Photo Expressions

Creative Corner with Karen - Using your old and new together!

For Creative Corner, I wanted to share with you a layout that I just did of my daughters. What I'm particularly proud of is that I actually used something from my stash!!! I've been saving this princess themed paper for over two years now for just the right occasion. Then when Quickutz brought out the princess dies I was in heaven and I knew that I had to use the castle for this layout. Before I had a chance to do my layout, the animal dies were released. When I saw the giraffe goosebump die, I immediately thought of stones and realized that the castle would look really cool if I texturized it. After I made my castle, I rubbed the "stones" lightly with some chalk to help them stand out a bit. All I needed to complete my layout were some princess themed rub-ons from My Minds Eye (also from my stash!)

 This layout could easily be adapted for your little princes as well as your princesses. You just need boy coloured paper and some editing with foto depot. Under the Picnic editing feature there is a section that allows you to add clip art to your photos. There are some dragons and other medieval themes to choose from. By adding a dragon to the corner of a couple of photos, you would have a super cute boy themed layout. Another idea is: Someday My Prince Will Come, to tell the love story of a couple. Another would be to do as summer page with a sand castle.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: 1) That you should try to think outside the box when you look at a die. You'll get more use from the dies that you own, and maybe find a new die that you may have over-looked before. 2) It's fun to mix old and new stuff on your layouts. There's no set rule that everything has to be from the same company or line. Play with what you have and see what looks good to you.

Have fun!

Karen

Firefighters Save Memories

That was the headline I saw in The News this morning.  At PE, we are always saying that if your house caught fire, the order of saving would be people, pets, photographs, and then everything else.  Apparently that's how firefighters are trained as well!  A few quotes from the article:

"The next day, in her garage, she found a tote full of memories.  There were pictures of her parents, including the two precious images of her father who passed away years ago.  “That’s all I had of him,” (she) said.  “I have lost a lot, but I am so grateful to have that handful of pictures.”"

"“The (firefighters) are very keenly aware of things that are irreplaceable, like photos. So when they see photos, right away they try to protect them,” (fire chief) Grootendorst said."

"“I was just blown away...I can’t believe the (firefighters) went the extra mile. They truly are heroes.”

That's the power of photos, a tragic story of a house burning down had a silver lining.  So what can you do besides relying on heroic firefighters to protect your memories?  It is now easier than ever to store them in more than one place.  Here is what we recommend:

1 - Make prints.  If those 2 words bring up feelings of guilt, you are not alone.  The digital revolution came and in the bliss of instant gratification, everyone forgot that prints are the best way to store your memories.  Something you can do right away is make at least 2 prints of your very favourite recent pictures and share them with others.  Now you have two physical backups in 2 places!

2 - Make backups.  If a hard drive is the only thing you are trusting your photos to, it is not a matter of if, but when you will lose them.  Fire, theft, computer crashes (I've experienced 7 of them) and more can wipe out a hard drive in an instant.  Back up as many photos as possible to CD's or DVD's, and preferably keep them in a different place than your computer.  At PE we have convenient bundles of CD's and DVD's that make storage easy.

3 - Use Foto Depot.  Foto Depot is, among other things, a FREE online backup of your treasured photos.  So even if prints, computers and CD's fail, you still have a backup on the Internet!  For tips on how to use Foto Depot (it's quite simple), click here.

4 - Pull Over.  If you hear a fire truck on the road, pull over!  This seems to be a lost art, but who knows what memories those firefighters may be about to save?

Trust us with your Memories,
Ron C

Pocket Cards

Inkadinkado has some nice instructions for creating pocket cards. Click the link to view them
Pocket Cards Instructions I like the pretty blue Christmas example.

Michele

Scavenger Hunt at PE starts tomorrow

Join us for a Scavenger Hunt at Photo Express!                          A family-friendly event- For adults and kids alike!

Before summer comes to an end and school starts back up again, join us at Photo Express for a family friendly Scavenger Hunt! Bring your kids into PE this weekend (Thursday - Sunday only as we will be closed on Labour Day) and have a blast as you search our store for some precious findings. You each get your own list to search for. (And you don't need a child to participate - we adults need to have fun too!) What a fun way to celebrate the end of summer! Once you've found all items on your official Scavenger Hunt form (you can pick yours up at the front counter starting Thursday morning), you win a prize! The kids will get to choose their very own prize from the Kid's Box. The adults will receive a FREE set of American Crafts Thickers alphabet stickers and a coupon for 40% off 1 regular priced scrapbooking item of your choice (no further discounts). As well, all adults who complete their form will be entered into a draw to win a $75 scrapbooking goody bag full of yummy products including QuicKutz, stamps, stickers, papers and more!

See you at the store!

Michele & the Scrapbooking Team
Photo Express foto source

Save the Dates

Lots of fun things coming up this fall for you at PE.  I'll fill you in once all the details are final, but just wanted to give you heads up to save these dates:

Friday Sept 19th - Crew 6 month Party afternoon and evening. For Crew Members

Saturday Oct 4th during the day. World Card Making Day

Saturday Oct 25th in the evening. Friendship party goes BOO!

Saturday Nov 15th Day and Evening - Photo Express' 25th Birthday Celebration.  woohooooo!!!!! Will include an all day crop too!

So save those dates and plan to join us for lots of fun and to help you get another of your "somethings" done!  Doing the Happy Dance!

Trust Us With Your Memories,

Michele

School Layout

This layout Tanya created is so cute and popular so you can come in again today and tomorrow (Wed and Thurs while supplies last) and create this layout FREE!  Just bring your adhesive. Celebrate Back to School or change the title and use it for something else. And guess what - it means another of your "somethings" is DONE!

New Making Memories, Basic Grey and Inkadinkadoo

Fun New Halloween called Spellbound from Making Memories

And here are a couple of cute ideas using Spellbound

And Fa La La is beautiful (from Making Memories again)

New Basic Grey - Gorgeous papers, you really have to see them

Ambrosia                                 Eva                     Offbeat

Inkadinkadoo Fall and Halloween Stamps Buy 2 Get 1 FREE! Here are just a few of the stamps

Free layout

Can you believe that back to school is next week already!  AAAAAAGGGGGGH!  I know many of you are saying yipeeeeeee but I'm not.  I love having my girls home and the "less rushed" schedule of summer.  This summer went so fast.

To celebrate back to school, Tanya has designed this super cute page for the first day of school - and if your kids aren't school age anymore, this will help with that backlog of photos, or it can be used for anything, with a different title.

Come in on Monday (tomorrow) and make this layout FREE.  While supplies last.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

New Magazines and Books

That is what a photograph is!

I came across this statement and thought it was great to share:

Contrary to what many children growing up today may unfortunately believe, family pictures don't have to be viewed on a computer screen.

Oh how true that is unfortunately.  Where do you view your photos? On a computer screen? Or a cell phone? Or in an album where they can be touched and reminseced about and enjoyed.

 Even though an image is digital, it still needs to be PRINTED to really be appreciated and enjoyed and a print is still the best form of archival storage.

Here is a photo of me riding my aunt's horse up at our cabin a few weeks ago.  As a digital image on a computer, you look at it and go, "nice, Michele riding a horse" and probably never see that image again.

As a print, the image will get looked at more than once and if it is lucky enough to be put into an album, or scrapbook or photo book, it will be enjoyed numerous times.  Especially when the story of the photo goes with it.

What story?  Glad you asked.  My husband has never seen me on a horse because I have only ridden them a few times in my life and the last time was before I even met him.  So my aunt is leading everyone around on the horse in a couple of circles around our cabin property.  It is my turn and she asks if I want to do it myself.  Of course!  I love horses and riding them, even though I have only done it a few times.  So I start walking down the driveway and get to the road, turn right and start the horse running.  In the background I can hear Doug saying "Tell the horse Whoa". And I'm yelling back "I don't want to Whoa! I want to go!!"  "He says, "No whoa, you don't have a helmet or elbow pads on!".  I say "No, I want to go"! and off I went.  When I come galloping back up the driveway, he is amazed "How'd you do that?" he says.  He didn't even know I could ride a horse. Always good to keep your husband learning new things about you lol.

Now, don't you think my kids will get a kick out of seeing this photo with the story 20 years from now? What are the chances they would even have the technology or find the little disk or computer hard drive with this photo on it.  And it wouldn't mean a whole lot as just a digital image.  And can you imagine when my grandkids come across this photo and story? Wow, Grandma is so cool!

You can trust your digital images to Photo Express.  We will print them professionally on paper that will last for a very long time so they can be enjoyed! That is why you took them in the first place.

If you are short of time, just pop into the store and hand us your memory card and say I'd like one of each please, just like in the film days (best to delete what you don't want first.)

Or have a seat at one of our instore kiosks, insert your memory card or CD, and order prints.

Or grab a coffee, and in the comfort of your own home, order prints through Foto Depot - PE's FREE online storage, gallery sharing program, that makes it so easy to order prints and enlargements.

Or gather some of your favourite photos and print a photobook either in store or with our FREE Rocketlife program on our website.

If you have any questions on how to order prints, just ask us. Trust me, there are no questions the staff hasn't heard - I've already asked them all! Sometimes they look at me like I was born in a different era lol.

 We have the answers that are right for you and can help you have actual photos to enjoy and share! You will never regret printing a photo.

Trust Us With Your Memories,
Michele

Gorgeous Christmas Album Kit

Edited: Sold

Once we put together all the extra's we cut up for our Christmas in July in August party, we have two complete 8x8 album kits left.

If you would like this kit, call the store 604-463-3654 or drop in soon.  It is such a beautiful keepsake and covers all your Christmas traditions. Everything is cut and prepped, ready to assemble with full colour instructions. 24 pages ready to go and includes the album! At $55 it is a total steal.

Here are a few of the pages

Get The Picture - With Aperture Priority!

You might be looking at that title and saying "What the hey?".  Let me explain.  Every photo uses a combination of shutter speed and lens aperture to create the exposure.

Shutter Speed = how long the camera lets light in

Aperture = how big of a hole lets the light in

Shutter speed is a simple concept.  The longer the shutter is open, the more light comes in.  So 1/250 second lets in more light than 1/500 second.

Aperture is simple too.  The bigger the hole between your lens and the camera, the more light comes in.  The confusing thing is that an f1.8 aperture is actually a bigger hole than an f22 aperture, and there are all these seemingly random decimal numbers.  That's because we are measuring a ratio between the holes at the front and back of the lens, so a smaller ratio means they are closer in size.  Make sense?  If not, just think, "smaller number, more light".

Here's the cool thing about aperture.  It affects your "depth of field".  A large depth of field means everything is in focus.  A small depth of field means only a little bit of stuff is in focus.  With aperture, smaller number = less depth of field = less in focus.  And sometimes less in focus is good!  Controlling the depth of field can turn an average photo into a great photo.  Here's the easiest way:

If your camera has an "A" or "Av" setting, that is the Aperture Priority mode (SLR's and compact cameras can both have this mode).  Instead of shooting in Auto or "P" mode, try aperture priority, especially outdoors.

Once in aperture priority mode, you change the aperture and the camera finds the right shutter speed for you.  So when you dial in a smaller number like f5, the camera will find a faster shutter speed to compensate.  Here are some tips on what to do when:

Landscape photography: Use a higher number like f16 or f22.  This keeps the foreground and background in focus.  It also means a slower shutter speed, so a tripod is highly recommended.

 
Shot at f5.7. Only some buttercups are in sharp focus.

Shot at f22.  Pretty much everything is in focus.

Portraits: Use a low number like f2.8 or f4.5.  This blurs the background and focuses attention on your subject.  It also means a faster shutter speed, which minimizes the effect of your subject moving (especially kids).

Shot at f2.8.  Only toddler is in focus, even though he is moving!

Sports:  Use a low number like f2.8 or f4.5.  The faster shutter speed will help to freeze the action.  Keep in mind your focus area will be small so if possible, put your camera into continuous shooting mode, take a burst of photos, and keep the best one.  Delete the not-best photos in the camera!

Shot at f4.  Ball carrier is frozen, rest of the field is out of focus.

Low light:  Use a low number like f2.8 or f4.5.  This allows in more light, meaning you will get a faster shutter speed and less chance of camera shake or subject movement.

Shot at f5.3 to allow for natural light.

The principles above work for both point-and-shoot and SLR cameras.  I hope you can now see why SLR lenses with lower minimum apertures (eg. f2.8) are more expensive and more desirable.  "Smaller number, more light" makes a difference!

Trust us with your Memories,
Ron C

Back to School Sale and Ideas

Back to School is in full swing. As you go about your shopping we have added a Back To School Sale at PE to help you save on some of your "basic school supplies" for scrapbooking:

Cardstock: 10 sheets for $5 (club members 4.50)

Albums: 25% off (35% off for members)

Tools: 30% off (40% for members)

Organizational: 35% off (45% for members)

Pens: 40% off (50% for members)

Ribbon on the roll : 45% off (55% for members)

Sale valid on current in stock purchases.  Applies off regular price, no further discounts apply.  Valid Thurs August 21st to Wed August 27th.

Here are just a few uses for back to school for some of "your" basic supplies

Grab a slick writer pen. Quick-dry ink and a durable acrylic tip makes this the ideal marker for writing on any surface, including photos, stickers, ribbon, vellum, metal and glass.  Perfect for marking your child's name on anything -gym shoes, back packs, lunch kits, school supplies, binders and more.

  Decorate a compostion book or journal using papers, ribbons, embellishments etc.   It is fun to personalize.

Die cut some fabric on our die cut machine to personalize shirts, jackets, backpacks etc

Take a acrylic shape (or cut a sheet up) and decorate it with paper, ribbon, rubons, photos etc, add a magnet to the back and you have a locker magnet.

Create some pretty bookmarks. Cut paper to size (you can back it with chipboard to make it thicker), embellish, punch a hole at the top and add some ribbon.

Create some "Backpack Tags" .  Die cut some chipboard with our large tags on our big die cut machine (or trace a tag and cut out).  Apply some patterned paper, embellish, add ribbon and tie onto a backpack.  With the weather we get around here, you may want to laminate it first!

Locker "Note holder". Cut a chipboard rectangle, cover with cardstock or patterned paper, add a quote or monogram or name, and then attach a Post-it note pad to the front (about 1/2  a stack so it isn't too heavy).  Place magnets on the back, and friends can leave notes at the locker.

Pencil Holder (probably for home use, or make one for the teacher!)  Take a clean tin can or round plastic container, cover wth paper and embellish.  Can hold pens, pencils, small ruler etc.

Lunch box notes - create a few cards or gift card sized pieces of cardstock with little notes or jokes to leave in lunch kits. 

Decorate a tin "lunchbox" for treasures, notes, thank you cards for a teacher.

Have fun creating!

Michele

New Asian Line and New kits from Breezy Design

Totally loving this new Asian line! And they are so much prettier in person with bits of glitter in them!

New rubons from Breezy Designs.  I love the colour combos in these.

And new kits also.  I've recently used 4 of their kits to create some layouts and I love them.  Everything is coordinated and very easy to work with.

We need your help - Butterfly alert

As you know some of us from Photo Express are participating in the Weekend To End Breast Cancer walk coming up in a few weeks on Doreen's Miracle Team. Doreen is such an inspiration to all of us and such a great friend and this is just a small thing we can do to help her in her battle with breast cancer.

I had planned on walking, but due to a foot injury, am not able to walk.  So I am crewing and helping out as part of Doreen's Miracle Team.  Our team has been assigned one of the pit stops and we will be handing out drinks and encouraging them and doing lots of "woohoooing!"

Our theme is Believe and Butterflies.  We are going to decorate our station with butterflies and try to find some butterfly wings to wear (if you know where to get some, let me know).  We also would love to place a butterfly on each walkers name tag as they come through as inspiration and encouragement.  (Many walkers love to collect things on their name badge).  We will Glue dot them on of course!

Here is where we need your help - we need you to die cut or punch out little butterflies in pink!  We are hoping to have around 2000 of them or even more!  QK has this die which would be a great size (this isn't actual size) and I know some punches would be a great size.

So if you would love to help spread some "butterfly kisses of inspiration", please die cut or punch out some butterflies and bring them to Photo Express by Wed Sept 3rd.  We would soooooooooo appreciate it and I know the walkers will also.

And if you haven't donated to the Weekend yet and would like to do so, Renee and Ashlee (my little sister who works in the lab) from Photo Express still need a little help to get to their goals.  They each have $1400 to post still from the crop so that puts them almost there, but a little extra help would be wonderful.  And since breast cancer affects 1 in 9 women, it will also help someone you know.  Another one of my sisters Rachele is also walking on the Doreen's Miracle team and she could use some donations also. Here is a picture of Ashlee and Rachele on one of their training walks (28km!) up at our cabin in the heat. It takes a lot of dedication to participate in this walk. I don't normally ask for anything like this, but this is such a wonderful and necessary cause to support. Just click on one of their names to donate (and get a tax receipt almost instantly) and thank you in advance very much!

Michele