Winding down with CM.

Here is a bit of info from CM regarding the closing of business:

Digital Center
The Digital Center website will shut down at 11:59 p.m. CT on September 23, 2013. All orders for Digital Center or StoryBook Creator projects must be completed by that time. If you’ve uploaded photos to Digital Center, your photos are available to purchase as prints or downloads through 11:59 p.m. CT on September 23. After that they will be removed from our servers and will no longer be available. Please note that we’ve reduced the fee for downloading your photos to $0.05/photo to make it more affordable for you to retrieve any photos you don’t have backed up elsewhere.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to download projects that have been uploaded to the Digital Center.

Project Center
The Creative Memories Project Center website will shut down at 11:59 p.m. CT on September 30, 2013. If you’re interested in preserving any of the project ideas that are on the Project Center, you can copy the images and instructions and paste them into a Word, PowerPoint, Pages, or similar program, then save them to your personal computer for future reference.
We can't thank you enough for your support and input over the last several years.
Sincerely,
The Creative Memories Home Office Team

Promising news from CM about digital

We’ve reached an agreement with Panstoria (the creators of Memory Manager and StoryBook Creator) which has been put before the Court.

Here are the highlights:

Both Memory Manager and StoryBook Creator software will continue uninterrupted. Software can be activated through December 31, 2013, and Panstoria will continue to provide software updates as needed. This means that software purchases you or your customers have made that haven’t shipped can be activated without any trouble, even if they ship beyond September 23.
Memory Manager and StoryBook Creator users will be contacted by Panstoria, and will be given access to printing and other features through Panstoria. The plan and timing for printing has not yet been finalized, but will be forthcoming. Please look for Panstoria news and updates in the Memory Manager and StoryBook Creator news feeds (right side of the main page).
Any Creative Memories digital artwork you’ve purchased can be activated (without an end date) on any computer.
Anyone who’s made an investment of time or money in software, projects or artwork can continue to use them uninterrupted.
It’s important to note that the agreement is subject to Court approval, so it is not yet final. But because the motion is being filed today, we wanted to ensure you had the information today. We anticipate a decision from the Court the week of September 23.

Also important to note: there are additional conversations happening between Panstoria, Creative Memories and a third interested firm. If that negotiation is successful, it will supersede this agreement between CM and Panstoria, but it will only improve on the above.

As a reminder, the last day to order Creative Memories digital products is Sept. 23. Any unexpired Product Credits, Print Plans, StoryBook coupon codes and/or Host Rewards coupon codes can be used on the Digital Center through that date. And while September 23 will still mark the final day for Consultant compensation on Creative Memories digital products, we are pleased that customers and Consultants can continue to use the digital software they've come to love. Here is the update from Panstoria:

I have to say that what I know about the owners of Panstoria really, really makes me thrilled at the thought of doing business with them. Looking at the latest court document it's obvious that they took a big financial loss (or will if this is approved by the court) to ensure CMs customers can continue to use their products. It's a gamble & I hope it pays off for them!

CM Bankruptcy Update

Last Chance Ordering ends JULY 31st!!

August 31st I (and all CMCs) will be released from my CM contract. When that happens I'll be able to share with you lots of great resources for various products that will compliment or replace some CM favorites.  I'm very excited about this - but until then I'm committed to finishing up with CM and helping you do the same. Only 6 days left for the Last Chance Offer!

Shipping:   The shipping department is SWAMPED!  Latest word from CM is that they will be splitting June orders to get out the WSL items now instead of holding them until the LCO products are available (if you have both in your order - even if it was placed before the LCO.)  This is great news - I know many of you are like me and have orders in limbo and, hopefully, this will get some of those out the door! 

A Customer Service Rep at CM said today that there are 320,000 orders IN PROCESS with new ones coming in continuously and they are shipping 20,000 each day!   These numbers are way above “normal” volumes for CM which were 12,000 – 14,000 per month before this mess started.  I know it’s hard to wait so long for products we love but the CSRs and those in the shipping department are doing a great job!  A wonderful group I’m thrilled to be a part of (the one that I get most of my information from) has sent treats and cards to those in these departments to show how much we thank them for their hard work. Many will not have a job in the near future and are working overtime to help get our products into our hands and answer questions.

 

Important Dates

July 31 ~ Last Chance Ordering ends
Aug. 9 ~ Persona orders must be received at CM
Aug. 21 ~ product credits, host credits, Rewards Club credits must be used up
Aug. 21 ~ last day to order from www.mycmsite.com/lisagraham 
Aug. 31 ~ CM contracts end for CMCs
Sept. 1 ~ CMCs are released from CM contracts
Sept. 23 ~ Last day to order digital
Nov. 1 ~ target date for launch of CM’s new company

August 31st - I (and all CMCs) will be released from my CM contract. When that happens I'll be able to share with you lots of great resources for various products that will compliment or replace some CM favorites. I'm very excited about this - but until then I'm committed to finishing up with CM and helping you do the same.

*****PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL SEPTEMBER TO ORDER DIGITAL IF AT ALL POSSIBLE***
Things are always crazy at the end of a sale or promotion.  I can’t stress enough how important it is to order well in advance of this end date. 

I recommend having all digital orders in by  AUGUST 31st!!

Last Chance Offer for CM products.

The time has come - Creative Memories, under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is closing down for a possible "new" company to come about in the Fall of 2013. 

The company is having one last chance ordering opportunity for certain products...including coversets, refill pages in different colors, page protectors, and tape runner refills. Once orders of these products are received, CM will order materials and produce only enough of these items to fulfill those orders. The dates for the Last Chance Order (LCO) are July 8 through July 28. Items that are not included in the LCO are being sold while supplies last (WSL.)  If there are other things that you may want or need in order to complete your current or upcoming projects, I'd suggest making two different orders...one for WSL and one for LCO as it will probably take a while (could be months) to fulfill the orders for the LCO.  You can place your order on my Creative Memories website. Please use a credit card, as opposed to a debit card. I will not be stocking up on items to have on hand to sell in the future.
As far as the digital aspect of CM, after August 21, Creative Memories will no longer offer support of Memory Manager or Storybook Creator. However, this does not mean that you cannot still use these wonderful digital programs. As I understand it, Panstoria, the company who developed MM and SBC+ are attempting to work with CM to allow those of us who use these programs to continue getting support and/or digital content from their Artisan program (similar to SBC+). I'm also researching, along with other CMC's, to determine the best places that you can order hardbound storybooks comparable to the ones we have had printed at the CM Photo Center, as well as places to make 12x12 page prints and other digital products.  I will share what I find with you – along any other alternative products that might help fill the voids left with the disappearance of many CM products.
I know I, like many Creative Memories Consultants, am very sad to see this happening to a company with which I have loved being associated with. Personally, I have made many dear friends through my almost 13 years with CM. I have enjoyed helping you with your projects, as well as sharing my own projects with you. You have allowed me to laugh, to cry, to rejoice and celebrate with you. Unfortunately, at this time, I do not see myself joining whatever the "new" CM might be. However, I will still continue to do what I love – and hope to continue helping you, too.  I will still continue to hold crops and retreats and am excited at the possibilities I will have when I am not bound by an agreement with one single company.  Any time you need me, I'm still here to help you with your projects and I will continue to keep you informed as new developments arise, as much as possible.  Just a reminder.  The best place to get information first is in my Facebook Group – Lisa’s Workshop.

A Possible Solution for Shipping CM Internationally

I know there are lots of people outside the U.S. and Canada that are looking for CM products.  According to my contract as a CMC, I am not able to sell outside of the U.S.

I have been contacted by a lot of people that are searching for CM products, hoping to have them shipped overseas – most recently those in Australia and New Zealand that were left high & dry when CM closed with very little notice.  Products were gone in just a few days – with no last chance offer or any other option from CM to purchase what they need. 

If you have someone in the U.S. that you can ship your orders to then you can order from a CMC website, using their U.S. address and they could send them to you overseas.  Unfortunately, this isn’t an option for everyone.

I am wondering if a package forwarding service might be of help? I have no experience with this type of service but it looks like a great option.  Most of these services charge a small fee, give you a U.S. address to use when purchasing online and then they send your packages to you. 

I have no idea how they handle fees, taxes and any other things that might be of concern when buying & shipping internationally but I thought I’d pass this info on so you can look into it and see if it might work for you!

Here is a link to a chart comparing various package forwarding services and another, Ship2Me, that wasn’t included on that chart.

Free Digital Kit

I have been overwhelmed by the comments, emails and posts in my Facebook Group for thanking me for simply doing what I love.  Thank you to those that have helped me do just that – help others preserve their memories.  Customers that have supported my business with their purchases, referrals and friendship – and CMCs that have shared their tips, ideas and inspiration.  If this is your first time stopping by or you’re a regular visitor I’d like to give you a big “Thank You!” -  and a freebie!! 

Summer – 2013 Digital Appreciation Kit

Link to SBC+ kit

Link to Universal Format

Download Instructions for StoryBook Creator Artwork

1. Click on the link provided.
2. When the file download box appears, click on “Open” to automatically install the artwork package to your StoryBook Creator Software.
3. If you decide to save this file, you’ll need to navigate to and double-click on the file once it’s downloaded to install it into your StoryBook Creator Software.

Download Instructions for Universal Format Artwork

1. Click the link.
2. When the product name displays, click on it to start downloading the zipped file.
3. Save the artwork to your computer. Make note of the location to which the zipped folder is being saved.
4. Once the file is saved, right click on it and select Extract All. Select the destination folder to which files should be extracted, then click Extract.

To learn how to add this artwork to your own collection click here for StoryBook Creator 3.0 or click here for StoryBook Creator 4.0.

Have fun using this great summer kit!!

Important Dates to Remember

July 8 – 31 

Last Chance Ordering period. 

During the Last Chance offer CM will take orders for the above items (only) and then will order the supplies and manufacture the ordered items.  This will be done most likely over several months.  These products will not be offered for sale again.

August 21st is the last day for:

• Product certificates & credits to be used by
• Hostess rewards to be redeemed
• Rewards Club credits to be used.