Do you have any idea how many photographs and videos you’ve taken of your kid(s) this year? Lots of us use our cameras + phones to document our children’s lives but how often do we go back and make something special with all those captured moments?
My holiday creative family challenge for you is to pick a few of your favorite photos and/or videos and create an End-of-the-Year Visual Postcard that you can share with your family and friends. To get you started, I’m giving away a brand new song called, “Oh, How You’ve Grown” that I wrote specifically for this creative challenge (there are no catches I promise). I’m just hoping that the song might inspire you to do something fun with all those photos and videos to celebrate this year in the life of your family.
Here’s the one I did as an example. I used iMovie to make this and took most of the video with my phone. If you don’t have iMovie on your computer, there are lots of free slideshow programs you can download from the Internet.
Here’s the free download of the song.
To download it, right-click over the above link (or control-click if you don’t have 2-button mouse) and select “Save Target As…” or “Save Link As…” to save it to your computer. This song will be here till the end of the year & is for non-commercial use only (please).
Ok, now go make something beautiful with all those photos of your kids!
xox frances xox p.s. If you want to share your Year-End Family Postcards with me, you can post them to my Facebook page – but no pressure — I really want this to be for your family more than anything.
this is a lovely, lovely idea…..
Wow! I’ve just come to this via Amanda at SouleMama. What a beautiful, generous, inspired idea. I will be getting our footage together along with my “boys” to help me on the computer. Will try to let you know how I get on. Thank you so much.
Hello,
I also wandered over via SouleMama, but have enjoyed your music for a few years. I am glad I visited, because I didn’t know you had a new album out! Thank you for making wonderful music for little and big!
What a wonderful idea! I started to make one myself, but I can’t seem to get the song to be the theme of the iphoto slideshow. Any ideas?
Hey Leigh, if you were able to download the song, you may need to import into iTunes manually. Once you know the location of the downloaded file, go to iTunes –> File –> Add File to Library… and then select the downloaded file. Let me know if you have any other questions — good luck!
Is this download link still active luv? I cannot seem to download it-just takes me to a grey screen
Hi Dodie,
The link is active & will be till the end of the year. Did the right clicking over the link not work? If not, please email me directly at frances@francesengland.com and I’ll help you figure it out.
Just Wonderful…
This is so lovely….
Help!
I have a mac and can’t seem to save the song? Anyone have a tip?
Hi Elizabeth,
What happens when you right click over the download link? Maybe you could email me at frances@francesengland.com and I can make sure you get it working….thanks for trying!
This is beautiful. XOXO Happy Holidays XOXO.
Hello Frances,
. I already used it to make not one, but two experiments with video and one with photos, so I wanted to share them with you.
Thank you for the idea, your song is just perfect, it is so nice, I love it
The year post-card from 2011:
http://gretaylukas.tumblr.com/post/13977883655/experimentando-un-poco-con-imovie-greta-lukas
and the year post-card from 2010:
http://gretaylukas.tumblr.com/post/14012100518/greta-lukas-ano-2010-cancion-de-frances
I would get some more of your music. Thank you for the song.
I just made a video for my husband for Christmas. I haven’t been able to make it through the song once without bawling. Thank you for such a wonderful idea.
(For mac users, super easy. Just hold control while you click the link and “Save Target As…” to download. I loaded movies into iMovie, imported the song (which I had to drag into itunes) and added it as the soundtrack. Make sure you “mute clips” to remove the video’s audio if you just want to heart the music.)
Diana, Thank you so, so much for sharing your gorgeous video + photo slideshow. They are so beautiful — especially love all the snow scenes at the end of the video. Please tell Greta & Lukas hello from me! take care xo frances xo
Hi Mrs. Q — thanks for the helpful Mac tips! Hope you have a wonderful holiday xo frances xo
Hi! Thanks so much for the song. I came via Nurtured, a parenting/baby store in Halifax NS. I think they had posted the link on facebook. Here is a link to the video I made. It is as polished as it gets with a newborn in the house! The song is beautiful! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W2bcDaEhIs
thanks so much for offering this as a free download, it’s great, can’t wait to make my slideshow! :0)
I am a fan of your music and love that you are offering this for a free download. I saw other comments about not being able to download. I followed what you said about searching for it and putting it into iTunes, but for some reason I can’t seem to find where it landed in my system. I’ve done a search in every area of my computer and can’t locate it. I wish I was able to just copy it to iTunes. Any suggestions?
Hi Debi! I just emailed the song to you directly. If anyone else has problems, please email me and I’m happy to just send it to you. xo frances xo
“Gratitude, thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a feeling, emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received.” How else can I express how absolutely kind and wonderful you are to share with us this beautiful song that once again touches my heart. This is my creation and with your song, I adore it even more.
http://youtu.be/Qu6-TbmHYO0
Thank you this song is just beautiful. I can’t wait to make a video for my husband’s bday later this month.
(the Mac directions were super helpful. thanks)
i cannot download the song on my mac to use it for a collage…can you please advise or redirect me to another website. i love love love the song!!!!
OMG!!! I want to do the challenge but do not know how to download the song in my iMac. Please help!!!!
Or can I buy it?
sometimes…
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Hi Frances!
My daughter and I met you last fall at Steep Ravine. I love this song so much and used it to make a video for her preschool graduation. https://vimeo.com/44205949
You’re so right about digital photos and videos gathering, umm, e-dust! Thanks for the creative outlet.
Now if only once she would sing “Daddy-O” to me!
Could I still get this song…I love it. I have a mac. Thank you so much it is beautiful.