The last couple of weeks have been hectic for me with an amazing retreat last weekend and then the reality that many of those in my office may need to shift to a work from home approach for several weeks so we can maintain the highest level of service and safety of our staff and community in the coming weeks.  I am sure I am not alone in feeling like this feels a bit weird but we will continue to do the things we can as we adjust other aspects of life being different than usual.

First, let me share a brief update about the great time we had in Hillsborough last weekend.  We had 9 of us in attendance at a unique retreat house that was designed with crafters in mind.  We had large tables, comfy chairs and good lighting to work on our projects whether they be traditional scrapbook pages or work on the computer for photo organization or digital photo project creation.  Our sleeping space and working area were all under one roof which was great for our group.  We did a Card Class break-out using the Creative Memories Just Saying Card Kit.  Each participant created 6 cards and got to experience just how easy it is to do our card kits.  We also did a Project Recipe with the Magic Awaits Creative Memories kit in both traditional and digital and discovered how versatile this pack of products is even if you aren’t going to a theme park.  Each participant also got a Forever Gift Certificate to use on any item they wished.  Some uses of this gift certificate were – printing photos, ordering permanent storage, ordering a Media Conversion Box, getting Forever Artisan and then there is always our beautiful Forever Digital Art.  Forever really has something for everyone.  There were also a few goodies for attending that included non-photo project surprises.  As with any of our retreats, there was plenty of yummy and comforting food to enjoy and keep you fueled through the days.  I know that each of the attendees will join me in looking forward to our next time in Hillsborough.  If you are interested in joining us next time, be sure to Save the Date – October 9-11 .  More details will be coming later this summer.  As with this event, I expect the October one will sell out quickly so be sure to jump on registration as soon as it is opened.

As I returned from the retreat, it has been a bit of a whirlwind as we absorbed the ever changing news about the spread of the COVID-19.  I am sure you are like me and having to react to an adjustment of our routines as many of our commitments and schedules are shifted.  Although there is a lot of uncertainty, I am reminded that there are many things I can do at home that I haven’t had “time” to do recently.  Some of you will be dealing with entertaining others in your household while some of you will find yourself with lots of time to yourself.  Here are a few of the things I plan to do with my change in routine:

• Instead of commuting every day to work, I am am hoping to get a walk in more often and enjoy some of these warmer spring like days.
• On the days I am home working, I am hoping to eat a few healthier lunches rather than picking up something out.
• I also plan to be intentional about what small businesses I can still support during this time and how to be intentional when I do get out or order for shipment to my house.
• There are also many projects I have at home – cleaning out that bathroom cabinet, sorting that pile of old clothes that need to be donated, determining what supplies I need for the yard so I can freshen up the flower beds are just a few.

What projects are on your list, what projects can you do with your family during this time?  Are photo projects on your list?  This is a great time to gather photos and media for a media conversion box, a great time to spend 15 minutes a day working on organizing a few of your digital images with your Forever account or pull out that traditional project and spread it out and see where you left off, what you need to finish, etc.  It is also a great time to go back and read a few of my recent posts here on my blog about how to get started with a photo project with a Little by Little approach.

Remember that I am here to help you with those photo projects when you are ready.  We can video chat or talk by phone during this time with any questions.  I am also planning on doing some screen sharing events in the evenings where I can show you how to use your Forever Account or Artisan in new ways while answering questions you may have.  Have kids that take photos on their phones that are stuck at home, we can teach them about this too and make that time on their phones a bit more productive too.

For now both Forever and Creative Memories are still open and operating their facilities so we can place orders and send media conversion orders to them.  If this changes it will be posted on their websites but for now, there are many things we can do keep those projects going that we have already started or plan ahead for what we may want to do next.  I would love to hear what you are doing over on our Facebook Page where others can be encouraged and inspired too.

I look forward to our time to gather in person again but until then, let’s encourage each other virtually through the technology that we have at our fingertips.