Exactly four years ago tomorrow, I had an idea for a fun tradition to start every Leap Day. Leap Day was already 75% over by the time the idea struck me, but I didn't let that stop me.

On February 29, 2008, I created a Leap Year Time Capsule! And this year, I opened it one day early, so I could share the contents with you and perhaps inspire you to try something similar tomorrow.

I picked out a cute container from TJ Maxx (actually a wine gift box, I think). And filled it with random evidence of everyday life.

Like pictures I quickly took that night, featuring the members of the household: me, my husband, my stepson, my dog, and my nieces who were over for a slumber party that weekend.

And our favorite snacks. Now petrified.

And the front page of the newspaper, receipts from that day and earlier that week (showing a typical grocery trip), and other random things. Like the cost of a stamp and a gallon of gasoline.

And a list of facts about our lives right now, like the hobbies we're into, latest news, ways we're serving in our church, etc. Mostly I focused on things that I imagined were going to change in the next 4 years. (Example: at the time, we were planning to put our home up for sale. But it turns out that we didn't.)

And a little prediction I asked my mom to write on a sticky note. She was exactly right about having 12 grandkids by 2012! She was less right about my little brother and my little sister being married by now. Know anyone? ;)

And some confidential stats, like our respective salaries, mortgage payment (since I thought that was going to change), weight (also thought that was going to change, ha!), stuff like that.

It was SO fun to look through the things I saved that day four years ago and reflect on how things have changed. Jeremy is now 17 and about to graduate. We have a 17-month-old baby. We said goodbye to our sweet Ruby, and we now have a 2-year-old crazy dog. Jobs and salaries have changed. Postage stamps and gasoline are more expensive. It's the stuff of life.

Give it a try! I'm making another one this year. Hopefully this one will be a little prettier, planned out, coordinated in some way. But even if it's not, that's not the point, is it?

For extra help capturing the details of your everyday life (perhaps in a darling little notebook for your time capsule), pick up the List It! Everyday Life Edition journaling guide. All List It! products are 29% off through Leap Day!

Happy Leap Day!

And Now For Today's Giveaway

We continue our Stamping Month wrap-up with another fantastic giveaway.

We're excited to introduce you to a new online scrapbooking retailer, ScrapbooksPlus.com! It's a cool story: a friend and business consultant of Ella Publishing Co. recently purchased an existing online retailer that was about to close its doors. He's now giving it an extreme makeover, so please pardon any dust. It has a cool new name and logo, a new and evolving website, and it will soon have an infusion of new products. But in the meantime, there are plenty of products in inventory that are still cute and trendy—hundreds of which are available at 25% off for the grand opening.

Lucky for you, ScrapbooksPlus.com is celebrating Stamping Month by offering EVERYONE a 50% off coupon (that's off the already discounted grand-opening prices) on anything in the stamps and inks category. Use code ELLAFEB50 at checkout through February 29, 2012 to save your 50%, and you'll also get FREE SHIPPING on your order (to U.S. addresses).

Now THAT'S a deal! Click here to take your pick of stamping goodies, from Pink Paislee, Sassafrass Lass, Autumn Leaves, 7Gypsies, Prima, Inkadinkadoo, and more. Oh, and inks too! (I myself can't say enough good things about the My Mind's Eye 8-color inkpads. I love mine!)

Also leave comment on this post to enter today's giveaway for a $100 gift certificate to ScrapbooksPlus.com, which includes free shipping to U.S. addresses! Entries accepted through Wednesday, February 29. Randomly drawn winner posted March 1st.

(Tip: yesterday's giveaway is also open through Wednesday!)