Mary Hemmingway-Emrich, a graphic designer living in Denver, Colorado, had the imaginative idea to design a time capsule for her daughter’s first birthday party. Mary knew she wanted to celebrate this first birthday milestone, but her daughter needed nothing, her closets and nursery were already overflowing.

Mary decided to throw a party for now while looking ahead to the future. She asked invited guests to bring something they thought would be significant to her daughter when she would be turning 16. Mary explained that they would be creating a special time capsule filled with gifts for her daughter's future, while celebrating her first birthday. On the day of the party, it was fun to see what choices had been made. "We all talked about my daughter’s future, wondering who she would become as she grew up...it was fun to think about."