fill them in and your summer memories are archived. I also think they'd make a great addition to the next idea.

4. Create a shadow box

Martha Stewart Living's Darcy Miller created a series of shadow boxes that are utterly charming. I am especially fond of the Fourth of July arrangement as it's such a special event in our town. By taking a single photo and combining it with a keepsake from the day, you get instant memory impact.

5. Turn a photo into a lovely keepsake

I love this DIY activity from superstar blogger Design Mom. My kids and I actually made these snow globes last year and gave them as gifts to the grandparents. But they're not just for Christmas presents. They make an excellent project for summer when you use a summer photo. Use a larger jar (canning size) and you could even pop in one of the hipstamatic prints from above.

What about you? Do you have a favorite way to preserve summer memories? Share below or upload a photo of your project to the site. I'd love to see what you created.