The GeneaQuilters SCGS Jamboree Quilt

The Quilt Gets Hung

There is so much to do at the Southern California Genealogical Society's Genealogy Jamboree. In addition to classes by world class teachers, and shopping for wonderful tools to use in your research; there are raffle tickets for fab give aways, like books, and videos and other wonderful prizes. This year the GeneaQuilters took on the challenge to produce a quilt that could be raffled off to benefit the Southern California Genealogical Society's Scholarship fund.

The quilt turned out beautiful. I am so proud, I contributed two blocks to this quilt and I think they turned out great, if I do say so myself. There were many people who had a hand in making this quilt a reality. Go to the GeneaQuilters Face Book page to learn more about the putting together of this quilt.

The lucky winner will get not only the quilt, but a book with a picture of each quilt block along with the person who created it and the story behind the block.

I am informed that more than 100 tickets have been sold and it's only Saturday.

Didn't it turn out great

You'd better buy your tickets soon. This is a one of a kind quilt; and this picture does not do it justice. (But I feel it only fair to warn you...I'm going to win this quilt....I am going to win this quilt....I am going to win this quilt....(positive thinking)

GeneaBloggers Welcome Bag

GeneaBloggers really knows how to take care of their bloggers. Not only did we get our customary “blogger beads” (a strand of “Mardi Gras” beads that we wear to identify ourselves as bloggers) but each GeneaBlogger received a Welcome bag chock full of wonderful things.

We got a multi USB hub; a Google For Genealogists Webinar on CD from Thomas MacEntee; a WikiTree Tee-Shirt from WikiTree.com; a couple of laminated “at a glance” sheets from Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.; a Family Tree Builder genealogy software CD from My Heritage; in addition to pens; discount coupons and so much more…

I’m telling you about all the wonderfulness in the bags not to make you jealous, but to first of all, let you know how fantastic this group is, and secondly, to give a big THANK YOU to the vendors who supplied all the goodies. (Disclosure statement: I do not endorse any of these companies nor am I supported by any of these companies.)

Now the only problem is…do I keep all these goodies to myself or do I do a give-away here on my blog? I have to tell you I really am leaning towards being selfish and keeping all these wonderful things. But I haven’t given you guys anything in months…hummm…I’ll need to think on this a bit longer.

I’m thinking about running a contest to find a new name for my business. I was calling myself Heritage Hunters but it turns out that there is someone using that name. So even though that has been my business name for the last several years I need to change it (this time I’ll get it copyrighted or trademarked.) So maybe I’ll make up a goodie bag of my own for the winner of the NAME contest. I’ll use some of the things that were in this bag (if I can bear to part with anything) and add some other goodies. What do you guys think…anybody up for a contest?

First Day (Friday) at Jamboree

Last night, after a day of fascinating lectures (more on this below) I attended the live broadcast of the GeneaBloggers Radio Show. What a hoot. There were about 15 bloggers in attendance and many more listening in via their computers. (Technology still blows my mind) There is also a chat component going on during the broadcast. Thomas MacEntee did a masterful job of remaining focused even though there was a lot of crazy shenanigans going on around him.

This was followed by an ice cream social sponsored by Geni for the GeneaBloggers. My kind of event…did I mention I like to eat? There was your choice of chocolate or vanilla ice cream and a huge variety of toppings. A couple of crazy bloggers danced the hula complete with grass skirts and Pete the Parrot even got in on the act. I think things started (started?) to get out of hand when Pete met Perkins the Penquin. Don’t remember if that was before or after Randy Seaver put a skirt on his head. (Remember folks this was ice cream, imagine what happens when they hit the bar!)

Patricia and Footnote Maven

Everyone screams for ice cream

Sheri Fenley

Who is that with a grass skirt on their head?

Susan Kitchens 

Not everything at Jamboree is crazy party type fun…we actually get in a little learning too. Overwhelmingly the favorite class today seemed to be “Prostitution in the Wild West” presented by Jana Sloan Broglin, CG. From what I hear it was very informative and well presented. I myself went to Warren Bittner’s class “Elusive Immigrants – European Case Studies in ‘Exhaustive Research.’” One of the other bloggers (Amy Coffin) used a wonderful phrase for Mr. Bittner calling him a “newly minted CG.” I loved that turn of phrase so I repeat it here along with my congratulations to Mr. Bittner. (Can’t remember which person tweeted that particular phrase…if it was you sing out and I will give you credit.) Great class, well presented. This was a BCG skill building class and I learned a little bit more about what constitutes an “exhaustive search.”

GeneaBloggers Hard at work

Lisa Louise Cooke gave a superb presentation of what can be done with Google Earth. I purchased her two CDs (Google Earth for Genealogists) a couple of months ago and now I really must set aside a few hours to explore this wonderful resource. I know once I get it figured out I’m going to be working with it for hours and hours, it looks like it could be a lot of fun.

My last class of the day was with George Morgan. He took a subject that could have been fairly dry (Agricultural Census Schedules) and turned it into a very informative lecture with a few laughs thrown in. I now see how I can use these schedules to put flesh and muscle on my ancestors bones. By looking at the schedules and determining what the farmers in my family were growing and determining where they would take their goods to sell them, I can get a more accurate account of their day to day lives.

 Well, that was the first day of Jamboree and I can’t wait for tomorrow.