Mostly ideas featuring things I’ve learned from many places over the years & along the way with tools for scrapbooking, card making, crafts and other altered art items and paper crafts. Along with any other tidbits from my life that I wish to share.
For almost 10 years now we have been making the pilgrimage to Clay Township, Lancaster County, PA to see this wondrous sight. The gathering of the Snow Geese, Tundra Swans, and Canadian Geese as they gather to make their flight northward each spring.
2005 was our first trip, just after our daughter had turned 4, she was able to walk well on her own & didn't require much assistance from us to walk the long paths back to the lake viewing areas. The kids and our niece have all gotten so big since that 1st trip.
Some things that we learned after our 1st trip: dress warm no matter the temperatures (windy & ground is COLD). Wear boots (it's muddy!) bring a mono-pod or tripod for the camera (long wait times for flight of the birds). early afternoon on a weekday is best time to visit (less people). Look for other birds, too (a lot of wildlife there to see). Don't be afraid to drive the park's roads through the fields (can get many photos from the warmth of your car).
In 2008 we arranged to have our son's Pack Meeting at the information center and then the families could explore on their own afterwards. This was a great experience for many of the families. It introduced them to a great resource for nature close to home. I was surprised at the number of families that had never done anything like this...
Our son is assisting his sister with viewing some of the geese that are out on the lake. I love seeing them being like this, it doesn't happen as often as I'd like it to...tis a precious thing.
The kids were disappointed with this year's trip. The bird count was WAY down from past years.
2010 was one of the largest gatherings here at Middlecreek. The fields along the roads leading to the Wildlife Reserve were so FULL of birds. Our son was not able to come that year b/c of track practice. My husband and I and our daughter had a fun afternoon.
The geese were coming right up to our daughter. She loved that they were getting so close to her, but watch those fingers...they are WILD and should always be approached with caution & NEVER feed them.
One tip I forgot to mention earlier: wear a hat & have towels in your car for clean up! They are flying over you & well, birds drop things on you and you are fair game as they take flight or are coming in for a landing. It's not pretty.
2011 we only had to drive a few miles to see the geese. They took over a local field along the nearby creek. It was nice to have them SO close. Here are some more photos from along the Conewago Trail.
Be sure to get outside with your camera & take those photos. You'll NEVER regret having done so.
Many great things are happening at Panstoria in recent days. Check them all out here:
I have expanded my affiliate relationship with them to now include their print shop. Please use the links below when making your purchases. I will be updating my permanent links on the right side of the page to reflect these new changes.
Panstoria has also penned a new agreement with Creative Memories to extend the sale of the digital content until December 31, 2014. So for all you procrastinators out there, this is your chance. Please consider using my affiliate link when ordering your digital content.
Link for Digital Content:
<a href="http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=535583&u=862322&m=47864&urllink=&afftrack=">Buy digital content from Panstoria</a>
It has been almost one year since consultants were notified about the 2nd bankruptcy filing. I have ridden the waves for most of that ride until I resigned in November 2013. I am removing my separate page for Ahni & Zoe, however I wanted to keep the information posted here for those who may wish to reference it in the future. I have moved on to other avenues, and I know many of you have as well. I have enjoyed my times with my past customers and count every one of you in my group of friends. Should you have any questions feel free to contact me.
My
dear, dear friends. For 27 years it has been my humbling privilege to
lead you: an incredible group of women (and a few brave men) as we have
passionately shared the Creative Memories mission. My desire has been to
lead with transparency and integrity through my words and deeds because
you deserve nothing less. I have truly shared your highs
and lows as together we weathered the many changes. And, today, I am
sharing another change that I believe I must make. Please know that much
prayer has gone into this decision and my husband Mac is in complete
support. I have moved my mission to a new company. Why?
Because I believe in the relevancy of this mission and I believe that
with the right company, people can enjoy meaningful work and a rewarding
income opportunity. The business that has earned my confidence is
Youngevity. They are a stable, quality-based organization that can take
this mission to new heights. They already own Heritage Makers, the
business that offers on-line digital album making. Youngevity is now
working with me to offer photo albums and fast solutions for printed
photos. Youngevity believes that people deserve to have
healthy bodies and healthy emotions. When they added album making, their
customers gained the tools for emotional wellbeing. Like us, they
believe albums make life better. You have been such loyal,
faithful friends and it would be my joy to hear from you. I am available
by email: rhondakanning@gmail.com or phone: 970-460-9057.
February 10, 2014
ANNOUNCEMENT: From Ahni & Zoe by Creative Memories!
To
serve former Creative Memories customers who are passionate about blank
album pages....White Refill Pages and Page Protectors are available to
order now, and will be open for sale indefinitely!!!
**NOTE: I am no longer a consultant, however I know many of you are searching for product.
November 25, 2013
I
have made a decision to resign as a consultant with Ahni & Zoe by
Creative Memories. This has been a long and tumultuous decision for me,
and I did not come to it easily, however I am at a crossroads in my life
and I needed to do what was best for me and the direction of my
family's commitments. I hope you will still continue to seek me out to
service you for items you may have already purchased & I will gladly
refer you to a current consultant to assist you. Please feel free to stay in touch as I value each &
every friendship I have gained during my years as a Consultant. I still
love the art and craft of scrapbooking, that has not changed. Yours Truly, Christine ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
From October 21st Reveal:
Welcome to Ahni & Zoe by Creative Memories!
There's
nothing quite like a photo to make a person smile. From the tender
moments to the hilarious to the ones that make us say, “I can’t believe I
was there.” They define us and they unite us. For
over 25 years, Creative Memories has been about creating connections,
sharing smiles and telling stories. Now, we’re thrilled to share with
you the next chapter: Ahni & Zoe. Who are Ahni & Zoe? They're
all of us – from A to Z. Literally translated, the words mean “Beautiful
Life.” And it’s that very translation that defines our mission:
We exist to inspire people to pull photos off their devices and into
their lives . . . with products that help connect families and friends
to unforgettable moments, letting them know they’re loved. We take great
joy in providing a fun and rewarding opportunity that encourages all to
seize the moments that make up their beautiful lives.
At Ahni
& Zoe, we picture a world in which you can be the author of your own
life story, adding meaning and joy to your life and the lives around
you. We’ll help make this a reality through our award-winning products
and the exciting opportunities they make possible. You’re already taking
amazing photos. Isn’t it time you did something amazing with them?
We’ll show you how to start. There’s no limit to where you finish.
For updates and new information I strongly urge you to visit Creative Memories Facebook Page and their Web Page You can also continue to check in here and visit my Facebook Fan Page for the most recent information.
I
thank you for your interest in this subject. I have created a separate
page for this so it does not clutter up my other blog page.
Thank You.
09 October 2013
Clarifications about rumors with Creative Memories & Panstoria from CM's CEO
Have questions related to CM Software?
October 9, 2013 at 3:10pm
Have questions related to CM Software? Here are a few points of clarification/things to consider related to the software:
Creative
Memories and Panstoria are continuing to work together to transition
existing Storybook Creator and Memory Manager customers to Panstoria,
per our agreement before the Court dated September 26, 2013.
Panstoria
has not “closed” the software, and has made a public commitment not to
do so. Please do not give credence to rumors to the contrary.
Panstoria
has offered the Panstoria Print Shop to enable customers to print from
Storybook Creator. An update needs to be applied to your software to
make this feature usable; please see the News Feed within your software
for instructions.
Creative Memories is no
longer offering digital printing from Storybook Creator, and CM has no
immediate plans in the works to offer digital printing. We encourage our
former StoryBook Creator customers to try the Panstoria Print Shop for
their digital printing needs.
Creative Memories
Consultants should determine whether signing up as a Panstoria
affiliate is right for their unique circumstances or not. Only
individual Consultants can make this determination.
The
Creative Memories team is putting all of our efforts into our renewal
and re-launch. We’re excited about our future, and wish Panstoria and
all of our former digital customers all the best as they move forward.
It’s official, Creative Memories announced
that it will close its doors on August 31st and release all its
consultants as of September 1st. Then on November 1st a new brand with
new photo products will start.
Here is what YOU need to know for getting your current projects done with the CM products you want:
for select albums, pages, page protectors and frosted tape runner
refills ends Wednesday, July 31st! If you need any of these items, NOW
is the time to order them as they will only make what is ordered.
Contact me today if you need any of these items to finish a project or
set of albums!
August 21, 2013 updated
Last day to order
online! Any While-Supplies-Last products can be ordered on my website
up until August 21st. This is also the last day to use any Rewards Club
Credits or other coupons you may have. After that you can contact me
to order what is still available, or see what I have in stock.
For digital customers who want digital artwork
(http://www.creativememories.com/Content/Help/DigitalContent.aspx),
this is the last day to purchase and download that artwork! This is
also the last day to download any artwork you have previously purchased
that is stored on your account. It is important that you have a copy of
all your digital artwork, activation codes and program files backed up.
You will be able to order digital products at the Creative Memories
Digital Center through the end of August. I will know more about
digital printing moving forward shortly. It does look like Chris's
Crafters Corner will have options for printing that may be fairly
seamless, but more on that later.
August 31, 2013 updated
This
is the last day of Creative Memories. It will be just shy of 8 years
since I started helping people preserve their photos and stories. I
will be sad to say good bye to Creative Memories. There are tools that I
love and will continue to use. I will miss my fellow CM consultants
more than anything else. I look forward to continuing my relationship
with all of my customers and clients through Chris's Crafters Corner!
November 1, 2013 updated
A new brand with new photo products will begin. I will be looking at
this new vendor to see if Chris's Crafters Corner will offer their
products. I expect them to be the same high quality that made Creative
Memories an industry leader in photo preservation. Technology has
changed. How we use and view photos has changed. I am looking forward
to see what innovations have been inspired by all this movement.
As CM departs, please know that Chris's Crafters Corner is here and
will continue to help you tell your stories! As as Personal Photo
Organizer, I have a number of vendor options open for you. I will be
evaluating those to choose what we consider the best for you, my
clients. In the meantime, I don’t want anyone to miss getting the
retiring Creative Memories products that you may need or want, while you
can get them. Check the dates above and contact me if you need help or
have any questions. I am here for you.
Thank You Janell for this photo.
**Thank you to PSG Photo Solutions for this very well written notice & photo**
URGENT UPDATE: From the Creative Memories Home Office - the future vision for the company is for a simpler, easier business.
Given the complexity that comes with Product Credits and Coupon Code
CDs (that include the $39.95 StoryBook Coupon) we’ve made the decision
to stop selling them effective the end of this month, May 31. Though you
will not be available to purchase after May 31st, you can continue to
apply valid Product Credits and coupon codes on your Digital Center
orders.
There is a Coupon Code
CD in the Digital Top Pick, so effective June 1, that will be
substituted with the Be Young Boy and Girl Content Collection CD 650701,
found on pg. 125 of the Spring/Summer catalog).
Booking Bonus Packages B and D feature Product Credits, so they will be removed from the Host Rewards Program after May 31.
Should you have any questions or concerns please contact me, I'm happy to assist you.
Dear Creative Memories customers, friends and family,
First, I would like to apologize to you for not making you aware of
this information sooner. I had to take time to digest the information
for myself before I passed it along to you my dear customers, friends
and family.
On Tuesday, April 16 Creative Memories notified all
Consultants that the company was taking the necessary steps to file for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This announcement came as a shock to everyone
including me. The intention is for the Company to use this filing as a
business tool to restructure and refocus on the mission, simply
preserving memories! I want you to know that I still believe in this
mission and the importance of telling your stories in a meaningful way.
I have been and always will be transparent with you about Creative
Memories and the business. The Company is pursuing a simpler Creative
Memories which in turn will put us on the path to stability. As the
bankruptcy process moves forward, my expectation is to see the current
product line streamlined and because of this I would encourage ordering
any products that you have been wanting now versus waiting. We have
already seen products become unavailable in the last few days.
I
have faith that Creative Memories will be stronger by taking the steps
outlined above. Still, you may want to consider using your Rewards
Club/Product Credits if you have any as a precaution.
I am
committed to keeping you, as my friends and customers informed as new
details regarding product offerings and events arise. The plan right
now is to move forward operating the business as usual for both
Creative Memories and me. With that said National Scrapbook Day (more
info to come today) and all of my planned events are still on. My goal
is to continue helping you preserve and document your stories, your way!
If not for Creative Memories I would have never had the opportunity to
meet and become close friends with many of you. I believe in Creative
Memories, I believe in the mission and I know, in my heart that the
Company will be better after this and I plan to be a part of the new and
improved Creative Memories!
Please visit Restructuring News section on our website at http://www.creativememories.com/restructuring/
There you will find some basic information, “A letter to our fans,” and
“Chapter 11 FAQs” that you can read if you would like more information
about the filing.
There is a lot happening recently. I wanted to put this link up here for my LOYAL former Creative Memories customers. I left the company months ago for many very personal reasons. I thought you'd like to read this interview:
3/1/14 update:
Here is a link to Rhonda's new page that will have details about the things to come with a new product line at the company Youngevity that owns Heritage Makers that she is now representing http://www.heritagemakers.com/644303
I have been attempting to get this fellow's picture ALL season. I was finally able to catch him this weekend, but not at the feeder so I have nothing in the photos for a scale reference. I am just glad that I was able to catch him foraging in the snow for seeds. This is my Downy Woodpecker.
Scarves I've made since last evening. Thank you Stephanie
for sending me the You Tube video showing how. They are so easy to
make. Each one took me about an hour to do. I found with the cotton
yarn that it's best to unwind from the skein b/c it's so very soft.
The one not pictured is teal & green together. I used two skeins
with the sparkly edge & crocheted them at the same time for Lizzie.
They did not have the 2 colors together & that's what she wanted.
It worked up very nicely, but took me about 2 hours b/c of working with
the double yarn.
Though Creative Memories has changed
it's name to "Ahni & Zoe by Creative Memories" and the product
line is vaguely familiar they’ve seemed to leave traditional scrapbookers in
the dust. Until now. Cue the entrance of an old favorite - plain,
white, blank pages with page protectors! These are available
indefinitely. (Sorry – not sure exactly what this means but it’s what AZ has
said.)
Of course, there is more to this
story:
1) The regular line of products in the "new" company are LARGER than
the old. I have no idea if these pages are the exact same size as the True
12x12 ones produced until August 2013. Edited to add: According to
many posts on the A&Z Facebook page, these new pages are the same size as
the old ones. I’ll post if I get new info. The new albums are
NOT bookcloth covered. They are "Soft Touch Laminate," a
plastic I've heard referred to as something similar to those rubber pants they
used to put over cloth diapers...with a sort of waxy feel to it…or dolphin
skin. Either way, it’s not bookcloth.
2) The "new" company has said they do NOT test for photo safety any
longer. It is one of the many, many reasons I am no longer a
consultant. This information is NOT listed that way on their
website. Another CMC I am acquainted with had gone back & forth with the company trying to get
specific information regarding the tests they use to ensure their products are
safe and they could not (or would not) provide this information. The
"standards" they mention on their website are about the durability of
the album and it's pages - not about scientific testing done to ensure that the
photos and memorabilia you place on the pages will be around for future
generations to enjoy.
3) I will be honest and tell you that the company does appear to continue to
have financial difficulty. They're financials are public information and their
income is still less than their expenses. PLEASE be careful when ordering to
only use a credit card. Beware - the new return policy for albums is ...
unique, for lack of a better word. If you buy an album with it's pre-designed
pages and are not happy with it you are not able to return it (despite their
“Happiness Guarantee.”) However, if you put all your photos and
journaling in the album and are unhappy there is no problem…simply return the
COMPLETED album - yes, including the photos - and you should receive a product
credit - NOT a refund.
On a more personal note...I have very mixed feeling towards this company.
I feel that they abandoned many customers and consultants but I do not wish to
see them fail. After all, If they fail they can not pay back the money
they collected from sales of products that were supposed to go to the Make a
Wish Foundation and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation or the money that
they (legally) took from many, many CMCs retirement funds.
I'll continue to provide information so you can make an informed decision. And thank you to Lisa's Workshop for posting & sharing this information with me.
I am now an affiliate for Cricut Please take a moment to check out current specials and upcoming ones as well. There is a link on the left side of the page.
+-+Page+006.jpg)
+-+Page+011.jpg)
+-+Page+076.jpg)
