“Everyone has a keepsake, and every keepsake has a story to tell.”

Welcome

A dented, dime-store locket. A tattered crocheted afghan. A faded fishing lure. A jar of shiny silver dollars. I'm intrigued by the items people keep—displaying them proudly on their window sills or tucking them away in shoeboxes underneath their beds. I ask one simple question: “Why do you keep this?” The responses connect the storytellers to loved ones, significant moments in time, or places they never want to forget.

And so I launched Project Keepsake—my quest to collect and publish the stories transforming simple, everyday objects into priceless keepsakes and mementos. Each story is unique, yet each reveals a commonality that celebrates the human experience.

I invite you to read a handful of the stories I've collected, and I encourage you to explore the deep-rooted connections you have to your own keepsakes and mementos, write about them, and contribute to my project.

Read

Read sample stories. Sharon Huey explores her connection with a pair of scissors. Jane Starner talks about a blue plate. David Aft shares his feelings about a signet ring. Coleen Brooks talks about how a simple garment was transformed into her pregnancy shirt.

Listen—Coming Soon

Listen to a podcast. I read a story about an old sewing machine. Cynthia Wilson reads a story about her mother's wedding ring. Mitzi Boyd shares a story about her nanny's pound cake pan.