Your family’s history. One of those unique and special gifts you can preserve for your children’s children and many more generations to come.
Yet often a family artifact can lay hidden in a drawer or high on a shelf to be perhaps identified one day as merely “something that probably belonged to one of the grandmothers”.
What about the stories behind those precious bits of family history? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if one day your grandchild could share with her grandchild those stories; clearly detailed, accurate and never-lost stories, a vivid connection to the past.
Alison Hird calls it scrapbooking for historical items. As a recently retired Museum Collections Manager this Caledon resident has found a renewed passion and, together with years of knowledge and her museum background, she is using it to help people archive their precious family artifacts.
Alison has crafted her second career with Treasured Collections and she artfully calls on her expertise in artifact photography, cataloging, and documenting provenance.
Alison loves the opportunity to archive military stories and items. Names, dates, service histories and photographs all tie in to these, to be shared for generations to come. As well, she enjoys dealing with hand-made items, who made them, when and why.
Perhaps you are ready to purge a wedding dress. Getting wedding details like full names and dates recorded, special stories, the certificate, an invitation, a few accessories, all play a part in painting a perfect picture of that special day.
Another area she is receiving calls for is to document items for people who are downsizing. An example would be a senior, or anyone really, moving to a smaller home. It may be easier to let go of large but treasured items, such as a piano for example, if they are photographed and documented for yourself and future generations.
If you are interested in inquiring about Alison’s services – for yourself – or as a special gift for a parent or grandparent – or as a long-standing business or church or other organization – you can reach her at alison@treasuredcollections.ca or visit her website TreasuredCollections.ca
As well Alison is doing a free presentation “Preserving Stories Behind Artifacts” at the Albion Bolton branch of the Caledon Public Library on Thursday October 6th from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Register here to ensure your seat.
Thank you Patti for sharing the news of my new venture. It is my passion to spread the word throughout the community and encourage everyone to photograph and document their family heirlooms.