When Life Gets Away From You

Crafting has taken on new meaning in the last few months.  I started out to simply make a nice little scrapbook using the OLD family photos.   It hasn't been that easy.  I needed to get with the program and identify all those old photos.  I needed to find photos of some of the ancestors.  Before I could start any of it, I needed to do something else as well.

It seems that I know very little about my family history.  I guess I just went around with my head in the sand for years.  I didn't pay much attention to all the family things.  In fairness to myself, before I beat me up for this lack of knowledge, I'll say that both of my ancestors were not really available when I was young.  My paternal grandfather died long before I was a thought, and my maternal grandfather died when I was three.  I do remember a little of my paternal grandmother, but she died when I was young also.  My maternal grandmother I remember quite well.  All of my great grandparents were out of the picture long before I was around.  My maternal grandmother was an orphan at the age of twelve.

This story is getting longer and longer... and I'm suppose to be talking about crafting.  The point is that my crafting got completely sidetracked by the need to know.  I'm afraid genealogy has stepped in and bitten me badly.   I'm busy trying to find out about all these family members and identify old photos as belonging to some of them.

It's working.  I happened upon a cousin... second cousin once removed... who is an expert in genealogy.  He has been doing this for years and has been a treasure trove of information.  With his help, I'm finding lots of information and am heading back to my original plan soon.  I had to buy a genealogy software program as it is the only way to really keep the information straight.  My original plan has expanded beyond all reason.   It grows each day.

If I could say anything on this post to encourage anyone to start collecting family stories, identifying pictures, or in any other way preserving your family history, I'd be a happy person.   I spent too many years throwing photos in drawers and ignoring that kind of thing.   If nothing else, take your pictures and write with a  photo safe pen on the back of the picture.  Identify the person/persons in the picture.  Tell how they are related.. a date, if possible.  A few clues on some of the pictures really helped.

I'll be back with more... sooner than later, I hope.

Apology

The confession: I'm afraid I've been more than neglectful about this page.

The excuses: Life seems to keep me from doing everything I want to do. The calendar fills up too fast, and I don't seem to get around to the fun of crafting like I wish to do.

The apology: I'm so sorry!

Planning:

I do have a big scrapbook project that I'm trying to get into. It has been a long time in coming, and perhaps I can share here as I get into it.

I've never been one who is compelled to spend time in genealogy research. However, I realize that if I don't get busy and put together some of my family history, it will not be done. I've been trying to find information on some of my ancestors: The standard dates and such, some pictures and other records, and some personal stories. My plan is to use my love of scrapbooking to create an interesting album of my family history. Actually, when I get one made, I'll probably duplicate it for some other family members.

Supplies:

I have a ton of photographs that I've gathered from my mother and other family members.

I invested in a dedicated Epson Perfection V500 photo scanner.

My closet is full of Creative Memories scrapbooks and other accessories that will help me make beautiful albums.

The Promise: I'm excited about doing it and will try to post here to let those interested know how things are coming along.