October - the FUN month!

Hello October!

Did you know that today is National Do Something Nice Day?   

I didn’t even know this, but as in the past, I like to begin each new month highlighting the special days in that month. Of course, the main attraction is Halloween, but like today, there are so many interesting and even a little bit weird days of recognition this month. If you are curious, go to http://nationaldaycalendar.com/october/   Of the 120 days of designation, there are really too many I like to mention here, so I encourage you to check it out and have fun finding your favorite day.

So today being ‘Do Something Nice Day,’ I sent my dear friend a box of fresh sweet banana peppers that were growing in profusion in our garden. There was no way our family could eat them all, so I sent her a bunch, including two large green peppers.

So what do all these holidays have to do with creating your family museum? Lots! October is the first month of the holiday months, with Thanksgiving in November and the Christmas season in December. These next three months have an energy of their own that produce crafty and artistic creations that hopefully will be preserved in your family museum. Particularly children’s handcrafts they make for their Halloween costumes, drawings of turkeys, holiday gifts for friends & family.

Over the years my kids have contributed many artistic endeavors that would fill up a museum. And there are many ways these items can be preserved and displayed, giving pleasure for all for years. I will post on this subject with pictures and suggestions. Meanwhile, do something nice today!

P.S. I recently signed up for Facebook.  Look for me, Elizabeth Goesel. Feel free to comment on the BlogSpot there or on the blog itself. Look forward to reading your comments. 

Millennium learns how to conserve and preserve his history . . .

My 28 year-old son, Charlie, decided to finally clean out his closet. What an undertaking he found it to be. File folders of newspaper clippings, bags of bags from places he shopped, paper tubes filled with drawings, and boxes filled with his insatiable desire to collect maritime history artifacts. He was overwhelmed with his collections and perplexed as to how he was going to sort through it all, what to keep, what to throw away and then how and where to keep his stuff. After a few hours, he came to me with eyes like a deer caught in the headlights, stunned and at a loss at what to do next. However, he does have some knowledge on how to keep what is most important to him because he has his own museum, albeit the fact that it was created for him by me, the family museum curator. But what he has in his possession that is not in the museum is what he needs to be concerned about. So here are a few of the suggestions and steps I encouraged him to follow:

1.  Tackle one project at a time, such as going through the file folders of newspaper clippings. Review each one, measure its relevance. Separate piles in subject-like matter. Take each clipping and trim away irrelevant print, but make sure to keep the date and publication info. Repair any rips with preservation double coated tape available at www.amazon.com. Either re-file kept clippings chronologically or place a few notable ones in a scrapbook designed for keeping newspaper. For a wide selection of albums go to Google and typed in scrapbooks for newspaper clippings. A plethora of websites will give you all the help you need to find what you are looking for.

2.  Paper tubes are wonderful for storing large drawings, poster art, etc. Charlie is an artist. From the time he started to draw, his doodles, drawings and later, his diagrams were of ships. His father and I thought he would pursue a career in technical drawing, but alas, he did not, but to this day, he still draws pictures of ships. As he grew, so did the size of his drawings. The largest is a pencil and ink illustration of his most revered ship, the TITANIC. Charlie made multiple copies of this drawing. He even gave one to his high school teacher on his graduation day, and while he was a docent at our local maritime museum, he presented it to the director of the museum.

Solution to storing large drawings are to store them in paper tubes. Charlie has several of them and one already contained drawings. But he had many others and overwhelmed at how they were all going to fit.  So we laid out each and every drawing, unfurling them and making sure frayed edges were smoothed out and rips repaired. Then the drawings were lined up and firmly rolled back into place and slipped into the tube, date and contents noted.
 While doing this and before the copies were rolled up, I had Charlie take note of the TITANIC drawing hanging on his wall. I asked him if he saw any difference in the two drawings. At first he said no, but I told him to take a closer look at the writings in the picture. Getting close to it, he exclaimed, “Oh my, the writing is fading!” Yes, it sure was. So I explained how all artwork, be it a painting, photograph, reproduction work, etc., all fade with age and by light. Why do you think art museums take due-diligence protecting their artworks. So now, with him taking care to preserve and protect his drawings, when the day comes and his TITANIC drawing has faded and no longer enjoyable to look at, he can slip the preserved one from out of the tube and replace the faded one, and once again enjoy his master piece. When looking for paper tubes, check out www.uline.com

4. Storing items that are not flat, such as booklets, brochures, maps, and in Charlie's case, maritime memorabilia, such as past ocean liner menus, programs, even tiny ashtrays, need to be preserved in a box that is used exclusively for that purpose. Called "Memory Boxes" they are available at www.punchstudio.com, Michael's Arts & Craft Stores, and Amazon.com. When you use these boxes, to help with organizing the items inside, keep to a theme, i.e.: travel, souvenirs, cards & letters, etc. Make sure fragile items are wrapped in tissue paper, photographs in slip covers, and then fashion a list of contents with dates, places, etc. And don't over-stuff the box. It won't close properly and the idea of preservation is mute.

5. As for Charlie's bag of bags, it's entertaining. If he ever needs an odd gift bag or amusing tissue paper, he's got it. This reminds me of a few words my father said to me time  and again: "Lisbit, never throw anything away. You may need it later."

Conservation, preservation, keeping, storing, organizing - all of these activities are well-worth the time and energy you put into it. And my Millennium is learning many life-long lessons as he sorts, selects, keeps & disposes of newspaper clippings, artwork, collections and then some. And he is actually enjoying this endeavor. He gets to visit times, places, and things buried in his closet and in his memory, but now has been unearthed and enjoyed again. You should do the same!
 

  

 

Happy Spring!

Spring is the time of plans and projects.” 
Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

 

And so we start again the annual spring planting and cleaning. But I want to espouse something more than the planting of flowers and vegetables and the cleaning of pantries and closets. I want to champion and encourage you and your family to start creating your Family Museum.

 

As you start to organize this project, I want to offer you a word of caution: If you desire to seek out some assistance by way of a book on how-to manage your stuff, you will discover that there is an overwhelming amount of advice out there. I also discovered that each and every one of those books tells you how to get rid of your things instead of keeping them. Sure, we all accumulate far too much paraphernalia, bits and pieces, equipment, personal effects, along with junk, mess and matter. However, within all of these things are keepsakes, and they should be saved, preserved and most importantly, displayed. That is what all these books don’t tell you how to do. But my blog does! So go back through the past posts and read about how-to and why and where you can display your saved things. 

 

The first step in truly easy. Make a list. In fact, make several lists. And not only you but everyone in your family; spouses, kids, grandkids, grandparents, aunts, uncles,  cousins and friends. What kind of lists, you may ask? Lists of everything you want to save.

Why? Because you want to keep things that you treasure the most. Start with small lists so you do not become overwhelmed with guilt for having stashed away a mountain of stuff. There is nothing wrong with saving things, especially those that are important to you as a person and to your family.  

As you tackle this project and you have questions,
please do not hesitate to let me know how I can help you. Sometimes all we need is a little encouragement.

Good luck and most of all, have FUN! 

ATTENTION PLEASE: There has been a glitch with my post-a-comment. It has been corrected and now you will be able to post your thoughts, reactions and questions about any and all of the past posts. As soon as I am notified of your comment I will reply.  Thank you. 

  

Celebrating . . .

. . .  My Blog’s First Year Anniversary

Hi Everyone! I started How to Create a Family Museum one year ago this week. To show appreciation to all those who have read and commented on my blog, I would like to bring attention to some of the popular posts from this year in hopes that you will revisit them and comment. Enjoy!

Friday, April 4, 2014    “Genealogical Research”

Monday, April 21, 2014   “Thinking of You”

Thursday, April 24, 2014   “Baby Books”

Friday, May 2, 2014   “Book Collecting”

Thursday, July 24, 2014   “Preserving Your Papers”

Monday, July 28, 2014   “Reintroducing How to Create a Family Museum”

Friday, August 22, 2014   “Family Museum in the Living or Family Room”
 

Saturday, August 23, 2014   “Family Museum in a Guest Bedroom & Home Office”

August 30, 2014   Our “Family Museum” Story

Wednesday, September 3, 2014   “Vintage Clothes – Sunday Dress”

Tuesday, September 9, 2014   “Vintage Clothes – Hot Pants”

Friday, September 12, 2014   “Vintage Clothes – Men’s Leisure Suits”

                                           Friday, October 31, 2014  

“Happy Halloween!”
 

Thursday, January 1, 2015   “Happy New Year”

Of these posts, which ones are your favorites? And thanks for visiting.

 

 

Thursday Toys

Can you remember your favorite toys? Can you recall what toys you received on your birthdays and Christmas? Do you think you had too many toys or not enough of the toys you really wanted? Were your toys new or hand-me-downs? Did you respect your toys? Most importantly, did you save any of your toys?

In my husband’s and my side of our Family Museum, there are a few toys compared to our children’s side, where there is many times more toys. Now if you compare our side of the museum to the Grandparents Museum, there are virtually no toys. What kind of statement does that make? At first you might think sad, but it should not be presumed that they did not have toys. I am sure they had a few precious ones. What the sad aspect of this statement is that none of their toys were saved! 

I recall my dad saying he had a toy train. Where did it go? I remember my mom talking about a baby doll she called Teedle-Lumps. There is a poor photograph of it, but that too has disappeared. My husband recalls is father having sling shots and hunting rabbits with it. He remembers his mom had dolls her sister and she would play with, but not to be had now. However, in all this where-are-they-now, one toy was extremely cared for and given to my husband when his mom passed away at the age of 104.

This hand-made doll cradle was made of pine and fir wood and given to my husband’s Great Aunt Gitta when she was 4 years old in 1870 in Tromso, Norway. It traveled with her to the United States where the family settled in Artichoke, Minnesota. There it stayed until it was passed down to my husband’s mother in Illinois.  When she passed away in 2007, it was passed down to my husband here in Virginia. Can you figure out how many miles this cradle has traveled and how old it is. If you do the math, it traveled 5,194 miles and is 145 years old. WOW! Now that’s what I called preservation!

Next Post: Friday Feature

Conservation/Preservation

Cataloging, Storage & Maintenance

                                                    

Heirlooms, antiques, collectibles, keepsakes . . . all of them have different values, monetary as well as aesthetic. Our homes and our lives are filled with things. Some are more important then others. Some are more valued then others.
Once you have selected the artifacts to display in
Your Family Museum, which is a conservation project in itself, those placed in storage will be preserved, catalogued and maintained. Here is a guide for you to become acquainted with archival terms to assist you in this endeavor.
        

►Conservation protects, manages the cares of valued artifacts,
    collections, heirlooms, etc.

►Preservation keeps precious items from change, loss or damage.

►Cataloging is making a complete list of all the items displayed
    and in storage, arranged in alphabetical or other systematic order.
    Account ledgers are efficient books in which to log, make
    entries, document, classify, list, index, categorize, sort and divide
    inventory. Keep this information (in hard copy placed in a
    fireproof box and on a computer disc) for the very intent and
    reason for cataloging. By implementing a filing system, it will
    help you create your archive collection.

►Archive is a collection of historical
    documents or records. We all have archives
    of one sort or another: notebooks,
    scrapbooks, family albums, journals, diaries,
    or account books. These bits and pieces of
    recorded dates, places and events are
    extremely helpful as you assemble your
    displays.

You may even become an Archivist – one who keeps records that have enduring value as reliable memories of your family’s past, which will provide an acute understanding of your family’s history. When you do this, you are establishing provenance.

►Provenance is the history & ownership of the item(s) origination.
►Restoration is the repair & renovation to keep all in a good condition.
 

►Storage is the space available for saving 
    and keeping family treasurers. There are
    many types of storage units, some

    specific to size and shape of the item:
    map chests, filing cabinets & archival acid-free boxes for storing valuable photographs, artwork, or documents and precious items such as maps, prints & newspapers.

A plethora of websites will help you to investigate, compare and learn about the many ways to protect your property. You need to consider the space your unit(s) will require, temperature, lighting, accessibility and safety.

      

Once Your Family Museum is complete, your archives created and the preservation, storage and maintenance in place, you can take pride in a job well done and take comfort in the knowledge that your family’s keepsakes, collections, antiques, and other precious items are no longer obscure and forgotten. Your family museum(s) will be a continuous record of past events, present acquisitions, and sets in motion the preservation of future experiences.

 



Why a Family should have a Museum in their Home

 

You save things. You put them away. You store them perhaps thinking may be one day it will get used again. However, that day does not come and the things are still in the box. What do you do? Throw them away? NO! Give them away? NO! What you should do is take the things out of the box, give them a fair assessment and then ask yourself if you should keep them? The answer is YES! And here is why: because something possessed you to keep them in the first place. Most likely a dusting of memories have settled also. Memories are important. Good, bad, happy sad, or just maybe funny. That is why a family should have a museum – to preserve those memories. To remember, pay respect to, learn from, and pass onto the next generation. After all, history is his and her stories.  

People ask me why I have a Family Museum. Well, why not. If celebrities, sports stars, famous authors, military hero’s and others can, well then so can I and so can you. Your family may have vintage clothing, rare baseball cards, first edition books, Purple Hearts, antiquities. Why did you keep these things? Where are they right now? What are you going to do with them? Answer: You should put them in Your Family Museum to preserve, protect, and to feel proud of your family and yourself for doing so.

Today’s families are on the go 24/7. Time passes quickly. Age is inevitable. Memories dull. Sometimes they can even get in the way of moving on. Nevertheless, you should not forget all the important and not so important events that shaped your life. This is why you should have a Family Museum – it makes you take notice of your history and gives special meaning to you and your family.

The picture above is one image of many from the Grandparents Museum from my father's side. The few things I was able to save are dear to me; a photograph of his family, Lithuanian custom pieces; a hand-painted Easter egg, clothing sash (Juosta), and amber beads. The coffee pot and iron horseshoe I have no idea from whence they came. Before my father passed away he told me a few stories about some of these things and I have passed them onto my children. And though stories (written and/or verbal) are great ways to keep a family history alive, it is even better when you can hold the object in your hand, feel the cloth, smell the coffee, try on the beads. This is what having a Family Museum is all about - enjoying at the same time preserving your family's memories.

“The Heart hath its own memory, like the mind, and in it are enshrined the precious keepsakes, into which is wrought the giver’s loving thought.”                                                                                                                                                                     Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Note:  Why did you kept that certain something? By doing so you may feel surprisingly proud you did, especially when you show others that you care.              You may even inspire them to do the same.

Next Post: Whose things belong in the Family Museum?

 

 

 

 

 

Reintroducing How to Create a Family Museum

On March 4, 2014, Blogger published 60 posts on how to create your family museum. This week, I want to return to the first five posts to regenerate the awareness and enthusiasm that has been initiated by this endeavor to preserve and display your family heritage, bringing into effect the sense of accomplishment that your whole family can take part in and share in this honorable achievement.

Keith & Lizzie's Museum

“There’s a world of wisdom in our personal stories. Your life is a legacy, a gift that only you can give. Why waste something so precious?”            Dolly Berthelot



Tiffeni & Charlie's Museum

STOP throwing or giving your                memories away and START   creating today Your Family Museum. This blog will not instruct you on how to unclutter your home or how to rightsize, downsize, rearrange or reprioritize your life. It is about having fun selecting, displaying and honoring your family's history by  creating a special place in your home for your keepsakes, heirlooms and other artifacts that celebrates the family's heritage, giving a new meaning and value for you today and for the future.

As we all know and sometimes grumble about, most things these days are mass-produced, used, expended and discarded. However, what about those things that have lasted, perhaps several lifetimes that should be saved and passed on? If we do not preserve those things, what will we have that shows regard and respect for our past family members for the future? Now, you may agree with wanting to save your heritage, however, you may feel you are not sure how or do not have the space in your home to showcase your history.

 

Room after room, looking for space, but have no fear, I will show you the place!

 

Where to Begin posts will instruct and show how, where and with what you can use to construct your family museum. Detailed examples, step-by-step advice, pictures and stories will offer suggestions you may feel will help you to achieve creating your museum.  

                                                                                                                                                  Posts will cover a myriad of subjects related to the items in my Family Museum. Collecting/Collections, Thanks for the Memories, Daily Themes, and links to featured websites. Also information on preservation and conservation and helpful resources round out the blogs offerings. Future posts will be about creating children's, grandchildren's and Grandparents Museums. 

                                                                                                                                                     We all have stories to tell and I would appreciate my readers to share theirs. This may in turn give you an opportunity to reconnect with your feelings on what and why you saved the things you did. You can shine a light on a particular family member, friend or event that holds some special meaning for you. Heirlooms are most endearing, for many people can relate to your story because perhaps they have a like-wise item or memory to share.  

The past has value. It teaches us who we are and where we came from. This blog is not only about looking back, it is about looking to the future.  As you create your family museum, you will find the endeavor edifying, entertaining and most of all FUN! So get ready and create Your Family Museum.

 

“A concerted effort to preserve our heritage is a vital link to our cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational and economical legacies – all of the things that quite literally make us who we are.”                        Steve Berry, Author

Note: I look forward to your comments, remarks or observations. Thank you.

Next Post: What is a Family Museum?

Preserving Your Papers

On Sunday’s I read the Daily Press and enjoy reading the questions posed to Amy Dickinson of “Ask Amy” column, and this one caught my attention, being that it is relative to this blog post. It read:

Ask Amy

Dear Amy: You told “Clean Jean” that it would be a good idea to shred 15-year-old divorce documents between her and husband, rather than share them with her children.

I disagree; these documents become historical records and are part of a family’s history. She should keep them.                                                                                                      – Family Historian                                      Amy writes back:                                                                              Dear Historian: You make a great point.  Thank you                        http://amydickinson.com/

First, I want to thank Amy for understanding the importance of preserving family documents, even if they are reviewed as a sad situation for a family, and printing this in her column. Second, I want to thank the Family Historian for her or his astute stewardship.  The information on divorce papers is a resource for family histories, as well as other papers such as birth & death certificates, last wills & testaments, military discharge papers, etc. The very thing that is most important is that all paper documents that are not digitally saved (for those that are in this form are safe), the information is extremely vital for genealogical research and verification. Refer to the posted date April 4 (Friday Feature)for more assistance with ancestral study and for more info on conservation and preservation, see March 28^th post.   

Responsible planning and management of these references is imperative and the very essence of a family is its history.  When creating your family museum, try to incorporate space for special archival storage boxes that protect and preserve paper. http://www.dickblick.com.
And for all of you, like the Family Historian, thank you and keep up the good work.

Remember, the present needs to take care of the past for the future to learn.  

Note: See new contact form to send your comments. Thank you.