Backflips for My New Software

I don't know how to do backflips, but if I did I would have this weekend! I purchased Panstoria's Artisan and Historian software programs and the process couldn't have been simpler! I have used Creative Memories' Memory Manager (photo organization) and Storybook Creator (designs photo books, cards, posters, etc...) software programs for 8 years and I was a little nervous - after all, these are my PHOTOS and my stored artwork and photo books! When I blinked my eyes and everything had "magically" converged into the new program, I almost cried with joy :)

 In this digital world, I couldn't live without Historian - it takes all your pictures (from your camera, phone, computer, wherever) and AUTOMATICALLY puts them in chronological order. You can edit, crop, zoom in, remove red eye, tell stories, rate, and create your own folders to take the chronological organization a step further. It is a lifesaver (and I have 72,000 + photos to prove it - go ahead and ask me where my Halloween pictures from 2008 are, haha!) Same thing goes for Artisan - I love my traditional scrapbooks, but sometimes I want something even faster, and that's when I turn a memorable group of photos into a hardbound book! Can you tell I am over the moon with my software conversion?

 If you would like to do the same, check out the links to purchase on the right of my blog - if you buy through me, you will have access to myself as well as Panstoria for support going forward, as well as updates. I would highly recommend it! :) There is also a Facebook group called Storybook to Artisan conversion that you can join - shoot me an email at flafla@bellsouth.net if you want me to add you to the group.

Ahni and Zoe is a young company in need of financial backing, and I am pleased to announce that a prospective buyer is traveling from Hong Kong to the United States next week to do some final due diligence before making his decision! This is a Canadian gentlemen who has been a long time supporter of Creative Memories and he has already purchased the Ahni and Zoe and Creative Memories names, the Japanese manufacturing facilities, and the consultant lists. All that is left is his decision on the U.S. business so let's all cross our fingers that we will have an answer in the next few weeks! I'm hoping for nothing but the best for the future of this young company - they have the right idea that "scrapbooking" needed to simplify and evolve in order to survive, and the simpler albums and simpler business model were just what the doctor ordered! Can you tell I am excited? :) What does this mean for you? To boost the business in the meantime, the company is offering 25% off on tape runners, tape runner refills, pens, its cutting tool, a few of its Fast 2 Fabulous albums (White Out and Annie Get Your Gumball), and ALL of its slide in albums (Blue, Black, White and Greige.) What a wonderful time to start a new project or to stock up on the basics! Check out the sale on my website starting today Tuesday, July 21st - it lasts until the end of the month and some things will inevitably sell out so it's better to act now!

One of the things I love the most about using the digital scrapbooking software is incorporating purchased art kits into your pages, but many users may not realize that ANYTHING you find on the Internet (or that you can scan!) can become an element once you save it then import it into your "content." One of my favorite things to do is to incorporate logos from places we have visited - in the case of Jimmy Buffett's sister's restaurant, I actually scanned a bag from their gift shop and used it as "paper" for my pages. I clicked on "use as background" and voila, authentic looking Lulu's layouts! Another great example of "free" content is my use of the flags as backgrounds for my Epcot pages -I simply googled "British flag", saved an image on my computer, pulled it into my Content, and there it was for use as a paper or embellishment for as long as I like!

Hardbound digital books, page prints and calendars made over the years using Storybook Creator Plus software (now Artisan) - tell your story YOUR WAY on your computer, enjoy the book for a lifetime!

After years of telling stories through my beloved Creative Memories photo albums and digital storybooks, I felt it was time to create a blog to help people navigate the tumultuous world we "scrapbookers" are in at the present time! I am a passionate CM advisor (going on 13 years!) because I love the high quality albums and album making supplies that Creative Memories has always been known for, and I am also crazy about Ahni and Zoe's Fast2Fabulous lines of simple--to-complete  predesigned albums. I also have a passion for digital photo organization and storytelling love my digital albums, so I am now a Panstoria affiliate as well! As you may or may not know, Panstoria is the company that developed Creative Memories' fantastic Memory Manager and Storybook software. After December 31, 2013 users of those programs (if installed before that time) still have the ability to use them so long as their computers work, but they no longer have any technical support. At some point everyone will need to purchase Panstoria's software - the transition is seamless and all of your vaults and artwork can be preserved. By purchasing Artisan (Storybook) and Historian (Memory Manager) software from Panstoria we are ensuring that our digital art and books can be preserved over time with technical support and a print shop.