Tag: Lighten the Load

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.

Dreaming of a Fall Ladies Getaway Retreat

As I set the schedule for this year’s Photo Workshop, there was a gap in the schedule for October due to the a conflict in the schedule at our usual venue.  I have been brainstorming for months what I wanted to do to fill that gap and a few weeks ago the perfect fit has come together.  I will be offering what I hope to be an repeat event but for this year we will just focus on the best “Fall Ladies Getaway” we can imagine this year!

Here are the critical details so you can make your plans, mark your calendar and decide if you want to join us.

 

Who is invited:

Ladies who love saving, organizing, and sharing your family’s photos – whether it is in printed or digital format

When:

(Noon) Friday, October 11, 2019 – (Noon) Sunday, October 13, 2019

Where:

G’s Quilt & Craft Retreat in Hillsborough, NC

 

This will be a weekend retreat filled with fun, photos and fellowship.  We will staying at a beautiful house that is set up with crafters in mind with large table space and comfy chairs too.  We will be able to escape but not have to drive too far either.  We are limited to 10 guests so there will be a very limited number of participants.  Don’t wait to sign up!

This retreat will be unique in that your retreat registration will include everything all rolled into one fee – 2 nights of lodging, 6 meals, 5′ table workspace, break out sessions and surprises.   We will have multiple break out sessions that will that appeal to both digital and traditional participants.  Full Weekend Retreat Registration is: $250.  Reserve your spot with a non-refundable deposit of $50 today and final payment due by September 13th.

To sign up, please fill out this registration form and I will be in contact for your deposit and/or registration fee: https://forms.gle/EGJbiRDvKdprBQU98

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

  1. 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?

Summer Sale…Coming to a Close

Our Summer Sale will becoming to a close the end of July.  You have a chance to pick from nearly 50 items remaining for just a few more days.  There are pictures posted on my Elizabeth’s CM Customer Group on Facebook or you can see some of the remaining items listed on the Summer Sale Page.  Please either fill out the form on the website or e-mail with your order no later than July 31st and I will be in touch for payment and pick up options.

 

Thank you for your help in clearing my shelves and Lightening my Load as we make room for new products this fall.  I will be placing a order of New CM products later this week if you wish to add any of those items to your order as well and pick up at our workshop August 10th.

 

Have you signed up for our August Photo Workshop?  Don’t miss the fun, sign up for all day, just the morning, just the afternoon or plan to pop in and shop!  The registration link can be found on the Events page!

What is Inspiring You?

Books, Podcast, Blogs – I never really thought I would be a writer and I guess that my go hand in hand with the fact that I have never been a big reader either.  Those that knew me in high school or growing up know the struggle I had to get through any required reading or writing assignment.  In college, I was thankful that my Engineering curriculum had minimal English Literature classes and so the amount of novels and heavy reading started to reduce.  That is not to say there wasn’t plenty of reading needed, but at least it was a little different.

It took years before I finally would pick up a book and read for fun.  I still didn’t do it often but I at least would grab a book when I would head on vacation or maybe a little bit in the evenings before bed.  I know some of you can’t imagine this but for me it was never enjoyable and honestly I am not a very fast reader so that probably is why I avoided it.  I would rather wait until the movie came out and typically it would before I would finish the book anyway.

In the last few years, I have started to embrace reading a bit more and finding books that I enjoy.  It is still typically only when I am on vacation or have enough down time where I can get lost in reading to get started with a book.  Once I am started I can pick it up and read it a little at at time to finish it.  It can still take months or even a year or more to finish a book by the time I have picked it up and put down so many times.  A few years ago I discovered a love for audio books and since then I am loving current books in a whole new way and finishing them before they are old news.  Last year I “read” 12 books through listening to them.  I also finished another two that I read in print version too!

In addition to audio books, I have also fallen in love with podcasts and discovering new ones that I can enjoy.  I have always known I was an auditory learner but this has been fun to embrace the technology and trends we have available to us and enjoy books and inspiration in new ways.  I will share some of my recent favorites but I would love to hear what books, podcast and even blogs you enjoy and find inspiring too.

A few recent favorites….

Several of these books led to podcasts I am following too so we will group them together.

Bob Goff has two books that I have really enjoyed in the last year (or last couple of years if I am honest).  I received the first Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World as a gift from my friend Lisa a couple of years ago.  I was thankful for the book at the time but as I shared above I am not a quick reader so it has taken a while to finish it.  I am so glad that I finally finished reading it earlier this year so I could fully appreciate the value of this gift.  All of the proceeds from sales from Bob’s book Love Does are donated to work he has in Uganda at the Restore International Leadership Academy. This book is a gift of inspirational short stories that will lift you up and encourage you to push forward to Love in more real ways everyday as well as to find the out of your mind ways to LOVE BIG too plus this book also continues giving through it’s sales to further one of those very stories as it invests in big ways in the lives of young people in Uganda.  In the mean time while I was slowly making my way through the print version of this book, I knew I was liking Bob’s spirit and grabbed Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People as an audio book as soon as it was available.  I was not disappointed with this one either.  Both of these books have challenged me to see people around me differently and look for ways to show love in my own unique way.  The fun thing about finding an author you start to enjoy is when you discover they have a podcast and you can continue following along that way.  Just this month I have finally checked out the Dream Big podcast and started listening to some of the recent episodes.  It is fun to hear stories referenced from the books and even people from our own area here in North Carolina.

In the last year, I have become intrigued with the Enneagram system.  It is an ancient personality type system that has a way of outlining just how many of us are wired and how we are motivated and react to those situations and circumstances around us.  I heard that the book The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile was a good place to start to learn a bit more about this so I added it to my list of audio books and enjoyed learning more.  As my sister and I have shared some books and podcast we are listening to, she shared about a podcast that she was enjoying that had a summer special on Enneagram and suggested I might enjoy it too.  I did and have since really enjoyed other episodes from Annie F Downs and her That Sounds Fun podcast.  Her EnneaSummer series was so fun to listen to in June.  She had friends of hers who were in each of the different categories join her over 9 episodes.  She would ask them to share answers to questions to prompt what their motivation or drivers were to responding in different ways.  As the listener you could hear how same response from different types might be for different reasons because of what motivates each of them.  We are all wired uniquely and understanding some of those motivators can help us relate to one another more effectively.

I have shared before about my love for Lara Casey’s book Cultivate What Matters.  Through following her and her recent blog and social media posts, I recently discovered a dear friend of her’s Nancy Ray.  She has a new podcast Work and Play with Nancy Ray.  What a fun title and what sweet nuggets she has been sharing each week about how to live fully awake and with purpose through transitions.  I am finding myself anxiously awaiting the post each Tuesday when a new one is added.

 

This list goes on but we will keep it to these couple for now.  I hope you will enjoy exploring a few new inspiring books or podcasts.  I would love to hear what is inspiring you too in the comments here or through e-mail or messages.

For those that know my sister, you will not be surprised to know that she and I think a lot a like and will be into similar things.  The funny thing to me was that I had drafted this post about my favorite books and podcasts for you all and check my social media to fine her blog post below shared.  You may find a few similarities here – we often share a few of our favorites with each other so it is no surprise that our lists have some authors in common.  

What I’ve Been Reading (Listening to) Lately…

 

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.

Filling my Cup

When the days get hectic, my posts become a bit farther apart but I thank you for sticking with me this summer as I have dusted off this blog and given this a try and posting more regularly.  As I shared at the beginning of the summer and you will find as we continue, this will not be a daily blog update but typically I will share one or more times a week.  I have had several posts outlined out but not quite finished so hopefully I can get a few extra ones scheduled for next week.

Yesterday, was a day of recharging for me, a vacation day I wanted to take a couple of weeks ago but with several commitments at work recently this was the best day to put it on the calendar and make it happen.  I know of myself that sometimes I just have to put a day like this on the calendar to allow myself time to recharge.  Often in our family we remind each other that we are only able to be the best we need to be when we take care of ourselves first – we like to remind each other of this with the image that we are to “put on own own oxygen mask first” just like they tell you on an airplane with the safety instructions.  So whether I am “Filling my Cup”, “Putting on my Oxygen Mask” or another cute way to remember to make “self care” a priority, I know that this is important for me.  It is necessary for me to be the best version of me for those around me.

How do you like to recharge?

  1. Time alone: For me, it typically requires some time of being by myself with an unscheduled, block of time and having that time at home.  For those of you who have studied the Enneagram, I am finding that I am very much a #2 and I want to be a helper to everyone around me – which sometimes can be distracting from the things I need to do for myself and can be exhausting when I am trying to sort through the needs of others and can’t even figure out what is on my own lists.  To recharge, I have to have some time to think about what I need and then I can be more focused when other needs are weighing on me.  (If you are new to the Enneagram, I recommend the book The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile or the summer series EnneaSummer on the Podcast: That Sounds Fun by Annie F Downs)
  2. Time with my people: Connecting with my closest friends and family is an important part of recharging to me.  Time to hear how they are doing and to talk through the challenges and celebrations I am facing.
  3. Time to make progress: Typically a part of recharging for me also includes making progress on my to do lists.  It may be running errands, projects around the house, work with my own photo projects or other projects I have had on my lists whether it be a mental lists or one of the many post-its or notepads floating around.  Sometimes even the act of regrouping my lists can be helpful too.  I know my fellow lists makers can understand this one.

It sometimes takes work to make happen but I have been blessed with a few things sprinkled over these last few weeks that have helped fill my cup in both big and small ways.

  • Lunch and dinner catch up dates with dear friends that I haven’t seen in months – oh how it sometimes takes us way too long to make those happen but they are so sweet when we finally connect.
  • Hugs from kiddos I love and time hearing what is important & exciting in their lives.
  • Checking items off my list of to dos and errands – this list is finally starting to look a bit shorter. It might need to get below 90 degrees on a weekend I am home for me to tackle that mulch project I didn’t get done this spring.
  • I received flowers (shown in the photo above) from someone at work as a simple thank you for the work I do.
  • A wonderful unscheduled day off from work to have the space and the room to think and dream a bit.

I would love to know how you find your rhythm with recharging.  What fills your cup?  We are all different and motivated by different things.  Do you need time to yourself or do you need to be with others?  Do you seek out a day every few months or do you have a routine that let’s you recharge more often?  Do you crave a few hours or a day to recharge?  What activities help you feel more grounded and ready to tackle what life throws your way?

This doesn’t always fit in a neat box or in my timing but I know that it is work fighting for and making sure I get it scheduled and make happen on a regular basis.  I hope you find your own way to take care of yourself and fill your cup so you can be the best YOU for those around you 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