The Armchair Genealogist

Family Recipe Friday - Rhubarb Pie

2012-05-31T23:55:00.000-04:00

In my opinion, rhubarb is nothing more than a weed that our ancestors realized if you add enough sugar to it, you can pass it off as a fruit. Although rhubarb has been around for a very long time, some are dating it back to China 2700 B.C. where is was used for medicinal purposes. It moved across Europe and eventually found it's way to North America. I can't remember a spring without my mother's famous rhubarb pie. I am always jealous of my brother's birthday because it falls in May which...

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Mind Mapping for Genealogists

2012-05-29T23:55:00.000-04:00

What is a Mind map? A mind map is a visual means of conveying ideas and information. It’s a tool that helps you to structure, analyze and generate new thoughts in a visual format. The term “mind map” is in fact a trademark of the Buzan Organization. The brain child of Tony Buzan, his theory is that mind maps apparently resemble how your brain actually works and by utilizing them they can engage your brain in a richer manner allowing you to be more creative and aid in memory function....

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Monday Morning Mentions

2012-05-27T23:55:00.000-04:00

Monday Morning Mentions is an opportunity to reflect on the events of the week at the Armchair Genealogist and in the blogging and book community. Over my morning cappuccino, I will take the opportunity to share with you some of my favourite blogs posts this week and give a nod to my peers. You can also find me on Facebook. Stop by and leave a message. I often will link some great finds there as well. You can also follow me on twitter at @LynnPal or my twitter paper The...

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Mapping Content for Your Family History Blog

2012-05-24T23:55:00.000-04:00

We’re moving forward with our Family History Blog to Book Project this week. In Part 1, we looked at Why am I Writing this Family History Book? We asked, Who will read my family history story? and we analyzed, What is the larger purpose of my family history story? In Part 2, our focus is mapping out the content for our family history blog and ultimately our book. One of the key reasons why so many genealogists don’t complete their family history book, or their family...

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Everyone Has A Story – Tell me Yours!

2012-05-23T23:55:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I ran a re-post of a very popular post entitled “The Moment You Knew”. In this post, I tell my story about how I found genealogy. It’s a personal story that resonated with many readers. Far too often in genealogy we get caught up in the stories of our ancestors, although important, we tend to overlook the fact that our ancestor's stories are not the only tales that rise from our family history research. Our own journey of discovering our family history is a very...

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Monday Morning Mentions

2012-05-20T23:55:00.000-04:00

10 Ideas for Every Genealogist's Bucket List

2012-05-09T23:55:00.000-04:00

(This is a re-post from The Armchair Genealogist Archives.) 1. Travel to a least one or more of your ancestral villages, the more exotic the better because let’s face...

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The Moment You Knew

2012-05-07T23:55:00.000-04:00

For me it came as a revelation, after a series of tragic events. First, my husband’s father passed away suddenly as a result of a heart attack. There were no signs. My husband and I were busy living our lives, both working heavy hours, raising two children. Our girls were busy as well, school and dance. However, on October 31st, 2004, my father-in-law sat up in bed, collapsed to the floor. We were shaken to our core. We pushed through the next year. We returned to our busy...

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8 Ways to Get Involved in the Online Genealogy Community

2012-05-03T23:55:00.000-04:00

(This is a re-post from The Armchair Genealogist archives) In recent years the online genealogy community has grown tremendously. For a newcomer it may be an overwhelming task to know how to get involved in this community and stay on top of the news of the day. I know for myself the many avenues to engaging in this community has grown, and staying aware of the latest news of the day has expanded 10 fold since I initially started blogging. I also know that as a previous newcomer,...

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Creating Memories Instead of Blog Posts

2012-05-02T23:55:00.000-04:00

Lynn and Andy Palermo May 8th, 1987 I will be away for the next 10 days, traveling to Paris, France with my husband Andy, were celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary. This is us 25 years ago. Where has the time gone? Two beautiful daughters later, and 25 years of memories were adding to them with a week in France. Although my ancestry is deeply rooted in France, particularly Paris and Normandy, my time will be dedicated to my husband and taking in the sights of both these historical...

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Mother’s Day Specials from Flip-Pal

2012-05-01T23:55:00.000-04:00

The Flip-Pal mobile scanner is offering 12 days of savings with the following National Scrapbooking Day / Mother’s Day Specials! All promotion codes are active 12:00 a.m.–11:59 p.m. MDT (-6 GMT) on their respective dates. All items must be in the shopping cart prior to using the promotion code. Tuesday, May 1. Use Promotion Code: nsd501 Save $20 on the purchase of a Flip-Pal mobile scanner with Digital Creativity Suite 3.0 DVD!...

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Monday Morning Mentions

2012-04-29T23:55:00.000-04:00

What is the Larger Purpose of My Family History Story?

2012-04-25T23:55:00.000-04:00

In planning for our family history blog to book project we have asked ourselves, Why am I writing this family history book? and Who will read my family history story? Our next question towards creating a plan and focus for our family history blog to book project - What is the larger purpose of my family history story? Regardless of whether you are writing your family history blog for your family, for other genealogists or for strangers, you must be able to convey the purpose of your story....

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Tuesday’s Tip – Class is In!

2012-04-23T23:55:00.000-04:00

Three great classroom experiences are available this week to genealogists willing to do some learning. Take advantage of all three, all are free, and don't forget an apple for the teacher. Want to learn more about adding the Flip-Pal Affiliate Program to your family history blog. The Flip-Pal Affiliate Program is a great way to make a few dollars and support an incredible product. As an enthusiastic supporter of the Flip-Pal and an affiliate I can tell you that once you use the Flip-Pal...

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Monday Morning Mentions

2012-04-22T23:55:00.000-04:00

The Armchair Genealogist Manifesto

2012-04-19T23:55:00.000-04:00

Three years ago today I became the Armchair Genealogist. I started this blog because I believed I had something to say. It took me awhile to find my voice and to believe I was expert enough to share my opinion. I always knew I felt passionately about family history and storytelling but I had to gain my confidence and improve my skill set before I could fine the right words, the right way to express it to the world. Today, I believe my message comes through over and over again in this...

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Who Will Read My Family History Story?

2012-04-17T23:55:00.000-04:00

Last week you answered the question Why am I writing this family history book? This week, as we move forward with our family history blog to book project, we will discuss the importance of identifying your reader and I will offer you some tools to help you identify that reader. By understanding your ideal reader, you will be able to make better choices about what should be a part of your family history blog and how you'll want to deliver your family history. Ultimately your blog reader...

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Monday Morning Mentions

2012-04-15T23:55:00.000-04:00

What Can a Family Historian Learn from the Titanic?

2012-04-12T23:55:00.000-04:00

Public Domain Photo We’re all very familiar with the story, we’ve read the books and watched the movies. This week marks the 100th Anniversary of the Titanic disaster, and it’s being played out over and over again across the Internet. I’ve read many articles this week, watched a television special, and something started to bother me; the varying degree of information floating around. A few nights back, I put my genealogy cap on, (not that it ever comes off) and pondered why was I...

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Why Am I Writing This Family History Book?

2012-04-10T23:55:00.000-04:00

Why am I writing this family history book? For some, it may seem obvious, for others you may have given it little thought. However, today’s post and question is part of a bigger plan, our plan for our family history blog to book project. We discussed in previous posts why a blog is the perfect path to your family history book, that’s not what were talking about today. We’re digging a little deeper, and looking for the passion, the drive behind your blog to book. What's motivating that...

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Monday Morning Mentions

2012-04-08T23:55:00.000-04:00

Monday Morning Mentions is an opportunity to reflect on the events of the week at the Armchair Genealogist and in the blogging and book community. Over my morning cappuccino, I will take the opportunity to share with you some of my favourite blogs posts this week and give a nod to my peers. You can also find me on Facebook. Stop by and leave a message. I often will link some great finds there as well. You can also follow me on twitter at @LynnPal or my twitter paper The Armchair...

Want to write your family history? Find support and motivation in The Family History Writing Forum.

Planning Your Family History Blog to Book

2012-04-04T09:29:00.000-04:00

If you recall, at the end of 2011, I mentioned a project I was going to start in the New Year; The Family History Blog to Book Project. I apologize, I am a little later getting it started due to other commitments. However, it now time to get started. To refresh your memory, The Family History Blog to Book project is to assist those of you wishing to write a family history blog and ultimately turn it into a book. You can read all the reasons why this is a perfect approach for a a family...

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Monday Morning Mentions

2012-04-01T23:55:00.000-04:00

Organizing Family Photos in 8 Easy Steps

2012-03-29T23:55:00.000-04:00

Next month, my husband and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. I would have to say a good portions of those 25 years – 15 at least were recorded via the old-fashioned kind of camera. The kind of camera that resulted in boxes and boxes of pictures. I was a working mother for 20 of those 25 years, days came and went and life marched on and those pictures continued to pile up. I always had big ideas, and some of the best intentions but never a plan or quite frankly the time....

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Family History Book Moving Up the Amazon Charts!

2012-03-26T23:55:00.000-04:00

Back in 2011, I read a wonderful family history narrative that I have been singing the praises of ever since, Oh, Beautiful: An American Family in the 20th Century. I wrote a book review in September of 2011. I was moved by John Paul Godges' story and I sent him an email and asked for an interview. I felt many of my readers would be inspired by his work and would like to know more. He was very gracious and granted me this two part interview. An Interview with John Paul...

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