If you have never been to the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, plan on it this summer. I was a little hesitant to go not knowing what to expect, but I am here to tell you that it was one of the funnest date nights we have had in a while! My husband described it as being better than a comedy club because they take you on a roller coaster of emotion. One minute you are laughing and then you take a quick turn to heartbreak. It is amazing how storytellers can draw you in and make you feel a part of their lives in such a short period! When we returned home well after 11 p.m. it was like we had some sort of euphoric runners high. We were both wide awake and so, well, happy.

I was so pleased to meet Carol Rice, the President of Cherish Bound. From the minute I met her she had this wonderful glow about her and you could tell she was completely at home at the festival. She was so excited to share the experience with us, and now I know why! Storytelling has such a power. It takes a moment in time that could be lost forever and through its writer or teller is transformed into an outpouring of her soul, truly a walk in her shoes. Capturing these moments and treasured family tales is what Cherish Bound is all about.

The Storytelling Festival comes around a couple of times a year, but Cherish Bound is here with an entire line of amazing products to help you find, capture and share your story anytime of year. They truly do have something for everyone whether you want to document the lifetime experiences of your ancestors (or yourself) or just get a conversation started at the dinner table.

One of my favorite ideas from Cherish Bound is the tribute book from the family collection. With Mother’s Day coming up what could be a more beautiful way to show your love and honor your mother than to express to her the intangible gifts she has bestowed. My siblings and I made Tribute books for both my mother and father and they were by far some of the most treasured gifts. They are proudly displayed in their front room for all their guests to see.

Another product I wish I had known about earlier is the Birth to 18 Months book from the early childhood collection. I really tried to keep a journal throughout pregnancy and wanted to document my son’s birth story but quickly became frustrated with the details and gave up on the part where I was in labor. I did not even document my feelings about his birth! Pitiful, I know. The Cherish Bound Story Starter covers the first 18 months of life and truly is a must for every new parent. It breaks it down for you and helps you know where to start. Carol the owner of Cherish Bound shared this insight into the early childhood story starters, “even when you’re writing in hindsight the Story Starters bring the memories back
like it just happened.  I wrote a book for my kids using that exact Story Starter when my “baby” was 8 and using it I remembered things I hadn’t thought about in years.” So it is never too late!

All in all, I am truly joyful that I was a part of this review. I was exposed to the amazing and powerful art of storytelling for the first time and got to meet Carol who encourages  me with her mission to capture those inspiring and timeless tales one family at a time.

So now that you are all motivated, what better way to start than with a fun GIVEAWAY!

You can win your very own Family Yearbook with the story starter and book from Cherish Bound by commenting on this post!

This Story Starter is filled with ideas for writing about every member of your family, your favorite pastimes, foods and activities from the year. It will help you identify trends and celebrate the “everyday” of your family.

For the chance to win this giveaway you must:

-Comment on this post once

-For 5 extra entries tweet about this giveaway

-For 10 extra entries facebook about this giveaway

-For 15 extra entries blog about this giveaway

Good luck! This giveaway ends Friday, March 12th at midnight!

THE GIVEAWAY WAS WON BY CRYSTAL AND IS NOW CLOSED.