Featuring Family

Quick {Cute} Gifts

2011-11-11T17:12:00.000-08:00

Wow...it's been a while! Sorry 'bout that!

Okay, so I absolutely loved Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk from the LDS Women's Broadcast, and it totally inspired me to make some fun little crafty things that I can give as gifts (or keep for myself)! I started with the tiles (cause those are right in my wheelhouse), then I decided I'd make bookmarks, and then my daughter came home with some WAY cute bottlecap stuff, so I decided to do some necklaces, keychains, and magnets! Hmm...do ya think I went overboard? Nah!! I'm all about using the "same thing" in lots of different ways.

Each of these little crafts is SUPER EASY to make, and could be embellished with some fun ribbon, maybe a pop out flower on the tile, or some cute beads on the necklace or keychains! (And can I just say how much I LOVE the little bottlecap crafts right now!...SUPER CUTE!)

If you're interested in making this gift, start your free Heritage Makers Account, and go to it OR contact me about pricing and I will make any of the items for you!

Make it in Moments - Mother's Day

2011-04-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

Show your mom just how important she is to you this Mother’s Day with our wonderful 7 x 5 storybook “100 Things I Love About You, Mom.” This beautifully designed book gives Mom a meaningful list of reasons she was, is, and always will be such an important part of your life. Our 7 x 5 storybook is 10% off this month, so you can create this adorable keepsake and save money as well – something every Mom appreciates these days.

Click HERE to preview the entire book

Before you begin your project, we recommend that you create a list of the things you’d like to record in the book. By doing this first, you can cut and paste your text into the design later and save time. Try to keep each sentence to fewer than 12 to 15 words to be sure they will fit. Consider some of these categories as you develop 100 reasons your mom is so important to you:

Lessons – Think of all those important things your mom has taught you through the years. From tying your shoes to baking a perfect pie, to handling finances, her lessons have helped to shape you into who you are today.

Memories – Who sat with you as you cried with your first broken heart? Who took you shopping for the perfect outfit? Moms make everything from vacations to first dates more memorable. Which memories do you cherish?

Gifts – Moms give the best gifts, and not all of them come wrapped in a box with a bow. A treasured necklace handed down? The use of her car for an important event? A little spare cash to get through the weekend? Mom’s gifts come from the heart and are stored in our hearts forever.

Words of Wisdom – Sage advice is something Moms everywhere seem to have in abundance. What gems did your mother share with you that have stood the test of time? Which ones do you find yourself repeating to your own children now?

Humor – From silly jokes to pratfalls, you certainly have some humorous stories about your mom. These are the goofy and laughable moments and memories that we treasure because of shared laughter and smiles.

Food – If your mother was a wonderful cook, you certainly have lots to love about this category. Maybe she shared a family recipe or a secret ingredient that made for the perfect meal. Some moms just help us to appreciate a good cookbook or a nice restaurant.

Spiritual – For many of us, Mother set the example for our spiritual growth. She took us to Sunday school, or read scripture to us. She answered our questions about beliefs and spirituality. Through this, she shaped our character.

Role Model – Even without trying, Mom set an example as a woman, a wife, a mother, a daughter. Our expectations about women were shaped by her illustration, and how we interact with other women is due in large part to what Mom taught.

Homemaker – Mom taught us about cleaning our rooms, scrubbing the shower, fixing a meal, and balancing a budget. She taught us to press the collar on a shirt and thread a needle for hemming. Some moms are handy with tools, and others knew just the right plumber for the job.

Storyteller – Whether she read from a book, made things up on the fly, or related tales from the past, Mom shared with us in adventures both real and imagined. She helped us fall to sleep at night, or entertained us around a campfire, and her stories are treasured by us still.

There are so many different areas where Mom impacts our lives. You’ll want to think of as many as you can and write them down so you’ll have them at the ready. You can also invite others to contribute thoughts: siblings, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, or even friends. Now it’s time to begin making your book.

To start, login to your Studio account and search for template ID 56347. The predesigned pages are pretty and feminine, and they are waiting for you to fill with your thoughts, memories, and favorite picture of your favorite lady. Simply replace the existing photo with your own, cut and paste your text and in less than an hour, you’ll have a beautiful, 100% custom gift for your mom.

Stay tuned for more Mother's Day ideas...

Make it in Moments: Easter

2011-03-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

If you’re looking for a quick and clever Easter decoration this spring, consider this adorable and fun basket to showcase those good eggs in your life. Just follow these simple instructions, and you’ll have a unique and festive springtime piece for your classroom, Sunday school, or family gathering.

1. To begin, get the Easter Egg 12 x 12 Scrap Page template by Lynda Angelastro.

Get the template HERE

2. There are four brightly colored pages featuring a back and front for each of 24 eggs. There are eggs for boys, eggs for girls, and a style to fit each member of your class or family. Once you have chosen the pages you want, customize them with the photos you want and add any additional embellishments that suit your fancy

3. Delete any unused template pages and order your project.

4. When your printed pages arrive, carefully cut out the back and front of each egg and match the edges.

5. Using florist’s picks, heavy green wire, or wooden shish kabob sticks, glue the eggs together around the pick. You can wrap the shish kabob sticks with green florist’s tape first, or attach floral leaves to any of the “stems” with the tape.

Find a nice basket (dollar stores usually have inexpensive holiday-themed baskets), and glue a piece of Styrofoam to the bottom. Cover this with enough Easter grass to hide the foam then arrange the picks by pressing them into the foam. Add silk flowers or floral leaves to create a garden look, and finish the arrangement off with a springtime bow or wire ribbon.

This clever and fresh basket makes a wonderful centerpiece or party focal point and will surely be the talk of your Easter gathering. To start this project, sign up for the Inspirations Class on March 10! You can register for the class HERE

T-I-M-E

2011-02-22T12:22:00.000-08:00

Blogging, exercise, dinner, laundry, pictures? What do all these things have in common??
They take TIME!!

It takes time to sit down an write a blog post, to go for a jog, to make dinner, to do the mountains of laundry sitting in the laundry room (can you tell that's a sore spot for me?), and to do something with your pictures. Our society is definitely a here and now society! No waiting! That's probably why facebook is so popular...it's almost instantaneous and it takes very little TIME (unless, of course, you want it too).

As an HM consultant, one of the things I hear all the time is, "That's awesome, but I don't have time to do anything like that." TIME is a precious commodity. Everyone has different schedules and priorities, and I will admit that making a storybook may take you a little while. It's probably something that you will want to put a little thought into. (There are some great templates that can make doing a book easy, but it will still take a little longer than the projects I'm going to show you in this post.) However, there are some Heritage Makers projects that can take under 5 minutes. Yes, you read that right...5 minutes. Thanks to the fabulous template gallery, doing SOMETHING with your pictures could literally take you less than 5 minutes! Post bound albums, scrap pages, cards, and even canvases can be as easy as changing a picture.

Before
(12x12 scrap page)

After
(Swapped out Photo & text)

This one has a few more pictures to swap, but the process is the same:

The Process of Swapping Photos

The Result

How about a post bound album to put all your easy scrap pages in:

I swapped the picture & changed the title of the album.
I now have a CUSTOM (front & back) album to put all my family scrap pages in.

Here's one more. This is an 8x8 canvas. It probably took between 10 and 15 minutes to finish because I wanted a boy version...not the original girl version, so I had to swap out some papers & embellishments. But even at 15 minutes, this was still a quick and easy project to make!

Before (Girl Version Template)

After (Boy Version)

If you're finding that TIME is a limiting factor for you, use the template gallery! It is a great resource. The pre-made layouts make using your pictures easy whether you're making a scrap page or a canvas. You'll get beautiful results with minimal effort and TIME, you'll be using pictures that you've already invested your TIME into taking, and you'll be creating projects that show your family just how precious your TIME together is!

The Heart of Every Home

2011-02-02T16:36:00.000-08:00

Once you’ve fallen in love with making pages and projects in Studio, put cornerstone books on your to-do list. Cornerstones are books you write about your life and the lives of your parents and grandparents. Designed to preserve the photos and memories of you and your loved ones for future generations, these books also put treasured stories in the heart of your home and can be a rich and meaningful family experience.

Start your cornerstone to-do list by documenting your grandparents’ lives. The easiest time to help grandparents write their stories is while they are living in the family home and remain in good health. Once they retire, many grandparents move into smaller, easier-to-care-for, or warmer-climate accommodations. Downsizing often means that precious records, mementos, or photos are scattered among family members or get boxed up and sent to a storage unit. Just asking for access to these family records often brings to light stories that no other family members have heard.

Our “How I Became Your Grandpa” and “How I Became Your Grandma” 8 x 8 cornerstone books by Lynda Angelastro make writing family stories simple. Download the templates, look at each spread, and make a note of how many photos are needed for that topic. Only have three photos of Grandpa as a baby instead of four? No problem, find photos of the family home, scan birth certificates or fill in a photo box with patterned paper. More photos than allowed for in the design? Go to “manage pages” and duplicate a spread or two. Your book can be a few pages bigger than the template and need not be like anyone else’s.

If your grandparents are no longer living, ask parents, aunts, or uncles to help you write the stories and find the photographs. Make it a family project. You’ll be grateful you did, and so will your brothers, sisters, and cousins.

If you’re doing the math, writing a story for each grandparent is four books. Add four more if you’re helping with a spouse’s grandparents. Try to get at least one done every quarter. Put it in your day planner. Add it to your computer calendar. Plan ahead and you can make many opportunities to talk to family members about your grandparents at family gatherings.

Once Grandma and Grandpa’s lives are documented, turn your attention to the growing up stories of your mother and father. The 8 x 8 storybooks “Before I Was Your Dad” and “Before I Was Your Mom” by Wendy Bailey are perfect for the job. Documenting the lives of your parents is far easier if they live close enough to share facts and photos, but if they don’t, make it one of the priorities on your next visit.

Finally, write the stories of you and your spouse. If you have children, you can use the same “Before I Was Your Dad” and “Before I Was Your Mom” storybooks. Swap some of the cover papers around to give the books a different look from your Mom and Dad’s. Your book is every bit as important as your parents’ and grandparents’. How precious would your book be to your spouse, your siblings, your parents, or your children if tragedy ever struck?

Cornerstones do not have to be 8 x 8 storybooks. The 12 x 12 “Hats Off to You Grandpa Ben” and “Hats Off to You Aunt Alice” templates make wonderful life story books for Grandma and Grandpa or Mom and Dad.

“Through the Years: Male” and “Through the Years: Female” 11.5 x 8.5 storybooks, by Wendy Bailey again, also make good choices for cornerstone volumes.

And, if you like the 11.5 x 8.5 storybook format and want to make a snapshot of your family heritage before working on individual cornerstones, check out the template “Becoming the Goddard-Angelastro Family” by Lynda Angelastro. With a three-generation family tree as the opening spread, followed by pages about you, your spouse, your parents and grandparents; this overview of family heritage works well for both traditional and blended families.

While you’re checking cornerstones off your list, consider working on a couple of “foundation” books each year. Foundation books are a series of 12 x 12 storybooks that capture the flavor of your family across the years by providing a look at the ways various holidays and traditions are celebrated. These fun and easy-to-make books provide an over-time history of what makes your family unique and special.

Foundation books currently available include: "How the Butlers Celebrate Birthdays" by HM Signature Templates "How the Butlers Keep Christmas" by HM Signature Templates, "A Prezant’s Hanukkah" by Christine Prezant, "A Butler Thanksgiving" by Elisa Black, "Family Weddings" by Elisa Black, and "Family Love Stories" by Lynda Angelastro. More titles will be added this year including family, baby, and vacation books.

Chances are that one of the things that drew you to Heritage Makers was your enthusiasm for capturing just the kind of family stories we’ve been talking about. You understood the importance of making these precious memory books the heart of your home. There’s also a good chance you haven’t got to them yet. February is cornerstone month. Put cornerstone and foundation books on your to-do list and use Studio Night to work on them. Be sure to sign up for Club HM today of you haven't yet! As a member you'll save big on publishing all year long and get Premier for free! If you've already got points, but no Premier, contact me today to find out how you can get Premier for as little as $8.33 per month.

Just for fun...

2011-01-12T20:20:00.000-08:00

So...have you seen the new Club HM facebook page?? It just started in January, and it already has a ton of "likes"...which means there are a ton of people who are more than happy to share their creative genius with you!! There are also fun contests!

Right now they're running a fun little contest: Create a 1-11-11 scrap page, post it on the Club HM page, and whoever receives the most "likes" wins a 12x12 post bound album. I haven't done a post bound album yet, but the idea seems more and more appealing to me. For those of you aren't quite sure where to start...or finish a regular storybook, the post bound album is PERFECT! It uses the 12x12 scrap pages, and you can add to it continually! Anyhoo...here's my little creation for the date:

12x12 scrap pages are the perfect way to not bite off more than you can chew. Create 1 page a week, or maybe 1 page a month, then add it to your post bound album, and voila, by the end of the year you have a fabulous memory book!

Oh...and feel free to vote for me! Just go to the original post on my facebook wall (you'll see it) and "like" it!

Thanks!

Have You Heard???

2011-01-11T12:11:00.000-08:00

Heritage Makers is introducing a new way of getting your publishing done (yes, DONE!...not just thought about) this year. Now you can publish LOTS, while paying just a little at a time, AND you don't have to wait for a big sale or save up all your pennies to be able to get what you want. PLUS you'll get FREE Premier!

How, you ask??

A monthly membership! Instead of making a large purchase like $99 for premier or buying a bunch of storybooks at a time because they're on sale, we now offer a monthly membership. Basically, you can sign up to join Club HM (for a minimum 3 month commitment) and you receive monthly publishing points & FREE Premier for a low monthly cost. For example:

$30/month (3 mo. commitment) = 40 publishing points/month + Free premier each month!! That's a $30 savings each month...AND it doesn't come out of the checkbook all at once.

**If you already have premier from a previous purchase, to compensate, HM will give you an additional 10 publishing points per month until your Premier runs out. So, that $30 would actually get you 50 publishing points!

Other Benefits of Club HM include:

Unlimited Photo Storage
Savings of up to 50%
Free Premier
Access to Premier art & templates
Opportunity to purchase 100 extra points for on $50 at sign-up
Project ideas and publishing tips from the Club community (Monthly themes, Virtual digi nights, and an on-line community coming in Feb. 2011)

In order to receive the benefits of club pricing, members must agree to a 3 month commitment. After the first 3 months Club members will automaticall renew each month, on a month to month basis. After the initial 3 month commitment, you can cancel your renewal or change your options anytime online. As an added bonus, when you sign up for Club HM, you can purchase 100 publishing points for $50 - That's a 50% SAVINGS!!

Why the change? We want you to get the most for your money, and buying lots of publishing points that sit in your account doesn't do that. The goal of Club HM is to encourage you to publish on a regular basis and make the most of your money. You can do this with any of the 3 plans:

1. $30 a month = 40 publishing points/mo + Free Premier (3 mo.)
So, after 3 months, you'll have 120 publishing points for $90 and Free Premier those 3 months

2. $50 a month = 70 publishing points/mo + Free Premier (3 mo.)
So, after 3 months, you'll have 210 publishing points for $150 and Free Premier those 3 months

3. $100 a month = 150 publishing points/mo + Free Premier (3 mo.)
So, after 3 months, you'll have 450 publishing points for $300 and Free Premier those 3 months

So, what projects do you have planned for 2011?? Maybe a better question is: What projects would you like to do in 2011? HM can help with everything from home decor to holiday card...school memory books to family yearbooks. The possibilities are endless!!

I'd love to help you with all your 2011 publishin! Just ask!
Contact me to help you get started with HM, host a workshop/demo and earn Hostess Rewards, or even talk to others that would be interested in learning about Heritage Makers!

Happy 2011!

Canvases

2010-12-06T13:52:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share a last minute give idea with you.

Heritage Makers is having a sale on all sizes of canvases...Buy One Get One 1/2 off! (You must purchase in pairs of the same size) To make a good deal even better, if you publish and purchase the canvas BEFORE Dec. 11th, you'll get an extra 10% off + you can select ground shipping and it will still get to you by Christmas!

You can create any custom canvas you'd like, OR, if you don't feel like you could get that done before the deadline, Heritage Makers has put together a "Click and Give" page full of beautiful canvases. This is as easy as it sounds...these canvases don't need any changes, you can simply click & give! Log into your account from the "Click and Give" page (or if you don't already have an account, take a minute to create one) and a beautiful canvas is only a click away!

Here are a couple of my favorite click & give canvases:

(20x8 gallery wrapped canvas)

(8x8 or 20x20 gallery wrapped canvas)

If you feel want something a little more personalized, there are several templates in the gallery that would only require swapping in a picture or two...or you can start from scratch and make something like my last canvas project:

Please feel free to contact me if you'd like help or advice in making your canvases!

*Just a few quick side notes:

1. The Card Sale is still going on. Publish by Dec. 14th, select direct ship, and your cards will still get to their recipients before Christmas.

2. The "Gotta Try It" special is also still going on! This is a perfect way to get publishing points AND try Premier at the same time.

3. If you wanted to give someone the gift of story this Christmas, but didn't get a chance to complete their story...DON'T WORRY...give them publishing points for Christmas so that they can create their own story! A Heritage Makers gift card so to speak! Contact me for details.

Happy Heritage Making & Happy Holidays!

Share Your Story!

2010-11-18T10:54:00.000-08:00

Okay...so I've been waiting for the last couple of weeks to post these books because they were gifts for other people, but they've been given and I'm SO excited to share them with you. Not just because I'm happy at how they turned out, but because I love that they are preserving special memories for the people they were given to.

This first book was made for my cousin's wife. Jeff wanted to do something special for her, and lucky me, he chose Heritage Makers to do that. We made a beautiful 13x11 Legacy book for her...full of pictures that started from their engagement up to the present...and I love how it turned out! Jeff uploaded all of the pictures, chose the template, and decided exactly what he'd like the book to be about. I was the lucky one who got to put those pictures into a cohesive book.

 

This next book has got to be one of my favorite books ever...and I'm so glad I got the chance to do it. It was for my sister in law for her birthday, and it showcases the day she and her hubby were sealed in the temple. This one is an 8x8 board book, and since I couldn't find a template that I wanted to use, I made up my own. I love things with clean, simple lines that showcase what really needs to be showcased in the book: the pictures (and text). Lauren got this last night...and I'm so glad that she liked it!

 

I originally started with Heritage Makers because I figured it would be an easy way for me to do a yearly summary for our family, but I've since realized, it's much more than that. It's more than a summary of a year or an event. It's a way to share our story. It's a way to bring those memories back to life! With Heritage Makers, it's all about family & friends, and special memories...and I LOVE that!

Tri-Fold Card

2010-10-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

I was surfing the net the other day and came across this nifty little project. After looking at it, I decided to give it a try...the Heritage Makers way!

Although it may not look like it, this project is really quite simple. There is some scoring (making an indented line in the paper), folding, and cutting involved, but it's pretty easy, and the results are well worth it.

This is made using a 12x12 scrap page. You can get 2 per page. It's perfect as home decor for a shelf, to use as a Christmas card, birth announcement...or probably anything you can think of.

The template that I designed has a few different varieties...just to give you some ideas on how to use it, but the concept scoring/folding/cutting concept is the same with each card. So here you go...

Tri-fold Card Instructions

1. Each tri-fold is approx. 5 1/2" by 12" (I made the template SLIGHTLY larger to allow for any cuts) There are 5 vertical sections and 3 horizontal sections.

2. Vertically, score the template at 2", 4", 8", and 10" (Scoring can be done by taking something with a straight edge (ruler) and with the dull side of a butter knife, press a line into the paper. It is done to show create a more precise fold for later.)

3. Between the 1st and 2nd horizontal sections cut from the 2" score line to the 10" score line.

4. Repeat step 3 between the 2nd and 3rd horizontal sections.

5. Now on the score lines make mountain/valley folds:

2" score line = mountain fold (fold up/outward like the point of a mountain)

4" score line = valley fold (fold down/inward like a valley)

8" score line = mountain fold

10" score line = valley fold

6. In the middle horizontal sections, press the folds the OPPOSITE direction from the other 2 horizontal folds.

(This is a top view of the card. Notice the mountain & valley folds. Then press the middle section folds opposite.)

Here is what the template actually looks like before any cutting...and yes the instruction are with the template. (Just be sure to delete that page before publishing your project so that you're not paying for an extra page.) *I haven't submitted this template to the gallery yet, but if you'd like it feel free to e-mail me with your ID# and I'll share it with you.

During November, Heritage Makers is running their Holiday Hits special, which means that HM will choose different products during each of the weeks of November and any of those particular products that you publish during that week will be 10% off at checkout. Here's the good news: Scrap pages are among the products on special the first week in November. You could publish and order these cute little cards (use them for Christmas) next week AND get an extra 10% off the cost. Every little bit counts!

Okay...You Win!

2010-10-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

We Love You Grandma 5x5 Book
Click HERE to Preview the entire book

Have I told you how much I love Heritage Makers??

Over the last couple of weeks I've received multiple inquiries into Heritage Makers projects that I have completed, and had multiple requests to make similar projects. My initial response has been a hearty thank you for thinking my projects are worthwhile, and an enthusiastic, "You can make it too...let me show you how." However, I realize that for whatever reason (you're busy, you're a perfectionist and can't get your project to look just right, you're busy, you've had a difficult time with Studio, you're BUSY) sometimes completing your own project just seems like a task...and I don't want you to feel that way SO....

YOU WIN!!

I'm giving in, and instead of just telling you that you can create your own projects with Heritage Makers, and then sitting back to see your creative genius, I have decided to to offer to make your projects for you.

18 x 24 Temple Poster
I framed it and hung it in my daughters room

Let me break it down for you:

1. Decide which project you would like me to create. (Anything from Christmas cards to scrap pages, calendars to canvases, and of course, Storybooks)

2. Choose a template from the template gallery (We can chat about ways to customize it) and...

3. Upload your photos

Your cost will be the cost of the project + tax & shipping, and I will charge a small fee to cover my time ($8 for smaller projects (greeting cards/invitations/scrap pages) and $15 for larger projects (storybooks, calendars, and canvases)

Baptism Square Flip Book
Click HERE to preview the entire book

3 Steps...that's it! Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy! Don't let a trivial thing like lack of time, skill, or creative prowess hold you back. Let me make it for you!! (You might have already guessed that I really love to do this!)

Sound to good to be true??
Here's the fine print: In order to get your projects done and back to you by Christmas we need to get busy!! Christmas shipping deadlines are Nov. 25th, and Heritage Makers starts to get really busy processing orders right around Thanksgiving, AND I can only handle so many projects within a month...which means, if you'd like me to make something for you by then I need you to contact me ASAP!!

(Last year's ALMOST Christmas card)

The Heritage Makers gifts I've both given and received are among my most cherished posessions. Hopefully this little "offer" will help you cross something off your holiday to-do list, AND create something that will be treasured for years to come! I've scattered examples of some of my favorite projects over the past year throughout the post (just to get your creative juices flowing), so...What are you waiting for??

16 x 24 Gallery Wrapped Canvas
This is hanging in our living room!

PS. All the templates in the template gallery or my own personal gallery are up for grabs...except my Christmas card...you'll have to wait till next Christmas for me to share that one with ya.

Our Recap of 2009 Family Book
Click HERE to preview the entire book

Simple Free Premier Weekend Projects

2010-10-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

Free Premier Weekend is underway, so I thought I would give you a few ideas for some SUPER easy projects...meaning these projects would require few or no changes to be able to publish, but you need Premier to be able to use the templates. Here's my choices:

Beautiful Canvases

Swap in your own pictures to create this beautiful 8x20 canvas
(Before publishing, click the lock box in the bottom right hand corner of the tool bar to unlock each separate picture and make sure that the box around your picture is green and will print well...call me to double check it for you just to make sure!)

swap in your own picture & change the background color to match your home (8x20 canvas)

swap in your own picture to create a beautiful 18x18 deep wrapped canvas

Holiday Decor

1, 12x12 page creates 4, 6x6 tiles (cut into the square, and adhere to a 6x6 tile or 8x8 block of wood with photo spray, modge podge, double sided tape, or even glue stick for quick and cute Halloween Decor)
*There are no pictures that you even have to swap out for this template...so all you would have to do is put it in your templates and publish! (or if you'd like to swap out the colors or art, check out the new Halloween art in Studio)

Thanksgiving tiles (1, 12x12 page creates 4, 6x6 tiles...perfect for a Thanksgiving table centerpiece)

1, 12x12 scrap book page to create 4, 6x6 christmas tiles (Perfect for quick and easy gifts!)

Get your Christmas cards done early.

Here are some of my favorite (classic & simple to customize!)

And lastly, if you're feeling really ambitious over the next couple of days

...try a book:

(swap your own pictures into this cute little swatch book...perfect to keep in your purse or give to grandparents for Christmas)

These 2 books aren't in the template gallery, but I have them, so contact me if you'd like to use these templates.

There is no end to the wonderful (and meaningful) projects you can make with Heritage Makers. And just as an added bonus, Heritage Makers has brought back it's "Gotta Try It" special to go along with the Free Premier Weekend, so you can get the publishing points to make your projects AND 3 months of Premier at fabulous prices (3 different packages available). Call or e-mail me for more info or if you need help or suggestions! Happy Heritage Making!

Free Premier Weekend is Here!!

2010-10-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

We’re so excited to announce our first Free Premier Weekend! That’s right, from October 14 - 17, you can get full access to a Heritage Makers Premier account, absolutely free.

This is a no-risk opportunity for you to try designing storybooks, canvas prints, greeting cards, playing cards, photo books, and more with over 47,000 pieces of digital art and thousands of pre-designed templates.

Imagine having free reign on a scrapbook store. That’s what it’s like when you use Heritage Makers Premier account. Unlimited creativity and fun is waiting for you! Join us!

Class/Event Schedule:

Wednesday Evening - Oct 13th at 9pm MDT.

Topic: Getting ready for FREE Premier!
Instructor: Karie Sigua
Click here to register.

Thursday Evening- Oct 14, 2010 starting at 7pm

7:00 PM MDT
Topic: Celebrate FREE Premier Weekend & Explore October's Art
Instructor: Lynda Angelastro and Tanja Rigby
Studio Product Manager Lynda Angelastro and Creative Marketing Assistant Tanja Rigby celebrate FREE Premier Weekend by showing fabulous tips and tricks with the October art collections.
Click here to register
Live Digi Crop at 9pm at my home.*Bring your Laptop!! *I'm in Orem - email me for Address.

Friday Evening - Oct 15, 2010 6:00 PM MDT
- Topic: Celebrate Our FREE Premier Weekend, Day Two
Instructor: Lynda Angelastro
Studio Product Manager Lynda Angelastro answers your art and design questions.
Click here to register
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 12:01 PM MDT

Topic: Celebrate FREE Premier Weekend, Day Three, Saturday Show-and-Tell
Instructor: Lynda Angelastro
Lynda Angelastro shows off projects you have made during FREE Premier Weekend. To have work considered for the Saturday Show-and-Tell, email project previews tolangelastro@heritagemakers.com.
Click here to register

Please note that you are not required to have purchased anything in the past, or future, to attend our events. The events are available for you and others to learn, play and have fun creating your masterpieces!! HOWEVER, if the projects you see at our classes tickle your creative bone and you not only want to create, but PUBLISH as well, please contact me asap as I can save you save 10% on retail prices, and as a consultant I can also offer you our Pick of the Month Specials and our Holiday Specials which you can save up to 50% on amazing products when you order though me.

Important: All projects created using Premier art during FREE Premier Weekend must be published by Monday, October 18th at 12 noon MDT. After that time you will not be able to edit your projects without a Premier account. Once you’ve published (completed) your project, it can be ordered at any time. To extend your Premier status beyond the free trial period, contact me for the BEST deal! :)

Here’s a sampling of some of the art you’ll find in Premier:

To participate in FREE Premier Weekend, simply log into Studio and click on the “unlock Premier” button. This button will be available from 7:00 p.m. October 14 until noon October 18 MDT.

*Tip - Get ready for your FREE Premier by; 1. choosing a project you'd like to work on, (wedding, baby, heritage, love story, christmas cards, announcement, hanging artwork {posters, canvas}, crafts, neighborhood gifts, gift cards, etc) 2. browse the template gallery, 3. start uploading the photos you'd like to work with, and4.IF you know what you want, contact me for discounted products so you can publish with savings when ready.

My Heritage Maker's Wishlist & Free Premier Weekend!

2010-10-07T15:55:00.000-07:00

I can't believe we're already a week into October. Fall is here and the holidays are right around the corner. Time to start thinking about holiday gifts (and maybe throw some cute home decor items in for you too.) Check out this wishlist gift book, made by our incredibly creative and talented, Heidi Arave.
She uses Heritage Makers to make beautiful, custom home decor for her own home, AND of course, to give as fabulous gifts for family and friends. Heidi's has gone through her entire home and posted pictures of what she has made and how much it cost her to make...and you won't believe how affordable and beautiful her projects are. Who knows...maybe it will inspire you to do some of your own projects!

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Now for the GOOD NEWS: Heritage Makers is having their very first ever,
FREE Premier Weekend! Yes free...to anyone and everyone! From Oct. 14th - 17th, everyone will have UNLIMITED access to the entire art and template gallery! So, don't look through the book and think "That's cute, but I don't have Premier to be able to use the template" because from Oct. 14th - 17th YOU DO have PREMIER and many of these projects are templates where you simply need to swap in your own photos. This would be the perfect time to complete all of your "to-do" list projects, your holiday gifts, and everything in between. (The only catch to the weekend is that your projects will need to be finished and published in those few days because without Premier you won't be able to go back into the project to edit it after the weekend is over!) Contact me ASAP to order your points and be ready to go for the free Premier weekend.

And speaking of wishlists...mine would have to include a 20x20 canvas! (1 for each kids' bedroom)

A Little Halloween...

2010-10-01T22:38:00.000-07:00

Call me a party pooper...but I'm not much into Halloween.

However, this year, in an effort to get into the Halloween spirit (haha..."spirit"), I decided to use some of the great new artwork in the gallery, and make some cute holiday decorations.

This one will be a door hanger for the front door.

This one will be 4, 6x6 tiles

Isn't the art cute?? Are you supposed to call spooky Halloween things "cute"?

If you're looking for a quick and easy way to get your home all spruced up for a spooktacular Halloween, try creating some of your own Halloween decorations, OR, use any of the fabulous ideas in the template gallery to give your creativity a jump start!

Happy Halloween!

What could you do for Christmas with....

2010-09-16T16:17:00.000-07:00

$200

With Heritage Makers, your $200 turns into 310 publishing points, and that translates into....

unlimited possibilites

& UNFORGETTABLE keepsakes!

What would you do??

A Little Organization

2010-09-07T07:11:00.000-07:00

As each new school year rolls around, I discover how completely unorganized I really am. I guess we get lax over the summer...

As I was surfing the web the other day, I came across some handy dandy little "organization" helpers, and decided that I could make the same things with Heritage Makers.

Instructions:

1. Create your chart with a 12 x 12 scrap page

2. Laminate

3. Attach a dry erase marker to the page

4. Place magnets on the back of the page and put it on the fridge.

They're really very simple, but could be a big help in keeping me (er...I mean our family) organized. What else could you do? Chore charts for the kids, A babysitter guide, A weekly schedule...there are endless possiblities...although, probably limited refrigerator space!

Have fun! Get organized! Everyone knows an organized mama is a happy mama!

Attention All Scrapbookers...

2010-08-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

Anyone out there having a hard time keeping up with your blog???

Anyone out there having a hard time keeping up with your scrapbooking???

I've never been good at scrapbooking, but I was always pretty good at keeping up with my blog....until this summer. According to my blog, I'm still stuck back in May. I'm not sure whether it's lack of motivation, lack of time, or a combination of both, but I have been really lousy at keeping up with my blogging this summer, and that's a bad thing, because my blog is my family's journal. It's what I use to document our lives over the year. Last year I made our Basically Balser's book to highlight our year and relied heavily on my blog to complete my pages for each month. This year that could be a little bit of a problem considering 3 months out of the year seem to be missing!

But...thanks to Heritage Makers and Heidi, I may have a solution to my problem. Heidi did a post a while ago about using the Heritage Makers 12 x 12 scrap pages as blog posts. She used templates from the template gallery to make her pages, and then posted them to her blog as her actual blog posts. (Then, of course, she ordered them to have an actual copy for herself). She said in less than 1 hr. she made 8 pages....8 posts! How's that for being productive!

To top that off, Heritage Makers has just released a new product: the 12 x 12 post bound album. A completely customizable album for all your 12 x 12 scrap pages. You design the front and back cover (so no more ugly generic picture albums), and use scrap pages to complete your book.

Here's the best part (for me at least)...all of those scrap pages that I will be posting to my blog to document our activities over the year can just be ordered and put in the cute customizable album...and my book will be done! So, all of you blog to bookers out there, here's your solution: Use HM to design your blog posts, design your post bound album, & have your pages published and printed....Voila, completed book & preserved memories in no time flat!

Easy Peezy Lemon Squeezy

2010-07-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

When people see the beautiful books that I've made through Heritage Makers, one of their first comments is, "I could never do that." My response is, "Oh yes you can...you're selling yourself short!" Allow me to give you a few pointers that I have learned in my short time with Heritage Makers:

1. Use the Creativity of Others!

I. Am. Not. Creative.
There I said it. I've gotten it off my chest.

One of the best things about Heritage Makers is that you don't have to be creative...you can use other "creative" peoples ideas! (Which is what I do most often) Between the art gallery and the template gallery I've covered all my bases, and my projects end up being just what I want them to be.

2. KISS...Keep It Simple Sister!

Projects do not always have to be complicated. Ideas do not always have to be complicated. Not everything you do has to have beautiful embellishments or cute paper with it. In fact, I think that some of the cutest things are the simple things....which in turn makes them very easy! Heritage is a million everyday moments....let those million everyday moments make up the storybooks (or projects) that you do because that is YOUR life!

3. Just get it done!

Just start by doing a general outline of what you want to do. Get your pictures on. Write your text. Once everything is in, actually completing your storybook doesn't seem like such a daunting task. If you sit there and look at a blank page, it's easy to become overwhelmed. You can always change the paper out, swap embellishments, or tweak the layout until you have it just have you want it...the key is to have something to start with!

4. Let your pictures tell the story!

A picture is like a thousand words...or so they say. Sometimes it's best (and easiest) to tell your story with more pictures and less text. You need to include some text to remind you of what is happening in the picture (another favorite saying by one of our company founders goes something like this: "A picture without a story is a memory lost"), but that doesn't mean that you need to go on, and on, and on, and on....with your text. Let your picture tell the majority of the story, and let your text be the background. (With that said, there are certain storybooks that you'll do that you'll need to let the text tell the story and the pictures be the background...but we'll talk about that later *wink wink*)

 

I took my own advice, and used these tips to complete this storybook in about 3 hours. Yes that's right...cover to cover in about 3 hours, give or take a few minutes. I actually completed the whole thing at a digi-crop that I went to last weekend. (It wasn't the template gallery, but all the wonderful women and their great ideas that inspired me (Tip #1)...And I won a prize for completing the most pages that night. Yay me!). I had a 7x5 book credit that I needed to use before it expired, and honestly, I had almost given up hope that the book would get done. I could not think of anything to storybook about. Then July hit! It's one of my favorite months of the year. It's filled with birthdays, holidays, our anniversary, and just all out summer goodness...life, love, and freedom, so that's what I decided to do my book about. (Tip #2) Once the idea came, everything else was really quite simple. Because the book is smaller, I let the pictures tell the story (Tip #4) and used very little text. I also used a very simple layout....not a lot of frills or embellisment. I finished the book and then went back and tweaked little things on each page until it was how I liked it. (Tip #3) Voila! Finished book....memories preserved...and I still have time to play with the kids (or more likely, clean the house)! I ordered it on Monday...it's supposed to get here today! Can't wait!

So what are YOU waiting for???

A Quick Project

2010-06-07T14:50:00.000-07:00

Looking for a quick way to decorate your bare walls??

Here's a quick and easy project. This particular project is done with the 24 X 18 inch poster, but you could use any of the sizes that HM offers: the new 11 X 14, the 12 X 12 scrap pages, the 8 X 8 scrap pages, etc, depending on what you want to do with your wall. I love the vinyl lettering, but it doesn't transfer from room to room, and I like to change things around a lot, so this type of home decor is easy and transferable.

Design your poster/scrap page using pictures, quotes, etc. Then once you've received your order, mount it on foam board with double-sided tape, photo adhesive, or modge podge, and mount it on your wall with picture hooks. Easy. Of course, you can get more elaborate with it: ribbon, embellishments, etc., but sometimes SIMPLE is better!

Here's an example of the poster that will be going up in my daughter's room as soon as I get it, but there are tons of clever templates already in the template gallery, and I'm sure many of you are much more creative than I am! These projects are simple and inexpensive, and can add just the right touch to any room!

PS. If you're interested in this particular poster, leave me a comment or shoot me an e-mail. It's not in the template gallery, but I've got it, and would be happy to share it with you :)

A Team Project

2010-05-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

My wonderful hubby has quietly sat back and watched me create all my little HM projects for our family. He is my proof-reader, and my general layout analyst...BUT until recently he has not gotten any more involved than that.

Last month I had a few credits that were about to expire, so I got busy making a few different projects. I knew that I wanted to make a book about us (me & Kenny), but try as I might I could not decide how I wanted to do it. Then inspiration struck! I decided to do our book as a "He Said, She Said" book to tell our kids (or whoever wants to read it) our story from "the beginning." The same story, told from each of our perspectives. I wasn't sure if Kenny would go for it or not, but after he saw what I wanted to do he jumped on board. He wanted to make sure that the "real story" came out! LOL!

I now hold in my hand our book...both sides of the story, and I think it turned out pretty good (however my proof-reader did miss one spelling mistake). It tells our story perfectly, and I think our kids will enjoy reading it. Kenny even enjoyed it so much that he started working on a book of his own!

So what about you? Do your kids know "your" story? How would you tell it?

Home Decor

2010-04-29T09:59:00.000-07:00

This will be a quick post...

It's been a while since I've had a chance to showcase any of the projects that I've been working on lately, but I wanted to show you the canvas that I just got in the mail yesterday.

I haven't had the chance to make a canvas with Heritage Makers yet. Partly because I thought they were expensive (which I found out wasn't true, HM prices are very comparable and even little cheaper than other canvas prices) and partly because I really couldn't figure out where I wanted to put one. BUT, after getting my 1st canvas in the mail yesterday, I'm hooked! I love it. It turned out great! My poor pocketbook is going to be in trouble! I'm already trying to figure out a nice configuration for a collage of them on my walls.

If you are looking for a great way to add a little something to your home, go to featuringfamily.com and check out Heritage Makers. A canvas is just one of the things you could make. You'll be able to make just what you want, with the colors you need, at an affordable price. (In reality, the prices for an HM canvas are very comparable (even a little cheaper) than a lot of places that I've seen.)

Happy decorating...and happy heritage making!

Spring Cleaning??

2010-03-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

Spring cleaning with HM

March has almost come and gone and spring is (hopefully) on its way. Usually, when we think of spring, we think of flowers, fresh air, gardening, barbeque… maybe even spring cleaning.

Of course, we don’t like that last thought. Spring cleaning means work. However, there is one part of your spring cleaning that can be fun: cleaning out those stories. We know you’ve got them hidden somewhere. Maybe it’s that long forgotten childhood story. Maybe it’s your love story. Or perhaps your vacation story. Whatever your story is, one thing is for certain; Heritage Makers can help you with this kind of spring cleaning. Here’s how to start:

Write it: You can start writing in Studio editor or from a word document. At this point, don’t worry about how it looks on the page. Just get the story out there.
Add pictures: Choose your pictures and decide how they will fit with your story. Then easily upload the images to Studio.

Layout: If you started your story inside Studio editor, you may want to decide if you are using a template or starting from a blank project before starting your story. At this point, you will want to make sure to spread your photos and words throughout your book. Basically, decide where everything will fit.

Design: Add embellishments and backgrounds to your story. Give your photos frames or borders. Maybe add a little drop shadow to make your images pop. Just have fun designing your book for you.

Review: After you have all your words, photos, and embellishments where you want them, go through each page to make sure spelling is correct, everything fits on the page (keep a 1/8 inch margin on the outside of each page), and each page includes all the special little touches you want.

Publish: All it takes is a click of your mouse.

Really, in just a few steps your story spring cleaning will be finished. Then, all you have
to do is sit back, relax, and wait for your story
to come.

Spring Decorating

2010-03-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

The warm weather has got me itching to do something around the house. I think I'm going to ignore the spring cleaning because let's face it, it's not very much fun. I like the end result, but I'm not a big fan of how it gets that way. I'm still hoping for my fairy godmother to come an bibbity bobbity boo my house clean!

Instead of cleaning, I've decided to decorate! I've got a few things in mind...and I'll post them as I finish them, but I thought I would post my current project: A Heritage Makers Canvas!

Heritage Makers has the best canvas'. They come in a variety of sizes, and you can customize however you like. So, I made two...and now I need to decide which one to get (right now). Leave me a comment and let me know which one you think I should get! (Eventually I'm sure I'll end up with both of them...but for the time being I can only get one!)

So...if you're tired of spring cleaning already, but still need to change something to welcome in spring, try making a canvas. Your walls will thank you!

March Art & Club Premier

2010-03-11T08:29:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the new March art yet??

Take a look at these darling art collections that were added to the Heritage Makers Premier Art Collection this month....

Cute huh?? Would you believe that you could get all these PLUS 45,000 other pieces of darling art for only $10 a month. If you aren't a Club Premier member yet, you'll definitely want to take advantage of the great benefits of joining the Club:

Unlimited Photo Storage
Discounted Publishing Prices
2000 + Templates to Choose From
45,000 Pieces of Art (and GROWING each month)
Free Product Upgrades

Joining the Club is definitely the way to go! It allows you to put that extra little bit of YOU into each project that you do. Contact me to get the BEST deal!

Giveaway Day

2010-03-05T08:08:00.000-08:00

It's giveaway day today!!!

I love, love, love giveaways. I always enter...almost never win, but it's still fun. It's just the thought of winning! (Although, I imagine if I ever did actually win, I would go crazy!!)

Anyhoo...I found a great giveaway site a while ago, and decided that I wanted in on the fun sooooooo....

Go to MyGiveAwayToday.com and enter today!! You can enter to win 1 of 2 Heritage Makers Swatchbooks (either the rectangular one or the new SQUARE swatchbook ...check out the template gallery for some cute ideas!)

Here are a couple of my favorite...

(Square Swatch template)

(Rectangular Swatch template)

The giveaway is only for today...so hurry over, and tell all of your friends! What a great way to get started with Heritage Makers!!!

FHE Chart

2010-03-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

I've had my original FHE chart for many....many...probably too many years. It was a cute little Noah's Ark chart and each of our family members were animals in the windows of the ark. Notice I'm using past tense...I say "WAS" because I finally decided that after years of making new animals because the old ones fell apart or saying that the one eyed tiger was giving the lesson and the trunkless elephant was giving the opening prayer, I finally decided that it was time to make a new one. I looked at all those fancy schmancy ones out there, and decided that it was more work than I wanted to put into my FHE chart...and then I had an epiphany: use Heritage Makers to make a chart!

Please note...I'm not a creative genius, so my designs tend to be very simple. I fondly refer to it as my "No Frills" style. LOL! Basically, I started with a 12x12 scrap book page. I added art work, photos, and text boxes according to the categories that we normally use for FHE. Then I ordered it and waited for it to arrive...pretty simple.

Once it arrived, I used photo adhesive to stick it to some sheet metal that was cut to the same size and shape. If you don't want to use sheet metal, just use a metal baking sheet, and decorate the areas of the sheet that the scrap page doesn't cover. Then I made some picture magnets of the family (you could use another 12x12 scrap page to do this...or save a little money and just use a HM postcard) by sticking our pictures on the clear glass craft rocks with clear glue, and hot gluing a magnet to the back of the rock. Ta Da! All done!...well almost anyhow. I still want to put it in a frame so that we can hang it on the wall. I found one at Walmart for $13, or maybe I'll have my hubby make one out of some spare moulding we had for another project...or it may just remain in the stand that it's in until I've finished all my other projects!

I love the 12x12 scrap pages. You can make a ton of stuff with them! Check out this post on Heidi's blog for another great way to use the 12x12 scrap pages....

Oh...and don't forget to check out GiveAwayToday.com on Friday March 5th where Featuring Family will be featured and I'll be giving away 2 swatchbooks!

Happy Heritage Making!

My Little VIP

2010-02-17T09:06:00.000-08:00

Wow...it's been a while since I posted last! I've been busy with projects...projects...and more projects! Here's one of my favorites....

As I said before, one of my main goals in starting with Heritage Makers was to have a way (an EASY way) to keep a record of the goings on of our family. I'm terrible at journals. There never seems to be enough time (or enough creativity in my brain) to actually scrapbook. Blogging has been great, but there was no physical record to keep. Thus HM was my solution. As I was reading through the HM mission statement I read that one of the goals of the company was to strengthen family, improve relationships, and build a child's self esteem. Now, strengthen family I could see...improve relationships I could see...but I wasn't sure exactly how a book, or poster, or playing cards would improve my child's self esteem.

I had a board book credit in my account, and as I tried to think of ways to use it I came across a fun little template in the gallery, so I decided to make a book for one of my kiddo's....and his reaction when he got his book surprised me a little. Don't get me wrong...I knew he would like it. What kid wouldn't like to have a book about himself? What I didn't anticipate was his excitement over it. Quite regularly I find him like this...

He loves to look at each page and hear why HE is important to different members of our family.

I can now see how Heritage Makers can say they believe their company can help increase a child's self esteem! Rylen loves HIS book...and all the other kids are waiting for their own book now too. I guess I better get busy!

Check out Rylen's Book:

Valentine's Day Idea

2010-01-20T14:58:00.000-08:00

O.k....
I can't believe I'm actually going to say this because I absolutely hate jumping the gun on holidays (admittedly, it may not seem like jumping the gun to all you organized planners out there, but unless the holiday is Christmas, I don't even bother with it until at least the week before!)...

BUT...(yep here I go)

Here's a great idea for your valentine...

10 Things I Love About You Storybook

Quick...Simple...Easy...but totally personal! Who doesn't like to know why they are loved??

Check out this cute template for your sweetheart...

 

or maybe you want to do something special for your kids...

 

(Some of the templates are premier...but there are also some basic templates!) HM has a great Valentine's day package...including a 7x5 book and a card...until Feb. 1st!

Would love to do something personal and fun for your kids for the big day...but you have a whole gaggle of kiddies, and a book just isn't in the budget right now??? Here are a few more budget conscious ideas:

I Love You Coupons....use a deck of cards, and make a special coupon (or several special coupons) for each person.

Reason's I Love You Mini Book...use a 12x12 scrap page, cut and fold just so (the instructions are with the template) and voila...a little tiny mini book. Perfect for a special little gift for your kiddies!

Here's the one (before it's all folded) that I've made for Ashlynn

Now...here's one (not the V-day one) all folded up into a book:

Have fun....and Happy Heritage Making!

Project 365 - Picture A Day

2010-01-09T15:16:00.000-08:00

I actually heard about this project last year, and thought it would be really fun to do. Now, ask me if I did it....Nope! Yet another project in which I had great intentions and little follow through.

I'm determined to make this year different....granted, I'm still a little slow, since we're now into the second week of the year, BUT, on the up-side, it's only the second week of the year! (How's that for a cup 1/2 empty-1/2 full perspective!)

Anyhoo...here, the idea:

Take a picture everyday to capture 2010 in a special way.
Don't just think about big momentous events or kids...think everyday. Think things that make you smile...think things that don't. People, places, things...everything. One picture per day...that's it. No more, no less.

Click here to check out this great template in the HM gallery that will make keeping track of your pictures even easier. Just drag and drop...and at the end of the year, you'll have a fabulous picture book to sum up 2010. There is even place to add a caption for each picture or write about your favorite pic of the week. As always, you can customize you book to make it just right for you. *Note: Anyone can make this book with a free account, and you can share it with or without printing!!

Happy New Year

2010-01-04T09:25:00.000-08:00

2010.

Wow!

Can you believe 2009 is already over? I'm still trying to catch up!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a fabulous New Year's celebration! Christmas with our family was wonderful, but (as usual) it was over too quickly. I never get to do all of the things that I have planned to do. I suppose it's my own fault since Christmas also tends to be a time when we stay in our jammies all day long and just be lazy! This year we spent Christmas with my family in Canada. I went armed with my camera and lots of memory cards, and now that we're in the New Year and I feel like I actually need to do something, I'm getting to work recapping 2009 with a Family Yearbook.

Making Family Yearbooks was actually one of the reasons that I got involved with Heritage Makers in the first place. I wanted to have a way to put all of the pictures, stories, and dates together. Scrapbooking just took to long for me. I'm okay at journaling for a while and then I stop for a longer while, and I take lots of pictures, but I never actually put a date on them...or print them out for that matter. They just sit on my computer until I've got wayyyyyyyy too many, and I transfer them to a CD. So, Heritage Makers was a great solution for me! I could upload my pictures, choose a template, and with absolutely no creative thought of my own, create a great family yearbook to preserve all of the special family memories we created over the year. It's perfect!

How about you? How do you preserve all those great family memories?

So, here's a challenge for you: Don't leave those pictures on your computer (or under your bed), don't let those memories fade...choose a way to keep track of all of your special memories, whether it's scrapbooking, journaling, or hmmmm....Heritage Makers! (sorry, just had to get that in there) Maybe you're interested in doing a family yearbook, or maybe you're more ambitious, and want to do a yearbook for each of your children. It really doesn't matter what you do...the point is, that you do it! Complete 1 or 2 pages for each month, and by the end of the year you'll have a great memory book for the whole family to enjoy.

If you're interested in starting a family yearbook with Heritage Maker's, I'd love to help. Shoot me an e-mail at featuringfamily@gmail with your phone number and what you're interested in doing, and I'll give you a call. Just to give you a better idea, here are a few of my favorite templates from the template gallery:

 

or

 

or

 

And here's a little preview of the yearbook I'm working on for our family!

(Keep in mind...it's a work in progress)

Happy Heritage Making!

And The Winner Is...

2009-12-07T14:09:00.000-08:00

Okay...so not too many entries for the giveaway. (But that makes it better for everyone that did enter!) I counted any comments both from the blog and facebook....and just for any of you who tried to guess my favorite Christmas song, it is: "The Christmas Song" by Mel Torme!

The winner of the Christmas tile is:

Kirsten Esselman

Congratulations Kir!

Giveaway

2009-11-30T09:44:00.000-08:00

I got to spend my weekend working at a craft fair in a local city. It was a lot of fun meeting new people and telling them about something that I absolutely love...Heritage Makers. It also got my holiday season started off right...the hustle and bustle of people, Santa talking to the kids, yummy smells....Mmmmmm!

So, now I feel like passing my Christmas spirit on to you! I'm having my very first giveaway...EVER!! I've got to tell you, I've always wanted to do something like this...and it's really cool to be able to do one just in time for Christmas!

Here's what you can win: A 6x6 Christmas Tile...made especially by me!

These tiles are perfect for your own Christmas decorating or for giving away as neighbor, friend, and teacher gifts. They're fun. You can personalize them however you want, and they are relatively inexpensive. These particular tiles were made by using a 1/4 page of an HM 12x12 scrap page (so you get 4 6x6 tiles out of 1 page), a standard 6x6 tile, and a little bit of modge podge. Click here for directions to make your own.

#1 - Let it Snow

#2 - Silent Night

To enter, simply leave me a comment with your name, e-mail address (so I can contact you if you win), and tell me which tile you want.

You can also earn some extra entries by doing any of the following:

1. Blog or post on facebook about the giveaway, then leave me a comment that it's been done!

2. If you haven't already registered for a free account....REGISTER on my website, then leave me a comment. OR If you already have an account, refer someone else to my website and have them sign up for a free account. Leave me a comment with their full name and when I receive confirmation from HM that their account has been activated, you'll get another entry.

3. Leave me a comment and guess my favorite Christmas song. If you get it right, I'll give you an extra entry. HINT: it's sung by a crooner!

I'll keep the drawing open until next Monday (Dec. 7th) at noon...and who know, if it goes well, maybe I'll do another one before Christmas!

Remember the holiday deadlines if you're planning on ordering for Christmas:

United States

Storybooks

Dec. 2 (ground and priority)

Dec. 7 (two day)

Dec. 10 (next day)

Other Products

Dec. 11 (ground and priority)

Dec. 14 (direct ship cards/two day)

Dec. 16 (next day)

Here's to starting the holidays off right! Merry Christmas and Happy Heritage Making!

A Gift For Me

2009-11-23T07:59:00.000-08:00

Click here to preview the entire book

So last week was my birthday...and I'm gonna toot my own horn a little.

For the past few weeks I've been working on a special book for my family. The book itself hasn't been hard, but I'm a little bit OCD about pictures and making things just right, so it's taken me a while to complete the project. I'm now happy to say that my first Heritage Makers book is done, and to make things even better, my copy arrived in the mail just in time for my birthday.

Happy Birthday to me!!

Merry Christmas to me!!

{Insert any other happy holiday greeting} to me....

YAY!

Seriously, I was like a 4 year old on Christmas morning. The package came in the mail, and I was trying to rip it open as I walked into the house. When I finally got the packaging off of my little creation, I had to sit down and savor each page. I mean I worked on the thing everyday, but there is just something so rewarding about seeing something that you've created go from a picture on a computer screen to something tangible that you can hold in your hand! I think I'm hooked. I'm trying to decide what to do for my next book...and I'm working on tweaking the same book for each of my different families.

Stay tuned for the holiday special of the week. I'll post it sometime after 12 pm MST today.

Happy Heritage Making!

Top Secret Santa Agent

2009-11-16T17:30:00.000-08:00

Warning: Don't read this post in front of the kiddies!

Shhhhh...it's top secret!

This idea is more of a pre-Christmas gift rather than a Christmas gift, but since HM is running their card special this week, I thought it would be appropriate. (Click here for card prices)

If your house is anything like mine, you probably have a Santa Claus fan (or two...or three.) Here's a fun little idea to start the season out right: Letter's from Santa!

(Click here to view the entire postcard from Santa)

What kid wouldn't want to get their own letter from Santa Claus? To this day my sister swears that she called the North Pole and talked to Santa Claus. It has been the pinnacle of her Christmas experience! Unfortunately I no longer have that phone number, and honestly, the phone bill is probably out of the budget this year, BUT a well timed letter from the Big Guy might be just as good! Send a little extra holiday cheer your kids way. Think what a little reminder about the naughty or nice list could do to help your happy home for the next several weeks. Maybe some encouragement to keep their rooms clean...talk kindly...share. (Oooh, I think a letter from Santa every month starting January 1st might be worth it's weight in gold!)

Anyhoo...the look on my 4 year olds face when he get's his Christmas letter from Santa will be priceless! I can't wait to see it!

Ho Ho Ho!

Heritage Makers Giveaway

2009-11-12T09:32:00.000-08:00

Attention all HM fans...or future fans!

Enter to win a FREE Heritage Makers 20 x 20 canvas credit just by becoming a fan of Heritage Makers on Facebook. By becoming a fan between now and November 29, 2009, you automatically enter the drawing to receive this great addition to your home décor. On Cyber Monday (November 30), we’ll post the winner on our fan page.

Don’t miss this chance.

Become a fan today by following this link http://bit.ly/4mwI9e!

Christmas Cards

2009-11-11T08:40:00.000-08:00

(click here to view the entire card)

I don't know about you, but I never seem to be on the ball enough to get my Christmas cards out on time. They usually end up being a New Years greeting! Not this year!

With Heritage Makers, I can make my cards in a jiffy, and have them sent directly to whoever I need them to go to. WooHoo!! Cute. Easy. I can personalize them as much or as little as I want. And even better...they're done in time for me to send out to all our friends and family! A little less stress for a busy season!

HM has a bunch of Christmas art to choose from if you're one of those creative types and want to make your own...or, if you're more like me, they have a bunch of templates to choose from. Just drag and drop to swap your pics, personalize your text, and you're good to go. The best part is that a lot of the templates are available in Basic (meaning you don't need a premier membership to create something really cute.) Check out some of these cute BASIC cards!

I guess the only negative is that I won't have an excuse for not getting my Christmas cards out this year. Oh well!

Have fun creating your own cards. Let me know if I can help (or if you're really pinched for time, I'll create your cards for you) and contact me for special packages and pricing that is not available on-line!

New Art, New Templates

2009-11-06T23:20:00.000-08:00

Heritage Makers has just released a bunch of new artwork, templates, and fonts, just in time for your holiday projects.

Wanna get the jump on Christmas cards this year. Check out these templates. They're really cute and super easy! Even better...they're made with BASIC art...no premier membership required!

Next, HM just introduced a bunch of new art into the art collection. My personal favorite??? The Canadiana Collection of course! WooHoo eh!! All new art is located in the Studio under the art collection tab. The newest collections will always be featured at the top of the art collection, and they will be highlighted to make sure that you don't miss them!

Lastly, check out the new fonts in your toolbox to help you give your project that extra special touch!

Happy heritage making...remember heritage is a million moments everyday!

Christmas Gift Idea

2009-10-28T11:51:00.001-07:00

Ok...so, Christmas is approaching faster than I anticipated.

Christmas??

Why are we talking about Christmas when we haven't even gotten to Halloween yet??

Well, to put it simply... I'm one of those people. (My husband won't talk about Christmas until after Thanksgiving is over...he also does his Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve.) I tend to do my Christmas shopping all year round, but it hasn't happened that way this year, and now here I am at the end of October. Christmas is staring me right in the face, and I'm nowhere near as ready as I was last year at this time.

Anyhoo, if you're like me and feeling somewhat frazzled by the fast approaching holiday season, and need some quick and easy holiday gift ideas, here ya go....

(the posts over the next few weeks might give you a few ideas for family, friend, teacher, neighbor, etc. gifts, so stayed tuned)

Gift 1 - Poster!

Bah....poster. Who needs another poster in their house? Maybe you when you see this one! This is actually a family proclamation poster, so it would be perfect as an extended family gift.

It's super easy. It's made from a template...just drop your pics in, publish it, throw it in a frame when you get it and you're good to go. You can make it in both a 12X18 or an 18X24 size, and as with any Heritage Makers stuff that you do, it's completely customizable.

Click here for a better view.

Can it get any easier than that? Probably not!

Honestly, it took me about 10 minutes to do. (shhhh...I won't tell if you don't!)

Just remember that holiday deadlines are coming up, so if you want this for Christmas, you'll want to get busy. If you don't already have an account, go to www.featuringfamily.com and create one. Load your photos. Let me know if you want the template (because it's not available in the template gallery) and plop in your pics. Contact me for special pricing that's not available on-line, and publish away!!

Yay!! You're one gift closer to being ready for Christmas!

Tiles

2009-10-21T07:45:00.001-07:00

I'm still in the process of creating some great storybooks with Heritage Makers...but in the mean time, here's another fun (and easy) project!

As a company, Heritage Makers believes that their products can be used to help strengthen the family. I think so too! And that doesn't necessarily mean I've done something with family pictures or memories or anything like that. In fact, for this project, I had conference on the mind.

I decided that one way to strengthen my family would be to have uplifting, faith-building art/quotes/etc. around the house. As I was re-reading the April 2009 conference issue of the Ensign I remembered one of my favorites quotes given by Pres. Monson, and thought that it would be perfect for this project.

I used a 12X12 scrap page. I started with a picture of Pres. Monson, added the quote, threw in a picture that I took (I knew I'd find a use for it one day!), stuck on a couple of embellishments, and put a title on it. Who knew the title would be the hardest part to come up with??? Anyway, here's what the finished scrap page turned out like:

Click here for a better view of the finished scrap page!

Now for the second part of the project...

I wanted to use this as some kind of art around the house, so I needed to find a way to display it other than stick it on the wall. My solution: A Tile

Here are the quick and easy directions to making your creation into a tile:

Supplies:

1 tile (the size of the scrap page...in my case 12X12)

modge podge

foam brush

1 scrap page

Directions:

1. Since the scrap page and tile are very rarely the same size, trim the scrap page so that it will fit nicely on the tile. (Be sure to take this into account when you are actually making your scrap page, and don't put anything too close to the edge.)

2. Put a light layer of modge podge directly onto the tile.

3. Place the scrap page on the tile (right side up obviously!) Smooth out the page. Rub out as many of the bubbles as possible.

4. Turn face down (and add some weight) until dry.

5. When dry, place another layer of modge podge over top of the scrap page. Let dry again.

6. VOILA...done! Now find a place to put it.

The finished product is now sitting on top of my piano for all to see. I'm thinking of doing a few more (with other conference talks) to either display in other places around our house, or switch out every once in a while. I think that they are perfect little reminders of really important things!

Wouldn't this be a great Christmas gift??

So...now it's your turn. What quote, picture, etc. could you put on a tile that would be a good message for your family? Think about it, make it, and share it with me!

Family Standards/Mission Statement

2009-10-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

So...

Here's a nifty, quick little project, made with a 7 panel family fold (technically, you could make it with any of the family fold's that you want to, but the 7 panel fit my family perfectly.)

I must admit that the idea to make this came because I was somewhat annoyed at my children and their behavior. I guess the other thing Heritage Makers does for me is offer me an outlet to vent my frustrations :) LOL!

Anyhoo, the idea came as I looked at a vinyl saying I had on my wall: "Be true to who you are and the family name you bear." As I thought about the saying I started thinking about WHO we are (meaning my family) and how that should be reflected in the way we act and the things we do, so I decided to use the letters of our surname to write a reminder for my kids of how the hubby and I expect them to act/behave/conduct themselves/etc. This is what I came up with:

Click here to get a closer look at the finished product.

We have this sitting on a little shelf in the living room, and we're planning to take a letter each week during our FHE and discuss what it means in a little bit more depth. I've also thought that since the family fold is fairly small, I can make copies for each of the kids to carry with them as a reminder of what we expect of our entire family.

So...there you have it. A quick and easy project with a potentially great lesson. What characteristics/qualities could the letters of your last name...or maybe each child's first name represent?? Think about it, make it, and share it with me!

Up and Running

2009-10-16T15:36:00.001-07:00

Okie dokie...

I am officially up and running, and this is officially my first post for the Featuring Family Blog...a blog that will feature ways to feature our families.

First thing's first:

I am Heritage Makers Independent Consultant. Translation: It's my job to create (and help you create) projects to help preserve the meaningful relationships and memories in life.

Heritage Makers was founded in 2005 and has quickly become a leader in personal publishing.

At Heritage Makers their goal is to make preserving family stories simple, fun, and rewarding. Heritage Makers helps people everywhere create beautiful, heirloom quality storybooks which document the priceless relationships, events, and experiences of life. They also believe that the company can strengthen family, improve relationships, and build children's self esteem.

That's it (in a nutshell.)

For me personally, Heritage Makers has become a way for me to take the special memories that our family has created and make them into tangible projects for my entire family to enjoy. It has become a way to keep our family journal. I has also been a way for me to take things that are important to our family, be it pictures, stories, quotes, etc. and preserve them in some form or another. It has got me taking more pictures, and making notes to remember what those pictures are. I'm constantly thinking of new storybooks, posters, cards, etc. to create!

Which brings me to the reason for creating this blog....

My goal in starting this blog is to give you (the reader) ideas for projects. Things that you can do to make your home a heritage home. Everything from my own personal stories and projects to home decor. As this blog is a work in progress, check back often for new ideas...and remember, heritage is a million everyday moments!