Day Sixty One

Happy Cyber Monday! 

I am so excited that you stopped by...Creative Memories fans, please enjoy a discount of 20% on your purchases with me today! 

All orders must be emailed to me or called into me today in order to be included in the special pricing...And be SURE to check out these JINGLE DEALS with Creative Memories.  Visit my site and find out more...but hurry to benefit from both my Cyber Monday special and the Jingle Deals special.

 SEE THE JINGLE DEALS SPECIAL

Black Friday was so much fun...I took three of my kids and friend to the Mall of America for this annual day of shopping deals.  The kids bought so much stuff and got the bargains they wanted.  I love that through it all they earned a bunch of the free passes to Nickelodeon Universe, which the MOA gives two passes per $250 spent that day.  I wonder who will get those for Christmas?  *wink* 

The girls loved having Mikey there to carry all of the packages too.  He said he was just there to be the muscle, but he really did like the mall food and rides too.  I think he found something to put under the tree when shopping at Sears too.  Remember that the joy of the season is about giving, and not just gifts.  We give more during the holidays, more of ourselves and more of our hearts.  Let's keep that spirit strong this season as we find time short, and schedules busy.  Share an extra smile today, on purpose!

For the digi page I am sharing today,  I used a photo of the BIG tree at the mall for the background on this page.  ANYTHING can be a background, paper or colors too.  Its easy and I can help.  Lets get you started while you can get the deals, and make the best WOW Christmas gifts ever.  These come from the heart, as they are made with your photos.  Imagine, your gifts getting those smiles that only memories can bring.  A mug created with vintage photos, a storybook telling your childhood stories.  All this and more can be yours with the Creative Memories Storybook program.  All of the memories can be organized as well with our Memory Manager.  Why not you?  Why not now?

Todays Quote:

You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.  ~Author Unknown

Day Fifty Six

This is an exciting morning! The Story Stars welcomes three new consultants to our team this week...Welcome Dawn, Chris and Cindy!  We are glad you are here with us celebrating with your memories...

Happy day before Thanksgiving to everyone...my friend greets us each morning on Facebook with a wonderful positive message just like this.  Isn't that a great way to start your day?  Thanks Cindy!!!

Life is all about choices, and how we decide to accept our days.  If you are shaking your head right now thinking how I must be crazy and that your life has nothing good to celebrate, they I say you are not looking hard enough.  Appreciate the little things, cause sometimes that is all you are going to get.  For a while, anyway.  When you are grateful, it is easier to pass along the blessings to others.

The other day I was driving in Target parking lot looking for a spot by the cart coral.  That is where I park so I can find my car:)  Straight out of the doors, one spot next to the carts.   Anyway, when driving around the aisle, the first spot opened up right in front of the store.  WOW!  I thought, that is so cool, right there...in the front.  And then I smiled as I passed it for the next person to enjoy. 

I did love having the opportunity to park there but it was just as cool to pass it along...The spot did not cost me anything to give to someone else, and it might just make someone smile like I had when I noticed it.   The holidays are a super stressful time for many people.  Tight budgets, loss of family, expectations that just cannot be met.  Here is couple of my fave tips for you this season.

1.  Ask your family what is important to them for the traditions.  My gosh, I used to think that I had to do all of these things that other families did, and when I took the time to write down what my own family wanted to do, it was so much less.  They felt valued to participate, and I loved making sure their wishes came first.  As simple as watching the burning yule log on tv while wrapping presents on Christmas Eve.

2.  Delegate!  Encourage the others in your family to help with the list of things to be done...and make sure they know how much there is to do.  Show them the lists, and get them involved...even having preschoolers fold towels helps, and makes them feel involved. 

3.  Be realistic about finances.  Seriously, how important is it to get something for your hubby if your budget is tight.  Our fave tradition is to cut all of the items out of the newspaper ads that we want, and to present a big card with them pasted in.  It costs nothing, but shows that we are listening throughout the year to what they would love to have. Validation is SO important with friends and family.  Let them know they are heard.

Sharing my page print today is like looking back for me, to a fun time with girlfriends in San Antonio.  I love you guys and miss you TONS!!!

Suggestions for heartfelt gifts?  Yes, I have many...and for us it is photo gifts.  Take a look at what is on sale saving you 20% starting on Black Friday, and know that a personal gift like these is treasured for years to come...Hurry, only on sale through December 6th!

DIGITAL CENTER IDEAS

MUGS MUGS MUGS!  Business, teacher gifts, staff appreciation, kids cocoa mugs, there are tons of ideas!

PHOTO PANELS!  Celebrate special moments like weddings, and dont forget Grandma.  These can hang or stand on their own...

SBC Studio for MAC  Get it for yourself or for a gift to give. 

BE A STORY STAR!  Join now and give yourself a great gift this season...one that keeps on giving. 

Ask me about making these great gifts.  I love to help!


Todays Quote:
Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.  ~W.T. Purkiser

Day Fifty Three

Thanksgiving is coming and I am all about the blessings!  We have a big sheet of white paper on the end of the cupboards and we have been writing for about a month everytime someone thinks of a blessing.  Today I am sharing one of my fave photos from this fall, where my friend Bridget brought her Grandma to our Scrapbooking day at Scrappin-n-Chattin. 

Sometimes it is the little things that bring us back from being upset...and with the holidays coming, I definitely believe in noticing the blessings all around us.  This quick pre-designed page gives me something to print right out, and display for all to enjoy.  If you prefer, making a bunch of these and having Creative Memories print a Storybook is another great option.  Either way, please stop to smell the roses and take lots of photos!  Here is how you can get started creating right now, and remember that Tecki Tuesday will return after Thanksgiving on November 30th.  We will be introducing SBC Studio for MAC software...just what you have been waiting for!  You can do it, and I can help...

GET STORYBOOK AND GET CRACKIN!  FIND OUT MORE HERE!

Todays Quote:

May you live as long as you want,
And never want as long as you live.
~Irish Blessing

Day Fifty Two

Remember when you were in elementary school?  Can you think of your first grade teachers name?  How about the kids in your class?  What do you remember about those days now?

Well, I do remember my teacher as she was the most beautiful first grade teacher ever.  Mrs. Rasmussen was so perfect and I just loved her.  Looking back now, she helped to form my love for school and I am thankful for her kind spirit. 

I was scanning photos today and thought I would make this cute page from my first grade school photo.  Remember those white frames around the edges of the wallet photos?  Good times!!!  I made it with the page prints named SCHOOL DAYS  which is super easy to download and use.  Just add your photos and type.  Voila, old days remembered !!!

Who is making a difference in your life right now?  Everyone needs someone to let them know they are ok.  We all have opportunities to bless others, and be the Mrs. Rasmussen showing how kindness can be encouraging.  Are you doing what you can?  This holiday season, find a way to go OUT of your way.    You never know how much it can mean to a person struggling through the Christmas season.  Be a blessing!

Todays Quote:
A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others.  ~Author Unknown

Day Fifty

Today I am missing my daughter Sara, who will be coming home for Thanksgiving next week.  I was looking through the photos to find the perfect one to blog about and came across this one.  It makes me smile to think of her smiling...in our backyard.  She might be a few hours away, but the memory of this day  jumped right back into my life when I saw the photo of her smiling back:)

Who are you remembering?  Who are you missing?  Is it time to reach out to them and let them know how you feel?  Today, I say to Sara " I love ya kid, and cant wait to see you next week".

Please remember to take lots of photos next week when gathering with family and friends.  Here are a few tips...

Make sure to read your camera manual before next Thursday!  Knowing what you are capable of gives you the confidence to succeed.  Practice now!

Take staged AND random photos...Like Grandma making gravy in the kitchen, and the kids coloring.  These might be your faves in the end.

Ask for help...there are lots of things that I have learned by looking on the internet.  There are photo clubs, and forums with the answers  YOU NEED!  Do it now, before Thanksgiving and the gathering with family and friends. 

I am available this Saturday to chat, either online or in person.  If you want to enjoy your photos a little more, lets learn together!  You could make amazing gifts to share this Christmastime.   Creative Memories has amazing help and is there for you.  As your consultant, I am here to help.  By the way, this is my full time job and I love it!  Your successes encourage me and your struggles teach me.  Lets do it together.  Find out how CM supports us all below.

GET THE SCOOP ON CREATIVE MEMORIES HELP ZONE

Todays Quote:

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

Day Forty Nine

First and foremost, I would like to thank the Lord above for bringing blessings into my life recently.  The days that are bigger struggles, with people and busy times sure are easier when someone else is driving...if you know what I mean:)  So, thanks for being my chauffer God.  Its been quite a ride lately!!!

Who is driving you along the way to your goals?  Do you have someone riding shotgun, making the ride more fun?  I can tell  you how it has been for me over the years.  Road trips with the girlfriends just rock!  Looking back on a few  years ago, Lori and Heather two of my dear friends made a long trip to San Antonio with me and oh my GOSH what a ride.   We laughed, shared stories, and will look back on those times as some of the best ever.  Imagine, I was driving and Lori was shotgun...supposedly navigating.  Heather, who should  have been driving was napping when I asked which split road to take. 

Well, we took the four extra hour way which was just the beginning.  Once into Dallas, I got onto the carpool lane and while white knuckling it through the cement turns ( which looked like  rat race if you ask me) an old man passed me quite easily, while smoking a cigar.  He was in the regular lanes, not the carpool...so my quick way was not so quick at all.  Well, they never let me live that down.  Thats for sure and the story is part of the trip that we will not forget.  The journey from Kansas to Texas was best shared with those special friends that supported me, even when I was struggling to find my way.

Today, are the right navigating buddies in your car?  Are you driving alone?  Do you need something to help you get to your destination?  Hard questions, I know.  Think about what t you need to accomplish your dreams and make a way to get there.  You can do it...I believe in you!

If you are looking for somewhere to belong, I encourage you to contact me and we can discuss a CM career.  It might just be the perfect map for your trip!  BE A STORY STAR and find out more at my Creative Memories website.  Just go to join the team.

GET STARTED WITH STORYBOOK CREATOR SOFTWARE TODAY!

Todays quote:

Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.  ~Author Unknown

Day Forty Seven

Forty Seven, Rhymes with Heaven...and I have no idea why I said that...not yet anyway, but I know it will come to me.  Tonight I am posting late as I had a fabulous event full of amazing vendors today.  The event was called the Senior Shopping Extravaganza and was held at Calibre Chase apartments in Crystal.  I had the pleasure of bringing in some of my favorite vendors for this day and they were the most gracious women.  I truly feel blessed...here is a page print to thank them all for coming!  Josi, Kim and Myself somehow missed having photos.  I owe ya girls!!!  I am sharing a before and after version so that you can see what  a pre-designed page starts out as.  Then I adjust, add frames if I need to and change a few things.  Its still lightnening fast and I can actaully get things done!

See how cool it is?  The idea is to start with something if you are not feeling creative or are short on time.  Then add your photos and voila!  You can do it, and I will help.  GET STORYBOOK CREATOR

Now, onto Heaven.  I think it is really a personal attitude each day that determines how happy we are.  We have the choice to be happy or let the stinky stuff take us down, and choosing to enjoy life is rewarding.  Heaven is that peaceful, beautiful place of rest that will fulfill us after we are finished here on earth.  Why not grab a little bit of that now, right here and help to make it heavenly for others?  Sounds cliche?  Thats ok, I just want us all to stay in touch with our happy side!

Tecki Tuesday this week is going to be awesome as my friend Joe will be teaching us all about backing up our hard drives etc.   Joe is my computer guy!  Joe knows...and if you lose your info, he will do his best to retrieve it at a great price.  It is good to have people in your life that can help in a crisis...

Todays Quote:
You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.  ~Attributed to both Golda Meir and Indira Gandhi

Day Forty Three

I asked Adam today what my topic should be for this post...he said TACOS...Ok, so today we are chatting about tacos.  I hope you like the post:)

When we make tacos here at the Brisse house, we keep it pretty simple.  Shells, seasoned meat, cheese, lettuce, sour cream and salsa.  Sometimes we add other things like onions or even peppers...but most of the time we enjoy the basics.  Favorite ingredients that we just love!

Go to any restaurant these days and order a taco salad...what do you get?  TONS of things thrown in and sometimes it does not make the best tasting meal.  Why?  You cant taste the few favorites by themselves, it just cant happen.  Life is like that too...sometimes the wrong people can overcomplicate things and then you cant really enjoy them.  Does this sound  familiar?

Think about your week, now that it is Friday.  Did it seem like it flew by?  Was the week so busy that it was hard to enjoy?  Were the people in your life there to simplify or complicate your life?  It is good to take a hard look at that sometimes and clean out the clutter, if you know what I mean.

This weekend, how about finding a few things that are the simpler things in life, and give it a try?  Grab  the kids and head down to the Christian Fair tonight and tomorrow..you can stop by my booth and make a card for the soldiers protecting our America.  We aim to create 500 cards to send this holiday season...make a card, and make a difference.  It really is simple.

Adam, I say to you that life is like a taco.  Keep your favorite people and to-do list simple and full of things you love.  I love you kiddo...Thanks for the idea today!

Todays Quote:

The best things in life are nearest:  Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you.  Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.  ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Day Forty

Forty days and forty nights with Creative Memories on the brain, and guess what?  I still feel lucky to have this job and do it my way!  I must like to be in charge, do you think?  :)

So, last night after a fabulous dinner featuring tater-tot hot dish I simply fell asleep.  The rest of the family were sorting photos which is our project right now...and there are lots of them!  After a good 12 hours asleep I got up today feeling like I was 6 hours behind instead of feeling like I had a night off.  There it was, in a nice PC stone casserole dish looking as sad as can be.  Dinner was still on the stove.  Why?  Nobody put away the leftovers last night and it makes me crazy!  Why is it that with three kids  home, nobody thought it would be a good idea to save dinner?  Ok, usually my dinners do not get the same respect as a tater tot hot dish night, but that would be understandable.   Everyone loves this dinner and the leftovers.

I am thinking about this today, knowing that it was wasted and that if I had done it myself it would be fine.  I love that we share taking care of things, like our family sorting photo project.  But how many times are things left up to me? 

This leads into my second thought of the morning.  Who is going to do the things you cant?  If there are stories to be shared, photos to be organized, and memories to be enjoyed are you going to pass this along to someone else?  A dear friend of mine told me the story of how her sister scrapbooked when dying from cancer.  She spent each day looking forward to creating just one more page...that was her legacy and she was not leaving until she could get as much done as she could.  Face it, we are not all living forever.  There are things that will be cherished long after we are gone.  When I see my kids and hubby sorting through the photos, I am so glad that I took the time to take them, and keep them all.  My family loves them, laughing and passing them around.  Its hard to do that when all of the photos are on your computer, flash drives, CD and camera cards.  Kids today are not enjoying photos in the same ways that we did.  Unless they are printed and the stories shared.

Please, leave a legacy for your family.  Share your memories, print your photos and know that you did the best that you could.  It will mean more to them than money in the bank or the title to a ten year old car.  Grab your camera today, they will thank you for it later!

Watch This Video and find out how...

Todays Quote:

"We can't all leave a prestigious background or lots of money to visit our children, but we can leave them a legacy of love."

Naomi Rhodes

Day Thirty Six

Happy Birthday to Adam, my son...ok, the birthday was last month but I was in a birthday kinda mood today.  For us, birthdays are pretty much a summertime event, where family gets together and celebrates one person.  Thats pretty cool to me.  Our birthdays are every month from June through October, so that means lots of barbecues and outside bonfires...Here is a page print I whipped out this morning showing Adams cake.  Why???  My Mother in law always insisted we "get a picture of the cake".  That is a huge tradition to us here, and we always yell out those words when there is a celebration.

My Mother-in-law has been in heaven for years now, but those words ring true to us time and time again.  Isnt it funny how those things stick with you?  Our kids will remember Grandma Gail and think of her each time a cake is brought out. 

Traditions are important and help to secure us in ways that others might not understand.  In the fall, I begin to work on a blessings book for the family.  We bring it out at Thanksgiving and the whole family writes in their blessings.  A few weeks ago we put a posterboard in the kitchen so that we could all start thinking of the blessings we feel grateful for.  Some seem silly, but they are blessings.  I will use some in the book for Thanksgiving including :  kitty, mud and trucks, tacos, showers, and vacation.  Also included will be those that are a bit more serious such as the use of arms and legs.  Seeing these blessings in front of you each day can help a grateful heart develop.  Looking back, the blessings books we have from each year, and bring out to share each Thanksgiving are a reminder of the important things in life.

Take lots of photos, and print them!  Use Storybook Creator to make some memories that you can hold in your hands.  Remember the blessings that are right in front of you when the days seem so hard.  Celebrate!

Get started on your projects now.  Class of 2011, do you want to slap photos onto a poster board at the last minute or make amazing prints, invitations, announcemenets and slideshows?  You can do it, I will help!

Download Storybook Creator today

Todays quote:

Gratitude is the best attitude.  ~Author Unknown

Day Thirty Three

If I were to pick one cool thing about my job that  I love today, it is this...I work where I am!  Today was SO cool, as I was able to share with several new people just how amazing it is to create with Creative Memories, right in my own home!

This morning started out really great, with my friend Janet rolling up to bring me a smoothie, just because she is so sweet.  Janet and I were able to attend a fun event for the Blue Star Moms just two weeks ago.  Well, one of these awesome Moms was scheduled to come over and buy some old craft items I had.  She came this morning and we started to share about several things, including photos and Creative Memories.  At the end of a very nice conversation, this new friend is going to  help us find soldiers for the cards we are making at the Christian Fair.  How cool is that?  Thanks Sue!!!

Next, it was time for my new life insurance med test and the sweetest lady came over this afternoon.  We were chatting, and it turns out she has kids and loves to scrapbook.  But, she does not have time to do her traditional books right now.  I got to tell her about digital and it looks like something that could work for her! 

Creative Memories has photo solutions.  They really do, and I am happy to help you get going with them.  Why not you?  Why not today?  At least get started thinking about it...visit us tonight at Tecki Tuesday where we provide training, tips and teckniques.  Photos and Memories are better when revisited.  Find a way and make it a priority.  You tell your stories in a way that nobody else can...Big stories, little snippets.  Whatever in your life that you want to share...

This is one of my fave photos put into a predesigned page. A shredded wheat smile, just because.  I hope it makes you smile today! 

DOWNLOAD STORYBOOK CREATOR SOFTWARE

Todays quote:
"Happiness doesn't come from doing what we like to do but from liking what we have to do."
Wilferd Peterson

Day Twenty Six

Its a good day to embarass the kiddies and share a photo or two from Halloween 2003.  This quick page was fast to make, and I did not even add a story to it.  You can do it too.  Download the software and get started.  Its easy!  Creative Memories has done all the work and gives you the best, user friendly program to make your projects in.  Kids love it, adults love it, businesses love it.  Now its your turn!

Download Storybook Creator Software

Habits.  Good habits, bad habits they are all the same.  They are a comfortable way of doing things whether they are good for you or not.  Everyone has them.  Everyone has ways of either acknowledging them or ignoring them.  They are still our habits. 

Changing them, now that can be tricky.  Take for example smoking cigarettes, which I used to do btw and am not criticizing anyone for having this habit.  Ok, cigs...when I quit smoking it was not too hard.  I was pregnant with our first daughter so I had a good reason to make that change.  Even though the reason was there, so was the need to find another way to fill the void of not smoking.  Where there was a habit, another one had to replace it.  I started chewing gum to get through it.  For me it worked but everyone is different.

Do you have a habit that you are ready to change?  Maybe smoking, maybe sarcasm, maybe negativity...What do you feel is holding you back from making the habit change?  And would knowing another, better habit help to move you in that direction? 

Funny but true story.  With five kids comes many punishments over the years.  We have tried a lot of ways to redirect these kiddies, and finally found one that works nicely.  Sentences.  It sounds like prison but only is for them.  My kids have written THOUSANDS of sentences, probably tens of thousands.   Get sassy mouthed with Mom, you get to write sentences.  Keep talking back after that?  More sentences.  Hit your sister?  You get to write sentences...see how it works?  Actually, there are only two rules in our home.  Be kind, and be safe.  EVERYTHING falls under this, so give it a try.  Back up just a bit, and see how this works.  Hit your sister?  That is not kind.  You are writing 100 sentences.  They are to be used to redirect in a positive way.  Write " I will be kind to my sister" which is the behavior Mom wanted in the first place. 

What does this have to do with habits?  Its simple...they are practicing the right way.  Oh, the bonus is that you are out of the picture.  If they take all day complaining, it is up to them.  If they write fast, that is up to them.  I just need to be able to read the sentences, and they have to write them complete one at a time.  None of this I I I I I Will Will Will Will Will down the paper sides.  It is one full sentence at a time. 

Reinforce the behavior you want to change today.  Think about it and pick something small to practice.  You can do it.  Give yourself a chance, and try it out.  What have you got to lose besides a habit you did not want anyway?  Write it out if you need too, and put it up in front of you to remember where your focus is.   

Todays quote:

Your desired behavior must become just as much a habit as your undesired behavior was before.
Mike Hawkins

Day Twenty Three

Sometimes you just have to get a little creative, and go with the flow.  You might even find that you like the way it turns out!  Here is my example this morning...Adam turned 14 yesterday, which doesnt make me feel any older btw:)  Ha ha ha...Well, Adam was asked what the perfect birthday dinner would be and he said "SPAGHETTI TACOS."  (Thanks ICarly for that one) Off we went to go shopping!

We stopped at the grocery store to pick up a birthday pie ( Adam is a fiend for pie) and the taco shells, since we had everything else needed for this perfect dinner.  The cart filled fast as Adam asked for the following:

Birthday Pie - French Silk (YUMMM)
Taco shells
Whipped cream in a can ( just plain fun to eat)
Ice cream
Klondike bars ( more ice cream)
Orange soda from Mexico ( celebrating international cultures here)
Bendy Straws ( ask me about that one later, you angels know what we can do with those)

Ok, so we head to the cashier and it is a young guy.  I say " I bet you can tell that we are celebraing a 14 year olds birthday with this pile of random" and I thought the guy was going to call security!  He obviously skipped right through that age when growing up. 

The night was really fun, and Adam had his friend Josh over and they ate pie, played video games and drank orange pop...with an occasional spray of whipped cream to fill their mouths with in between.  It was the perfect birthday party for him.  There was a reason to celebrate, someone to hang out with, fun that he decided on and a few things just for him!  We wrapped up the fun with a little game I like to call
" 14 Questions."  All that Adam wanted for his birthday was a remote control car.  ( a very cool and expensive one) And he just wanted cash towards that.  The game was simple...answer the questions, get the cash delegated for each question.  We had so much fun!  And he knew almost all of the answers too, so that was really the bonus for him.  I gave him all of the money toward the car anyway, but it was a lot more fun to play this way.  Here is the photo of the dinner that started the night out.

All I am saying today is why not let someone shine, just because you can!  Adam had a great time, and I loved watching him enjoy it too.  It is ok to make spaghetti tacos once in a while.  And, remember to have a little random fun in your life too.

Todays Quote:

Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.
Princess Diana

Day Twenty-One

Have you ever had something big happen, then wondered what the outcome COULD have been?  I mean something so super big,  that is knocks your sox off and you are left to wonder why? 

I had a dream...not like "THE dream" but a very big dream last night...There I was going along in my dream, when something really bad happened.  Something so big that is actually woke me up and I had to wonder if it really happened.  I know, I know...its just a dream.  The weird thing is that when I laid back down, I had decided that if I looked at the details that maybe it was not what it seemed at all.  I thought about the details, and when I played it back over and over in my head, there was a twist!  A twist, that would change what I thought happened in the dream.

 Why is it that we choose to skip by the details sometime and jump to conclusions?  Yeah, there was no way I could go back to sleep this morning after that dream.  It will haunt me for a long long time.  But then in life there are those things that make you take another look, if you dare to explore it. 

What is the lesson in all of this? I think that I need to take a closer look and see things for what they truly are.  Maybe it is all about people, and seeing them.  Maybe it is about business opportunities, and seeing those in front of me.  Maybe it is about seeing...yeah, I think that is it.  Really seeing means opening your eyes, ears, heart and seeing what is there for you to experience.  Who in your life is right in front of you?  Who do you see when you truly " see"?  What would you want to see if you really believed that  you could?

Today, take a peek and see what I see.  A life full of people that are blessings to me.  A pet that loves unconditionally.  A job that I love, where I can help others to see.   Do you see what I see?

Another amazing two minutes photo page.  Again, predesigned and all you do is pick your template, and drag your photo into the frame that actually says " drop photo here".  Next click where it says " click to add text".  Hey, if you can email?  You can totally do this too.  Get your Storybook Creator now right here.

GET STORYBOOK CREATOR DOWNLOAD

Todays quote:

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.  ~Henry David Thoreau

Day Fifteen

Todays going to be a good, good day!  Hey, did you ever see this video? It is from Oprah Winfreys 24th year show opener.  They sure surprised her!  Whether you are an Oprah fan or not, it is VERY cool and super inspiring to me.  Here is the link...IVE GOT A FEELING  Just click to see the flash mob video.  Just watch the energy multiply!

Today is a fruitful Friday in my storybook.  I decided to TOTALLY embarass the kiddies today and show them off in their normal everyday grubbiness.  I guess since it was 1999, they were partying hard cause they look like a little train wreck!  What started as one little girl soon became the Brissebunch!  Our fmaily mascot is the rabbit, as one friend put it to us...Brisse's multiply!  Again...its fruitful Friday!

So today, spread the word and be fruitful...share what is good in your life with someone that needs to hear it.  Be there for more people than you think you have the energy for.  Inspire someone that needs to be held up when there seems to be no up!  Do it, and watch the energy grow...really, it is always better to do for others.  It makes you grow as well:)  The page?  Oh yeah, it was made in Storybook Creator.  How long did it take me?  Two minutes.  I picked a pre-designed page, dragged the photo into the frame, and added the text.  No more excuses, just try it...for goodness sakes lets get together and you can do it on my computer to see that it is just this easy!  Take the time, and make a difference.  Embarass your kids today!

Todays quote:

Everyone has to learn to think differently, bigger, to open to possibilities.

- Oprah Winfrey

Day Fourteen

Did you ever try to fit something into another something and it just would not fit???  Take for example dinner last night.  I had leftovers, and knew that the plastic container that I wanted to use would be the right size to keep them in.  So I grabbed the pan and slid in the food...until it slid over the top and slid onto the counter, and then onto the front of my clothes.  DUMB!  :)  Ok, so what could I do?  Following the frustration, and a few choice words for wearing white on pasta day, I thought about what I was trying to do and picked a different container!  One that fit, period.

I guess today's little lesson is about finding a way to make things fit.  You just can't force much in this life, and finding a way to make it work seems a little better.  Not as much fun sometimes, but really...do you want to fight to force something to work?  I think not.

Here is a a page print that I made this morning of my 13 year old Adam.  Read the page journaling and you can see how he loves rc cars and everything about them.  I made the page with a pre-designed page in the Discover Grunge papers which are perfect for boys and their toys!  I did move the photos about, and change to add a blue shadow behind the elements.I thought it added a lot and it is so easy once you know
what to do.

Ok, so today how about working to make things fit, instead of trying to force things to move for you...really, isnt it much easier to turn and go with the flow of river rather than fighting against the current and trying to go upstream?  Some of the rivers in my life have unbelievable current.  What about yours???

Todays quote:

The difference between try and triumph is a little umph.  ~Author Unknown

Remember that we train you each Tuesday night for free on our Memory Manager and Storybook Creator software or at any other time we can get together.  That is what being a consultant is to me...taking care of you and helping you grow as you work on your photo solutions.

Day Seven

"MOM!  I need a birthday gift...and card too!"  My first thought is that we can make these for the birthday girl, but remembering how my kids value those cash gifts so much almost had be turning from the creative side.  I sat down with Maddie last night to start on her friends gift.  We decided to create one of our favorite things. A " name in a frame".  With so many unique names out there, it is tough to find something personalized.  I grew up with the name Annette, and the only thing with my name on it as a kid was a kitchen magnet.  Not the girly kind of personalization I would have loved as a young girl.  Here is what Maddies friend will receive tonight at the party, in a cute black photo frame of course.

Personalized, special, unique, one of a kind...these are all words that describe this gift from the heart.  That is really what giving is all about, and what I want my daughter to remember.  I just know Soli will love this!

Be unique, in whatever you do.  My goal today is to appreciate the special things that make each person individual, and to celebrate that!  And to encourage my kids to give of themselves in ways that nobody else can.  How cool is that?

Whether writing storybooks, making gifts and other projects or just organizing my photos, Creative Memories has given me the ability to personalize my memories.  The holidays are coming and with Storybook Creator Plus software you can make mugs, books, pages, and more. 

Click here  and be just Minutes to a creative solution

Todays quote:

"Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else”

Alison Boulter

Day Seven

Recipe for success:

1.  Gather ingredients
2.  Follow recipe
3.  Enjoy success

It seems so simple.  But there is one thing missing...what are we trying to make?  We have to decide on what we are looking to add to our table in order to know what recipe we want to look for in the first place...right? 

This morning we had french toast and I just had to take a few shots of the finished product.  Expected results from following the plan that works out each time.  Here is a page I created quickly from this mornings breakfast.  I started with a blank page and added a few quick embellishments like the recipe card.

  

Does it look good to you?

If you were to start using the Creative Memories software to make digital stuff like me, what would it need to add to your life?  What do you want? 

More time to create?

Quick pre-designed pages that help you look like a pro?

Beautiful results for the non-tecki like me...this program is perfect for the beginner and grand enough for the expert!  And you get a personal consultant to teach you how to use it? 

Get it here today, and start making these memories " live" again!

STORYBOOK CREATOR

Todays quote:

"Failures don't plan to fail; they fail to plan”

Harvey MacKay

Day Five

Five Golden Days!

Looking back on my first five days full time with CM, I am wondering where the time went?   There is no doubt in my mind that time slips away during the day, no matter where you are working. just because I am sitting at my desk, or making phone calls does not mean that each minute is as effective as it can be.

So, how do I make my days more efficient, producing the best results?  Today it is time to schedule my days. Balance is the key, and my Mother always said " everything in moderation."  That means everything must be scheduled so that I do  not miss out on what needs to be done.    Creative time, team time, customer care time, it all has to fit into my new plan. I think it is time.

CM has an amazing training online.   I will first check out the recommendations they provide. One of the most common lessons business people repeat is to " work smarter, not harder".  There is absolutely no reason to start over when there could be perfectly good outlines to follow. 

Today I am sharing one of my favorite page prints with you, and the theme?  TIME~!  It sure flies.

Todays quote: 

 "Time is what we want most, but... what we use worst."  ~Willaim Penn

Day Three

 Today is the Twin Cities Marathon and it runs right in front of my Mom house in Minneapolis!  Maddie and I slept over here after my brothers 50th birthday party last night and we are all set to take some photos this morning.  Fall colors, beautiful parkway and runners with one thing on their mind.  To achieve a goal they set their minds to.  I would bet that they did not wake up this morning to the idea of running a 26 mile marathon, but decided long ago and trained for this in many ways.  I can imagine that the runners have different goals, some to finish and some to win. Some just to participate...11,ooo individual runners and all with a goal somewhat different than the runner next to them. 

WIN.  Although it is just a few letters, it can be a mighty word with much power to change.  Deciding to achieve, now that is where I am.  The goal is on my mind, and the decision to succeed has been made.  I cannot express just how excited I am personally about encouraging others to make their goals, and share how celebrating their memories is success.  Whatever your own memory goals are, take the time to enjoy the successes along the way. 

Here is a page print from last nights party for my brother David's 50th birthday. 

Digital photography is everywhere, even on our phones. We are taking billions of photos, and its time to do something with them...If it looks like something you would like to try, why not?  Never decide something is just too hard to do, unless you have tried.  Then get some help learning how.  Creative Memories Storybook Creator is set up for all of us.  Those that want to simply drop and drag photos, and those that want to create their own projects from scratch.  You can do it too! Take a minute to check it out here  DIGITAL LIFE

Todays quote:

Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change.

Ralph Waldo Emerson