Merry Christmas!

Creative Memories gift with purchase

My scrappy gift to you! A little bonus will be placed in every Creative Memories order from now through January 1. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Creative Memories please bring back Evergreen!

Looks like the elves are busy at Creative Memories! 


And...I've heard some whispering of solid Evergreen coversets maybe also making a comeback...stay tuned!


Speaking of wishes....I would love packs of solid Evergreen cardstock, wouldn't you? (a girl can dream, right?)


Let me know if you are one of the lucky ones to get a 12x12 Holiday Evergreen Coverset before they are gone. I'm ordering mine tonight! If you don't already have an Advisor, I hope you'll consider using my link. I appreciate your loyalty (and your referrals - share this good news with your friends)!

Happy Scrappin' 

Creative Memories Multi Pocket Pages

More great news to share! The wait is over - here is a peak at Creative Memories multi-pocket pages. See how they were able to combine both horizontal and vertical pockets onto one page?  I love this! I tend to tilt my camera both ways so I need all these options and did not particularly like being restricted to 12 vertical or 12 horizontal pockets at a time.  These new pages will give me lots more flexibility. I can't wait to use them!!!!

In fact, I'm going to order some today......

These are so slick and easy to use - simply slide in 10 photos (5 per side) or mix your photos with memorabilia or use the pre-decorated Slide-In Packs as filler in any empty slots you may have. (The red Christmas tree design in the middle above photo is from a Slide-in Pack).

You can fill a Coverset with just Pocket Pages if you wanted a super easy way to complete an album in no time.  OR you can mix and match them with blank or pre-decorated pages. Everything is all sized to be interchangeable now. 

Sooo I'm ordering some pocket pages and also I'm picking out my 2015 Family Album to order this week. How about you??  Any projects on the horizon?

What do you think of the new pocket pages? 

I would love to hear your comments either here on my blog or on my Facebook page:
www.Facebook.com/dashofscrapbooking

Happy Scrappin'!

12x12 Single Pocket Pages are back!

Great news! Creative Memories 12x12 Single Pocket Pages are here!  These are side-loading and re-sized to fit the True 12x12 Creative Memories Coversets. They will also fit any of the other 12x12 Coversets that you have (Fast2Fab - both former and new).

These pages can be mixed and matched with any other 12x12 Pages in your CM album.

Suggested usage:

Those who like to scrapbook on 12x12 Paper and insert that into a Single Pocket

these are double-side of course so you can have back-to-back 12x12 paper inside one

Large Memorabilia

such as Maps

Travel Brochures

Newspaper Articles

Athletic Letters

Diplomas

Multiple Cards from a milestone party (just fan them out and put a little sticky adhesive behind each one for display)

What would you use these Large Single Pocket Pages for?

Thank you for your CM orders!

Many of you took advantage of the free 8x8 album CM offered during Thanksgiving.

Those exclusive albums are flying off the shelves and into CM boxes keeping their warehouse busy! I thought you might like to see some behind-the-scenes photos they shared with us:

I am getting supplies together to make my December Daily album for 2014. Are you making one this year? 

Happy Scrappin'!

Have a memory-keeping Thanksgiving!

Have a memory-keeping Thanksgiving! Take photos and record what each of you are thankful for. You can use that later in your scrapbook for a Thanksgiving "grateful" page.

Creative Memories New Catalog #cmgroup #creativememories #scrapbooking

Creative Memories (CM-Group) has come out with a new Catalog November 2014.

This Catalog will be an online Catalog only. It is not a hard copy that I can mail you. And it does not link to my website. But I know some of you have been asking for a Catalog so this is it! Enjoy virtually flipping through it! :)

PLEASE NOTE: All of the Refill Pages and Fast2Fab Albums include Page Protectors. They are not listed in the Catalog but they are included so please note that as you are looking at the prices. Page Refills and Fast2Fab Albums are always bundled with the necessary amount of Page Protectors! Love that!

Enjoy and let me know what you think.....
http://issuu.com/cmemories/docs/cmgroupcatalog_11.14_lores/1

Creative Memories review

My first order from CM-Group (the new, new Creative Memories) arrived! 

After examining everything, I quickly organized my 

Tape Runner 

Tape Runner Refills

and Assorted Paper Packs

it feels so good to have fresh scrapbooking supplies again

along with a direct source for replenishing!

We are a "no inventory" business but I like having some product on hand for:

my quarterly Workshops,

my regular customers who don't like shopping online,

and for my own personal album projects. 

The new Ahni & Zoe albums (those are the pre-decorated scrapbooks that you just tape your photos into) have been resized so they are now the same size as CM's True 12x12 Bookcloth Coversets.

Here is a size comparison of the "former" Ahni & Zoe albums and the "new" Ahni & Zoe albums: 

As you can see the former A&Z albums were quite a bit larger. I am thankful CM's new owner has changed that so now all our 12x12 albums are the same True 12x12 size.

Look at this gem 8x8 Fast2Fabulous Album I ordered: "Orchid You Not":

I love the inside cover...a whimsical doodle "Let the Sun Shine through your Heart"

Just like the 12x12 Fast2Fab albums, these little 8x8 albums are also pre-decorated. It's like getting the paper for free! Just tape your photos in. All the albums come with a set of clear Page Protectors to slide over when you've mounted your photos. That just gives some extra protection. 

That photo is just not cooperating with me this evening - sorry. But this gives you an idea anyway of what the photo looks like taped to the page (using photo-safe Tape Runner adhesive of course). 

Anyway, as far as I can tell, Caleb (the new owner) has kept the best parts of CM/AZ and should be in business for a long time to come. 

Happy Scrappin'

New Creative Memories Open for Business!

We're back!!!  

Hooray and Yippee!!

Want to check it out?  You can visit my website link here:  http://www.creativememories.com/user/donnalyn

The wait is over!

You can sign up as an Advisor which will get you a website link

and you will get paid everytime someone shops via your link (including you!)

Or you can order as a customer and pay the retail prices

Either way, it's an awesome deal 

because

We Love Creative Memories!!

Happy Scrapping Days are Here Again!

http://www.creativememories.com/user/donnalyn

Here is the info on becoming an Advisor - there is no Kit

and CM is no longer a party plan business. It's more like an Affiliate program.

No quotas and no titles. We are all Advisors.

The more you sell, the more you earn.

If you would like to join my "team", I would be honored to work with you!

Just click on the link to my website and you can sign up through my name to be included in my monthly recognition, idea sharing and support! This will be so much fun! And it's something you can do alongside another business or job.  You set your own pace.

http://www.CreativeMemories.com/User/DonnaLyn

Creative Memories is getting very close to re-opening!

#CreativeMemories is getting very close to re-opening!  My website is in beta testing right now and is getting a few of the glitches worked out before we go LIVE! Check back here for updates (if you aren't already working with a CM Advisor) for info on when you can sign up as an Album Advisor and/or order your beloved bookcloth albums, pages and page protectors again!

Signing up as an Album Advisor will give you your own website and a discount on your own purchases as well as a commission on everything that you sell.  It is just $49 per year to become an Album Advisor ($4/month!). No inventory and no parties. If you want to host workshops or events, you may, but they are not required.

I plan to host a monthly crop where people can come make progress on their scrapbooks and precious memories. I also plan to send out monthly recognition to my team of Album Advisors. I plan to keep this business very simple (as it is intended to be) as an outlet for creativity while blessing my family with our own scrapbooks and also making a difference by helping others "tell their story" through photos in a tangible way. 

If you already own a business, that is ok, you are still invited to become a CM Album Advisor. You will be allowed to have other businesses alongside your CM Album Advisor business. Which is great news for me as many of you know that I am a leader with Thirty-One Gifts. I of course will keep these two businesses separate but I am grateful that the owners of both companies encourage women to be business women. Financially it can be beneficial to have multiple streams of income and I am excited to use my 20 years experience in direct sales to help women build strong businesses and strong families. 

Stay tuned....

Many Merry Stars Simply Created® Kit

I'm always looking for quick and easy craft ideas. Carrie Bryant shared this idea and it is amazing what Stampin' Up! has done. They have adhesive strips that are pre-scored to fold accordion style making it super easy to attach to star shaped paper forming a 3-D star! Then embellish and you're done!  They even made the stars in die-cuts for you so all you have to do is punch them out and they perfectly match the adhesive strips.

They had me at the Glitter...but sold me on the Ease!  

These stars come in a Kit with virtually everything you need to add some sparkle to your holiday decorating.  Check out this video tutorial:

If you would like to see the details on this Kit and more Stampin' Up! ideas, check out Carrie's website via this link!  

Do you like ordering pre-assembled Kits? Or do you prefer making your crafts from scratch?  I'm sure some of you super craft gals can look at the photo ideas above and start crafting right from your stash at home. I'm more of a "Show Me Exactly Where to Place the Embellishment and I'm Golden" type of crafter.  Either way, it's Merry & Bright! 

Happy Crafting!

Creative Memories Sneak Peek!!

Although Creative Memories launch has been delayed a bit I know many of you have been anxiously hoping for a sneak peek of What We Can Order! Well...drum roll, please....

True 12x12 Bookcloth Coversets
True 12x12 Fast2Fab Album Kits (yes, they have resized the F2F albums so they are the SAME size as the bookcloth coversets!)

This means that the Pocket or Slide-In Pages have also been resized to fit into either album cover!! Also, responding to popular demand, the Pocket/Slide-In Pages will feature BOTH Horizontal and Vertical on the same page!!  I'm am so super happy about this change!!

Here is a "sneak peek" of each Color Story coming soon 
Neutral
Primary
Vintage
and Bright

Happy Dreaming....get your Wish List ready - I might be able to order as early as the beginning of November!   

You can also get updates on my Facebook page - "like" my Facebook page to stay in the loop! (www.facebook.com/dashofscrapbooking)

Creative Memories getting ready to reopen!

Though they are not quite ready to open for business, the CM plant is humming as the manufacturing team is working hard making albums for us! 

Check out the new shipping boxes:

Just thought you might appreciate an update - this is really real! CM lives!

When will Creative Memories come back?

Q. In your early October blog post you said Creative Memories has a new owner and will be reopening sometime in mid-October. Today is Oct 28, what gives?

A. Progress with the new company is moving along quite literally. CM-Group has moved into a new location in St Cloud, Minnesota and is working diligently to reopen within about a week!

Q.What is the name of the new company?

A. Creative Memories and Ahni & Zoe will be called CM Group or just "CM". 

Consultants will be called Advisors. As in "CM Album Advisor"

Q. Do I order a Kit to become an Advisor?

A. Nope. No Kits, no inventory, no catalogs. Just get the link from an Album Advisor and pay a $49 annual fee to become an Advisor.

Q. How do I find an Advisor? 

A. If you would like to hear directly from CM, you may submit your email on their website home page by clicking on this link and scrolling down to the Stay In Touch button. (www.creativememories.com)

Q. Can I sign up under you?

A. As soon as I receive a personal link when the company opens, you may use my link to sign up directly under me as an Advisor. My email is cmdonnalyn@frontier.com if you would like me to contact you with the link. OR you may "like" my Facebook page and check there for updates!

https://www.facebook.com/dashofscrapbooking

Check out my NEW Facebook Page!! 

I love scrapbooking, journaling and sharing ideas through social media. My new Facebook Business page will feature album ideas, journaling ideas, photo tips, and links to my scrapbooking blog.  Also New Product information and photos galore!  Here is the link to "like" my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/dashofscrapbooking

Q. What do I get for the $49 fee?

A. You receive a website link that you can share with your friends, family, and customers. Each time someone orders from your website link, you will receive a percentage of the sale. The percentage you receive will be based upon your year-to-date total sales. So the more you sell, the more you earn.

Q. Can you build a team and promote to Leader?

A. There are no teams and no leadership titles. We will all be Album Advisors. If anyone signs up under you through your link, they will be in your first line. We can only go one line deep. No multi tiered teams. The Home Office will be communicating to everyone equally. 

You can get paid profit weekly based on your total sales and commision based on your total first line sales. You can also earn Bonuses (credits) that you can use towards products. You can either sell these 'free' bonus products or use them for your personal use.

Q. That sounds simple! Is there more to it? 

A. It is simple. Caleb Hayhoe's vision is that we can explain the business plan on a small paper napkin.

Q. Wait a gosh darn minute. Aren't you the one who said you were "DONE" with this company?

A. Oooh, I can tell you are a loyal blog follower. Thank you for tuning in to "As the CM World Turns."  Here is why I've changed my mind:

Simplicity

Continue ordering the products I love

Servicing my Customers/Friends

No Inventory

No Tiered Teams

New Owner who "gets it" (and is bringing back the traditional albums and bookcloth!)

Allowed to own other businesses alongside this one

Allowed to promote CM on my scrapbooking Blog

= I'm in!

Many people in direct sales have a full time job plus their direct sales business. I have my direct sales business (Thirty-One Ind Consultant) and my scrapbooking hobby (CM is not direct sales, it is more like an Affiliate Program). My main income continues to be my Thirty-One business as they offer career-level income, leadership promotions, etc.  I hope this makes sense!  Feel free to comment with any questions or join my Facebook discussion. 

Happy Scrappin'!  

PSO Binder Cover Decorating

This season I'm serving as Secretary for our school's PSO. I inherited this Binder of Minutes (pictured above) and although I do appreciate the smiley face, I wanted to jazz it up a bit. If I'm sitting in a meeting, I like to be surrounded by pretty. 

It was super easy to give the binder a makeover. I pulled this 9x10 predecorated scrapbook paper from my stash (from a local scrapbook store). The green titles were already on there so following their format, I added the black and white "PSO Minutes" and dates on white paper fed through my printer, cut into a square, mounted onto black cardstock to copy their shadow effect, then slide it into the front cover of the binder.  (fonts Curlz MT 72; Comic Sans MS 24)

For more creative binder ideas, check out my post on how my daughter used CM's Geometric Maker! 

What ordinary, mundane things are you adding your personal touch to? 

Life is short. Make it beautiful.

Happy Scrappin'!

Scrappin' Saturday

Last Saturday I scrapped with friends and got my son's School Album almost current! Just 4 pages (2 page spreads) per year highlighting:

- school portrait

- class photo

- pic with teacher

- jogathan

- fall festival costume

- self portrait (drawn)

- handwriting sample

- sports portraits & team photos

- field trip photo 

- class party photo

This Saturday I'm finishing up the last few pages of 3rd grade and will be officially *current* on the Prince's School album.

What current (or not-so-current) Album project are you working on? I would love to know as we virtually scrap together this weekend :)

Happy Scrappin'! 

Creative Memories new product line 2014

Creative Memories is now called CM Group. When they launch, they will start with a simple line of Creative Memories and Ahni & Zoe products, with more to come over the next few months, then quarterly launches.  

The Creative Memories line will include Bookcloth Coversets, Refill Pages and Page Protectors in True 12x12.

Tape Runner adhesive, Tape Runner refills, and Paper Packs will also be brought back:

Ahni & Zoe's Fast2Fab pre-designed albums will also be back with some updated covers. The biggest news is that CM Group has made the Creative Memories and Ahni & Zoe coversets the same size. So no more extra large coversets from A&Z. They will be reconfiguring the clear pocket pages in order to fit and be interchangeable with all coversets.

That's not the only thing that is making a comeback...the CM logo will be back as well:

Initially they were hoping for a mid-October launch. They will be giving an update soon and I will do my best to keep you informed. Hopefully we can order directly from the company and get the scrapbooking supplies we love. I will also let you know what when I hear any concrete information on what kind of testing they will be doing on the products to ensure photo safety.  Stay tuned...

Creative Memories reopening October 2014!

It's coming back.....and you may not even had time to miss it yet?! Remember the Creative Memories shutterflower or shutterbud shutterlogo thingee?  I think the official most recent designation is "Shutter Flower" - anyway it's like an old friend and it's baaack. 

All of the Ahni and Zoe websites are now being redirected to the NewNewReallyNewCompany (really, it's new!)....bringing back our old favorites.

Like bookcloth coversets.

Quality Cardstock.

the name "Creative Memories"...

maybe the Corner Rounder.

maybe even Ten Thousand Former Consultants who followed a certain someone to a complicated somewhere else.  Maybe.

Just Maybe.

"Now under new management, the new CM launching in October 2014 will offer the best of both Creative Memories and Ahni & Zoe: the original scrapbook albums and pages beloved around the world, and modern, quick-to-complete albums that appeal to today's busy families."

"After nearly 30 years, we're proud to continue the tradition and keep making a difference in the way people remember, celebrate, and connect."

On the interim site you'll see a "Stay in Touch" icon, so if you wish to be notified when the NewNewReallyNew company is up and running, you can submit your email address. And when you answer two simple questions, you'll also be entered in a drawing. I think you will love the questions! They are asking for your favorite color of Cardstock and your favorite Fast2Fabulous Refill Page design (even an option to select N/A).

I hope you will take the 2 question survey. More surveys may be coming your way as the new owner (Caleb Hayhoe, Flowerdale Group) seems to be very interested in producing what loyal Creative Memories customers want (what a concept)!

Happy Scrappin'

Goodbye Ahni & Zoe!

Can't believe August 21st is here already! Someone mentioned it feels like the movie Ground Hog Day and it does...

Because today is the last chance to order anything from Ahni & Zoe by Creative Memories.  

It's starting to resemble that furniture store around the corner from our neighborhood that is "GOING OUT OF BUSINESS" every. single. month.  Oh, you have one in your neighborhood too?  I finally realized that the furniture store's name was "GOING OUT OF BUSINESS."  Ahhh, now that makes sense.

As I say goodbye to A&Z by CM, CEO Chris Veit, and the Home Office Wind-Down Team...I would like to say 

Thank You

Good Luck

All the Best

Hope it goes smooth getting all of the last chance orders shipped out!

God Bless

And to the Go Forward Team...who is "furiously working to swing open the new door"...

Thank You

Good Luck

All the Best

Hope it goes smooth

Can't Wait!

Creative Memories Sold! Has a New Owner

Caleb Hayhoe, Chairman, Flowerdale Group, Hong Kong

An agreement has been reached with Flowerdale Group Limited, Hong Kong. Flowerdale Group has purchased the Creative Memories and Ahni & Zoe brands including CM Japan, the patents, and a good portion of the album making equipment. They will soon be moving the equipment to a smaller facility in St Cloud, MN, U.S.A.  (the rest will be auctioned off on September 23).

The Ahni & Zoe party plan direct sales business will be closing in the U.S. and Canada this week. Consultants and customers can order Ahni & Zoe products while supplies last through August 21, 2014.  

(I feel silly saying this again, but...) Everything is While Supplies Last and the Last Day to order will be August 21. 

source

No, really, it's your Last Chance...order by August 21. Ahni & Zoe orders will ship within 7-10 days and CM Outlet orders will ship within 30 days. This includes ordering any photo prints.  

source

Still don't believe me??  I really, really mean it!  They tell me you'll want to order soon - do not wait until August 21 because they expect high volumes on that day and we all know what happens on high volume days. Especially on the Very Last Day Ever. (really!)

http://www.ahniandzoe.com/publicstore/stores/donna/CDS/catalog/CM-Outlet,238.aspx

http://www.ahniandzoe.com/pws/donna/tabs/shop.aspx

...Or...I guess....you could...perhaps...wait until the new owner brings our beloved Creative Memories bookcloth album covers and pages back and hey! maybe even paper! hopefully by mid-October? Maybe?  

©2007 Publications International, Ltd.

Flowerdale's Chairman, Caleb Hayhoe, (who looks nothing like a wolf) is committed to continuing the legacy of quality products and keeping the manufacturing in the U.S.A.. Hayhoe says, "I don't have all the answers right now, but in the weeks ahead we will be devising how to transform the business to make it more competitive and relevant, using modern marketing channels...it is my plan to invest in continuing to build and improve the simple Ahni & Zoe line AND restore some of the beloved items from the Creative Memories line (bookcloth albums, pages, paper, etc.) for those who enjoy that approach to preserving memories."

How this involves Consultants or if it will be a direct-to-consumer model remains to be seen. Either way I am relieved to know that we may still be able to order the high quality albums we use and love!

Caleb Hayhoe would like to hear from you! former customers, current customers, former Consultants and soon-to-be-deactivated Consultants (our contracts officially end on September 3).  Here is a link to his survey:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9ZZCS5C

This is your chance to let him know your thoughts and what you would like for your precious photo album projects so I hope you'll take the time to complete the survey. I was very impressed by some of his questions. He seems to "get" how abandoned some of you have felt and wants to restore some of the CM products we loved.  

Happy Scrappin' from As the CM World Turns....