Taking Steps to Capture Military Service History 

Realities shared among those who served together, snippets of which might be recorded in letters and photos as well as the service uniform that evolves over the course of a career. These are pieces of a story that is unique to each person who has served, the jobs they held, the places where they were deployed. They also hold meaning and sometimes mystery to those who wait at home for their service members to return. 

We know one service member’s experience is unlike any other’s career. But how do we know more and learn from our history unless we capture and share it? Consider these combos of photos, video, and audio to capture pieces of military service history: 

• Photos of full-dress uniform + close ups of each sleeve + front + description of each with rank and time period;
• Mail from home + mementos carried with you + video snippet talking about the objects;
• Picture with fellow service members + service award or certificate + story of that moment in time.

Don’t Forget 

Remember many people lack a military background and vocabulary. Your loved ones and peers will enjoy your stories, no matter how detailed. Most civilians simply have no context for military concepts and lingo unless you give it to them. What does that rank or that call sign mean? 

Privacy & security first. Be sure to consider how/whether you mention others by name. Maybe share the Artifct with them privately first to make sure they are okay with it before you share it more broadly. And avoid all sensitive operational details – it's the big picture story that should live on! If in doubt, leave it out.

Trying to research the military service of your next of kin? The Department of Veterans Affairs can help! Click here  to get started.  

Questions about the militaria that you have or may have inherited? Reach out to Mid-Atlantic Military Antiques, one of our 'Allies in Stuff.' 

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Have another tip or approach for military mementos? 

Share on social media or write to us at Editor@Artifcts.com.  

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

“ANY of my photos I took on my phone?”
“Can you help with all these voice messages? Are they ‘stuff?’”   
“Oh, I can do that walking around my house! My son thinks it’s all junk.”  
“I have a three-hour layover in Denver. I’ll start Artifcting then!”  
{What will you say?} 

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We took notes as our newest Artifcts Community members tried out our app last week at the RootsTech conference in Salt Lake City. We must have chatted with more than 500 people who stopped by our booth. Some were conference attendees. Others are themselves respected builders of the premiere brands in genealogy services today. The awe factor of our modest app centered around how much you could do with a single, easy to use application. We’re declaring that a win! 
 
On Monday we offered a free webinar to walk through some of the ins and outs of creating an Artifct from the Artifcts app.  You can watch the recording, blooper moments and all, on our YouTube channel ->  

Your Turn! Try a Few of the Artifcts App Features

The more feedback from all of you, the better and better the app will be. Download the app to your iOS or Android device, give it a try, and write to us at Hello@Artifcts.com. We review every message! 
 
CREATE A NEW ARTIFCT
Use what you’ve got!  

On your phone, that is. Go for it, scroll 1000s of photos back in your gallery to that ONE photo you’re thinking of. Or pop into your voicemail and rescue that message you’ve saved for months or even years.  

• • 1. Open the voice message. 
    2. Click the share icon 
    3. Choose the Artifcts app! 

               

Images are from an iOS phone. Android will have slight differences. 
 

Start fresh. Work with the latest. 
From the Artifcts app, click '+ Artifct.'  

Now choose to take a new photo, use an existing photo, video, or audio file, and off you go! Remember, you can choose up to five media files per Artifct and rearrange them to flow with your story. 
 
SHARE AN ARTIFCT
Mobile Style

You can always share an Artifct with someone based on their Artifcts screen name or email address. You can even post public Artifcts to social media. But did you know that the Artifcts app offers a special sharing option? 

1. 1. 1. Click the share icon on your Artifct.
      2. Choose ‘Share link’ to send the Artifct via text message. You don’t even have to enter the email, phone number, or know if they are already an Artifcts member. Simply type to find the contact on your phone and send the Artifct in a text. 
      3. If the Artifct is private, and you haven’t already given the person permission, they will be able to “request access” when they click to view the Artifct link you sent them. Don’t' worry, they will be encouraged to sign in (or create a free Artifcts account) first to see if they already have access.

Bonus! If you have notifications for the Artifcts app enabled on your mobile device, you’ll learn instantly when they request access. 
 

FIND OUT: WHAT'S IT WORTH? 
When you supect real market value or historical relevance

You can find out if your treasures are authentic and potentially valuable!

1. 1. 1. Click to view one of your Artifcts
      2. Scroll to the end of the Artifct and click "What's it worth?" to ask Heritage Auctions.
      3. After expert review, Heritage Auctions will attach directly to your Artifct a free valuation within two to three weeks. Be sure to provide helpful details. We offer tips in our FAQs for valuations.  

Happy Artifcting!

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Details Make the Memory 

This is a good one for the whole family to join in on, even nannies and other caregivers who knew your little one when or maybe even knew you when. Digital photos and files have created false security and a lot of chaos. All you have is a trinket, a piece of clay art, or a photo (if you can find it), and whatever you can remember about it as time goes on. We can do better for the daily moments that make us smile and the big events that fundamentally change our lives. Childhood, a history, at your fingertips with Artifcts.

You may already know the combinations for Artifcts are endless. When it comes to all things childhood, here are some favorites: 

• Record you, or a loved one, reading your favorite story + include a photo of the book (or you with it!) + tell the story of why you loved it so.
• Write down the story of “the day you were born” + photos of baby’s first outfit + blanket + bracelet or hat. 
• Annual traditions make great Artifcts: Every Halloween costume, school photo, summer trip, and homemade holiday craft, show not just growth but how preferences and personality change, too.
• Video snippets of littlest voices: Words they couldn’t pronounce, funny expressions, singing songs, “mastering” a new song or sport, chattering with pets. These are the best moments!  

Don’t Forget 

We all forget. We’re all busy. Take the 30 seconds to Artifct that so it can accumulate without thinking and build a history to last generations.

Don't want the world to see those childhood firsts? Sharing privately is simple with Artifcts! You can create family circles so that you can keep everyone up to date on the big and little moments and others can contribute as well. You won’t be there for every moment and it’s fun to see your kid through another’s eyes. 

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Consider gifting the mom in your life Artifcts. Imagine all those "I never knew that about you!" moments that await.

© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Art’s Perfectly at Home at Artifcts 

So much potential lies hidden within an artistic creation. The muse, the materials, the process, and of course the meaning it holds to you. Experience the art and preserve it here digitally so you can enjoy it anytime and anywhere. We’ll never compress your files or share your reference documentation, the details of its location, or its value.  

Here are a few of our favorite Artifcts combos for works of art that will outlast us all! 

• Photo of original photo framed on wall + other photos from that day + audio of your mom telling you about the day she took it + original photo file attached in documentation 
• Photo of the ceramic on display in a gallery + now on your shelf + video hello from the artist + attached documentation (receipt and certificate of authenticity) 
• Photo of painting + video of making of + details about the creation process and materials

Don't Forget! 

Provenance for art – in the form of receipts, certificates of authenticity, and photos of signatures and other marks – supports insurance as well as resale if you or a loved one chooses to sell it one day. 

Keep track of works in progress and your portfolio through the years. You’ll thank your future self! 

QR codes are your friends. Place it on the back of a frame, slip in a vase, include in your files. Or, if you’re the artist, include it on your business card or gallery signage. Art comes alive through Artifcts even when you’re not there to greet every admirer. 

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Have another tip or approach for art? 

Share on social media or write to us at Editor@Artifcts.com.  

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

It was Always the Sentiment that Counted

It’s probably the rare person that sends of a card, note, or letter thinking, “He better keep this forever!” Instead, we simply want people to know we’re thinking of them. It’s that simple. But we tend to hold on to these items, rereading, framing, and storing, like a security blanket. That person, those thoughts and memories, are always there waiting for us to return to them. 

And yet we know how imperfect our memories are at any age. We know, too, that life can be messy. Whether through moves, mother nature, or otherwise, these documents that might be only sentimental — or could contain bits of your personal, family, or even world history — are vulnerable to decay and loss.  

Artifcters have shown us many ways to capture these notes and cards, and the memories behind them, and we hope they can inspire you:  

• Photo of a particularly special letter from grandma + PDF of all the scanned letters + an audio of you or her reading the letter.  
• Your farewell card signed by colleagues + individual notes a few people emailed you + details about that job and where you were off to next! 
• Photo of the card your husband gave you + a picture of the flowers that accompanied the card + the story of that first Valentines together.  

 It's something about evidence of the everyday that means even more when our loved ones are no longer with us.

Don't Forget! 

Letters tend to uniquely capture what seems like the everyday but becomes so much more meaningful and revealing with age! If you were the only one that wrote letters with your grandpa, consider privately sharing those Artifcted letters from your grandpa with your family. 

Consider Artifcting cards as groups – holidays 2022, birthday 1995, Mother's Day cards through the years, etc. It’s an efficient way to Artifct and it's fun to see them together and how they change over time! 

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Have another tip or approach for cards & letters? 

Share on social media or write to us at Editor@Artifcts.com.  

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Creative Ways to Preserve and Share Recipes 

Food holds unique powers to remind us of special moments, regular table gatherings, travels to new places, and everything in between. Whether you are replicating a dish you fell in love with at a restaurant or a family favorite, Artifcts will preserve your recipes and make them so much easier to share and access from anywhere. 

Here are a few of our favorite combos of photos, video, and audio for memorable recipes: 

• Photos of the cookbook + recipe page + making of + finished result + a video snippet of a critical step 
• Photos of recipe card + heirloom cooking tools + old photo when the food was served + an audio recording about the importance of the recipe to you/your family 
• Old apron + original tin + three recipes that always go with that tin 
• Photo of the restaurant (or you at the restaurant, even better!) + the item on the menu or finished plate + your version + audio about the recipe's origins 

Don't Forget! 

There's a category "Recipes" to make it easier for you to quickly find any of your recipes. Bonus points if you use tags by course, holiday, key ingredient, or even #battletested, for single click (on the tag) to find all others with the same tag!

Details matter, especially if you want happy people at the table. In your Artifct, let people know how many people it really serves, how you change ingredients or measurements, and other tips to keep the magic of the recipe alive. 

And share it out with those who will enjoy the recipes as much as you, from foodies like you to family and friends and church groups. Maybe you'll even make a special invite-only circle for recipe sharing!

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Have another tip or approach for recipes?  

Share on social media or write to us at Editor@Artifcts.com.  

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© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.