Sunday, May 31, 2009

Heritage Hunting at Heritage Scrap - Beginning Tuesday, June 2

Stop over to Heritage Scrap and check out my upcoming chat and challenge - Heritage Hunting! It is sure to be fun and you might even learn something! Beginners and experts alike - the more the merrier. We will be combining genealogy, family history, family stories and legends, photos, journaling and much more to make our heritage albums and other presentations of our family history more interesting and understandable. Stop by the Heritage Hunting thread for more info or see the flyer in the gallery. Hope to see lots of friends and meet new friends too!

Friday, May 29, 2009

Never too young to start scrapping!!

Today, Jake and I got our summer issue of the Wild Ohio Magazine! We are so excited to dig into it but nap-time comes first! This magazine is absolutely incredible! And best of all, it's free!! There is also a Kids' Wild Ohio Magazine that is free but only comes out once per year. The photos are all so remarkable and are printed on high quality magazine paper. There are always plenty of animal pictures to cut out and make neat projects or gifts; things like bookmarks, postcards, greeting cards and notecards. You can even get some neat little frames at the dollar store or from a yard sale and put in a few pictures for a cute wall grouping. You can make collages or do a complete layout with the older kids. All of these make really nice, loving gifts for teachers, sitters, grandmothers, shut-ins or senior citizens.

With Father's Day coming up, a little imagination can make it really unique for all those special dads and granddads, uncles and brothers. When my Lisa was little, she made a cute pencil holder for her daddy with nothing but an old soup can, some pictures from a magazine and some construction paper. He has always treasured that and in fact, still has it after all these years! A piece of board, barn siding or driftwood with a decoupaged photo and some hooks makes a cool key holder.

Whatever the occasion, some old magazines, especially the better quality mags, and some other basic scrapping supplies combined with a child's imagination can result in a precious and unique gift for anyone! .... because it is NEVER too early to start a scrapping hobby!!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Heritage Hunting at Heritage Scrap - Preview

I wanted to share a little preview of what we will be doing in the Heritage Hunting chat and challenge. We will start out talking about what heritage means to different people; ways to preserve and present our heritage; and starting to research our family trees. After establishing a family tree, whether it be 1-2 generations or multiple generations, we will be scrapping, charting, drawing, or whatever, to present it to our families and/or friends.

Here is a sample of my family - my parents and siblings. Of course, the actual layout has our pictures and personal data on it; however, for privacy reasons, those are left off the version that is posted here.



Another example that contains data since all parties are deceased is the George Grover Family in pictures and data. This is what is known as a Family Group Sheet since it contains information about a family group.



A Pedigree Chart is one other way of tracking an individual's ancestors. An example of a pedigree chart is this layout of my grandmother's ancestors.



This is just a small part of what we will be discussing and doing in this project. We will also be talking about different ways to get this information, pictures, contacts and so forth. It will span over many weeks and months so you will be able to participate in all of it or just the parts that you want or need more information. We will share research links and techniques, ways of journaling and charting, interviewing questions, and even organizing a family reunion. If it involves your heritage or family history, in the past or present, we will talk about it!

We will kick off this project next Tuesday, June 2 at 6:00 pm Pacific time or 9:00pm Eastern time with a chat in the chat room - link: Heritage Scrap Chat Room After that, I will post information about the weekly topic on Mondays, we will chat on Tuesdays, and work on our assignment/project for the remainder of the week. Please let me know if you have any questions, problems, or suggestions for this challenge!

See you next Tuesday evening!!
Vicki aka LisasMom

Layout Credits

I should have added the credits for the layout of My Heroes! Yikes! I'm sorry Teri!

My Heroes was made using two of Teri Hanson's beautiful kits available at Heritage Scrap:

American Soldier Petite by DigiZines by Teri and
Army Life ScrapKit by DigiZines by Teri

There are two quick pages in there also that are just gorgeous! But then, ALL of Teri's kits are gorgeous! She has such beautiful clusters and decorated frames that it makes scrapping so quick and easy. Her kits are especially helpful for beginners for just that reason.

Here is one of the quick pages of hers that I adjusted from 12x12 to 8x10:



I added a few elements on the top right of the circle because it ended up a little distorted from my adjusting the size. But I like to add extras to quick pages a lot of times anyway - just to make it a little more *my own*.

Check out all of Teri's creations at Heritage Scrap!!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Memorial Day Remembrances

Since it is Memorial Day weekend and we are remembering those who have fought and even died for so very many, I wanted to share with you a layout I did of two of the most wonderful men in the world.

First is my greatest hero of all times - my Dad. I don't suppose I always felt that way; most teenaged girls don't especially get along with their dads for a while. But the older I got, it seemed the wiser he got. I'm not sure how that happened! LOL But it did happen and I'm sure that both of my sisters will agree with me now too.

Secondly, is a man I've always admired starting when I was 7 years old as told in the journaling on this layout. There were many other reasons to admire this man as I grew older and learned more about him. He truly was a great American.



Since you really can't read the journaling on this view of the layout, let me add it here:

Top portion:
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation during the Cold War among the Government of the United States, the Government of the Soviet Union, and the Government of Cuba.

The crisis began on October 14, 1962 when U.S. reconnaissance imagery revealing installations on the island were shown to U.S. President John F. Kennedy and ended days later on October 28, 1962, when Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev announced that the installations would be dismantled. The Crisis is often regarded as the moment when the Cold War came closest to escalating into a nuclear war.

Bottom portion:
In the fall of 1962, I had just turned 7 and was in the second grade. My daddy was in Air Force National Guard and worked at the airport on airplanes. I remember seeing President Kennedy on TV one afternoon after school and things changed at our house after that. I didn't know just exactly what was going on because I was so young. But I know now that the Cuban Missile Crisis had begun and my Dad had been put on alert for active duty. His unit had been activated and was preparing to go to war with Cuba!

I was so scared to think of my Daddy going to a war. He had to pack his clothes in his "Air Force bag" and keep it with him at work and put it under the table when he was at home. We couldn't go anywhere and had to stay by the phone. We watched President Kennedy on TV and prayed that there wouldn't be a war. When Dad would go to work in the morning, we didn't know if he would come home that day! It was a terrible and scary time for a little girl!

Finally, it was over! It had only been a few days but it sure seemed longer to me! Ever after that time, President Kennedy was my hero because Dad said it was his doings that prevented a terrible war that could have been the end of the world! Now I realize how close we came at that time to a nuclear war. I still consider President Kennedy one of my biggest heroes because he saved my daddy from going to a war.

Do any of you remember this dark time in our Nation's history?? How did it effect you and your family?? Do any of you have any heroes you are remembering this weekend? I'd love to hear your stories!

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!
God Bless America!
Vicki aka LisasMom

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Facebook Scrapping Contest

For those of you who are on Facebook, there is a scrapping contest that ends the 26th of May. I'm going to enter some layouts I think.
If anyone else is interested, check it out - Facebook Scrapping Contest.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Festivals and Fairs

So, here in Port Clinton, we are getting ready for the Walleye Festival this upcoming weekend. It’s not a huge festival but it still takes a week to set up. Jake and I have been going up there each day – sometimes more than once! – to check on their progress. We saw all the trucks arriving one by one and then we saw them start to ‘transform’. He had seen a ride truck on Mighty Machines on the internet where a semi trailer folded down its sides and popped out a ride after a few pieces were put in place. Thus he called that ‘transforming’! He is such a little smartie pants!

While watching all this activity all week, I began thinking of festivals, fairs, and entertainment in general from years past. You know me, always thinking 50-100 years ago instead of the present! So of course I was wondering what my Grama Elsie would have done for entertainment in her early adult years or even later with her small kids. I’m sure there were no festivals like this one but there were county fairs. I’m sure they were quite different than the fairs today – no big rides and tons of food stands.

I think the old time county fairs were more about sharing different farming skills and such – the kids with their animals, the 4-H girls with their sewing and cooking projects, and the ladies with their quilts, pies and canned goods. I was in 4-H when I was younger. We entered little sewing projects. It was a lot of fun. Later I had a ‘boyfriend’ when I was about 16 or so – our families were close friends – who was from a farming family. They lived in the next county over so I got to stay with them during fair week so I could go with him and his sister to the fair each day. She had some sewing projects too and Jim had a cow for his 4-H project. We sat in the cow barn most of the week! LOL So much fun! One of the days that we did go strolling around looking at all the tractors – again, fun times! – it started raining really hard so we sat in a covered combine cab waiting until it was over! What a week that was! I really should scrap it. It really was a fun week – I shouldn’t be laughing – it’s just that I can’t see myself ever being a farmer’s wife now that I’m grown and looking back. I’m way too lazy! Those people just work tooooooo hard for me! LOL

I do remember Grama talking about a few dances and things she would go to when she was young. But of course, they were kind of told in passing and I never pressed for details at the time. Oh, how I wish I ever would have! I’m sure if she were still here, I’d sit with her for hours on end listening to stories from her childhood. Anyway, I don’t know if she ever said where these dances were or if I just don’t remember. I think she may have mentioned Cedar Point once or twice but that would have been quite a ways for them to go just for a dance. Where they lived is a good 50-70 miles away from Cedar Point. I know someone had a car because I have a picture of her in a car but I don’t know whose it was or if it was available to her to take that far from home.

My mom lived in the same neighboring county when she was young and she told me once about coming to Port Clinton to get peaches at the end of the summer. Being that far away, it was pretty much a whole day trip for them. She remembers getting the baskets of peaches and then going swimming in the lake. I can’t imagine her going swimming since she hates the water so maybe she waded or something and watched the other kids swimming.

These pictures are not from when my mom came up here as a girl but much earlier. These are from around 1900. We’ve always had peaches and grapes in this county. We still have a lot of wineries but not many grapes! It is mostly all tourism now at this end of the county and the islands but we did used to be quite the farmers!

If you notice in this photo, there is a small band playing on the corner on the right hand side of the picture. I don’t know if you can see it on the scan and then the reduced size photo on here. Let me tell you about these two pictures. They are both taken at the corner of Madison and Second Streets – right smack in the center of downtown! The one with the pole was taken in 1900 and the other one in 1906. The 1900 photo has this written on it, although I think it was written on recently (1990s) by one of the museum’s curators:

“Peach Auction. Madison Street was blocked off with wagons lined up along Second Street, each taking their turn. The auctioneer stood in the wagon at the head of the line. Buyers came from many cities and towns to buy loads of peaches. Sometimes Second Street was blocked off and the wagons lined up on Madison Street. Note the band playing in the right foreground. The corner store was H. Hesselbart’s and next to it was Dr. Watt’s Jewelry Store, a barber shop, then Neidecker Furniture and Undertaking.”

Yes, you read that correctly; Neidecker’s had a furniture store and funeral parlor right in the same building! Makes you wonder exactly who has been sitting and lying on that furniture! Yikes! There aren’t any furniture stores here any more but Neidecker’s is still a funeral home. I don’t know if there are any of the original Neidecker families in the business but I would think not. I think Betty Neidecker was one of the last of the line around here and she is quite elderly.

Well, I started out with the Walleye Festival and ended with the Peach Auctions! Quite a stretch I suppose – but you know me, always rambling! There is a whole wealth of information about all of this and other fairs and festivals available online today. Even if you have no photos and no stories from your ancestors, you can still include this kind of information in your heritage albums. You know your ancestors did something to entertain themselves! This is the kind of ‘fluff’ that really brightens up your albums and family history research. Don’t you ever wonder about things like this? And if you wonder about it today, you know your kids and future generations are going to think about it too. Even if they can’t visually see one of their own ancestors in a setting like this, they can certainly visualize it if you give them something to start their imaginations working!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Heritage Hunting at Heritage Scrap

Stop over to Heritage Scrap and check out my upcoming chat and challenge - Heritage Hunting! It is sure to be fun and you might even learn something! Beginners and experts alike - the more the merrier. We will be combining genealogy, family history, family stories and legends, photos, journaling and much more to make our heritage albums and other presentations of our family history more interesting and understandable. Stop by the Heritage Hunting thread for more info or see the flyer in the gallery. Hope to see lots of friends and meet new friends too!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Heritage Hunting Challenge and Chat at Heritage Scrap


“If you don't know your family's history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree.” --Michael Crichton


It's true! If you don't know your family's history, traditions, morals ... heritage ... then you flounder in your own life, not knowing where you've been or where you are going!

So we are going to fix that!!

We have a new forum and gallery set up at Heritage Scrap just for this challenge! I feel so blessed being part of such a wonderful site! So stop on over there and check out my (very long, yikes!) posting about the new challenge! Be sure to comment on what you'd like to do or learn during the challenge!! This is the link:
http://heritagescrap.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=368

Then stop in to the gallery and see the pretty flyer I made with some of the great kits from Heritage Scrap designers:
http://heritagescrap.com/Gallery/showphoto.php?photo=4495&ppuser=288

Hugs and Prayers to all!
Vicki aka LisasMom

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog! I'm so happy that you've stopped by! Make yourself at home; take a look around! No telling what you may find, but most likely it will have something to do with digital scrapbooking, genealogy, family history, or something related.

Mainly, I made this blog to go along with my activities on Heritage Scrap digiscrap web site. I am a Creative Challenge Team member there so I try to promote the site in whatever ways I can. I will be including some of my layouts here as well as new product previews, sales info, challenges and so forth. Anything exciting happening at Heritage Scrap, I will broadcast it loud and clear here!!

One of the first things that I want to talk about is my new chat and challenge coming up in June. Its called Heritage Hunting and I am super psyched about it! We will talk about many things dealing with all aspects of genealogy, family history, general history and so on, and then make something beautiful with our new-found knowledge. So there is something for newbie genealogists, beginning scrappers, and even experts in heritage. We will have a fun time and learn all kinds of new things from all the new friends we will be meeting from around the world. Sign up to follow this blog so you will be sure to get the details as I post them. I will be back later with links to the forums and gallery that we will be using on Heritage Scrap.

See you soon!!