Scrapbook Sunday - Catherine Grace

My scrapbooking time has taken a big hit with the advent of The Scrappy Genealogist. And, I miss it! Today I renewed my determination to get our family stories documented with a page about my great grandmother, Catherine Grace. You will recognize several photos from photo repair posts. 

The materials are all from a page of the month kit by Basic Grey. I chose these colors because Catherine's favorite color was said to be rose and the blue of the background reminds me of her eyes.

Check here next Sunday for another family history scrapbook page!

Happy Sunday!

Scrappy Gen

Let's Remember!

Scrappy Genealogist Learns to Blog - I found my idol!

Image via Wikipedia

While browsing the internet this afternoon, I clicked a link and, *!BLAMO!*, I found the most amazing blog, Family Stories! It is written by blogger, Caroline Pointer, from Houston, Texas. What do I love about Caroline's blog? The layout is clean and well delineated. The banner is the best one I have found so far in the family history blogging community. Her content is interesting and funny. She has done a great job making her links and buttons appealing. In addition to this well crafted blog, Caroline writes several other blogs, including For Your Family Story, which is a resource for anyone needing assistance with genealogical research. 

After looking through For Your Family Story I had to do a lot of positive self talk and remind myself that I have only been blogging for five months. Once I picked myself up, I sat myself back down and really looked at Caroline's blogs to figure out what I liked and what I could learn. In addition to my likes listed above, I would like to add that her tone is very friendly and welcoming. Even though For Your Family Story exists to generate business, it is first and foremost helpful and personal. Her sites (in terms of offering genealogical services) are where I would like mine to be in a couple of years. Would it be stalkerish to say that I think I have found my genealogical idol? 

I learned about several cool blogging tools. The first thing I am trying as I type and that is a service called Zemanta. Check it out if you are interested. I will post a review in a few days.

Has anyone else found a genealogical blogging idol? Tell us why are they idol worthy.

Happy Sunday!

Scrappy Gen

Let's Remember!

Procrastination Pays Off....Again?!

Really! I don't believe that my procrastination is a good thing! Actually it is my biggest shortcoming. But, then...along comes this Report of Death, sent to me from Ancestry by one of my Brainard cousins. Clarence is our shared great grandfather, who left his wife and two young children and went to Canada. Coincidentally or serendipitously, I shared a bit about our great grandmother Irene just five days ago as part of the Fearless Females series.  

Report of Death of American Citizen Abroad

The big surprises were that he was married to someone named Dorothy, that he is buried in Mystic, Connecticut and that he was registered with the Veteran's Administration. More clues to follow. Could he have had children? When did he serve in the military? 

For our twentieth wedding anniversary, MJ and I spent a week in Montreal. Before our trip I had researched the Montreal City Directories and recorded the addresses of the places Clarence had lived. There were no less than eight. The final address was listed on this report as his place of death.

Please don't think that procrastinating is a good thing and certainly Ancestry will not have everything we need, it just worked out for me this time. Yes, it payed off. I didn't have to spend money to order the death certificate, but I could also be sitting here waiting another 50 years. So, don't wait, order or go and obtain those vital records you need to validate your family's genealogy. 

Thank you to my cousin for sending this important document! I love cousins! Remember? Like siblings, without the rivalry. 

Happy Saturday!

Scrappy Gen

Let's Remember!