As Artifcts wrapped up year two—Happy Birthday, Artifcts!—we squeaked in a few feature upgrades in response to more than two dozen Artifcts concierge sessions this summer and many times that in email exchanges, workshops, and other in-person events with members of the Arti Community. In turns out, folks were feeling the need to be a bit more precise with both what they were reading about here on Artifcts and what details they captured in their own Artifcts.

With these product upgrades over to you to put to good use, we've now set the stage perfectly as we step into year three of Artifcts with some major new product features and services coming your way this fall. More on that soon! For now, enjoy these feature upgrades!

STAY IN THE KNOW

Love typewriters? Fancy a trip to Portugal? Enjoy genealogy? Want to know when a new Artifct is shared that speaks to subjects you love? Now you can with keyword alerts!

As always, you’re in control of whether you receive these alerts by email (and how often) and/or as pop-up notifications on the app and desktop versions of Artifcts.

Create personalized alerts >

ADD CAPTIONS TO YOUR PHOTOS

Please do not say you’re still writing on the backs of pictures?! We get it. Sometimes you simply only have time to mention who is who, the name of a building or site, or other key details and writing on the back is better than nothing at all! We can help you!

Now at Artifcts, take less tahn a minute to Artifct that pic and tell not the story behind that photo, but feel free to add captions to photos you Artifct, too. And don't worry, if you ever download those photos to Excel or PDF, the captions will be there, too!

Edit one of your Artifcts to include captions >

BE PRECISE TO SAVE YOURSELF HEADACHES AND TIME

Sometimes you know-ish, how much something is worth.  

And other times you have the receipt or appraisal (and you even added those to your Artifct's “Documentation” section), and you’d like to include the specific value in your Artifct for insurance, estate planning, tax or other purposes. We hear you! Now you can include the precise value in your Artifct, too! 

Edit one of your Artifcts to record its financial value >

If you need a helping hand or a refresher, remember to check our FAQs and our Tips Videos on YouTube. And if you have feedback or ideas to share, please write to us at Hello@Artifcts.com.

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Helpful resources as you get started and continue enjoying Artifcting:

Past Product Updates

Quick Start Guide

Inspiration Checklists

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Reading time: 3 minutes 

We’ve been on a non-stop learning journey with new and old members of the Arti Community all year.

We started with passionate genealogists, then innovators in longevitech, and onward to photo organizers, estate planners, and those moving, downsizing, and/or decluttering (along with the pros who help them). On top of all that has been the precious one-on-one time with families and individuals concierge Artifcting their prized collectibles, one-of-a-kind pieces, and sentimental mementos.

An overarching lesson from this all is that sometimes the devil really is in the details. So, we focused there – the details. Check out the newest updates, and you’ll see what we mean.

Product Updates, Spring 2023: Devil in the Details  

SHARE DOCUMENTATION

Now when you share an Artifct privately with individuals, circles, or lists, you can choose to share the Artifct's private documentation, too. This is perfect when you ... 

• • Scan a bundle of old letters together as a PDF that you want your siblings to be able to access and read them anytime; 
  • Write up your genealogy research notes and family history and share with your extended family;  
  • Want to file an insurance claim, with the photos, receipt, and appraisal report so your insurer can process the claim faster and with fewer questions;
  • Include the original high resolution photo file and want to allow others to access it and print or use themselves.

So many scenarios, each now supported with (optional) documentation sharing. Just click the box to include documents the next time you share an Artifct. You can revoke this decision instantly, too. Simply click ‘Share’ again and delete the share that includes the documentation. Done!

GIFTING OCCASIONS 

New parents, new retirees, new homeowners, those experiencing grief – so many occasions for which Artifcts is a beautiful, fun, and lasting gift. Now you can choose the occasion of your Artifcts gift so that the gift email, as well as the printable gift card, match the mood.

Give it a try this Mother’s Day for any of the moms in your life! Sure beats another candle. Gift memberships are 30% off now through Mother's Day.

Buy now ->

COLORING AND HIGHLIGHTING 

The thoroughness and creativity of genealogists begs each of us to rise to our A games. For genealogists colors carry meaning: one color for the “maternal” side of the family, another for “paternal,” and so on. In addition, those black and white details can start to make your attention wander. What story can’t use a little “color,” really?  

Now you can select the font color as well as a highlight color to emphasize key details in any Artifct story. 

Create an Artifct and try it out ->

MORE DETAILS IN CIRCLES

Invite-only circles are quickly gaining popularity. They provide community with whom and around whatever theme you care about without the noise of social media, the boredom and sad experience of a shared drive or long document, or the disorganization of chats and emails. 

We’ve heard about private circles organized around:

• • Family, e.g. all my cousins, aunts, and uncles, to reunite old and share new family heirlooms;  
  • A love of travel, and the friends who you can count on to Artifct all the great details so you can follow in their footsteps (and shops!);  
  • Membership groups, like chruch groups and local seniors villages who love to story-share through Artifcts; and
  • Collections. One woman told us she invited all her friends and acquaintances who collect Star Wars memorabilia. A man in Denmark created a circle just for his wine-loving friends. 

We upgraded circles so you can now see and easily follow individual circle members, see a note from the circle creator about why the circle exists, and quickly sort to see your favorite Artifcts within the circle and those you have contributed. 

Create a circle -> 

We have an open door.  

Is there something you wish Artifcts could do or help you with? Is there a feature driving you a bit crazy or confusing you in any way? You can write us a Hello@Artifcts.com. And be sure to catch up on past product updates, too!

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Helpful resources as you get started and continue enjoying Artifcting:

Quick Start Guide

Inspiration Lists

FAQs & Videos on YouTube

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Artifcts in lieu of flowers is a concept born from the Arti Community. We are each the keepers of unique moments in one another’s lives. No one person can possibly be our own personal keeper of all of our memories and stories. No device for that matter either! Today we’re proud to announce the launch of what we have lovingly named “In Remembrance.”  

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It has always been possible to create and share Artifcts privately. Now with Artifcts “In Remembrance” anyone can create an Artifct and share it with someone who is grieving a loss. It's a meaningful gift for someone who is greiving, whether the loss was yesterday, a year ago, or many decades in the past.

Choosing to share an Artifct “In Remembrance” sends a non-editable copy of the Artifct, marked with a black ribbon, to the Special Artifcts Collections of the individuals, circles, or sharing lists you select. Recipients need only a free account to access these Artifcts.  

They will be able to view and download any photos or video and audio snippets you include in the Artifct, too. Maybe they will frame your photo! No need for messy storage and sharing here, there, and everywhere, email, text messages, share drives, chat groups, or temporary memorial sites.   

How Can "In Remembrance" Help You? 

If you have experienced grief, you know that the waves of pain and near paralysis that wash over you as the minutes, hours, and days go by can be all encompassing. With the best of intentions, people may gift you mementos, photos, stories and memories, and more. But it can be hard to recall them when you need them most. And you are only one person! So many people grieve the loss of a single person. What about all of them? 

Through In Remembrance, the objects, photos, video clips and more of our loved ones and the stories behind them can be shared with us so they are accessible from anywhere and at any time we need them. Grief has no timetable. Neither do Artifcts. 

Beyond Grief: Artifcts are About Life 

The reason traditional estate planning is dead is that it has nothing to do with happiness or helping you live a fulfilled life. [...] What about planning to build the life you will ultimately leave behind when you die? - Daniel Scott, Forbes  

Daniel got it right. What is life about if not the moments that make it up? Legacy planning is what estate planners now look to to help people be prepared in life and thoughtfully build that life. 

Artifcts supports preparedness in life, too. We capture together the categorically valuable items we collect – the art, jewelry, collectibles, and more – and equally important the items that mean something to us because of the stories, personality, and life lessons and wisdom they impart today and long after we’re gone.  

For every Artifct you create, we’ve included a small prompt “In the Future” - what are your wishes? What do you want to become of this object? Is it a family treasure to keep always? Will you donate it or bequeath it to a loved one? Consider that to ensure pieces of your legacy live on as you’d wish. 

Bonus: You can also now let us know what we should do if your account is inactive for more than a year after your membership lapses and, ultimately, if you'd like to contribute to research via Artifcts! Check it out in your Account Profile under Security & Longevity> Preserve Your Artifcts.

The entirety of your Artifcts collection is a piece of your legacy, too. Make sure you preserve your Artifcts by naming your Legacy Contacts so we can ensure your digital Artifcts live on as you’d like them to as well. 

For more tips and how-tos, download the Artifcts Guide, "Helping You Be Better Prepared in Life and Providing After-Loss Support."     

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Resetting for the new year?  Us, too!

We’ve got you covered so you won’t miss a thing at Artifcts as your closest friends and family share those moments and memories behind everything from grand collections to the most unassuming new and old objects alike. 

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NOTIFICATIONS HAVE ARRIVED!

You might be thinking, “But every app has notifications.” Yes and no. Yes, it seems like it and maybe you turn them off a lot because so many apps have so much noise. It’s hard to know why you’re seeing what they are showing you. Why those specific ads, news breaks, and other updates that seemingly have nothing to do with you? 

Not at Artifcts. Each alert is tied directly to you: Your Artifcts and your network. And for every notification – such as new Artifcts shared with you or posted by people you follow, an invite to a new private circle, or new details added to your Artifcts by a collaborator – you can decide if and how often you receive email updates about it to avoid cluttering your inboxes. 

This feature is in “beta” – that means feedback is especially awesome about now. So please share your thoughts with us at Hello@Artifcts.com.  

Bonus “Easter Egg” 

“Easter egg” means some fun bit of trivia is tucked into an image, movie scene, or similar. Well, we’ve added a little bonus to your alerts: messages from friends and family. If someone shares an Artifct with you and adds a note in the optional "comments" box, you’ll be able to read the messages any time you like from your alerts menu or page. 

Customize the timing of your email alerts -> 

SIGN IN WITH YOUR FINGERPRINT OR FACIAL SCAN 

*$#@& passwords! We know, we know, you want security, but 12-character passwords can be a mess to deal with. You can now use the built-in biometric authentication options on your smart phone (fingerprint or facial recognition) to access your Artifcts.   

Enable biometric authentication: iOS / Android

WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE 'STUFF' BEHIND YOUR ARTIFCTS? 

Last but not least, we hope you’ll consider the future for your physical possessions. With our new (optional) “In the future” field, you can record your intentions to sell, donate, bequeath, or keep the object that inspired the Artifct within the family. And if you already parted with the object select, “Too late! Enjoy the memory.” Just like the value, location, and documentation for your Artifcts, only you will see this information, giving you the freedom to have important discussions with loved ones when you're ready.

At risk of stating the obvious, Artifcts did not become a legal platform overnight. Formalize your wishes through a will and/or estate plan. Send your advisor your Artifcts (aka "tangible assets"), and let them take care of the rest! 

Create or edit an Artifct. Record your wishes! -> 

THANK YOU. DON'T BE STRANGERS!

With 2022 in the rear-view mirror and 2023 roaring at us, we want to thank you for the incredible feedback we’ve received from all of you during our first full year of Artifcts. You've made all of this possible!

Send feedback anytime to Hello@Artifcts.com. Our founders make every effort to respond personally to every Artifcts Member who writes in. Here’s to an exciting and meaningful 2023, recording the "why" behind those objects that mean something to you!   

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

You’ve started an Artifcts collection. You know stuff and stories go better together! Now what?

Artifcts already take your stories and memories beyond anything you can do with traditional photos, inventory lists, or social media. Now we have released a set of new features we hope will make it still easier to bring families, friends, and stories together across time and distance.

But First... Remember Networks?

Introducing Sharing Lists and Invite-Only Circles

Now your Artifcts networks can also help you instantly share Artifcts with lists of people and form invite-only circles. Why would you create lists and circles? Save time, connect easily and privately with all the people you want to, and gain access to more Artifcts you care about no matter who has them and where. 

SHARING LISTS

Lists save you the step of sharing an Artifct with each of your nearest and dearest over and over again as you build your collection. Simply create a list, choose it when you share, and each person on the list will instantly receive your Artifct in their inbox. Popular sharing lists among our early testing group included: immediate family, neighbors, friends from school, colleagues, and travel pals. 

INVITE-ONLY CIRCLES

Think of circles like group chats, but here your language is objects, photos, recipes ... and their stories! Anyone you invite into the circle can share Artifcts with the circle for all circle members to enjoy. The sky is the limit: train car collectors group, ceramic artists network, church groups, quilting circles, virtual family reunions, and more.

And, as always, list and circle members only need to have a free Artifcts membership to view Artifcts you share!

Create your first sharing list or circle >

Another New, Powerful Feature: @ Mentions

The joy of each Artifct you create is that it is so much more than a photo with a caption, scrapbook, or video. Each Artifct weaves together any combination of photos, video, audio, text, and documents in one place to give more color and meaning (and usefulness!). 

Simply type @ as you write your Artifct 'Description,' and you will be able to select from people, other Artifcts, sharing lists, and circles to link into the story, historic account, or (maybe) tall tale. Learn how to use this feature on our YouTube channel. 

Check out the "Cape Cod Whale Tale" >

Reorder Artifcts to Shape Your Story

Did you know that the singer Adele required Spotify not "shuffle" the songs on her newest album, ensuring the playlist mirrored the curated sequence on her album? She tweeted in part: “We don’t create albums with so much care and thought into our track listing for no reason. Our art tells a story and our stories should be listened to as we intended.”

While we don't "shuffle" your Artifcts, they do appear in the order you created them ... until now! If you feel the same as Adele, go ahead and customize the order in which your Artifcts appear, as co-founder Ellen Goodwin shows in this video on YouTube.

 Choose 'My Artifcts' and click 'Re-order' >
 

On the Artifcts App: Rescue Artifcts with a Click!

Ever find yourself scrolling back through the 1000s of photos and videos on your phone and suddenly think, “Oh, I should Artifct this?” Well, now you can!

With the photo you want to use selected, click the share button, and scroll through your apps to find the Artifcts app. If it's your first time choosing the Artifcts app, you might need to click "more" or a three dots (...) symbol to find the Artifcts app. Don't worry, your phone will learn to show the Artifcts app after you use it a few times.

That's all for now. We'd love your feedback, always. You can contact us at Hello@Artifcts.com.

Happy Artifcting!

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© 2022 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

You've probably heard of TV shows like Antiques Roadshow and Pawn Stars. Maybe you're a top fan? Sometimes curiosity gets the better of us and we just want to know if this family heirloom, collectible, or other object is worth more than our sentimental attachments to it. Sometimes we are working to be better prepared for the inevitable. We can't take the stuff with us in the end and someone will have to deal with it when we're gone.

Now paid members of Artifcts can send Artifcts to Heritage Auctions Appraisal Services, Inc. for free valuations. Each will give you a sense for the potential value (or value range) for your item or comparable items in today's market. Just open your Artifct, and click the button, "What's it worth?"  We have Valuation Services FAQs ready for you, too!

Our process offers a seamless result. When ready, your free valuation will appear in the Documentation section of your Artifct, and you'll receive an email notification so you know it's ready and waiting for you. You can even choose to ask Heritage Auctions for a no obligation appraisal estimate in case you expect you will need one for insurance, estate, or other purposes.

Happy Artifcting!

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© 2022 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.