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It’s time to start spring cleaning your photographs!
Leave the Windex and broom in the closet for now—all you need to undertake this spring cleaning project are a few boxes, post-it notes, and a pencil. Oh, and all those scattered photographs you've got lying around the house! While spring cleaning might not be ‘your thing,’ the deeper meaning in this organization project will hopefully spur you into action...and score some winning #ThrowbackThursday pics in the process!
Forget about spring cleaning in your closet and basement—those are musty chores, no fun at all. (Writers have been known to say they don’t relish the process of writing, but “having written”; I don’t like cleaning, but love the effects of “having cleaned”!).
Delving into myriad boxes of curling photos might not sound like an enjoyable task, either, but it can be. And the rewards, for you and particularly for future generations, are plenty.
Why even begin such a daunting task as sorting boxes of old pictures?
Well for starters, you saved those boxes for a reason. The pictures they contain are treasures, glimpses of the past with stories to tell. But they do no one any good fading away in the back of your closet.
Beyond that: You just might enjoy the process. As you discover forgotten gems among the piles of photos, your memory will spark and you’ll want to share them. Sort pictures into piles that make sense for how to store them, but more importantly, how to share them:
a stack of perfect Throwback Thursday #TT pics;
some unexpected candids to enlarge and frame;
some that don’t hold great meaning for you but certainly do for a friend or family member—your perfect excuse to write a genuine letter and send them off.
While spring cleaning might not be ‘your thing,’ the deeper meaning in this organization project will hopefully spur you into action.
Is there a right way to sort my photos?
There’s no one right way, of course—but there is a wrong way: You can’t keep everything. Well you can, but why? Photo hoarders can never find what they’re looking for amidst the mass, and you don’t want to leave such a mess to your heirs, do you? You must learn to throw some pictures away. In previous posts I explored the ABCs of photo organizing, in which I explain in simple terms how to sort and store your photos; plus ways to minimize your digital footprint and manage your digital images across your devices.
Today, we’re addressing how to begin the process of cleaning through your physical photographs. We’ll take a deeper dive into digital another day.
Set priorities, and make a realistic plan.
1. Determine the best place to make your mess.
Because you will make a mess. A few piles will certainly turn into many, many piles, and your sorting process will get interrupted by dinner duties and TV time. Find a corner or a room that you’re comfortable storing this stuff for a period of time, and where a family pet or your cleaning person won’t disturb your work.
2. Decide on a realistic time frame.
If you are just tackling the six boxes you’ve accumulated, a couple of days will suffice—and kudos to you for not letting things get too out of control!
On the other hand, if your array of boxes has been collected from family members and you don’t want to even venture a guess as to how many actual pictures are filling up those plastic tubs, then setting a goal is key to your success. The worst thing is starting the project, getting overwhelmed by the scope, then abandoning it.
So set mini-goals to start: Choose a few boxes you believe contain some special photos, and make that part-one of your project; hide the others from your sight. Alternatively, choose a few you think contain mostly junk: It may be easiest to throw away the obvious rejects and feel invigorated by the dent you’ve made.
Write down your objective and your due date, and post it within view so you are always aware of the mission.
GOAL: Sort Grandma’s 3 boxes and my 4 childhood photo albums into manageable piles, storing them in archival photo storage boxes, and throwing away pictures along the way.
COMPLETE BY: May 12
3. Keep an informal inventory as you go.
This will prove most helpful if you’ve got years’ worth of stuff. It doesn’t have to be formal--just some notes on a pad, such as:
Box #1 - all Dad’s military pics with a few random childhood shots; finished sorting
Box #2 - completely random, in terrible shape from being stored without a top in garage; have set aside favorites that need scanning and restoring, and piles for family to look at before throwing away
Box #3 - includes family milestone photos; aim to go through before Denise’s bridal shower, so we can make photo book in time!
When you get further into sorting thematically for storing in photo boxes, then your accounting of what is in each pile can get more detailed. In that case, you are labeling for posterity.
4. Follow up on projects.
Don’t let your “A” photos languish—do something with them.
Scan your favorites so they are backed up digitally.
Enlarge some pictures for framing, and hang them in your home and at work.
Frame a small photo for a loved one or friend for no reason other than you know they’d appreciate it!
Find a story arc or theme and let us help you put together a most special photo book.
Scan a pile of black-and-whites and put them in a #TT folder on your computer, where they’ll be accessible when Thursdays roll around.
5. Be inspired to move on to part-two of your spring cleaning project.
Seeing your beloved photos displayed on the walls of your home, or reading the warm comments from Facebook friends on your latest nostalgic share, should provide the inspiration you need to keep going.
Remember: Spring cleaning starts in the spring, but it’s easiest when maintained all year long. Then “spring cleaning” isn’t even a THING anymore. You’ll feel liberated and empowered once you get your old photographs under control.
When your wedding photographer doesn’t do albums, “I do”!
Many destination-wedding brides return home married, with a boatload of special memories and a disk of digital images but no wedding album. Ordering an heirloom-quality album once the couple returns home is not such a simple thing, as I learned from experience. With Modern Heirloom Books, now it's easier than ever.
My own destination wedding
I had a storybook wedding on the Ligurian Coast of Italy, in a thirteenth-century church high above the ocean, waves crashing romantically below. To say this locale made for some stunning photographs would be an understatement.
My now-husband and I planned our wedding from afar, with the help of a tremendous company called Moonrings (also not local to us). Besides the fact that I wanted the smallest wedding possible—we had 4 guests travel with us, then celebrated back home in New York City with a much bigger party upon our return—I was a pretty laidback bride.
Whatever flowers are in season, please. No, I don’t need to hear the violinist you recommend beforehand. I allowed Moonrings to guide me, stressed a bit only about the choice of photographer. If we were traveling across an ocean and embarking upon the trip of a lifetime (both literally and figuratively), I wanted the images to capture the magic of the moments and the essence of the place.
And then, coming from a magazine and design background myself, I wanted the resulting wedding album to be perfect, and to beautifully reflect my own aesthetic. I chose to purchase only the high-resolution images from my photographer, giving me the flexibility to order a book to my specifications once I got home rather than negotiate language barriers and time differences.
I have since learned that this is a common choice for many destination-wedding brides, who return home married, with a boatload of special memories, and a disk of digital images but no wedding album. I also soon learned that ordering an heirloom-quality album on your own is not as easy as I had thought.
Overlooking the resplendent Ligurian Coast from just below St. Peter's Church in Portovenere. Photograph by David Bastianoni
No access to wedding album vendors
Like most brides, I wanted my wedding book to be special—to feel more substantial than the year-end albums I would order from Blurb or Shutterfly. But the companies who print those luxurious wedding albums cater only to professional photographers. I ended up discovering an exquisite handmade album of the old-fashioned variety—with a leather cover with a relief of angels and vellum overlays between every page—and, after having my photos professionally retouched and printed, I adhered them into the book with good old photo corners (albeit silver ones).
My book is a handmade treasure, to be sure, but it was a pain in the you-know-what to produce. And I don’t think that DIY approach is for everyone. Indeed, if I had an alternative back then, it would not have been my preference, either.
Since launching Modern Heirloom Books—and now having access to the book vendors that I had not years before—I redid my own wedding book. Of course I still keep my original, scrapbook-like version. But I now also have an archival, modern book that I adore.
I mentioned that we had four guests at our Italian wedding. Three of them—mine and my husband's mothers, and my grandmother—have since passed away. The pictures that include our matriarchs have even more meaning to us now, and we decided to include a few more of them in this updated version, making the endeavor even more meaningful.
What about your wedding album?
Did you get married in a destination wedding and choose not to order a book from your photographer? Could you, perhaps, not afford the amazing wedding album you wanted back when you married, and now want to order something befitting the occasion? I’d love to help bring your vision to life (and to see—and do justice to—your pictures) with a professionally designed and printed wedding book.
Since Modern Heirloom Books always offers the option of purchasing a digital edition of your book, too (and we archive everything for our clients), the chance of your losing your precious photos is minimized greatly when you order from us. Which makes it a wonderful idea for a milestone anniversary gift, as well: We can easily transform your parents’ old wedding album, digitizing, restoring, and retouching old photos, even adding in current pictures celebrating their years together.
Interested? Contact us to discuss the options (and relive some incredibly happy memories in the process!).
You might not buy into the old adage that a rainy wedding day brings good fortune, but you can't deny that often—with the right photographer behind the lens—Mother Nature styles some powerful photos. This one is cover-worthy, don't you think? Photograph by Hugo Juarez
Out-of-the-box ideas for making your photo book truly unique
Heirlooms shouldn’t be stuffy or overly conservative: They should reflect the values and real lives of their subjects. And—we hope—for most of you that means lives filled with joy, music, and good company. If you're tackling your own DIY photo book, here are a few out-of-the-box ideas for adding color to your homemade books, from thought bubble captions (with a free download) to flip-book fun!
What's your family listening to? Add a playlist to your photo book to add yet one more fun layer to your memories!
We’re all about high-end books here at Modern Heirloom, but that doesn’t mean we ignore the fun factor! Heirlooms shouldn’t be stuffy or overly conservative: They should reflect the values and real lives of their subjects. And—we hope—for most of you that means lives filled with joy, music, and good company.
When you come to us, we will do way more than design a book for you—we’ll help you sift through ALL those photos, make suggestions for storylines and book angles, and ultimately curate and visually edit your story to create a wonderful end product. And we’re always open to creative twists and add-ons.
Sometimes, though, you might just want to create your own books. We know that not every photo book needs to be handcrafted and archival (though, we’re always here for you to create those!). For example, you might want to create a cheaper book for your toddler with pictures for every letter of the alphabet, or with pictures of faraway relatives—something that your child can actually play with, and get pureed carrots on without consequence. Or you might want your teens to put together their own version of a family annual, so you memorialize their point of view and favorite photos.
No matter the reason, there are times you’ll want to do your own thing. With that in mind, here are a few out-of-the-box ideas for adding color to your homemade books.
Blow some cartoony thought bubbles.
You might not be a designer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a few graphic elements to your book that’ll look professionally done. One of my favorite lighthearted design additions is the classic thought bubble. We’re all used to annotating our images these days on Instagram and Facebook, so why not let that sense of humor shine through in your photo books, too? Just search online for “free clip art thought bubbles,” or find fun templates in software such as Canva.
Add a book soundtrack.
Did you know that sensory cues can help trigger memories? Like the smell of bread baking eliciting memories of Grandma’s house, for instance. And while smell may most strongly evoke emotions, I have yet to find a way to produce a scratch-and-sniff photo book. You can, however, create a good old-fashioned print book and add in a musical component.
Brainstorm a music playlist to listen to while viewing your book. If it’s a family album, ask everyone to check back on their devices for their most played songs; think of the songs that marked occasions such as summer road trips or your kid’s camp performance. If your book is celebrating an occasion, record the obvious: songs played at the bar/bat mitzvah or wedding reception. A fiftieth wedding anniversary? Maybe you select a couple of songs per decade that have meaning to the golden couple.
Definitely typeset the list of songs and artists and include as a Playlist Epigraph in your book. If you’ve got the means, burn a CD of the music as well and keep in a plastic sleeve at the back of your book. For Modern Heirloom Books customers who decide to purchase a digital version of their book in addition to the hard copy, we can include the digital music files on the same flash drive.
Have some fill-in-the-blank fun.
Go a little Mad Libs with fun fill-in-the-blank statements scattered throughout your book. This is not appropriate for certain topics, of course, but there are a few that would benefit from the levity. One we love: A mini book in celebration of a half-birthday. Some ideas:
In these past six months, I have gotten so much more ________ and __________. I’m __________ now.
All I want for my half-birthday is ________________________.
Typeset the sentences and fill in the blanks with your handwriting, which makes the photo book that much personal, adding the human touch.
Animate your story with flip book corners.
Do you remember those little books when we were kids that you flipped the pages and the stick figures moved? I haven’t seen one of those in ages, but Pinterest and YouTube are filled with creative ideas for making them.
A really sweet guy from Brazil ordered this flipbook to give to his girlfriend after he proposes to her. They've been together for 10 years. At first, they were just good friends, but one day they had a class together and she walked in, sat next to him, and put her head on his shoulder.
If you can draw, why not create a series of illustrations that grace the bottom right corner of your photo book, so there is an animated story running parallel to your photographic one? If you’re working with us and want to incorporate this idea into a book, we can hire an illustrator to customize your book corners with your own flip book. We especially love this idea for a Proposal book—share the story of your relationship through photographs and simultaneously show a cartoon-you going down on bended knee to pop the big question, flip-book-style!
We'd love to hear other creative ideas you have—or see the results of your own designs! Please share in the comments below or on social media.
How a struggle to tell my mother’s whole story turned into a more intimate portrait of love
The first legacy book I designed was as personal as it gets: a book honoring my beloved mother. But after struggling to find a way to tell her whole story, I realized that simply was not possible. And I didn't want some long, boring biography, anyway. What resulted is a book that is precious to me, and I hope will one day be inspiring to my son...and the children I envision he will someday have himself. May you be inspired to tell the story of one of your loved, ones, too!
Mother & daughter: an enduring friendship cut too short
When I was a teenager I gifted my mom with one of those split-heart necklaces declaring each bearer the other’s “best friend.” It never occurred to me to be embarrassed. My relationship with my mother was beyond special, and I always felt keenly aware of how blessed I was to have it.
Three months after I delivered my son, my mother died unexpectedly. At exactly the moment I felt most close to her, I lost her.
That was 2009. Every day since, well, I think of her. I ache for her, love her still. Remember her. And try to honor her memory by being the best person and mother I can be.
That my mother was able to meet her grandson, that I have a few beautiful photos of her holding my son, 12 weeks’ worth of memories of her bonding with him—just, thank God. Conversely, none of that makes up for the fact that my boy won’t remember his grandmother. He won’t know her purity of heart, her generosity, her surprising sense of humor.
I talk about my mom often, sometimes sharing stories that reveal her character or my favorite memories from my own childhood. Occasionally I just drop small references: Your grandmother adored daisies. She would have loved that dance move! I learned how to make this spinach quiche from my mom.
My mother’s spirit permeates my life. But without having other family members to talk of her with, without having relatives with whom I might be able to relive memories...I worry the memories will fade.
“Without having relatives with whom I might be able to relive memories...I worry the memories will fade.”
Procrastinating, or ruminating?
I spent countless hours going through boxes of old photos: black-and-whites of my mother, mostly from her teenage years. Many of my favorites were of her posed in some fashionable ensemble epitomizing the decade: festooned in a sleek belted dress in the late ’50s, donning a leopard-print faux-fur jacket in the ’60s, rocking a hand-crocheted pom-pom hat in the ’70s.
I cherish the scattered few pictures from her early childhood. And seeing photographs that showed everyday scenarios got me excited—they gave me visuals of her life before me.
When it came time to sit down and put together a photo book honoring my mother, though, I was stumped. At first I struggled with how to adequately bring this woman to life. How could I make others see—really see—how remarkable she truly was? How could I give a rounded impression of the person I knew and loved?
I couldn’t.
This depressed me for a while. I abandoned the book idea, and instead lost myself from time to time in re-examining the pictures in all those boxes. The sense of joy that came with happening upon a photo of her laughing, or again picking up one of her that reminds me of my son now, became addictive. I would begin to sort the photographs, setting aside a few favorites each time to scan, but would soon find myself down a rabbit hole, replacing the stacks back in the boxes to be rediscovered a different day. I was frustrated that I had made no progress in organizing the images or putting together a book. Yet I think I subconsciously relished the idea of being able to come back to the boxes anew, preserving some sense of serendipity: The boxes were a treasure chest, and I wanted to touch and feel the golden treasures within at will.
One day it dawned on me: Don’t make a book about her. Tell our story.
“Mommy & Me: A Love Story”
I knew I’d never be able to paint a full enough picture of my mother. And I didn’t want a boring (typically lengthy) biography, anyway. I had a trove of letters we each had saved over the years, from our correspondence when I was in college (at a time before the Internet made snail-mail almost obsolete) all the way until I got married and then pregnant. Despite daily phone calls, we both still felt compelled to share our love and feelings in writing. What a gift.
The process of putting this book together was cathartic and healing. I know now that I procrastinated in doing so because I needed time—time to let the ideas percolate in the back of my mind, and time to be ready to finish the grieving process. No, I’ll never truly be done grieving; but I do feel (almost) whole again, and proud of the book I have made in my mother’s honor.
This book, a gift to myself and eventually to my son, is as personal as it gets. Rather than post the entire book, I decided to share a slightly condensed version: I want to give you ideas for crafting your own story, plant some seeds of inspiration. And give you a glimpse into my relationship with my beloved mother.
The full book—with pages that reveal some incredibly personal letters and depict details from my life—I am reserving for my son...and hopefully the family he bears in the future.
Who would you like to honor?
I waited until my mother was gone from this Earth before endeavoring to tell our story in book form; but we were creating our story all along. As you are doing with those you love, I hope--living life out loud and mindfully, being present in the moment, allowing yourself to truly experience the full gamut of emotions.
Writer Allison Gilbert recently posted a quote that moved me on Instagram: “Make this year the year to remember loved ones intentionally.”
Who would you choose to honor with a legacy book? A grandparent who has recently deceased? A great-grandparent you’ve never met but heard plenty of family stories about over the years (preserve those!)? What about your living parents? What a gift to be able to interview your parents now, to not take their stories and wisdom for granted!
I can’t wait to “meet” the members of your family legacies and to help you honor them. Please reach out today to see how we can work together to create the book of your dreams.
Sometimes it’s the outtakes that matter. #unfiltered
From the crying baby to the teenage 'tude captured on Instagram, the less-than-perfect moments in our photo feeds should not be throwaways—heck, those are some of the most fun (and honest) pictures we have! Our top 5 reasons why the outtakes might matter more than your professionally posed pictures in the end.
That moment of pre-show jitters makes for as memorable a shot as her big recital debut! Photograph by Marc Goldberg
Why the photos you threw away might really be keepers.
That posed shot of your family sitting in front of the Christmas tree? Lovely, perhaps even frame-worthy. The one of your 3-year-old son looking wide-eyed and contrite after dropping a delicate ornament? Priceless.
Many a Facebook and Instagram feed boasts one near perfect shot after another—online, anyway, we’re living the life of our dreams. But putting aside “friend” envy and FOMO concerns, take note of what pictures you really respond to when browsing your social media feeds: You might LIKE the formal wedding portrait, but you smiled and laughed at the groom’s own boisterous snapshots from the reception. You probably LIKED your sister’s latest (professionally taken) profile picture, but you loved her imperfectly perfect #TT picture shot in your parents’ dark basement 10 years ago.
“Online, anyway, we’re living the life of our dreams.
When we sit down to consider what images to include in a photo book, it’s common to gravitate first to all those perfect shots. We want our family albums to be beautiful—hell, we want to look beautiful in all our pictures, right? And those shots just might make up the backbone of your book. Just don’t discount the outtakes. Here’s why.
1. It’s often the moments right before and after the “big moments” that matter.
Here’s an obvious example: After the wedding vows comes the kiss—a moment no wedding photographer worth her salt would miss. But how about after a graduation? The pensive times your graduate is reflecting on the imminent changes in his life—did you snap him looking a little lost? He might not think so now, but that picture is one he’ll want in later years, reminding him of the magnitude of the moment (and it’ll mean a little more to him upon reflection…and well past the time of worry!). So don’t post that one on Facebook now, but do hold onto it for a book he’ll cherish down the road.
2. Tears are part of life.
When your kid fell off his bike after taking off the training wheels, he cried; you captured the moment because you were snapping away. Include it in your book. Learning to ride a bicycle is a process, and the sense of accomplishment is best felt in light of that fall. You may consider a triumphant picture after he’s mastered his two-wheeler—make it big. Then complement that with a few smaller shots—like stills from a movie—adding color and detail: his tears, his dad removing the training wheels, your child adjusting his helmet.
And speaking of tears: Have you ever been to a wedding where the bride’s parents cried? Tears of joy, well worth recounting. A newborn? Come on—if your child’s baby book doesn’t include some wailing shots, something’s not right!
A smiling baby is always cute, but c'mon...is there anything cuter than a crying baby (sans volume)?
3. Creative cropping can bring a scene into focus.
And “bad” photos can be transformed into artistic images. With digital imaging so accessible these days—from Instagram filters and collage makers to PhotoShop Elements—everyone’s able to alter their pictures for the better. But so much of this post-processing is about making an already good picture stronger with light or subtle retouching effects. Never underestimate the power of good old cropping.
By cropping a picture, we redraw its borders and change the scale of its elements in relation to the overall picture. You can close in on a detail, crop out extraneous people or distracting signs, or just crop a touch from the edges to redirect the eyes. So even if Aunt Sally is smirking in the corner of the picture or a little imp photo-bombed your family shot, crop out what offends and hone in on an otherwise meaningful moment!
4. Everyone has a sense of humor.
Bloopers are a perennial TV hit for a reason. And you are familiar with Awkward Family Photos, are you not?! If a picture makes you laugh uncontrollably, smile knowingly, or blush with memory, chances are it’s a winner.
Like the baby who peed during his newborn session. The muddy dog who jumped on your pristine dress (animals can make for some of the most fun bloopers!). A trip-and-fall at a big moment, a dropped birthday cake, a twisted face as if she just tasted sour grapes…you get the idea!
These inopportune pictures might not make it onto your Christmas cards (though I’m willing to bet your friends and family would hang them front and center!) but they should have a place in your books and albums, for sure.
Photo by Kristen Livingston
You might not want to showcase that pout in a frame, but in a photo book? Heck, yeah!
5. Stars: They’re just like us. Well, so are we.
Us magazine tapped into just how much we all love to see celebrities doing everyday things—they get coffee, ride the subway, pump their own gas! I admit, I could flip through those photo pages for days.
No, I’m not advocating having someone photograph you at the gas pump. But remember that pictures that offer a glimpse into our everyday lives might be cherished in years to come. They’re revealing. They provide the truest sense of time.
Some of my favorite shots from my family’s archives are of the everyday variety—my grandmother cooking a roast in her housecoat (a “housecoat”!), seeing my father put together a bike in the driveway. These shots offer a glimpse into what their lives were like. It’s not as if our parents came of age in “the olden days,” as we used to say—but let’s face it, the ’60s and ’70s were a very different time! Just imagine what our ’80s hair will seem like to our kids in 20 years! (Oh, and phones had those long, twisty cords!)
When we had to pay to get film developed, every shot counted, so those everyday snapshots made their way into our albums and drawers. These days we can snap away forever, and deleting a shot that seems unremarkable is easier. Just remember to keep a few of them. Like the one of your kid doing the dishes—that’s a keeper, and will seem like a relic when he gets married.
Photograph by Colie James, a professional photographer who sees the beauty and importance of chronicling our everyday lives.
6. Remember that there are some shots that should be off-limits.
Respect your subjects’ dignity and privacy. It’s one thing for J. Lo’s wardrobe malfunction to go viral, it’s another entirely for your girlfriend’s see-through blouse or your sister's Marilyn-dress moment to be shared. Don’t save or share pictures that would embarrass or humiliate anyone. It’s that essential “do unto others” rule: Would you want a picture of you like THAT shared? Didn’t think so.
What are your favorite outtakes and photo bloopers? Do share!!
Tweet at us and use hashtag #photoblooper.
Share on our Facebook page and on Instagram.
We’ll compile the best into an updated blog post!
Why tell our stories? Wisdom from RootsTech 2016 & beyond
There are likely a million reasons to share personal stories. We've collected 10 nuggets of priceless wisdom from #RootsTech 2016, from inspiring love and empathy to helping us raise resilient children. Stories are gifts—are you sharing yours?
Sharing stories of your own childhood—including times your overcame hardships—helps your kids be more resilient (not to mention get to know you better!).
Stories help us connect with our loved ones, and glean insights into ourselves and our history. Stories have myriad benefits beyond that, too:
Studies show that kids with a knowledge of family history have higher self-esteem, lower levels of anxiety, and fewer behavioral problems. Children of parents who regularly reminisce about their own childhoods have been shown to be more empathetic to others. And teens who have been exposed to family stories are more confident, with better coping skills.
Fundamentally, stories help us remember. And photographs often provide that spark that helps transport us back in time—like the smell of your grandmother's banana bread or Hanukkah latkes. When combined, your pictures and stories have tremendous power!
Last week, tens of thousands of people gathered in Salt Lake City, UT for RootsTech 2016, where the theme was #STORYTELLING. Kudos! Some nuggets of wisdom on the topic from those who were there, and those who wished they were:
1. "Stories unite us; they help us recognize ourselves in others."
2. Family stories are gifts to our children.
Not only do the stories we tell our kids help them relate and feel like an essential part of the family, they strengthen them and make them undeniably more resilient. As keynote speaker and author Bruce Feiler wrote in a viral NYT piece from 2013:
"When faced with a challenge, happy families, like happy people, just add a new chapter to their life story that shows them overcoming the hardship. This skill is particularly important for children, whose identity tends to get locked in during adolescence.
The bottom line: if you want a happier family, create, refine and retell the story of your family’s positive moments and your ability to bounce back from the difficult ones. That act alone may increase the odds that your family will thrive for many generations to come."
3. Stories help us preserve our history for future generations.
"What will our grandkids and great-grandkids know of us?” wondered Jens Nielsen, president at Pictureline, in his talk at RootsTech 2016.
We love all the reasons that are designated in the above article shared by Family Search, but two of our favorites:
• You and your family are important to somebody, probably many somebodies.
• Family trees are abstract. Stories add depth.
4. Stories keep alive in spirit those who have since departed. #legacy
5. Stories uplift us.
6. Stories make us feel love.
7. Stories tap into the wisdom of humanity, impart lessons painlessly, promote empathy.
8. Stories are free entertainment.
“Best of all, unlike stories from books, family stories are always free and completely portable. You don’t even need to have the lights on to share with your child a story about your day, about their day, about your childhood or their grandma’s. In the research on family storytelling, all of these kinds of stories are linked to benefits for your child. Family stories can continue to be part of a parent’s daily interactions with their children into adolescence, long past the age of the bedtime story.” —The Atlantic
9. Stories are part of our everyday lives. #dinnerconversation
9. Stories are meant to be shared.
10. And last but not least: You gotta eat.
So tell your stories. Be generous with them. As we tell our young kids: “It’s good to share.”
Your search for “unique bridal shower gifts from the parents” ends here
Your daughter is engaged. Celebrate the girl she was and the woman she has become before she walks down the aisle. Or honor your own relationship with her and how it has evolved over time. Our Heirloom Original is a wedding shower gift that is as personal as it gets, destined to be cherished by the bride-to-be.
What did you feel when your daughter announced that she was engaged? Pride, astonishment, an overflow of emotions? Tears of joy? You’re not alone.
And while registering at Crate & Barrel and Bloomingdale’s followed by an at-home champagne toast is a memorable (if exhausting) outing, why not consider a wedding shower gift that will truly move her: our signature “Dear Daughter, on Your Wedding Day,” an heirloom book honoring the girl she was—the one you nurtured and watched blossom—and the woman she has become.
During your daughter’s engagement period, it’s inevitable that you’ll both be reflecting on her journey. Let yourself relish the memories. Pull out those old boxes of photos, the family albums, her baby book. Remember what she was like as a precocious toddler, an awkward tween, a graceful graduate. What characteristics did she inherit from you? What surprised you about her choices over the years?
Designing a Book in Honor of Your Daughter for Her Wedding Shower
Modern Heirloom Books can help you stitch the memories and observations together into a cohesive and emotional narrative. Together we will identify the most evocative pictures and prepare them for print. We’ll even help you identify gaps in the visual storyline and come up with creative ways to fill them in—sending your daughter’s bronzed baby shoes or old lovey to a professional photographer for inclusion in the book, for instance. Or helping you stage your own shots of framed images on your mantel or, say…her favorite comfort food!
Maybe we plan a “secret” get-together with a photographer and your daughter’s siblings and closest friends to take their portraits and record their favorite memories of your daughter as a child.
We’ll select a book style based on your daughter’s personality: Perhaps a Victorian damask fabric cover encased in a matching sheath box for your romantic girl, or a luxurious velvet-covered book with silver foil stamping for your traditional child. An array of rich leathers, Japanese silks, textured fabrics, and other unique design options offers something for every bride-to-be.
So before your daughter walks down the aisle, and before you get caught up in the storm of wedding favors and seating charts, why not embark upon a nostalgic journey that ends with a perfect wedding shower gift from the parents? (It’s an especially touching gift when crafted by a Daddy for his all-grown-up girl!)
Set up a consultation to see how we can work together.
To have the most efficient conversation, know your timeline (when would you need the book?) and consider where your photos are (you might be surprised that they're not always on hand!). Oh...
...and CONGRATULATIONS on your daughter's impending nuptials!
Using technology to help you share your family’s stories
There is plenty you can do to ensure that you are—easily!—capturing bits and pieces of your family history on a regular basis. Even if a photo book is way off in your future, take steps now to make life easier later with our recommended memory-sharing websites. With weekly emails prompting a family elder to share personal stories, and options for video, audio, and other customization, creating your personal digital archive is simpler than ever.
A recurring theme here at Modern Heirloom Books is that while we are drowning in our digital images, most people are not doing anything really worthwhile with their pictures. That’s a main reason we exist as a company—to help you curate your pictures and craft them into stories you can share through exquisitely designed books.
What of those stories, though? There is plenty you can do to ensure that you are—easily!—capturing bits and pieces of your family history along the way. Even if a photo book is way off in your future, take steps now to make life easier later.
“There is plenty you can do to ensure that you are—easily!—capturing bits and pieces of your family history along the way.”
In the last few years a host of memory sharing sites have arisen to help tech-savvy families record and share their family memories. Some have evolved over time, while new ones continue to hit the app store in an attempt to simplify the process with more elegant and engaging interfaces. Many of them are too labor-intensive or convoluted to warrant your time, however (and I doubt they’ll be around in a few more years).
One Memory-Sharing App That’s Worth Your Time—and One to Watch (IOHO)
You know those fill-in-the-blank memory books that tempt on Barnes & Noble bookshelves, or the beautiful journals that promise to leave your story for your children? (You know, the one that sits on your nightstand with just two pages filled in?) They’re a wonderful idea, if only we’d truly sit down and answer the questions. StoryWorth is like a digital version of these books, but with so many more benefits.
Options for good old-fashioned fill-in-the-blank memory journals abound—but they're useless if no one fills them in!
StoryWorth recipients receive a weekly email prompting them to answer a question based on their life experiences. The array of questions is vast and evocative, though users may always choose to answer a question they themselves craft. When a reply is input, answers are emailed to a preset list of people (so, as many family members and friends as you want to designate may receive your stories).
The value? It’s easy and fun to answer these prompts, whether a subject types a response on the website or via email, or chooses to record an audio clip over the phone. Photos and audio files can also be uploaded to the site, and stories—all saved on StoryWorth and available for printing or download at any time—are editable and secure. Remember: These aren’t biographies you’re crafting. They are nuggets from your (or your mother’s or grandfather’s) life—the time you hitchhiked across the state, the first time he flew on an airplane, that time none of the kids could find the hidden Easter eggs—colorful tales that the rest of there family will be thrilled to discover.
The site has a few packages ranging from $39 to $119 per year, and they offer a one-month free trial (you don’t even have to enter your credit card to start your trial). Check it out.
If your memories are all over the multimedia map and you want something more dynamic and mobile-friendly, I venture to guess that the imminent app I Rememba might be a good choice. I can’t say much more, though, as the app is still in development; I have signed up for access to their beta launch, so I’ll update you when I’ve eventually had time to test it. Why does it warrant my interest? Well, I am right there with the founder’s inspiration:
““Today, I’m 34 yrs old and have a 3.5 yr old daughter, of whom I have more than 25GB of pictures and videos…and due to the sheer speed with which we’re creating new memories, we don’t really care about them as much as we used to. Can you imagine, when my daughter grows up, what it would be like for her to Search and/or Share just the BEST memories of her life?? ….feels like trying to find a needle in a haystack…””
The launch site promises ways to preserve, capture, and share memories, in whatever format (video, audio, photo, text, and even family tree charts), and to “leave your legacy through time capsules.” I Rememba, like Modern Heirloom Books, is about preservation of memories and connecting generations. I’ll be watching them!
Family History vs. Family Stories
There is a place for memoirs and full-fledged biographies: the library.
Your own stories should not be told in minute detail, covering every life decision and milestone. I am not insinuating that your accomplishments and experiences are not worthwhile—truly, I am not. But for most of us, that…long…story would be rather…boring.
Perhaps it is important for you to chronicle your heritage, and I value a detailed family tree as much as any genealogist. For me, though, the personal tales that inspire a smile or reveal a person’s character are of even greater value. As the cliché goes, no one wants to sit through two hours’ worth of family vacation video, but a highlight reel is always welcome! Likewise, your descendants don’t want to feel like they are reading a 100-page history lesson, but rather as if they are being introduced to the interesting, unique people who came before them.
“No one wants to sit through two hours’ worth of family vacation video, but a highlight reel is always welcome!”
The memory-sharing apps mentioned above are great options for capturing the memories that matter. You’ll know which stories resonate when you get responses from your family members. “OMG I had no idea you were such a rebel soul!!” “I always knew you had a generous spirit, but this is above and beyond.” “LOL you are the same now as when you were 6yo!” “Now that I’m a mom I do the same thing!!”
“You’re not faced with thinking about your whole life or even what story you want to tell,” Nancy Mills told the NY Times about her experience with StoryWorth. “It’s like you’re having a conversation.”
And editing out stories that are less impactful—meaning that when you read them months later they don’t make you feel something—is easy.
I was lucky enough to inherit a book in which my mom recorded some memories the old-fashioned way—a true treasure.
Whether you actually sit down and use a good old-fashioned pen to record your memories (my mother did, and the book she left me will be forever cherished) or you subscribe to StoryWorth or another tech-aid, just do it. Get your stories down, and saved in one place.
Then, when you’re ready, let’s turn them into something even more special.