Photos + Stories Go Better Together: A Conversation with Cathi Nelson, CEO of The Photo Managers

There’s something almost magical about the objects we keep. 

A framed photograph on the wall. A handwritten recipe card tucked into a drawer. A ring passed down through generations. These items are more than ‘stuff’—they are vessels of memory, identity, and connection. 

However, we also keep, either intentionally or unintentionally, vast collections of other items, trinkets, and do-dads. Don’t believe me? Take a look at your junk drawer and let’s talk. 

According to an article in the LA Times, the average American home contains 300,000 items. Now that’s a lot of ‘stuff.’ If you took just one minute to briefly examine each item, it would take you 5,000 hours, or roughly 208 days. That's a lot of time, especially if you inherit an estate and are trying to get to the bottom of what the objects are and if they have any value. 

At Artifcts, we believe there is a better way to not only sort and organize the items we keep and the keepsakes we love, but to also document the value, history, and stories that go along with those items.  

From Object to Story in Seconds 

We created our Artifcts QR code stickers to solve a simple but meaningful problem: how do you seamlessly connect the physical objects in your life with the stories behind them? 

No more printing, cutting, or searching for labels. Just grab a sheet of durable, weatherproof stickers, place one on your item, scan it, and start creating. Each scan prompts you to either create a new Artifct or link the sticker to an existing one—instantly tying that object to its digital story. It’s organization, storytelling, and preservation—all in one simple action. 

But Here’s Where It Gets Personal… 

With Artifcts, you can add audio and video to every Artifct you create. That means when someone scans your QR code sticker, they don’t just read about the object—they experience it. 

• They can hear the laughter in your voice.
• They can see the way your hands move as you demonstrate a recipe.
• They can feel the emotion behind the memory. 

Because sometimes, the story isn’t just what happened—it’s how it’s told. Audio and video are powerful keepers of memories. They capture inflection, personality, and even the little imperfections that make memories real and human. 

Imagine the Possibilities 

Once you start thinking about it, you’ll see opportunities everywhere. 

📸 Photo Frames That Speak 

That wedding photo on your wall? Add a QR code sticker to the back. Now, when your children or grandchildren scan it, they don’t just see the image—they hear you tell the story of that day. Maybe even watch a short video clip from the reception. A single photo becomes a living memory. 

Sorry, this Artifct is private! But it definitely has a QR code sticker attached to the back of the frame. 

💍 Jewelry with a Voice 

A ring isn’t just beautiful—it has a past. Was it your mother’s? Does it now have a special meaning to you? Attach a sticker to the jewelry box, and suddenly that piece carries its full story. Imagine hearing your mother explain where it came from, who owned it before her, and why it mattered. That’s legacy—preserved in her own voice. 

🧁 Recipes That Come to Life 

Yes, you can save Grandma’s famous biscuit recipe. But with Artifcts, you can do so much more. Attach a QR code sticker to the recipe card or cookbook. Now, when it’s scanned: 

• You hear her voice explaining why she never measures the flour exactly 
• You see a video of her hands gently folding the dough 
• You catch the little tips that never made it onto paper 
• It’s no longer just a recipe—it’s an experience passed down through generations. 

🎨 Collections, Keepsakes, and Everyday Treasures 

From antiques to travel souvenirs, children’s artwork to military memorabilia—every item has a story waiting to be told. Artifcts QR code stickers make it easy to catalog, organize, and preserve those stories without interrupting your flow. You can move from room to room, scanning and storytelling as you go, building a meaningful, searchable collection of your life.   

Ready to get started? Start small. Pick one object that matters to you. Tell its story. Add your voice. You might just discover that what you’re really preserving isn’t just your belongings…It’s your legacy. 

 © 2026 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

We live in a world of information overload, and if you’re digging into family history, that overload threat is potentially multiplied by generations.

Some of us organize our research and learnings in folders, and folders within folders. Nothing other than the name of each folder provides us a clue as to how everything inside relates or where gaps in the content may exist.

Others of us rely on hardcopy photo albums and scrapbooks, often missing the contextual details and stories to bring those books to life when the creator of those books is not there to talk you through them. And how do you modify them once complete?

Whether you’re just getting started with fleshing out your family history or focused on closing gaps, we think timelines are a powerful tool to have in your corner. Dive in with us!

Enriching Family History with Artifcts Timelines

Digital timelines can be hit or miss. Many applications, from Google Photos to specialized genealogy software to Facebook, offer timelines, but they often are rigid in terms of editing and lose the context for each entry. That’s because those timelines simply place photos, for example, in sequential order or display SOME information while leaving other information (documents, location, etc.) in separate, disconnected albums or galleries.

We view the Artifcts timeline as the ultimate way to future proof your history by, first and foremost, revealing gaps in the life moments you've captured with your Artifcts. True story: When our co-founder Heather first looked at her personal timeline, she realized she’d never Artifcted anything about her wedding! Oops.

Once you know your gaps, you can then create new Artifcts to enrich your history with the stories and memories that have been left out. Another approach would be to start with Artifcts you’ve already created and add in videos and audio and/or supporting documentation for more color and context.  

Here's a great example of enriching a family history. It's one thing to know who created this painting:

It’s another to hear first-hand what the artist was trying to capture and what the painting means, a generation later, to the artist’s son, Matt Paxton. Listen in -->  

Sharing family history in bite-sized mini-stories via Artifcts means you make feel-good progress a bit faster and family are more likely to tune in and listen to the whole story.

Put Timelines to Work for You!

As you Artifct, we create your timeline automatically.

Assuming you have created a few Artifcts already, you will find your timeline by visiting your homepage and choosing "My Artifcts." You'll see the timeline option marked with a yellow "New!"

If your timeline is a bit sparse right now, check out the public Artifcts in our team's timelines for inspiration - @Heather and @Matt have shared many Artifcts over the past few years. 

As you explore Artifcts timelines and think about your family history, test out the built-in timeline features, because you never know from where inspiration may spring:

• • • Switch between annual and decade views.
    • Flip your Artifcts from newest-to-oldest and oldest-to-newest.
    • Drag and drop to move any Artifct to a different year.
    • Add time period notes, per year, about key events or family history research gaps.

We have great FAQs about timelines and a quick video ready for you as well.

Share with Us 

We’d love to hear what you learn about your own history when you look at it anew as a timeline. Had you skipped key life events? Are there whole decades missing? What inspires you to fill in any gaps? You can write to us at Editor@Artifcts.com  to share!

Happy Artifcting!

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© 2026 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Feeling pressured to tell your life stories?

Has a loved one given you a questionnaire or a book to write in about your life that feels like another to-do?

Does it contain absurdly challenging and broad questions like, "What's one of the most important moments of your life?"

Are you receiving tips on how to “express yourself” or make your stories “entertaining," "thoughtful," or "compelling" and don’t really know where to begin?

(Are you the one creating the pressure?! Keep reading. Today's article is also for you!)

The Story Burden: What Is It?

Maybe you're not a great writer, maybe you don't want to commit the time, or maybe you don't think you have good stories to tell. But "they" are asking you to write or record your stories anyway and maybe even throwing money at it via well-intentioned gifts to encourage you. That is what we call the "story burden."

We know the pressure comes from a heartfelt place. Our friends and family may think we and our stories are worth preserving and sharing. And the storytelling industry wants to help us structure our stories to capture people’s attention in an increasingly distracted world.

At the same time, these story pressures can snowball and become a giant turnoff. The well-intentioned tips, classes, and frameworks may backfire and prevent us from making progress. And progress, not perfection, is what matters, just as much as what “they” want. Right?

Set Your Own Goal

You can't get there, if you don't know where you're going. What is your goal in recording your stories, no matter the format you select? Perhaps your goal looks like one of these:

• • • Private, diary-like reflections that maybe you'll share one day with a chosen few.
    • Recording bits of your personal and family history to share your knowledge with your loved ones.
    • Capturing moments and memories that made you and others smile before the details slip away. These stories could make up the pieces to a great memoir one day!

No matter your goal, consider the strategies we've gathered below to see if any will help you make progress without that burden stories can create.

Time-Tested Strategies to Capture Your Stories

STORY PROMPT BOOKS AND CHECKLISTS

Lacking inspiration or searching for a jumping off point? Download a free checklist of interview questions. A great question source is the independent non-profit StoryCorps (check out the podcast, too) and it's FREE collection of life story questions aross 17 categories. Or you could download one of our many Artifcts Inspiration Lists to work through at your pace. These resources will avoid set schedules and fixed costs so you don't have to worry if you fall out of sync with their pace or wonder if you're getting good value for your money. It's free or a one-time fee!

If you're motivated by, let's say, a treat now and then, you could even eat your way to stories. One of our members shared with us how excited their family was to answer the questions wrapped around each of these caramels during the holidays. Talk about low pressure! 

SUBSCRIPTION STORY SERVICES

Need more motivation? Subscription services like Storyworth and many others can send you regular prompts by email or have someone call you and by answering them in a timely fashion, by yearend, you’ll have enough fodder to complete and purchase your responses in a book format. For additional fees, you can even add color photos, additional pages, and special covers.

SUPPORT FROM A PRO!

Worried you won't find the time to capture your story without the help of a real human? Hire a life story biographer to interview you and write your story. Whether a short 30-minute session to scratch the surface or a full life story multi-month endeavor, you can find an option to fit your goals and budget and remove the pressure from you to pull it all together. There are an abundance of companies that will do this and range greatly in price. If this is of interest to you, check out our partners, Whole Story Productions and LifeBook Memoirs. 

Bite-Sized Stories with Artifcts 

We heard a lot about the story burden as we began the research for what became Artifcts. We knew we had to do better and create something innovative that would avoid the story pressure while integrating the best of the tried and tested techniques of story telling AND sharing.

Let's begin at the very beginning. WHAT you choose to Artifct speaks volumes. The fact that you chose to take a moment and document THAT item lets your loved ones know that it mattered to you. The "story" becomes a bonus, a bonus that can be one simple word—e.g. Dad’s—or a 5,000+ word story.

Once you decide WHAT to Artifct, we try to make it as easy as possible to craft a story. If staring at a blank screen leaves you speachless (or wordless), we provide story-writing prompts to help you get started. Pick a prompt and go! Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect, you just have to start. 

We also designed Artifcts so you can proceed at your own pace. No pressure, no deadlines. You don't have to worry about missing a week or skipping a question. An Artifct a day, two hours on a Sunday afternoon, seasonal themes, or work your way through a collection, object by object ... whatever works for you! No stress, no quota to meet. 

Artifcts are also easily shareable to loved ones or professionals who may be assisting you with family history research, writing a memoir, or creating a family videography, saving you countless hours searching for, sharing, and annotating the materials when you’re ready to take that next step. 

If your family is asking you to share your stories, take it as an invitation—not a burden. You don’t have to write a memoir or capture everything at once. The most meaningful stories often begin with a single object and the memory it holds. With Artifcts, each belonging becomes an easy starting point—a photo, a keepsake, a recipe card, a travel souvenir—each one unlocking a story worth preserving. Don’t let overwhelm stop you or worry about where to begin. Simply choose one object, tell its story in your own words, and start today.

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© 2026 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.