One more week to order from Ahni and Zoe by Creative Memorieshttp://www.ahniandzoe.com/fransmitherman - sale prices up to 60%! From August 22nd until about October we will wait for the launch of the new company- I am excited to see what it's going to look like! Caleb (the new owner) has already polled consultants about what we would like to see stay (Fast 2 fabulous albums and a simple approach to album making for me, thank you!) and what old Creative Memories products we would like to see brought back (cloth albums!) The future looks bright

My first 12X12 book arrived from the Panstoria Print Shop this week and I couldn't be happier with the quality! I created it using Storybook Creator (I have since switched over to Panstoria's Artisan - easy peasy download!) I uploaded the book to the print shop on Saturday July 27 and this wonderful package arrived on Monday August 4th, nice turnaround. 60 pages of our recent trip to the beach, scrapped and ready to be remembered forever! Adding it to the collection and looking forward to making my NEXT project in Artisan:)

Clearing Up Bad Info

I am afraid there is some bad information out there so I want to clear it up! Here are the facts:

1.) Ahni and Zoe by Creative Memories is not going out of business  - in fact, we have an outside investor who is opening a manufacturing facility in Saint Cloud with plans to offer both Fast2Fabulous AND old style Creative Memories cloth albums (as well as a few CM favorites.) There is just going to be a transition period between August 22nd and some time in October where we can't order.

2.) The investor plans to do away with the current consultant structure (and no I am not upset.) I have received numerous emails consoling me and while being a Creative Memories/Ahni and Zoe consultant has been a big part of my life for the past 12 years, all I really care about is having access to high quality photo albums - the delivery method is insignificant to me. As soon as I know anything I will let you know - maybe we all become "members" with member numbers and a website like with young Living Essential Oils, or maybe we all order from a big website? Who knows? But the most important thing is they will be in our future.

3.) Panstoria (the digital software and Print shop) has nothing to do with any of this. If you want the Artisan (Storybook Creator) or Historian (Memory Manager) software or the ability to print hardbound books, page prints, etc... you can order them right here on my blog (see links to the right.) I just got my first 12X12 hardbound book from the Panstoria Print Shop yesterday and it looks fantastic.

4.) If you want traditional albums supplies (albums, refill pages, tape runners or tape runner refills, etc...now is the time - ordering is available on my website http://www.ahnianzoe.com/fransmitherman until August 21st. Then we wait

A Big Change for the Traditional Album Side of Things

An outside investor has decided to shut down the Ahni and Zoe business as it is currently structured and to re-open a new business (not a direct sales/party plan model) in the fall. His vision is to keep things simple (which is what I LOVED about Ahni and Zoe) and to offer the Fast 2 Fabulous as well as the old style cloth-covered Creative Memories albums (and possibly a few old favorites as well.)I am grateful to have an outside investor who sees a great future in our products! 

I have been a Creative Memories or Ahni and Zoe consultant for the past 12 years and I can say with perspective that this has been a tumultuous past few years for scrapbookers, with two Creative Memories bankruptcies and an Ahni and Zoe receivership (not to mention countless scrapbooking stores around the country closing down.) The crazy thing is that through it all I've still made album after album and as far as I'm concerned, our future is bright as long as Panstoria Print Shop and some remnant of Creative Memories/Ahni and Zoe remains to make our fabulous photo albums for us! 

Ahni and Zoe orders can be placed on my website from now until August 21st, and then we wait! Fast 2 Fabulous albums, slide in albums, predesigned as well as plain white refill pages (under "Other") and tape runners are necessities we can all use so if this is something you have been thinking of now is the time. Our refill pages fit in the old coversets and our tape runner refills fit in the old tape runners, by the way. Magnetic Displays are also unique items and I am not sure if they will be in the new company's offerings or not, I have enjoyed mine.