When I tell people I'm pretty consistently caught up on preserving my pictures, their reactions are usually a mix of surprise and jealousy. My real goal for a reaction, though, is hope. I want people to feel hopeful. Not being behind on your photos (i.e. not having them gathering virtual dust on your hard drive or phone) IS DO-ABLE! It is attainable.
Given the number of photos we take and the general {lack of time} we have, there are some tricks to learn if you want to stay caught up preserving your photos. And you do--trust me--because {it's so good for you}, not to mention for kids and families as a whole.
The common "I'm so behind on my photos" complaint prompted me to write a series of articles for a blog I am a contributor for. I thought, "Why not share my own tips and strategies? Why not share exactly what I do?" The series ran in September, and I would like to share them with you today.
You can find the links to each of my articles below. I hope they will be helpful. I want them to give you HOPE as well as actual TOOLS so that you can join me in the minority of people who have actual photo albums and books and pages to show instead of empty hands full of good intentions.
Most
people think that to preserve pictures, you have to “scrapbook.” {That’s not true}, of course, as we’ve seen in
previous #familyhistoryfriday posts in our Preserving Pictures series this
month. We’ve seen {digitalscrap pages} and {digital storybooking}. There are so many options that you’ll
definitely be able to find something that works for YOU at this month’s
series. So what about traditional paper
scrapbooking?
Did you know the first “scrapbook”
was the family Bible? Bibles quickly became family heirlooms, passed down
from generation to generation. People would record births and deaths in
the front cover of their Bibles as early as the mid-1400s. According
to {The History of Scrapbooking}, by the mid-1800s,
publishers started including extra pages in the fronts of Bibles for people to
record family births, deaths, and marriages. It became common around this
time to also add newspaper clippings and other “scraps” (like crocheted
bookmarks or even locks of hair) within the pages of the family Bible. My
father-in-law found a {tintype} photo in the family Bible he inherited!
During
the 1800s, photographs came into being, and printed memorabilia increased in
popularity. People would save mementos and photos in “scrap books,” a
word coined in the 1800s. Family scrapbooks grew in popularity between
about 1920-1970. At that time, scrapbooks were books of blank pages,
usually black or cream-colored, ready for photos, journaling, stories, and
mementos to be kept. ScrapbookING, though, is another story.
Today’s
Paper Scrapbooking
According
to {The History of Scrapbooking}, Marielen Christensen first
introduced today’s paper scrapbooking method of colorful, decorated pages in
1980. She showed her collections of 3-ring binders containing her photos,
memories, and mementos to The World Conference on Records, a genealogy
conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Attendees loved her books!
Christensen opened the first scrapbooking store just one year later.
Rhonda Anderson, co-founder of Creative Memories and now Our Memories for Life, said her mother made decorated scrapbooks for her well before the 1980s. Those books and the {profound influence memory-keeping has on the heart and soul} are what inspired her to share the scrapbooking message with the world.
By
the 1990s, “scrapbooking” meant more than just simple mementos and photos
pasted on blank pages. It was an art form, a dedicated hobby, with monthly magazines
published about it and more and more stores carrying scrapbooking
supplies. Scrapbooking also became a social phenomenon at this time, with
scrapbook hobbyists meeting together for “crops” where they would work on their
scrapbook pages.
You
Might Love Paper Scrapbooking if…
Many
people enjoy paper scrapbooking because it is creative and hands-on, and many
people enjoy the social element of it, too. Do you think it might be the
right option for you to preserve your photos and memories?
I’ve
found that people who prefer paper scrapbooking generally:
like
the tactile method of putting photos and memories together
enjoy
scrapbooking groups or “crops” for the social benefits they provide
like
creativity and creative expression
have
printed photos to preserve, such as inherited family photos
What
I Love About Paper Scrapbooking
Full
disclosure: I haven’t really used paper scrapbooking as my main
memory-keeping method for about 10 years. (I’m a full-fledged {digital scrapbooking} addict now. It’s how I
stay caught up!)
However, when I used paper scrapbooking, I loved it
because of the social benefit–I scrapbooked with a friend while our kids played
together. Putting it on your calendar to do with someone else is not only fun but also helps your good intentions become reality! I also love that I can use all the paper scrapbooking tools,
stickers, leftover paper, etc., for greeting cards, too. (It didn’t take
me long to discover that making my own cards often took less time than standing
in front of rows of greeting cards at a local store!) I love how endless the creativity is!
And {I honestly also love the process}. Taking the
time, relaxing, organizing my life (in a way) by sitting down with photos and then displaying them in a beautiful,
creative way is always so rewarding. I realize that’s not unique to paper
scrapbooking, but it’s true nonetheless.
What
Are Other Options?
If paper scrapbooking doesn’t
sound like your way to preserve photos and memories, don’t worry. There
are links to all the #familyhistoryfriday posts from this month where you can
find digital scrap pages, easy paper scrapbooking kits, and digital storybooks {right here}. Yearbooks are also a great use of digital storybooks, and {the yearbook method} can help you stop being overwhelmed with your photos, too! That link even has a video to walk you right through.
You’re sure to find something that fits your needs, personality, and
style at this month's #familyhistoryfriday series, Preserving Pictures. Whatever you choose, #dontletyourbabiesgrowuptobejpegs
Pin to save and share!
This
post was originally published at www.livegrowgive.org on March 23, 2018, by
Jennifer Wise. Read more #familyhistoryfriday posts by clicking the hashtag link below, next to Labels.
Do you know someone with an adoption story to tell? An adoptive child, an adoptive parent, and a parent who placed a child for adoption are all people with adoption stories.
There's a lovely article at {adoption.com} called 5 Creative Ways to Document an Adoption Visit. It's written for those who have placed a child for adoption and visit, but the five suggestions given could be used for anyone telling an adoption story. And guess what! LifeTales Books powered by Heritage Makers was mentioned in the article! Enjoy reading 5 creative ways to record adoption stories and experiences: https://adoption.com/5-creative-ways-to-document-an-adoption-visit
There are several ways to help you tell your adoption story.
For heirloom-quality books--how else would you want to preserve an adoption story?--see fantastic options here.
"You always resemble the ones who love you most." ~Scott Hamilton, former U.S. Olympian, adopted at six weeks old
If you’ve never heard of
storybooking, you’re not alone. The most common ways to preserve pictures
these days –getting them out of digital form and into your hands– is through
photo books or scrapbooks. Photo books are made digitally through online
companies (and even big box stores). You usually choose from a few
pre-designed styles, plug in your pictures with a caption, and you’re
done. Scrapbooks are hand-made using papers, scissors, stickers, pens, and
the like.
What, then, is digital
storybooking, and how is it different from more well-known methods like photo
books and scrapbooking?
This
month’s #familyhistoryfriday posts showcase several different methods for
preserving your photos and the stories that go with them.Some are hands-on methods while others are
digitally created.(You can find links
to all these methods at a link at the bottom of this post, too.) Today we'll look at digital storybooking and see what it has to offer. You might be surprised!
What
Digital Storybooking Is
In
the early 2000s, a {young mom named Candy May} realized that her kids
didn’t know her hero, her grandfather, as much as she wanted them to, so she
decided to do something about it. About 1,000 miles separated them, and
Candy had an idea to bridge the gap between the generations: she would
write her grandpa’s life story as a bedtime story for her kids.
Candy interviewed Grandpa Wozney, asking him about his younger years and his memories of his life. At first, Grandpa resisted a little because he didn’t think his life story was anything special. Don’t forget this great lesson: Every life story is special to someone else.
This little storybook, “My Great Grandpa,” became Candy’s kids’ very favorite book. They could quote from it! They got to know and love their mommy’s hero, their great grandpa, just because she took the time to bridge the distance between them.
And
this is actually the story of Heritage Makers! This experience would lead
Candy to start the Heritage Makers business a few years later, giving others
the opportunity to easily write their own family stories from their own online
accounts, then have them published on the Heritage Makers printing press on
heirloom-quality materials. And so the term “digital
storybooking” was coined.
By the way, that black and white picture is
Candy reading her storybook to her son, Teague. After Heritage Makers was
born, she reprinted the book as shown above.
What’s
the Storybooking Difference?
Aside from Heritage Makers books being printed at {much higher quality} than bargain-bin type photo books so common today, most photo books often just have a place for a caption or two. A
Heritage Makers storybook has no limits on photo or text placement, so you can
really tell the whole story. Simply writing “Cape Cod 2011” doesn’t tell
the story of the picture.
Was
this a special trip, or an everyday one? Who was there? How long
did you stay? Where did you stay? What happened that was fun,
funny, enjoyable, unique, or memorable? Who was with you? What did
you eat? Why did you go? What was your favorite part? What do
you want to always remember about the trip? Would you go again?
What’s the whole story behind the photos? Why did you take the photos in
the first place?
So
digital storybooking is much more than a “photo book” because it tells a whole
story. It gives words to your experiences, memories, and life. And
it’s something you can go back to again and again!
UPDATE 2023: Anywhere you preserve your story and your photos should be top quality. Heritage Makers was a great option 2004-2023, and Forever has also been a great option since 2013. In 2023, Heritage Makers became a new and different platform, YPhoto, under new management of Youngevity (which purchased Heritage Makers in 2013). YPhoto uses only templates, with the element of full flexibility and creativity gone. YPhoto is also no longer a photo storage platform.
Forever offers three software options for telling your story, from quick simplicity to fully creative digital scrapbooking, which is great so you can choose what best meets your style and your available time, with the assurance that Forever keeps your photos private (and does not data mine) as well as providing you with the highest quality products that will last a lifetime and beyond. You can see an overview of each of the 3 options for digital storybooking with Forever.
Note: The first option in the video, AutoPrint, is quick & easy but only offers captions on pages. I think it's a great tool for something like a wall canvas or a book about a trip to the zoo where you don't have a lot of story. Design & Print and Artisan are my recommendations for digital storybooking.
You
Might Love Digital Storybooking if…
I’ve
found that digital storybooking is the preferred method of preserving pictures
and memories for those who:
believe
strongly in journaling and want the space to do it; want to tell the whole story of their photos
want
a digital method of preserving their photos and stories
want
multiple copies of their books without any extra work
are
looking for a streamlined way to preserve all the photos and memories from one
year in one place (yearbook)
need
a high-quality way to showcase and remember a special event (wedding, vacation, graduation, etc.)
What
I Love About Digital Storybooking
I really love digital storybooking for all the reasons in the bullet points above. I’ve probably mentioned it before, but I personally love the {looseleaf method} of preserving my everyday photos and memories, so I use individual digital scrap pages most often. However, I adore digital storybooking for highlighting special occasions and being able to give copies of the books as gifts. There’s just nothing more meaningful.
Pretty
much THE MINUTE my mom was diagnosed with the disease that would take her life,
she said, “I want to go to the coast.” We arranged a family trip to her
Happy Place, the Oregon Coast. I take a lot of pictures anyway, but I
also suspected that this would be the last time she would be well enough to
make this trip. (Unfortunately, I was right.) I documented as many
moments of that short trip as I could and made a really lovely digital
storybook, recording all the details of our time together. It was how I could give my mom Oregon. She
had those memories and those gorgeous photos to go back to as her health
declined. And we still have a beautiful, meaningful keepsake of those
moments.
And,
truth be told, this is why I can’t say enough
about why I love digital storybooking. It’s one of
the most valuable tools I have for my family. It’s so much more than a
“photo book”–I can tell the whole story, record all the memories we make.
If digital storybooking is the
perfect fit for you, there are a couple of options. You can {get started here}.
What
Are Other Options?
If digital storybooking doesn’t
sound like your way to preserve photos and memories, don’t worry. I have
two more options coming this month! You’re bound to find a favorite, doable method here on #familyhistoryfriday
posts this month!Whatever you do, #dontletyourbabiesgrowuptobejpegs
Do you know someone who would love digital storybooking? Email this post or share it on social media.
This
post was originally published at www.livegrowgive.org on March 16, 2018, by
Jennifer Wise. Find more #familyhistoryfriday posts by clicking the hashtag below next to Labels.
Stories are who we are. We all have empowering stories, whether we see them or not. Our stories are something we can stand on to become who we want to be. Telling--especially writing--our own stories has tremendous power because knowing stories creates connections. You can even get to {know yourself} better!
{Cary Mac Arthur} says, "Feeling is the secret. If I want to feel empowered, going to a moment from my past or from my story brings the feeling back. Then I can move forward. ... That's what writing our story and having a picture does for us."
I was recently asked to be a guest on the Dare to Find Your Voice podcast with Cary Mac Arthur. Cary is an expert in teaching people how to discover their own voices. She asked me to talk about the importance of finding your story, writing your story, and sharing your story. We talked about how cathartic and powerful it is to go through your pictures and tell the story of your life experiences.
Are you ready to write your story? You'll love the connections, sense of purpose, and even the therapeutic benefits that come from the simple act of organizing your life's experience and writing it down. {This blog post} gives you some great resources for telling your story, and {this link} gives you some high-quality possibilities for publishing your story.
In a couple of weeks, I will arrive at my 13-year anniversary of being a memory-keeping consultant and storybooking coach. Looking back on my journey, I'm surprised at how my passion about connections through photos and memories and stories has grown and intensified over the years--only because I didn't think it could be any stronger. Memory-keeping is so much more powerful than most people realize, and people who sit on their photos and don't record their memories miss out on so much!
This inspired me to write a little book! (And I do mean "little." It's probably a 40-minute read.) This book just poured out of me. I think it's been waiting to be written for a while!
The words "wellness" and "self-care" are hot topics these days. You can find pins on Pinterest and blog posts all over the internet about various kinds of diet and exercise. There's clean eating, keto diets, spinning classes, and zumba. We are inundated with information about the latest trends in taking care of our bodies and minds.
What about the heart and soul?
This short book (a "booklet," really) reveals what is missing in self-care and wellness and why it matters. More importantly, there are chapters addressing solutions and myths, as well as two PLANS on how to make this important secret ingredient a part of your life and habits for real change!
The best part is that this secret ingredient isn't anything you don't already have!The key is just making a few changes so you can actually benefit from it! As I said in the book, "I don't want to be the squeaky wheel; I want to be the grease." There's no point in talking in theory if it can't be made into action.
Not only is this secret ingredient something you already have, but what's almost magical about it is that is actually benefits you while at the same time benefiting your loved ones. You can't really say that about many self-care strategies.
UPDATE: Here's the ebook version of "The Secret Ingredient to Self-Care and Wellness"!!
It's the first Friday of the month, so that means it's time to shine a light on what people are saying about Heritage Makers! This month's #friyay is from Marcie. We connected online several years ago and clicked right away. She is a busy mom of 5 and is always thinking about how to make connections between generations. Her passion is helping the elderly tell and record their life stories. My goal is to someday meet my friend Marcie. :)
Thanks for stopping by. We have a 2023 UPDATE:Heritage Makers and Snap2Finish became YPhoto under Youngevity (which purchased Heritage Makers in 2013). YPhoto uses only templates, so the creativity showcased here is no longer available there, and they also no longer have capability to print previously-created projects like these from the old system. YPhoto is not a photo storage site like Heritage Makers was.
Best-in-the-industry quality and permanent cloud photo storage with guaranteed privacy are required for anything recommended here by Photo & Story Treasures, so we highly recommend Forever for:
·creative digital scrapbooking applicable in a variety of photo products using Artisan software
·easy photo-memory books using free AutoPrint and Design & Print software programs
·private, permanent, secure, and guaranteed photo and video cloud storage (triple-backed-up and bank encrypted)
·white glove digitizing services for old memories like VHS tapes, slides, old scrapbooks (scanning), 8mm film, audio tapes, and much more
Learn more here to find similar products at top-quality with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
One big myth
about pictures is that “scrapbooking” is required for preserving them. (Spoiler: it's not.) This month on #familyhistoryfriday, we’ll focus on various ways to preserve photos. Because guess what. Your life story told through {your pictures and memories has tremendous (research-proven) benefits}, including mental health wellness and family connections! Each Friday this month we will look at a new
way of preserving photos, so there’s bound to be something that works for you!
There
are several ways to preserve pictures and memories, and I always tell people to
use what works for THEM. Ignore trends and what’s currently popular and
do what works for you. If
you don’t love it, you won’t do it.
We'll start off this Preserving Pictures 5-week series by this
week looking at my personal favorite way of preserving photos: digital scrap
pages.I’ve been using them for almost
10 years now, and I’ve used the same company the entire 10 years because
there’s nothing else like it out there.So without further ado, let’s look at preserving pictures using digital
scrap pages.
You
Might Love Digital Scrap Pages If…
I’ve
found that digital scrap pages are preferred by:
people
who like a loose-leaf album so they can include kids’ artwork, class pictures,
ticket stubs, etc.
people
who are transitioning out of paper scrapbooking since they can create digital
pages quickly while using up their stash of scrapbooking paper, stickers, etc.
If any of those sound like you,
you should give digital scrap pages a try.
If
you’re not sure what creating digital scrap pages would look like, you can
actually watch me do it--just the basics--right here:
And since there's so much creativity and flexibility available in this software program, Artisan, I've made a whole video series called Artisan Quick Tips with Jennifer where I show one cool thing you can do in each video, like adding a drop shadow, "cutting" digital papers, adding masks and frames to photos, and much more. See them all at this link.
What
I Love About Digital Scrap Pages
I
adore the "copy page" feature! I can copy whole pages with the click of a
button. That means rather than re-building each page of a Disneyland
trip, I make it once, click “copy” 16 times, and then add pictures to each
page. It also means I can make copies of pages and adjust them for
individual kids. It makes my memory-keeping go fast!
So I
am a looseleaf-style gal. It means I have to buy binders and page
protectors and such, but I am a saver of plane tickets and movie tickets and
valentines. I love having the whole story, so to speak. Old things
are extra special when you look back at them, so I think it will be neat in 20
years to look back and find that a movie ticket “only” cost $10 in 2018. ha ha
scrap pages are available in 12x12, 8.5x11, and 8x8.
If digital scrap pages sound like your thing, you can follow the directions in the video above to get started, or {the steps here}. What
Are Other Options for Preserving Pictures?
If digital scrapbooking doesn’t
sound like your way to preserve photos and memories, don’t worry. I’ll
share more options all month long! On #familyhistoryfriday. Whatever you choose, #dontletyourbabiesgrowuptobejpegs!
Save and share this post by Pinning, Tweeting, or Sharing on Facebook or LinkedIn.
This
post was originally published at www.livegrowgive.org on March 2, 2018, by Jennifer
Wise. More #familyhistoryfriday posts can be found below by clicking the hashtag next to Labels.
Many parents are looking for ways to bring their families closer, to connect, and to create strengthening bonds. One simple but powerful way to do this is through family stories.
There is life-changing power in family stories! Telling and recording your family's stories allows you (and especially your children) to develop a stronger sense of self, purpose, and belonging. Family stories have been shown to raise self-esteem in kids, too!
I have written about four ways to create connections using family stories, and one idea for finding family stories. See which ones can benefit your family:
Yesterday I was talking to a mom
who told me that she specifically adds “No Gifts Please” to all her sons’
birthday party invitations. They are 9 and 7. Invariably, she said,
someone will call or text saying, “Are you sure? Can’t I bring a little
something?” Her response is always, “No. We have too many things.”
I am
always on the lookout for meaningful gifts for this very reason. Many
people have too many things. Gifts that are memorable, meaningful, and
heartfelt are the very best kind, but they can sometimes be hard to come
by. For the last My Favorite Things post this month for #familyhistoryfriday, I want to provide
some fantastic gift options for you all in one place. You can Bookmark or
Pin this post to come back to for holidays, birthdays, graduations, milestones,
anniversaries, thank-yous and other special occasions!
Family-Related
Gifts to Encourage Connections
As I
mentioned {last week}, sometimes connections between family members
happen naturally, and sometimes they need a little orchestration. Each of
these links below has many suggestions for specific
age groups that involve (or are related to) the whole family, so enjoy
exploring them. The gift ideas here foster
connections.
Whether
for a close friend or a spouse, for a birthday or anniversary, it’s especially
nice to give a meaningful gift from the heart to someone special. Most of
these links have several suggestions:
I
will be so bold as to say that everyone needs to be
appreciated! Having some great resources like this when a
special day comes along is pretty fantastic.
Make a book like this following the directions here.
One
of my favorite “special someone” gifts is a Reasons I Love You book. I made this one (with my kids) for my husband's 40th birthday. We wrote out 40 reasons we love him, and I included pictures
of us all over the years. It is a precious book. (Read {this post} to
find out his reaction!)
Any
little thing that’s heartfelt can make a wonderful gift. For over 20
years, I had a piece of real mistletoe hanging up at Christmastime. (I
literally hung it until it fell to pieces.) My husband volunteered as a
Boy Scout leader the year after we got married. Hiking in the woods in
California, he happened upon some mistletoe, growing right there in the
wild! He picked it, and I suppose put it in his backpack, and brought it
home as a little gift for me. Now mistletoe isn’t anything wonderful, but
the fact that it has the idea of romance attached to it and went to some trouble to do it made it a sweet little
gift.
The
gifts in all these links I’ve provided will give you a lot of ideas to choose
from as birthdays, thank yous, anniversaries, holidays, and other special
occasions come along.
"We’ve
got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can’t just accept
it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it’s going to get on by itself.
You’ve got to keep watering it. You’ve got to really look after it and nurture
it." ~John Lennon
Great gift ideas for meaningful gifts for all ages. Tweet, Pin, or Share on Facebook or LinkedIn.
This
post was originally published at www.livegrowgive.org on February 23, 2018,
by Jennifer Wise. You can find more #familyhistoryfriday posts by clicking the hashtag below next to Labels.
