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Everything You Wanted to Know About Appraisals, But Were Afraid to Ask

Heather Nickerson, Artifcts
October 18, 2023

Reading time: 12 minutes

In honor of National Estate Planning Week, we thought we’d take a deep dive into the world of appraisals with an Ask Me Anything with our dear friend, colleague, and Ally in 'Stuff,' Sarah Reeder, Founder of Artifactual History Appraisal.

In addition to being an expert on ‘stuff,’ and specifically the value of ‘stuff,’ Sarah is also author of the book Ray Eames in 1930s New York, co-editor of Worthwhile Magazine™ and co-creator of The Art Elevator Collector’s Club. Read on to learn more about what she does as an appraiser, when to contact an appraiser, and even those questions we all want to ask (but may be afraid to!), such as the difference between an appraisal and a valuation.

Heather Nickerson, Co-founder of Artifcts: For our members who are new to the appraisal process, how would you sum up what you do?

Reeder: I like to think of what I do as being part lawyer, part accountant, and sometimes even part therapist! It might surprise some people, but appraisals are nothing like what you see on TV. My work entails numerous hours of research, the preparation of legal documents, and meeting meticulous professional requirements for appraising items to establish a value in a specific level of the market on a specific day (called the effective date) for a specific intended use. (We’ll come back to that later!)

Appraisals are nothing like what you see on TV...

The work appraisers do is a very specialized type of professional service akin to an attorney or an accountant that requires a lot of time and focused research, so the very quick and informal “off-the-cuff” depictions of appraising we all see on television have edited out the lengthy preparation (because it would be pretty boring to watch!) that goes into those short segments we see. But I wish it was more widely known that there is so much more work that goes into appraising than the 2-minute clips we see onscreen.

The therapist part sometimes comes into play because as you know so well here at Artifcts, objects can hold powerful memories and inspire strong emotions, totally independent from what their monetary value might be. Sometimes it’s a delicate conversation when the “heart value” and financial value are not aligned, and that is where I rely on market data and research to help individuals understand the current market conditions and corresponding value of the item. I always emphasize that market conditions should not diminish the positive sentimental associations they have with an item—they just happen to be the lens that appraisers must use in our professional work.

Nickerson: So, getting down to the nitty gritty, can you walk us through a typical day?

Reeder: There is no one typical day. That is one of the many things I love about being an appraiser, you never know what you’ll be working on next! There are two types of appraisals I spend most of my time on insurance appraisals and estate appraisals. And yes, they are different!

When I am working on an insurance appraisal, I am creating a legal document that will protect you and your items in the event of damage or loss. These appraisals are for the retail replacement value of the object and in doing so, pins that object and that value in time. That specific moment in time is called the effective date of the appraisal, and all appraisals have effective dates.

The effective date of appraisal is so important in all appraisal report intended uses, because it provides critical context for the numerical appraised value. The markets for art and antiques are always changing, much like the stock market we are more commonly familiar with, so the appraised values need to be contextualized to a specific day, because on the day before or the day after market conditions may have been different. For insurance appraisal reports, the effective date is typically the day I inspect the items in person as it establishes the condition I witnessed on that day.

The markets for art and antiques are always changing, much like the stock market...

When working on these types of appraisals, I spend a lot of time researching the object, documenting it with photos and a detailed description, cataloging it with a standardized format that will allow future users of the appraisal report to know the characteristics of the appraised item, researching the specific level of the market for similar items for the appraisal report’s intended use, and then developing an appraised value based on all the above.

In the case of insurance appraisals, the appraised value is generally the replacement value of the object (i.e. what would it cost to acquire the same exact or very similar object in a short period of time from a retail dealer). For example, if I am appraising a painting by a particular artist for insurance purposes, I’m going to identify which galleries represent that artist or sell paintings by that artist, and then compare their available inventory and pricing (which often is not publicly available and requires outreach to the galleries) to the appraised painting in terms of subject, size, condition, era of the artist’s career, and other factors.

Based on the current retail data I can obtain, I then make adjustments up or down if needed relative to the appraised painting, and document all relevant research for my appraisal client workfile, which I am legally required to keep for a minimum of 5 years. The final number after the specific adjustments from the comparable records accounting for differences from the appraised item is the appraised retail replacement value. So it’s all a lot more complicated and research-intensive than what the public typically sees in popular depictions of appraisers on television.

Insurance appraisals are very different from estate appraisals. Estate appraisals are not used for insurance coverage.  Estate appraisals are prepared at fair market value and are required in some situations to be filed with the federal government or relevant state and local governments for estate tax filing. The legal professional handling an estate is the one who determines whether this is required in specific estate situations.

While insurance appraisals are typically prepared at retail replacement value, estate appraisals are prepared at fair market value, which is often quite a bit lower. The United States government defines fair market value as

"The price at which the property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any compulsion to buy or to sell and both having reasonable knowledge of relevant facts." According to Technical Advisory Memorandum 9235005 [May 27, 1992], fair market value should include the buyer's premium. [Source: Treasury Regulations Section 20.2031-1 (b).]

For estate appraisal reports, the effective date is typically at the time of the death of the deceased. This is very different than with insurance appraisals as it could take an executor months and months to close out an estate and yet the value is still pegged to the date of death. There is something called the “alternate effective date” which is 6 months after the date of death, which the estate can elect to use if the market has changed significantly in that time period. I always like to confirm which effective date the estate is using as this is a critical factor in guiding my valuation research.

Nickerson: Tell us a bit about the tools of your trade. What do you take with you when you visit someone’s home to start an appraisal?

Reeder: I am pretty consistent. I always take:

      • a good camera for capturing documentary photos
      • a tape measure so I can obtain the dimensions of artworks and the other items I am appraising
      • a clipboard and paper so I can take notes on-site that will later be expanded with research back in my office
      • a blacklight for examining artwork for inpainting and other restorations
      • a jeweler’s loupe for studying silver marks and other small details
      • a flashlight for studying artist signatures and providing additional ambient lighting for my photographs in dark locations.

I carry multiple flashlights and measuring tapes with me. If one breaks while I am on-site, I have a backup available to be able to continue working.

These tools are necessary, because I have to make sure I capture all the precise details that make your object unique. If it is artwork, is there an artist signature? Any blemishes or marks? Water or sun damage? All of these things are important to ascertain the value of an object, and I need to be able to document them while onsite.

 

Worn leather bag used for appraisalsSarah's trusty go-everywhere appraisal bag full of her tools of the trade. 

Nickerson: Some people, and I admit I was one of them at the beginning, may not know the difference between a valuation and an appraisal. Could you help explain what makes the two different?

Reeder: Sure! The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) define valuation services as:

“A service pertaining to an aspect of property value, regardless of the type of service and whether it is performed by appraisers or by others.”

An appraisal is defined by USPAP as:

"(noun) the act or process of developing an opinion of value; an opinion of value. 
(adjective) of or pertaining to appraising and related functions such as appraisal practice or appraisal services.
Comment: An appraisal is numerically expressed as a specific amount, as a range of numbers, or as a relationship (e.g., not more than, not less than) to a previous value opinion or numerical benchmark (e.g., assessed value, collateral value).” 

In terms of the general popular context of these two words outside of their specific USPAP definitions, a valuation is typically more closely associated with ballpark estimates and not with a legal document. Think of it as something that will get you basic guidance, such as getting an approximate sense if an inherited collection is simply sentimental and has no monetary value, or conversely, if it might have significant monetary value.

A valuation is typically more closely associated with ballpark estimates ...

Appraisals are legal documents. A verbal ballpark numerical range cannot be used in court to settle an estate, with the IRS to document tangible assets for tax purposes, or with an insurer to document items for an insurance policy. USPAP-compliant written appraisal reports are needed for those intended uses.

Nickerson: Are there any red flags our members should watch out for when hiring an appraiser?

Reeder: One of my personal red flags is if the appraiser essentially says, "I will tell you how much it is worth and then purchase it from you.” There is a major conflict of interest there, and their interest may not be in your best interest.

Another major red flag is if an appraiser is not USPAP-compliant. USPAP is a very important professional and ethical standard regulating appraisers to help protect users of appraisal services.

It’s always best to look for an independent appraiser who is USPAP-compliant, and ideally is also a member of one of the professional associations for appraisers such as the Appraisers Association of America (AAA), the International Society of Appraisers (ISA), or the American Society of Appraisers (ASA). I am a Certified Member of the Appraisers Association of America and a Certified Member of the International Society of Appraisers.

You also want to make sure that any appraiser you hire has expertise in YOUR object(s). A jewelry appraiser may be great for your jewelry collection, but not your collection of mid-century modern furniture and vice versa. In USPAP, this is called the “Competency Rule”—basically, is this appraiser competent to appraise your items? If they aren’t, they shouldn’t do it.

You also want to make sure that any appraiser you hire has expertise in YOUR object(s)...

Nickerson: When should people hire an appraiser? Are there any life transitions that may necessitate an appraiser?

Reeder: Life transitions are a great time to take stock of what you have and what’s it worth. Some common life transitions where it can be useful to engage an appraiser are:

      • If you have inherited potentially valuable items such as artwork. An appraiser can provide expert guidance on their value and prepare an insurance appraisal report so they can be scheduled and protected with your insurance company.
      • If you plan on moving it can be very helpful to have valuable items appraised for insurance purposes in advance or to update an existing appraisal to make sure the insurance coverage is current.
      • For estate filing purposes when someone has passed. The estate’s attorney will direct whether an estate appraisal is needed.
      • For proactive estate planning purposes—if you have large collections, it can be helpful to get a sense of their value and how they might be structured in your estate plan for maximum tax efficiency for your heirs (again, your attorney will be a very helpful resource in this process).
      • Sometimes divorces are another life transition that may require an appraiser for the equitable distribution process. 

I get called into homes frequently for what I call "on-site consultations" when people have a lot of things (usually inherited) and they are worried about missing something that is potentially high-value. These consultations do not necessarily have accompanying appraisal reports. Most appraisers will charge the firm's hourly rate for this type of service. It can be really helpful for people in "getting unstuck" so they can move forward and make decisions for what's next for it all! 

Nickerson: And finally, you’ve experienced firsthand the joy (and usefulness!) of Artifcting. Any advice for our members or thoughts on how Artifcting can aid the appraisal process?

Reeder: Yes! Artifct your ‘stuff.’ Don’t wait! The details, photos, even video can help an appraiser get to work immediately determining an appraisal scope of work and sometimes even using the Artifcts as a resource to appraise items that may now be damaged or lost. It can save a lot of time and back and forth emails if you Artifct and share your Artifcts with your appraiser. Artifcts really is perfect for an appraiser’s workflow!

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Sarah Reeder is a Certified Member of the Appraisers Association of America, a Certified Member of the International Society of Appraisers with the Private Client Services designation, and a graduate of New York University's Program in Appraisal Studies in Fine & Decorative Arts.

© 2023 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Your Future Family Heirlooms

What is a family heirloom other than some object that someone decided was important in some way and decided to keep it and pass it along to another family member. That’s it. For what it’s worth, Webster’s dictionary agrees with us – and it all hinges on the word “special.” 

: something of special value handed down from one generation to another

No one ever said family heirlooms have to be financially valuable or historically significant.  

A family member might have an inkling that an heirloom carries with it some history. But then again, even if so, how will you gain access to that history? Usually it’s a conversation, a sticky note, a journal that’s also hopefully passed along. We can do better. We need to do better. 

Artifcts and Heirlooms Go Hand-in-Hand 

Each Artifct you create carries the potential of heirloom status. How you may ask? Many ways, including: 

By creating awareness that this object even exists, or that it has some interesting origin or story, you increase the probability someone will care about it and claim it as their own. It’s no longer just ‘stuff.’  

One of our Artifcts members thought her china set was doomed for the Goodwill bin. However, when she Artifcted it and shared the story with her family, she had children and grandchildren eagerly offering to take it off her hands. Why? Because it wasn't simply a china set that she had received as a wedding gift as long assumed. No, it was a set she purchased while stationed overseas in sub-Saharan Africa as a newlywed under instruction from the US Ambassador that, "Martha, you need a china set for 12 because you are going to start hosting diplomatic dinners." Who would have thought!

Because it wasn't simply a china set that she had received as a wedding gift as long assumed

By serving as a unique digital asset, a digital heirloom. Someday, your loved ones can inherit your Artifcts collection and the stories, memories, and more captured in each Artifct will live on. If you haven't already done so, simply designate your primary and secondary legacy contacts for your Artifcts account to ensure your heirlooms live on for generations to come. 

By creating new family heirlooms from existing ones. One of the earliest examples of this that we saw here at Artifcts was Grandmom's rolls recipe from the early 1900s that was reborn and brought out for everyday enjoyment when engraved in her mother's handwriting on a cutting board.  

One of our favorite tips for Artifcting future family heirlooms is to include a photo of a family member using, wearing, or otherwise enjoying the heirloom-to-be. It helps connect the dots between the object and your loved one, and adds context and visuals to the story or lore. 

What family heirlooms are you the keeper of? Do you have many? Artifct them today to ensure those heirlooms and their stories make it to the next generation. 

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Heirlooms on your mind? You might enjoy these related ARTIcles by Artifcts: 

Gift Your Loved Ones a Why

Estate Planning of Things

How to Artifct Family History and Heirlooms

Grandma’s Secret, Not-So-Secret, Coin Collection

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© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

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Family History Month ... Your Way!

We’ve all heard the expression “greeting card holiday,” sometimes even used against one of your personal favorites. So many love-hate relationships out there with national days for everything from your dog to your sibling to coffee and doughnuts.  

Then there are the months generally preserved for themes of broad societal significance, like heart health, black history, hispanic heritage, and even family history. Hello October, and hello Family History Month!

This October we’re sharing a few ideas from the Artifcts Community to help even those of you who may think you have no interest in family history to find some value in a month dedicated to exactly that. Use the month as an excuse or opportunity to get to know and capture your own family history and legacy a bit better.

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Hello, Family Genealogists (And Those In the Making)

An Artifcts community member once lamented to us, “I’ve spent so much time and money researching all of this history, and I have the files, but I really haven’t taken that next step to share with my extended or even immediate family. Without me they’d have to start over.”  

And then she told us that all her research is locked up behind a subscription-paywall. Hmmm. If you can relate, here are some tips to help ensure your family history is not lost to the next generation: 

  • Purchase a second research subscription for someone who can pick up the research alongside you to carry it forward to the next generation. Guide them through the myriad of resources online and through special archives and libraries as well as in your own family collection. If you have a tech-savvy grandchild in the family, this may be the perfect way to spur intergenerational connection AND keep the family history/research going. 
  • Take a class or catch a speaker! You can find a plethora of them by searching online or go local. Check your library, community center, museums, or local genealogical society for special events this month (and beyond). Confernce Keeper has a wonderful listing of genealogy related conferences and events, a lot of them for free too. Share what you learn with your family and friends. 
  • Create a family videography to highlight key moments in your family’s history, roles family members have played in historical events, and the modern-day family branches. For beautiful, professional videographies, we adore Lori and her team at Whole Story Productions.  
  • Self-publish a book(let) to document your research findings in black and white. Distribute during a family reunion, taking preorders (and payments) ahead of time. If you need an assist in your family history, we recommend our partner at Legacy Tree Genealogists
  • At Artifcts you can share the family history behind old photos, cherished heirlooms, even Grandma's china! Your family members need not be Artifcts members to view the Artifcts you share with them. Want to make sharing your Artifcts with your family even easier? Create family invite-only circles for easy group sharing, and off you go! We recommend using a special tag like #NickersonFamilyAssociation to easily sort your collection. Some of genealogists at Artifcts also use the ‘Location’ field when they create an Artifct to list a URL or folder path where additional information is stored. 

Memorable Family Dinners, Recipes, and More

You’ve been away from home for months or years, you return, and as you walk in the door, dinner is on, and you get that first smell of your favorite dish. Do you have the recipe? Who came up with it? Do you know the key steps? Special or secret ingredients?  

Some family favorites are born directly out of the original farm-to-table concept, before it was so hip, and those origins become a key part of the family recipe story. You grew potatoes and found a million ways to prepare them. You had fresh citrus, wild asparagus, or vibrant rhubarb all around you, and the specialties of your youth reflect it. Capture that history! 

  • Start a virtual family dinner club. You could create a group online to swap recipes or go a step further and once a month someone is the virtual host. Send the recipe ahead (as an Artifct!) so everyone has the ingredients on hand. Then run your own cooking show and enjoy the meal together after. 
  • Collaborate on a special family recipe cookbook. Ask each member of your family to contribute their favorite recipe AND the story behind it. How did it come into your family? Are there any secret ingredients? Who made or makes it best?  Create a cookbook that builds all the family history and the stories that go with those recipes. You’d be surprised, but even one generation removed, family members will start to lose track of the details never mind the actual ingredients or instructions. 
  • At Artifcts recipes, cookbooks, and treasured kitchen objects come alive through stories and histories, but also with supplementary video and audio snippets. Artifct your favorite recipes, add a video snippet of a crucial step, and share with your family. Our co-founder Heather Artifcted her mother's cranberry sauce AND included a video to show her teenage daughter how to know when you've got a good batch of cranberries. 

Share the History

The reality is not all families have a family keeper, that person who by choice or default holds onto the heirlooms, photos, recipes, and slew of documents that represent generations of a family’s history. Or maybe you are the last keeper or recent inheritor of all this family history and are thinking, “Now what? I really don’t want this stuff.” 

There’s a second reality that is important to recognize: family history is not only family history. Sometimes family history is part of local, national, or even global history. It offers clues to key figures, ways of living, and the social, political, and religious practices of a place in time. So, consider sharing pieces of your family history with the world through donations. 

  • Philanthropic donations. Consider galleries, libraries, research centers, foundations, and museums with specialties that may overlap with your items. Donations are not necessarily only in the realm of inherently valuable objects. Often, you guessed it, the story behind the object is the key. Don’t know the story either? That’s okay. Reach out to an institution, share your items, and give them the opportunity to tell you!  
  • Archival donations. Transform your personal family history into elements of a shared community history by offering your items to professional archives. What types of items might fit this category? As a starter: original works of fiction or non-fiction; scrapbooks, journals, letters, and diaries; original business materials (certificates, advertising, shares, board documents, voting records); media (photographs, slides, film, even websites too). You can learn more at the Society of American Archivists
  • At Artifcts, before you donate, Artifct the items to retain the family lore and history that’s relevant to you, and then share with family. Make sure no one else is interested in the item before you donate it, and attach any documentation related to your donation to the Aritfct. You can then rest easy knowing your family’s history will be in the capable professional hands of institutions that will preserve and protect them for generations to come. 

Let's Talk Wills and Legacy

Hear us out. Wills may be about death, but they are also all about easing the burden on those we leave behind. We all too frequently ignore the items we've collected over time. And, no, they will not sort themselves into piles to sell, donate, or bequeath. First someone must go through it all, a family member or two, or maybe a specialist hired to help. And in the end, someone will have to make 1000s of decisions about what becomes of every single item. Do you really want to leave a burden as your legacy? 

Wouldn’t you rather everyone be better prepared and informed? Not only will making a plan and creating documents make it easier for your family to pick up the pieces, but they can also help loved ones understand why you valued the items you are leaving behind. We've got some tips to help:

(Dramatically) Simplified checklist: 

  • Don’t have a Will? There are many wonderful estate planning attorneys in each community who can help you with this process. But this is an industry transformed by the digital revolution, and then some. If you are looking for a digital, self-guided approach, check out our fellow AARP AgeTech Collaborative partners at Trust & Will.   
  • Haven’t really seen your Will in a while? Give it a checkup. There's no time like the present. Add it to your to-do list this month! 
  • Confirm: Are the major themes covered?  
        • Estate 
        • Minor children 
        • Relatives with disabilities 
        • Retirement 
        • Powers of Attorney 
        • Living Will 
        • Stewardship of digital assets (profiles, accounts, photos, web pages, etc.) 
  • Is there a list of tangible assets referenced in your Will? Your Will may provide for a separate “Memorandum” that can be updated and changed at any time without making any changes to your Will.  
        • No list? Start. Just take a first cut by looking around the house (or your Artifcts collection!). 
        • Already have a list? Double check that it covers at least those items of greatest financial or heart (sentimental) value. 
  • At Artifcts, pick three or four of your most treasured items to Artifct and let your loved ones know why each item matters to you. Use the "In the Future" field to think through and record what you would like to happen to this item one day. Will it be passed down? Rehomed? Sold? Consider sharing the Artifct with your estate planner or attorney to list with other tangible assets referenced in your Will.   

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Artifcting Starter Resources 

We have all sorts of helpful resources that we want to be sure you know about to take the pressure off and let the fun begin: 

Inspiration Checklists

Videos on YouTube

Artifcting Quick Tips

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© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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My Photos, My Memories

Feeling overwhelmed by your ever-increasing digital photo collection? Not sure what to do with the boxes and boxes of physical photos you’ve either collected or inherited over the years?  

Chances are you are not alone. We take photos to capture a memory or moment in time. We keep photos not because of the actual photo (except in rare circumstances) but because of the memories and emotions they evoke.  

This leaves most of us with an ever-growing collection of photos, some of which take up valuable space in our homes, and others that take up valuable space on our devices. It also leaves us with a lot of snapshots in time, but very few documented memories, stories, and the like for our loved ones.  

As we wrap up Save Your Photos Month, we’d like to propose a challenge—over the next five days, pick a photo a day and Artifct it along with the story, memory, and maybe even the reason WHY you love that photo.  

Over the next five days, pick a photo a day and Artifct it along with the story, memory, and maybe even the reason WHY you love that photo

You don’t need to have a paid Artifcts account to take part in this challenge—anyone, anywhere can join. Sign up for free today and get Artifcting! We all have photos and memories worth preserving. 

You also don’t need to overthink it. Five photos. Five stories. Five pieces of you that are now documented and preserved for generations to come.  

After looking at her own post-move mess of photos, frames, boxes, and a soon-to-be collection of 15,000 digital photos, our co-founder Heather decided to give it a go. Her photos, her memories.  

My Favorite Childhood Photo 

This photo has survived more moves than I can count. It’s one of my favorite childhood photos—I have no recollection of the moment, but it always makes me smile.  

 

Dad & Me. Age 3. Click to view the Artifct. 

I can feel the late Fall sunlight, smell the salt air, and remember the stone step to my childhood home, Briar Bog Farm. My father’s LL Bean flannel shirts, and my purple overalls. I always wore those overalls. Purple was my favorite color after all.  

I shared this Artifct with my daughter and her first response (via text) was, “OMG we look so much alike!” Her second response was, “I didn’t know you liked purple.” And her third, “Did I have a pair of purple overalls when I was younger?” Before I could answer I got the “GTG don’t want to be late for class.” One photo shared, one memory saved, and a new story made. 

You Surfed?!? 

Yes, I surfed. Way back when you could still barter blueberry muffins for a surf lesson or two and a ride out to Cisco Beach in a beat-up Ford van.  

 

Surfing and surfboard photos. Click to view the Artifct

It was the summer between my sophomore and junior years in college. I was working three jobs (bar tending, tutoring, and nannying) but it did not matter. I lived to surf. Any and every free moment was spent on the beach, surfboard in tow. I would (and often did) gladly sacrifice sleep for surfing.  

I smile every time I see these photos. They are a snapshot in time of a crazy, wonderful, totally unexpectedly perfect summer.  

And Miles to Go Before I Sleep 

This is one of the few photos I have printed and framed over the past ten years. My daughter and dear spouse have even asked on occassion when I was planning to replace the stock photo that came with the frame for a “real” photo. 

Sorry to disappoint, but this is the “real” photo. It’s one my favorite spots in the White Mountains, a boardwalk passage across a high-altitude swamp along the Zealand Falls Trail. 

 

And Miles to Go Before I Sleep. Click to view Artifct

Growing up, Robert Frost’s poetry was a constant companion. Whether out for a walk or repairing the paddock fences, there was always a quote or two at hand. Whereas some children are drilled in their ABCs and 123s, I was drilled in verses of one of New England’s most celebrated poets.  

I printed and framed this photo because (1) I love the majestic beauty of the White Mountains, and (2) it is a constant reminder that I have “miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.” It’s my little reminder to myself that like any good hiking trail, life is best taken one step at a time.  

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun 

This is a private Artifct, and for good reason! The stories, the memories, and the laughs. Always the laughs.  

 

Go Caps! Sorry, this Artifct is private. 

The photo though is one of my all-time favorites. I framed it the moment I got it, and that framed photo has graced every desk I’ve had since, pre-COVID and post-COVID. My daughter recently took a good look at it while helping me unpack and said, “Wow, you and Aunt G still look exactly the same!” That in and of itself made me smile.  

She then wanted to know the story behind the photo, hence one of my newest Artifcts. She knew it was me and Aunt G in the photo, but she didn’t know the story or even where the photo was taken. Small moments create bigger memories. 

Marry Me?  

This too is going to remain a private Artifct, but the photo is worth a thousand words. And yes, there are a thousand-plus words in the Artifct to back it up.  

Do you have one of those photos that makes you smile every time you see it? That it puts you in a good move no matter what? That’s what this photo does for me.  

 

Marry Me? Sorry, this Artifct is private.

It was taken the afternoon my now-husband proposed. We were in Telluride for the Blue Grass Festival. He proposed earlier that morning while out on a hike. I was so surprised it took me a moment to answer.  

After I said yes, he wanted to know what I thought he was going to ask. I told him, “I thought you were going to ask if I was hungry and if I wanted pizza!” Well, this photo was taken post-hike and post-pizza, right before we settled into our spots for another night of amazing bluegrass music with the San Juan Mountains as our backdrop.  

Like my favorite childhood photo, I can still feel the sunlight hit my face every time I look at this photo.  

Your Turn! 

Which five photos will you choose to Artifct this week? What five stories will you tell, what five memories will you share?  

Remember, don’t over think it. If you’re not sure where to start, look at your framed photos. Chances are they are framed for a reason! Still stuck for inspiration? Check out our Rescue Those Photos! checklist for some ideas to help you get started.  You can also check out our tips on How-To Artifct That Photo

Remember, photos can’t talk, but you can. Start telling your story today. 

 

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© 2025 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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