I just recently finished was this logo for my friend Patricia in New York who does genealogy research as well as other ancestral services such as grave tending and digital preservation of family documents. This was a really fun project to me because I love the mix of history and family research, and worked with Patricia to find just the right image that would represent her business in all its facets.
We settled on this Early American floral arrangement with two silhouettes hanging within it. The idea for it came from designs I’ve seen in antique rug hooking designs, and we incorporated pretty blue forget-me-nots within the arrangement to compliment her business name.
Patricia was also a big help to me in doing some family research on my own family, as I’d gotten pretty stuck on one side because my great-great grandfather died so young and his wife remarried.
My maiden name was Van Winkle and I knew that it was a Dutch name, but that was about it.
Patricia was able to trace my family back from these prairie Van Winkles (Jim and Lula Mae, left) all the way back to New England, particularly New Jersey, where I had two Revolutionary War solider ancestors, a father and son.
I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that the Van Winkles have been in American a long time. Perhaps arriving just after the English pilgrims, but my ancestors were Dutch traders who eventually settled in the Manhattan area and then down in New Jersey. That is so amazing to me!
It also made me realize that so much of our ‘American story’ is left out of what we’re taught in school– and that there is so much more to learn about. In school we usually focus on the English and their settlements, but the Dutch and the Spanish were also very busy in the Americas. I’m curious to learn more about my Dutch ancestry ( my lady ancestors had some pretty amazing name such as Antje, Jacomyntje, Trintje and Grietje…future baby names, perhaps? 😉 )
It was really exciting to hear all about what Patricia discovered, and so funny that my family line stretched from where I live here in Oklahoma to her own neck of the woods up in the New York area!
If you’d be interested in having Patricia do some research into your family, or if you’d like to take her up on some of her other ancestral services, you can find more information on her website, HERE.
Til then, have a great monday and rest of the week! Its rainy and gray here, and I love it!~
~H
Sleightholm Folk Art 
This is absolutely gorgeous work, Heather!
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I love the logo! It is so beautiful and I think it works great with the name of her business. Isn't genealogy fascinating? I've been doing it off and on for about 20 years. Unfortunately I didn't really get interested in it until most of my grandparents and their brothers and sisters had passed on. But I love doing the research and finding out little stories about my ancestors. Have a wonderful day!blessings~*~
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I love the logo that you two came up with! It seems so perfect for the business! The colonial colors feel so familiar to me having grown up in Charlottesville, Va. and the seat of so much Revolutionary War history .Just beautiful!. Your family history is very fascinating. Is that couple shown some of your side of the family? I agree that it is so much fun to learn about your roots. All of the stories and travels make our lives seem larger than we ever dreamed.
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What a beautiful logo Heather… it looks so professional, neat and charming.
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Funny what can be found out! Patricia also researched for my Mother's side and found a strange name change during the Prohibition years. The family suspects that our ancestors might have been Vermont moonshiners!
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yes, the couple in the post are my great great grandparents!
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This is so cool! This would definitely get me to use her service.
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I had a fantastic time helping out with your tree, Heather….and was pleasantly surprised to find one of your ancestors up here in Albany in the mid- 1600's trading! 🙂 Thank you so much for the beautiful art you created for my business. I love it! Patricia
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what a beautiful beautiful logo. I love the oldfashioned feeling, the background, the flowers..! and what an amazing story to find out. and I agree that a lot of our history too is never mentioned..but very interesting to get to know..! I have never searched back in time for my family. but I want to some time…!wishing you wonderful summerdays!!!..here it´s cold and rainy today. but cozy staying inside reading books..playing cards..love Lycke
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I'm so in love with that logo. You did an amazing job. And Patricia, too, at her genealogy work for you! So fascinating! 🙂
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The logo is so lovely! And what great information Patricia unearthed about your ancestors. Love that they journey back to the East Coast. 🙂
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That logo is so awesome! Just perfect! And that's so awesome what she found out for you. Isn't family history fascinating?! It can be very addicting!
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