Without help from family members, I could rarely identify the people, places or significance of items saved from generations past.
The ticking of time got louder.
I witnessed loved ones pass away.
Their stories died with them.
Capturing what I remembered, the impact that my loved ones' lives had on mine, and sharing these stories for future generations, developed into my passion.
Then, I became a mom.
Time evaporated before my eyes.
The old adage was true!
The days are long, but the years are short.
That's when the magic would unfold.
Mundane (and often overwhelming) moments now transformed.
Viewed through a lens of hindsight - these seemingly insignificant moments offered a new opportunity for reflection and connection.
The more I noticed them, the more intentional I was about what stories to capture and share.
Using an online photo journaling service called TinyBeans, I collected these stories and shared what I noticed with family across the globe.
Despite being separated by many miles, my family was able to witness our life unfold. Mundane moments turned into "flecks of gold. "
Despite being separated by many miles, my family was able to witness our life unfold.
Mundane moments turned into "flecks of gold. "
a mantra i live by
It has helped me to find the magic in the mundane.
Witness that joy can co-exist with grief and chaos.
Respect the feelings of overwhelm.
And create a narrative of my own life story.
“Back in the day” there were far fewer photos captured.
The ones captured were usually thoughtfully planned and often documented special occasions. Technology and cost helped limit the amount of images.
Today, on average, 4.7 billion photos are taken daily across the world. Nearly all of these photos are taken on cell phones, sometimes backed up to a cloud service and most are never viewed again.
When we die, these images and stories we took the time to capture die with us.
Unless we DO SOMETHING to make our memories useful to future generations (like make a memory book) they decay in the land of forgotten clutter.
The Fourth Pivot:
I didn't land my dream job as an attorney, but gave it a go as a litigator and quickly burned out from the stress. My husband encouraged me to follow my passions in photography. I leaped and began building my lifestyle branding and family photography business.
The Third Pivot:
A high school sweetheart and a life plan shifted when I didn't get into law school in NY. Calling an audible, I applied to and was accepted at a small private law school in NH. My high school boyfriend didn't last, but I met lifelong friends and the love of my life and future Husband, Frank.
The Second Pivot:
I dreamed of being both a photographer and a lawyer - helping bring families together. Even though I got into the best Photography school in the country, I quickly realized that subjective grading and lack of focus on writing skills were going to hold me back from my lofty law school goals. After I learned all I needed to know about photo technique, I transferred to a State College to focus on expanding my horizons and reaching my goals of getting into law school.
The First Pivot:
At age 6, I was adopted by my step-dad. My family tree continued to expand over the years and was always a challenge for me to explain when asked "who my family was." It taught me resiliency, empathy and how to be pretty darn efficient at taking large family portraits!
Attorney to Photographer
Told best through photos Of
the pivotal moments
of my life
Adopted
Becoming a mom
Photo School Dropout
First Love vs. Career
The Sixth Pivot:
We welcomed our second child two weeks into the global pandemic. Like everyone in the world, our lives turned upside down as we shifted to quarantine and work from home life. We got creative in ways to connect with family across the globe, who didn't get to meet the newest addition to our family for months.
The Fifth Pivot:
While starting and growing our family, we lost several significant close family members and a dear friend. Grieving these losses while becoming a new mom at the same time, taught me to appreciate the small miracles and preciousness of time.
Pandemic Baby
Frame of Life
Embracing Life:
I have been working on Frame of Life slowly in the fringe hours since 2016. Our trademark registration was approved this year. What started as a passion project will continue to grow through our podcast conversations, courses, and workshops.
Together we can create the legacies we want to leave, form deeper connections with those we love, and live brighter happier lives.
on Our wedding Day
04.2014
pandemic Christmas card
2020
starting labor at home 01.2017
launching the Podcast
02.2022
Adoption day on crutches (breakdancing injury)
04.1991
your legacy
PRESERVE
WITH THOSE YOU LOVE
CONNECT
THAT MATTER MOST TO YOU
DOCUMENT STORIES
ON TOP OF EVERY DAY MUNDANE
SPRINKLE JOY
ON THE SMALL MOMENTS
FOCUS
Track of your progress on your memory keeping goals, photo collections & heirlooms.
A "monthly podcast" sharing tips for busy memory keepers seeking to notice, document, and embrace the stories that make up their wild lives.
Organize your photos and learn how to make a memory book yourself
SIGN ME UP!
The kind that sometimes email each other
Bite sized, time saving memory keeping hacks for busy moms. DIY family photo album tutorials, photo and video tips & product reviews.
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