A story to carry forward

When you know an object's story, you see more than a thing. You discover the people, moments, and meaning behind it.

Things Loved connects the things you treasure with the memories and messages that make them meaningful - so others can discover, enjoy, and share their stories.

Things Loved grew out of two wishes: to preserve the stories behind the treasures I’ve kept, and to share personal stories and messages with the photos I give to people I care about.

Keeping the stories with the keepsakes.

As I’ve gotten older, my children and grandchildren have become more curious about my keepsakes. They want to know why my mother’s early schoolbooks mattered so much to her, who the handsome World War II pilot with the mustache is, and who those people are in the framed photograph.

In those stories, they’re finding connections—little pieces of their own lives that help them understand who they are and where they came from.

But I’ve also realized that I’ve forgotten details I thought I would always remember. The objects are still here, while some of their stories are slipping away.

I wanted a way to capture what I remember and keep it connected to each keepsake—so whoever holds it next can understand why it mattered and find their own connection to it.

Giving a photo something more to say.

I’ve also wanted to share more with the recent photos I give to family and friends. A picture captures a moment, but it doesn’t always tell the whole story: what made us laugh, why that trip was special, or how much being together meant to me.

Sometimes, what I want to include is a personal message. A thank-you for a friendship. A few words of encouragement. Something I want that person to know whenever they look at the photo.

I wanted those words to stay with the picture, ready to be revisited anytime. The person receiving it could relive the experience, read my message, or hear it in my own voice.

That turns a photo into a gift they can revisit at their leisure—for a smile, a reminder of a wonderful day, or the warm feeling of knowing they matter to someone.

Bringing experience to something personal.

Finding a practical way to do this drew on work I’ve been doing for many years. In 2000, I founded a technology business that I still own today. Its work has included installing internet systems for college student housing, providing biometric school attendance systems, and creating specialty websites.

That experience gave me a foundation for bringing Things Loved to life. This time, the need was deeply personal: helping people keep their memories and messages connected to the things they treasure, in a way that feels simple and welcoming.

A connection worth sharing.

I initially created a simpler version of Things Loved for my own family. I wanted us to have a way to save the stories behind our treasures and include personal messages with the photos we shared. Then friends of family members began asking if they could use it, too.

Their interest helped me realize how many people have things they treasure and stories they want to keep. A photograph can bring back a wonderful afternoon. A keepsake can reveal something about a relative we barely knew. An ordinary object can hold a story that makes us laugh or helps us understand a piece of our family’s past.

That’s why I decided to make Things Loved available to others. I hope it gives more people the pleasure of discovering those connections—and knowing that the memories and meaning behind something they love can be enjoyed again, by them and by whoever treasures it next.

Warmest regards,

TA

Give someone more to love

A favorite photo

Share the people and moments hidden in the photo

A keepsake box

Share the meaning behind the treasures inside.

A treasured object

Reveal the connection that makes it special.