I am a daughter, sister, wife, mother, and friend. I spent many years in the corporate business world but have always had great appreciation and love for the smaller joys in life. Fully appreciating the beauty of early morning sunrises, photographs, flowers, and poetry, soft music, the scent of peppermint and other essential oils, spiritual life and growth, friendships, and compelling stories are a small piece of life’s pleasures today.

Memoirs by Design gives me the opportunity to enjoy more of small life blessings and my gifts allow me to make a difference in the lives of other people and their families. My work is so gratifying!

Touchstone
Often, the stories we hear in our youth, spun by the voices of our special loved ones – father, nana, mom – we unknowingly take for granted. We think we will hear that voice, that story, that tempo forever. Then, without warning, time steals the memory, the clarity, and the detail. The voice, and finally, the stories, are now silenced. Cold reality hits when we are no longer able to hear or remember the details of who said what.

How could this happen? It happens too easily when we neglect to record a story or to write it down. My father often spoke of his life on a small Vermont farm, wild college days, and Patricia, his wife of 48 years. He reminisced about the lengthy military career, activities and antics of his children and grandchildren, the ‘second’ career in sports officiating, and the twenty years he and Pat spent gallivanting the country in their RV.

Not surprisingly, none of his seven children had the foresight to record his story or funny anecdotes. When he passed away, suddenly it dawned on his loved ones that his history and theirs passed, too. An untold story is lost forever or until someone breaks the cycle and records it. His memory and inspiration is a touchstone for Memoirs by Design and for all storytellers.

Cornerstone
Nanette’s family, friends and new storytellers are invaluable contributors, as is her special mother, Patricia, her first storyteller. The cornerstone for Memoirs by Design is the love of people and stories, trust, and the ability to interview others and tell about it, in their words.

Touchstone and cornerstone are the foundation for this service company, dedicated to capturing an individual’s life. Regardless of age, stature, or reputation, one story paints a compelling biography, history and learned life lessons.