Tag: Forever

Fall Back in Love with your Photos

Where did October go and how did we end up in November with the time changing already?  I know I am not the only one that is in awe of how fast time seems to be going the older we get and the more things we have going.  As I get things back up and going with the blog this Holiday Season I want to remind you to think of that photo that reminds you of a special time in your childhood or with a special friend of family member.  That feeling you get when you think of that photo – that is why I do what I do, I love the feeling of reminiscing and remember the story that went with the moment that was captured on the photo.  It doesn’t have to be a professional photo, or even a good angle, the photos of someone’s head cut off or the mostly of the floor tell a story too.  Do you know where that special photo is, do you have that story captured somewhere?

Do you dream of a day where all of your photos are in one place?  Maybe you dream of that perfectly lined shelf of photo albums and books that tell your children’s life story (or even your own)?  Do you want to have your walls filled with photos and memories of those you love?

Let’s work to make some of those dreams come true. This Fall and into the holiday season, let’s spend a little time Gathering our photos just like we gather the leaves in the yard or apples from the orchard.  Let’s find ways to Celebrate and Share them with those that will enjoy them too.

If you are ready to jump in (whether it be a piles of leaves or pile of photos), mark your calendar for next Saturday, November 9th for our Monthly Photo Workshop in Cary, NC.  I have plenty of room in my afternoon session (3pm-10pm).  Come for as short or as long as you would like.  Remember if it is your first time, it is FREE after 3pm, for everyone else you can sign up here, choose the Evening Only Option for just $25: https://squareup.com/market/sagp

If you are not quite sure about jumping in all the way but want to get started, here is my best advice for tackling any photo project.

Start Current and the Work Backwards

Yes that is it – start with your current photos (digital or physical prints).  Gather those that are the most recent – this month or even this year and tackle those first.  It will help you create a system that works for you today.  If you find others from outside of this time frame put them in a box or folder until you get to that time.  Then back up a month or year at a time and continue with the process you have started.  If you want some additional tips and ideas, you might enjoy going back to my post about The Power in 15 Minutes.  I am continuing my 2019 Favorites Album and look forward to creating my annual photo book pages with ease because I have spent 15 minutes once a month, gathering my favorites as I go and don’t have hundreds of photos to go through later.  It is a great time to start with October 2019 if you haven’t started before now!

Happy Fall!

 

I may have been quiet on the blog the last few weeks but I am working on a few fun things with my business to have ready for you all in the last quarter of the year.  To give you a sneak peak:

Events

October: We have our Fall Ladies Get-a-way coming up in October

November: Regular Monthly Workshop

December Regular Monthly Workshop

Be sure to check our the Events Page for sign up information and further detail.  

Forever – Click here to Shop

Watch for more information about getting Back to the Basics with storage, media conversion and photo project creation this fall.

Storage: Whether you have just purchased Forever storage or you have had it for years, I want to help you find the work flow and organization system that works best for you and your family.

Media Conversion:  Let’s get that old box of photos, slides and videos out of storage and determine the items you want to scan or convert to digital versions that can be shared.

Photo Projects: Are you overwhelmed with past projects that are undone?  Whether you are an avid Artisan user or you are loving the quick options with Design & Print.  We will break those projects into manageable pieces so you can see progress and check off those projects this fall.

Creative Memories – Click here to Shop

So many great products are being released each month, we will take time this fall to taken inventory of our projects and supplies to make sure we know what we need to finish those up.  Join us at our October Retreat or monthly workshops this Fall for a Mini Power Layout Breakout to help you with those traditional projects.

Don’t forget that Forever is now a great choice for printing high quality photo prints.  If you are interested in getting a $10 welcome coupon, sign up for a free intro account at: https://www.forever.com/ambassador/elizabethgoodson  This is a great partner for our traditional projects with CM.

Fun Mail Surprises

Do you love when your mail box is filled with fun things rather than only bills and advertisements?  Help me make sure I have your address correct by using the preferences option at the bottom of any recent e-mail or use the form below.  If you like surprises and fun in your mail boxes, I am launching a fun new project this fall that you will not want to miss.  Be sure I have your mailing address so you don’t miss the sneak peak mailing introducing this in a few weeks.

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Check back here and in your e-mail for more updates over the next few weeks!

Wrapping up the Lighten the Load Summer!

I don’t know about you but this has been a good focus for me this summer.  I may not have finished everything on my list but I did Lighten my Load this summer.  I made quite a bit of progress on my album pages in one of my ongoing photo projects, with your help I was able to clear the shelves of some of my extra Creative Memories inventory and I even package up a media conversion order that had been sitting for months and get it sent back to Forever to convert.

I know that my work is not done so don’t worry we will shift to a new focus this fall to keep going or get started whichever stage you are in.  But before we close out this wrap up, I would love to hear about what projects you got done or maybe that you wish you had made some progress on this season.

What is coming Next

I have a few fun things up my sleeves this Fall and don’t want you to miss out, I will continue to share here on the Blog but more details will be shared through e-mail.  Are you on my e-mail list and getting my messages?  Typically you will see something from me about once a week through e-mail.  If you have not been seeing those and know you are on my list already, be sure to check your Spam or Promotional folders with your e-mail service to be sure they are not getting hidden in there.

If you haven’t joined my e-mail list yet, you can do so by going to the About Section above and enter your e-mail address in there.

I also want to make sure I have correct mailing addresses for all of my clients and followers so you don’t miss a couple of extra special treats I am working on.  Please take a moment to go to the last e-mail you have received from me and go to the bottom of that message and Update Preferences.  You can add your address there, update your preferences like if you prefer Traditional or Digital photo projects as well as add your birthday.

Upcoming Events

I love to connect in person and help you see that progress with your own project.  Be sure to check the Events Page above to see the latest events and to sign up for the ones you want to join.  We have a workshop coming up Saturday, September 14th or a Retreat the weekend of October 11-13.  Each of these are great times to work on your own projects and ask your questions too.

DON’T FORGET – UPDATE YOUR PREFERENCES ON YOUR E-MAIL AND CHECK OUT THE EVENTS PAGE TODAY

Is time flying for you?

I don’t know about you but my social media feed has been filled with college move-in photos and fun milestones happening with lots of friends as they are helping get new college freshman moved into to school this weekend.  The next things coming up will be all of those first day of school photos and I am sure if there are this many moving into college there are probably a few High School Seniors this year too.  No, I don’t have kids graduating or moving into college but as a friend shared this photo I couldn’t help but think that I have a tool and simple process that might be helpful to some of you if you find yourself in a similar stage to my friend – especially with high school seniors although this can be helpful to others too.

 

I know it was true when I was in high school and have found that it is still true today, that senior year can be crazy but it is also a time when you are pulling out old photos.  There seem to be lots of times when you need that photo of your sweet senior as a baby, elementary school aged student just starting school, playing the sport they loved, or other special moments.  Do you know where those photos are today?  Does that causes you panic just thinking about it?  First, take a breath and know that I can help and will be happy to help you come up with a unique plan just for you but if you need a little guidance to get you started, here are some simple steps, I would suggest today.

  1. Set up a FREE Forever Account (if you don’t already have one) by using this link: https://www.forever.com/ambassador/elizabethgoodson
  2. Set up a couple of Albums for your soon to be graduate:
    • Senior Year Album – to capture all of the current year’s photos of the special gatherings, events and celebrations.
    • Toddler to Teen Album – to capture your favorite photos from each stage of life.
    • Special Project Album – If you have a special gift in mind, you may want to create an album for that project.
  3.  Spend a little bit of time each week so you aren’t overwhelmed come spring.  If you haven’t been following my blog this summer you may enjoy checking out: The Power in 15 Minutes Blog post.
  4. Need more help, consider joining us for a monthly workshop or let’s set up a coffee chat.
  5. Enjoy this season!

Some of the benefits of using a Forever Account for this project are:

  • When you create a FREE account using the link above, you will get a $10 Welcome coupon you can use on your first order.
  • Your photos will be maintained in their full resolution – when you need to share with others for yearbook entries or video celebrations, they will be the high quality versions that can be used however they are needed.
  • If you wanted to create a photo book, canvas, graduation announcement or other photo gift you will already have the photos handy.

Forever is a great tool for saving, organizing and sharing our favorite photos, videos and audio files and memories.  Whether you have a high school senior or other photo goals, I am happy to chat with you about your specific needs and create a plan that will work for you.  We didn’t gather all of these photos overnight so it is best to work on them a little at a time and have a system that we can keep up – little by little.

I don’t have all day…but I do have a few hours!

Have you ever thought…..

I don’t have all day to join the Photo Workshop but I am curious what it is all about.

I have a small project, I don’t need a full 12 hours.

What would I do all day working on my photos?

I can imagine if you have never joined us you might be wondering what in the world do we do all day at our Monthly Photo Workshop.  You may be weighing this with your other commitments and priorities.  I wanted to share a bit more about what my events look like so you can decide if you might want to pop in for an hour or two or put it on your calendar for month later this year.

This type of event started when I had mostly traditional scrapbookers and it would take a while to unpack all of the tools, supplies and products for our projects and once we got it all out, we wanted to be sure we made our effort count.  We sometimes called these events Crops but they were a very similar type of event where you would come and work on your project, and be able to benefit from the help and inspiration of others.  My customers liked having a large block of time that they could dedicate to working on their photo projects and having it regularly each month helped us stay on top on things or catch up on past years.  This event has molded and shifted a bit over the years as it has grown and the group has changed.  Now we have quite the variety of folks who come, some who still love to bring the traditional projects and appreciate the time and space to set up and spread out for the day but we also have plenty of folks who come for a shorter time.  Some will bring a laptop or a box of media conversion to work on and pop in and out for a few hours.  The beauty of this event is that you have the flexibility to do what works for you.  I provide the space and time and a couple of registration options and you bring the project you want to work on and we have fun together.

Our agenda is very loose but generally runs like this:

10am – Doors Open

11:45ish – While everyone grabs a plate of lunch, I share a welcome as well as New Product update from Creative Memories and Current Specials from Forever

 

Lunch is provided for those who join with the Full Day and 1/2 Day Option

1:30ish – Project Recipe Break out – This is a 2 page traditional layout that we do as a group.  Instructions and supplies are provided.  Typically the only needed supplies are a tape runner and a 12″ trimmer but I have all supplies if you need to borrow something.  Included with the Crop Option (Full Day and 1/2 Day Option) or can be added on for an additional fee for anyone else who is interested in joining.

 

2ish – NEW in July – Digital demo of Monthly Project Recipe using Artisan for the digital scrapbookers to create similar layout.

3pm – Transition Time – 1/2 Day Participants head out, Afternoon Only Participants start arriving.

Ask me about my Try it for “Free after 3” if it is your first time.  As long as space allows I welcome you to join us the first time for FREE with our “After 3pm” option.  RSVP is required.

3:30ish – Afternoon Snack provided

Dinner – On your Own

8pm – Store Close: I have CM products for sale and Forever products on Display throughout the day.  You can stop by anytime until 8pm to shop even if you are not participating in the workshop.  I will start to close down & pack up all of these items and tally final order forms at 8pm.

10pm – Doors Close

If you are ready to jump in and join us at the next Workshop, sign up by using the Events Tab at the top of the page.  Here are the current rates:

Full Day with Lunch

(10am-10pm)

 Traditional Customer

  • includes Project Recipe Kit, Full Table Space
  $         75.00
Digital Customer

  • includes shared table space, power to each spot
  $         50.00
Day Only (1/2 Day Option) with Lunch

(10am-3pm)

 Traditional Customer

  • includes Project Recipe Kit, Full Table Space
  $         60.00
Digital Customer

  • includes shared table space, power to each spot
  $         45.00
Afternoon Only (3pm-Close) As Space Allows (Trad/Dig)

  • Attend for as long or as short as you wish
  $         25.00

* If you would like to “Try it for FREE After 3”, please contact me directly to RSVP so I can reserve your spot.  This is available to anyone who has not attended a Monthly Workshop if over a year.  Come work along side us and get your questions answered or just jump start that next project you wanted to work on.

You can also always Pop In and Shop the latest new products from Creative Memories, Drop off a Media Conversion Order to add to my next Group box or check out what we have going on if you are in the neighborhood with a quick visit too.  No need to RSVP for pop in visits, I always love to see you all.  Just let me know you are coming if you want to be sure to have time for me to answer specific questions when you stop in. 

I hope you will join us in August whether it be for a short pop in visit, a Free after 3pm try it out option a Half Day option or All Day Long.  Come have fun with us while we check off a few project with our photos and learn something new too.

Where are my FB & Instagram Photos?

Did you have a moment of wonder or even worry this past week when Facebook and Instagram had the glitch and were not showing or posting photos?  I know I was confused but I was not worried since I have the peace of mind about my photos being safe with Forever and always being in at least 2 place that I can get my hands on them should one not be accessible.

The glitch that Facebook and Instagram experienced this week did remind me on a couple of things. See if any of these resonate with you:

  • Until it is broken, I forget how often I use social media to fill moments in my day.  Whether it is while I wait in line, when I am board, when I am curious about something, or even when someone come to mind.
  • When “the glitch” happened this week, I was intrigued by how all of the photos were replaced with white boxes with text in them.  I know about data mining but it was a good reminder about how that works and how this is typically done through computer scanning our photos and categorizing them.  It takes a far more detailed look that even I realized and flags my photos with tags that I don’t have a way to see or edit behind the scenes.
  • I am glad that I don’t rely on only a cloud based photo solutions – I know a few of you will pause in your tracts and say but I thought she sells cloud based photo storage.  I do and believe it in but I also sell and use (and have used for over 12 years) a software program on my computer that helps me organize my images.  I have always been a big believer and supporter of having your photos in a second location with another form of back up.
  • I felt so disconnected on Wednesday – we have become such social creatures who rely on our “social media” connections, our updates, our checking on others and our rush of seeing how others interacted with our own posts.

My final thoughts as we returned to normal routines was that I appreciate the benefits of “data mining” technology when I go to search something with Google or need to pull up something on my phone or computer and it remembers things I have done previously.  I also love sharing and connecting through social media with friend and family I don’t see as often and don’t plan on stopping this anytime soon however I also like knowing that I have choices about a safe and secure site to store my photos and videos that values our photos rights and does not data mine for any reason.  I can choose to pick the few photos I want to share on social media and then keep the the majority of my photos in this site and share in other ways.

As always, if you are looking for help with a plan on how to get your photos in one place – safe and secure I am happy to set up a time to chat further.  Our next Monthly Workshop is also a great time to pop in and learn more.  Be sure to check out our Events Tab to see when the next available workshop is to join.

Finding my Rhythm & Workflow

When I am able to spend some consistent time working with my own photos, I find a rhythm – a routine, a flow to the way I work.  I would love to share a bit of my process with you all.  There is not one correct way to do any of this but I find it helpful to hear how others organize their process and get their projects done and hope you will find this helpful too.

I am finding the best progress when I spend my time focusing on my favorite photos first and working one month at a time.  I have been using the 15 Minutes a Day approach I share about in The Power in 15 Minutes for months now to have my photos organized into a Favorites album in Forever.

I use Forever’s Artisan software for most of my photo projects these days since most of my photos are digital already.  It is a HUGE timesaver when I get to photos I have already worked through and picked my favorites.  I have recently wrapped up my 2017 Page Prints and started my 2018 Page prints so I will walk you through my flow on 2018 since that will be most easily able to be adapted to a complete book project or page print project. I personally love page prints for my annual albums because they give me the most flexibility in my albums and allow me to still use my Creative Memories style albums and insert traditional pages if I wish or if I happen to have printed photos or memorabilia that I want to include, I can do that easily too.

I start a NEW project for each year in Artisan and work through my pages in chronological order.  I always choose a 12×12 Hardbound Book project (even though I typically am going to print as page prints).  This allows me to have the features for viewing a 2 page spread which is my favorite way to work.  I like to choose a Pre-designed template to get me started.  I love Forever Design Maps as a good base to work with.  By choosing a Pre-designed kit rather than blank, I have at least some pages ready to pop my photos in and finish off quickly.  I can always switch around the pages or even pick other pre-designed pages I have from other kits or p2p Blueprints I have received with my membership each month.

I use the View Tab at the top of Artisan to choose the option to View 2 Separate Trimmed Pages (Yellow Highlighted area will give you this option) and I turn off the Print Guides to have the best working space.  My screen look like this when I am getting started.

A bonus tip if your page doesn’t look like this on the Elements Panel (left side), hover over the area between the Elements panel and the Welcome tab about where the magenta arrow is and there will be a small area.  Use your mouse and left click and drag this Elements Panel wider to see more detail like I have shown.  Play with this and find the way you like it best.

Once I have my project set up, I add just one month or one event photos at a time.  I find it is easier to work with 10-25 photos at a time rather than hundreds. I will my photos from my Forever Account > my 2018 Favorites Album.  I add the photos first and fill in the photo spots first, add more or remove any that aren’t needed and then I go and add paper and embellishments if the template needs any.  Remember to SAVE often so you don’t loose any work along the way.

Before I go to the next page, I add a title and journal at least a short caption or quick story that relates to the photos on the 2 pages. My final step is to go through and add shadows to photos and embellishments and text.  I typically add a Heavy Shadow to all photo boxes, titles and main elements of paper or embellishments and a light shadow to journalling and other lesser significant embellishments or top layers of paper.

Once I have 5-10 pages complete, I upload those completed pages to Forever Print to order with the next special and I save the JPGs so I can share the completed page either on social media or through my Forever account.

A few other tips that may be helpful as you are working through this process:

  • I like having lots of templates and blueprints available to pick from so when I use all of the templates in the base kit I have picked I have plenty to choose from.
  • You can change the template by going to the Home Ribbon and choosing Template (to change) or Add Page (to insert a new page).  You do have to switch back to the single page view to Add a new page but if you are changing you can do that from the 2 page view.
  • Whether you are changing a template or adding new page, you will be asked if you want to choose your template from an Art Kit or from your Computer.  Your Art Kit options are those kits that have been purchased through the Forever store.  Your p2p Blueprints will be found by using the Templates on your Computer.
  • One trick I often use is to go ahead and put photos in the template I have in front of me even if I don’t like it.  When I go to pick another template the preview will show me the new template with my photos already in it.  My photos may not be in the exact right spot but it gives me a good idea if it would be a good fit.  I can shuffle the photos as needed.

Do you want to see more?  I am happy to set up a time to do a 30 minute screen sharing conference call and show you how this looks when I do it and let you ask questions as I do.  Message me or comment below if you would like to join me for the next screen sharing conference call or if you would like to see this demo at my monthly workshop, July 13th.  Be sure you sign up if you are interested in joining us for the July workshop to hold your spot: July Workshop Sign up

Summer Sale – Facebook LIVE Style

 

I don’t want you to miss out on all the goodies I have available for Sale but the online list doesn’t seem to be the best way to share this so I am changing up a few things and will be sharing my remaining items Monday night on my Creative Memories FB Group.  Are you a member of this group?  If not, please be sure to join before Monday night so you don’t miss out – https://www.facebook.com/groups/Elizabeth.CMGroup/

I will have inventory that I have in stock available for a Buy 2, Get 1 XX% Off Sale on all items.  Your % Off will be 50% when you pick up your order at my house in Apex – from my drop box at my door or 40% for all other orders picked up at my workshop or with meeting between us.  If you would rather me ship the order I will be happy to ship for the additional charge.

You can find the current list of products I have shared so far over on the Summer Sale page – https://www.seeingagreaterpurpose.com/photo-solutions/summer-sale/ 

There will be even more items shared on Monday.

Mark your calendar – Monday, July 1, 2019 at 8pm ET.

Friendly Reminder:

Forever has amazing specials through the weekend – check the Deals Tab for the full lists.

Creative Memories is sharing NEW Products Monday.  Watch my FB Page for a sneak peak this weekend or jump on the website on Monday at noon for the remainder of the details.

Celebrating Vacations, Trips & Adventures

As I scroll through my Facebook and Instagram feed it is clear we are in the full swing of vacation season.  The last several years my family has taken our vacation the end of May.  It makes for a nice time before many places get super crowded and it helps me not to be too jealous when all of my friends start taking fun trips throughout the summer.  Honestly, I do live vicariously through all the fun photos shared and dream of trips to new fun places each time I see a new post – my list is quite long these days.

Have you been on a trip recently, maybe another type of adventure where the photos tell such a story of the memories made?  I really like taking our family photos and capturing the story of our trip in my photo albums or through canvas prints to display in my home.  With the amazing 50% off sale this week with Forever, I don’t want you to miss out on the great opportunity to jump on this special and have a simple and fun photo book or canvas to celebrate your latest vacation, trip or adventure.  Maybe the photos you want to celebrate aren’t that recent – there is no rules on how recent that latest vacation, trip or adventure may be when I share this.  No matter where you went or how long ago it might have been, have you thought about how you want to be sure to enjoy those photos beyond just social media or scrolling through them on your phone.

I know that some of you may be new to Forever and especially our online PRINT service.  We have an amazing software program called Artisan where we can create lots of fun projects (I am happy to teach you this too when we have more time) but when it comes to “Quick, Easy and DONE”, my go-to is the online PRINT Service.  Our books typically start at just $20 for a simple 8×8 or $35 for a 12×12 with options to upgrade and enhance in various ways or add pages.  With a 50% off sale, it is a great time to try this out and even try one of our upgraded options.  Also, I have a great opportunity to help you get $10 or more off your order too – on top of the 50% off sale.  That can make these books almost FREE.

Want to give it a try this week?  I am offering 2 opportunities to learn more – One in-person and One online!  Each will include a 30-45 minute step by step instructions with 30 minutes afterwards for additional questions or time to work on wrapping up your project while I am nearby to help if needed.  There is no cost to attend but I do ask for a RSVP to reserve your spot.

Celebrating Vacations, Trips & Adventures Events

Online – Wednesday, June 26, 2019 at 8pm

In-Person – Thursday, June 27, 2019 at 7pm at my home in Apex

You can sign up with the form below or e-mail me with the answers to these questions.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

3. Which event do you want to attend?(required)

 

I will walk you through all of the details at either event but if you are curious about what type of photo books you can create, check out this short video I shared a couple of months ago for a previous sale. Sample Photo Books

Do you know someone else that might enjoy joining us?  Be sure to have them use the form above to get things started with signing up to attend one of the events this week.

I would recommend that you have 25-75 photos from your vacation, trip or adventure to have the best options for a photo book project and 1-10 photos if you want to try the Canvas Print option.  If you are like me, most of my trips have many more photos – if you have time, pick your favorites from the trip to have about this number.  We can always add more pages to books if you have that need – 99 pages fit in these books!

I look forward to living vicariously with you this week as we celebrate the trips & adventures we all have taken and experienced.

Mark your Calendar – July Photo Workshop

 

Our July Workshop is just 4 weeks away so now is the perfect time to sign up and make sure you have a spot reserved for you.  We have a great time each month gathering with friends who also want to work with their photos and create meaningful albums and scrapbooks or just get them all corralled into one place.  Plan to join us for a few hours or the whole day, there is an option that will work for you no matter how much time you have available.  To see all the details and available events coming up be sure to check out: the Events Tab above.

If you have a Creative Memories order, please submit to me no later than July 1 to ensure that I include it with my next order.  If you haven’t checked out my Summer Sale, be sure to check out it out as new items are being added each week and let me know if you would like your order brought the workshop or you can pick up sooner at my house in Apex.

If you would like to add an order to my July Media Conversion Group box, bring your items with you or get them to me no later than July 12th so we an add it to this box.  Check out details about Forever’s Media Conversion Box Services and the Price List for when you add to a group box.