Category: Simple Life

16 Years & 16 Gifts to Share

16 Years ago today, it was Valentine’s Day, I had been running errands and helping with a project with friends from church however the lunch with a new friend to discuss my final questions about signing up as a Creative Memories consultant is the part of the day that I will always remember the most. I am so thankful she extended the offer and am even more thankful that a simple decision to “give it a try” turned into years of meeting new friends, stepping out of my comfort zone and gaining confidence to share what I love with those I meet. I have completed countless photo projects and helped friends and family do the same.

I love that this side hobby business has turned into something that brings me so much joy and a little supplemental income too. I am thankful for each of you whether we met at one of those first events or we have been lifelong friends and you have supported me in little ways along this path. We have laughed together, traveled together and experienced life together and I am so thankful that this business brought us together to do each of those things. I am excited that a recent shift in my full time job is opening the door for me to have a bit more time in the coming months to grow this business again and I look forward to connecting with more of you soon.

As we move through the final 16 days of this month, I think it is a great time to offer a few treats to those of you who have followed me and supported me through these years. I will post a gift here each day through the end of the month. If you want to take advantage of the special, comment on this post on my website or FB or reach out by e-mail. There are only a limit number of each gift so be sure to reply quickly when you see something that strikes a cord with you. All gifts must be claimed by the end of the month. These will be available for pick up at my home in Apex or shipped to you for an additional charge.

On the first day of Elizabeth’s 16 Gifts for 16 years, I want to go back to where it all started with a Creative Memories product that I LOVE. For the first person who replies to me, you can have the CM bookcloth album of your choosing for 50% off. You can see all of the Bookcloth Albums (decorative and solid colors) on my website: https://www.creativememories.com/user/ElizabethGoodson under Shop choose 12×12 Bookcloth Albums.

5 years ago

Need a little encouragement on that photo project?

Do you have a photo project that you have been wanting to make progress on in 2020?

Watch your mail for information about a 30 day challenge I am doing to help encourage and spur you on to making progress or completing your project in 30 days. Whether you want to get your 2019 photos organized or you want to spend some time creating pages in your next photo book or you want to catch up your children’s albums from years ago, this opportunity is a good fit for you. We will set up groups with similar goals and skill level and encourage you and help you right where you are. This will be done over 30 days at a time with an option to renew at the end of the month.

I will share tips and encouragement through a couple of texts through the week and then you will have a challenge to complete each week to be entered in a weekly drawing for gift certificates and prizes. This is a great way to have a little fun while making progress on one of your projects.

I am sharing this information with my current mailing lists this week. I am using the same list I used for Christmas Cards this year so if you didn’t received a Christmas card from me last month then you might miss out because I don’t have a current mailing address for you. To be sure I have your current information, please complete the form below and if you did not already get the mailing, I will get you the information to you too.

5 years ago

It’s HERE – Black Friday, Small Business Saturday & Cyber Monday

Are you kicking off your shopping or wrapping it up or somewhere in between? This weekend typically signals the official start to the holiday shopping season but more importantly it generally means there are some amazing deals too. Whether you shop the deals for gifts or for some extra savings for your own purchases I don’t want you to miss out on the Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday specials we have around here too.

We have Forever Deals, Creative Memories Specials and even savings on my 2020 Events.

Forever has been celebrating all month but the home office just bumped up the savings this weekend. Don’t miss out on these amazing deals. All of these plus more can be found by going to my website: https://www.forever.com/ambassador/elizabethgoodson and clicking on the DEALS tab. Here are a few of my favorites that I don’t want you to miss:

Have you been eyeing Forever Permanent Storage for a while but it was just outside of your budget. The 50% off payment plan option for a 10GB plan can get you started and give you the peace of mind you want for your most precious photos, video and other media. For just under $10 a month for 12 payments you can gave 10GB of storage – save and secure.

Already have Forever Permanent Storage and need a little bit more. Take advantage of this Deal and you can add to your current account or take a peak at the other one-time payment options and get up to 50% off one time payments too.

We LOVE photos around here and Printed Photos are sometimes the best. This Weekend Only, Forever is offering 40% off printing your favorite photos in 4 great sizes. Whether you want to frame them or scrapbook them, this is a great time to get that next batch of photo prints ordered.

When you order 10 or more of the same size and finish, you can get bulk savings!

Another great way to enjoy our photos is to have them printed in a completed printed project whether it be a book, page prints to add to our scrapbook, calendar, wall decor like a canvas or panel, or other photo gifts. ALL of our Printed Products are 50% off or if you are a Forever CLUB member you get an additional 10% off this weekend too.

While we are printing all of these great photo projects, it is also nice to have FREE Shipping when orders are over $79 (or just $49 for CLUB member)

With Creative Memories this year, we are winding down an amazing BONUS Gift with purchase special. Go straight to my website: https://www.creativememories.com/user/ElizabethGoodson and you can pick from 2 amazing bundles when you purchase $150 or more. These bundles are available through noon on Friday, November 29th. But do not fear if you miss this bonus, there are still amazing new products and old favorites available for you here too.

and starting TODAY we are announcing our 2020 Event Schedule:

You can sign up starting later today at www.SeeingAGreaterPurpose.com/EVENTS

Happy Shopping!

5 years ago

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!

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

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.

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.

5 years ago

All in One Place or Close to It

As we continue talking about ways to Save in June, we have talked about:

Saving you money through our Summer Sale – Be sure to check out the Summer Sale Page for the new products added this week. There are a few albums still available and will stay on the lists through Sunday, June 16 to give you extra time to add those to your order.
Saving you time through our 15 Minutes a Day Plan – You can pop back over to the post last week and get caught up if you missed it. Take it one day at a time and only 15 minutes.
Now let’s talk about Saving and Protecting our Photos.

One of the biggest challenges I have found is that I use to have photos EVERYWHERE. There were some on my camera, some on my computer, some that were printed and tucked away in a box or envelope from the store. I would run across boxes of photos from my parents or even be given some from grandparents or other extended family. The first thing I knew I needed was a home for ALL of my photos. A way to have them all in one place was so important. I may not have perfected this process but for the most part it helps me keep the photo clutter contained.

First, I started with printed photos and through a few Creative Memories Power Sort Boxes I created a system that would work perfectly as my home for all my printed photos until I was ready to put them in a scrapbook or had time to go through them further. Although there isn’t much fancy about this box, I like that it is photo safe and has compartments so I can sort my photos quickly. The tabs can be labeled with a simple regular pencil and erased when I am ready to relabel a section for another group.

Even if you don’t have a box like this, you can achieve the same thing with any container, my biggest encouragement is that you find a container that works for you and start collecting those photos that are already printed.

Second, I discovered that with our growing digital age, many of my current photos were digital and were on my camera and were starting to collect all over my computer. Over 12 years ago, I started using a computer program called Historian to help me organize all of my photos on my computer. It is a PC based program that you can purchase from Forever – on Sale this week for less than $60 or you can try it at any time for FREE for 30 days. This software is amazing for organizing – you can group photos by people, albums, and other tags plus at any time sort by date. There is an amazing photo editing tool built in if you would like to click an easy button or do your own photo editing on special images. I appreciate that this software resides on my computer and my images are always accessible to me without internet connectivity. You can back up your photos from Historian to CDs or external hard drives or link it with Forever’s cloud based storage for permanent back up.

For years, I used Historian exclusively with CD back ups done every few months. About 4 years ago I discovered Forever when I was looking at options for backing up for my photos with my new computer that no longer has a CD drive. Forever provides a permanent home for our photos and other media through their Permanent Storage Account. You pick how much space you need and pay once and it is yours FOREVER. You only pay more if you need more space. Forever Storage links with my Historian software to upload any photos I want to save or back up. Forever also has a FREE app that allows my to access my account from my photo, I can sync & upload my phone photos to my app. With the start of using Forever, I have taken advantage of the Auto Sync feature on the app to provide me peace of mine that my phone photos are always safe. I sync when I am on WiFi so they are backed up each time I come home and connected. When my phone was acting up a few months back, I did not stress about getting my photos backed up because I knew there were already on my Forever Account – safe and sound. I can organize in my account by albums or tags and share or download from the Forever website no matter where I am – as long as I have internet access I am able to get to all of my photos. Forever also let’s you try out the storage account for free with a 2 GB FREE account. You can use this link to give it a try and get a $10 Welcome Coupon that you can use if you want to place an order in the first 60 days: https://www.forever.com/ambassador/elizabethgoodson

Do you find yourself being the keeper of your family’s or extended family’s photos from years, maybe decades ago? Once I started being the person in the family to do scrapbooks and keep my photos organized, my family started sending any extra photos they found to me too. Many of these are photos from years ago, of generations before me. They are photos that I am not the only one who will treasure them but I needed a way to share them easier. One of the other amazing things that I discovered with Forever was the power of the Media Conversion Services Forever offers. They take such special care of my media when I send a box in. They make sure that each item is handled with a white glove service and that they scan or digitize it like it was their own families items. I have had photos, slides, negatives, documents, video and audio converted and get so excited when my order if finished and I start seeing the items show up in my Forever account. This has been another great way to clear my extra clutter by gathering those items that have been taking up space and sending them off to Forever to digitize. I can then determine if I still need the original, share it with other family members or discard it and save that space.

Where is your place for all of your photos and media? Do you have one, are you looking for a system for your printed photos or those on your computer to keep them organized? If I can help you, fill in this simple form and I will be happy to help you with the next steps.

Here are some ways to Take Action in your 15 Minutes a Day this week:

Find a container you already have or reach out and let’s get you a Power Sort Box to be your home for your printed photos – you Photo Box
Go through your house and gather those loose photos or special videos and put them in your Photo Box.
Identify if any of the items in your Photo Box should be scanned and converted
Let me know if you want to add your media conversion order with my next group box or if you want to take advantage of the amazing sales on media conversion boxes June 16 or June 18th.
Determine how you want to organize your digital images. Historian and Forever Storage are my go to tools but the biggest advice I have is to pick 2 places to have your digital images since it is never a question of if our computer or technology will crash it is a question or when. Don’t wait until it is too late!

Let’s keep working on your photo projects a little each week and see what progress you find as you lighten your load!

5 years ago

Cultivating Joy & a New Routine

With a cup of coffee and a few moments of quiet, I have enjoyed many weekend mornings at my kitchen table with my Write the Word Journal and my thoughts. It has been a little over a year and a half when I learned about these journals and got my first one from Cultivate what Matters. I have done Bible studies and other devotionals but there was something about this that was simple and the perfect fit for what I needed this time. This has not been a daily journal or even a weekly journal but more of a simple way to center me with a passage of scripture that I would write out in my own handwriting and a place to journal: I am Grateful for… and what was On My Heart Today. It was only 2 simple pages so when I could carve away a few minutes on a day I didn’t have to hurry out the door, I would sit and complete one day’s entry. This journal has been a place to record my thoughts, my heartaches, my celebrations, my struggles, my progress and even my dreams for what may come. There is nothing magical about this little book but it has served as a very useful tool to carry me through a season of seeking and searching for the next step I would take with my career as well as the things that happen each and every day.

I have wrapped up my first journal, Cultivate Joy earlier this week. I can’t wait to jump into the pages of my next one Cultivate Hope but before I place my Joy Journal on the shelf, I have flipped back through the pages one more time. I am reminded that I had no idea what was ahead for me when I started this nor did I set a specific timeline or expectations for completing it but as the days and weeks have passed and my thoughts have been noted, it is interesting to see how God has taken this process and these 2 simple pages I have completed to help me nurture my faith and Cultivate a sense of Joy and Gratitude within the pages of this book.

As many of you are here visiting my blog regularly this summer with a photo focus, I offer this comparison to you. What if you looked back on this summer from the other side – maybe it is early September, maybe it is at a gathering with family and friends over the holidays later in the year. What if you could look back and see that the little steps you made in June, July and August with your photos have paid off. What would that look like, would it be sharing the precious gift of a photo that you found and love and now can share it with the people you love? Would it be a gift you share with a friend of a photo you took that has special meaning? Would it be that you have cleared out that courner of the room or closet that has been cluttered with photos or project supplies and now you have room to enjoy this space again.

This too does not have to be a daily project, a weekly project or even a regular routine but I promise you when you take little steps forward, one and then the next, no matter how small you will be amazed when you look back at how far you have come when you add them together. Each time I pulled out my Joy Journal, I spent only 15-20 minutes. I can tell you the blessings that have come from that investment of time have been far greater than those minutes would suggest.

If you are following along with our Lighten the Load Photo Challenge, I hope you have picked your project, area, or focus. If you have not yet, pop back over to the Welcome Post and be sure to share with me once you decide. If you can’t decide where to start, please message me, comment below or reach out and I will be glad to help you with a starting point.

I will leave you with this additional thought from the Cultivate What Matter‘s team about Summer – are you ready to get in there and cultivate, prune and tend to what we need to so we can reap the rewards later?

Whether it is a photo goal or a personal goal, what can you spend 15-20 minutes on this week to make progress forward toward something you want to see done.

6 years ago

Turning the Page to a New Chapter

I am overdue on updating this blog and sharing how I am Seeing a Greater Purpose in my life, my career and my business. I hope to jump back into this a bit more as time allows. My blog posts may be short and sweet but hopefully they will share a glimpse into the things going on in my life and can be an encouragement to you.

The last few months I have been digging into what matters to me – what I really want to be doing, how to be more purposeful in my actions. I had been in a season of feeling like I was in a rut or stuck with just going through the motions each day. I am coming out of this season and this is largely from spending time doing some reflecting and intentional goal setting. I am loving the fruits of this process. I look forward to sharing a few other bits and pieces of this journey but the biggest area where this is showing up right now is with a BIG job change that I am making this month with my full time job. I have worked in the same place for almost 14 years but when a new opportunity came along a couple of months ago, I had to dig deep and determine if it was the right time to make a change. Since I had been spending time over the last 6 months evaluating what was important to me, this opportunity came at a strategic time for me. I was ready to make a change, I knew that I needed to make a change, I just had to decide if I was brave enough to take that step.

As I am still in the process of turning the page over to this new chapter, I will share a few reflections I have had this week as I have wrapped up one job and prepare for the beginning of the next. The friends I have at work have helped me celebrate this process well. We have shed tears of sadness that we will not have each other in the day to day aspect of our lives but we have also celebrated that with change comes growth for many and we can find new ways to continue our friendships. I love this photo that was captured at my Going Away Party and the story it tells. My smile shows the joy and gratitude I felt that day and the name of the book I received Do More of What Makes You Feel Alive” is so very fitting for the season I am in.

I have been touched by many friends, longtime coworkers and colleagues who have been intentional during these last few weeks in connecting with me, sending me an e-mail, stopping by my office, going to lunch, offering to help me in my new role or writing out their thoughts in a card. To hear that you are leaving a legacy with the work you have done, that you have inspired someone with your kindness and willingness to help when needed, that you have given someone strength to be brave in their own journey of being stuck – each of these are precious messages that I will treasure long after the cake is gone, the balloons fade and the new job starts. I am a better person for relationships with the people who have crossed my path and experiences I have had these last 13 years, 9 months, 3 weeks and 6 days.

I am thankful for this journey I am on and look forward to seeing where this next chapter will take me.

9 years ago

Reflections while blow-drying my hair…

I find some of my best reflecting happens while I am getting ready in the morning, in particular while I am blow-drying my hair. Maybe it is because most of the rest of my day is filled with ongoing demands pulling at me or distractions like my cell phone or the TV keeping my mind occupied or maybe it is the clutter around my office and home that constantly remind me of one more thing that is on my to-do list but hasn’t gotten done yet. But whatever the reason is there is something about the lull of the hair dryer that helps me tune out the rest of the distractions and my mind is free to wander and reflect. Some people talk about the things that keep them up at night and using the tool of keeping a pad of paper by the bed to jot down the thought so they can drift off to sleep. I have learned that it is better for me to keep the pad of paper in my bathroom because that is where I need to jot down things that come up while I am getting ready. I know that as soon as I walk out of the bathroom and leave my room, these things don’t come to mind again until maybe the next morning if then.

Today has been one of my favorite kind of days at the end of a long weekend at home with only a few commitments on my schedule, I didn’t have to be anywhere special this morning so I was late getting ready for the day. Today is the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday and I watched part of the Interfaith Prayer Breakfast on TV and it was no surprise that Dr. King’s “I have a Dream” speech was referenced. I memorized this speech when I was in school and there is quite a bit that I still remember and can recite along with them as it was read. This weekend has also been filled with little projects around the house, straightening up, putting up the final Christmas decorations, continue to de-clutter the “stuff” that weighs me down, preparing for the week ahead. So it is no surprise to me that as I am blow-drying my hair, my mind wanders to “I have a Dream…”. I pause and think about what is it that I dream of today. It is January and a great time to think of goals, dreams, and reflections on where you are and where you want to be. Not to diminish or take away from the powerful message of Dr. King but over the next few blog post, I will share a few of my dreams and goals that have come through my reflections while blow-drying my hair.

I dream of the day that I have…

A clutter free home & life!
Time to have regular & meaningful visits with my friends and family!
Energy to be helpful to and present for those around me where there is a need!

I know that God uses these times of reflection – to speak to me, to nudge me, to encourage me and to challenge me. What are your dreams and reflections? When and where do you find your moment to hear the thoughts that are deep inside of you, the dreams and needs that God is nudging you to do something about. Are you like me and need to get that pad of paper to jot them down so you don’t forget? I look forward to sharing more reflection from my mornings in future blogs.