Category: Photography

ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Memory Keeping, Museums, Photography, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Petersen Automotive Museum

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: I LOVE CARS

The Grand Finale

As I’ve mentioned, I didn’t do much in the way of research for this trip. Nephew was supposed to cover LA, Lizbet planned Huntington Beach, we know the Central Coast and Bill found Casa de Herrero. All I can really take credit for is bringing the glue that turned all of these disparate things into a vacation.

Petersen Automotive Museum was not anybody’s list, but we passed it when we were leaving LACMA and I made a mental note of it. When we decided to go, I just put LACMA in the GPS and looked for the place I saw across the street. We spent more time in the car museum than we did in the art museum! It was one of our favorite things of all the new places we visited.

If you don’t love cars, then this is not the place to go. That’s all there is: cars, cars and more cars, with a few motorcycles thrown in for good measure – floor after floor of cars. They tell you to take the elevator to the top and then work your way down.

My favorite part was this section of the museum. Here’s some of the cars they had. Yes, I do keep showing you various shots of Steve McQueen’s sports car, but it’s only a fraction of what I have.

This car museum spoiled me forever. In a few months time I would go to another famous car museum, but all I could thing of was how inferior it was to this one.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

Eventually we had to leave the car museum. Perhaps I should have covered it in more detail, but there were cars, lots of cars and then some more cars. It was heaven.

After some fast food it was back to the car rental place and then onto the airport via a shuttle. (We used Fox.) The weather was glorious all the time we were in California, but the story was different back at home. North Texas had been caught up in the annual freeze over for most of the time we were gone, which was odd, because we used to have one snow day a year and that was it.

We enjoyed the final day in LA. Our flight left LAX a little before 7, but the time difference was against us and it was midnight before we crawled off the plane. Thankfully, the flight was to Love Field, because things are much closer together and our car is always just across the street. We don’t have to wait for a parking shuttle.

Remember the cold weather? Well, Bill had me stay in the building and went to get the car. What a gentleman! But he was soon back without the car. It wouldn’t start. We feared we’d be sleeping in the terminal, but Bill called some emergency number posted in the garage and it was no time at all until a guy showed up and jumped a start.

We made our way home and went to bed. Directly to bed!

Before I move on, I’ll share a few more of my favorite cars with my photobook pages.

Architecture, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Memory Keeping, Photography, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Back to LA

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: GREYSTONE MANSION

Too Many Sad Stories

I go to a lot of historical homes and palaces. One thing most of them have in common is sad stories. He built the home for the love of his life and she died shortly after it was finished. They built their dream house, but were then bankrupt. He never finished his castle, because he committed suicide. The bought the house, did extensive remodeling for their coming child, then the mother and child both died in childbirth. I’m just drawing these out of the air, but each one probably has at least five places I’ve been that would fit the story. It’s rare to find a happily-ever-after house.

Greystone Mansion is no different. “On the night of February 16, 1929, only five months after the family had moved in, Ned Doheny was found shot to death inside the home, at the age of 35 and the victim of an apparent murder-suicide perpetrated by his longtime personal friend and aid Hugh Plunkett,” says beverlyhills.org.

You are welcome to enjoy the grounds, but the interior is off limits. The facility is frequently used for grand affairs and as a location for filming movies, TV shows etc., but most of the time it just sits there sad and empty. There is a tour of the interior every first weekend, but that’s not when we were there.

All the signs say photography is not allowed, but then no one is there to stop you and we ran into some people scouting it as a filming location and they offered to take our picture for us, so if you go, snap away. I do believe what they say about filming, because just a few days after we got home, I saw a TV show where the characters were standing under the lamp in the photo above.

Here’s what the mansion looks like.

From the mansion, we drove around Beverly Hills a bit. We thoroughly enjoy looking at rich people’s stuff. Then we returned to our nephew’s house for the evening and had dinner at an Italian restaurant that was supposed to be historical, but it was really just dirty and old and the food was awful.

The vacation was winding down. We’d be flying back the next day, but I had one more trick up my sleeve and it turned into one of the things we enjoyed most of the whole vacation.

Memory Keeping, Photo Organization, Photo Organization Coach, Photography, Scrapbooking

New Sizes for Wall Art

Jane Sadek

MEMORY SHARING: CANVAS PRINTS & METAL PANELS IN NEW SIZES

Two Ways to Share the Love in Many Sizes

If you’d like to take your images out into the world, then FOREVER has two ways to hang them on the wall and a variety of sizes to choose from. Whether it’s for your wall, a gift for others or even for your business, FOREVER can take care of you.

You can create wall art on Canvas Prints or Metal Panels and if you prefer something for a counter or desk, then FOREVER also has Table Top Panels.

Canvas Prints

Canvas Prints give you a lot of variety. Whether you want one standout portrait for a wall, a collage of photos on a canvas or a collage of canvases, this can all be achieved with these versatile wall pieces. These examples happen to have people in them, but pets, hobbies and encouraging and inspiring text can all be part of your personal creation.

These gorgeous, premium-quality, textured, museum-wrapped, satin-finished canvases are printed in archival quality ink. The 1.5 inch sides are printed and wrapped on four sides for a custom look and the satin finish cuts down on glare. A metal sawtooth hanger is already on the back for your convenience.

What’s more, they now come in nine different sizes, so you can let your imagination go wild. Squares like 8X8 and 12X12, as well as large format sizes like 24X36, 20X24 and 16X20 have been around for a long time. Now they are adding traditional photo sizes like 8X10, 11X14, and 20X30. Perhaps the most exciting is the new 12X36 that allows wonderful landscape shots, with or without people.

Metal Wall Panels

Though quality canvas has been the classic standard for a long, long time, metal wall panels could be what you are looking for if you are looking for brighter colors, a flat surface and a more modern feel.

FOREVER’s Metal Panels are created with premium Chromaluxe®. You’ll enjoy clean, crisp edges and a vibrant long-lasting finish. The glossy coating enhances color saturation and contrast while providing resistance to scratches, moisture and UV-induced fading. Your print will include Shadow mounting hardware for effortless installation and a sleek, floating appearance.

The popularity of these panels has caused FOREVER to expand the number of sizes these panels come in. From traditional 8X10 to large format 24X36, you’ve got five different choices, for single hanging images or collages.

Tabletop Panels

Showcase your favorite family photo, or landscape with tabletop panels. They feature an easel back, but they also have slots to hang them on the wall. The panels come in 5X7 and 8X10 and you can create them for a vertical or horizontal format. They’re made from 1/4″ thick durable high-gloss hardboard which is uv resistant and scratch-free, because of the Chromaluxe® coating.

And there’s something else! Use a dry erase pen and they become a write board! How cool is that!!

Whether you want to dress up your home or celebrate something special for someone else, this variety of wall and table top panels gives you plenty of ways to express yourself and show off your art. Whose going to get lucky on your list?

Memory Keeping, Photo Organization, Photo Organization Coach, Photography, Scrapbooking

Genealogy Geniuses On Call

Jane Sadek

MEMORY KEEPING: CAPTURE THE PAST WITH FOREVER GENEALOGY

Growing the Roots of Your Tree

Memory Keepers do all kinds of things. Some of us became the Family Historian unexpectedly, finding ourselves flooded with media from the past we needed to do something with. Others are the eager hunters and gatherers of every family photo, reel, slide, tape etc. Still others reach further into the past, seeing out the roots of their family trees, ever joyful to receive a notification that a new family member has been found. Still others take a DNA test and after reading it wonder what to do next. FOREVER has solutions for all these projects.

Because FOREVER does so many kinds of things, from digitization and storage to photo books and greeting cards, many customers don’t even realize there’s a Genealogy Department at FOREVER and if they do, then it’s sometimes a mystery exactly what happens there. Well, if you’re trying to grow the roots and limbs of your family tree, then you should get to know the Genealogy Department at FOREVER.

This is Katie and Keri, they are professional genealogist with a network of contacts all over the world. Can’t make a connection to your fabled Revolutionary War Patriot, Texas Settler or Confederate Soldier? They can follow the breadcrumbs and solve the mystery. Does your research stop where your language skills can’t go? Look to these ladies to carry your further down the road of your family history. Do you have the language skills but don’t have the contacts to break down a brick wall in your research? Then you need Katie and Keri.

Four Ways to Connect

The easiest and cheapest way to get genealogical help is to plug into the quarterly Genealogical Group Events. These ladies present practical how-to tidbits from their vast experience, introduce new sources of information and how to use them and they have Q&A sessions. The most recent event was back in August and another one will be coming soon.

There’s also a one time consultation that gives you one hour, one-on-one with one of our experts. You can tell them where you are, what you need and where you’d like to go. During the call they will help you figure out next steps, recommend resources and help you solve genealogical conundrums. That might be all you need to start your genealogical journey or to get you back on course in the journey you are already on. Or perhaps during the call, you’ll realize you need even more help and book further sessions with them.

If you’re a do-it-yourself kind of person, but you’d like to have a little help, then all you need are coaching sessions. You can buy one hour coaching sessions in packages of 3 months, 6 months or a year.

If you just need someone to do it for you, then you’ll be interested in the Research Project Plans. This would be me. I love the results, but I’m not doing any research, so I’d love to have someone do it for me. But even seasoned genealogist sometimes run into brick walls. Perhaps its a lack of resources, a lack of time or a lack of language skills, but even the best researcher, amateur or professional, can run out of available options. Research Project Plans can solve these dilemmas.

So, if growing your family tree is a thing you love, be aware that we have all these resources to help out.

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, Attractions, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Memory Keeping, Photography, Road Trips, Scrapbooking, TRAVEL, United States

Leaving Pismo for Santa Barbara

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: PISMO LIGHTHOUSE SUITES & CASA DE HERRERO

Pismo Lighthouse Suites

I can’t abandon Pismo without a shout out to our wonderful accommodations. After the grandeur of the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort, pretty much anything else would have to be a step down, but we didn’t have to step very far down. Pismo Lighthouse Suites proved to be an excellent choice for a stay.

Don’t expect swanky, because it’s not, but it is nice. Very roomy with a bedroom totally separate from the living area and a full kitchen. Bill didn’t think much of the décor, but I thought it was very functional and everything was clean. Who could ask for more when you’re watching your pocketbook at little?

One thing we certainly loved was the breakfast every morning, served in a community room and if you couldn’t find something you liked, then you are really too picky. I’d sure stay here again.

Casa de Herrero in Montecito

Bill usually leaves most of the vacation planning to me, but when he does make a suggestion, it’s a jewel. I didn’t find it in any of my research, but it should be on every must-see list for Santa Barbara. It’s a little pricey and hard to schedule, but it is a gem.

The home is open to the public at 10 AM and 2 PM on Wednesdays and Saturdays – PERIOD! And the tickets are $50 per person. I’ll wait for you to catch your breath. If budget is not a constraint and you can be there on their schedule, then you have to go. You will love it. Lotus Land was $60 each, but it seems to me there was a whole lot more to it. Still, I’m glad I had the opportunity to go.

We pulled into Montecito about 1:15 PM and had to kill about half and hour in a shopping center parking lot. We couldn’t just go hang out by the Casa. They keep the gate closed until a few minutes before the tour and you aren’t allow to park in the neighborhood. Parking is at a premium everywhere in Montecito and the signs at the shopping center were very threatening, so we couldn’t even lock up the car and go for a walk. We had to pretend one or the other of us was visiting one of the establishments, while the other guarded the car.

Finally, it was almost time for them to open their gate, so we made our way to the home. When the tour started, we were informed we couldn’t take photos inside, but think San Simeon’s dining room turned into a full house. Very Spanish and a little dark.

The original builder and owner of the house was George Fox Steedman from San Luis Obispo, who started out as a metalsmith and woodworker, threw in a few real estate deals and became filthy stinking rich. The house had a metalsmithing and woodworking studio where Mr. Steedman pursued his interests. The house is full of valuable antiques from the Golden Age of Spain, but they are pretty dark and depressing.

Counterpoint to the interior with it’s nod to the Inquisition, outside was delightful and you could take photos. And that’s what you’ll see on the photo book pages I’ve included below.

Memory Keeping, Photo Organization, Photo Organization Coach, Photography, Scrapbooking

We’re Getting Cozy Now!

Jane Sadek

MEMORY SHARING: WARM UP THEIR WINTER WITH PERSONALIZED PILLOWS & WOVEN BLANKETS

New Print Products in Time for Holiday Giving

There’s always something new at FOREVER, but these new products, which became available on the 4th, will warm your heart: Pillows & Woven Blankets.

I’m careful to say WOVEN blankets, because blankets have been a part of the FOREVER offerings for a while: Fleece Blankets, Sherpa Blankets and Outdoor Blankets in sizes from 30X40 to 60X80. But these new blankets? Get ready to snuggle in a whole new way. There’s just nothing that feels like the weight of a woven blanket and the look is wonderful!

And the pillows? Well, that’s a whole new thing. I’ve had people ask for them before, but they just weren’t available. So, imagine my surprise when I sat on a Zoom call and heard the pillows were coming. With three great sizes you’ll be able to create wonderful things for special people.

Blanket & Pillow Ideas

Whether you choose a plush, sherpa or woven look, blankets are a great way to show you know what’s important to the ones you love. If a team or a school has their heart, then create a blanket featuring the colors and logos of their fan love. Pet lovers rave over blankets with photos of their furry, feathered and scaled friends. Grandparents will snuggle extra warmly when their grandkids are on the blanket. Hobbyist will preen with glee over a blanket with their antique car, flowers from their garden or other items highlighting their interests. These gifts say I see and hear what’s important to you.

Another great way to use the blankets is to capture heritage photos. Give kids pride in where they come from, by highlighting the important people from their past – even from generations they never met. It builds self esteem to shield them from the slings and arrows of everyday living. Older members of the family will cherish scenes from their childhood and early marriage or images of the people who have gone before them.

Pillows can be made with all these themes as complementary accessory to a blanket gift or they can stand alone. Either way they’ll be cherished by the recipient and shown with pride.

With all these heart, head and feet warming gift ideas, whose holidays will you brighten with a blanket and/or pillow?

Memory Keeping, Photo Organization, Photo Organization Coach, Photography, Scrapbooking

Book ’em Danno!

Jane Sadek

MEMORY KEEPING: CUSTOMER SERVICE YOUR WAY!

Call Out or Scroll Down for Help

When it comes to Memory Keeping, I am at your service. Whether you’re brand new to the idea of preserving and sharing your memories, a long time scrapbooker or my very best digital customer, I hope you know I always love to hear from you. I’m always interested in the projects you’re working on and if you’re having problems, I want to know about it. Often, I know the answer right away and you’re back in business in the click of a button

I can’t know everything though and for some things we’ll need to reach out to FOREVER’s customer service department. Often I’ll send the inquiry to them via email and copy you in, so they’ll know you’re not alone and we’ve addressed the basics already. However, you can also reach out to FOREVER on your own, if you like.

The black box above is in the right hand corner of each page. Click on Help Center and you’ll get this larger menu, which will give you Customer Service your way:

If you’d like to call, Customer Service is available Mon-Fri: 8am-9pm EST, Saturday and Sunday: 10am-6pm EST. I’m not a phone person myself, so I don’t call often, but when I do I find a friendly, helpful, knowledgeable person on the other end. Like all call-in services though, you will have to wait in a que, but it’s not usually an unreasonable wait.

I do most of my inquires via email. My situation is rarely urgent and with email I can explain the whole situation, including screen shots and photos. I immediately get back an email confirming FOREVER has gotten my inquiry and they provide a few FAQ’s and answers at the bottom of the email, which could potentially solve the problem on the spot and close out the request. Soon, I’ll have a personalized answer, which usually resolves my issue.

I’ve also used the chat feature. If it’s during chat hours, they get right back to me and if it’s an easy fix, the whole thing can be over in a couple of minutes. If they can’t solve it there, then they’ll put you in the que for a call.

Book Your Remote Assistance – Danno!

Sometimes, you may need remote assistance – especially if your computer blows up and you lose Artisan. You know that’s what happened to me in July. The old process was in place, but my conversations and the screen sharing were great. Since July, they’ve made a few changes. These days, you can go directly to the page above and schedule your screen sharing appointment with a technician. No more mystery as to when someone will call. This page is where you’ll log in when your session is scheduled. Easy peasy! (Client Concierge is for people having crops, so you won’t need that.)

So, if you run into trouble with FOREVER, you have a smorgasbord of solutions. Don’t hesitate to call on me or whatever version of customer service suits you. You’ll get the help you need.

Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Memory Keeping, Photography, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Driving Down Memory Lane

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: MAKING MEMORIES OF MEMORIES

The Pismo Pier

After leaving our old house and taking a drive through it’s neighborhood, we headed to Downtown Pismo Beach. Some things don’t change and trying to park in Pismo is one of them. Weekday in January and parking was at a premium. We made our way down to the waterfront where many improvements had taken place. We took pictures, walked to then of the pier and took more pictures. It’s not the most beautiful beach in the world, but it’s a familiar one.

Over our two day stay we snapped photos wherever we were. Eating at the Shore Cliff (which they now call the Ventana Grill), hanging at Pismo Lighthouse Suites (which was a marvelous place to stay), visiting our friends or just driving between their houses. I combined all these photos to create Pismo Beach pages I’ve added below for you to see.

On to Estero Bay & Cayucos

Though Pismo Beach is where we built our home and lived later in California, we first lived in Los Osos. Los Osos was part of a estuary shared with Morro Bay. Then down the road a little bit is Cayucos. These were our haunts.

We finished many a day in Los Osos by visiting the beautiful Montana de Oro State Park which was moments away from our rental house. Or we’d just walk around our neighborhood, Cabrillo Estates with it’s jaw dropping views. Bill also enjoyed playing golf at Sea Pines Resort.

Los Osos was a great place to live, but it didn’t have much in the way of restaurants, so eating out usually meant going over to Morro Bay which was more of a touristy town. If if we wanted Tex-Mex, we’d go to the only place on the Central Coast which actually knew what that was, Taco Temple in Cayucos. They were more famous for their California Fusion fish tacos, but we always ordered the nachos.

We also loved going up to Cambria with beautiful Moonstone Beach, but we didn’t make it this trip. Don’t worry, we’ll make a point of going next time we visit the area – and we will visit the area again.

So, on this nostalgic tour, we drove up to the top of Cabrillo Estates and stood in wonder of the majesty of God’s creation. We hit our two favorite spots in Montana de Oro, Spooner’s Cove and the Bluff Trail. Sea Pines was next and the Baywood neighborhood nearby. On we drove on around the estuary and through Morro Bay State Park.

We hadn’t left Pismo until around 3 PM, so the day was getting away from us. We merely drove through most of Morro Bay, but we did get out at Morro Rock. From the rock we drove on Highway 1 beside Morro Bay Strand to spend a few minutes on the Cayucos Pier, before going to Taco Temple for a plate of their nachos.

If you’re wondering what all that looked like, then you’ll enjoy these pages.

Memory Keeping, Photo Organization, Photo Organization Coach, Photography, Scrapbooking

Ornamental Things

Jane Sadek

MEMORY SHARING: USEFUL ORNAMENTS

Ornaments for the Tree and Beyond

What you see above, the snow globe ornament, is one of the wildest best sellers FOREVER has ever had. Or at least the wildest I can remember. They have great difficulty keeping them in stock. YEAR ROUND! So imagine how challenging it will be at Christmas. As popular as it is, it is only one of the many ornaments available from FOREVER.

We have ornaments in metal, glass, acrylic and the snow globe above. There are 6 different shapes and all are around 3″X3″ – 3″X4″. And colors – you have your pick! Now is a good time to order what you need for the holidays.

There are people who create a theme for their tree every year and order a new set of ornaments for it. Some make holiday ornaments of their kids for grandparents to commemorate each year. Some people create ornaments featuring their pets, their quilts, their cars. their hobbies. Though many people do buy the ornaments to put on their tree, you’d be amazed at all the ways people find to use them.

One of the most popular throughout the holiday season is to use them as gift tags. They dress up the gift and make a permanent memory of it. It’s great for all gifts, but imagine how wonderful they would be on a handmade gift! They also get used a lot as place cards. Set them in a place card holder or tie them to the napkin and the guest gets to take them home.

Year round the ornaments make great tags for luggage, backpacks, gym bags, you name it. They are wildly durable and immediately set your belongings apart from the rest. I keep one on my business tote. Imagine making a matching set for a group you’re traveling with. Lots of things to tag and so much fun.

Smart shoppers are making their lists and buying their presents, now. Last week I reminded you to order your holiday cards and in the weeks to come, I’ll be making more gifting suggestions. There’s no end to the possibilities!

Memory Keeping, Photo Organization, Photo Organization Coach, Photography, Scrapbooking

Valet’s Uploader is Free All the Time!

Jane Sadek

MEMORY KEEPING: VALET IS THE WAY TO PLAY

The Uploader is Now FREE!

A couple of years ago, FOREVER developed image migration software just for the professional photo organizers of the world. Almost as an afterthought, they made a pared down version of it available to the rest of us and gave everyone a 60 Day free trial.

Since then, PRO Valet has become the industry standard for migration software and Ambassadors everywhere have shared the Valet trial version with their clients. At first, no one really expected the casual user version to go much of anywhere. Most people find the FOREVER app useful for synching the images they take with their phone to their storage account, but uploading from other devices to FOREVER was thought to be simple enough.

What Ambassadors discovered was their clients loved Valet and since it helps people upload their memories to FOREVER, why wouldn’t we want to make it readily available, just like the app for their phones. Well, the FOREVER executives heard the plea and responded. Last month a free version of the FOREVER Uploader becomes permanently avaialble.

The PRO Version will remain available for sale. I find it helpful in helping my customers. The full version of Valet will remain available for sale and it offers all the powerful tools the PRO version does, but for only your account, rather than multiple accounts. The Free Uploader will make uploading your memories from your devices a snap.

Valet can help you upload all the images you have on your computer and related devices. Valet can keep the organization you have on your computer or if you don’t have any organization (which might be part of the problem) it will help you create nice neat little folders by date.

Valet can also help you rescue your photos from where they are scattered on the internet. Right now, Google Photos is the only cloud it works with, but Apple is on its way and others will follow.

The best part is you won’t have to justify the cost of it. Since it’s free, just get it and use it. You’ll find you love it!