Your Family Heritage in 10 Easy Questions

Many scrapbookers by default become the designated family historian.  It makes sense, after all we are the ones who always have a camera handy, save wedding invitations, keep graduation ticket stubs and even collect funeral programs.  At some point in time many scrapbookers are faced with the idea, thought, dream or dread of doing a detailed family heritage project.

For me, it is one of the biggest items on my creative “to-do” list.  I have gathered information from some people in my family.  But, in no way am I finished. 

In order to help myself, and hopefully someone else.  I have created a family interview worksheet with 10 simple questions. The goal is to help get people talking or if nothing else, at least gather the high points about people’s lives. 

In a perfect world, every family member would be an open book and chock-full of colorful stories.  In reality not everyone is excited about the idea of “telling their business.” So, there will be some people that you will be lucky to get a simple yes or no from.  In any event, it is important to remain respectful of people’s wishes and to handle their stories with care.

If you would like, click here to download a copy of the worksheet and maybe it will help you gather some interesting bits of information from the interesting characters that make up your family.

Writing Us Into History

Happy President's Day Everyone:

As we begin to wrap up the month of February, I'm reminded of all the things that make this month, pardon the pun, so lovely. Of course there is Groundhog's Day, Valentine's Day, American Heart Association Awareness, President's Day, Mardi Gras, and more. What I'm most reminded about the month (as well as previous years gone by) of February is the contributions African Americans have made to better conditions here and abroad. Somehow, each contribution has managed to achieve the same effect whether it was the speeches Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. delivered, the traffic light Garret Morgan created or the way Vivien Thomas adapted a surgical procedures to oxygenate blood to allow blue babies life beyond the primary stages of adolescence. Well, their contributions managed to bring us closer together--making this world appear a little smaller than before.

This year, the founder of Scraps of Color E:spire Magazine, Tiare Smith, has been added to the long list of contributors. She has not only created SOC E:spire Magazine, Tiare has made the world of African American scrappers, card makers, and altered artists that much smaller and brought each of us a closer. A year ago, I had no idea as many African Americans shared the love of paper crafting as I do. I am so happy to know I can log-on or e-mail a fellow blogger or call a friend to discuss techniques, upcoming conventions and/or classes and know that the topic is far from being foreign. Thanks Tiare, for writing us all into history.

I achieve this effect by using SU cardstock, Hero Art flower & background stamps, SU classic inks, SU sentiment stamp, embossing powder, pearl spritz, Tim Holtz distressing ink, Glossy Accents, and pearls.

Peace & Blessings,

Lorie

"Phenomenal Women"

This is a month of celebration and love. Each and every one of our "Sheores" deserves recognition. In our world of paper and adhesive I'd like to place the spotlight for just a moment on our most recent phenomenal achievement and that is the accomplishment attained by our own Tiare "Classygirl" Smith.

As the Founding Editorial Director, for Scraps of Color Scrapbook Magazine, Tiare was able to bring one of her dreams to fruition with the launch of Scraps of Color E:Spire.

Don't you just luv, luv, luv the pages of creations and inspiration she was able to collect in order to provide motivation and inspiration for us? And, what a month to deliver a publication that supports our efforts to document events on the pages that we create in honor of our individual, family and community events. We create phenomenal pages to document both the monumental achievements of our people and the small private moments that nourish our souls!Personally, I cannot imagine any activity more rewarding than the ability to showcase our photographs and our memories in our own, unique style. I guess that's why Tiare took such care to ensure that no matter what your "scrap of choice" preference may be, your creative juices would be tantalized and supported. As someone who has not jumped into the digital arena yet, I am in awe of the information beginning on page 19, in the Digi Den.

Until I'm able to hone these particular skills, please enjoy a few of the pages that I created in this mini- book that highlights photos of my mother and her favorite relatives in their "hey day". These photos are from the 30's so I took care to use materials that would lend authenticity to that era. Any paper can be aged with the use of a fine sand paper and Ranger Distress Inks. Layer torn scrapbook paper to add interest and dimension. Remain ever vigilant to grab vintage buttons and lace from treasures found at garage sales and flea markets.

Enjoy your day, your family, your memories and your hours honing your craft!

Celebrate Your Love Of Family Through History

Anyone that knows me, knows how much I love history. As an artist, I found it easier to tell my stories through my art and my ability to craft. Mixed media, card making, scrapbooking ... it all tells a story of who we are, who the artist or crafter is.

In the art world and in the paper crafting world I've noticed a strong and sustaining trend towards vintage. Steampunk is hot right now ... but for me, as a woman of color - those themes that are so celebrated and made into cardstock and other scrapbook ephemera by some of the big names - do not reach out and grab me.

What DOES reach out and grab me, and wraps itself around my heart, are pictures of my own family. My Grandparents who were landowners and business owners in an age of racial disharmony. My Great-Aunts, who were all seamstresses by trade or by necessity, who were as stylish as the women on the big screens of their day. Women who used what they had to keep a proper home, to take care of their families ... skills that seem to be so forgotten today.

These are the people in my life that "grab me", that I think about when I see Vintage and Steampunk ... and you know what? I find a way to incorporate their memories into my memory keeping.

Go through those vintage photos and incorporate them into the background ... make your own papers out of those old photos! I've learned as an artist not to wait for someone to create something for me - to create it myself.

You can also do this in your scrapbooking. Take this month, Black History Month and celebrate not JUST history ... but your OWN history. If you check out the Premiere SOC E:Spire Ezine, you will see how I used painted tags on page 46, to highlight history ... and I give you other tips on how you can use painted history tags to highlight your own family events.

It's a month of love and history!

Happy February Crafters!

We've got quite the month planned here at SOC.  This month we celebrate LOVE and HISTORY!

Love by Tiare Smith. Supplies: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics;
Patterned Papers and dies: Cosmo Cricket; Flower: unknown

We have released the premiere issue of Scraps of Color Scrapbook Magazine and we made HISTORY by providing the first scrapbook magazine honoring the talents of creative women of color!  Yay!  It is a work of the heart, a work of LOVE!  And we happily share that work with you.  If you haven't downloaded your FREE copy yet you can easily do so by clicking of the magazine cover in the right hand sidebar.

This issue is filled with inspiration, page after page.  With Valentine's Day quickly approaching you'll find great ideas for your Valentine's Day Cards on page 56 and beautiful layout and more card ideas to help you celebrate LOVE on page 74 and be sure to turn to page 70 for fun ideas to celebrate history and page 64 for great tips for scrapbooking your heritage!  Whatever you need, we've got it all!

Nothing is Worth More..by Tiare Smith.
Supplies: Digi Kit 2 Peas.

And I cannot let the day go by without mentioning the fact that February is also Go Red for Women's Hearth Health Month!  Many companies encourage their employees to wear red on this Friday, February 4, 2011, in honor of women's heart health.  So pull out your red and participate!  And while you are online visit the Go Red for Women web page and learn more about your heart health and make plans to incorporate more healthy ways of living into your life!

Have a Happy, Healthy, Love-filled day!  I've shared a couple of LOVELY layouts that I hope will inspire you to celebrate and scrapbook LOVE!  


Hey and for a bit more LOVE inspiration see my LOVE layout on page 18 in the Fab Lane!

EnJOY!

Classygirl!