FROM HASHTAG TO BOOK

From my resignation letter in August of 2014 to the last week of May, 2015, my #brookestayshome book is the most comprehensive document I have of my first year as a stay at home mama.

I adopted my hashtag along with my new role and used it on Instagram throughout the year.  There were no hard and fast rules for the use of my hashtag, but I did follow some general guidelines.  The big idea was to catch the everyday things that I was doing with the boys during the time while Brian was at work.  If it was an evening family activity, it did not get the hashtag.  If it was a daytime activity with just me and the kiddos, it did.  

There were weeks when I used the hashtag several times and other weeks that were skipped completely.  Again, I didn't want to set myself up for failure by prescribing anything like a "twice a week" standard. 

The photos are presented in chronological order and a flip-through of the book has a nice little "watch them grow" effect for both of the boys.  It's amazing how much the change over the course of nine months and how few of those changes are noticeable on a day-to-day basis.   

I had the book printed through Chatbooks and opted to include the date (but not the text) for each photo.  Chatbooks made things super easy as I was able to search my Instagram account by hashtag through their app.  Then, I just chose all of those photos and sent it to print.  Easy peasey.  

I know this is a book (and a time) that I will always cherish and it required almost zero work beyond hashtagging photos that I would have been posting anyway.  We are well into year two now and continuing the project with #stayinghomeyeartwo.