Before I Was Your Mother...

My kids love to hear stories of my as a child, especially the naughty ones! I remember asking my parents these same questions. Why do children delight in hearing about us before we were the mothers and fathers?

Because it gives them a sense of belonging; a history of themselves. It is becasue of this I am currently working on a storybook that is 8x8 in sized. Hardcover for durability and about $50 when all is published and delivered.

Think of this. Mother's Day is coming and your children will spend hours working on a  gift for you. Why not spend just a little time making them something too? They can read it while you are off getting a manicure and then talk about it when you meet up for lunch!

Here are some excerpts from my own book:

Simple to create, this project is a template in the Template Gallery at http://www.myphotofairy.com/. You can do this, and I will help.

Super Simple Project Idea!

A Family Tile is a super simple and easy project to make and start with. It makes a great display on a mantle, shelf or table piece. This piece will look far more elegant than a framed photo and takes minutes to create in a few simple steps.

• 
  
  Create your FREE acct here and login.
  (If you already have one, simply login)

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  Click Template Gallery at the top right.
  Once loaded, type Heritage into the search box.
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  Scroll down until you see a project titled Heritage Million Moments Jace.
  Click the project title and the screen will darken and a pop up box will come up.
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  Click Get This Template.
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  Click Start My Own
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  Cllick Edit. and the project will open. The operating system will ask your permission, so click Allow.

The final steps are to personalize your project.

• First, edit the word HERITAGE to be your family name. Click the text box once and a pink border will appear. Click three times and the border will "dissapear" and you can highlight the word heritage and replace with your surname. Make sure to use all caps.
• Edit the quote below the same way!
• Adding a photo is simple.
  At the bottom left, you will see My Photos. Click that and then click My Albums. Click Add More Photos and then upload from your computer any image you like. You will know when your picture is uploaded when it appears on the screen.
• Click the existing photo in the project to highlight.
• Then, click the photo you want to drop in and while holding the cursor, "drag" to the place you want to be. The same "Drop here to replace" window will appear and just make certain your arrow is INSIDE that small box!
• Click publish and complete your order!
• When your project arrives in 10-12 days, you can modge modge to a 12x12 tile and support with an easel.

Digital Stoybooking while on Vacation - Part 2

Ok, so, a couple of days ago, I was visiting with you about creating digital storybooks and I happen to be doing that very thing whilst on vacation in Kauai. So, I thought I would take a moment to share with you what I've made so far. Like show and tell, but, it's online and I'm not five and you are reading this who knows when. Ok, so not show and tell exactly, but enough with that. Yeesh, I do actually have a point here.

First, the cover of my new book for the vacation I am currently on and then the pages in progress!

The Pros of Digital Storybooking

So, you may have noticed my posts have slowed a little and that is becasue I am on VACATION! Hooray for vacations! I wake up daily to the crash of the Pacific ocean and the rich taste of locally grown coffee. It's all good. But before you start to hate me, let me finish my post.

I was a scrapbooking enthusiast for 8 years. Stickers, letters, diecuts, paper. The smell of adhesive made me giddy. I still love to have paint in my cuticles and glue on the tips of my fingers. But let's be honest. I have two active children and I'm pretty active myself. I don't always have the time to get everything out and cover every flat surface just to make a page.

A friend told me about digital scrapbooking and I balked! No THANKS mamn! I don't wanna! Blech.

But she convinced me to just try it... so against my will I did and I will never go back.

Here are the pros of Digital Storybooking:

• You can do it from your private bungalow in Kauai (or anywhere there is wireless internet!)
• There is no waste... no stray letter Z's that don't get used, no pictures that you can't bear to toss.
• There is nothing to store. No disks, no supplies, nothing.
• It is far less expensive.
• You can complete books in an hour, rather than a year!
• You can digi-book while watching a movie with your partner!

I'm telling you, just try it! You can create your free digital account here: Free Digital Storybook Account

If it asks you a question about viewing stuff, click no.

Have a great day! I'm off to sip Mai Tais and visit a vintage lighthouse and take in a luau!

53 Fridays and Yesterday was the 6th One!

There are 53 Fridays in 2010. Didja know?

Well now you do! What are you going to do about it?

Here's an idea... create a photo journal by taking one photo a week; on Friday. Simply drop your picture into the corrosponding frame with a sentence or two and at the end of the year, voila! You have a complete snapshot of your year!  Don't worry if you don't have all six Fridays and you want to start. It's called "re-enacting the scene" and it's totally legal. *manaical laughter*

The best part is... someone far more creative than I came up with a brilliant template ready to go! We can thank Sandra Dovre for this inspired project, which is now waiting for you at http://www.myphotofairy.com/ in the template gallery. Click here to find the template quickly!

Here is a snapshot into the first six weeks of my year.

Books for Business!

Raise your hand if you think books are just for babies, families and crazy, crafty people with unlimited amounts of time and energy... Ok, that was a lot of hands! Truth be told, full color Storybooks are a great way to market your business and showcase what you do best! How so?

Exhibit A:    Special Events Alaska had a 12x12 book created that turned out incredible!

They can use this tool at bridal fairs, wedding expos, meetings with clients and in their gorgeous showroom.

This hardcover, full color book with velvet linen papers comes with 21 pages standard, but can be customized with up to 99 pages easliy and inexpensively. Very professional, this book is guaranteed to impress!

Think of the possibilities for your business...

XXOOXXOO - Valentines Day Idea!

I love Valentine's Day. I really, really do.

My husband spouts off about how it's not really a holiday and that it's just a marketing ploy to sell flowers, but I think it's lovely. Now, do I think we should only share love one day a year, of course not! But it's sweet to think about getting and giving little rememberances to those in your life you hold dear.

Ok. Enough already.

On to the Photo Fairy Magic, yes? YES! 

The girls and I created their Valentines online this year. We found these little bluebirds and striped accents and decided it was perfect. The girls shared a deck of cards for each set of friends. The back is the same on all 54 cards (standard deck has 52 cards and 2 jokers y'know), and then 33 for the littlest Valentines and 26 for the biggest Valentines. The best part was went we went to local hobby store for the final touches and found the perfect little lovebird bags! How neat is that!

Anyway, here is a peek at what we created. Click here for the project link to see up close and personal: Valentines Day Cards The first card is the back, then each girl and so on. Please know that they are NOT blurry in person... it's just a mad illusion onscreen.

Enjoy and make something lovely this year for those you love. <3

When a Photo is More Than A Photo!

This isn't a riddle... this is a real query. A photo is more than a photo when it becomes BLING! Can this be so? Abso-bling-alutely! Now, photo jewelry itself is not new. I get that. Those of us who have mangled the images of our loved ones to squeeze them into a locket know the photojewelry of yesteryear.

Well, it's 2010 now and those days are long gone. Now you can design your image online with web-based software and then... they cut out those stupid little pictures and squeeze them where the need to go! How great is that? The photo bracelet retails for $35, comes in two stretchy sizes (7 inches and 7.5 inches) and has heirloom assurance. Meaning, if you ever break it, they'll replace for half price!

But it doesn't end there. Again, someone far more creative than I; the brilliant Deb Jones created this incredible variation with the photo bracelet and I for one am planning to create a set for myself! What great party favors these would make!  Simply create your bracelet at http://www.myphotofairy.com/, then publish and when the lovely thing arrives, take it apart and restring on wire rings and add bead! Splendid!
To purchase or get you own, send an email to: myphotofairy@live.com!