Category: Family

Memories Worth Preserving

What a different time we are living! I was suppose to be in Orlando, Florida right now, wrapping up an amazing conference and transitioning into some family fun at Disney – making memories.

This would have been our first time going to Walt Disney World as a family. We visited Disneyland in California when I was very young but we always talked about going to Walt Disney World in Florida and never did, even during the short time my parents lived in Florida.

About the time as we were growing up that we were seriously considering it, we had connected with a family from Belarus and our hearts were changed forever. We hosted some sweet sisters in our home for many summers and took our first international trip to a country that was not as glamorous as many aspire to travel to but was very special to us. I wouldn’t change that time and experiences for anything but fast forward to last year when I learned that my annual conference with Forever would be in Orlando at the Walt Disney World Resort, I knew I was going to go and quickly my family decided to join along with me in making plans. To say we were sad and disappointed that our trip had to be postponed would be an understatement. We knew a trip to Disney would not be a relaxing vacation especially in the heat of July but oh the fun we have together and the memories we were looking forward to making. We are hopeful that in another year we will all be picking up those plans and experiencing new things again and a trip to Disney World is high on our list of things to do in 2021.

As many of you have done, in these days, weeks and months lately we are shifting and adjusting to virtual experiences for the things that should have been in person. It isn’t the same as hugging that friend, sitting together over a meal or gathering in a large group to cheer and celebrate exciting things but for the last 3 days I have been touched by how much I have still enjoyed and learned through a virtual experience for the conference part of what would have been my trip to Florida.

I am reminded about how passionate I continue to be that our Memories are Worth Preserving. #MemoriesWorthPreserving is a phrase that has been repeated often this weekend and speaks to what the heart of Forever is all about. We are committed to helping you save, organize and share your precious memories whether they be a big family vacation like ours to Belarus many years ago or a moment in the yard on an average day 4+ months into a pandemic like this flower blooming. As we continue to shift and adjust to the new way of doing things, remember your memories are worth preserving today as well as the ones from past trips and experiences.

Do you have a photo taken recently that captures a moment you want to remember about this season? Maybe it is one tucked down deep on that camera roll on your phone from an experience before all of this craziness consumed us. Pull it out and let’s make sure that memory is preserved in a way that brings you joy or shares the story you want to capture.

5 years ago

Download, Backup 1, 2, 3

Happy Leap Day and Happy Final Day to my 16 Gifts for 16 Years series. I didn’t quite get each post out on time but we have 16+ great gifts that have been shared and I look forward to continuing to use this website and blog posts as a way to share more with you.

With the p2p Team sharing Blueprints on the final Saturday of each month I want to take time today to share my process and encourage you to create a routine for keeping your Forever Artisan projects and digital content safe and secure.

Download Day is my reminder to download the latest Blueprints from the p2p website as well as back up all of my digital content whether it be from p2p Blueprints, Forever Digital Art or CM Digital Content and my completed projects. Here are my steps:

Log into the Pixels2Pages website and Download the latest Blueprints under Recent Posts. If you are interested in learning more about the P2P community for Forever Artisan and Historian software users, you can check out here for this Premium Training Resource:
- Once I have downloaded the latest Blueprints, I file them away in my Blueprints folder. Here are the simple steps to remind you but for details instructions you can go to the P2P page for helpful tips on Downloading Blueprints:
  1. Download the Blueprints to my Download Folder
  2. Unzip the folder from the Blueprints folder using Extract All option
  3. Open the Unzipped folder and copy contents
  4. Paste in my Blueprints folder under Documents (or in the location where I save my Blueprints)
  5. Delete the unneeded folders from my Downloads folder.
Go to my Forever account and verify from my order history if I have any orders with digital art that I need to Download and install:
- There are helpful instructions in the e-mail confirmation on How to Install your Digital Art.
- Once I have downloaded any recent purchases and added any new Activation codes, I go to Artisan and select Manage Content (from the Welcome screen). Choose Activation Codes from the top of the screen and then Make a Back up of my codes.
- This will create text file. Save it on your computer or where you keep your Art Kits.
- In addition to this file, I also convert to a PDF file by clicking on File > Print to PDF and save that file as well. I always put the date in the file name so I know which one is most current and can delete any extras if needed.
- I upload my PDF version of my file to my Forever Account so I have it backed up there as well.
Steps 1 & 2 are about mainly about Downloading, this step is where I back up 3 groups of files. I back up my Artisan Projects, Blueprint files and Digital Content on an External Hard Drive (EHD).
- I have a folder for each of these on an External Hard Drive (EHD).
- Simply plug in your EHD and then in your File Browser, go to the location on your computer (typically under your C: drive) where you save each of these types of documents and copy the whole folder.
- Go to the folder you have on your EHD and paste the new contents in that folder. If you do the whole folder each month, you can delete the past version once you know the information is safely copied for the new file.
- Keep your EHD in a safe place – best if it is not kept with your computer.

By doing these simple 3 steps each month, you will not have to worry about lost files or projects if something happens to your computer. With the project files and content, if you have to buy a new computer (or rebuild from a crash) then you will have everything you need to reload your projects to keep working.

If you want a refresher on how backing up your photos, check out the post called Back up, Back up, Back up

Now for the Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years:

Here is a recap of the gifts for Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years plus the new one for today:

On the first day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I went back to where it all started with a Creative Memories product that I LOVE – one person can get the CM bookcloth album of your choosing for 50% off. Available until claimed!

On the second day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I am reopening the 2020 Photo Fun Club until the end of the month for the 2 remaining spots in the 2020 Photo Fun Club ~~PLUS for the first person who replies I am offering 1/2 off one of our upcoming 2020 Photo Fun Day – FULL day registrations.~~ Message me if you wish to sign up and I will share the details or answer any further questions.

On the third day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I am offering to the first 2 people who respond, 10GB of Forever Storage for 1/2 off.

On the 4th day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I am offering Buy One Get One 50% off on those supplies you never want to run out of – Refill Pages with Protectors, Tape Runners, and Tape Runner Refills. There is no limit on how many people can take advantage of this offer however all orders must be placed no later than Feb 29th and pick up at my home in Apex or at my next Photo Fun Day or Retreat. Please use the form in the original post here!

On the 5th day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I want to help you get those family recipes or photos of your community gathered around the table scanned and digitized so you can share them too. For the first 5 people who complete the form on the original post, I will offer you up to 16 of your favorite photos or recipes scanned with my next media conversion box for FREE.

On the 6th day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I want to keep the sharing theme going and share FREE shipping on any CM order over $50 placed before the end of the month. All orders must be placed directly through me in the form on the original post (and not on my CM website) and picked up at my home in Apex or at one of my upcoming Photo Fun Days or Retreats in March or April.

On the 7th day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I will create your panel for you with Forever Design and Print and have it shipped straight to you for 50% off the retail price. Take a peak at the Forever Design and Print options so you know what you might want me to create for you. To take advantage of this, please use the form on the original post

On the 8th day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, Share a blog post & comment on the original posts with your favorite snow day activity and earn an entry into my $10 Starbucks drawing. Drawing will include all entries as of Feb 29th at 5pm and must include a share AND a comment below.

On the 9th day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, Join with fellow customers and when your online orders equal $200 or more in one day, I will a drawing for a $25 Gift Certificate. Available with each CM and Forever orders.

On the 10th day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I am offering the first 3 people who upload (up to 16) your favorite photos, I will have them printed for you with Forever for FREE and available at our next Photo Fun Day or retreat. Check the original post for details.

On the 11th day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I always enjoy helping my customers and friends with their projects. Do you have questions and want to meet for a FREE 30 minutes coffee chat with me? Today is your day – the first person to message me will get a Coffee Chat in the next month to get any of your questions answered.

On the 12th day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, One idea that I learned from a friend sharing with me was how to use Forever’s Artisan software to create luggage tags with our ornaments. For the first person to reply to this message, I will create a customized luggage tag just for you.

On the 13th day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, As a member of my team, I am always here to support you in your own goals for your business but for those that join my team in February, I will partner with you for a joint event in March to kickoff your business. Message me for more details.

For the 14th & 15th day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I want to help you tell your story through printed and digitized photos so I am offering the first 2 people who want to take advantage of this offer. Order a media conversion box from Forever (don’t forget the coupon code for 20% off through 3/9) and I will send you a Gift Certificate to use on your next order or to apply to any additional items you may include in your box over the allotted credit. The Gift Certificate increases based on the size of the box:

Personal Box – $10 Forever GC
Value Box – $50 Forever GC
Family Box – $100 Forever GC

For the FINAL day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I am going to take everyone who has participated in the 16 Gifts for 16 Years Celebration in some way prior to 10pm tonight 2/29/2020 and do a drawing for a SWAG Bag of Forever and CM goodies. This may be logo items or products but the gift bag will be full of surprises. I will do one drawing for each 10 entries we have in the drawing so help me spread the word so increase the number of drawings.

THANK YOU for joining me in this celebration of 16 years of my business!

5 years ago

Family History

Part of why I spend time with my family’s photos is that I love learning about our family history and capturing those stories in a place where others can enjoy too. Whether it is stories about my life or those that have come along before me each story is precious to me.

I was recently visiting one of my grandmothers and she reminded me of a story I had heard over the years. It is a story that reminds me of the joy I bring to my family and the fun adventures we have had through the years.

When I was a just a baby there was a day in the middle of the week when my Granddaddy was in town for a business meeting. When he got out of his meeting for the day, he surprised my mom at the house for a short visit and from all versions of this story, he was really there to see me. While there, he cooked up a plan to take me home with him for a visit. Mom called Dad at work to bounce the idea off of him but in the end everyone was game for a big trip for the grand-baby to go home with Granddaddy and surprise my Grandma. Mom tells how I was ready for a nap so she helped pack me in the car and off I went with Granddaddy with the hopes I might sleep a bit as we traveled.

The next part of the story is the part my Grandma tells where she had no idea what he had cooked up but she was busy at home when he arrived. She tells of the grin on his face that was ear to ear as he showed who he brought home to see her. The tells of what all I did and who I saw over the next few days are fun to hear but the best part is this is a story, I have no way of remembering myself but the intentional effort of my family to retell this story to me over the years has made it where it is one of my favorite “memories” too.

I have a few photos from around this time of me with my Granddaddy and whether they were taken on this visit or another one in the same time frame, the remind me of the great love he had for me.

What story to you hold that a child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or friend’s child might like to know one day. Whether it is through a traditional scrapbook or through a Forever account capture that story while it is still fresh and pass that memory of love and joy on to the next generation.

We will do 2 posts today to catch up from the end of the week and for those who have place orders or claimed other gifts, I will be in touch with you shortly with further details.

Here is a recap of the gifts for Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years plus the new one for today:

On the third day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I am offering to the first 2 people who respond, 10GB of Forever Storage for 1/2 off.

Personal Box – $10 Forever GC
Value Box – $50 Forever GC
Family Box – $100 Forever GC

Don’t forget that the Value Box is the perfect size to send a CM Scrapbook (or the pages) to be scanned and shared.

5 years ago

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.

Set up a FREE Forever Account (if you don’t already have one) by using this link: https://www.forever.com/ambassador/elizabethgoodson
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.
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.
Need more help, consider joining us for a monthly workshop or let’s set up a coffee chat.
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.

5 years ago

What happens in Vegas…

…sometimes just can’t stay in Vegas!

I have returned from my forth Forever LIVE – our annual convention where we as Forever Ambassadors along with Club Members, customers and home office staff gather each year for a time of connection, training and celebration along with a lot of fun and laughter too.

I look forward to this trip each year and especially look forward to reconnecting with the friends that I have made through Forever.

I am also very thankful my sister has joined me each year and is the best travel buddy I could ask for, she has become friends with so many of these special people too and has her own friends she reconnects with each each year too. She is my constant cheerleader and ready to let me bound ideas off of her anytime.

With so many fun things shared and done while we were in Las Vegas, I thought it might be fun to include my top 10 list with you of things that I was excited to hear or do at Forever LIVE.

Elizabeth’s Top 10 List from Forever LIVE

10. Glen Meakem’s New Book – The Gift of Forever was shared as a pre-release for those attending LIVE. Glen is our CEO and founder and he along with his son have written the story of how he started Forever. They signed copied during the weekend as well. I have just started reading it and am excited to finish and share it with others. The full release will be coming later this fall.

9. Updates with Design & Print: Oh how I was so excited for a New Name – we now have a clearer name for our online Print application where you Design and Print, books, Wall Decor, Calendars, and more. There will also be a few other new products coming this fall. Watch for new the size for Wall Decor on Design and Print of 8×8 like we can already do with Artisan, there will be a new premium thicker paper for cards that is non-coated and an option to add gold foil inserts into your envelopes.

8. Audio is HERE – We now have all 4 options, Photos, Documents, Video and Audio capabilities in our Storage accounts. I am excited to have this full memory keeping option for so many friends, family and customers who have those special audio tapes of weddings, sermons, solos, even voice mails. The sound of someone’s voice can be so very special to us and is such a special part of our memory keeping solutions.

7. Our Referral Program has gotten better with a 60 day coupon for referral coupons. The greatest compliment you can give me is to refer a friend. I love that Forever’s Home Office helps me reward my customers, friends and family who help me share Forever with their friends and family. Now we have the opportunity to use those referral coupons a bit longer.

6. Beautiful Bellagio Fountain – Oh it was so very HOT the day we went downtown to see the strip but what a fun experience to see the fountain at the Bellagio hotel. We arrived just a few minutes before the next song was to begin so we found our spot and it was worth the wait. Here is a short video of our view of the fountain. This has been saved in my Forever account with my other trip photos and videos.

5. The company is Thriving & Growing – It is good to hear the update from Glen how we are on target with his goal to grow this year by 30% is sales over last year and we are on target to have over 42 Million photos uploaded this year in safe and secure storage accounts. We are meeting a need and reach new people each and every day.

4. Photo PRINTS are HERE – My excitement is climbing as we continue down this list. I have been waiting – not so patiently to have the ability to print from our Forever accounts again and now we can do it and it is even better than ever. We have the high archival quality we know with all of our products and we no longer have to download and export and re-upload to another vendor to order. I can print my photos for traditional scrapbooking or frames right from my Forever Account.

3. Stepping out of my Comfort Zone as a Mainstage Speaker – What an honor to be one of the ambassadors chosen to help lead this year as a speaker. Although I speak in front of groups fairly often with work this was a bit different and an opportunity to embrace my word of the year “GROW”. I worked with an amazing fellow ambassador and through preparation and practice what was a bit nerve wracking at first became a experience that built confidence for us both as we stood before a room full of friends who were eager to hear what we had to share.

2. p2p 10th Anniversary Birthday Bash Party in Texas – Travel is always fun and when you can pair that with work with your photos it is extra fun for me. I am excited to be joining a lot of great friends in Texas in the Spring for a weekend of digital scrapbooking fun. I am looking forward to working on my own projects and learning new tips and ideas too.

And to top off the whole list, my #1 item is

Forever LIVE 2020 next year will be in Orlando, FL – I had a hunch that we were headed to Disney and have to say I am a bit excited. I have always been a Disney fan and even though I didn’t get to Disney World until my mid 30s I am excited to be headed back for this convention there on the property. I am hoping I can twist my family’s arms and have them join me for some fun on one end or the other too for some family time at the parks. I know that I will have a blast at Forever LIVE like we always do but I am also excited about the location and the bonus time we get to have there too. If you are interested in joining us for Forever LIVE in Orlando you can join as a customer, Club member or Ambassador.

Well that may not have been the Las Vegas lists you were expecting but those were the Top 10 things that excited me about our trip last week. Have you been traveling this summer? Where have you been? What have you enjoyed seeing and doing?

9 years ago

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

It is clearly time for a new blog post. This fall I have continue to work on simplifying my life and improving my health. I have enjoyed traveling, catching up with friends, visiting with family and lots of fun in between. I hope to have a few post after the fact on some of that fun. I have also updated the theme on my website so I hope you find this format to be easier to navigate and enjoy.

Gold Glitter Poinsettia

As December has approached, I have wanted to be intentional about my preparations for Christmas this year – enjoying both the big and little things of all that the season brings. Last year, I was stressed-out and overwhelmed around this time of the season and ultimately ended up sick most of December so I feel that I missed out on a lot of this most special time of celebration. This year, I have worked for months to try and manage the stress and find a better balance to life as well as stay healthy. It is a work in progress as my work load increases (like it does at this point every year) and colds seem to be hard to completely avoid from the people around me. But, here I sit this morning in the quiet, looking at a beautiful Christmas tree up and ready to decorate pausing to write this post.

I have already enjoyed a few special traditions to help with preparations. Years ago, my mom started going to Homewood Nursery in Raleigh, NC to see their vast amount of poinsettias, unique types and colors. She has enjoyed picking up these beautiful flowers for family, friends and coworkers each year. A few years ago my sister and I got to join mom for the first time and experience this tradition – one that we try not to miss going forward. This is part of what makes Christmas special for Mom and has become a great treat for our entire family. We were able to visit Homewood on the weekend of their Open House where they have the largest supply of poinsettias. They are all so beautiful and fun to look through as we pick the perfect one for our needs. I picked up one for the office and one for the house.

A new tradition that I am trying this year is what has been called Picture Advent. I learned about it through a facebook post from a friend. It is a way to capture the preparations for the Christmas season with a photo a day. You can choose to tie the post to key words and scriptures that lead us through the preparation for Christ birth. I may not hit every day but I am already enjoying posting photos and plan to post photos throughout the month of December. They may be serious moments or silly moments but each image reflects my preparations for Christmas. Follow me on Instagram to see all my posts of #pictureadvent .

What traditions are you enjoying this season? I would love to see your comments!

9 years ago

Where are your Photos?

Where are your Photos?….A questions I often ask people I have met over the last 11+ years.

Where ARE Your photos today? Are they tucked away in a closet, maybe in a box, maybe never printed, maybe still on the camera or your phone. If you wanted to locate that perfect photo of you and someone you love, could you find it easily. Do you have the stories of the most special photos captured. Have you ever held a precious printed photo in your hand and new it would be a treasure for many years and generations to come?

I have developed a passion and love for printed photos, those that are great angles and those that captured someone’s candid expression. I love to have a photo to pull out and share with family when they are visiting that we can all reminisce together about a time years ago, or pull out a photo of a family member or friend who I don’t see often or who is no longer with us and remember the times when we were together. I definitely don’t think that every moment needs a camera out and picture to capture that it happened but boy are there some special moments when you do intentionally capture the people and experiences along our journey in life.

Where are your favorite photos right now? Would you like for them to be at your finger tips either digitally or in an album? I would love to help you take the next step in getting your photos organized and getting the very best of them at your finger tips so you can celebrate them in the best way possible. Let me know if I can help you with your Photo Prints or Digital Images.

10 years ago

Rest & Recharging

What does a week of vacation really do for you? For me, I have found that it takes almost 1/2 the time to clear my head of all of the routine things that are constantly running through my mind but once I finally get lost in a book or in a new experience, or in laughing over silly things with my family, I realize how much I need a time to rest, clear my mind and recharge. I have just wrapped up one of these perfect weeks away with my family and am so thankful for each of them and the time we have had together resting and experiencing less structured days. Read more

10 years ago

2015 Beach Vacation

We have enjoyed our family vacation this year back at Ocean Isle Beach. First stop was Sunset Slush for a cold treat after unloading the cars. Watching the beauty of the ocean whether it was from the pool or down by the beach has been relaxing and refreshing. I loved getting to read a bit while relaxing.