Project 365 - Picture a Day

I LOVE this idea for the memories and moments for 2010!

PROJECT 365

I challenge everyone to join me in Project 365!

Take a picture every day to capture 2010 in a special way.

This template to allow you to showcase each day, and tell what your favorite pic of the week was.

Don't just think big events, and kids...think about the little things that make you smile and shape your life.

Anyone ...can use this template with your free account, and you can share it next year with, or without printing it.

CLICK HERE to see the preview.

This template is found in the Heritage Makers Template Gallery. You can get it from there or contact me and I will transfer it to you.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

HAPPY NEW YEAR - and happy heritage making!

- Chris

Hot Idea! Family Yearbook

No time to scrapbook?

Want to capture and preserve the memories of 2009?

Welcome to YEARBOOKING!

Put your favorite memories, stories and images into a BEAUTIFUL, HARDBOUND Storybook!

TONS of templates to choose from!

Or CREATE your own design!

Go digital!

Take a peek at some of these great "Ready-to-Use" templates - just add your own photos and story!

(Layouts can be customized and you can edit the template however you wish!)

YOU can have ALL of 2009's (or any year's) memories preserved and ready to remember in less than a day!

Or start now on 2010!

CLICK heading for PREVIEW of a few of the templates available. Templates can be used for ANY year...

Black and White

Family Brights

Memories By Design (A Jill Means Template)

Touch of Nature Memories

PLUS...

Premier Membership is ON SALE right now for ONLY $99.95 for 12 months! That's less than $10 a month for UNLIMITED online photo storage, digital art and templates!

Add your 12x12 Storybook credit for your Family Yearbook and SAVE MORE!!! Only $159.95 for 12 months of Premier AND a 12x12 Storybook credit!

BIGGEST SAVINGS EVER on Premier!

Contact me to get started!

- Chris

Last-Minute Just Got PERSONAL

EVERYONE has a story!

That's why everyone will LOVE a chance to preserve and share their favorite memories with your Heritage Makers gift.

With a "Gift of Story" card, you give the gift that will last a lifetime.

Every size is perfect because they can create it however they wish!

Just let me know what credit you want to give and I will have it ready to give for you.

EVERYONE has a story - now YOU can help them share it.

(Please click on image to enlarge for information).

Publishing credits are good for an entire year.

THANKSGIVING SPECIAL: Custom Softbound Books - ONLY $14.95 EACH!

Thanksgiving Special:

5 Softbound/Wirebound book credits for ONLY $79.95 - That's ONLY $14.95 per book!

You can use the credits for ANY softbound/wirebound book project throughout the entire year but get the good savings NOW!

This sale ends MONDAY, November 30.

These books are great for:

- cookbooks

- kids' stories/art

- planners

- calendars

- journals

...and more!

LOTS of pre-designed templates available or design your own.

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Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving,

Chris

EASY Thanksgiving Memories

It's the most wonderful time of the year - being surrounded by loved ones, special stories and good memories.

As we gather with family, friends and loved ones this week, here are some fun ways you can make sure that the special moments will never be forgotten!

- Camera is ready, battery charged...now...USE it! :) (Tip: I get busy, so I have my kids be the "photographers" for part of the day, to make sure pictures are being taken and memories are being saved no matter what.) Be sure to take lots of photos of the memories and heritage that are being made and the special people in your life - including you!

- Print off copies of the attached "Story Maps" - My kids LOVE this and it brings priceless conversation and family stories. Kids (and adults alike) can be "reporters" and interview loved ones with the Story Map. Then, they write down the answers. "What was your favorite subject in school?", "What did you dream about becoming when you were a teenager?", "How did you purpose?" and MORE! (The Story Maps are found on the Heritage Studio home page for more themes and ideas. They are free - just download and print.)

- Share stories - The best gifts of the season are the memories. Sharing family and other special stories are a great way to strengthen family and bring generations closer together.

- Tell everyone to bring their favorite Thanksgiving (or any) recipes written down - or email them to you ahead of time - Or just collect them when everyone is together. The idea is to collect and preserve the favorite recipes.

QUICK & EASY WAY TO PRESERVE MEMORIES - Great Gift Idea too!

With the photos and recipes from Thanksgiving, you can put together a custom cookbook in minutes!

And now, you have a quick and meaningful Christmas gift for everyone that they are going to LOVE!

There are over 50 pre-designed templates to choose from! Just put in your own photos and recipes and you're DONE!

I'm LOVIN' These CUSTOM Cards!!

Jill Means, professional graphic designer who has large companies, resorts, and spas as her clientele has just released an incredible line of 24 Christmas and Holiday card templates that are now available in Heritage Studio - with a BASIC membership!

That's right - you don't have to pay Jill 100's of dollars to get her to do a custom design for your Christmas card - she has done it for you...FOR FREE!

I am in LOVE with these designs!

PLUS...Jill has created these designs so that you can change the color and the art and turn your favorite Christmas card into a baby announcement, party invite, thank you note - whatever you want! So easy!

NOW...here is the best part...CUSTOM CARD PRICES ARE SLASHED THIS WEEK ONLY!

So, you can get Jill's amazing designs and print them for as low as 79 cents a card!

How great is that?!

The Heritage Makers Holiday Hits Sale is HERE!

This is my biggest sale of the season! Let me help you cruise through this month and next knowing you have your gift giving under control -- especially your extra-special Heritage Makers gifts.

This week, CUSTOM CARDS are on sale for as little as 79 cents a card!
Postcard style can be customized on both sides. Greeting Card style can be customized on all fours sides. ALL cards include a felt-weave envelope! Direct shipping is available - Heritage Makers will send your cards for you!

Contact me today to get this amazing deal!

To see this week's special and more designs - CLICK HERE.

Design your own or choose from over 100 stunning templates - just add your own photos and message and your beautiful custom card is DONE!

Order this week and I will design your card for you!

Just email or send me your photos and message - that's it!

chris@heritageunwrapped.com

phone: 1.801.310.7504

SALE ENDS NOVEMBER 23 AT 12:00 Noon!

Every Month - A Memory

I have never been a "calendar lover"...until I started making my own custom calendars in Heritage Studio.

Now that I can add my own images to the months' pages and my own text to the important dates - I am hooked.

That's what a calendar is all about right? Not just the "official" important dates adorned with photographs of nature or comic strips. Every month - every day - is about our LIVES. Our own special people, places and memories and the important dates that are important to us as individuals and as families.

I think that is why these custom calendars are such a huge hit for Christmas and holiday gifts. Because we KNOW that they are going to be USED and we KNOW that they are going to be LOVED.

Hey, and at this "Pick of the Month" price, they are so budget-friendly, I can hardly stand it!

You can get as many calendar credits as you want at these SUPER-LOW PRICES and you do NOT have to make them all the same - or even all for the holidays.

Check out the TEMPLATE GALLERY too - there are some great calendar templates. The design work is done for you (and you can customize the design however you wish!)

Click on image for details and contact me to place your order for calendar credits or anything else you want. I also am happy to answer your questions too. :)

From Fridge to Published Book

Ellie told me, "Mom, my pictures have stories too."



Then, I looked at the fridge, the walls, the chalkboard - all covered with her art - her stories.

Well, Ellie, you know what we do with photos and stories around here...

"We put them in a book!", she shouted with a smile.


So, we took her favorite pictures and in no time, she was scanning them in on her own.



"Make sure they are 200 dpi!", she remembered.

Scanning Tip: Scan an image at 200 dpi, if you are going to print it in your project at about that same size. If you want to make it larger in your project, scan it at a higher resolution - 300 or 400 dpi - as long as the file size isn't over 10 MB.


Then, we logged in to Heritage Studio and chose a blank 8x8 Storybook to create.

Ellie uploaded her the digital images of her artwork and dragged them to where she wanted them on the page.

Next, she wrote (typed) the wonderful stories that went with each and every picture. Wow! What a wonderful imagination she has!


I am so glad we did this! These wonderful stories would have truly been forgotten - or maybe never even known.

And of course - the her smile at the end with a hardbound book of her art is PRICELESS!

P.S. And I get to see my fridge again! :)

CLICK HERE to view "Ellie's Art Book".

Take the CHALLENGE - FREE Storybook credit!

The other night, I went out to dinner and a movie and thought, "Wow! It was good but I won't remember this tomorrow. I'm going to eat again. And the movie wasn't that great. Good for a 99-cent rental - maybe. And for the price of it all, I could have published a storybook that I will have FOREVER!"

This challenge is EASY...and FUN!

You will be feeling like ROCKY when you finish - and you will be a CHAMPION to your family and loved ones with the priceless result - a LEGACY!

PLUS, you can get a FREE 8x8 Storybook credit!

Here's the challenge:

For the same price as this...


You can DO THIS...


...or THIS...


...or THIS...


...or THIS...


For the price of dinner out or a movie, you can create a CUSTOM, hardbound, archival quality, full color, 21-page Storybook - with YOUR photos and stories!

Take the Challenge!

Instead of spending your next 40 bucks on dinner out or a movie...create something that is going to LAST and that will be enjoyed for years to come! Make a difference!

Now through October 30, 2009, you can purchase an 8x8 Storybook for
only $39.95!

This great VALUE includes:

- Heritage Studio Basic Membership

- A Personal Publishing Consultant (me!) to help you every step of the way

- Use of digital art

- Pre-designed templates, if you wish - or create your own design

- Online photo organization, storage and management

- 8x8 Storybook - hardbound, archival quality with Heirloom Assurance

- Access to online Studio classes

- Story writing tips

...and more!


Please CONTACT ME to get your storybook published at that great price! This price is not available online.

Win a FREE 8x8 Storybook credit too!

EVERYONE WHO PURCHASES AN 8X8 STORYBOOK by OCTOBER 30, 2009 will be entered into a drawing for a FREE 8x8 Storybook credit! (Great for copies of your book or to create a new book!)

Be sure to check out the TEMPLATE GALLERY for great ideas and inspiration!

Baby, Vacation, Child, Love, Wedding, Coach, Pre-school, Life, Tribute, Memorial, Family memories and MORE!

Take the challenge and order your 8x8 Storybook credit TODAY!

You are going to be a CHAMP!

FUN and EASY Swatch Books - For Your Photos & Memories

Not sure what a "Swatch Book" is?

Well, think of the swatch book of fabric, paint colors, wallpaper, etc. An easy way to see all of your favorite colors and patterns, right?

Now imagine that Swatch Book with photos of YOUR favorite people and memories! Very cool!

Swatch Books are a FUN and EASY way to share those favorite photos, recipes, poems and more!

PLUS, they are CHEAP! (High-quality but VERY affordable!)

Swatch book credits start as low as only $11.95 each! Plus, I have LOTS of ways you can get a FREE Swatch Book credit. Just ask!

That means, they make great gifts too!

Check out these NEW pre-designed templates for Swatch Books - just add your own photos and text. (Plus, the design of the template can be edited however you wish!)

OR you can create your own design in Heritage Studio! (Don't have a FREE Heritage Studio account? Click on the "Sign Up for Free" button in the upper right corner of my blog's home page).

Super Swatch Book Ideas:


Family Conversations - Great for around the dinner table, family reunions and more!



CLICK HERE to see preview.




Simply Sweet Brag Book - Fun way to see and share the favorite people in a child's - or anyone's - life. (I think this would be great to do about a grown-up family member or ancestor too and make copies for kids to easily know about and remember them.)



CLICK HERE to see preview.




Lil' Love Bugs Brag Book - A bright and fun way to brag about your little ones - and make one to send to grandparents too!



CLICK HERE to see preview.




Falling Leaves - A perfect showcase for all of those pumpkin patch photos! This could be a great way to preserve and share your other fall photos - and yummy fall recipes too!


CLICK HERE to see preview.



Pretty in Pink - and Blue - A scrappy showcase for favorite photos and memories.


CLICK HERE to see preview.



Spooky Halloween - Whether to share your Halloween pics of this year or from years past - this template is "spooktacular!"


CLICK HERE to see preview.


Want to get started? Let me know! I'm here to help!

Happy Swatch Booking!

- Chris

Totally Custom TILES

As I wrote the heading for today's post, I thought of the shows that my brother-in-law loves about customizing motorcycles and cars.

Well, no long mustaches and tattooed arms here but you CAN customize a tile however you wish - and for much less money than what you would pay for one in the store. (Not to mention a lot less than a chopper!)

Hmmmm...maybe tiles deserve their own show too.

The tiles shown are in two sizes: 12x12 and 6x6. I use a Heritage Makers 12x12 page for each size because I can make FOUR 6x6 tiles from ONE 12x12 page. Now, THAT'S a huge value!

WHAT YOU NEED:



- 12x12 Heritage Makers page (contact me for discount printing)

- Design your own page or use a pre-designed template from the Template Gallery (I also have more that I can transfer to you - just ask!)

- Ceramic tile (available at any home improvement store - quality of tile doesn't matter, so you can get the really cheap ones. I wouldn't get one with two many bumps in it though)

- Mod Podge (I prefer matte for this)

- Foam brush (plate or bowl for putting the Mod Podge in)

- Paper trimmer/scissors

HOW TO:
Step 1

Design your 12x12 page and submit to publish. It will take a few days to receive it back but the quality of ink, color and paper is worth it!


Step 2

Trim the edges of your page to fit the tile.




Step 3

Apply a thin, even layer of Mod Podge to the top side of the ceramic tile.

Step 4

Lay the page on the tile and smooth out from the center to the edges. Bubbles may appear and the next step will help with this. Also, in my experience, I have found that I do what I can but the bubbles that do keep showing will flatten out after a day or two.




Step 5

Let the Mod Podge dry, then lay tile face (paper side) down on a flat, clean surface.

Put something heavy on it and leave it for awhile (30 minutes) or even overnight, if possible.



Step 6

After drying, turn tile over so that the paper side is showing again. Apply an even, thin layer of Mod Podge to the paper side.



Step 7

Let dry




That's it! Now you have a beautiful custom tile to display in your home or to give as a gift that will be treasured!

Please let me know if you have any questions.

(Template above is available. Just ask! :) )

Happy heritage making!

- Chris

Custom Board Books

Okay, so I don't have a baby or even a toddler, but this truly is my FAVORITE new product! (At least for today!) :)

This is something that people have requested for YEARS...and now it's finally HERE!

Moms, aunts and grandmas LOVED the storybook idea, but they wanted BOARD BOOKS! Durable, tear-resistant pages in a big, beautiful sturdy book that was totally customizable - and affordable... and now all of that is possible!


I am doing (and giving) lots of these for sure! I think Board Book credits would be great baby shower gifts!

Grandma Lynda's Story with a Board Book



I have to say, the sample that was shared is a keeper. It is done by Lynda Angelastro and she created this book for her granddaughter. It shows all of the people who are close to her and they share their story with her of why they think she is a VIP (Very Important Person). So, after having these messages read to her over and over again and then reading them herself when she can, she is always going to know how important she is and how much her family loves her. What a great self-esteem builder for any age!

----

The sample is the TEMPLATE (Basic and Premier membership) that you can use and just add your own images and text or you can use the Board Book however you wish and CREATE YOUR OWN DESIGN.


The BOARD BOOK is great for:

- Life Stories for toddlers to look through, read aloud

- "This is My Family"

- "My Favorite Things"

- "My ABC Book" - Use things from the child's life to illustrate the alphabet

- Counting Book

- "The Story of My Name"

- Baby Book

- "All About Me"

- "I Am Loved" - Images and stories about (or messages from) people who love the child

- ALL AGES - Recipe book - Durable, wipe-off pages and cover, more pages

...and more! The options are endless!


There it is - my FAVORITE new product (for now - because there are so many!)


The Board Book is 32, acid-free pages (all other Heritage Makers books have 21 pages) and comes with the Heirloom Assurance commitment, like all other Heritage Makers products. If something happens to your copy, Heritage Makers will re-publish it for you for only half price.


BOARD BOOK PRICING:

Retail: $59.95

Special Price for 1 credit (1 book): $53.95 (Save $6!)

3-Credit Package: $50.95 each (Save $27!)

5-Credit Package: $47.95 each (Save $60!)

10-Credit Package: $44.95 each (Save $150!)

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These books are INCREDIBLE ways to build a child's self-esteem - right from the start!

"I CAN is 100 times more important than IQ."


- Author Unknown

---

I love sharing these new ideas and stories with you! Thank you for all you do and please let me know if I can help you with your projects or to find just what you need. I'm here to help!

Happy heritage making,

Chris

NEW Products!!!

I am in LoVe!

The hardest part is choosing which one of these NEW products to do FiRsT!

Check out the video below to see all of the NeW things you can do with YoUR photos and memories! CLICK HERE for info too.

Of course I am offering special pricing too! Contact me to get started!

ONLINE Workshop - FREE and FUN!

Mark your calendar and attend my ONLINE Heritage Makers Workshop!

I am going to share LOTS of fun and EASY ideas for creating great products in Heritage Studio.

PLUS, I am going to announce the latest products from Heritage Makers that are being announced at our annual Reunion (Conference) this weekend.

It's totally FREE to attend and it's going to be A LOT of FUN!

Thursday, September 24

8:30 AM Pacific, 9:30 AM Mountain, 10:30 AM Central, 11:30 AM Eastern

CLICK HERE to RSVP to reserve your space.

Everyone who attends will be entered into 3 drawings for FREE products!
Invite your friends (as many as you wish!) and if they attend, YOU get a FREE gift!

The more the merrier and everyone is going to LOVE these ideas and "How To" tips and instruction.

Happy Heritage Making!
- Chris

LAST CHANCE - Card Sale Ends Tuesday at 9 PM

I love getting cards in the mail...don't you?

We all do!

Read CANDY'S STORY about cards HERE.

Now, you can have the JOY of sending cards you know everyone who receives them is going to LOVE and...KEEP!

You can send a custom, high-quality card with your own photos and message - and for a FRACTION of the cost of a store-bought card!

PLUS, with Direct Shipping, Heritage Makers will even put your card into a high-grade envelope, address it, stamp it, and send it for you!

HUGE CARD SALE - Ends Tuesday night at 9 PM Mountain Time

Just Pick the Package That Works for YOU!


PANEL CARD PACKAGES


Panel Cards - 2-sided, both sides can be customized however you wish.

50 Double-Sided Panel Cards with Felt-Weave Envelopes
+ 1 FREE month Premier = $59.95 Save $55

100 Double-Sided Panel Cards with Felt-Weave Envelopes
+ 1 FREE month Premier = $111.90 Save $112


GREETING CARD PACKAGES


Greeting Cards - "Traditional" folding-style card with 4 sides that can be customized however you wish

50 ~ 4-Sided Greeting Cards with Felt-Weave Envelopes
+ 1 FREE month Premier = $89.95 Save $77

100 ~ 4-Sided Greeting Cards with Felt-Weave Envelopes
+ 1 FREE month Premier = $169.90 Save $164


FOLD-OUT CARD PACKAGES


Fold-out cards have 3, 5 or 7 panels (you choose the style you want) and they fold-out like an accordion. They are perfect for displaying on a shelf or desk.

50 Fold-out (multi-panel, accordion-style) cards with Felt-weave Envelopes + 1 FREE month Premier = $159.75 Save $80

100 Fold-out (multi-panel, accordion-style) cards with Felt-weave Envelopes + 2 FREE months of Premier = $299.50 Save $195.50

*****
PLUS...10 FREE CARDS - if you place your order by 9 PM (Mountain Time), Tuesday! (That's an additional savings of up to $45!)


Use the Template Gallery (100's to choose from for ANY occasion!) or design your own!

***Publishing credits are good for an entire year. Get locked in at this great price now and send out custom cards for every and any occasion - birthdays, party invites, thank you, Christmas, holiday - whatever! - all year long!***

Questions? Order?

Please contact me!

Chat soon,

Chris

MORE Heritage Blocks Ideas and Themes!

Today is definitely a day for remembering.

That is why I wanted to share some great new ways that you can remember the people and moments that make life so special.

Read on for tips on how to make your own! Easy, Fun and MEANINGFUL! A great way for everyone to REMEMBER.


Baby Girl - Pink Dahlia


Wedding - Building Blocks for a Family Foundation


You saw the original Heritage Blocks and fell and love and now there are so many ideas and ways you can use them! (Thanks again, to Jill Means for the great ideas and design!)

I have 12x12 page templates available for:

- Vintage

- Baby Girl/Girl

- Baby Boy/Boy

- Wedding

or you can use the template and change the design, colors, etc. to whatever you wish!

The creativity is ENDLESS!


HOW TO GET STARTED:

1. New to Heritage Makers?

Go to my website: www.HeritageUnwrapped.com and click on the link "Sign Up for Free" in the upper right corner, to set up your FREE account.

When you set up your account, I will receive an email to let me know that you are ready to go. This has to be done first, so I can transfer the templates to you.

2. Current clients and those who just finished Step 1:

Send me an email at chris@heritageunwrapped.com and let me know which Heritage Blocks templates you would like. You can choose 1, 2 or ALL of them. It's up to you and I am happy to get those to your account ASAP.

3. Start creating your 12x12 pages in your Heritage Makers account.


These are the pages that you will use to put on the blocks of wood.

No worries! After I receive your email, I will also email all of the instructions to you too and am here to personally help you every step of the way.


Ready. Set. CREATE!

Have fun and please let me know if you have any questions.

- Chris

From Page to Project - Recorded "How To"

Just click the link below to watch a recorded webinar about how you can go from page to project with your Heritage Makers pages.

http://support.heritagemakers.com/comm/webinar/studio/archive/20090827_Studio3_Master_Class_FromPageToProject.wmv

Oh, My HECK!

I have to say, that is one of my favorite "Utahisms". I haven't used it myself, but it always brings a smile to my face whenever I hear it.

And I hear it when I show this amazing home decor idea - and again when I tell someone the price!



These would look great in any room - plus an amazing gift too!

What you need:

3 12x12 scrapbook pages from Heritage Makers ($9) (create at www.HeritageUnwrapped.com)

mounted on foam board ($5 each)

and a roll of ribbon from Wal Mart ($2)

total=$26 (for all 3)!!!

Okay, all together now..."OH, MY HECK!"

Contact me to get started! These are so easy!

- Chris

Fun and Interactive Family Tree

My friend Heidi Arave and I had a "brainstorming" session of poster ideas and using magnets made with Heritage Makers products too. "How about a magnetized, interactive Family Tree?" I suggested.

Well, Heidi put the words into ACTION and here it is!

What you need: (All of the printed items are made at www.HeritageUnwrapped.com)

1 18x24 poster (I have the template. Please contact me to transfer it to your account)

1 12x12 scrapbook page (I have the template for this as well, to use for the magnets)

1 18x24 metal sheet (available at local heating and cooling store)

1 sheet of 2x2 tiles (available at Home Depot)

Mod Podge - glossy (for magnets)

Magnets - (available at craft store)

Sponge brush, to apply Mod Podge

* Laminate poster at local print shop, or wherever laminating service is available near you

Instructions are available from me - just ask! :)

Within minutes, Heidi's son, Jace, went from asking "Who's that?" to "Can we do it again? That's fun!"

Contact me to get started on your own FUN Family Tree! (Great gifts for family and friends too!)

- Chris

My WHY

August 5, 2009

I’m having one of “those nights” again…so many thoughts and ideas in my head that I don’t want to go to sleep because I might forget them – so, I better write them down.

Why I do what I do –

We all have those moments…”Why am I doing this?” And it was today, when I stepped away from the computer, the contact lists, the brochures and even the storybooks – that my “Why” of what I do and why I do it each day became even stronger in my heart.

I was at the hospital today with my mom and I noticed that most of the people in the hospital rooms around her were elderly. Their aging bodies needed some repair and even replacement, after years of hard work, use and experiences. I watched their slippered feet slowly shuffle down the hall or need help to be put carefully into the foot rests of the wheelchairs. I hope they didn’t mind me watching. I couldn’t help it. I watched in awe, humility and gratitude. They had lived so many stories – each of them coming from a different background, experiences, trials and triumphs. I just wanted to pull up a chair in their room and talk and write it all down, before they and their stories were gone.

Then, I thought of the storybooks I had published – when I had taken the time to sit down and “write it all down”. One of the first was about my son, Connor, where he shared all of the things that he CAN do. Even though he wrote it when he was six years old, he still smiles and walks a little taller each time he reads it – or hears me bragging about it.

Click link to see preview of Connor’s CONNOR CAN Storybook:

http://www.heritagemakers.com/projectBrowserStandAlone.cfm?projectID=996336&productId=5


Another storybook I remembered was one that I had created and published this past year, about my amazing grandmother. (She would blush and deny it, if she heard me use the word “amazing” to describe her, but to me, that’s not even a vivid enough adjective. She was.)
She would never talk with me much about her life story for a book when she was alive, always saying that I should write about someone else’s life story. So, after she passed away, I scanned each page of her journal, the pressed keepsakes inside, the words she wrote, the letters, the recipes – and put them into a storybook. The words are her own – from her own journal years ago. Her legacy will live on and on and as her posterity, we are better for it. Now, many family members have a copy of her storybook. I think she would like that. She was/is one of my real-life heroes and I know she is to my daughter, Ellie, now too.

Click link to see preview of my grandmother’s Storybook:

http://www.heritagemakers.com/projectBrowserStandAlone.cfm?projectID=996337&productId=9



And as I remembered these books and reflected on them and the people that they are about, I realized this…again. What I do is help people leave their mark – leave a permanent “footprint” that they were here and that what they did every day meant something. Not just at the end of life – but in celebrating those “everyday moments” of what we do too.

Every day, we are each learning, teaching, growing, serving, taking, giving – and for what? To start it all over again the next day? And then, for what?

It is those stories – those moments – in every day, that weave us into who we are – uniquely. There is no else like you.
And these moments of struggle, challenge, growth, experience, love, gratitude and triumph are lessons that we are to learn from, grow from and pass on to posterity. Then, they matter.

But, what if the moments, the lessons, the appreciation – what if that is never preserved or shared?
It will all be forgotten. Unless it is written – preserved.

That is the power of Story. It is through story and storybooks through the ages that we preserve our past and take it with us to the future.

So, that is WHY I do what I do. To help people – even my own family and myself – preserve, share and celebrate the lives that are lived – at any age – and the stories that are shared and learned from, even for generations to come.
Every life matters.

Every story deserves a book of its own.

We ALL have a story to share.
I saw this quote tonight, after my time at the hospital. It was perfect.
“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.”

Live your story today – and write it down.

How to Write Your Own Memoir

Dear wonderful friends,

I am on Oprah's email list - you know we are close ;), and this was in my inbox the other day. It reinforces what Heritage Makers does - and what Heritage Studio provides - a "jumping off place" and the path to the journey of preserving and sharing their story.

Excerpt from article:

Writing is the way I ground myself, and it's what keeps me sane. Writing is the way I try to make sense of my life, try to find meaning in accident, reasons why what happens happens-even though I know that why is a distraction, and meaning you have to cobble together yourself.

- Abigail Thomas

Click the link below for the complete article and even a guide for with prompts for writing a life story - a memoir (click the link below):

http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahsbookclub/readinglists/pkgsummerreading/200808_omag_memoir_how-to


And then, when they have written...then what? Do the words and memories get forgotten? Was the process and effort worth nothing - especially to generations to come?

That's when we realize the power of and need for Storybooking.

This is a wonderful article to read for ourselves and to share with our friends, family and clients.

Thanks Oprah - again!

(Remember, Oprah chose YOUR product as one of her "All-Time Favorite Gifts" - not just last year...ALL-TIME.)

Thinking of you,

Chris