Printed Jewels Blog

New Studio Art in February!

2012-02-01T07:26:00.000-08:00

This month we’re adding twelve new collections, six in Premier, and another six that you can show off to friends and family getting to know Heritage Makers with Basic accounts.

Our first two collections “A Romantic Moment” from our French art provider Digital Crea and “Spa Bubbles, the Papers,” from the Lily Pad, are two totally unrelated collections that have the same feel and color palette. In soft springtime colors with an emphasis on aqua and pink, both collections work beautifully for weddings, Easter or Mother’s Day projects. They are now part of our Premier art.

To add even more to our already abundant Valentine art, here are two smaller love-themed collections. “Love Always” is from Penny Springmann and “You & Me” is from Krystal Hartley both of the Sweet Shoppe. We’ll be calling the second of these two collections “You & Me SS” to distinguish it from a collection of the same name that was released last month. These mix and match Premier collections will add a perfect touch to Valentine, anniversary or family-themed projects.

Some time ago we added “12 Months Mega Kit Papers” to our art. In classic patterns and neutral shades, the papers made great storybook backgrounds. This month we’re releasing “12 Months Mega Kit Elements,” the matching element collection. A huge collection, this Premier offering is full of flowers, frames, journaling blocks, ribbons and word art that together with the matching papers provide everything you need for a larger coordinated project.
We’re also adding a wonderful collection from French digital scrapbooking site Digital Crea called “Douce Elegance” (gentle elegance). In classic shades of black and gray accented with green and red and full of swirls and flourishes, this will be the perfect Premier collection for projects celebrating love, family, personal growth and more.

We’re bringing a little spring flavor to our Basic art this month by adding these two coordinated collections from the Sweet Shoppe. “Garden Blooms” and “Splice" will add to the flowers and frames offered to HM members using just Basic. Designed to work together, these two mini collections are made from the same color palette and can be mixed and matched. Perfect for Easter or other spring or summer scrapbooking, they’ll be a great addition to our Basic offering.

A set of light colored alphas makes its debut in our Basic art this month. In very light colored paper with soft blue and peachy outlines, these are the perfect letters for everything from baby to heritage projects. In addition, the three full alphabets are accompanied by a set of upper case letters embellished with three small buttons. Use for the initial cap on a wide range of projects from baby to Father’s Day topics. Our “Vintage Worn & Torn Papers” will also be a great addition to our Basic offering. With a distinctive paper tear on one side of each of its seven traditional style papers, Basic users will now be able to give their projects that antique or grunge look.


To finish out our six new Basic offerings, we are releasing two Lily Pad paper collections called “Barely There Vol 12” and “Barely There Vol 13.” Each six-paper set is a layer-upon-layer mini work of art that brings some newly added deep dimensions to the papers for Basic users.
Chosen Especially for You
Remember, Club HM/Premier users enjoy unlimited access to ALL our artwork -- both Premier and Basic collections, with more added every month. Our ever-growing treasury of 900-plus beautifully designed collections are chosen to provide a wide range of style and content so that our Club HM members have what they need for any kind of project. In styles from classical to modern and shabby chic to whimsical, we’re betting you’ll find just what YOU need in our huge art collection. And if what you need is NOT there, let us know and we’ll start hunting for it!

Julie's 2012 Yearbook

2012-01-26T06:59:00.000-08:00

I am SO excited for my 2012 yearbook. I've got a routine, and I'm sticking to it, and at the end of this year I am STOKED to get this gorgeous book in my hands so that my family and I can look back on an awesome year! Every Sunday, I empty my camera, sort my pictures, upload them to my HM account, and then do that week's page in our yearbook. I've started it with template ID: 61136, but I really wanted a 12x12 album, so I adjusted it from an 11.5x8.5 to a 12x12 to create more room for journalling.

So far I've got the first 3 weeks done, and the rest of the pages are ready to swap my pictures into and type my stories! Easiest "yearbooking" ever. There are so many incredible yearbook album templates in the Template Gallery - it's never to late to start!

Pledge to Publish Winners!

2012-01-17T14:15:00.000-08:00

2012 Valentine's Deadlines

2012-01-12T20:11:00.000-08:00

Heart-Day is just around the corner! Make sure you're ready to tell your loved ones how special they are with a custom valentine or gift!! Also, you know your kids are going to need valentines to share with their friends at school - create them with signatures already included, and maybe even photos! so many fun things you can do in Studio :)

Also, be sure to publish with the above deadlines in mind - my recommendation is always go UPS, you'll get a tracking number and they work hard to make sure that you get your package on time!

January New Art

2012-01-09T20:22:00.000-08:00

This is over a week after the initial excitement, but in case you haven't been in to see it, check out the GORGEOUS new art collections that we're kicking off the New Year with! 12 Brand New collections, along with several featured seasonal collections that you'll find highlighted in Studio :)

2012 Digicrop Schedule Available!

2012-01-02T20:43:00.000-08:00

Come to a Digicrop in 2012 :)

These events are totally casual, but are a great opportunity to come and get help from your professional publishing consultant!

Every 2nd Friday from 8-10pm (except in Nov and Dec, when it will be the first Fridays!)

Also a great time to come and hang out and show off your latest project!

January Booking BLISS

2011-12-14T19:38:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again!

Every January, Heritage Makers has SUPER HOST REWARDS! Book a party with me in the month of January, and get up to $100 EXTRA REWARDS, above and beyond our regular Host Rewards! My calendar is filling up quickly, but you can contact me via facebook or email (julie@printedjewels.com) to book your date! Check out the January Rewards Flyer:

Lisa's Uncle Brian

2011-12-05T11:30:00.001-08:00

This is a touching story from Lisa Nelson, one of the founding leaders of Heritage Makers. As I'm spending time with my family this holiday season, this is a great reminder to myself to not only enjoy time with my family, but to take time to commemorate these treasured memories.

Growing up, I had a special relationship with my Uncle Brian. Many people had a special relationship with him; he was the type of person who made you feel like you were his best friend. He had a belly laugh that was more like a giggle than a laugh, and it would go on and on. He was the biggest fan at our basketball games, cheering louder than all the others, telling us to shoot more, telling the referees to think a bit more about the call and keeping his own set of stats at each game. He was our farm’s most dedicated employee, even though he insisted on taking his lunch break during Days of Our Lives. He was the best with phone messages because not only did he take the message, he reminded you to call them back until you did. Many people have great memories of my uncle Brian.

Brian also had Down’s Syndrome.

When he passed away, the entire family gathered in his hospital room while he was dying, and though he was basically unresponsive, we wanted to be there. When I arrived, he woke up, gave me the biggest smile, which let me know he was waiting for me and was glad I arrived, then went back to sleep. To this day, that is the best smile I have ever received.

At Brian’s funeral, some of the comments made by friends and family were:

“I am so proud to have him as my uncle.”

“Brian was a true friend to me, and I am a better person because of Brian.”

“The world would be a better place if we were all a little bit more like Brian.”

Because his life impacted us all so much and we had such fun memories, at his funeral each of his eight nieces and nephews gave a short tribute to him. We took those tributes and put them in a Heritage Makers book.

A few years ago, I was traveling home from a business trip and my discussion with the lady sitting beside me turned to Brian. I happened to have his book with me in my carry-on bag, and when I showed her the book she said, “Oh, I’m sure he loved it!” That phrase has always stayed with me, because if anyone would have loved a book written entirely about him, with all the funny stories and memories, it would have been Brian. She’s right, he would have loved it. Sadly, we didn’t think to write it until after he passed away.

This was a lesson to me, and should be to all of us. May we take the time now, before it’s too late, to let our loved ones know we love them, why we love them, and that their lives are important to us, while they are with us, so they can enjoy it as well. Whether it’s a tribute or help to someone to write their life story…whatever format we choose to write…the book is something that says, “Your life was significant, and we want your life to be remembered for generations to come.”

I’m excited for the day when my children start telling people stories about “Our Great Uncle Brian.”

Busy Holidays!

2011-11-30T22:18:00.001-08:00

This is awesome! So excited to be a part of so many people's special holiday memories :)

My Baby was 1!

2011-11-19T10:56:00.001-08:00

This is such old news, but I totally forgot to post this!

Our baby turned 1 a few months ago, and after her special day, I used one of my favorite cake-pictures to create this thank you card! I'm pretty sure that everybody who got a card opened it with a huge smile - how could they not?

I added something special - did you notice? We have a new "Pearl Finish" on our cards, and it looks even prettier in person - a pearl coating that adds an extra touch, available on all of our cards and 12x12 pages.

Heritage Makers Celebrates National Digital Scrapbooking Day

2011-11-04T13:36:00.000-07:00

This is an awesome post from the Heritage Makers Blog - Happy National Digital Scrapbooking Day! :)
While we began our company by pioneering the concept of “storybooking,” we realize that because our Studio is online and our products are digitally designed, we are also part of the growing “digital scrapbooking” movement.
As more people move away from the traditional “scissors and stickers” scrapbook albums, the digital side is enjoying significant growth. And it makes good sense.
First of all, the photos we take today are already digital. No need to pay a developer to print out a pile of pictures anymore. Secondly, almost everyone has access to a computer that can get on the internet for instant availability to digital artwork and design inspiration. Third, we live in an increasingly time-strapped society where the ability to get something finished faster is definitely a draw. Digital scrapbooking seems to offer a speed advantage over traditional.
Digital scrapbooking and storybooking with Heritage Makers offers those advantages — simplicity, speed, security, easy and economical. That’s why we want to honor National Digital Scrapbook Day on Saturday, November 5, 2011.
Whether you are already addicted to digital scrapbooking, considering the switch from traditional paper to digital or thinking of trying the easiest digital option on the market, your Heritage Makers Personal Publishing Consultant can help you decide if Studio is right for you.
We thought it might be helpful to compare Heritage Makers online Studio publishing system with traditional paper scrapbooking and with general digital scrapbooking. We hope you’ll discover the significant advantages of Studio and begin to preserve your memories with ease.

Traditional Scrapbooking vs Heritage Makers Studio

Must buy & store supplies albums, page protectors, papers, stickers tools, adhesives, pens, scissors, etc	Everything is built on the site & stored on our servers
Takes up a lot of space to keep/ organize supplies	All you need is a computer connected to the web All artwork/tools are built into Studio All artwork & templates are easy to find (searchable)
Requires a dedicated space or time to set-up/take-down for a work session	Be designing in seconds online with a small laptop. Walk away or get interrupted, your work is saved.
Making multiple copies of a special project involves a major investment in supplies, time and effort.	Simply click to order multiple copies easily. Or slightly customize each one without redoing the whole project every time.
Working with anyone else on a layout or album is difficult unless both live nearby.	Conveniently collaborate across the miles with others to work on a project in one account.
Can’t be portable without lugging a lot Of supplies, photos, tools, etc. & then You need a lot of table space to set up & spread out for working.	Very portable! If you have a laptop, you can log in to Studio & work from anywhere, even without a table.

Happy Belated Halloween!

2011-11-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, in all of the excitement and frenzy of having 2 trick-or-treaters to prepare yesterday, I completely forgot to post this! All Good Intentions :)

There is a template in the gallery for this adorable "Give Thanks" Banner, and it is a deck of playing cards with holes punched in the corners and strung together with ribbon. Completely adorable! It is called "Give Thanks Decorations", Template ID: 39760.

The original template has a few "Give Thanks" banners in one deck of cards, so I used the extra cards to make banners for other holidays. See the project here, or see the finished pictures below!

To make your own, just customize the cards (if you want THESE cards exactly, just leave a comment with your ID# and I'll transfer the project into your account!) and when they arrive, punch holes in the corner (I used a standard-sized hole punch) and then use a pencil to tie the ribbon around, so that you don't tie the loops too tight or too lose, and they all end up uniform.

Gabby's 3rd Birthday!

2011-10-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

I have been a publishing DIVA lately, and one of my favorite projects to create was my daughter's Birthday Invitation!

Gabby has a huge crush on Buzz Lightyear. HUGE. She chose Buzz Lightyear pull-ups over the Princess pull-ups for bedtime. She would watch all 3 Toy Stories over and over again if we let her. She thinks Jesse is the coolest.

Did you know that Disney.com allows you to download free images of Disney characters? I didn't until just recently! Gabby and I sat together and she even chose which characters got to be on her invitation. She was a kind girl and included Zurg.

By the way, I LOVE our new 4x8 photo card. They were super-cheap, and I got to customize them EXACTLY how I wanted!

We also had a really awesome Buzz-approved cake, created by my good friend Jenn! It was a hit!

Anyway, even though her Birthday Party was LAST week, our little girl is officially 3 TODAY. Happy Birthday Gabby!

Using the Import Page Button (video tutorial)

2011-10-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the new "import a page" button? It's a bit confusing if you don't know what it is, but this incredible new feature can save you TONS of time changing a template from one size to a different sized project! Check out the recorded how-to video HERE.

Details on Uploading Photos

2011-10-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

What Can You Upload?
With a Premier account, you can upload jpgs and pngs. With a Basic account you can upload jpgs. The file size for your image must be less than 10 MB and the dimensions must be less than 4800 x 4800 pixels.

To Upload Photos
Organize your photos into folders and albums. To start a new folder, click on the button "new folder," and name it. Photos live in albums, so add albums to your folders by clicking on the "new album" button. Fill with photos by clicking on the "add more photos" button and navigating to the photos stored on your computer. Hold the SHIFT key down to select multiple photos. Press the "Open" button and your photos will load into the album you selected for them.

Rearranging Photos and Albums
You can easily arrange and rearrange your photos and albums with just a click of a button. Move a photo from one folder to another with the "move" button. Turn a Vacation folder into a Reunion folder by using the "rename" button or move it to another album using "move."

Shared Albums
All shared photos appear in the Shared Albums folder. Because these photos are shared by another user, you cannot move the albums or photos. However, you may delete albums. Doing so will not affect the photos in the sharer's albums or projects.

Want to Name Your Photos?
Double click on a photo to add a title or caption. Title Example: Saving the Easter Bunny. Caption: Brian thought dad really ate the Easter Bunny and was ready to use the plunger to save him.

Want your Photos to appear in chronological order?
Name the photos, albums, and/or folders by date first. For example: "2011-12-25 Christmas with the in-laws"

Want to Download a Photo onto your own computer?
Double click a photo in order to download a high resolution image. This will open the photo in a new tab or window in FULL resolution, where you can then right-click to save.

Dry Erase makes for Simple Organization

2011-10-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

Have I shown you these yet? After we moved and had more house to keep, I re-vamped my existing "To Do Lists", and used our new Dry Erase pages (available in both 11x14 and 12x12) to keep it simple! I got some cleaning/organization ideas from Fly Lady, and then made my own master lists to rotate through. I LOVE these - there are 6 pages, each with a different "zone" in our house, and the things that should be done at least once every few months to keep our home clean and organized (and to keep the momma happy!)

I started off with This Template, because it was just so cute, the colors and everything, and the clean colors made me happy. Then I changed it to fit what worked for me.

The 2 things I love about these the most:

I have an easier time keeping track of what's been done, even from 6 weeks ago, so that I'm not re-doing things, and leaving other things undone (sometimes I skip things!)
It makes it easier for my husband to know what I want him to do :D

Check them out! And they CAME ready to dry-erase, I didn't have to laminate them! I just punched 2 holes in each and strung them onto key rings and hung them on my bulletin board (so I can turn a new page each week)

HOLIDAY PUBLISHING DEADLINES 2011

2011-10-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

U.S.
Dec 7 Ground/Priority
Dec 12 2-Day delivery
Dec 14 Next Day delivery
Dec 16 Direct Ship (cards)

Canada*
Nov 30 First Class
Nov 30 Direct Ship (cards)
Dec 5 UPS Standard
Dec 9 International Express

Reship Deadlines
To receive your projects in time to re-ship them we suggest you publish by Nov 30th.

*Suggested deadlines. Heritage Makers cannot guarantee holiday shipping to Canada due to possible unforeseen delays at customs.

Boo Art - ahem NEW Art in October!

2011-10-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the new October Art yet? We've added 10 Brand New Premier collections, and have a bunch of Halloween-themed and Fall-themed collection also featured! To see all of the art collections in detail, visit http://studio.heritagemakers.com/studio/ArtContentViewerStandalone.html.

Remember that Premier Art Collections are only available to users who have Premier Access, but now with Club HM, you can get everything Premier for FREE! Ask me how :)

Here are the brand new collections! I especially love the Word Jumbles, so fun!

Plan Ahead!

2011-09-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

Heritage Makers has released what their upcoming specials will be, so you can plan ahead!

Every month, specific products will be 10% off of publishing points when you check out. In November, Cards will be 20% off!

What this means is, you can get your points at a huge wholesale discount through Club HM, and then get ANOTHER discount on the publishing points themselves! Awesome! (Remember: Consultants ALWAYS get 10-15% off of everything, all the time)

Announcing the new "Import a Page" Button!

2011-09-05T11:10:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to take your 8 x 8 wedding storybook and make a set of 5 x 5s for your bridesmaids? Or use your 12 x 12 family year book as the base for an 8 x 8 storybook for your parents? A new tool called IMPORT A PAGE that was announced in August at Reunion and it allows Studio users to do just that. Here’s how.

Using the IMPORT A PAGE Function

1. Find the project you want to import FROM. Note its name.

2. Start your new project.

3. Go to a blank page.

4. Go to your MY PROJECTS tab and find the new IMPORT PAGE button.

5. Press the button!

6. Once the IMPORT PAGE button is pressed, a pop up box will be displayed. If nothing happens, check your browser settings and make sure you do not have pop ups blocked.

7. Click the YES, IMPORT THIS PAGE button (Understand it WILL replace everything you currently have on that page if you didn’t start with a blank page.)

8. Keeping LOCK PROPORTIONS on, unlock the placed images and shrink the old page size to fit the new page size.

Tips to Perfect Page Importing
1. Try to go down in size, not up. Photos may not have enough resolution to go up.

2. If you use the slider bar for circles, try inputting 1000 from now on instead. If you go up slightly in size the circle will stay true to shape.

3. Remember a 12 x 12 scrap page is well, 12 x 12. A page from a 12 x 12 book is 11.5 x 11.75. You can take the LOCK PROPORTIONS off and make it fit, but your photos will be skewed slightly. Upload them again from your projects tab to ensure they are correct.

IMPORT A PAGE is one of the coolest Studio tools Heritage Makers has introduced! Use it to make downsized book copies, go from your favorite 7 x 5 card to a 6 x 4, take that 20 x 20 canvas you love and convert it to our new 12 x 12 canvas—you’ll find a hundred uses for this cool new tool.

Have you seen the NEW Products?

2011-09-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

5 x 5 Greeting Cards

Square cards are everywhere this holiday season and Heritage Makers has them! Perfect for celebrations of any kind these cards will add an entire new dimension to our card offerings.

4 x 8 and 8 x 4 One-sided Photo Cards

Want to send cards to everyone you know this holiday season. One of our newest cards is a super sleek design and an exceptional value that will cost Club members around 50 cents.

11.5 x 8.5 Tri-fold Brochure

This heavy-duty business offering comes in pack of 20 and makes the perfect Christmas letter, team roster or standing menu.

6 x 9 Booklet

If you like our 8.5 x 11 booklet, you’ll love its smaller cousin the 6 x 9 booklet. The standard 16 pages are just the right size for a program, neighborhood recipe book or child’s art book. The booklet is expandable to 32 pages in four-page increments.

8 x 8 Soft-bound Book

A fabulous and inexpensive book for those kid or school stories, this 21-page, soft-cover book is perfect bound and expandable to 50 pages.

Heritage Makers is using a new method of perfect binding called “PUR” which is a hot melt adhesive manufactured with polyurethene reactive material. After the adhesive is applied, a natural chemical reaction occurs as it is exposed to moisture in the air. This reaction creates a superior bond within the fibers of the paper giving the product greater pull and flex strength. It also doesn’t allow the adhesive to get brittle and crack (allowing pages to fall out) like traditional perfect binding components.

We are one of only a few PUR perfect binders in the U.S. and wanting this new technology was one of the reasons we waited to bring soft-bound books on as a product offering!

12 x 12 Wrapped Canvas

Possibly the most applauded new product, the 12 x 12 canvas is the perfect size for wall groupings or photos of every family member.

Pearl Paper

New for Reunion, choose pearl paper at check out for an extra dash of style on cards or 12 x 12 scrap pages. With its glittery, pearlescent finish, this upgrade will be a winner for baby announcements, holiday cards and wedding invitations.

Have lots of fun! I know I am!!!

Best of Heritage 2011, For the Good Times

2011-08-26T10:03:00.000-07:00

This story completely inspired me to hurry and get my parents' and grandparents' stories while they can still help me write them! What a wonderful opportunity to connect the generations!

Best of Heritage 2011, Starfish Foster Home

2011-08-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

What a touching video of the power of STORY! These children have incredible stories, but due to their circumstances, would possibly not ever have known them were it not for the hard work and heart of these women!

Best of Heritage 2011, Before you were 5

2011-08-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

So I just got back from the Heritage Makers Reunion, and one of the events there is the Awards Night, which includes the "Best Of Heritage Makers" collection. This one was especially touching, as a book was made for a little boy, who passed away shortly after receiving it.

August & September Art! AWESOME!!!

2011-08-23T12:49:00.001-07:00

We have NEW ART! Heritage Makers Reunion just happened, and so instead of releasing the August Art on the 1st of the month, we held it until Reunion, and combined the release with an early-release of September Art! There is a TON, and it will be featured (at the top of the art collections, highlighted in yellow) until October 1!

Here are the new Basic Art collections - free for EVERYBODY to use! In addition to the 2012 Jill Means Calendar Art, there are 4 Military collections. We thought it was important for military families to have access to these collections, regardless of whether or not they were Premier or Basic members! Aren't they beautiful?!
And here is the Premier Art - TONS of new art - a lot of these are "samplers", so they contain way more art than the normal collections!
There are some new Holiday Collections...
And of course, we've added several of the popular Euro-Art collections - these are GORGEOUS and make for "complicated-looking" (but actually very simple) projects!
Have fun with these! So many beautiful pieces of art, and ALL INCLUSIVE in your membership! Remember: Basic includes all of the design tools, layout tools, photo editing tools, journalling tools, 2GB of photo storage, and some art and templates for FREE. Premier Membership includes all of that, but about TEN TIMES the Art and Templates, and UNLIMITED Photo Storage. Want Premier for FREE? Ask me about Club HM, where all of your money goes towards wholesale pricing on finished products! Never pay retail!

Success is Hair!

2011-08-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

You may remember this post about a magazine I made for my daughter, full of her hairstyles, so that she could choose how we do her hair. Well, it arrived last week, and it's been a huge success! Check out the picture proof :)

By the way, if you'd like to make your own, it is Template ID: 64159!

Heartfelt Gift in Record Time!

2011-08-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

One of my clients in Minnesota just had a book published as a very special gift, and she needed it in a hurry! The gift arrived in time, and it was a success with everyone involved! Keep reading for her story:
In May we found out that our home day care provider, Lorna, would be closing her doors so that she could start student teaching in the fall. All of the families were saddened by this news while being so happy for her to start this wonderful new phase of her life. Being a teacher was her dream and it was going to happen in the fall of 2011.

At the end of June some of us moms decided that it would be a great idea to throw her a going away party. Flo was going to work with Lorna’s husband to set up a day for surprise going away party. I mentioned making a scrapbook as a gift for her. Again the moms were all in agreement that this would be a great idea.

So a date was picked, parents were thinking about what photos they wanted to contribute, and Lorna’s family began looking for photos from the past 14 years of day care to put in the book.

On July 28th I got all the of the photos, children’s art work, and thank you cards to put in the book. I was really nervous that I wouldn’t be able to get the book completed and shipped before her party on August 7th , so I talked with my wonderful consultant, Julie, about my issue. She told me that Heritage Makers offered a “rush” process for publishing a project. Basically someone is assigned to your book and makes sure it gets to the top of the pile for everything.

On Friday July 29th at 10:00am central time I called Heritage Makers, hoping that they would have good news for me. The service representative was really friendly and she said the words I wanted to hear, we can make it happen for you! She told me that I would need to publish the book over the weekend and to call right away Monday morning and have a rush put on the book. She also told me that when I ordered the book that I would need to select the 2 day delivery option.

So Friday night I spent the evening with my husband and kids. After a bath and bedtime sorties it was time to complete the book. I worked for another 4 hours before I was satisfied with the book. I published the book, selected the 2 day delivery option and rested peacefully know that the book would be here for the big day. I then sent off a copy of the book to all the moms to view (I love this feature!!!!). During the next few days moms were sending me messages letting me know how much they loved the book, and couldn't wait to see her reaction to it. Her husband and kids loved it too and were anxious for Sunday to come so they could see her reaction to the book.

Monday August 1st I again called Heritage Makers. This time I had to wait on hold for 14minutes before I got to speak to a representative. The automated message was great at telling me that there was an unusually high call volume, my queue position and my estimated wait time. When I finally got a representative she was super helpful. I explained my situation and what I was told on Friday. She looked up the status of the book and saw that it was already in printing. She said she wanted to check with someone because I might not have to pay the rush fee since the book was already in printing and I had selected 2day shipping. After a couple more minutes on hold she came back on and explained the situation.

Yes the book was in printing, but 400 books were submitted for publishing over the weekend. There was a sale on 8x8 books that ended on July 31st. Looks like there were lots of folks taking advantage of the discount! She said there was good chance that the book would get here without paying the rush fee, but it was my choice on what to do. I told her that I just couldn’t take a chance that the book wouldn’t arrive. She said no problem. She placed the rush fee of $20.00 to my order and explained the process for the book. In my opinion $20.00 was a small price to pay to make sure the book was here on time for the big day. As soon as the book was done printing it would be hand carried the binding station. Since the staff that bind the books were not in on Monday it would be the 1st one done on Tuesday morning. Then my book would be walked to someone in shipping and sent out for delivery.

I got a message Wednesday morning from the representative that I worked with letting me know that the book had been sent to UPS for delivery. An hour later I got a message from UPS letting know the tracking info for my book. On Friday morning August 5th my husband answered the door to greet the UPS delivery man. My book had arrived with 2 days to spare!

So the big day has arrived and we are ready to celebrate this amazing woman who has not only taken care of our children but taken them in as one of her own children. The surprise went off exactly as planned - she was overwhelmed by the showing of love and support from all of her day care families, even some who are no longer with her because their kids had grown up. After some visiting and great food we sat her down to receive her gifts. Her husband, Rob, read her a beautiful letter that was the introduction to the book. She was speechless, and most of the moms cried with her. She said it was just the most beautiful and thoughtful gift. She was overwhelmed by the book and the beautiful letters written by some of the families. It was just perfect.

Thank you Heritage Makers, you really do make lasting memories!

Jen B. Coon Rapids, MN

Be Happy for this Moment

2011-07-21T20:04:00.000-07:00

So a friend of mine emailed me this quote, and I have no idea where it came from or who said it, but I loved it so much that I made a 5x7 print to frame out of it. And then I liked that so much, that I changed the quote to something out of the Quotes Library and submitted it to the Template Gallery, where it went through a review process for quality control, and was accepted!

Here is my original:

And here is what is in the Gallery (pretty much the same :) Template ID 62139) Enjoy!

Now that I'm posting this, I'm thinking it might be fun to make a copy (with different pictures) for the friend who originally shared this quote with me :)

Hair 2Day

2011-07-15T14:48:00.000-07:00

This is the "hair magazine" that I've made for my 2year old daughter! I'm SO excited for it to arrive! Doing her hair has been something of an ordeal, but now it's starting to become a regular thing, and I'm hoping that with a "selection of hairstyles", it will be something that she will even look forward to!

Refer a friend, get 1/2 off!

2011-07-13T14:25:00.000-07:00

As a special incentive for July, Club HM members can receive 50% off coupons each time they refer a friend who signs up for Club HM!

Hosts can also receive a 50% off coupon when they hold a workshop resulting at least 1 new Club HM sign up. This is in addition to their normal host rewards!

Start telling all of your friends about Club HM, and start saving today!

Christmas in July!!!

2011-07-05T20:28:00.001-07:00

Christmas will be here before you know it! And to help you get ready, we've put together some "Naughty 'n' Nice" lists to get you started. Plus, join Club HM in the month of July and get 54 FREE Return Address Labels, AND 100 publishing points at 50% off - that's enough for a 20x20 Gallery-wrapped Canvas!

See the Christmas in July Flyer here!

New July Art!

2011-07-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

July 1st is here (Happy Canada Day!!!) and here is what is new:

20 BRAND NEW Art Collections
2 BRAND NEW Basic Collections
2 Holiday-specific Collections
52 Brand New pieces of Premier Word Art
115 Brand New pieces of Premier Paper
247 Brand New Premier Embellishments
14 Brand New pieces of Basic Word Art
25 Brand New Basic Embellishments
158 Brand New Basic Alphabet pieces

All of these SEARCHABLE and INCLUDED in what you are or aren't already paying! :) Hundreds of buttons, flowers, papers, stitches, ribbons, and more right at your fingertips! Have fun :)

Brand New Basic Collections:
Brand New Premier Collections:

Address Labels are HERE!!!

2011-06-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

Address Labels are available early! I am SO THRILLED! Check out some of the things I've made - too much fun! Plus, these are such a fast project, being so tiny and easy!

Here is a "Canadian Pride" address label, just in time for Canada Day! This one is in the Template Gallery, Template ID: 61134

A few others that I had way too much fun making:

This one is also in the template gallery, my picture of it turned out a bit funny, but there is an entire line of photography business supplies for all of you photographers out there!

Have fun coming up with your own "address label" ideas! These are found in the new "Business Supplies" section when you start a new project!

New June Art!!!

2011-06-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

With Canada Day and the 4th of July just around the corner, there are TONS of brand new art collections to help you celebrate your patriotic side! Lots of new Premier Art, complete with new papers, embellishments, alphabets, and more! Don't have Premier? Ask me about Club HM to get it all for FREE!!!

Grandma's Digest

2011-05-25T20:12:00.000-07:00

My Grandma is always asking for pictures. It's all she wants ever! And now with our fun new "Booklet", I can make her an entire magazine full of pictures! It's the subscription every Grandparent wishes for :)

New Products!!!

2011-05-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

Heritage Makers has introduced a new line of products that are perfect for promoting your business as well as creating personalized family projects. When you click on the “shop” button in the HM web site you’ll notice the product categories have been slightly reorganized. “Business supplies” has been added as a new category and links to specific information on the new items which include business cards (single and double-sided), an 8.5 x 11 flyer, an 8.5 x 11 booklet (saddle-stitched), and an 8.5 x 11 wire-bound book.

All of these products offer unique applications for home or office, but the 8.5 x 11 booklets are especially exciting. If you are a real estate agent, travel agent, retailer, photographer, etc. imagine how you could use this format to build your business. On the home front, imagine how this product could be adapted to showcase a sports team, school activities, or a family vacation. Father’s Day is coming up. Can you think of a better way to pay tribute than a 16-page, full color magazine?

Note: This is only the beginning of this line. In fact, customizable address labels will be added on June 7th.

New Art in May!!!

2011-05-02T20:31:00.000-07:00

I want to make paper dolls now :) These are so so cute! New art for Basic users, New Art for Premier users!

Why I Love My Daddy

2011-04-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

by Jennifer Garrison

"My 4-year old son Trey (with a little help from me) did a book for his Daddy for Father's Day last year!

This book was so much fun to do! I would ask Trey, "Why do you love your Daddy?" and kept a journal of all his answers. I got as much detail out of him that I could. Then one day Trey and I sat down and made the book together. I let him pick out the pictures and the backgrounds then I added the text.

I loved hearing all the different reasons for why he loved his Daddy. The things children say are hilarious. My husband loves the book not only because it was made for him by Trey, but he said that even though you hear your son loves you and looks up to you this was just different and meant more seeing it in a book that was made for him!"

New and Easy Push to Facebook Feature!

2011-04-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

Now you can share a preview of any Heritage Makers project directly to Facebook! Show off your latest HM creation with one click of a button! Just click the "share" button in the project viewer:

Then you'll see this screen:

And then you can type a message and send it off. It also gives you the option to post to the ClubHM page as well.

Have lots of fun sharing! It's so easy!

New Products! - Canvas Frames & 4 x 6 Greeting Cards, 4 x 6 Invitations

2011-04-21T11:54:00.000-07:00

Canvas Frames

Now you can give your custom canvas a great finishing touch by adding a beautiful frame. The new frames are available for most canvas sizes and provide a flush, contemporary accent to deep canvases, and a unique shadowbox look for regular canvases. Crafted from natural wood with a black satin finish, the frames are available as an upgrade option at check out when you purchase a new canvas.Go here for more information.

4 x 6 Cards and Invitations are back!

Create personalized greeting cards and invitations in this popular format. Competitively priced and perfect for all sorts of special occasions, you’ll love what you can do with Studio software and the amazing collection of Heritage Makers digital art and templates. And make sure you get the biggest discount by signing up for Club HM! Ask Julie for details.

Another one for the Gallery!

2011-04-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

Yay! My invitation for a party I'm doing for a friend made it into the Gallery! I had so much fun designing this, and hopefully other people will be able to benefit from my design :) If you like, it is Template ID: 57028

Fun Felt!

2011-04-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

Working on a project, and just felt like... well, Felt! So many cute little felt things, they don't even all fit in this picture :)

A little preview of what I'm working on:

SPRING SALE!!!

2011-04-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

Did you know that it's only $50 to sign up as a consultant? That's practically non-commital! Try it out, see what all of the amazing possibilities are, and now, IN APRIL ONLY, get 25 extra publishing points for FREE! That's a $25 value, 50% of what you're paying for an incredible business opportunity, for FREE!

Click on the flyer below for more details, or give Julie a call today at (403) 667-5336 to answer any questions!

April's New Art Collections!!!

2011-04-01T18:43:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the first day of a new month, because of the art that comes with it! These collections made my heart skip a few beats, they are just so much fun! Clothesline art, "little black dress" art, SUMMER art, travelling art... so many awesome collections, and so many ideas!

Board Books Discontinued

2011-03-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Due to ongoing difficulties and assoicated costs with manufacturing the board book, we will be discontinuing this product. To ensure that clients have the opportunity to publish a board book project they may have been planning, we have established the following schedule:

1) Users will be able to download board book templates and start new projects until April 30, 2011.

2) Board books can be ordered through June 30, 2011. Projects completed on or before June 30th will be available for viewing indefinitely to allow users to recreate their projects in a different book format

Heritage Makers Featured in Woman's Day Magazine

2011-03-23T08:28:00.000-07:00

The latest online issue of Woman's Day Magazine discusses how to supplement your income through home parties and consultations. Silver Director Amie Austin from San Clemente, California, and Heritage Makers are featured! See the article here.

Make your own Easter Cards!

2011-03-22T08:22:00.000-07:00

It's so yucky outside in Calgary this week, and it's hard to believe that it's almost the end of March! So Gloomy! But here's an idea to brighten up your day: Easter Cards! Get the kids all dolled up in their bright spring clothes and have a mini-photo shoot, and then put those pictures into a beautiful Easter Card to send to your friends and family! Snail Mail is becoming one of those things reminiscent of "days gone by", but what better way to say "I'm thinking about you!" to someone you care about? You can even direct-ship them; no stamps, no envelope-licking, no going-to-the-Post-Office! Check out a few of these fun Easter Card templates (fully customizable, of course!) and if you have any questions, just ask!

Tile Crazy!

2011-03-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do with Heritage Makers is make tiles. I call this a "hybrid project" because I'm using both a digitally-designed page, and my own hands-on paintbrush/scissors/glue craftiness. :D

First, design your tiles. I use a 12x12 scrap page, and fit as many tiles on as I can. For example, if the tiles that I am making are 6x6, I can fit 4 tiles on. If I'm making 4" tiles, I can fit 9 on a page. You get the idea. The tiles themselves are super cheap from any hardware store, and I just use Mod Podge, which I got on sale from Michael's (I bought my bottle about 2 years ago, and it's still lasting me!)

Here are some examples of tiles that I've made - some of these you can even find in the Template Gallery :)

Once you've got your tile pages, get them together with a straight-edge cutter (or scissors if you don't have one), your tiles, Mod Podge, and a Foambrush/Paintbrush (either one works just fine)

Cut out your pages and trim the edges so that your page fits your tile properly. If your tile has a curved edge, trim your page so that the paper is only as large as the flat portion of your tile.

Using your brush, spread a thin layer of Mod Podge over your tile. Then carefully position your paper on the tile, pressing down in the center and gently rubbing the page flat from the center of the tile towards the edges.

Once you've got the paper onto the tile, add one final layer of Mod Podge over top as a coating. If you have a foam brush (easier) then just use a stipple technique to apply the Mod Podge by pressing down and lifting straight back up, over the entire tile. If you're using a paintbrush, be quick: brush a layer of Mod Podge over the entire tile, and then go back over the tile (quickly!) and stipple the coating to create an even finish. You can leave the finish with a brushed-texture, but unless your picture is one of woods or trees, a brushed-texture tends to be a bit distracting.

Once all of your tiles are assembled and finished, just leave them flat to dry! Any bubbles (from too much Mod Podge, too wet) will calm down if you just leave them alone. These make great gifts and home decor! Think outside the box: Use a family picture or a favorite picture of a loved one on a tile! Great Display!

Super Hero Birthday Card

2011-03-10T21:15:00.000-08:00

My nephew just turned 10. TEN! I can't believe it. The last time I saw him, he was running around at a family wedding stealing sips of beer out of stranger's cups. Because he was tiny and didn't know any better. So how did he get to be so big?

Anyway, I found this really fun art collection (Action Hero Collection) that would be really fun for a boy's birthday card, and made him a card from US (as proven by our picture in the card!) to HIM (also proven by HIS picture in the card!!!) and had it direct-shipped to him - hopefully way cooler than the average "card-in-the-mail-from-the-auntie-I-never-see" :)

Oh yeah, and this card made it into the Template Gallery :) (template id#53131) Enjoy!

Recipes: Chicken'n'Dumplins

2011-03-08T09:48:00.000-08:00

So I've had a lot of people ask me for the recipes that go along with my Menu Planner, so I've decided to share them on here!

Now, be warned: I am NOT a professional cook by any stretch of the imagination. I just know what my family likes, and I try to stick in as many vegetables as I can possibly get away with. I'm a big fan of Deceptively Delicious :)

Anyway, here's my debut recipe! My version of one of my favorite Southern dishes (I'm also a big fan of Grits!)
For Chicken'n'Dumplins, you will need:
~ 1 frozen Chicken breast
~ 1 Onion
~ a bunch of carrots (I used about 5)
~ a lot of celery (I used about 5)
~ Frozen Corn and Peas
~ Chicken Boullion (I prefer McCormick's cubes)
~ Flour, Water, Salt, Pepper, Sage, and Parsley
~ Bisquick and Milk (or a biscuit dough recipe of your choice)

First, I do what I do most of the time when I cook - I grab a completely frozen chicken breast out of the deep-freeze and I stick it in a pan with a lid on low heat. Completely frozen because it's easiest, no thawing or defrosting, and no having icky-chicken-hands when my 2year old suddenly decides to go after a knife or something :) It'll be completely cooked in about an hour, and ready to add to the rest of the meal. For this recipe, I just added a bit of water in the pan for steam (maybe 1/4 cup), but no spices or anything. This one is simple.

Once the chicken has started, I chop up my vegetables and add them to my wok (my biggest pan available) - about 5 things of celery, 5 carrots, an onion, some frozen corn, and lots of frozen peas.

I added about 5 cups of water on med-high heat, and 2 McCormick Chicken Boullion cubes (1cube for each 2cups of water), Salt & Pepper to taste, and some Sage and Parsley. I like the McCormick boullion because it contains no MSG, and it's all vegetable flavoring, so no questionable meat by-products.

Once the meat is all cooked, I take it off the heat to cool, and then chop it into smaller cubes. Another option is to pull it apart with 2 forks, but cubes are faster. :)

Add the chopped meat to the cooking vegetables and broth, and then prepare a thickener. I use flour in a Tupperware quick-shake container, and then mix it with water. About 1/2 cup of flour, and then add water to about 1 cup of thickener. Shake, shake, shake! :) Then pour it into the pan and stir.

While the thickener is doing its thing, make the dough for the dumplings. If you want to keep it simple, just mix some Bisquick (from Betty Crocker in the baking aisle) with milk, or if you want the tastier version, mix up some baking-powder biscuit dough. Once your dough is ready, drop it by spoonfuls into the pan. They don't have to be pretty, because either way, they'll be delicious.

That's it! Just cover and let simmer for another 10-20 minutes for the biscuits to bake, and then you're done :)

My wok doesn't have a lid, so I use a baking sheet. It's pretty ghetto, but it does the trick:

Once it's all done, serve it up and enjoy :)

New Art in March!

2011-03-02T21:17:00.000-08:00

I LOVE these new art collections! I've already been having so much fun just playing around with them :) I can't even pick a favorite, although I can say that I love the bereavement collection (Missing You), and the Monkeying Around collection is perfect for my little girls. And I always love Doodles. And anything to do with ice cream. Oh, and long walks on the beach. ... I might be a bit overexcited :) So SO SO many fun possibilities! I can't wait to see what you all do with these!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

2011-02-21T18:31:00.000-08:00

My Grandma's birthday was yesterday, and her favorite thing to get is pictures. Which makes HM the perfect match! I started out with Template id#50059, and here is how it turned out:

Leather Covers!

2011-02-18T12:37:00.000-08:00

If you’ve seen the beautiful leather covers available on the 11 x 13 Legacy books, you may have wished you could put the same elegant cover on a different sized book. Now, for a limited time, you can!

Heritage Makers has secured a limited number of leather covers for our 11.5 x 8.5 and 8 x 8 Storybooks. These covers will only be available on a first-come, first-served basis, so don’t wait to take advantage of this option. Just like black end papers and matte covers, it is available as an upgrade at check out.

The cost for the 8 x 8 leather cover is $10, and for the 11.5 x 8.5 is $15. Publishing points can be applied as payment for this upgrade. You can create a new book project, or perhaps you’d like to reprint an existing book with this new and stylish leather covering. You’ll still have your original cover design, only it will be printed as a dust jacket to protect the leather cover.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T13:45:00.000-08:00

I found this card in the template gallery (Template ID #51782) and I've been sending it every time I want to send a card to somebody lately, it's just so adorable! And not JUST for Valentine's Day, although that is the theme today!

"My Mom" by Heather Jackson

2011-02-10T10:53:00.000-08:00

I was living in Shanghai, China when my dad had a massive stroke. I came home to look after him and my mom. It has now been four years since I have lived with my mom, and this year on Valentines's Day, I wanted to show her how much I love her and value her. Our relationship has only become better since we became roommates. I honestly never thought I would be in my late 40s and living with my mother and loving it.

I always have a project going for someone else, so this time I decided to make a book just for her. I spent several hours over a two day period creating her book from scratch. She had no idea; she thought I was making a book for someone else.

On a trip out one day I presented the book to her. We are very similar in that we give things to people to show how much we love them. She sure knows now that I love her, even if she didn't before! She loves her book so much that she shows all of her friends!

Lydia's Special Book!

2011-02-07T08:31:00.000-08:00

I've played and fussed with this book for longer than I meant to, but I'm pretty sure it's perfect now! Feedback is welcome and appreciated :) And if you're curious to know, I started this with Template ID#34832 - I changed quite a bit! I LOVE how flexible templates are :)

February's New Art!!!

2011-02-02T09:50:00.000-08:00

February Art is here! And SO MANY cute things to play with, love love love!!!

Some calendar templates for 2012 (already!!) in Basic, so everybody can use these!

And of course, there are WAY more art collections for those users with a Premier membership - all inclusive, and these will never disappear, just adding lots of value! Want your Premier for free? Join Club HM - ask me how!

My Favorite Home-Based Business Opportunity: Heritage Makers!

2011-01-31T13:07:00.000-08:00

It’s 2011 and with a brand new year comes a brand new story – YOUR story. How is it going to start?

If you want an adventure with a happily ever after ending, check out becoming a Personal Publishing Consultant with Heritage Makers! Designed to move you to action, this business has been carefully laid out to fit every individual Consultant's needs, with all of the training, tools, and motivation you could ever want available to help you succeed!

Who knew that photobook publishing, calendar creating, card making, digital scrapbooking, yearbooking, storybooking, family history making and scanning could be so much fun, so incredibly rewarding, and contribute a stable financial income?

I am addicted to being my own boss. In fact, I have ALWAYS been addicted to being my own boss. Before I had babies, before Heritage Makers and I were introduced, I was a music teacher. I used to teach for a studio. But then I left to start my own studio, because I didn't like having somebody else dictate my schedule and methods.

Once I had babies, I closed my studio, because the time commitment was too large and too rigid, and I wanted to stay home and be with my kids. Eventually, I found Heritage Makers, and now it's been 2 years since I've been a consultant. And I LOVE it!!! Here are some more details on why, but it all boils down to being able to get my projects for free, AND get a paycheque, AND I get to stay at home with my kids, AND I have a reason to meet people and talk to people.

A therapist-friend of mine once told me that Women need Women (Men also need women, by the way) but that to be happy, women need relationships with other women, and need to spend time with other women. Just to talk. Just to hang out. Just to share what is going on, what they're excited about, what they do. Before HM was a part of my life, I was starting to fall into the pit of "being-just-aMom", but being a consultant gave me a reason to get dolled up, to get out of the house, to have something that was ME again.

Anyways. Enough of that :)

How You Do Heritage Makers as a Business?
The key to success is personal publishing. That’s right! All you need to do is publish your own projects frequently, as in every month, and you will soon have a healthy business. How can that be?

When you publish your own projects you are:
... LEARNING how to use the Studio system so you can help other people do it too.
... HAVING FUN with your heritage hobby and creating MEANINGFUL projects for your family and friends – your EXCITEMENT will shine through!
... SHARING in a sincere and natural way, as you always have something new arriving in the mail to show people.
… INVITING others to join you in what you’re already doing – Club HM, publishing, fun, sharing, business

How Do I Get Started?

First, make sure that the Heritage Makers Business is a fit for you and your family. No sense in spending time or money on something you don’t need or don’t intend to follow up on! Call or email Julie if you have questions, or feel free to do your own research of course!
Next, choose your level of Club HM. Decide if you’re likely going to be a casual publisher or a digital diva publishing maniac. Club HM deposits discounted publishing points (25-35% off) in your account each month, plus it includes a free upgraded Premier account. Of course, joining Club HM is optional, but since the key to a successful business is being an example in publishing, this way you will always have enough points in your account to publish whatever you want! As your business grows, you will eventually earn your points and your premier for free :)
Lastly, sign up as a Consultant by visiting the Heritage Makers main page and clicking on the link that says "Join My Team" by my picture, bottom LH corner. The signup cost for your business has just been reduced from $300 to only $50! If you want to be a leader in Heritage Makers, I recommend the optional add-on supply kit for another $100, which also includes your first month of Club HM. Keep reading for the contents list.

$50 Consultant Signup Kit

Consultant Getting Started Guide

Personal Consultant Website and Virtual Office

8×8 Storybook sample & Card sampler

10 Order Forms

10 Studio Brochures

10 Opportunity Brochures

2 Catalogs

1 Celebrating Life’s Stories DVD

$100 Business Builder Add-On Kit

Wirebound book sample

Playing Card sample

Swatch book sample

11.5×8.5 Storybook sample

8×8 Canvas sample

Scrap Page sampler

Calendar Sample

30 Order Forms

40 Studio Brochures

40 Business Opportunity Brochures

10 Catalogues

10 Celebrating Life’s Stories DVDs

5 Guest Lists

5 pks of Workshop Reminder postcards

Workshop Cue Cards

Consultant Business Planner

PLUS 1st month Club HM membership FREE (40pt or 70pt level)

If this is for you, I want to hear about it! Call or email me. 403-667-5336 or julie@printedjewels.com. I’m looking forward to helping you make this adventure the Volume 1 edition to the start of the rest of your life.

Happy Storybooking!
~Julie

Julie's Christmas Album

2011-01-26T10:11:00.000-08:00

I just finished this gorgeous post-bound album for our Christmas Memories!! I made it from a template about Scouts (template ID#42544) and I'm so excited to fill it with details of all of the Christmases that we've had as our own family, with everything from why each decoration on our tree is special, to the memories we've created from having our own family holiday traditions!

Julie's Latest: "FAMILY" Blocks

2011-01-14T09:24:00.000-08:00

A good friend of mine made some blocks that said "Family" on them, and I thought they were just so cute, I wanted some of my own! So I made them :)

These were so much fun to make, and so much cheaper than buying them from somebody else! I just went to the hardware and found a 2x4 piece of wood, and the guy cut it up for me for free (I told him just 6 uneven pieces). Then I brought the pieces home and measured them, and then designed the letters based on the wood. That just seemed easier than designing my letters, and then trying to cut the wood the right size!

Then I painted the wood black and sanded it smooth to give it that time-worn look. Once the blocks were dry, I used ModPodge to glue the paper to the wood, and another layer of ModPodge over top as a varnish. I only Mod-Podged the letter side though, since I didn't want all sides of each block to be shiny. And finished off the "Y" with some ribbon and twine :) I love it!!! Finishes off my living room perfectly :)

Here are what the original 12x12 pages looked like:

Have you seen the January Art?

2011-01-07T19:09:00.000-08:00

It's BEAUTIFUL! I especially love the new basic collection, "This One's for the Girls" - How did HM know exactly what I was needing right now? :) I'm sure there's one in here just for you, too!

If you go into Studio and view the Art Collections, you'll see a bunch of highlighted collections at the top - these are the new and seasonally featured collections for the month!

These are the brand spankin'-new Premier collections for January! Ask me how you can become a Premier member for FREE!

Club HM Is Here!

2011-01-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

Wow! I have had such a tremendous response about the Club HM announcement from the newsletter that I thought I would post the details so you can decide if it’s something that you’d like to try out as well. You can see the flyer here .

This year we are introducing you to a whole new approach to being a Heritage Maker: Club HM!

Those of you who understand the value of the premier membership will certainly appreciate getting your premier for FREE (unlimited photo storage, access to 5,000+ designer templates in the Template Gallery and 50,000+ pieces of digital scrapbooking art) in addition to being able to purchase publishing points monthly at a BIG discount instead. I am THRILLED about how affordable publishing with Heritage Makers has become.

We have changed the way we do business and here is how it works...

Instead of making a large purchase of several hundred dollars to get set up for a year of Premier membership and then a discounted publishing points package to get you started, we are now offering a simple monthly membership. Now all your money goes towards wholesale pricing (25% - 35% off) of publishing points and the Premier account is included for free. What’s a publishing point? 1 pt = $1 retail value. An 8x8 storybook, for example, uses 50 points when you publish it. If you have no prepaid points, you pay $50. However if you're part of Club HM, it would cost you about $35. We have 3 monthly point packages to choose from, depending if you enjoy a heritage hobby or are a publishing maniac!

40 pts + Premier = $30 (25% off)

70 pts + Premier = $50 (30% off)

150 pts + Premier = $100 (35% off)

PLUS there is a sign-up BONUS of an extra 100 points for only $50. That's 50% off on publishing points!

To participate in Club HM pricing, there is a 3-month minimum commitment. After that your membership will automatically renew each month and you can change your points level or cancel as needed online from your account.

*If you already have a Premier membership because you purchased it in 2010, HM will give you 10 extra publishing points to your Club HM package to compensate for that until your Premier membership expires!

So take a look at the plans and let me know which one is best for you. I look forward to helping you publish all your projects in 2011!

Scripture Canvas

2011-01-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I almost forgot to post this! This is a canvas that I made for my Daddy for Christmas - it's of his favorite scripture, in his favorite colors. He said he's going to hang it in his office, cuz it's that nice :)

Happy New Calendar Year!

2011-01-01T10:15:00.000-08:00

I LOVE change, I love new starts and new beginnings! I'm also a big fan of organizing things. Which means... I love getting a new calendar at the beginning of the year. Fresh new boxes waiting to be filled in, brand new pictures to look at... so much fun!!

Check out our family calendar with all of the birthdays and anniversaries already filled in! (Incidentally, this also ended up under the tree for the Grandmas!) template ID: 40638

Also, I made another calendar for my mom for Christmas - I LOVE this template, so elegant and so easy to customize, just change the colors to match YOUR pictures! (template ID: 42331

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T14:19:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve has finally arrived! By way of blog-greeting, here is the Christmas card that I sent out this year! It's a card, family pictures, and annual letter all in one! And the best part (I feel really lazy even admitting this...) I didn't have to do much to get this lovely card sent out. No stamps, no hand-cramps from addressing envelopes, no long lines at the post office! I just used the "Direct-Ship" option that Heritage Makers offers, and they stuffed the envelopes, addressed, stamped, and shipped all of my cards for me! (shhh! Don't tell!)

The Back:

The Inside:

Merry Christmas!

In Creating Keepsakes magazine

2010-12-17T07:31:00.000-08:00

We're in one of the top Scrapbooking magazines! Check us out!

You can make all sorts of storybooks with Heritage Makers, but now you can also create your own customized Post-bound Album cover - perfect for digi-scrappers and traditional scrapbookers, too!

Text of the feature above:

“Wthout a doubt, one of the easiest ways to create a beautiful

scrapbook album is to upload your photos to a printing service.

Heritage Makers has made that process truly delightful with

gorgeous albums that you can customize to fit your personal

style. You’re going to love sharing these professional-looking,

completely personalized albums with your family and friends.”

TIME for my kids!

2010-12-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

I made these gorgeous clocks from 8x8 individual scrap pages - the clocks themselves were less than $5 each at Walmart, and the pages are less than $3 each (even cheaper, almost free if you get the points on sale!) but they look priceless in my daughters' rooms, where they match the decor exactly!!

I could have put pictures of the girls in their clocks, but I decided that I wanted the clocks to literally feel "timeless", and so just put their names in instead.

You can make your own, either from scratch (just measure your original clock face and make a circle - if you search "clock" in the Studio Art Gallery, there are pre-built clock faces, several styles to choose from) or just search for "clock" in the Template Gallery - there is a lot of selection!

My Canvas Collage!

2010-12-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's up on the wall! The pictures were from October, and then it took me THAT long (life is crazy with two!) to get the canvases finished and ordered, but they're here, and they're up on the wall, and they look fantastic! I love them!!

And if you want to see close-ups of the individual canvases:

Now is the Time for those Stories

2010-12-06T19:40:00.000-08:00

by Lynda Angelastro

"When I decided to add a new "grandpa" cornerstone to the Heritage Makers line, I naturally turned to my own father's life for inspiration. He was happy to talk about his younger years and on a recent Christmas visit, my dad and I finished the story-filled book.

Listening to Dad's stories was the highlight of my recent trip to England. I was excited to document this priceless slice of family history. And as he recounted tales of his birth, childhood, and courting years, I realized he was filling in a thousand small details I'd never heard before.

My father was pleased with the finished book and arranged to replace the generic note he'd included on the last page with a personal message for each grandchild. Then he'd have me print copies of the finished books for him to give as surprise gifts the following Christmas.

But within weeks of my visit, my father was hospitalized twice, his health in rapid decline.

I suppose if your father is 88 years old, health set-backs are a fact of life, but my dad had always been so independent and strong, I really thought I still had lots of time with him. And while I should have anticipated it, the news of his death came as a huge shock to me.

I'm so grateful to have had an assignment that prompted me to get my father's story written. I am taking the personalized copies of his book to England with me, when I fly back for his funeral. It will be a much bigger surprise than he had anticipated, but what a priceless legacy for him to leave his grandchildren."

Check out Lynda's "How I Became Your Grandpa" template (id#:27047) in the Template Gallery!

Gift Card Special!

2010-12-03T17:30:00.000-08:00

Do you have a friend or loved one who you know would love their own storybook, canvas print, deck of cards, or poster? (or really, any of our other fabulous projects!)

Rather than make it FOR them and give them something under the tree, why not give the Gift of Creativity? The amount is flexible, but the more publishing points you buy, the more you save! Buy a Gift Card for each person on your list! And of course, don't forget yourself!

$5 = 5 Publishing Points

$10 = 11 Publishing Points

$20 = 23 Publishing Points

$50 = 55 Publishing Points

+ a Free Catalogue

$100 = 115 Publishing Points

+ a Free Catalogue

$150 = 185 Publishing Points

+ a Free Catalogue

$200 = 300 Publishing Points

+ a Free Catalogue

$250 = 400 Publishing Points

+ 2 Free Catalogues

Double Discounts on Canvases!

2010-12-03T12:05:00.000-08:00

Publish any size of canvas before December 11^th and get an additional 10% off at checkout! Here we go again with the double discounts! And, we’ve extended the UPS Ground shipping deadline to December 11^th to match the sale period so you don’t have to pay extra for shipping! Check out the updated flyer here.

Note: The extended deadline for UPS Ground shipping (Dec. 11) applies to canvases only.

Here’s something new…the “Click & Give” Sale

If you need a super-quick gift, check out the pre-designed canvases ready to order without further customization. They’re fast, they’re fabulous, and they’re only available until December 11.

See the selection of ready-to-order canvases here.

Contact Julie to order your canvases right away!

Sale Extended!

2010-12-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

SWEET! The November Card Sale has been extended another 2 weeks! If you still haven't gotten your Christmas Cards sent out yet, don't worry; there's still time! And if you need help, of course you can always get help from me!

December's Pick of the Month!

2010-12-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

New Art for December!

2010-12-01T19:19:00.000-08:00

Towards the end of each month, I start getting antsy for the 1st - New Art Collections!! And December is no differerent: 8 Brand New Premier Collections, AND 3 new Basic collections too! Remember: Basic art is free to everybody, and Premier art is ALL included with a Premier membership! This all on top of the thousands of pieces of art that is already available!

New Basic Collections:

New Premier Collections:

The Christmas Countdown is ON!

2010-11-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

I love Advent Calendars. So exciting to know EXACTLY how many more days until Christmas morning! Did you know that there are several customizable Advent Calendars in the Template Gallery? Check them out!

This one is Template ID: 45270 & 45271. Each day has a fun magnet to add!

Or if you like the traditional "open the doors" idea, check out Template ID:36277

And, of course, in the true spirit of Christmas, Template ID: 20738

Have you looked in the Template Gallery lately? So many fabulous ideas - for more advent calendars, search "advent", or just browse through "Christmas" or even "Calendar" :) Have fun!

A Room with a View

2010-11-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted a window above my kitchen sink. It hasn't happened (yet), but for now, I think I still have a pretty fantastic view when I'm doing dishes!

I started out with this Ikea "art" ($12!)

and then replaced it with these three 8x8 pages,

and voila!

Who's Who?

2010-11-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

I've had a lot of people comment on how similar my 2 girls look, and so when I found this photo cube, I thought it would be fun to make a little game! I've made a photo cube, with 3 pictures of each of my girls at 1 week old: can you guess who is who? (their names are in the bottom RH corner of each side!)

The cube was really easy - I just cut out the template and folded it up, and put it into an acrylic photo cube that I found at Michael's for less than $5!

Also, I made a template that is now featured in the Template Gallery: template ID #44640 - super easy to switch out your own photos and favorite patterns!

Give Thanks

2010-11-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

I LOVE this Tabletop Banner, Template ID: 39760! The Template has enough to make 3 banners, so you can keep one for yourself and give away the others as thoughtful gifts! Beautiful!

The Power of a Moment

2010-11-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

We all have stories. We have stories about special occasions and milestones in our life. But we also have those little gems, those stories that happen in a split second - in a "moment". My friend Patty Glass decided to make a book filled with those little moments. Those pictures where she has captured an instant in time when she found some joy in a smile, an object, a simple random act. She has many pictures that didn't make it into other books - but they trigger some little memory for her. Those are the stories she's going to capture. The stories of life's little moments. Nothing detailed, nothing complex - each moment with its own identity.

"I get so distracted by my bigger schemes
Show me the importance of the simple things....
Show me the power of a moment"
by Chris Rice (from "The Power of a Moment")

What are your Special Moments??

Playing Cards Ideas

2010-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

With Playing Card Decks on sale this week, I just thought it would be good to get some IDEAS out there on the many creative possibilities offered by our fully-customizable Card Decks!

A few ideas to get the ball rolling:

Playing Cards with your own pictures, front & back!
Business Cards for your Business (full color, front & back, lots of space!)
ABC Cards for your little one, with helpful, personalized pictures.
Family Game Cards.
Gift Tags
Mini Christmas Cards
Banners of cards tied together with ribbon
Tabletop banners of accordion-style cards tied together with ribbon
Anything else you can think of!

But check out a few of these awesome ideas for the holidays:
Christmas Tree Decorations, Template ID: 37814

Holiday Gift Bag Tags & Recipe Cards, Template ID: 45812

Even a Mini Gingerbread House, complete with a Gingerbread man! Template ID: 45403

Have lots of fun getting into the Holiday Spirit!

Publishing Sale Week 4!!!

2010-11-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays are up ahead! Our FlipBooks, SwatchBooks, and Playing Card Decks make perfect stocking stuffers and gifts for those little ones under the tree!

And this week (Nov 21-27) when you publish any of these projects, you'll save 10% in publishing points!

If you bought your publishing points at a discount through me, you'll be getting DOUBLE SAVINGS! Sweet!!

This week's discounted prices:

playing card deck: 22.45 points
square swatch/flip book: 17.95 points
rectangle swatch/flip book: 16.15 points

Learn more here about the Holiday Hits Publishing Sale!

Studio Tips & Tricks: Making a Reflection

2010-11-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

I saw this really awesome template the other day that got me thinking of all of the creative options that are really available in Studio! First, the page that sparked my thoughts:

Now that it's snowing outside here in Calgary, of course, is the perfect time to whip out the Swimming Templates! (this, by the way, is template id#35273)

But to make your own reflections, here is a little tutorial:

First, start with an image (any image, picture, embellishment, etc) and make it the size and angle of rotation that you want it at. Copy it, and then paste second copy of the exact image/size/angle.

Next, go to the "layout" tab in your toolbox and flip your image horizontally. Place the upside-down image where it would go if it were actually reflecting your first image.

Next, go to your "effects" tab in the toolbox to make your upside-down image transparent. You decide how transparent :)

And that's all there is to it! But check out the possibilities:

Mug Shots

2010-11-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

What a cute gift idea!!! My friend, Heidi Jackson, has just created these new mug inserts for some "decorate yourself" mugs at Michael's - great for grandparents, teachers, even bosses!

The mugs themselves are under $2 each, and each template page (3.95 points) can create 2 inserts (easily swapped out at any time, or make multiple mugs!)

1 mug = less than $5 = 1 Priceless Gift!

If you just go to the Template Gallery and search "mug", all of the insert templates will come up!

Gloss Coating!

2010-11-17T18:49:00.000-08:00

Sweet! Heritage Makers has a fantastic new publishing option for 12 x 12 scrap pages and 11 x 14 posters. It’s called “gloss coating” – a heavy duty UV coating that is perfect for place mats or “dry erase” applications.

Gloss coating is free to Premier account holders and available for $1 per page for everyone else. Select “gloss coating” at check out.

Studio Tips & Tricks: More on Alphabets

2010-11-16T18:37:00.000-08:00

I was working on a project the other day, and wanted a Pink Alphabet set to use... so I took my tips on Searching for Alphabets one step further, and typed "pink a" into the search field. And it worked!

Publishing Sale Week 3!!!

2010-11-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

This week, when you publish any Calendar or Wire-Bound book, save 10% of your publishing points! And don't forget - you can even get discounted publishing points for further savings, just ask me how!

Check out these awesome "prices" on fantastic Christmas gifts from November 14-20:

wire-bound book: 22.45 points
8.5 x 11 calendar: 26.95 points
11 x 16 calendar: 31.45 points

Learn more about the Holiday Hits Publishing Sale here!

A New Tradition with a Timeless Tale

2010-11-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

Creating family traditions to celebrate the holidays has always been important to Tanja Rigby, Heritage Makers Creative Marketing Assistant. Tanja says, “Reading beloved Christmas tales on Christmas Eve has always been one of the special traditions our family enjoys at holiday time.”

This year, Tanja wanted to create a personalized keepsake for her family that would be part of that storytelling tradition. She chose Clement Moore’s classic, out-of-copyright poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and wove it into a delightful blend of original story and familys names and photos. Her intention was to offer the story as a little extra magic to her three-year-old daughter Hannah on Christmas Eve.

It didn’t work quite the way Tanja expected. Hannah accidently found the little book well before Halloween. After seeing that it was the story of her family and even included photos of a beloved dog that had recently passed away, Hannah took very firm possession of the Christmas storybook. She toted her little book with her everywhere—to the doctor’s office, to pre-school and to church.

Pleased that the book was something Hannah was obviously going to treasure for years to come, Tanja was a little taken aback when Hannah recently announced, “We need a new book.”

What would make Hannah ask for a new book? Well, Hannah needed a new book because Hannah "got it". At three years old, she’d noticed something that showed she understood her Heritage Makers book was an important family legacy. “Ruby’s not in my book,” she explained, referring to the new family dog. Hannah’s book, like Heritage Makers books in the hands of youngsters everywhere, is helping define her world, her family and her family’s values and traditions.

You can personalize a book like Hannah’s for your family this year. It’s a 7 x 5 Storybook called “Rigby Night Before Christmas.” Just don’t let anyone peek at it before the holidays!

Lydia's Room

2010-11-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

My baby's room hasn't gotten very much attention in the way of decor. I've got some purple baskets that I'd like to work with, but until last night, that was about as far as I'd gotten. But soon, I'll have these beautiful 12x12 prints up on the wall - So easy to make, So pretty to look at! More pictures to follow!

The Joy of "Getting It"

2010-11-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

It’s so much fun when you see people get it!

OK, what are we talking about here? A tax refund? A college diploma? Revenge?

No, we’re talking about the moment people realize that Heritage Makers could be something very wonderful and powerful in their lives.

It usually happens during a HM workshop or Studio Demo. In some cases, people “get it” even earlier as they turn the pages of a personalized storybook for the first time. And for some, the moment arrives as they sit in front of their computer and realize they have created something very beautiful, something with real meaning, something that will bring joy to a loved one.

If you’ve had a hand in helping someone “get it,” the feeling doesn’t fade quickly. That’s why becoming involved with the Heritage Makers business opportunity is so satisfying. You help people tell their stories, share their values, celebrate the everyday joy of living. Many HM consultants say they would do it for free! Fortunately, Heritage Makers offers rich financial rewards so consultants can do what they love to do, and earn the part-time or full-time money they need.

Frankly, there has never been a better time to get involved in the HM business. We are a young business—just five years old. The potential for growth is incredible. People want to go digital. They want to do something with their photos; they just need your help! We need consultants in every area so these people can “get it!”

I invite you to explore the benefits of becoming a personal publishing consultant with Heritage Makers. The holiday season is a wonderful time to start since everyone you know is thinking about his or her Christmas list. The fact is, you could bankroll your entire gift budget by spending just a few nights in the next couple of months introducing people to the fun and creative projects they can make in Studio.

Click on the image below to see our consultant starter kits. We offer payment plans that let you split your kit into 2 or 3 payments!

My Brother Cried

2010-11-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

by LuAnn Rhea

"I have an older brother for whom it is very difficult to purchase gifts for. Usually, for birthdays or Christmas we get him a gift card, but this year I wanted to give him something that told him how much I love and appreciate him.

I started three different projects:

1. A calendar, which I stopped creating because I realized he travels too much to view it daily.
2. A storybook, which I stopped creating because I could not find the right fit and was running out of time for holiday deadlines.
3. Finally, I decided on a 16x20 canvas.

Did I mention that he is a professional photographer? That made the task a little more difficult because he is picky about photos on canvas. I went through several photos I had scanned and selected three. I played with several different backgrounds, cropped, un-cropped, then cropped again, and found the perfect quote about how “being a brother is sometimes better than being a super hero.” Then I hit the purchase button and crossed my fingers.

On Christmas morning after all of the gifts were opened, I told him to close his eyes. My daughter and I ran down the hall and grabbed the canvas. I had my daughter hold it and told my brother to open his eyes. His reaction was priceless; he cried! For the first time in my life, I made my brother cry! I have tried for years to make him cry and never, ever, ever could get him to cry. I even created a scrapbook by hand that took me six months and he did not cry. But he cried and cried and hugged me and my daughter so hard that we cried as well. He said he had never received anything so beautiful and was so impressed with the quality of the canvas."

I love these moments! Thanks so much for sharing LuAnn!

Publishing Sale Week 2!!!

2010-11-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

Last week it was Cards, Albums, and Prints, and this week, CANVASES are all on sale!

When you publish a canvas print of any size this week, instead of charging you the full amount of publishing points, you'll get 10% off! Just for publishing between November 7-13!

Get more details here.

Sale-Priced Canvases:

8 x 8 wrapped canvas: 29.25 points
8 x 20 wrapped canvas: 62.95 points
16 x 20 wrapped canvas: 80.95 points
20 x 20 wrapped canvas: 89.95 points

20 x 24 wrapped canvas: 98.95 points
18 x 18 wrapped canvas deep: 116.95 points
24 x 18 wrapped canvas deep: 125.95 points

Happy Canvas-making!

Make your Home a Heritage Home!

2010-11-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Your home is where you create memories, share experiences, dream, laugh, cry… It’s your creation, where you have placed just the right things to reflect you. It’s a continuing work of art, as you fill it with new curtains, dishes, bedspreads, pictures, knickknacks, and more. As you continue to dress your home with just the right pieces to reflect you, your treasures, and your lifestyle, add some heritage to your walls and tables to give it that extra homey feeling. Such pieces will show off the moments and people that mean the most to you. Just imagine what you can do with projects like these:
	Framed scrapbook page - Pick a picture, any picture, and frame your own magazine cover for sports, cooking, home décor, dancing. Baseball Magazine Cover (8.5x11 scrap page, Template ID: 19499) designed by Pat Klassen will help you get started. Just replace the picture and headlines to fit your subject.
	Canvases – Canvases are a great way to dress up any room. Put a canvas above your fireplace, in the entryway, in your bedroom, or even in the kitchen. And with so much art available to you, the design possibilities are endless. You can even preserve your wedding pictures with Wedding Day (16x20 canvas, Template ID: 17863) designed by Allyson Christensen.
	Storybook – Storybooks of all sizes make great displays not just on bookshelves but on coffee tables and end tables. Show off your vacations in a book like Yellowstone (12x12 storybook,Template ID: 19066) designed by Carmen Dolen.
	Cookbook – There are so many memories made in the kitchen while making the meal or while enjoying it. And what better way to preserve those memories than in your family cookbook. You can even add pictures and stories to give it that special touch. Take a look at Family Favorites Cookbook (wire-bound book, Template ID: 8985) designed by Kaye Collins.
	Family folds – These are perfect for displaying on a desk, bookshelf, or dresser. Show off pictures of your kids with a template like Cherry Blossom Girls (5-panel family fold, Template ID: 20118) designed by Lindsay Palichuk.
	Posters – Posters are fun to put anywhere in the house—kid’s room, office, playroom, garage. And you can show off so many fun memories; for example, your last vacation with the template Vacation Memories (18x12 landscape poster, Template ID: 10088) designed by Karen Adams.
	Calendars – With busy lives, we can all use calendars. And with My Studio, you can personalize it with your family’s names and events. Keep your family organized with 2010 Mom’s Family Calendar Basic Version (11x16 calendar, Template ID: 21190) designed by Sandra Dovre.
	Playing cards – Some of the best memories are made while playing games. So, why not personalize those moments with your own photos. Create a family deck of cards with Playing Cards w/ Photos Basic (playing cards, Template ID: 18626) designed by Sandy Doherty.
You can personalize your decorating with just a Studio account and your photos. And don’t forget about the craft templates for making clocks, boxes, blocks, board games, and more.

Shadow & Balance Tips from a Scrapbooker

2010-11-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

If you're a digi-scrapper that never started out as a traditional scrapbooker, it's easy to throw a bunch of embellishments and details onto a page and call it done. But do you ever feel like your finished page doesn't quite feel right?

Here are a few tips to get you thinking like a traditional scrapbooker, straight from Heidi Jackson of Heritage Maker's Studio Design Team.

1. Everything that you put on your page has WEIGHT to it. Think in terms of actual embellishments; If you were to hold your finished page up, and the flowers, jewels, etc were REAL, would your page hold up, or would it fold over? Put your "heavier" embellishments at the bottom of the page, and make sure that you have balance!

2. Digital Shadows are really easy to create, but are they realistic? Everything on your page except for your background paper SHOULD have a drop-shadow to it, but don't just rely on the default settings; Heidi always changes her drop-shadows to being a Charcoal Grey instead of straight Black, and she always thinks about how far away things would actually be from the page.

This page is an example of no balance, cheesy-looking shadows, and too much weight at the top.

Here is that same page, but with a few adjustments: more balance, weight being distributed along the bottom, and more realistic shadows.

Happy Storybooking!!

Photography Tip: Crop to Focus

2010-11-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first to admit that I'm no pro when it comes to photography, but I have seen lots of pictures doing what I do, and I also have a lot of photographer-friends who sometimes share bits of wisdom with me, which of course, I am happy to then pass on to you!

Of the next 2 images, which do you find your eye being drawn to?

No offense to my dear husband, but the picture on the right packs a lot more punch. The point of interest in the picture is really the relationship between my daughter and her grandmother, so I've cropped out the rest in the picture that doesn't matter, and there is less to be distracted by.

You can get a lot of mileage out of this technique - crop out the messy room in the background, crop to get a better balance in your picture (think Rule of Thirds), even crop to show just the smiling face of your loved one if everybody else in the picture is not even looking at the camera :)

By cropping out the unnecessary parts of your photos, your storybooks and other projects will be that much more interesting to look at - simplify your images for less distraction and more focus on the story that you are telling!

Happy Storybooking!

New Art in November!!!

2010-11-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

New Basic Art:

And new Premier Art:

Publishing Sale Week 1!!!

2010-11-01T14:43:00.000-07:00

SAVE 10% BY GETTING YOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS OUT THIS WEEK!!!

Question: How can you stretch your publishing points further this holiday season?
Answer: Publish in November - save an extra 10% off on select items each week!

This week, save 10% of your publishing points on the following projects:

5 x 7 greeting card: 2.65 points

12 x 12 post-bound album: 44.95 points

12 x 12 post-bound album +5 pages: 53.95 points

11 x 14 print: 4.45 points

18 x 24 poster: 22.45 points

8 x 8 scrap page: 2.65 points

8.5 x 11 scrap page: 3.15 points

12 x 12 scrap page: 3.55 points

Calendar Crazy!

2010-10-29T20:54:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it, we've archived our latest specialty class on CALENDARS! What perfect timing - if you're anything like me, you're probably thinking lots about calendars in preparation for the upcoming gift-giving season and the New Year!

There were so many fun ideas covered, from outside-the-box calendar ideas to displaying some of the fun templates for traditional calendars, to tutorials on customizing your own calendars! Enjoy!!

Watch the archived class here!

So many fun things to learn about, PLUS a sneak peek of the upcoming Art Collections for November!

You're Invited!!!

2010-10-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

My Works of Art

2010-10-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

My newest canvas just arrived! I now have an 8x8 canvas of EACH of my beautiful babies at 1 week old - just simple, with their names on it... and I love them!!

Organizing your Photos

2010-10-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Did you know that with Heritage Makers, you can have 2 Gigabytes of FREE photo storage with a Basic account, or UNLIMITED photo storage if you upgrade to a Premier Account? This is something I especially love, as I can sleep safe knowing that all of our family pictures are SAFE, even if something terrible were to happen; all those memories are not going to be lost!

If you have a zillion-trillion-gabillion photos like I do, you might enjoy this tip: Organize your photos in folders that are named numerically by date, so that everything is easy to find and organized chronologically. For example: if you have a bunch of pictures from June of 2009, call the folder "2009-06 Family Pictures".

Take a peek at what I've got to get a clearer idea of what I mean:

Not only does storing your photos with Heritage Makers keep them safe in the event of a fire, flood, theft, and even TIME, but it also has them ready to put into storybooks, make canvases with, or even use in cards and gifts like calendars or flip books.

Did you know that you can upload a bunch of pictures at a time? By holding down "Ctrl" on your keyboard at the same time as pushing "a", you can highlight ALL of the pictures in a folder to upload, or by holding down "Ctrl", you can click on whichever random pictures you want to upload at once.

Because Heritage Makers uploads your full resolution images, it might take a little longer than, say, Facebook. I like to upload a bunch of pictures at once, and then go and do the dishes or something. Another perk of uploading your pictures to HM is that you can download the FULL resolution image from any computer connected to the internet later if you want/need to.

I LOVE Heritage Makers!!