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Organizing your Family History

As you have been working on collecting your family history you will have found many people who are married into the family creating additional family lines. It can be a lot of fun traveling down some of these family lines because of the variety and some of the strange and wonderful things you will discover, but don't let them distract you!

One of the first things you will realize when you go to share your family history is that it needs to be pared down to your basic family.

• You (and your spouse) and your children are the trunk
• your parents (and your spouse's parents) and YOUR aunts and uncles
• your grandparents (and your spouse's grandparents) with YOUR grandparents siblings
• your great grandparents (and your spouse's g grandparents) with YOUR g grandparent's siblings

This goes back 4-8 generations and you want to fill out a family tree form so your mind can keep it straight. Now when you share your spouse's family lines just switch roles, it's that simple.

Why do you do Family History?

There are a lot of reasons for doing family history (or genealogy) but for me it comes down to connecting my family lines and discovering who I am and sharing that knowledge with my Sister and Brothers.


Our family is a combination of five marriages so although we have seven siblings our ages are so different that we really didn't get to know one another until we had children of our own! This is becoming a normal trend across America and makes doing Genealogy challenging but also exciting as through research we pull the family together. Don't loose sight of Artistic Ancestry.com...we are coming soon!

New Millennium Gadgets take Genealogy out of the closets!

When I first began working on my family history I, like many of you, had large landscape sized books filled with forms that had been filled out by hand, edited and rewritten. Nothing like what we use today!

Now there are wonderful software programs that allow us to type in names, dates, etc along with video, poetry, just about anything you can find or create! Would the Lord have provided all that we have to use today if it weren't for the importance of Family History Work to  commence at a much faster pace?

Soon you will be able to download your history into beautiful form you can share with your families, friends and distant relatives. How do I know? Because we are creating just such a program and soon you will find yourselves mesmerized by the joy of creating something so easy to share! So stay in touch! We are almost there!

See you soon, Cristina

Family History Christmas

One of the nicest parts about getting together with my Grandmother and her siblings was listening to them tell stories on one-another. Like the time the brothers snuck (yeah I know it isn't a real word but it fits!) into the neighbor's watermelon patch to steal a melon just before harvest, or how the family of 13 lived in a one room dugout in Oklahoma and still made room for the bachelor that at the next filing and was too timid to sleep alone.

These are the memories that time will forget if we don't save them! It is up to you and me and all we know to keep the real history of America alive and true! Remember, genealogy is more than names, dates and places, it is the events that shaped a family and a nation!

GedCom files vs typing

IF you are like me, you have found that the snazzy websites available for creating Family Trees have one major snafu...you have to type in each name separately! For myself, that could be hundreds of names and dates and places just for the first 5 generations!

Artistic Ancestry.com will allow you to download your basic GedCom files, no more typing!

Family-what this life is all about!

The Thanksgiving Holiday began as a celebration of all that God had blessed the Pilgrims with but as time and eras slid by Family became the focus for Thanksgiving, now the TV and radio world would make it  seem as though the focus is on eating a perfectly roasted Turkey with all the trimmings.

I believe that most of the United States of America are still celebrating being thankful for our country, families and God. If all we did was listen to the media's version of who we are we'd be lost! Isn't it nice to know there are talk show hosts who still love and support America and Americans as being unique and pretty darn special? Besides, without our generosity most of the world would crash and burn after hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis. We are the most generous people in the world!

What is Artistic Ancestry?

Welcome to my blog! As I was sharing with a friend just the other day, Artistic Ancestry is the next step toward bringing our families together, using our piles of family history, family videos, Photographs and poetry to create a wonderful EBook that can be shared with every family member for just a few dollars.

No big publishing costs with bulky books to mail; just a simple download through an email account will give the gift of family decorated with your unique colors, textures, patterns or pics!

Imagine being able to see your whole family tree, including your cousins, aunts and uncles without leaving the main page! It will be coming to you soon, so stay in touch!

Obedience? Why?

"At times we may rationalize that the Lord will understand our disobedience because our special circumstances make adherence to His laws difficult, embarrassing, or even painful. However, faithful obedience, regardless of the apparent size of the task, will bring the Lord's guidance, assistance, and peace." Bruce A. Carlson, "When the Lord Commands," Ensign, May 2010, 39

 

Daily Quote

“The family is the corner stone of our society. More than any other force it shapes the attitude, the hopes, the ambitions, and the values of the child. And when the family collapses it is the children that are usually damaged. When it happens on a massive scale the community itself is crippled. So, unless we work to strengthen the family, to create conditions under which most parents will stay together, all the rest — schools, playgrounds, and public assistance, and private concern — will never be enough.”-Lyndon Baines Johnson

The Apostle Paul on Temptation

"Whenever temptation comes, remember the wise counsel of the Apostle Paul, who declared, 'There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it' (1 Corinthians 10:13)."

How to move on after a Death

1. Keep busy with enjoyable activities - especially group activities. Continue with those groups and activities you previously enjoyed, and add some new ones.  Best of all, find activities that have a physical aspect. Try a book discussion group, a church or community committee, classes of any sort. Don't limit yourself. Fill your time with many activities -- both old and new.
2. Have positive conversations with your friends and family. Talk about anything other than your loss. Keep the conversations positive and focused on the future. I
3. Be of service to those who are less fortunate than yourself. There is no better way to get over feeling sorry for yourself, than being of service. Volunteer at the Red Cross blood bank, the local hospital, the library, your church... The possibilities are unlimited -- just do it.
4. Get inspirational support daily... read an inspirational book or quotations, meditate, or begin the habit of daily journaling.
5. Have patience, keep your thoughts positive, and soon you will be over your sadness and anger and moving forward into your new life.
                                                                               Johnathan Lockwood Huie

We decide how our day will go

"Your morning thoughts may determine your conduct for the day. Optimistic thoughts will make your day bright and productive, while pessimistic thinking will make it dull and wasteful. Face each day cheerfully, smilingly and courageously, and it will naturally follow that your work will be a real pleasure and progress will be a delightful accomplishment." Unknown

Courage

Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice
at the end of the day saying,
"I will try again tomorrow."
- Mary Anne Radmacher

Quote of the Day

Our "Rainbows & Butterflies" are the small miracles of our life - the little things that are so easy to overlook, yet so awe inspiring when we take a moment to notice and to pay attention. Give thanks for the rainbows, for the butterflies, for all God's creatures - large and small, for the bright blue sky and the soft fog and the gentle rain, for the tree veiled in the season's first frost, for the baby's laugh, for the touch of a hand and the whispered "I love you."
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Thought for the day

 
" Life always gives us exactly the teacher we need at every moment. This includes every mosquito, every misfortune, every red light, every traffic jam, every obnoxious supervisor (or employee), every illness, every loss, every moment of joy or depression, every addiction, every piece of garbage, every breath."
Joko Beck --- Submitted by Lauren Covington --- New Jersey

Who else is related to my GGGG-Grandpa?

One of the most interesting parts of researching a family history is finding others who have the same desire to search out their family as you do. Using sites such as Ancestry.com to do your research can be a great boon because it could hook you up to dozens of others with the same many-times-great grandfather.

But then what do you do with that information? Share it with your families, of course. That is where Artistic Ancestry will excel, by giving you an avenue to share your treasured ancestry with your families in a decorative and electronic way. We are on our way to getting up on the 'net so keep in touch and you will be the first in line to creating a lasting memory of your heard won research.

Designing a Family Tree

One of my greatest thrills has been to see my information downloaded onto a mighty Oak family tree template. Then you have the bow tie template, or the fan, but I haven't seen many fun innovative family tree templates that are filled with color and fun. If anyone knows of some family trees that you could share, or sell, that are filled with imagination and innovation I would be thrilled to hear from you.

Just leave your name and link in the comments section below!

Revering our Dead

Today we revere not just the heroes and lost (and their families)of the attack on our country on 9/11, but the men, women who have fought for freedom and the Constitution of the United States for the past 234 years since it's signing. Heroes who traveled to a new world that was so different from the rest of the world that it seemed to be just what it was (and still is), a miracle from God.

 Our country and loved ones were not perfect, but so much more perfect than anywhere else in the world, and we still are! Even with politicians that think they are special enough they don't answer to the Creator, with business owners that deal in death and depravity, with the fear that we are just walking around with a target on our backs because of our prosperity; the United States of America and those who have made her great are on our minds and hearts today!

May God Bless America, the Land of the Free

Give the Gift of 4 Generations

As we all know, there is no such thing as being done when it comes to researching our genealogy. I've found records as far back as the 15th century, which is pretty good I think, but the search never ends because it goes far and 'wide' into family relationships.

But, when you get your first four generations done isn't it time to celebrate? YES! This is where Artistic Ancestry.com will give you a thrill! Imagine taking your family history and creating an E-Book with it! Then being able to share your research in a beautiful download with your children, aunts, uncles and well everyone!

This is what Artistic Ancestry is going to do for the World; take the names, dates, places etc and turn it into a wonderfully presented book that can be downloaded like a ribbon wrapped package.

Soon we will be ready to show you how! So, stay in touch with us here at our Blog.

Try, try, try again!

When was the last time you searched for that lost and nearly forgotten family member? Maybe today is the day to try again!

Have you been on the blog, genealogybank.com lately? The great breaking news today is that another 200 million census, death records have gone online! According to the website this means there are over 700 million records online. 700 MILLION!

Interested? Then, go to FamilySearch.org, then click Search Records and then Record Search pilot to see a full list of the free collections. The records will also soon be available at beta.familysearch.org.

So, maybe it's time to give it another go!

TinyURL.com - shorten that long URL into a tiny URL

TinyURL.com - shorten that long URL into a tiny URL

genealogy-journey

Take a few minutes and got to the Olive Tree Genealogy Blog. Maybe you could join their 40 week journey! What were you doing on 9/11? My husband and I were moving back from Idaho to Missouri and watched in terror from our hotel room. Just a few days later, as we were leaving Mitchell, Oregon we gave a ride, meals and encouragement to three young men who were leaving for New York City to help with the cleanup and recovery process. They like so many Americans were ready to leave their homes, families and jobs to do whatever they could to help.

Do you have a story to share about that day and time? Please share it with us.

9/11 - a reminder to all

The Tear Drop by Russian Artist Zurab Tesereteii.

Many of us know about the Tear Drop; that 100 foot memorial in the shipping yards across from the Statue of Liberty and in line with where the Twin Towers once stood. But how many of us remember that at it's base are inscribed all the people who died there, just as the Vietnam Memorial Wall?

The 40 foot nickel plated teardrop hanging in the jagged tear of this huge monolith expresses the anguish we are usually unable to express, and as the years slide by will continue to hold in memorial our cherished loved ones who died there.


How many nationalities were killed that day because of the insane hatred of a few?
Have we memorialized that day, and others of great interest to Freedom? Maybe it's about time we did.

Resoring Honor in Genealogy

Glenn Beck showed us last week that we aren't alone in our Faith Based love of our Country! We live in a wonderful country that allows people like you and me to research our ancestors lives, to learn of the kinds of work they did to feed their families, to find out why they came to America! We are so blessed to live in America which was created, for the most part, by men who honored God! Shouldn't that be the way we live here?

Have you found your ancestors? Do you have fragile pictures of them as I do? Were they from the original founders or immigrants in later years? My Great Grandfather and G Grandmother came from Copenhagen with my 2 year old Great Aunt Lena and settled in Nebraska. Soon I will show you what you can do with your family in an EBook style showcase of their journey, lives and heritage.

Hurricane Earl vs Genealogy

So what does Hurricane Earl have to do with Genealogy? Do you still have your genealogy and family trees on paper in the closet? I lost some important papers because of a leak in the back of a closet, the mold and mildew ruined family pictures and silverfish ate some of my grandmother's stories and poems! Oh, was I upset!

Yes, there are applications out there that allow you to sift through your GEDCOM, but when there is a storm can you hook up with my genealogy site though the airwaves? What if you had everything on a flash-drive so no matter what happens to the 'net you could still access and work on your family lines?


 

Dusty Genealogy

Have you been running around in circles trying to create something beautiful or at least aesthetically pleasing and after all is said and done you find out your work has to be printed into a book to show it off? Yeah, I thought so, because that is what has happened to me a couple of times.

Then you want so bad to show it to someone that may be in your line and compare notes, but because of how it is paged few have the time to jump through the hoops needed to sort-of see what you have. Well, if this has happened to you, and it has to nearly everyone I've visited with, Artistic Ancestry is going to make you VERY Happy!

Genealogy made personable

There are thousands of programs online and websites for creating a family tree simply because we are frustrated with the lack of beauty and usability of our family history. We’ve spent years compiling data to prove who our ancestors are then we find we are unable to really share it because it is either on printed paper or online! These Web sites are wonderful for organizing and researching genealogy and it is possible to find some really beautiful trees to use, but then the information is only available online or after it is sent to a publisher where it can’t be updated.

The objective of Artistic Ancestry is to allow the customer to download not only a family tree but to make it a work of art using the easy to use drop and drag technology of today, to place and showcase their photographs and family stories, videos, and genealogy into an EBook that is more than words on a screen, they are beautifully created gifts.

The future of genealogy

The Technology for sharing information has exploded since the turn of the century, but genealogy is still being done in the same way, page by page. With all the wonders of digital technology we are still chained to the file or print options when we want to share what we have discovered and created. It is the frustration of not being able to view the whole family line that I began working toward creating Artistic Ancestry.

 

Why Artistic Ancestry?

After working with genealogy and family history for over 25 years and genealogy websites for the past 10; I would like to share what I've found. Not just as dry forms that have been filled with dry facts, but adding a scrapbook flare!

This website and software technology will allow us to take the information we have gathered and use it to create an easy-to-see overview of all our family trees (including the children.

Artistic Ancestry-the Beginnings

Welcome to Artistic Ancestry.com! Here we are working to create an avenue to allow genealogists of all ages to create uniquely decorated E Books of their family pictures and family genealogy then to be able to download your creation onto your iPod, iPad, or PC/Mac.

Because of the intense research that we do every day on our genealogy lines shouldn't we be allowed to easily share it with family or have all that information at our fingertips whether we have access to the internet or not? We think we should! This is the main reason for the creation and implementation of this software and website, and I hope you will all provide your input and wish lists here.