Food for Thought

We all know that books burn—yet we have the greater knowledge that books can not be killed by fire. People die, but books never die. No man and force can abolish memory. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt. (1882 – 1945)

Vintage Tins

The creative juices are flowing and here's another fun way to get those 'need-to-be-seen' photographs out of the books and boxes and in front of our faces!

We've taken an 8x8 inch magnet board, added a vintage photo as a background, distressed the edges because we LOVE everything OLD and thrown in a couple of magnets (different magnet options based on the package). You can use them to post messages, photos or just as great wall art.

Print a birth announcement or wedding invitation on to vellum paper and create a personalized magnet of the featured individual(s). Talk about a much appreciated gift!

We've created more than a dozen designs featuring vintage photographs and other great art work. They are only in a few stores right now, but we're working on making them easy to get. We'll also offer them on our website in the near future. (Somehow, there is always more work than time in a day!) If you can't wait to see the different options, go ahead an drop us a line at sales@storiesbyme.com. We can send you a .pdf of what's available. Suggested retail for the tins is $16.00. Shipping will cost a few bucks more.

If you live in the Salt Lake area, consider having a Block Party! We love sharing our ideas and there's no better way help people see how easy it is to preserve family stories than by attending one of our classes. We'll help your group (12 or more) complete one of our projects. We even offer discount pricing to the group to sweeten the deal! Contact us right away because dates are filling quickly!

Family Links

Here's a WOW statement: mother and daughter links through six generations. This version was custom-cut on beautiful linen (archival-quality, of course) mat board. The inner core is a dark brown color which complements the sepia tones in the photographs. What makes the project extra special is the personal sentiment included for each individual. You can study the pictures, looking for similar features, and then read about what set them apart!

Of course, we had to make our own version. I created this project featuring my husband's heritage. It now proudly hangs in our living room. Every once in a while, we'll see a kid slip in to compare family faces. Someday we'll make a copy for each of the boys!

Project needs:

Copies of family photographs. Most photo shops can help you resize your pictures. They can also help you alter the colors for a uniform look (our samples are sepia-toned). You can do this yourself if you're familiar with Photoshop or other photo-editing software. Your final layout will determine each photo's size, but the standard 3x5, 4x6 or 5x7 (depending on the number of generations featured) will work.

Brief synopsis of featured person. Use any word processing software to write up a brief history. Include the full name; sometimes it offers clues to these family links. We also documented the relationship: Daughter, Mother, Grandmother, Great-grandmother, etc. and the birth year / death year of each person. Write a descriptive paragraph about each person. This might include talents, accomplishments, favorite sayings or something else that provides a glimpse in their life. Format the statement to fit a box the same width as the photographs.

Mat and Frame. Unless you are REALLY good at cutting mats, we'd recommend having the board professionally cut. It'll cost more, but this is a heirloom piece that will be enjoyed for generations so feel good about the splurge!

A Tribute to Stanley

ho·bo [hō bō] homeless traveler
a poor and homeless person, especially somebody who traveled around the United States looking for work in the 1920s and 1930s.

I am the product of a hobo. Let me rephrase that. I am the PROUD product of a hobo. Last week, my sixteen year old and I found ourselves in an area of town that we rarely frequent. The streets were filled with migrant workers waiting for the chance to labor for a day’s wage. This was a foreign concept for my son. As I tried to explain the process, the image of my maternal grandfather came to my mind. Pops didn’t have much in the way of material wealth, but he left a wealth of stories proving dedication and perseverance can pave the way for a better life.

Pops came to America at the turn of the twentieth century. He was eighteen years old. He left behind his entire family, and other than a sister who made her own journey, never saw them again. He worked whatever jobs he could find. The early years found him cutting back and forth across the nation in search of the elusive better life. He told many a story of jumping railcars and run-ins with the police because of his vagrant lifestyle. When he met Grandma, he decided to settle down and work the coal mines. I didn’t know him until he was in his eighties and really can only remember those last few years of his nineties. Blindness and old age had finally crept in, but he still wasn’t afraid of a little hard work. He must have been 93 the year he cut down our family willow trees, in the middle of summer...in temperatures that were nearly 100 degrees.

Pops never had much money. He never owned his own house. I don’t think he even owned a car. However, he did a great job raising eight respectable kids, who in turned raised their own generation of musicians, doctors, law enforcers and engineers. Now the next generation is creating their own life stories. Pops didn’t leave much in the way of material belongings, but he did leave a treasure-trove of rich stories that continue to set the course for the generations of today.

Another Memory Candle Idea

{A project from the Inspired Ideas Archives}

If you live in the Salt Lake area and DIDN'T go to This is the Place Heritage Park today, you were in the minority. There were a bajillion people there! We've been going regularly for the last four years and I can't remember ever seeing so many cars parked in the parking lot, overflow lots, side lots and even some sidewalks! Our demonstration area was off the beaten track so we only got to meet a small portion of you, but what an AMAZING group of people with FABULOUS ideas on preserving family stories! Please be sure to add your comments here, or contact us via email: mystory@storiesbyme.com to share your project ideas.

We met a LOT of people and I'm sorry that I am so terrible with names, but someone out there asked about adding pictures to a glass family tree that she has created. We soooooo want to see pictures! Here's a great project that will let you transfer black and white photographs to glass. We haven't had a chance to try it, so if you beat us to the project, be sure to let us know the outcome! http://inspiredideasmag.blogspot.com/2008/05/making-memory-candles-project-from.html

July 08 Upcoming Events

We're heading to This is the Place, Heritage Park today. If you haven't been to 'The Park' in a while, it's a good day to check things out. It's Family Day! (Go to http://www.thisistheplace.org/ for more info.) If it's anything like last year, there will be thousands in attendance. Adults normally pay $8.00 and kids $6.00 just to get in. Today, it's FREE! Don't worry about standing shoulder to shoulder with the throngs. The park sits on, what seems like, a hundred acres. (Have you ever tried to walk the entire Park in a day?) They now have a train to pull you up the more strenuous hills, unless of course your kids are doing the pulling.

If you can't make it today, then you really MUST try to get there on the 24th of July. That's the big Utah holiday celebrating the pioneer's entrance into the Salt Lake Valley. Never mind that they actually arrived two day's earlier. It's a fantastic way to discover your roots...or just learn about Utah's history.

Be sure to look for Stories by Me. For several years, we had a little shop in the basement of Smoot Hall. The Gift Shop now carries a selection of our products, but today (and on the 24th) we'll be there demonstrating how to make a memory block puzzle...just like the pioneers!

Block Puzzle Kits

We hope that you've had the chance to check out our block puzzle kits in person. We show additional samples on our website: http://www.storiesbyme.com/. Our kits will let you make your own custom puzzle. In this post, we hope to address questions such as:


* can I buy a kit locally?

* can I attend a demonstration or class?

* I'm making a block puzzle and have a question or problem...


First off, yes, you can buy a kit locally! Our kits are currently located at Mormon Handicraft (several locations through Utah), Me & My House (Bountiful), This is the Place, Heritage Park and The Musuem of Church History and Art (both in Salt Lake City). You can always order a kit through our website.


We are now scheduling demonstrations for the new year. If you are interested in a demonstration or class, please contact us at wizard@storiesbyme.com. We will get back to you and find a demonstration time that will fit your schedule.


If you are in the process of making a block puzzle and have a question, please be sure to post it in the comment section (link below) so we can address it as soon as possible! If you have a problem, or suggestion or have found a solution that worked for you, please post that as well! We are hoping that you will be able to help others out there that may have the same question or problem.


Again, thank you for visiting us here at Stories by Me! and we love to hear from you!!