Jump Start Summer & Another GIVEAWAY!

Don't miss My BIG Celebration Giveaway!!! Click here for another one!



Are YOU are driving your kids nuts??? Come on....are you driving them nuts yet??

I push mine outdoors and we have lots to do, most days, but once in awhile it's nice to come in the house, shut down the shades, crank up the A/C and let them veg.
My little Z-man has found his veg... it's this!

Jump Start online has been his new little passion...or should I say obsession...and a good one I might add! Before school got out, every day he'd come home and say, "Mom! Can I PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE play the cool jumping game!! Please...." I gave him 20 minutes after school each day to play some Jump Start....and I was so impressed with what he learned in that short period of time.

Here's a list of a few of our favorites features!

• EASY to navigate - He had NO trouble at all using www.jumpstart.com and CD game "3D Virtual World - Legend of Grizzly McGuffin"
• Creating his own avatar - "Jumpees"...he LOVED this part!
• The games are educational, but fun! As he enjoyed playing "video games" and didn't even realize he was learning so much....actually, I take that back. He did realize it. He called me over to the computer about every 26 seconds to show me a new word he could spell or a math problem he solved.
  
• Another great feature is it's personalized for each child and it's creative, bright, and let's them use their imagination....it allows them to create and think.
• Progress Reports! Yes, I get his progress reports emailed to me that show me what he's learned and completed....oh, yeah, and they have a Parent section...oh and a blog!
  
• He loves AdventureLand!! They can explore and are given missions. Here are a few screen shots of his adventures...

So I guess what I'm trying to say is...Jump Start has created a great online World and CD program for kids! I give it 2 thumbs up....and so does Z-man!!!

you can't hear him right now....but he's asking to get on and play as I type....

Sonia, over at Jump Start has offered a lucky reader a 3-month membership to www.jumpstart.com! A free upgrade to use and take advantage of the entire site!! Perfect for the summer months! It's a great tool to keep your kid's minds thinking and not forgetting everything they learned over the past 9 months of school....it's so much better than a "workbook"....and who wants to sit down and do a workbook during the summer?? NOT ME!

Here are the entry rules:

• For one entry just leave me a comment
  

• For 5 Entries: Visit www.jumpstart.com. (click the link and scroll down) They have HUGE list of skills that Jump Start helps kids with...Just leave a comment and let us know which skills your kids could use some help and/or refreshing on.
  
• For 5 Extra Entries: Follow my blog
• For 5 More Entries: Follow me on Twitter @cherishbound176 and Tweet about it. Please leave tweet URL in comment
  

Please leave separate comments for each entry (just 4 separate comments...you don't have to do 16 comments), and you must leave your email or have your email in your blogger profile or a new winner will be selected. Giveaway runs until, Sunday, July 26 @ 11:59pm. Open to anyone who can get online!

And I also saw that they're going to have Jump Start For the Wii soon! Hopefully they'll let me review that one too! {WINK-WINK}!!

Build Your Family's Library - A Peek Into Publishing

Take a brief tour of Cherish's Bound publishing center to see how easy it is to start building your family's library! Our book building program is easy to navigate and works with simple click throughs and the drag-n-drop system. Take a peak to see how easy it is to get started.

Free online screencasting tool

Thank you to the amazing Kari for letting me share this great tutorial she put together! ♥

5 Easy Steps to Taking Great Pictures of Kids

I have an amazing girl here....Jessica from MomShots.com We met on Twitter (I ♥ Twitter) and I have been up and down her blog this past week. She's talented, amazing, and has so much to offer all of us so-called Mom-Aunt-Grandma-whatever Photographers! Take the time to learn from her. She's fantastic and make sure you get to know her blog....lots of great information! This is a long post...but SO WORTH IT!!!

Take it away Jessica...

I want to share with you a few simple steps to help you take great pictures of your kids. You don’t have to have a fancy-shmancy camera to get good pictures and with these tips you will find your pictures looking even better! Anyone can follow a few simple guidelines and end up with beautiful results. You can use these tips independently or together and you will love your new found photographic skills!

• Tip #1: Focus on the Eyes.

We all have heard that “the eyes are the windows to the soul”. I don’t know about that but I do know that when you can clearly see your subjects eyes you feel a more personal connection. The personal connection brings in your audience and makes them really feel and enjoy your picture more. This includes you too.

Focusing on the eyes also ensures that your child’s face will be in focus and not some other random body part!

Before you think to yourself, “I can’t get my kid to sit still long enough for a picture, let alone get them to look at me.” Don’t worry about that. You don’t necessarily need to have your child looking at you to get a great shot. I have some great shots of my kids running away from me!

• Tip #2: Get Down on Their Level.

We look at children from above all day long. Kids tend to be shorter than adults. It’s just nature. One way to make us take notice of a photograph of a child is to take a picture from a different perspective then we are used to viewing them. Bend your knees and get down to their level. You will really notice the results!

• Tip #3: Get Close, Real Close.

Get in there and make their face fill your entire view finder. You can show that beautiful little mug in all its glory by using your zoom feature or just getting in their face. Don’t worry about cutting off the top of their head or chin. If that happens it is fine. If it doesn’t happen it is fine also. Either ways will look great!

• Tip #4: Be Aware of the Background.

Often when we have our camera in front of our face, we are focusing on what cute thing our little cutie is doing. We sometimes forget about what is behind them and how it is going to look in a picture. If we don’t pay attention to the background we will end up with photos of things that can detract from the beauty of our children. We can also end up with some pretty funny looking pictures - like telephone poles or trees growing out of heads. Not the kind of photo we want to look at over and over!

• Tip #5: Try New Angles.

Mix it up. Use your camera to look at your child through a new angle. This can be fun and exciting. Try shooting from below or from way above. Try turning your camera a little and tipping it forward. Try laying on the ground or setting your camera on the pillow next to your sleeping baby’s head. Be creative and have fun!

Since photographing children is never easy, I want to throw in a few Bonus Tips for you as well.

• If your camera has a Sports Mode or Child Mode, try using that instead of Auto. Those modes are designed to capture clear shots of fast moving subjects and we all know how fast moving our children can be. Especially when you want them to sit still for one simple photograph!!!
• Try sticking your wiggly kids in a bucket, basket or other container. The novelty of it will keep them occupied for a few seconds and you can get some fun shots without them running away. See the shot above with my son in the wooden basket. He loved getting his picture taken that day. The bonus for me was that he wasn’t running all over the place so I could actually get a few nice shots.
• Read your camera manual. Learn how to use your camera and all the great features it offers. Each camera has so many really useful and fun features that you can use to get some really creative shots. Don’t be intimidated by that manual. It isn’t really as hard to understand or as boring as you might think. When you finish reading it you will be the master of your camera and your photographs will improve drastically!
• Shoot, shoot and shoot some more. Take as many shots as you can. Don’t be afraid to take a ton of pictures. You are more likely to get some good ones if you take a whole bunch. Just delete the ones you don’t like and keep the ones you do.
• Don’t forget to get some photos of you. Often one parent is behind the camera and never ends up in any photos. I’m speaking from personal experience here; make sure that you give the camera to other people or use your timer so that you can be in some shots. This is very important. Your children need to know what you looked like when they were two.

Taking photos of our children is so important. It freezes memories in a time capsule and helps to convey our feelings and emotions. Our children will be thankful to have photos from their childhood and we will be glad we were able to capture those memories.

Most important, have fun and don’t give up. You won’t be sorry!

Thank you Jessica! How amazing is that advice??? Oh I'm so excited to go take more pictures!! She rocks!!!

So...What do you think? My blog makeover is done! So excited! Trendy Mommy did a fantastic job! I couldn't be more thrilled! If you're looking for any blog changes, buttons, pretty much anything, she's the girl! Check out her blogs here! Thanks JEN!!!

The Trendy Mom Blog Designs

The Trendy Mommy Spot

Photographing Babies

I'm intrigued with baby photography. I can look at my children's baby pictures over and over for hours on end. I think it's because those stages of life come and go so quickly. Every time I was blessed with a new little one I would think to myself how can life be so grand, so wonderful, so amazing...how can this sweet little baby bring so much love and joy into my soul? If you're a mother I don't even have to try and explain it...you get it. It's not something you can describe in words...it just makes me smile.

The pictures that we capture of our little ones at birth and during the first few months of their lives help us remember those deep overwhelming feelings that we experience when a new baby has blessed our lives.

I found this article on Scrapjazz called Shake, Rattle & Roll, Photographing Babies. It's a great little article with tips for photographing your new little babies.

Confessions of an Ex-Scrapbooker #13

I confess every week why I'm an "Ex", but this past week I got a great email from a customer of mine....she didn't even know she was experiencing a memory keeping breakdown. She didn't even see it coming, but it did, and I'm going to help her pull herself back up and become the memory keeping diva she was meant to be...but through Cherish Bound this time. I'm not going to use her name because I didn't tell her I was going to post her traumatic experience for all the world to see.

So here's a breakdown of our emails:

(Diva is a mother of 5, runs her own business, and has been a "scrapbooker" for a long time, not to mention is an awesome person and incredibly sweet.)

Diva in Distress: I was cleaning out my scrapbook stuff and found all my Cherish Bound stuff I bought a while back and don't know how to use it. I have like 6 or 7 Story Starters.... (sports, abc, etc.?) I am NOT good on the computer. How do I use this and where do I start?

Moi': Well, that's why you have me :O) First, pick what your next story/book is going to be. Use one from the products you have. I'm having a workshop next Thursday morning and next Wednesday night I'm doing a Publishing Center walk through. The publishing center is not complicated at all...you just need a little instruction to start. The Story Starters do all the hard work for you....time line, organizing, reminding of events, memories etc. You just need to write it down...either you or your kids, hubby...I would pick a fresh, new idea...maybe G's baby book if you haven't done that, a vacation you recently took....the past is the past, start with the now. Let me know if you're up for the workshop next week and if you want to reserve a spot on Wednesday night's conference call walk through of the publishing center. You can be on your phone and computer and just listen to me walk you through. I'm excited you found your stuff and excited to help you!

Diva in Distress: Maybe I will do sports. Do I have to do it on one child or can the book be about this years sports for each child?... I do need help. What time Wed night?

Moi': PS...Remember: These stories get written and these books get done 15 minutes at a time. You don't have to do everything in one day, one week, etc....you can work on a book one day at a time. Before you know it it's done and in your hands. :O)

Diva in Distress: I am getting tired of scrapbooking and all the paper cutting. I really want to learn and do more books. I am just afraid of the computer and I like to get things done so I want to do it. I don't know how to scan but I AM WILLING TO LEARN IF THIS WOULD BE EASIER THAN SCRAPBOOKING.

Moi': Yes! It is so much easier, faster, affordable, but the best part is....the story! You're going to create more meaningful, beautiful story books that your children will love! I'm here to teach you how to do all of it...every step. That's why I have workshops, instructional conference calls, etc.

Now the sports book would be awesome! You could combine everyone's sports into one book. That would a great book to start with. You have the story starter...that's where you start. The pictures will come later as you capture the story first. That's the great thing about this...you don't make your books around the pictures, you make them around the story.

Step 1: Get on the call next Wednesday night. 9:30pm May 28th. Be on your computer and logged in.

Step 2: If you can come to the writer's workshop on the next morning Thursday May 29th that would be great...you can start the writing process. Now the sports book should probably have your children's point of view and stories as well as your husband's. So you can complete as much as you can with me and then go home with "homework" to follow-up with them. Put some of the "story" responsibility on them too.

Step 3: Publish. You'll learn the technology part as you go....Wednesday call with help you understand the actual creating of the book. But I will help you learn to scan and do simple photo and document tasks....easy!Promise. (The end of Thursday's workshop will probably have some
> extra time to go over some of that too.)

> We can set a goal to have this "sports" book done by the end of June. Time lines are great to help you with the process and it gives me permission to ride your butt to get it done :O)

Okay...deep breath. This is fun, rewarding and you will learn new things and get lots done! I was you....I was so overwhelmed with scrapbooking....it doesn't work for me. You'll have to go to my blog and read my "Confessions of an Ex-Scrapbooker"....funny, but true.

My job is to help you accomplish this task and feel good about it!!!

Diva In Distress: I am going to try and do both, Wednesday and Thursday too. I am READY to switch to Cherish Bound (if I can learn computer). What do I need? A scanner and a digital camera? I am confused about the pictures coming later. I am so used to creating the page around the pictures....

Moi': Do not stress about the "computer" part....that part is not as complicated as you think....getting the story can sometimes be a little harder because so many people are not used to taking the time to get the words together. But that's why we have workshops. Don't worry about scanners if you don't need one. You can get scanning done at Kinko's, Office Depot, etc., but I also offer the service as well. If you want to invest in one you can use it to scan paper photos, awards, drawings, artwork, etc. Digital cameras are great because they take away the step of "printing" and developing...but it's not necessary. You can still do film camera is that's what you prefer. I have customers that still do film cameras, but when they develop they have everything put onto a disc as well as paper and you can make your books from the photos on the disc...it's easy, and I can teach you. I know Wal-Mart and Sam's club will put all of your photos on disc for if you still develop film. You're creating memory books opposite of the way you used to....it used to be about the cute paper, scissors, tape, glue...now it's about what stories matter to you and your family and everything else falls into place...easy and faster. You're going to love it!

:O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O) :O)

How To Use A Histogram??

Let's face it...95% of us are using digital cameras. I don't know about you, but I bet I only use and know of about 7% of my camera's functions. I'm sure if I took the time to read the manual, do some research and play with all the buttons I'd find that there are some cool tools on it that can help me take better photos. I've seen this thing on my camera here and there when I press certain buttons and I never knew what it was....

So what is it? It's a Histograph. I still can't explain it, but Scrapjazz had this great article that was very informative. By learning how to use this "histo-thing" you'll take better pictures and understand the importance of lighting, shadows, etc. So check it out and let me know what you think....

CLICK HERE

How to use a histograph?

Basic Technology Tips! Part 2

This is a continuation of the technology class I took at the Cherish Bound convention.

Tips and Tricks for BEAUTIFUL pictures

• Get closer to your subject
• Turn off your FLASH! Natural light is the best light for bringing in warmth to your images.
• The rule of thirds. Imagine your picture has a grid with three lines in each direction (like a tic-tac-toe grid). Try to place your subject where any of those lines intersect. These are referred to as the "hot spots"
• Set your camera to the highest quality settings
• Take candid shots of your family doing every day things. The best pictures are often the ones not posed.

Basic Technology Tips! Part 1

Don't be scared by the word "Technology". Technology is a good thing and can make our lives easier...when we know how to use it. Back in October of 2007, at Cherish Bound's Annual Convention, I took a class on Technology Basics. The instructors were great and I give them full credit for all the info I'm going to pass on. They gave us just enough tips to clear up some fuzzy areas but not so much that I felt overwhelmed. It's very important we understand how basic technology works when preserving our family stories and photos.

Most of the confusion and intimidation comes from digital photos. Here are a few "Basic" definitions they passed on:

• Digital Photo: A photograph that can be viewed on the computer. Sources are typically a digital camera or a scanner. Scanners allow you to convert a printed photograph into a digital one.
• Pixels: These are the dots of color that make up your photo. A pixel = a dot
• Mega Pixels: How many million pixels a camera can record in a single image. For example: a camera that captures 1600x1200 pixels produces an image with a resolution of 1.92 million pixels and would be referred to as a 2.0 mega pixel camera. You get to 1.92 million pixels by multiplying the vertical and horizontal dimensions. That number is then rounded off to 2 for marketing purposes.
• DPI: Dots per inch. 300 dpi means a file has 300 dots, or pixels, across every 1-inch within it.
• Resolution: Measured in pixels per inch or more commonly known as dots per inch.
• Image Size: The number of pixels in length, and pixels in width, a photo or graphic is. Example: the photo is 3,000 pixels x 2,000 pixels.
• File Size: A measurement typically expressed in kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB). 1,000 KB is equal to 1 MB. Example: the photo is 600kb, or the photo is 12mb.
• File Type: The most common types are JPEG, TIFF, GIF and PNG
• jpeg, jpg: Probably the most common and popular way of saving picture files. The reason is that they're typically smaller than other image file types, and they can be viewed easily in many software applications. JPEG images are compressed. In most cameras the amount of compression is set using the "Quality" setting on the camera's menu. Choices vary from camera to camera, but they'll usually be along the lines of "fine", "standard", and "economy". The "fine" setting has the least amount of compression allowing for higher resolution.

Get Them In PHOTO BOOKS!

Are your pictures in boxes? How about on your computer? Get them out of the box and into our PHOTO BOOKS! Get them off your computer and into a beautiful PHOTO BOOK that can be displayed for everyone to see. No memory deserves to sit in a box. Those pictures were taken for reason and had a purpose. So DO something with them. Share them with your family.

Through Cherish Bound's personal online publishing center, you can create beautiful photo books with or without stories and text. You pick your pics and load them into your publishing center and we make your hard or soft bound photo book. Don't let another day go by without sharing your pictures and memories with your family. They're far to precious and many of life's greatest lessons can be taught through a simple picture and memory.

Cherish Bound and Digital Scrapbooking!

Cherish Bound's Online Publishing Center allows you the room and freedom to publish your digital scrapbook pages. Digital Scrapbooking is becoming more and more popular as the majority of the population is turning "Digital".

If you're creating digital layouts in Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, and/or various scrapbooking software you can use Cherish Bound as a way to preserve those pages into hardbound books without all the cost and fees...scrapbooks, page protectors and the agony of PRINTING...whether you print yourself or have someone else do it, it can cost a fortune. You can have multiple copies of your digital scrapbooks published.

Our motto is Point & Shoot + Cut & Paste + Drag & Drop = Shared Memories and Family Traditions. Do something with those beautiful pages you've created. Don't let them just sit on your computer or in a website somewhere. Publish your pages, put them in books, and share them with those you love.

Workshop #2

You now have your story written in your Story Starter. Next step is to take your story and type it into a Word Document or similar program. By typing your written story you're able to cut and paste it later into the publishing center. Now you can spell check, grammar check, add or cut information you've written down. Get your story in a document on your computer. You can also start organizing and collecting your photos, memorabilia and any other documents you'll want to put into your book. If they're digital or on disc, GREAT! Keep them just like that. If not, you'll want to scan and edit all your photos at a minimum 300 dpi. Organize all your photos and scans into one folder. Next Monday, Workshop #3, will take you to the publishing center where you will start uploading your photos and text!