why I didn't worry about my photos when my computer crashed (even though I hadn't backed them up yet!)

Fickle technology:  it's the real deal.

If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you probably already know how strongly I feel about PRESERVING YOUR PHOTOS IN PRINT--not just because it's the most meaningful way to store them, but because technology is fickle, always changing, and... you just never know.

Well, it happened to me.  

Three weeks ago (a very lousy birthday present, mind you), the operating system on my computer did an automatic update.  So as to avoid badmouthing any particular operating system, let's just call it Bindows Len.  It did this automatic update thing that I not only didn't authorize but that I had no idea was going on.  And all of a sudden my computer was completely inaccessible.

The good news is that I wasn't worried about my pictures AT ALL.  Isn't that amazing??  

I actually hadn't saved this year's onto a memory stick yet, but even if I lost them from my computer, I knew that I had all my pictures from this year saved in FULL RESOLUTION in my Heritage Makers account, and I could go to ANY OTHER COMPUTER and login, then save my photos to an external hard drive, CD, memory stick, etc.  But more than that, I'd preserved them in print (via storybooks and digital scrap pages), so I had those photos in the most important way anyway.  Digital photos are just the back-up.

This is just one of the many reasons I swear by Heritage Makers up and down.  It's an easy, high-quality way to get your photos off your phone/computer, and the digital storage at high resolution (with free downloads) is an excellent back-up!  (And Heirloom Assurance even backs up your photos in published projects!)

If you haven't used Heritage Makers yet, do yourself a favor and click the "how to get started" tab and GO!  #itsthebest

And if you're curious about the end of the story:  My husband was able (after SEVERAL tries) to find a way to save documents and photos and videos to a flash drive before we had to wipe the computer and re-install everything.  (I have no idea how that worked.  #miracle #graceofgod  Seriously.)  

But, lesson learned!  I bought an external hard drive and will definitely be backing up my computer regularly from now on.  Because you just never know.  A crash is always out of your control.  

Good thing Heritage Makers has your back.

UPDATE 2023:  Heritage Makers, under new ownership and a new website, no longer offers cloud storage for photos.  For permanent, private cloud photo and video storage with the same downloadable perks mentioned, Photo & Story Treasures recommends Forever Storage.  

You can safely store your precious photo, video, and audio files there in full resolution, which you can download at any time.  Most cloud photo storage services these days reserve rights to your photos, to mine (sell) your data, and to discontinue their services at any time, with or without notice, even if you are paying the monthly maintenance fee.  With Forever, you purchase your storage space (once!) so that you OWN it, and there is no fine print--Forever is meant to be forever.  You can learn more here:

I was surprised to learn this:

And relieved to learn this: