Displays

This is a quick shot of the display I set up for my own workshop at home... I absolutely love it and I love setting it up too!

It never seems to look quite the same twice!

I just invited a couple of friends over, and we had fun getting caught up and chatting!

Hunger Games

I went to see the Hunger Games on Sunday with a couple of old friends (that I haven't seen in over a year).

Let me just say that the line up was deceiving, as we got amazing seats! The popcorn was really great (even though the concession gave me a dill pickle flavour shaker when I wanted ketchup) that was a rude awakening and not my favourite shaker flavour at all.

The movie was terrific, everything I wanted it to be with only a few parts from the book cut out for time. It was thrilling to watch even though I have just recently read the books. I really love the way they went about it.

One con through this whole thing - We have to wait for Fall 2013 for the next one, Catching Fire. Bummer! Oh well, I will probably go see the Hunger Games again with the hubby, because I think he would enjoy it too!

Meal Planner Book

This is how I do my meal planning right now, it helps because I can sit down with it and do up a grocery list, check the cabinet to make sure I'm not purchasing doubles(which I've done)

It also doubles as a way to let the husband know what's available in the fridge; or what I had planned that night, so even if he doesn't have that, he has something with those ingredients ;)

In case you were wondering, yes! I did make this on Heritage makers. I saw something similar on Pinterest!

Hosting Tiles

Aren't they beautiful? These took me a few moments in studio and I am simply in LOVE with them! I just grabbed a template from the template gallery and published them on pearl paper. Soon I will make a trip to Home Depot to get some 4X4 tiles, rubber sticky feet for the bottom, then I just glue the little pages to the tiles! Instant beautiful DIY project!





This completed tile below is from the previous time I did this project, as I haven't had a chance to get out to Home Depot yet!

This is a really easy DIY project that I simply love giving as a host gift! Mostly because I know I would love to receive them!

Story Maps

For those of us who have a little bit of trouble thinking of what to write when we tell our own life story, detailing our heritage and adding depth to our photo books is really difficult most times.

This is another "discovered" why I love Heritage Makers. They have a selection of what are called "Story Maps". Basically they are a series of questions to help you journal through your storybook about the photos within.

I am super excited about these because right now I am working on my own Love Story. I do remember quite a bit about our time dating, moving in together, our engagement, and now our wedding day; but those memories will in time fade away and I'm excited to have them written down in something that I can cherish for years to come.

I could probably even teach my children to read from it! (Once we have children haha)

My mom is also working on her Life Story at the moment, her first storybook. She is having a blast with picking papers for it, and I find myself getting really excited to read it once it is done.

Which leads me to my new "discovered" why: I love showing people how to work in studio and with Heritage Makers. It gets me really excited for them to finish, publish and receive their projects because I know they will love them as much as I love mine!

Hosting a Workshop

With our host rewards program, you’ll earn plenty with one of the most rewarding plans anywhere. Not only do you get rewarded based on your party sales, but you also get ANOTHER gift in addition to the host freebies and discounts. And not only do you as the host get rewarded, but your guests will receive a free gift also!!

 Our workshops are really fun! You just invite a few friends who are interested, provide some light refreshments, and I show them how to preserve their memories and help with their photo problem. There are games too! 

Contact me to book your workshop today!

Host Rewards Flyer 

Traditional Scrapbooking

I used to think traditional scrapbooking was extremely exciting and all I focused on was the end result of everything. I never realized how much work it is and how much time it consumed until I started trying it myself.

The first time I did was just after high school, and I wanted to preserve memories of my friends and acquaintances as well as the good times we all had together. It took over my very small room at my parent's house very quickly. It was always a hassle to pull out and work on because I had to fully pack it away in an inconvenient location every time.

I guess it comes as no surprise that it was another four years before I attempted it again with my cat Chester's kitten pictures. At this point, I thought I had realized that traditional scrapbooking was the only way to preserve photos. Man was I wrong.

It took me weeks to do this project, with multiple trips to London Drugs(before I was able to drive).

The embellishments are starting to lift and that's heartbreaking when I put so much work into it.

You can see at this point I started running out of ideas for each page and just started adding stickers.

 

On the last page, I penned in a poem I wrote for him. I think it's hilarious, but I almost ran out of room on the page.

And that was only eight pages! Look at all the extra blank ones at the end! This book would have taken me forever!

Now I can do start to finish fully customized projects such as my wedding album, in one month! That of course sounds long, but when you consider that we had over 2,000 photos and I wanted them all, it's not so long ( the album is also 36 pages). I didn't work on it everyday; I was putting my business together so I only worked on it maybe an hour or two each week.

There were no trips to the local London Drugs for reprints when the page didn't look quite right, and being a bit of a perfectionist I want each page to represent the love of my wedding day and my appreciation of having all the family and friends there to celebrate with us.

There were no frustrating twice or three times a day trips to michael's, which don't get me wrong I love michael's, but the closest one is in Shawnessy and hello, twenty-thirty minutes each way. Not happening.

There was no running out of ideas because in studio, I just pull up the art tab, scroll to a new art collection and bam! Instant inspiration!

None of my embellishments lift because they are printed directly on the page and if I want it to look more 3D, all I have to do is add a drop shadow!

I don't run out of room either! If the font is too big, I can just lower it and presto!

When i first discovered heritage makers - it was like a dream come true.

I had never heard of digital scrapbooking, but I was willing to try it out because I saw how much time and energy and money it could save me!

I did all my wedding invitations and RSVP cards for under $400. Everywhere else was at least $700 and up! I may have just started with the saving me part, but I have loved every single project that comes to my door, and I'm picky with things I have made myself so that is really saying something! 

Now, all I need is my laptop and a WiFi connection. I went to Starbucks for a morning coffee recently (the Saturday morning before regionals) and sat at a nice cushy chair with my laptop and worked on my wedding album.

I just can't tell you how much I love having portable creativity at my fingertips! Let me know if you feel the same!

Studio Night!

So on Saturday I participated in St. Patty's day studio night and I got to finally wear my green cheek tattoo and tiny plastic leprechaun hat.

It was a ton of fun and I thoroughly enjoy spending time with all the consultants and other consultant's clients who attend! It is always interesting to find out what others are working on. I did participate in the photo card challenge at the end; where we all get ten minutes to design a card and then we all vote for our favourite... I got three votes this time! Hooray! Below is the card I designed!

If you are interested in attending the monthly studio night (in the ne of Calgary) then simply click this link, or call me and I'll help you out with it! Anna: (403) 830-1710.

Being a Consultant-Join my team!

Being a Personal Publishing Consultant - Getting Paid to do what you Love

This is the best job ever! Take advantage of this incredible opportunity in Canada and the United States with a company that is leading the digital scrapbooking and photobook industries! The Heritage Makers business opportunity includes direct sales of online publishing of a large selection of products which enables customers to preserve their personal photos and family memories. Let me help you get your at-home business up and running so you can enjoy the benefits of making a difference in your life and others! See some startup costs and benefits right away, and keep reading to learn more! 

A few things I love about being a Heritage Makers Consultant:

 

11. I get to work with ladies who have become my best friends! 

We help each other with ideas and motivate one another!

 

 10. I get to make my own hours. 

This business fits any lifestyle, whether you want to bring in a little extra "Mad Money", or have a career-level income! I can change my mind between the two!

     9. I am making a difference by helping people become family-focused! 

Everybody is the star of their own story, and I just love helping them write it! What a great way to connect the generations and make sure your children know their family and family history! 

 

     8. Luxury Vacation? Yes, Please! 

You can earn a free cruise for 2 just by working your business! 

 

     7. Our compensation plan boasts BONUSES of up to $3,000/month, 

on top of an already sturdy pay structure! 

Also, having a home-based business means tax-write-offs, even on my projects!

 

     6. We have great products - I am not a "sales person" - I am just passionate about what we offer! 

And we don't hold "parties", we do "workshops" with a learning environment, and then give the host awesome-awesome rewards! 

 

     5. What we offer is in demand, because 

People have photo problems, and we provide photo solutions.

 

     4. Being online means I can have clients ANYWHERE, no boundaries! 

Also, our brilliant business strategy brings in RESIDUAL income! 

 

     

3. No inventory and no deliveries! This is real important to me as I don't have storage room at my home ;) You don't ever have to try and sell off your old stuff! 

 

   

  2. Amazing support and training - I work with the best people! 

From the day you join, you will never be alone, you will join a friendly and welcoming team of people who want you to succeed! 

 

  

   1. Heritage Makers is still a very new company (2006) - lots of room to grow! 

Join now while we are poised to become a multi-continent company! 

 

Create your own schedule that works around your family and other commitments. Work with a company that has no geographical limits, requires no "stocking up" or deliveries on your part, and provides a product and service that people are excited about!  I am able to stay home and focus on things that are really important to me, make a financial contribution to our family budget, and have a creative outlet - and I love it!

Great Rewards, Great Support

Heritage Makers Independent Consultants can receive compensation based on their own personal sales, and, if they choose, also receive bonuses for building and developing a group of equally committed consultants. The opportunity is truly what you make of it, providing hobby-level income all the way up to full-time income and beyond. But you won’t be doing it alone. We have a great support system in place - just in case you're worried that I live too far away to provide personal assistance. When you sign up, you will have your own website already designed, your own Virtual Office, complete with online training modules, recorded business booster calls, mentoring programs, and team calls. You'll have access to all the support you could ask for; We even have a team Facebook Group to share ideas with other Consultants across North America. Plus I'm only a phone call or mouse click away!

What does a Heritage Makers Consultant Do?

Heritage consultants are independent, working their own businesses. They help people publish their stories and hold workshops to teach others how to preserve their heritage through the Heritage Makers online studio. They share a passion for preserving heritage, capturing important events, traditions, and family, and making sure these things are documented. They are the backbone of the Heritage Makers business, spreading the word about the importance of heritage and preserving family history.

If you are ready to make a difference, not just a living, if you are ready to leave a legacy, not just do a job, and if you want to experience the thrill of being in business for yourself but not by yourself, you’ve found the perfect answer: Heritage Makers.

If you're considering becoming a consultant, contact Anna at (403) 830-1710  or by email at anna@lifestorystars.com!

-See more videos and get more information

Calgary Studio Night

So tonight is studio night in the NE of Calgary, I am so excited, I even have my ticket ready!


Last studio night I participated in the contest at the end to make a card with a certain art collection. It was meant to be a thank you card and although I didn't win (that was Julie) I got a vote!

Hooray! I even kept the sticky note in my planner to remind myself that I'm not the only one who loves my work! I cannot wait for tonight it's going to be loads of fun!

If you'd like to join, here is the link to register.

Club HM!

Club HM is a really fun club to belong to! Just have a look at all the information below and contact me if you are interested in becoming a client on Club HM!

 
Join Club HM! As a member, you'll get to:

• Save 25-50% off publishing points
• Enjoy FREE Premier access ($20/month value)
• Unlimited photo storage
• Free project upgrades
• Save money an fill your home with beautiful keepsakes
• Teach children about their heritage
• Access to more than 55,000 pieces of digital art
• Access to more than 6,000 predesigned templates
• Convenient monthly points plan - use them right away or save them for something bigger later!
• Monthly publishing specials on various projects! 
• Participation in the Club HM community, including classes, contests, idea sharing and more!

You can sign up today and be publishing by tonight! Join in on the fun and become a member of Club HM today!

There are three levels of Club HM membership that allow you to choose the one that is right for your budget and your lifestyle. Each is a 3month commitment, after which you can adjust your membership right from your own account!

Husband Cookies!

Yesterday I made my husband's favourite cookies for him from his grandmother's recipe. They turned out awesome and I really enjoyed them as well!

They are supposed to imitate OREO cookies and since I was so disappointed with the flavour of the 100th birthday Oreo's - Sorry Mr. Christie, but this time you did NOT make good cookies.

Anyhow, just thought I would post a couple of pictures, to show you all how they turned out! The house smelled amazing and no, sorry I can't give out the recipe; family secret.

Voila! I'm sure there is a similar recipe out there though....

RSVP Book for my wedding

This is the RSVP book I made for my wedding last year, as you can tell, most of the pages featured don't have writing on them; I wasn't sure how many spaces to have and didn't want to be caught without room although in hindsight they could have written on the extra page on either end of the book.

Oh well, something about 20/20, hindsight. I've never been good at predicting the future :) I just love the way it turned out as I was super excited while publishing it. I suppose it could double as a guest book for our guest room until all the pages are filled :)

 

 Beautiful, isn't it?

Family Calendar 2012

This past Christmas I went onto heritage makers and made a calendar for our family. I included the most recent pictures I could find and used a template so it would be quick! Here is the finished product, there are only a few months I'm going to post to give you an idea what it looks like, but you can go check it out yourself if you'd like on the website! Just click the green book link to the right! ------->

 

It was an enormous success, and I really enjoy having my family members on the calendar where I plan our months instead of random kittens (although I do love kittens) Maybe next year I'll do a calendar entirely out of Chester's kitten photos! (My cat)

My Sister's Wedding Album

Let's just be honest, this is a project I did last year. That being said, I am more in love with it now than I was when I first put it together. I was excited to do it because it meant that I had a Christmas gift for my sister and her husband; I could also order copies for family members who could not be there :)

Everytime I flip open this book it takes me back to my sister's wedding. It was a joyous occasion to be sure! Every single page is my favourite so while I would normally just choose to show you one page, I could not narrow it down enough, so you get three.

Like I said, completely in love with the album (and of course the people in it) I really enjoyed putting it together. I started with a template, but I ended up changing a whole bunch (every background page) and all the embellishments (cause they're included in my club membership on heritage makers). Haha Michael's! I will no longer shell out hundreds of dollars on projects I never end up completing!



Other than that, I just picked up the book this morning again and was so filled with glee I had to show everyone. Enjoy!

Mother's Day / Father's Day Cards

Speaking of Mother's Day and Father's Day, I put these two projects through heritage makers for the hubby's parents so we would have a card to give the people who have everything!

It's always nice to receive the cards in the mail after ordering them because they always exceed expectations! These cards in particular only cost about 3 publishing points each ($1 US each) and they come with their own nice envelope...!

If you don't want to mail them yourself, heritage makers offers a direct ship feature where you just select the address and return address you want, and they:

1. Address the envelope so it looks as though it came from you
2. Stuff the card in the envelope for you
3. Lick the envelope (my favourite)
4. Put a stamp on it
5. Put it in the mail

The best part about this is of course that it only costs $1 to have them do all of this!

Then, if you want to get really efficient, you can input your Christmas card list into the Heritage Makers website and when Christmas rolls around; easy peasy one two three-sy!

I cannot wait to do my Christmas cards this year. It's going to be awesome!

Coasters w/ scrap pages!

I like to receive things in the mail. I also like pleasant surprises like getting a nice back rub from my hubby or when I find a five dollar bill in a coat I haven't worn in months.

When I received these in the mail - they were another craft I was excited to finally cross off my list of things to do around the house. They turned out beautiful!

They came as a scrap page which I quickly cut into the pre-measured frames I had toggled on heritage makers studio.

Then I just slid them into the little coaster envelopes on the back side and voila! I think I got these coasters at Wal-Mart, but I could be wrong, I have had them for over three years meaning to do this project (which just goes to show that even the most skilled procrastinator can do heritage makers)

So this is how they turned out, and I had four coasters and six photos, so I have two extra pictures - one for my purse and one for my hubby's wallet! Ta-Da!