GREAT TIME TO SIGN UP AS A CHERISH BOUND CONSULTANT!

Cherish Bound is running a Consultant Sign-up special right now, and it runs through the 20th of February...

When you sign up to be a consultant by Feb. 20th, with ANY Starter kit, you get your Cherish Bound email account for FREE! That's a $25 savings! And, if you purchase our $99 Starter Kit or higher, you'll get your email account free PLUS receive our Office on the Go Bonus Pack! Your kit will come packaged in a great tote bag and you’ll get added business tools like pens, pencils, extra event reminders, etc. Start this year off right with one of our fantastic Starter kits and set yourself up to earn the extra income you need in 2010!

If you are thinking about becoming a Cherish Bound Consultant, now would be a great time to do it, don't you agree?!

Contact me at kara(at)cherishbound(dot)com to find out how - or just go to www.cherishbound.com and sign up. If you want to be part of my team, be sure to sign up under my consultant number: 677.

Consultant Sign-up Special

If you are interested in joining the Cherish Bound team, and helping others tell their stories, now is the time to join! There is a "Storytellers" special - $25 - which signs you up to be a consultant, and give you some fun product. This is a great deal. Becoming a consultant gives you a 20% discount on all products and all of your publishing. You earn commissions on products you sell and your customers who publish. There are NO minimums to stay a consultant, either. SUPER good deal.

Contact me at: kara(at)cherishbound(dot)com, and let me help you get started. I'd love to add you to my team.

VALENTINE'S DAY IDEAS

Hey everyone!

Now, I know the holidays are over, and that big push to finish your books is done. But, I don't want you to pack away all of your photos and memories until next year! Now is the time to start working on preserving those memories that mean so much.

For instance, my grandmother died about a month ago. I was at her house recently - helping to clean and pack it up - and I found a bag FULL of tons of beautiful cards. My grandmother loved cards. These cards were really special. They were cards that my grandparents had sent to each other! 3/4 of them were signed "Love," or "Love always," - but the rest had little love notes inside. I decided to make a small book for Valentine's Day for my parents, full of all the love notes that my grandparents wrote to each other. I thought it would be a wonderful remembrance for them, plus a gentle reminder of how we should treat each other. I spent a wonderful afternoon, looking through all of those cards. There were hundreds. As I immersed myself in these cards, the memories of my grandparents came flooding back. I could actually hear them saying the words to each other. Those love notes really touched my heart.

So, I went through my pictures and found my favorite pics of them together. Then, I opened a new project - a 5x7 book - and proceeded to fill each page with quotes from the love notes I found in the cards. I threw a picture in here and there. And a couple hours later - it was done! I'm so excited about this little book. I can't wait to see my dad's face when he opens this up. I bet each of his siblings will want a copy, too! Here is the cover and a few pages from the book I'm making for you to look at...

The front cover is on the right and the back cover is on the left. I found, as I went through the cards, that many were signed with the nicknames Slim and Georgie, so that's what I named it! (My grandparents' names were Douglas and Georgina).

I started the book with their wedding picture. I was able to write at least 5 love notes on each page of the book.

I found many very funny love notes, so I paired them with funny pictures of my grandparents.

On the last page of the book, I scanned (at 600 dpi) two of the signatures from the cards - one of my grandfather's and one of my grandmother's - and made them into JPGs. Then, I uploaded them as pictures, and put them here. That way, we can remember their handwriting. I also started the book with a little note from me, telling my family that I hope they enjoy this book, and that I want this to be a reminder to us of their love.

Why not work on your own love story for Valentine's Day? It doesn't have to be a huge project. Just pick a few of your favorite pictures, and jot down a few special memories, and you've got a beautiful book! Do one for your spouse, or one about your parents' love story. Or you can even do a special little book for each of your children, full of your favorite stories and pictures of them. You can put a small book together in one afternoon. It takes about 3 weeks to get your book back once you submit it. So, there is still time to make someone's Valentine's Day special.

Call me if you have any questions, or need help. You know I LOVE to make books!

ANNOUNCING... PHOTO RESTORATION!

I'm sure this has happened to you... you get the box of old family photos out, start leafing through them, and come to one that is an old favorite - but, it's been damaged! Discolored, bent, cracked, etc. It makes your heart sick! Well, now those photos can be restored to their original shape, and you don't have to pay a fortune to have it done, either! My son, Grant Herron, is an expert at Photo Restoration. It doesn't matter where you are located - you don't have to send your precious pictures through the mail. Just scan them, and email them to Grant. He'll fix them and email the restored photos back to you! It's as easy as that.

The cost right now is $15 per photo restoration. You'll have to look far and wide to find someone else who will work on your photos for less than that. It's a real bargain!

Here are a few of the photos he has restored...




To see more samples, look on the sidebar of this blog.
Email Grant at: grant.photorestore@gmail.com

Cherish Bound Black Friday Publishing Specials

I'm furiously trying to finish several book projects, plus help my customers to do the same, because...

in 2 days, it's Black Friday!!!!! What does that mean at Cherish Bound?! Publishing discounts galore!

This Friday, if you submit books for publishing at Cherish Bound, you'll be eligible for the following discounts:

EVERY book gets hardbinding for 1/2 price - that's just $8.50 for a hardbinding upgrade instead of $17! Hardbinding makes your book so much nicer, and it's guaranteed for LIFE when it's hardbound!

If you buy 3 books at regular price, you'll get a 4th book for 1/2 price. This is HUGE! Make one beautiful book for your family - and then get copies for everyone... what could be easier? And, it doesn't even need to be 4 copies of the same book - just buy any 3 books, and get the 4th one 1/2 price.

If you are making any of the Cherish Bound Designer series books, you'll be happy to know that CB is waiving the $12 designer fee! You won't have to pay the extra fee to be able to get one of these beautiful, professionally designed books! These are so easy to make - they are designed for you, so just drop your pictures into place and type some text, and voila - a finished book in just minutes!

Last special - if your cart charges are $150 or more, you'll get a free journal from Cherish Bound. Choose from Gratitude (purple), Favorites (green), Traditions (orange), and Heritage (Blue). Cart charges, meaning AFTER coupons, tax, and shipping. So, if you want to take advantage of this special, don't use your coupons - save them for another time.

So, that's the deal - 4 exciting publishing discounts on Black Friday only. It is TOTALLY worth sitting your butt down right now and making a book, right?!

Have fun creating.

An announcement & Christmas Idea - CALENDARS

Exciting news at Cherish Bound...

Cherish Bound now has a blog! This blog just went public, so there's not too much there right now, but I'm sure there will be in the near future. They've started posting, so go check it out.

http://www.cherishbound.com/blog/

REMINDER: Christmas is coming fast! Are you working on those book gifts? I hope so. There is nothing that is more satisfying than watching someone open a beautiful personal story book on Christmas Day (or any other time, for that matter!). I hope you'll give the gift of story this Christmas season.

Calendars are another great way to share your story with others. I've been working on calendars for family members and friends, and at Cherish Bound it's so easy. Just upload 12-15 pictures, type in a caption or quote under each picture, and fill in all of those birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Submit, and get your beautiful spiral bound calendars back in time for Christmas. Here are some pictures from one of the calendars I've done this season...



I chose to put quotes about family and friends in my calendars instead of captions. The quotes I found were so great! Here are just a few ideas...

"It's funny that those things your kids did that got on your nerves seem so cute when your grandchildren do them."

"The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family." -Thomas Jefferson

"What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories." -George Eliot

And, probably my favorite....
"The family - that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor, in our inmost hearts, ever quite wish to." -Dodie Smith (haha!)

TIPS:
Be creative with your calendars - Each of the monthly spreads in the Family calendar is a different color - match your text color to the background.
Put a shadow behind the pictures - it makes the pic POP from the page. Be aware of the picture you are putting on each page - match clothing and other things to the background color.

Cherish Bound has 3 different calendars for 2010. The one above is the Family calendar. We also offer Baby Boy and Baby Girl calendars (blue and pink respectively). Each of these calendars has room for a picture and text, plus the capability to fill in each different day on the monthly calendars. Plus, as a nice bonus, each page has several questions to get your family talking, or to help you remember to record important events.

Let me know if you need help starting one of these beautiful calendars.

A Few Announcements...

I'm going to be adding a page especially for my downline - my team members. I'll post updates, information, pictures, etc. for them there. Look for that link on the sidebar in a few days.

For now, let me say that I so proud of one of my team members, Jamie! She now holds the top 2 spots in the company for personal sales. Way to go, Jamie! Keep working hard.

Just a reminder to all of my customers... Cherish Bound usually has a pretty sweet publishing special on Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving), so make sure you have your Christmas books done so you can push the submit button that day! If anyone needs help - you know how to find me. I'd be happy to come and help you finish your Christmas gifts.

Keep telling your stories!