“Hello I am an avid scrapbooker. My name is Maggie and I have been teaching scrapbooking for over 7 years” … this is how Maggie introduces herself on her blog, and as she’s joining us on Unlock the Past’s 4th Cruise it seemed appropriate to have that as her introduction here.
With her husband being the resident genealogist in the family, Maggie’s interest is in the area of family history and recording past family and events through scrapbooking.
She knows how to make her scrapbooking pages come ‘alive’ by including documents and stories that enhance the heritage photos she has of her family, and through her talk and workshop she will teach others her tricks.
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NAME: Maggie Clarke
HOMETOWN/COUNTRY: Winmalee, New South Wales, Australia
DAYTIME JOB: Academic
Q1. Think back to your childhood … now what is your favourite memory from that time?
Probably sitting with my grandmother and mother, chatting over a large pot of tea that kept getting re-filled all Saturday afternoon.
Q2. There’s always ‘something’ that sparks an interest in genealogy/history? What was it that sparked your interest?
This same nana used to tell stories about her family over this cuppa time.
Q3. How old were you when you developed an interest in this hobby?
A child, maybe seven.
Q4. What countries across this big wide world did your ancestors come from?
Scotland and England.
Q5. Is genealogy/history your main job?
No.
Q6. Do you have a genealogy mentor or idol? Someone who has deeply influenced you in your research along the way?
No, my main interest is scrapbooking the family history that my mother has told me about. My husband, Garry, is the genealogist in the family. He finds the history and I scrapbook them. What a team!
Q7. We all know that you family history can reveal some amazing things. Have any of your discoveries resulted in a life-changing experience?
I can’t say life changing but something that has moved me is the death of my grandmother’s brother who was killed at Passchendaele. I have a copy of the report from the soldier who found his body and the response my great grandmother made to the war office declaring that it wasn’t her son!
Q8. What do you find most challenging about research?
I like to ensure that the details are absolutely correct and my husband is meticulous in gathering all the accurate information.
Q9. If you had a time-machine what relative (past, present or future) would you most like to meet?
I’d probably like to meet my maternal great grandmother as I have heard so many stories about her from my mother and grandmother.
Q10. Still using that time machine, you’ve been propelled into the future five years, what do you see yourself doing?
When I retire, which is not in the far distant future, I would like to develop my scrapbooking further. I love to cruise so I would like to make one of my destinations to the arch in Belgium where my grandmother’s brother’s name is inscribed. That will be a very memorable moment for me.
Q11. What value do you think social media plays in genealogy these days?
It plays an enormous role as it has made the information so easily found and shared.
Q12. What do you do when you aren’t doing genealogy or history?
Scrapbooking!
Q13. What do you hope to get out of a genealogy cruise?
Meet new friends, connect with people who enjoy scrapbooking and also introduce people to scrapbooking through my demonstration and workshop on the cruise.
Q14. Share with us a few (up to five) of the genealogy websites that you tend to spend the most time on?
This is my husband’s domain as he is the genealogist.
Q14. Do you have any wise words for those just starting out in genealogy?
Just to think about how you will record the history of the family and how you can interest others in your hobby or “career”. I do this through my scrapbooking as people love looking through my heritage albums and asking me about the photos and who the people are.
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For those of you who are going on the 4th cruise, here are the topics that Maggie is expected to be speaking on, based on the current program:
– Picture This: Using photos and documents in scrapbooking
– Scrapbooking workshop
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MAGGIE’S BLOG …
Picture This Scrapbooking http://picturethisscrapbooking.wordpress.com/
A few more comments from Maggie …
Cruise Workshop
On the cruise I will be giving a demonstration of a scrapbook page you can make in a class workshop. The kit and all materials you will need will be supplied (a nominal fee of $5 AUD will be charged for the workshop to cover the cost of some of the materials). Bring a 7” X 5” portrait photo for your page but this is not absolutely necessary. If you have a trimmer, glue-stick and scissors (put the scissors in your checked luggage), bring these along as well. There will be a limit of 25 people for the workshop.
Family Heritage Album
I will also be selling and taking orders for a family heritage album that I have created and will have some kits available on the cruise (in limited numbers). This album will be built up monthly over 12 months and you will be able to order these using my email address mka@netspace.net.au
The kits will contain a coloured illustration of the page and step by step instructions of how to make the pages.
I will take orders prior to the cruise if you would prefer to do this. The first few pages for the album will be available in January on my blog, so if you would like to pre-order please stop by my blog: picturethisscrapbooking.wordpress.com around the beginning of January.
The kits will sell for $25 AUD per kit plus postage. This is an easy and enjoyable way to get a family heritage album together.
Fabric and Vintage Lace Collages in Photo Frames suitable for a Heritage Photo
I also design fabric and vintage lace collages inside photo frames. These are made to showcase family heritage photos. A variety of sizes are available. I will have some of these on display on my blog in January so please stop by and have a look. You can pre-order these or order them on the cruise. Prices will vary and depend on size. Prices will range from $30-$60AUD. I will also custom make these collages if you have any special fabrics or lace that you would like me to include. Perhaps they have a special memory for you.
I am looking forward to meeting you and scrapbooking with you on the cruise.
Maggie X
