About Carolyn

The heart behind Carolyn’s Crafted Memories

“Regardless of the size of the quilt, or the pattern, each one has a story to tell, just as a scrapbook or family tree does. All of these crafts can be handed down and enjoyed for generations.”

Scrapbooking

Keeping memories alive

After losing my mother at a young age, I realized how important it was to hold onto memories and revisit them. I’ve been keeping memories alive for most of my life. I’ve always loved capturing moments and loved ones through photos, starting in middle school with those old cameras and the long wait for the photo lab to develop them. That passion blossomed into a love for scrapbooking and quilt making.

There are so many ways to tell a story, and as they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” A scrapbook isn’t just about sticking pictures on paper; it’s about preserving moments for everyone to share the special occasions and experiences. I’m looking forward to the day my grandchildren see all the rock concerts I’ve been to, the trips I’ve taken, and the stories I’ve shared, and hopefully, they’ll think I was pretty cool before I got old.

I’ve made Christmas, wedding, birthday, trip, school, sports, annual, and more scrapbooks for myself, friends, and family. My two sisters-in-law and I put together a Christmas album for my mother-in-law that included 40 years of holiday memories. Every year, we bring it out during the holiday season, and it sparks stories, laughter, tears, and this tradition has become something even the younger generations enjoy. Studies are being done to see how the effect of reliving memories through pictures helps Alzheimer’s patients – just another reason to preserve memories.

Genealogy

Discovering the stories behind the names

One of my most cherished keepsakes is the travel journal my mother kept during her journey from Australia to Canada, and finally, the United States. It’s my love for this memento and reading her story that inspired me to explore how my great-grandfather ended up in Australia after being born in England, and no, he wasn’t a criminal. He moved for health reasons and started a family business in NSW.

Genealogy isn’t just about adding names to a tree; it’s about discovering stories, learning about struggles or triumphs, and understanding some things about yourself. I didn’t know my maternal grandfather, nor much about him. I’m a hiker and love the outdoors, not that anyone in my immediate family brought that out in me. It turns out, my grandfather was a nature conservationist in the Blue Mountains of Australia and started a hiking club. I’ve helped my husband discover information about his Italian ancestors and the village they came from. It’s our hope to one day visit Aversa and discover even more about his ancestors.

Quilting

Every quilt has a story to tell

While quilting is my most recent undertaking, I have just as much passion for this craft as scrapbooking and genealogy. I always wanted to create a t-shirt quilt for my daughter and it was years in the making. Further inspiration came when my granddaughter was born and I decided it would be fun to make a milestone quilt using pictures from each month of her first year along with clothes she wore during the year.

I enjoy designing my own patterns to add that extra special touch and make each quilt a unique work of art. I made a Christmas quilt from a pattern, yet when I quilted it, I wrote the names of all the family members that celebrated with us in the border. Regardless of the size of the quilt, or the pattern, each one has a story to tell, just as a scrapbook or family tree does. All of these crafts can be handed down and enjoyed for generations.