Did I ever mention that I make Blog Books?

I have been in the business of helping people preserve their memories, save their pictures, and share their stories for almost 15 years! I do parties, sell albums and scrapbooking supplies, host workshops and retreats where my friends can have fun while preserving their memories, teach digital scrapbooking, and I help others start their own businesses. Plus, I do lots of projects for other people. 

When I first discovered blogging, I was in love. I think it is so great that so many moms are taking the time to share their photos and stories. This is just what my mission has been for so long! I love bloggers!!!

So what is better than a blog?

A Beautiful Blog Book!

I have had the joy of converting several blogs into colorful, unique, 12"x12" hardcover books that can be enjoyed and treasured forever. It is so fun to help my bloggy friends take their blogging to a new level by creating a Beautiful Blog Book that permanently documents all of their precious words and photos.

I lovingly copy each and every post, one by one, pasting it into this "newspaper" format so that you have a chronological record of your blog. OR, I can use selected posts... you may not want to have all your "giveaways" or diy's in your book, so I can include just the posts that you most want to save and cherish.

And then there are the photos! I actually do some photo editing, as needed, such as removing red eye and brightening up dark pictures. I do my best to include every picture, placing them where it makes sense, so that they flow with the story, just like you do on your blog.

Creating a Beautiful Blog Book is a labor of love for me. I am so honored when I am entrusted with this important task. I spend up to six weeks crafting each page, and placing each picture. You are able to choose from a wide array of beautiful digital artwork that complements your blog and style. But in the end, it is your stories and photos that are the star. Imagine holding your book in your lap, looking through the story of your life... who else might want a copy?

Isn't my sweet friend Jenny's family just the cutest? I loved making this book for her!

It's a Giveaway Day!

Welcome to my blog today! I am pleased and proud to be partnering with Modern Parent to give away this beautiful 8x8 pre-decorated scrapbook. You can go to the Modern Parent Facebook Page to get the details for this one-day (December 8th, 2011) giveaway!

If you want to give a gift from the heart, here is an easy way to share love and memories with minimal effort. I have already done most of the work for you!!! {But guess what... it was easy... I used a kit so it all came together really quickly!}

This cute 8x8 album has a classic chocolate cover (that can be personalized with added Persona Imprinting). The 24 inside pages are already decorated and ready for your pictures. These rich, earthy colors work well for a guy, like your husband or dad, as well as your mom or best girlfriend!

Each page is unique and will be even more beautiful with YOUR photos on it!

This prize package includes everything you need to make a special, sure-to-be-loved gift! Just add pictures!!! The pages are ready to go, complete with beautiful papers, stickers, and photo mats. In addition, you will receive a Tape Runner adhesive dispenser for attaching your pictures to the pages. Once your album is complete, Page Protectors slip on to add the finishing touch. All of this is worth nearly $72.

All YOU need to do is gather up your pictures, get them printed, and stick them down.

See how the photo mats are the perfect size for 4x6 photos? You can also add your own captions and sentiments directly to the pages. Cute and easy and memorable!

Be sure to check out Modern Parent to get yourself into the drawing for this sweet gift. You can also visit {& Like!} my Facebook Page, too! And if you don't win... well, I have lots of other options for you! Who in your life would appreciate a lovely little scrapbook made just for them?

{Quick Albums}
{8x8 Kits and Albums}

{Simply Said mini-books}

{Paper Albums}

{Gift Albums}

{Photo Displays & Decorations}

Love Displayed in Meaningful Gifts!

During this wonderful season of giving (and all year, actually), I love to give gifts that are unique and meaningful. Here are a few fun gift ideas for you. {Bonus, I can help you with any or all of them!} If you are looking for information on my Beautiful Blog Books, click here!

Personalized photo gifts always are a favorite and much enjoyed by the recipient! Here are a few gifts I made this past year. The Photo Panel is wood and acrylic, but also comes in metal. {Free templates make it easy to put together yourself, or custom options can be designed.} Look here, and you will see how I am using another Photo Panel as my countertop dry-erase board!

The Custom Album Coverset can hold scrapbook pages or digital page prints. It can also be designed online, or made completely to your specifications.  Items like mugs, mousepads and t-shirts are always fun, too! Who wouldn't want to enjoy daily seeing their favorite people on an everyday item???

Photo Calendars are another wonderful gift! Pictured here is a 12"x18" calendar... the page can then be inserted into a 12"x12" scrapbook when the month is over. This style is also available in 8"x12", for an 8"x8" album.

The calendar plus an album makes a wonderful gift for grandparents. {I like these luxurious 12"x12" Picfolio albums -- they will hold almost three years' worth of calendar pages!}

Another idea is to use the calendar pages for heritage photos... walk down memory lane with all your pictures from growing up, and give the calendars to your siblings. In 2-3 years, you will all have your own completed family album!

The desk calendar is new! It has it's own easel, and the 4"x6" images also tear out. It is a great size to put on a desk at work, or to carry when traveling. Every month can highlight a special memory or cherished person.

All of these calendars can be customized with one or more photos, words and quotes, as well as special dates and events. You can go here to see more info about them. Again, I am happy to help you with your custom calendars!

Now, here is another fun and personal gift! The Simply Said books are sweet little 7.5"x5" books ready for you to fill in the blanks with your photos and feelings. Don't know what to write? It is easy with the prompts that are provided!

So do you have a special person you want to bless this holiday season? These are all fun and easy ideas... and of course, there are also photo books, cards, photo displays albums, and more! I would be pleased to help you with your personalized photo gifts... in person or by email {terricendejas at gmail dot com}!

{If you create a Creative Memories Digital Center account, please use my Consultant ID: 24915986}

The Evolution of a Photo Panel

This photo is one from my surprise birthday party earlier this month. What sweet friends I have! What you may not have noticed in the picture is up behind me on the mantle -- it s a photo panel that I designed last year and gave to my family for Christmas. A photo panel is either wood coated in acrylic, or metal, and makes a wonderful display in several sizes. I just love ours! 

Well, I had a product credit toward another photo panel that needed to be used, so I decided that I would make a special one for myself.

I thought it would be fun to show my design process from the beginning, to the final outcome. And, even though it is called a photo panel... I didn't plan to include any pictures on it! I looked through my digital artwork collection to see what embellishments and papers I wanted to use. I knew I wanted colors that go with our other decor since I would have it in the kitchen. I also love hearts. And these little birds were so cute! So that was my starting point.

I found some other embellishments I liked and played around with the center shape. I needed more area in the middle than the first big heart had provided. I liked the paper with the writing, even though you can't read it.

I decided the first background looked too solid, so I swapped it for a different patterned paper. I also went with a simpler shape in the middle and tweaked the other elements. I am liking how this looks!!

Now I am starting to get excited because I think it is looking really cute. I love the little bunting and the scallop backing gives it a nice touch.

From the beginning, I knew I wanted to include scripture. If you go back to the first draft, I actually had scripture running around the outside of the heart. Since I also liked the look of the paper with writing, I decided I could make my own. So I added a bunch of my favorite verses in a variety of fonts, and it was done! I love it!!!

And here is my photo panel on my kitchen counter. So pretty!

Oh, did I mention that I can use it as a dry erase board?!? Acrylic photo panels can be written on with dry erase markers! This makes a great place on which to write my list of tasks for the day.

I am so excited that I can post my nightly menu and stop all those repetitive questions from the kids about what I am making tonight! This just makes me happy. What could you use a little dry erase board for? You know what else makes me happy about this? I used host credit toward the product credit, so all I paid for my fun little project was tax & shipping!

Celebrating your Star!

I am in the process of working on an end-of-season coach gift and remembered this picture I wanted to share. One of my awesome customers has kids who are athletes. Last spring, her daughter's softball team had a perfect 17-0 season!!! To celebrate, Susan made her daughter this gorgeous poster! I happened to be at Susan's home a while back and was able to see it in person and take a photo {that in no way does this 20x30 poster justice}!
Isn't this such a cool idea?! It is a natural for celebrating a coach or an athlete... but would also be great for a teacher, a dancer, a cheerleader, a pet lover, a horse rider, a special couple, a grad, a dad.... well, you get the picture! What a terrific gift for a hard-to-please teen. It is so easy to get started because you can go here to pick out free designs, upload some photos, drop them in, and order! {If you need a consultant ID for your CM Digital Center account, you can use mine: 24915986.}

I am also able to make custom posters for you in a variety of sizes. You send me the photos and I send you the finished product ready for hanging or framing. What fun project would you like to display?

Dual Duty Gift

What a relief to have one Christmas gift completed and ordered! Gil's parents were just here for a week and I took as many pictures as I could. During the visit, the kids had a day off from school, and then Gil had them take two more days off to be with their grandparents. So they had some fun times out and about with Grandpa & Grandma Cendejas! However, I got fewer photos than I would have liked. But, I think I've made the most of those that we do have!!!

This is the custom photo calendar that I just ordered for Gil's parents' Christmas gift! This is really cool because the top strip with the spiral binding, and the calendar part on the bottom, both tear off, leaving an 8x8 scrapbook page.

Last year, Gil's parents visited and I sent them an 8x8 PicFolio Max album with several completed pages in it. The idea was to keep adding to it for them. The Max album is really nice because each page is a giant side-loading pocket, so it is super-easy for them to put in additional scrapbook pages.

Now they will have 12 additional pages for their album!

Because their visit was in October, most of our pictures are fall themed. I didn't try to worry about the months on the calendar, but thought instead about the flow of the scrapbook album. My intent was to document their visit, and the calendar was just an extra bonus!

I actually created the calendar as a 12x18, which would make 12x12 scrapbook pages, or page prints. I always like to design in the larger size, then with a simple click I can convert my project down to the smaller size. That way, I can use some of these pages for our album!

I wanted to get this completed and ordered so I would have it for my Open House on November 20th. {December 13th is the deadline to order for Christmas delivery!} I actually started it Tuesday night. Then I worked on it again Saturday afternoon, finished it up, and got it ordered! I love digital scrapbooking because it is so quick!!!

I mostly used the Free Presdesigned templates found here, but I also adapted most of them somewhat. This page I played with using one picture for the whole page. I like it!

In just a few hours, I have 12 pages finished!

I think you can see that we had a good time at the pumpkin patch!

Of course, the visit was much too short... and the visits are far too infrquent... but Gil's parents can be reminded of our time together all year long!

"I can do this myself!"

Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet a sweet friend for some yummy iced lemonade-green tea, and to chat about having me create a predecorated album for her to give as a gift. Her friend is in the process of adopting a 2 year old little girl. Susan wanted to give her an album that was ready for the mom to add photos and introduce this precious child to her new forever-family.

I love it when people decide to give albums for gifts! What could be more personal or perfect, no matter who it is for?! And I feel honored and blessed when I can be involved in the process.

Since this album was going to be handled by a toddler, I recommended the 8x8 PicFolio Max that has slip-in pockets for each scrapbook page. These albums are so durable, and great for little hands. I just happened to bring with me the Family Quick Kit to show Susan.

Well, it turns out that Susan absolutely loved the Family Quick Kit and the 8x8 album that coordinates! She thought it really fit her friend. When she saw the predecorated pages and the fun stickers and tags... she realized that she didn't need to hire me, after all! She said, "I can do this myself."

School's Almost Out!

The end of the school year brings celebrations, special activities, goodbyes, and many photo opportunities. You just may have a special student, teacher, or grad and be wondering what to do about an end of the year gift. Here are a few easy ideas you still have time to make!

With a completely-coordinated scrapbook kit, you can put together a teacher thank-you album in record time! {And if you are like me and love a bargain, check out these kits that are on clearance.} An easy idea is to give each student in the class a journaling box on which to write a note to the teacher. They can also submit a photo, or you can go to class and take pictures of each child for the book. Once you have the pictures and notes, the album goes together fast!

Personalized photo gifts are quick and easy to make, and are always appreciated! How about a T-Shirt with a class photo on it, a mousepad made with a scanned image of a child's artwork, a mug for a special teacher, a photo panel with a group picture to say thank you, or a poster for a grad to take to college? The great designs available make your project beautiful!

And for more great ideas, check out this helpful post about journaling your child's school year, and some photos you don't want to forget to take!

This Album Speaks!

This adorable paper album is now available in limited quantities! It is our first-ever RECORDABLE paper album kit! Not only does it include beautiful papers, photo mats, stickers, and embellishments using the Beautiful Day artwork, but you can also record a 20-second message when you are done adding your photos! The album has twelve 6.5" square pages, and comes with an evelope for mailing. Click here to see it in action!

What a sweet gift for Mother's Day... for sharing baby photos and gurgles with grandma... or in place of a card for a special friend...

This album will truly speak to those you love! It is a limited edition product, available now. {If you love the artwork like I do, you will also love the Limited Edtion 12x12 Beautiful Day Additions and Limited Edition Beautiful Day Download. These are only available through April 30th, 2010 or while supplies last.) Who can you bless with this sweet album?!?

Did you see my 100th post? You don't want to miss the touching article and giveaway, here!

Just Add Pictures!

So over the weekend, we were sort of stuck indoors due to the snow. I finally completed my inventory for my CM business, and found some fun supplies that were not being enjoyed to their fullest. I wanted to do some scrapbooking over the weekend, so here is what I made.

The cover of this sweet little 7x7 album is a pretty green.... the camera didn't do it justice.

I put this little album together with the retired "Inspiration" kit I had on hand. I love the rich, warm colors. To set off the beautiful papers, I decided to hand-color the edges of the pages with my metallic bronze pen. I like how that turned out!

Click on any photo to enlarge and see in more detail. It really is much prettier in person.

Each page is 7"x7", with 24 pages in the album.

Each page is ready for a photo, and maybe some handwritten notes.

Wouldn't this make a sweet and meaningful Valentine's gift?

This little scrapbook makes a perfect quick gift for someone you love... just add pictures!