RootsTech 2015 Photo Album

I hear some interesting and unusual questions when I talk about about preserving heirlooms and old photos, but the questions at RootsTech top them all. The best was a request from a lady who would like to have a swatch of her grandmother’s hair fashioned into a period hair ornament. . . she’s looking for a  Victorian hair artist. That’s a new one~ I’m making inquiries (as Sherlock would say), but please leave a comment if you have a referral for this project!

I loved the chance to introduce my new book How to Archive Family Photos, forthcoming this spring from Family Tree Books, and to share tips and ideas about organizing digital photos, scanning heritage prints, and sharing pictures with all kinds of projects. I also joined Family Tree Magazine publisher Allison Dolan, editor Diane Haddad, and online community editor Tyler Moss in the exhibit hall booth to answer questions and sign books, with the Out of the Box Sessions at the Family Tree booth.

On Friday afternoon, Diane and I slipped into the Media Hub recording booth to chat about my new book and almost managed to complete the recording before the bagpipers paraded by for the evening music event. If you watch the video, see if you can catch the pipers toward the conclusion.

Diane Haddad, Editor FamilyTree Magazine and Denise Levenick
talk about Denise’s books at RootsTech 2015.

Showing off my “Got Roots?” scarf to Randy Seaver, Genea-Musings blogger in the Media Hub. Fabric printing is one of the projects in my new book, How to Archive Family Photos. 

It’s hard to imagine the energy and noise generated by over 20,000 genealogists gathered for two national events under one roof. If it sounds like it might be LOUD, exciting, colorful, LOUD, and inspiring, you’d be right.

Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City 

FGS Booth well staffed by Tonia Kendrick, Caroline Pointer
and Paula Stuart Warren. . .

. . . and Linda McCauley.

With Janet Horvaka (ChartChick), Lisa Alzo, AC Ivory (back) and
mom Monica Ivory waiting for Laura Bush keynote.

Keynote presentation by former First Lady Laura Bush.

Between sessions I enjoyed getting outside and meeting up with new and old genealogy friends for a meal. My grandmother Arline Kinsel lived in Salt Lake City for a time about 1918, so it was fun to look at the old buildings and imagine how they might have looked to her nearly one hundred years ago. I imagine that today’s neon lights would have been quite the sensation then!

Lood all the way down the street to the Rio Grande railroad station, now home of the Utah State Archives

The Peery Hotel looks like it just stepped out of another time.