catch up on your photos: step 9

Step Nine of the Ten-Step Escape Plan:

CALENDAR your time and keep your commitments to yourself.  Memory-keeping is one of the best ways to spend your time because it benefits YOU (increase in happiness & decrease in stress) as well as YOUR FAMILY (self-esteem & heirlooms).  It's worth it!

(Did you miss the last Escape Plan Step?  Click the "how to catch up on your photos" tab in red along the top.)

What if I hate scrapbooking?

Good news, then, my friend.  Good news!

You absolutely don't have to "scrapbook" in order to preserve your photos and memories!  

It's true.  Memory-keeping requires memories.  That's it.  Find a do-able, high-quality method to preserve them, and you're done.  No "scrapbooking" involved.

Think about this.  Photography is 200 years old.  It can obviously exist without being scrapbooked.

  

There are so many obstacles to this scrapbooking thing that started 20-ish years ago.  Time.  Space to lay everything out and work.  Space to store everything.  Cost.  Interest.  

So I'm gonna preach it until I'm blue in the face:  You don't have to be a scrapbooker to preserve your photos.  You just have to have photos.

What I call "unscrapbooking" was first referred to as "storybooking" by the fabulous people who started Heritage Makers in 2004.  Whatever you call it, it's a way to preserve your photos with the stories or memories that belong to them in a meaningful, high-quality way. 

It doesn't take nearly as much time as traditional scrapbooking, and there's literally no space required for storage or for work except the space already occupied on your desk by your computer.  Everything is online in your private account, and that's all you need.  The cost is competitive and there are many additional benefits {which you can check out here}. 

And if you weren't interested in scrapbooking, you'll love the differences in UNscrapbooking (storybooking).  Your finished product can have a creative, scrapbooked look without any work, OR it can be a basic, clean, simple look.

Either way, you've found a do-able, high-quality way to preserve photos and memories to enjoy today and in the future.  #makesomethingmeaningful

To get started, go to the "how to get started" tab in red along the top and start enjoying all the benefits of memory-keeping WITHOUT scrapbooking!

And if you're in need of more tips and inspiration, sign up for my newsletter in the right sidebar.  It's only once a month and will keep you updated on sales, events, and helpful ideas.  And for those who need it, it serves as a reminder to get moving on your memory-keeping.

catch up on your photos: step 8

Step Eight of the Ten-Step Escape Plan:

Start small and easy.  It really helps!  Start small and KEEP GOING!

(Did you miss the last Escape Plan Step?  Click the "how to catch up on your photos" tab in red along the top.)

DIY name tags (that rock!)

You can get pretty clever with Heritage Makers products because they're completely customizable.  I've shown you a few before--like address labels becoming chocolate wraps for celebrations and events {here} as well as {here}, and home decor blocks from scrapbook pages {here} and {here} and even DIY wine glass tags from a scrapbook page (which I used for home decor) right {here}.

I recently decided to make name tags for my monthly {Memory-Keeping Group}.  There are some new folks, so I decided it would be nice to have something special as people meet each other.

There's a UV coating option on scrap pages, which I got so I could use a dry-erase marker on it.  HOW COOL IS THAT?!

About this same time, a friend of mine from a nationwide women's networking group* asked me if she could hire me to make name tags for their chapter so they'd really stand out!  (Of course!!)  Orange and pink are the group's colors, and I got permission to use a couple of logos.  I LOVE how special this makes their chapter!

HOW-TO: 

1. I first recommend buying the plastic name tag holders at an office supply store so you know what size name tags you'll be creating.
2. If you don't already have a Heritage Makers account, open one (they're free) by following the steps in the red "how to get started" tab at the top of this blog.  
3. Once you have your Heritage Makers account, all you do is click "start a project."  Select a scrapbook page size or 11x14 print.  I needed to make the name tags 3x4 so they'd fit into the plastic holders.  I decided to use an 11x14 print instead of a scrap page since I could fit more of this size on there.  They're a tad cheaper for the size, too.
4. Using the drag-n-drop system (called Studio), create the name tags in the sizes of your name tag holders.  If you have questions about using Studio, ask me using the "contact me" tab or refer to the tutorials in the "how to get started' tab.  Digital art is included with all Heritage Makers products!
5. I made one tag and then copied and pasted to make a sheet full of nine.  Being able to copy and paste will save you a lot of time when creating these.  You can even copy whole projects!
6. When you're ready, submit your project for publishing on Heritage Makers' giant printing press, select the UV coating option (free for Club HM members), and wait 7-10 days for it to arrive at your door.  
7. Cut out the name tags from the Heritage Makers print and put them in the plastic holders.

It really makes a nicer, more professional and impressive look.  I love how these turned out.  They're great for business, of course, and can be re-used when used with a dry-erase marker.

Thanks to the wonderful Elda of {Compassionate Truth} for taking pictures of these orange ones for me!  (photos used with permission)  I love being hired to make something fabulous for people, but the only thing I don't love about it is that I don't often get to see the finished product (since it's shipped to the person I'm making it for)--so I was happy to see how GREAT these turned out!

*By the way, if you're a woman business owner and you're looking for a positive, fun, supportive way to network with other women and make friends, definitely check out {Polka Dot Powerhouse}.  There are chapters all over the country, and even online connects for those who don't have a chapter nearby.  You can visit a Polka Dot Powerhouse meeting as a guest once without being a member, so click the "find meetings" link there at the website to see what's near you.  If you visit, you'll need to have been invited by someone, so just put "Jennifer Wise" as the person who invited you, and go enjoy meeting some wonderful women! 

catch up on your photos: step 7

Step Seven of the Ten-Step Escape Plan:

Do what works for YOU!  It's so important.  Don't worry about what anyone (or everyone) else is doing.  Do YOUR thing!

(Did you miss the last Escape Plan Step?  Click the "how to catch up on your photos" tab in red along the top.)

the best way to store your digital photos

There are so many suggestions out there, so much advice, on the best way to store your digital photos.  How about we just simplify it?!

The current expertise is to store your digital photos twice digitally (two different ways) and once in print.

In fact, did you know if you Google "how to store photos," the one commonality in any article you read is this:  be sure you have a hard copy.

Did you know that you can store your photos all three ways right in your Heritage Makers account?!  It's true.  And it's SO simple!

DIGITAL STORAGE METHOD #1:  The moment you upload your photos to your Heritage Makers account, they are stored in the cloud at full resolution.  That means you can download them back at any time!  (For free--I know that's not always the case with other companies.)  If your computer crashes, your photos are still in your Heritage Makers account.  And better still, all photos that you've published in a Heritage Makers project are stored FOR FREE, indefinitely!

DIGITAL STORAGE METHOD #2:  Heritage Makers works with {Millenniata using MDisc} to offer photo storage on CDs that have a rock-like layer that withstands light, temperature, humidity, and so many other things that degrade regular CDs.  In fact, regular CDs have a life span of less than 5 years.  (Yikes!)  The MDisc can last 1,000 years!  And you can save your pictures to it right from your Heritage Makers account with the click of a button.

I just ordered an MDisc recently, right from my Heritage Makers account.  It was simple!!  That screen shot above is my order.  You can see that I saved an entire year's worth of photos on one disc.  I can pay cash or use Publishing Points I've already purchased through Club HM!  This could not be simpler, and I like having the longevity of the MDisc.

As great as storing your photos digitally is, you don't take photos in order to store them.  You take photos in order to SEE them.

PRINT STORAGE METHOD:  Although you can choose any of the wonderful methods I've listed in the "Memory-Keeping Options" tab in red at the top of this blog, I personally prefer and recommend preserving your photos with their memories using Heritage Makers digital publishing.  It's simple, beautiful, high-quality, and a hundred other things, but one of the best things about it is that a digital copy of your completed project is stored in your account indefinitely.  Your Heritage Makers projects are protected by Heirloom Assurance, a "just in case" program Heritage Makers offers that allows you to replace any damaged or destroyed project at half price.

What that really means is this.  I took a lot of photos on this special trip in 2015, the last family trip we took before my mom passed away.

If a toddler dumps juice on this book, or if my house burns down, I STILL HAVE THIS BOOK.

That's a huge deal to me.  That's an enormous deal to me.

Heirloom Assurance makes a world of difference!

To see more photo perks of storing your photos in Heritage Makers, both digitally and in print, click the red "photo information" tab at the top of this page. 

Keeping your photos safe and protected both digitally and in print is so easily accomplished at just one website!  The price is excellent and the quality is unbeatable.  

If you need help preserving your photos and stories with Heritage Makers, #icanhelp

catch up on your photos: step 6

Step Six of the Ten-Step Escape Plan:

Working with other people is helpful to some people and even crucial to others.  Have you seen my work events in the "need TIME?" tab in red above?

(Did you miss the last Escape Plan Step?  Click the "how to catch up on your photos" tab in red along the top.)

free online class: Gift Ideas for Mothers Day & Fathers Day

If you want to give a Mom or Dad something they'll LOVE, but you need some help in the IDEA department, come get some great ideas at this 40-minute Heritage Makers class I'm teaching on the 15th.

I suggest watching the Video Introduction to Heritage Makers (link at the bottom, which is {right here}) ahead of time if you're interested in knowing HOW Heritage Makers works and what creating in the Heritage Makers Studio is like.

Be sure Zoom is downloaded to your computer ahead of time, too, so you're ready to join the class right at 7:00 on Wed. Mar. 15, 2017.

You will definitely come away with some impressive, heartfelt, and perfect gift ideas!  See you then. 

catch up on your photos: step 5

Step Five of the Ten-Step Escape Plan:

All the organization and desire in the world only gets you so far--the next step is to find something fabulous.  Something FUN and ENJOYABLE and even ADDICTING is a very important step to preserving your photos and memories because it helps you do it!  Explore some beautiful, do-able, high-quality possibilities (for digital OR printed photos) at the "3 memory-keeping options" tab in red above.

(Did you miss the last Escape Plan Step?  Click the "how to catch up on your photos" tab in red along the top.)