Scanning photographs

There are many different types of scanners available on the market, flatbed scanners, multifunction scanners, pan-digital scanner and now the flip pal. Of all the various scanners available and I do own a few the flip pal scanner offers the most. You just charge it and go. No cords, no computer, just your SD card. This is great for scrapbookers, artists, and Genealogists alike. No extra's to carry at crops, when in libraries scanning old documents, or when at family reunions. You can scan anything, photos, cookbooks, wall portraits, quilts, anything.

Printing your memories

There are many companies out there to print your special life moments with, some good, some horrible. Recently Photoworks went out of business and Shutterfly decided to take those photos. While this wasn't my first dealings with Shutterfly, it will be my last.

My first order for Shutterfly was my memorial album I made of my Grandma when she passed away in Fall 2009, the quality was horrible, pages were blurry. I contacted Shutterfly and got no response from them, even though they claim a 100% Customer Satisfaction. Never any response, complete silence. Now onto the Photworks/Shutterfly transfer.My heart sank when I saw that Shutterfly had agreed to take over accounts at Photoworks, I had positive experience with Photoworks, and couldn't understand how a great company could merge with a horrible one.  I had 425 photos at Photoworks that were to be transferred, however only 308 were ever transferred, and all my emails about this matter were ignored. Customers could no longer log into their Photoworks accounts to get the photos, but were all given $30.00 credit for the inconvenience. 



After months of trying to find those other photos and no replies from Shutterfly I decided to use the promo since it was expiring. The promotion didn't work fduring the order process and I spent over $30.00 that I never would have spent if it hadn't been for the transfer and credit offered. I thought that they would apply the credit and was informed this morning that they would not honor it, but instead give me more credit to apply to the next order. Really??!?!?!?!?? So they think I should chance another $30.00 on a gift certificate that guarantee won't work!?!?! The revolving door to continued dissatisfaction?!? It was an expensive lesson to learn and hope others will think twice about trusting their beloved memories in the hands of Shutterfly.

Shutterfly prices are higher than Snapfish as the online printing companies compare. And quality and service are awful.  As a Heritage Makers consultant, customers get a real person, not ignored through emails- it is a little more through Heritage Makers, but as a customer feeling left in the dark last night at 1 am. I personally like paying more for quality items and top notch service.

There are several printing services out there,

WalMart- the system is hard to figure out and the photos are grainy when printed out. No personal service.

WalGreens- same as WalMart when it comes to quality and service

Any one hour photo place will get your photos printed and have low quality. Their services is to bring in customers, they aren't pro's with photos and act more like a fast food restaurant, rather than a 5 star restaurant in matters of preserving your memories.

Shutterfly-offers tons of promotions that are not honored, prices are high, emails are ignored, quality is horrible and the guarantee is just a wishful thought on the customers part.  

Snapfish- great quality and price is much cheaper than than online competitors, they also have tons of promotions that are honored. They offer more personalized gifts. I have never ordered a book from them, but their prints have always been great.

Of course there is Heritage Makers which doesn't print out photos, but helps the customer to organize and place those memories in quality pieces of art. These wont be hundreds of photos lying around waiting to be placed in a scrapbook, but stored in a convenient online storage  for later publication into a quality scrapbook, brag book, cookbook, playing cards, or cards.   Consultants like myself  help you make sure your photo is crisp, clear of flaws and walks you through the process of making photo albums, preserving your photos to the highest quality.  Heritage Makers is the 5 star restaurant of photo preserving, why spend less on those special moments-you want the memories to last generations beyond today. 

My first blogs

My first blog was dedicated to my grandma and all the artwork she did. She was an inspiration to me and wonderful woman. She painted, quilted, crochet, worked on ceramics, there didn't seem to be a single craft that she couldn't do. Here is her Betty Boop doll and a quilt I have taken pictures of. There are others I have not yet had the chance to photograph, and will add as I get the pictures taken. Her Betty Boop doll was so unique that a appraiser during our move appraised it at 175.00, only because there is no other doll or mold that has ever been seen like this one.

Digital Scrapbooking

I love photos of family, and old photos of the lives that helped shape our family. The old love letters, memories that should never be forgotten. I have been blessed to have a family that has kept many of those old memories. As I work to preserve them, I realize how much time making individual scrapbooks for each family member can take. Technology has found a solution-digital scrapbooking! You can make scrapbooks and store them online, and when you have made one- you can have it reprinted multiple times for different family members who want it. Here are a  page I made this week of my great grandparents.

Karber's Blog: Celebration with Karber Customers!

Over at Karber they are having a Celebration for their customers. This is a lovely thank you. And if you havent had the chance to take a look at their stamps you really should. They are great stamps.


Karber's Blog: Celebration with Karber Customers!: "Hi there! Here in Karber we are so glad for the release of Karber Rubber Stamps! We want to celebrate with a blog candy for our customers..."

The Copic Coloring Guide Book by Marianne Walker & Colleen Schaan | iCopic.com

The Copic Coloring Guide Book by Marianne Walker & Colleen Schaan | iCopic.com

Featured in this copic coloring guide was Tiddly Inks digi stamps. There are beautiful cards in this guide.

Heritage Makers

Recently I signed on to be a Heritage Makers Consultant. I really love scrapbooking both Traditional and Digitally. While there are several features out there that offer digital scrapbooking, the thing that none of them offer that Heritage Makers does is archival storage. A safe place besides your computer or home for your photos. It as if you have a virtual safe box for all your beloved moments. Offering a wide selection from Cards, Story Books, to business supplies, the options are limitless.

Heritage Makers is known for spoiling their hosts, as a host you get Free product credit up to 20%, half price products, Exclusive hosting gift program. And if you choose to start a business with Heritage Makers, there are free basic membership and then premium memberships. Both offering a large selection to choose from to design your story book. Preserve those special memories in a lovely hardbound book. Sign up for the Basic is 50.00 and you get a 25.00 credit to start your first story book.

Follow me on my site to learn more about the wonderful opportunities that Heritage Makers has. http://www.heritagemakers.com/preservingyourstories

One of my favorite things

I love looking at scenery, and capturing its unique beauty. Here are some recent shots I took along US 6 between Helper Utah and Spanish Folk. Those are icicles hanging off the side, there is a stream below that is running.

Karber Digi Stamps

Digi Stamps are really a nice element to add to any scrapbook page or card you are going to make. I have found some really great artists that design these digi stamps. These are images that you can print and color on your own, some can be bought colored. I bought this cute little set through Karber Digital Images when the Earthquake hit Japan. I have always admired Japan and their culture, and these images were to cute to pass up. Plus at the time proceeds were going to relief efforts in Japan.

This was my first effort making a rosette and coloring my own Digi Stamp. Practice on both is still needed.

My Journey

There are moments I get very off track or try to take on way more than any one person should. Life is so short and there is just to much to explore and enjoy. I never really grasped how true that was until my Grandma passed away in 2009. There was so much she had taught me, and was the most important person in my life. One of the things that we shared a love for was Genealogy, old photos, Cemeteries, recipes, and old stories that were passed through the family from Generation to Generation. It was then that I decided to take my education in Paralegal Studies-researching documents and change to become a Professional Genealogist.

In order to do that I really want to get my Certification, so I decided to open my own scrapbooking shop to sell die cuts, and cards to reach my goal. I got a little off track in the process and forgot to enjoy what I was doing. So a little focus was much needed. I am restructuring my shops to provide items geared towards preserving family photo's, and genealogy. In addition to traditional scrapbooking, I became a Heritage Makers Consultant to help others preserve their family memories digitally. I am still a volunteer for many Genealogical Organizations, Whispers from the Dust, Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness, Find a grave, Names in Stone, where I take requested photos of gravestones, and obituary retrievals.

It is so fun to help others preserve their family memories present and past.