Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Fun & Free Family Tree Charts

On the web & off, there are many interesting family tree charts. I'm looking for free ones just at the moment, something fun or pretty & notebook sized that I can fill in, maybe colour, then add to the family sections in my binders & give to relatives, perhaps by e-mail.
(Yes, yes, I promise, I am getting organized!)

On the Web

I've had a coast around the WWW & this time, I do think that the people at About.com have put together the best list.

I like these suggestions:

Fan Chart, from marthastewart.com

Tigger Family Trees (three of them!) from Disney

Tree Design, Family Tree from Misbach Enterprises

Picture Tree Chart, also from Misbach Enterprises

Grandma's Box Chart, again, Misbach Enterprises

and, there's About.com's own Interactive Family Tree Chart, which can be filled out on-line, e-mailed, used on a website or printed out.

BOOKS

Here are a few books with family tree chart ideas.

At home, I have:

Paper Trees: genealogical clip-art, by Tony Matthews, (Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.,1999)

Grand collection of hand drawn trees, all kinds, that you can copy, shrink, enlarge, colour, embellish, whatever! I do like the leafy ones, and especially the book one, but there are trees to suit most anyone, with trains, unicorns, windmills, wedding cakes, international scenes, First Nations designs, flags---even a CD player. Many of these eye-catching designs will be fun for teenage school projects & younger children's crafts.

Tony Matthews has at least two other books with his designs:

Memory Trees---family trees for the scrapbooker, 2003, 2004

Creativitree---Design Ideas For Family Trees, 2001, 2004

(Both, Clearfield Company, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.)

Also there is:

Family Tree page ideas for Scrapbookers, editors, Kerry Arquette & Mary Jo Regier, (Memory Makers Books, 2004).

This looks like a great book. I've just ordered it myself, and now I notice that the same people, with Lydia Rueger, have edited a book called:

Budget Scrapbooking: Great ideas for scrapbooking on a shoestring, (Memory Makers Books, 2004)
I better get that one, no matter the price tag!


LINKS

About.com Free Genealogy Charts & Forms---Family Tree Chart
http://genealogy.about.com/od/free_charts/

Genealogical Publishing/Clearfield Company
http://www.genealogical.com/

Memory Makers
http://www.memorymakersmagazine.com/store/

If you're creative, Misbach Enterprises says they're looking for new family tree ideas.
http://misbach.org/pdfcharts/

If you're looking for useful, everyday charts & forms, I'd suggest going first to the LDS FamilySearch website: www.familysearch.org

Check the printable forms available there, or visit your local LDS family history centre. (Contact information for these is on the LDS site.) The volunteers at the centre will be glad to help you.

And, don't forget to check with your local genealogical society. The British Columbia Genealogical Society's Boutique sells interesting family tree charts at a reasonable price & has all kinds of genealogical charts & forms at a nominal cost. www.bcgs.ca

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