Christmas in July

You're invited to attend a free Inspirations Online Class with Heritage Makers!
Theme: Christmas in July
To watch, go to http://youtu.be/FaWyG4leqrU

Get inspired with this pre-season sneak peek of holiday gifts, greeting and decor.

Heritage Makers holds online classes twice a month. Learn time-saving tips and tricks from Studio experts, including digital mastermind Lynda Angelastro -- former managing editor of Digital Scrapbooking magazine. Lynda and our other Inspirations Class instructors will demonstrate creative ideas and template shortcuts to bring an inspired touch to your storybooks and projects.

Click here to start a project now.

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

Slow down and savor everyday moments.

I read this on Stacy Julian's blog and thought it was worth sharing:

Time moves so very fast and most of the time we do too. But, we can choose (with practice) to slow down and to savor simple everyday moments. We can pull out our cameras and take pictures and we can live with these pictures and let them work magical things inside of us. Doing so will make us more grateful, more content, more aware and more happy. There is so much that is overwhelming and challenging in life. Efforts to capture and share your memories should be neither.

Enjoy your day.
Take pictures of things that make you happy!

You can read Stacy's blog here: http://stacyjulian.com/blog/?p=9007
Here is a link to Stacy's video: http://youtu.be/u8WUZFgAmk8

July is HOT with Heritage Makers

If your July is filling fast with swimming lessons, barbecues and family vacations; take a deep breath and unwind with this month's Club Connections newsletter. In our July 2012 issue, you’ll find projects to connect you and your extended family at the reunion; tips and tricks for better business cards; “Christmas in July” inspiration for holiday gifts, greetings and decor and a fascinating look at all you can do with an inexpensive deck of playing cards. (Order your personalized playing cards in July and you’ll save an additional 10% off your already low Club HM prices.)

A vacation or reunion is the perfect time to show off the one-of-a-kind gifts and greetings you’ve created. Contact me today about joining my Heritage Makers team and I’ll show you how simply sharing your most recent projects can become a meaningful and rewarding business opportunity that lifts the lives of others while helping you achieve your family’s financial hopes and dreams.

July's Digi-crop is THIS Friday, July 13, 2012 10 am - 4 pm
Please e-mail me at Rebecca@OurPhotoStories.com for location information.

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Handy and useful tips for business card design! Have a look here. Give the best holiday gifts ever! Find out how here. Make some holiday magic with Heritage Makers! Learn more here. <> <> Inspirations Online Classes Christmas in July Thu, July 12, 2012 7 PM MDT Be inspired with this pre-season sneak peek of holiday gifts, greetings and decor. Click Here to Watch Sports Special Thu, July 26, 2012 7 PM MDT Join Studio Product Manager, Lynda Angelastro and Creative Team Member, Roxanne Buchholz as they show off creative and useful ways to preserve and honor the sports events important to your family. Register Here  Upcoming Themes & Specials July: Playing Card Decks (save 10%) August: 12 x 12 Storybooks (save 10%) September: 8 x 20 Canvas (save 10%) Best of Heritage Do you have a Best of Heritage Awards nomination? Please submit it by July 15th. Get Details Here. Click here to start a project now. http://studio.heritagemakers.com/getStarted/ Go to my web site at http://www.HeritageMakers.com/Rebecca or contact me via email at Rebecca@OurPhotoStories.com to learn more about Heritage Makers products.

Christmas In July

Has anyone asked you lately if you’re ready for the holidays? It might seem like a silly question in the middle of summer, but it’s really worth considering. Now is really a wonderful time to make your gift and greetings list and to start accumulating and saving up all the publishing points you’ll need for your meaningful Heritage Makers holiday projects!

Here are some wonderful gift ideas, holiday home decor projects, and greeting cards to inspire you. These and many more are available in the template gallery.

This is a beautiful holiday wall hanging (below) designed by Michelle Wolfley ("JOY," template 76184) made from a 3-panel card. Michelle simply cut out the individual squares, mounted each on a piece of foam board, attached ribbons and hung them up. This would make a beautiful gift or display for your own home.


Check out this cute "Holiday Name Canvas," designed by Lynda Angelastro (template 90371). What a fun way to welcome holiday visitors to your home! And it'd make a great pre-season gift, sure to be loved!

Calendars are always a popular holiday gift item--and think how popular you'll be if you give personalized ones! Use this 8.5 x 11 calendar, template 53763, by Michelle Bell. Filled with your fun family photos and themed pages, the calendar will keep everyone looking forward to each new month!


Lynda Angelastro encorporated a calendar into this lovely 4 x 8 photo card, above, to combine a lovely keepsake greeting with a useful gift. This very popular template is 77163 and will be updated from a 2012 to 2013 calendar by the end of the month, as will all our favorite calendar templates.

Here's an absolutely delicious gift, ideal for neighbors and friends. It's a 6 x 9 booklet full of pages with tastey holiday cookie recipes. The recipies and photos are all there, ready-to-go. All you have to do is add a personalized message and pubish as many booklets as you'd like to share! Wouldn't this be a perfect gift nesled in a basket along with a cookie mix? The "Cookie Mix Recipe Book" is template 74075 and was designed by Lynda Angelastro.

Of course there are oodles of holiday greeting card and invite teamplates just waiting for your personal festive touch! The "Gingerbread Christmas Card" was designed by Ann Perry. It's a 7 x 5 greeting card and is template 74266. Nicole Rainosek designed the 7 x 5 "Holiday Card" template, number 77418.

The "Jolly Santa" 5 x 7 template was designed by Roxanne Buchholz and is template 76947. "From our Family to Yours" is another fabulous 5 x 7 greeting card. It was designed by Ann Goldman and is template 72579.



As you can see, there are so many wonderful Heritage Makers holiday templates and ideas, you'll want to start preparing all your gift and greeting projects now. Then when the holidays do arrive, you can sit back and relax, knowing you're giving the best possible gifts that can be given--because they were made with love, by you!                     

Click here to start a project now. http://studio.heritagemakers.com/getStarted/

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

Family Reunions

Heading to a get-together with a couple of cousins this summer? Or perhaps you're celebrating an 80th birthday or 50th wedding anniversary? Maybe you're off to a three-day reunion with planned activities and a family history display. No matter the kind or size of the family reunion you're attending, deepen your connections by using these ideas.


Going PreparedGet more from your reunion by taking along printed projects that show and honor your family connections. "Family Tree," by Lynda Angelasto is a great place to start! A 14 x 11 poster, template 89969, this classic style representation shows your place on the family tree in fairly simple fashion.



Or take along "Start and End with Family" project designed by Sandra Dovre, template 43867. These playing cards artfully showcase family facts and photos. Reunion attendees can learn about family while bonding over card games.



If you have access to historic, vintage family photos, consider making a book for extended family to enjoy. "HM F is for Family 8 x 8," template 81709, by Roxanne Buchholz, is an 8 x 8 story book that's perfect for this project. It's an ABC book of family quotes with room for plenty of priceless pictures. Include more contemporary photos and use Studio's sepia filter so they blend with the older style pictures.




Another way to show off the family photographic legacy is with a beautiful set of canvases like these matched pieces by Lynda Angelastro. "Vintage Memories," 18 x 18 canvas deep, template 71834, "Vintage Memories 1," 12 x 12 canvas, template 72455, and "Vintage Memories 2," 12 x 12 canvas, template 72456, would make the perfect, heartfelt gift for grandparents celebrating their anniversary, or a great-grandma presiding over a family reunion.

If your reunion is honoring a grandparent this year, check out our update of the very first Heritage Makers storybook. "The First Storybook," by Candace May and Sharon Murdoch, is an 8 x 8 storybook, template 90227, that's perfect for celebrating the life of a much loved grandparent.

Making the Memories Live On

Keep renewed relationships and reunion memories vibrant with some simple souvenirs that highlight the event. For a fun keepsake of the reunion, make a copy of Cynthia Coulon’s “Rohde Reunion,” square flip book, template 90279.

For a contemporary photo book of the event, preserve the family memories in Jill Means’ “Family Event Book,” an 8 x 8 storybook (template 41311). Its clean and totally customizable format allows you to fit the color in the book to the theme of any celebration.

Send a deck of playing cards to your siblings to help reunion live on. It’s easy with Sandra Dovre’s “Family Reunion Memories,” template 33777. Fill the deck with photos taken at the get-together, and memories will be relived each time the cards are used.
Growing a Legacy

Let your children know they are part of a larger, loving family. Take the time to go to reunions and extended family get-togethers. Bring along projects that celebrate your connections. And don’t forget the camera! Photograph everyone and everything and get the stories and their photos into projects your kids can reflect on any day of the year. It’s a legacy your children deserve. Take a little time to help it grow.

Click here to start a project now. http://studio.heritagemakers.com/getStarted/

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

Product of the Month—Playing Cards

The Versatile Playing CardUse playing cards in a hundred meaningful ways—they are one of Heritage Makers most versatile products! Decks of cards are great purse- or pocket-sized gifts, provide hours of customized family entertainment, build team spirit, make right-sized recipe cards or gift tags, put the finishing touches on holidays and provide countless relationship strengthening opportunities. Let’s take a peek. . .

Easy Gifts for AllLooking for a fun gift for a teen or a thoughtful present for Grandpa? Our full-photo, standard playing card deck fits the bill. Feature her BFF, his new car, Grandpa’s dog or the kids and you’ve got a present anyone will appreciate. “Your Photo Card Deck,” by Lynda Angelastro, is template 51251 and needs only one photo to complete!




Keep Loved Ones CloseWant a game to keep the kids busy this summer? Check out one of our many “Go Fish” playing card templates. If they’re missing school friends, keep their friendships fresh with Roxanne Buchholz’ template 20894 “HM Elementary School Go Fish Cards.” For kids headed to a family reunion, personalize Michelle Bell’s “Colorful Go Fish” template 56908, which, with its focus on family, helps children of all ages practice the names of extended family.




Life LearningLengthen a younger child’s attention span by creating one of our many matching games. Tanja Rigby’s “Dino Hunter Match,” template 49854 is one such matching game. Make it in your child’s favorite colors, add a name to the front of the card to personalize and you have a one-of-a-kind learning tool that kids will love. Or make yourself or your loved ones a set of Bible memorization verses. Again, add their names to the front, a dash of personalization inside or simply print as is.

Build a Stronger Team

Honor your child’s sporting life and strengthen the team’s connections by making trading cards. Creative Team member Roxanne Buchholz has sets for all kind of different sports. Each makes several sets of trading cards so just two or three decks can give you a souvenir of the entire team for each player in your group. The back of each card deck has a group photo, while the fronts each feature a different team member. Shown here are the back and two fronts of Roxanne’s “HM Hockey Trading Cards,” template 37873; along with the fronts of “HM Soccer Trading Cards,” 20889; “HM Basketball - Trading Cards,” 37840; and “HM Football Trading Cards,” template 19928.

Build a Stronger Circle

Bring an encouraging word to a family member, friend or co-worker with any of our love-note or random-acts-of-kindness type templates. Tuck a card from “A Word of Kindness,” template 50508, by Tanja Rigby, into a book, purse or on a keyboard to lighten anyone’s day. You’ll be glad you took the time and with an entire deck of different life-lifting sayings, you’re sure to find one that expresses your message perfectly. Build your child's self-esteem by sending positive affirmations along with their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. “Lunch Box Love Notes,” template 37997, by Jennifer Stratton is one of several templates designed to let your child know you care. And to get to know each other better, make Kari Pieratt’s “Family Table Talk Cards.” They’re template 78253 and make dinner table conversations flow more freely.

Wedding Decks
If there’s a wedding in your future, you may be surprised to learn just how many templates there are to help you celebrate in style. “Natural Wedding Save the Date” is template 55494 by Sandra Dovre and just one part of a matched bridal collection. Darcie Toom’s template 83894, “Blessed Wedding Thank You Cards” are also just one template in a coordinated collection, so your thank you cards can match the rest of your wedding keepsakes.

Creative Projects All Year Round

Create custom Valentines for your children with template 47790 from Jill Means, make treat holders and decorations for Halloween with templates 39719 and 39756 from Sandra Dovre, decorate for the holidays with reindeer template 38735 from Lynda Angelastro, check out place cards for your Thanksgiving meal with Sandra Dovre’s template 39760, use tags for your neighbor Christmas gifts with another Sandra Dovre template, 46084, or hang ornaments from the tree with Lynda Angelastro’s template 64087. These home- and holiday tradition- building templates and so many more are possible any time of year with simple playing cards from Heritage Makers.

Click here to start a project now. http://studio.heritagemakers.com/getStarted/

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