At the Heart of Heritage Makers

When Heritage Makers asked Studio Product Manager Lynda Angelastro to add a new “grandpa” cornerstone to the Heritage Maker line, she naturally turned to her own father’s life for inspiration. He was happy to talk about his younger years and on a Christmas visit, Lynda and her dad finished the fact-filled 8 x 8 storybook that would eventually become template 52533.

“Listening to Dad’s stories was the highlight of my trip to England that year. As he recounted memories of his childhood and meeting my mother, I realized he was telling me the stories along with small, but important details I’d never heard before.”

Lynda’s father was delighted with the book and finished by dictating a personal message to each grandchild, to be included on the last page of the book. The plan was for Lynda to print the finished books for him to give to his grandchildren as surprise gifts. But, within weeks of her visit, Lynda’s father’s health was in rapid decline.
“Even at 88 years old, my dad was so self-sufficient and young for his age that I thought I still had lots of time with him.” Lynda recalled. “And while I should have been better prepared, the news of his death came as a huge shock to me.”

At a company meeting just before she left for the funeral, Lynda turned to her fellow Heritage Makers employees and said tearfully, “I’m so grateful to have had an assignment that prompted me to get my father’s story written. I’m taking the personalized copies of his book to England with me to the funeral. It will be a much bigger surprise than he had anticipated, but what a priceless legacy for him to leave his nine grandchildren.”
In her Heritage Makers role, Lynda produces many home décor, holiday and children’s projects. “I love designing super cute, fun things to inspire Heritage Makers,” she says. They are the “desserts” of my professional life and they ARE important, because they shape today’s memories and strengthen family relationships. But nothing will ever compare to the deep satisfaction, the sustaining “main course,” of having made Dad’s “Before I Was Your Grandpa” book.

She continues to show her heartfelt commitment to storybooks by designing new meaningful templates. For a recent milestone birthday she made her brother a “Down Memory Lane” 11.5 x 8.5 storybook, template 52543.



Lynda also preserved her own story for her grandchildren in the “Before I Was Your Grandma”, 8 x 8 storybook, template 52532.

With many of her father’s stories yet to be told, Lynda’s next project is making a copy of "For the Good Times" by Kelly Wolfer, 11.5 x 8.5 storybook, template 61703. This template is one of the easiest to use and most beautiful family history books at Heritage Makers. With instructions in the margins and a text and heading type style that requires no separate text boxes, this template is ideal for your first family history project too.

If you’re ready for a deeply meaningful experience of your own, we encourage you to start a cornerstone or family history project of your own today. As Lynda Angelastro knows only too well, you can never be certain how much time you have left to get your important family treasures made.

Go to my web site at http://www.OurPhotoStories.com or contact me via e-mail at Rebecca@OurPhotoStories.com to learn more about calendars and other Heritage Makers products.

Take Along Books

If you’re looking for the ultimate go anywhere, purse- or pocket-packable memory book, be sure to check out our swatch and flip book selection. Every style has a durable see-through cover for take-along projects your family and friends will love. From kids' first ABC books to a brag book Grandma would never leave home without, these little books are must-do’s on your project list and during February, they are 10% off your already low, low Club HM prices.





Swatch Books
Our standard swatch book is an adorable 5.75 inches wide and half that deep. It’s fastened with a black, grommet-type “Chicago screw” in the top left-hand corner. Use this durable and portable product to make a Mother’s Day gift for Grandma, send the aunts and uncles a super special birth announcement, give your entire team autograph books or customize a brag book of your entire family. Here are the templates you’ll need. From top left to bottom right: “Grandma's Lil Love Bugs” by Lynda Angelastro, template 18078; “Sweet Safari Baby Girl” also by Lynda Angelastro, template 19846; “HM Football Autograph Swatch Book” by Roxanne Buchholz, template 37874 and “Simply Sweet Brag Book” by Jill Means, template 18734.





Square Swatch Books
Square swatch books are, again, fastened in the corner with a Chicago screw, just like our standard swatch but are 5.75 x 5.75 inches square—twice the size of our standard swatches, but still small enough to tuck in a purse or planner.

“Things I Love About You – Mother” by Lori Mar, template 30912 is the perfect Mother’s or Valentine’s Day gift for grandma.

“Blessed Wedding Swatch” by Darcie Toom, template 55622 is the perfect souvenir for the bridesmaids, grandma or just to have at the office to show off the highlights of the wedding. 

If you’re looking for the perfect present for a toddler girl, “Girl ABC Book” by Michelle Bell, template 31513 will fit the bill perfectly. Full of alphabet themed photos of loved ones, the book teaches her about family and her letters.

And if you’re looking for a book for a man or boy in the family “Time Capsule” by Darcie Toom, template 30546, is an adorable book full of photos of the time span you choose. It could be a year, a month or an entire decade.






Flip Books
Heritage Makers flip books are the same size as regular swatch books but have a spiral binding on the left-hand side, allowing the pages to be turned just like a book. They make perfect books for smaller hands or for packing in the corner of a purse.

Ideal for an anniversary or for Valentine’s Day, “10 Reasons I Love You” by Michelle Bell, is template 50462 and requires less than a dozen photos and you’re done.

For a very special memento of your baby’s first year, “Sweet Little Boy” also by Michelle Bell, is template 44318 and comes in a version for baby girls a well.

For a wonderful souvenir of a basketball year, make a flip book for each of your child’s team mates with Susan Kurak’s template 52334, “Basketball Memories.”

“What I Love about You” by Tanja Rigby, template 49851, would be a perfect gift for your teenager for a birthday or for Valentine’s Day.






Square Flip Books
Square flip books as you can guess by now are 5.75 x 5.75 inches and bound with a spiral binding on the left side like the smaller flip books.

One of our newest favorites at Heritage Makers is the adorable “Owl Always...” by Cassie Balser, template 79374. It’s a book from parent to child, expressing love and appreciation for that child’s individual characteristics. Perfect for a family Valentine or to mark a birthday, it’s in a crisp clean style that works for either boys or girls.

If you’re looking for a keepsake for your football player, try Roxanne Buchholz’s square flip “HM Vintage Football Flipbook,” template 78387. Beautifully designed, it would be a wonderful memento of a football season for your player, or perhaps a gift for the football coach.

This size project makes a wonderful remembrance of special days in baby’s life for Grandma or for you. That’s what “Baby Boy Flip” by Jill Means, template 47587, was designed for. This cleanly styled book showcases a baby’s blessing/naming day at church.

The last project we are recommending is also a love note to a child. “Oh, How I Love You!” by Michelle Bell, template 78388, is an adorable 20-petite page Valentine, exclaiming how much the child is loved. More likely to be treasured and preserved than a card, it’s a wonderful way to preserve photos of the child at a his or her current age while strengthening and confirming the importance of your relationship—small touches that inoculate your child against the big, wide world.

Choose a square/flip books in either size next time you want to assure your children how much they are loved, commemorate a special occasion or sports season, or gift anyone something small in size but meaningful in content. They are an inexpensive and durable gift that will see a lot of show and tell and still stand up well. Make one in February and they are especially good value at an additional 10% off your very reasonable Club HM prices.

Go to my web site at http://www.OurPhotoStories.com or contact me via e-mail at Rebecca@OurPhotoStories.com to learn more about swatch and flip books and other Heritage Makers products.

The Versatile Playing Card

Of all the products offered in the Heritage Makers line, none has been used quite as creatively as our playing card deck. From personalized Valentines to bridal thank you’s, and from play date cards to lunch box notes, our imaginative customers have found ways to use this smaller-size product for a vast array of occasions and recipients. The cards are on sale for an additional 10% off during February, so it’s a good time to look at the many ways playing cards are being put to use.

The Standard Photo Deck
Let’s start with a standard photo deck. If you want to put a photo of your dad’s boyhood home, your mom’s favorite flowers or a your daughter and her boyfriend on the back of a regulation set of playing cards, Lynda Angelastro’s “Your Photo Card Deck,” template 51251 is the deck to start with. Replace the one back photo and your deck is done. It’s a basic template so anyone can make one.



Trading Cards
If your family is into sports, another very popular use of our playing card decks is for sports trading cards. Make a set for one child to give away to family and sporting friends or make a few decks with each member of the team featured and let them trade among themselves or with competing teams. While “HM Hockey Trading Cards” by Roxanne Buchholz, template 37873 is shown here, put “sport” in the search engine while playing cards are selected as the product, and you’ll find many different sports accounted for including, football, soccer, tennis, basketball, swimming, volleyball, baseball and more.



Memory Prompts
For a more unusual use of playing cards, check out Mandy Horne’s “Scripture Memory Verse Cards 2.” It’s the second in a series. This one’s template 51793 and each card face is designed to go with the scripture it displays. Mini works of art, this would be a wonderful gift for family members or Sunday School students and could be easily adapted to fit any set of memory prompts, from learning a foreign language to Boy Scouts knots!



Holiday Décor
Happy Easter gets spelled out when you join Sandra Dovre’s cards together with ribbon or punch only top holes and tie them together to form a banner. “Happy Easter Décor,” template 56768 is similar to sets spelling out “Be Thankful” (39747 or 39760), ”Merry Christmas” (46003 or 38735), “Peace & Joy” (48511)“or “Happy Valentine’s Day” (78906 or 78251). Instructions for assembly come inside all these templates and they are truly a bright spot in any home at holiday time.



L
ove Notes
You’ll find several love notes, kindness notes and other expressions of love and support in the Template Gallery. We’re showing Heidi Jackson’s “Lovebox Lunch Notes” template 59839. Change the messages to fit you and your child’s relationship and pack a positive affirmation with your child’s lunch each day.



Play Date Cards
One cute innovation in playing card use is for young children’s “play date” cards. Carry a few cards in your purse. When you meet up with the parents of a classmate, pass one along with the contact information needed to get the kids together. Shown here is a super fun set by Kristen Melnyk called “Space Playdate Cards,” template 59101. Find many in the Template Gallery for boys and girls or make one “back” side and customize fronts for two or three children in the family.




Teacher Tools
Teach school? Know someone who does? Make a “Welcome Back” banner, design personalized hall passes and more inside Sandra Dovre’s template 65387, “Welcome Class.” It’s a delightful way to get the school year started and requires just a few text changes to customize.



Family Time
“Family Table Talk Cards” by Kari Pieratt, template 78253, are a wonderful way to get the talk going at your dinner table. Leave one under each plate and have each family member take a turn, put only one under a plate and let everyone have a turn across the week or use as a game on a plane ride or anytime you want to get a conversation going.



Wedding Ideas
Thank you notes, change of address cards, wedding favors and save the date cards are all wedding items you’ll find offered by creative designers in the Template Gallery. Shown here are “Blessed Wedding Thank You Cards” by Darcie Toom, template 55513 and part of an incredibly beautiful wedding set that includes storybooks, invitations, canvases—and even matching address labels.




Popular for Valentine’s Day
Put “Valentine” in the Template Gallery’s search engine and you’ll see that one of the most popular ways of using playing cards is for personalized Valentines. Shown here is a “Bee Mine Valentine Cards & Treat Topper” by Joelle Paleologou. It’s template 50265 and if you haven’t ordered Valentine’s for your kids yet, do check out our offering in the Template Gallery.

A Hundred Other Uses
If you’re moving, just had a baby, handing out recipe or business cards, want to play family games, commemorate a family reunion, learn family history, teach sight words to your daughter, craft cute calendar gifts for friends or make gingerbread houses; there’s a playing card template for you. Check out this affordable way to have 54 custom cards for any purpose, today. And remember, this month you get an even bigger price break because playing cards are 10% off your already low Club prices.

Go to my web site at http://www.OurPhotoStories.com or contact me via e-mail at Rebecca@OurPhotoStories.com to learn more about playing cards and other Heritage Makers products.

Make it in Moments - 11 x 14 posters

Heritage Makers 11 x 14 posters are an amazing value at just a few dollars each and make fast and easy gifts. If you’re looking for a special Valentine gift or want to make something on-trend but fun and personal for a friend or family member, try one of these popular “subway” art style posters.

Add you and your Valentine’s name to Lynda Angelastro’s “Valentine Poster,” template 78993 and you’ve got a Valentine gift that is fast, fun and loaded with love. Frame it in white for a special touch. Often on sale at your local art and craft store, 11 x 14 is a standard frame size that’s easy to find and often very inexpensive to buy.

For a gift for family, make this similar version from Michelle Bell called “Family Rules Subway Art,” template 72831. Personalize it with your family member’s name, frame it in red, white or silver and have a beautiful gift, including frame, for under $20. Both posters are easily customized to fit your décor or for other occasions. Turn the Valentine poster into an anniversary tribute, but simply changing the background. To match Michelle’s all-in-Basic poster to your sister’s living room, use the color picker to change the plain background to any shade that matches her decor.

Easily made home décor projects strengthen relationships by surrounding your family and friends with the knowledge that you love and care about them. Make one tonight. It only takes minutes!

Go to my web site at http://www.OurPhotoStories.com or contact me via e-mail at Rebecca@OurPhotoStories.com to learn more about  posters other Heritage Makers products.

Import Page Tutorial Video

Check this out!!! How to use "Import Page" in Heritage Makers Studio to convert a project to a different project type (for example, convert a canvas to a poster or convert a canvas to a scrapbook page).

The BEST Studio Enhancement of all is the IMPORT PAGES function that will allow you to convert projects into a new project type. For example, you can take a set of 12x12 scrap pages and convert them into an 8x8 storybook quickly and easily!

Import a Page Feature

Amy Dickerson shows how to import a page from an existing project into a new project. Click here to view the video tutorial.

Go to my web site at http://www.OurPhotoStories.com or contact me via e-mail at Rebecca@OurPhotoStories.com to learn more about Heritage Makers.

Happy New Year!

NO MORE PROCRASTINATING!!! "12 in 2012" is finally here. Heritage Makers has rolled out a plan to help you get caught up on ALL your photo projects! My job is to help you publish 12 projects in 12 months! Get going on your family albums, b-day cards, vacation books, Mother's Day & Father's Day books, Teacher gifts, and gifts for every holiday! Join Club HM TODAY! Earn prizes EVERY month! Head over to my website (http://www.OurPhotoStories.com) and Join CLUB HM, then click on the "Pledge" button!

Is your New Year's Resolution to get caught up on your scrapbooking?  I can help you get your 2011 photos put in a creative photo book in a fraction of the time it would take you to scrapbook traditionally.

January is a great time to create a 2011 Year in Review photo book. Save 10% when you publish any 12 x 12 or 11.5 x 8.5 storybook during January.  

Browse the template gallery for inspiration!

Is your New Year's Resolution to get organized?  I can help you create beautiful, custom calendars that will help you orgnize your time.

Save 10% when you publish any calendar during January.

Browse the template gallery for inspiration!

Click here to start a project now.

Go to my web site at http://www.OurPhotoStories.com or contact me via e-mail at Rebecca@OurPhotoStories.com to learn more about storybooks, calendars and other Heritage Makers products.