I’ve realized lately that not everyone is like me. How can that be? Shocking, right? But seriously, I actually believe that this is a good thing! I can be a real weirdo sometimes. You’ve probably already picked up on that.

Now that I have your attention and have you thinking how grateful you are that you and I are not the same, I’ll tell you what I really want you to know. If you have read any of my previous articles, I think it’s obvious that I am a passionate collector of family stories and photos. This may describe you, too. Or it may not. And that’s perfectly fine. Let’s discuss.

An Interesting Comparison

I worked for a few years in the early 1990s as the Features Editor for Southeastern Antiques & Collectibles, a monthly trade newspaper for antique dealers and their customers. For each monthly issue, I researched and wrote about 10 articles. These focused on antiques and collectibles that were currently trending in the shops and markets. 

This work was so much fun and I learned a lot about the subjects of my articles! I also gained valuable insight into collectors themselves. 

You could generally divide these collectors  into three categories: 

Collector Supporter – These are usually the spouses or friends of the true collectors who are reluctantly out on the shopping trip in support of someone else’s hobby or passion. Picture a husband following his wife around while she shops for a new piece of art pottery or a wife with her husband who is looking for a certain baseball card.

Part-Time Collector – This collector loves to attend monthly large markets and browse through antique shops, but only purchases something occasionally. Sometimes, though, they secretly wish they had more time and money to pour into building their collection.

Focused Collector – This collector is seriously focused on building a collection of something they love or furnishing a home with antiques from a certain period. They are well-read and knowledgeable on what they are collecting and are already thinking about who in their family should inherit it! They are happy to devote time to building their own collection.

So let’s connect those 3 types with what we are devoted to here at Rose and Bird Studio – collecting family stories and photographs. I hope you can easily find yourself in one of these 3 types of collectors.

“When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it happened or not.” – Mark Twain

The Family Story Collector Supporter

I have come to accept, rather reluctantly, that some folks are just not interested at all in organizing and collecting things from the past. They aren’t nostalgic or sentimental. For them, archiving a legacy for future generations is just not important right now.

For example, could this be you?

Your cousin found a handwritten letter from the Civil War when cleaning out a family home. “Do you want to hang onto this for your kids to have?” they ask. You reply, “Why?” Yep. You are probably who I am talking about. No judgment. 

But hopefully your next line would be, “But if you want to put that with your collection of family memorabilia that’s fine with me.” Hooray! You’re a Family Story Collector Supporter.

The Part-Time Family Story Collector

This category is where I comfortably resided until about 15-20 years ago. Of course, I listened with intrigue as one of the 90-somethings in my husband’s family talked excitedly about how their family name was now inscribed on a monument or something at Ellis Island. It marked their arrival in the U.S. from Germany! 

Yes, that intrigued me, but I was a busy working mom with 2 kids, 3 cats, a dog, a house, a lawn, etc. I had other things to concern myself with at that time. The thought never occurred to me that I should in some way be putting together a collection of our own for the future. Much less writing down family stories! Oh, how I wish I could go back and do that when all those memories were fresh in my mind.

The Focused Family Story Collector

I’m sure it comes as no surprise that this is where my heart and mind are now. Yes, I am full-on obsessed with properly curating my family’s stories and photographs in a way that I can easily share with my kids, my grandson, and whoever follows him through the generations. 

This category of collector is mindful that even seemingly insignificant pieces of family history can be important – a recipe card, piece of costume jewelry, dog collar, a pencil inscribed with the name of a family business. They are all pieces of the puzzle of your family history.

This collector also sets aside time to write what they can remember of special family stories like how their parents first met. Or what the circumstances were when their beloved family dog came home with one leg missing (this is from my own family’s history!), and so on. 

How We Can Help

I hope you have identified which of these collectors you are. There’s no pressure from us for you to become someone different. We are here to serve you right where you are.

The Supporter 

If you are cheering on someone else in your family who is enjoying putting together a family story and photo collection, then I am so grateful for you. Please help them by connecting them to our mission here. At some point if you want to begin working on your own collection, then you know you can find help and support here. We’ll be waiting for you.

The Part-Timer

You’re busy. You’re sometimes overwhelmed with all of the responsibilities of your daily life. I get it. One of our goals at Rose and Bird Studio is to make the process of putting together a family story collection as easy and time-efficient as possible.

The good news is that even if you just write down one or two stories and organize some of your photos, you have still created something wonderful for your family. They will cherish your efforts and that just feels good.

The Focused

You’re busy with life, too, but you realize that it’s important that you get started now on gathering stories and organizing those photos sitting in the closet and on your phone. You may feel that time is getting shorter and you need to get this sooner than later.

For you, we are also committed to making the process of putting together a family story collection as easy and time-efficient as possible. But we also know that because of your passion, you’ll enjoy some of the extra trainings and workshops that we are working on. Let’s have some fun together!

Get Inspired

Are you ready to start your family story collection? You might be inspired by getting a new journal. Or, maybe you want to inspired a parent or other loved one to start writing their own stories. We can create a one-of-a-kind personalize journal using your choices for fonts, colors and binding style. Go to our Etsy Shop to see what we’re talking about.