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Sue Thornton
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Pumpkin pot holder

Fall has arrived, but the temps this week are trying to tell you that summer is still around - at least for a few more days anyway!

This time of year reminds me of leaves turning, pumpkins on our porches, Halloween scary things that go bump in the night and cooler temperatures.  We moved to a new community this year and are enjoying the fall season more than ever.  Our front porch has become a place for pumpkins, scary sounds, black birds and skulls to maybe scare the neighborhood kids away on Halloween night!

Going to a wine tasting event in your area?  Fun times can be had at these events.  Not only do you get to taste the wine from various vineyards but they also have great finger foods to go along with the wine.  We went to Grapevine, TX this month and did a wine tasting day as well as enjoyed a beautiful day out in the sunshine with good friends.  Shopping was in full swing as everyone was starting to look for Christmas gifts from those small local vendors.  Shop small and local instead of all those big box stores this year.  

Sue Thornton
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No matter how you choose to celebrate this year, capture those memories through photos, stories and writing. Preserve a snapshot of how you and your family mark this, and other holidays, so future generations can better understand the importance of Independence Day.

Summer is here and we always want to get away and have some fun.  In these difficult times, 2020, we are advised to stay home, wear a mask when out and about, and don’t travel.  There are many suggestions for taking a STAYCATION this year, and here are a few of them!

 Plan a weekend road trip with plenty of scenic views

Take a day trip to the beach

Visit a local national park and go on a hike

Go paddleboarding or kayaking

Plan a date night at home and order something fancy for dinner

 

Some more ideas for if you live in Garland, TX that were in the news this week.

  1.  Audubon Park Disc Golf Course
    1. 324 W. Oats Road

 

  1.  Firewheel Golf Park
    1. 600 W. Campbell Road and 1535 E. Brand Road

 

  1. Lake Ray Hubbard via John Paul Jones Park
    1. 4099 Zion Road

 

  1. Public Art Walking Tour
    1. 506 Main St.

 

  1. Spring Creek Forest Preserve
    1. 1770 Holford Road

Enjoy your summer and take care of you and your family! 

Sue Thornton

 

The COVID-19  pandemic crisis is affecting us all in different ways.  Some of us are not working because their jobs are lost, businesses are closed or we are working from home and using various ways to keep in touch with coworkers and friends and family. This is keeping us all "inside and socially separated" during this awful time.  

 I wanted to give you an update on what Photo Organizing Solutions is doing during this time.  We are sheltering in place, however I am still able to work on projects.  Instead of meeting in person with you I am having ZOOM meetings where we can see and talk to each other about your project.  I have worked from home for many years so that is what I am continuing to do.

 I am working diligently to continue business as usual. I am still here to support you during this time with your photo projects.  I have made some changes to my business hours due to the COVID-19 virus. Basically I have shortened my hours each day to open at 10:00 am and close at 5:00pm. However,  I am still available to answer your emails, texts and phone calls.    

 Contact me at sue@memoriesbysue.net  or 469.544.9525 for more information.  See us at https://www.photoorganizingsolutions.net

Sue Thornton 

Sue Thornton
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Do your photos look like this!

Many people do not really know how many photos they have laying around in boxes, in bags, or in old family albums. This article will highlight some ideas on preserving those photos for generations to come and at the same time enjoy the process.  Are your photos in totes as pictured above?  Yikes!!  Time to do something!


Do you have boxes of older family albums? Do you have boxes of loose photographs? Do you want to preserve those items for future generations? Most of us want to pass down those family memories to our children and grandchildren once we are gone, but don’t know how to do that besides just handing them boxes of stuff!

One recent client, Lisa from Little Elm, contacted me about the photos that she had inherited from her parents when they passed away. She wanted to get them organized so other family members could also have the photos that they wanted as a family momento.  We decided to scan and digitize her photos so each of her siblings could access them as well. This was the perfect solution for her family.


One way we are preserving those family photos is to digitize them by scanning. Scanning a box of photos sounds simple enough for a single week’s task until you stare down several large plastic bins of photos that you inherited from other family members. Your first thought is what do I do with all these images? Your second thought is will anyone care about these besides me?

When sorting through a box of old photos, develop a keep-toss-share mentality to help you organize, and preserve family photos for scanning.  Sort your images based on time periods, groups, family members, trips, events, etc.  Many people choose to set aside the scenic images, whether they know where they were taken or not, and business photos. Photos of family friends get their own separate pile. If this sounds like a lot of work, you are correct. It can be over-whelming to even think about starting the process. So remember to set aside about 4 hours of time to start, then check to see where you are after that initial session.

If you decide that it is too much for you to do, think about hiring a professional!  I am dedicated to helping you preserve your family history photographs and projects. Check out my website, www.PhotoOrganizingSolutions.net and sign up for my newsletter.

Sue Thornton
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Fall Road Trip

Don't you just love taking a road trip in the Fall of the year?  You can go to so many little towns in Texas and discover all kinds of cool things, and very nice people.

Last week I went on a Fall bus trip to the North Texas Hill Country.  We stopped at several small towns that had historical significance in the forming of Texas.  We stopped in Saint Jo, TX and started checking out the town and why it was important.  The town was founded back when cattle drives were running through this area.  The Stonewall Saloon Museum is the oldest building the county.  It was built for the Chisholm cattle drives.  The building has been many things over the years including a saloon, a bank, a brothel, and a general store.  It had fallen into disrepair until someone bought the building and has been restoring it to its former glory.  There are so many interesting items here.  You don't want to miss it.

Other places you don't want to miss is the Davis & Blevins Gallery on Main St.  This world class art gallery is more than you would ever think about in this small town of about 1,000.  Beautiful art pieces for sale.

Just down the road is he Arche Winery.  We stopped for wine tasting here, and a box lunch.  Their wine is delicious, and they had several dry and sweet wines for us to try.  Since it was raining, we stayed inside and were not able to go out on the heated patio or into the vineyard.

Our next stop was in Nocona, TX and this town is famous for the Nakoma  Ball Glove Factory which has made ball gloves for baseball teams since 1934.  We saw the entire process from start to finish, along with a history lesson on the Nakona Ball Glove Factory.  They will let you tour the facility if you let them know in advance.

We also stopped at the Horton Classic Car Museum in Nacona, TX. If you ever wanted to see what any of the early corvettes look like, come here and check it out!  I never saw so many cars in pristine condition ever!  The museum is housed in what was the Ford dealership.  Over 138 cars, which include 40 corettes featuring nearly every year of production from 1953 to 1978.

Then on to Muenster, TX.. Muenster is a primarily German Catholic city in western Cooke County, TX.  The population was 1544 at the 2010 census.  By the time we arrived in Muenster it was (still) raining and we were ready for a warm German dinner at Rohmer's German Restaurant.  The food was awesome and was true German cuisine.  Muenster is known for its Oktoberfest which is held the first weekend in October each year.

These little one-day trips are always fun and you get to visit some of small town Texas with friends or church groups.  Don't forget to take your camera and catch some interesting items at some of the museums on the way.  Then when you come back think about making a Travel Memory Book to look back on next winter!

See me at www.PhotoOrganizingSolutions.net for more information ad perhaps some inspiration for saving those memories!  

Happy Fall Traveling!

Sue Thornton
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Valentine's Day

If you are engaged or planning to be over Valentine's Day - Congratulations to you!

This is such a special exciting time in your life.  Everyone is happy and wanting to start planning that "Special" day.  But it is also time for you to enjoy your love for one another.

So much planning ahead of you, but fun as well.  Make that special day about each other. Make plans that you want your day to be. From the Save the-Date cards, to pre-wedding showers there are so many ways to celebrate.

I love the website, Zazzle, myself. Here you can find all kinds of items for the bride-to-be. There are invites to showers that you can basically design yourself in whatever colors you need. The invitations, the thank you cards, gifts for the wedding party, you name it and everything is there.  Contact me for more information.

Sue Thornton

Sue Thornton

Resolutions …….Are You Over Them Already?

 

Every year we are encouraged to make New Years resolutions to try and make us come up with those things we ‘should’ do each year.  Some of the most popular resolutions are to lose weight or go to the gym three times a week.  Don’t know about you, but I am OVER IT !!!!

This year I decided to forgo setting up resolutions that I know will never be kept and to come up with an action word that I can use to keep my world in 2019 running on all cylinders.  So, for 2019 my word is EFFICIENCY !  This can mean many things to different people and on many different levels.

I plan to become more efficient in my role of a digital photo organizer.  That also means being efficient in paperwork that is required, getting more done in a shorter period of time, and replying to inquiries in a timely manner.  I worked on my Vision Board this past month and it has helped me to set my goals for 2019.  EFFICIENCY was one of my top values that I want to pursue.

The dictionary defines efficiency as:  the ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time, or energy:  the quality of degree of being efficient.  

 As a photo organizer it is important to be efficient and timely in working with client photos. Other words that i feel are important in 2019 are: challenge, creativity, humility, originality and trustworthiness.  Typically i am working on more than one project at a time, so my days are eaten up with lots of decisions from which job to work on, do I need to write a blog, or send an email blast.  Do you have that same issue with your job?

 

So, in 2019 my word of the day is EFFICIENCY!  

Let the fun begin. 

 

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Sue Thornton
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Make Popsicles!

Helping your aging loved ones survive the heat!

You don’t need us to tell you that it is hot out there! Many of us, especially those of us here in TEXAS, are experiencing a July heat wave making walking outside feel like walking into a sauna. 

When it gets this hot outside, it’s hard to find the motivation to do anything other than take shelter in air-conditioned room and relax. As caregivers, it’s important to keep your aging loved one active, even in the summer sun. Here are a few ways to cool off and keep active on the hottest days!

Make popsicles – Creating popsicles is as easy as freezing fruit punch. This is the perfect activity for hot days. Fruit juice popsicles are also a tasty way to stay hydrated.

Swimming – Of course the pool is always popular on hot days. Try going early in the morning to beat the highest heat. Check out your local gyms for water exercise classes for seniors.

Reading – Visit your local library for reading groups for you and your senior. Make going to the library a weekly venture where you can find new books and escape the hot sun.

Movie Date – Movie theaters are always a cool place to relax on hot summer days. Catch a matinee (with a senior discount), and enjoy the latest action or romance movie. You don’t need us to tell you that it is hot out there! Many of us, especially those on the east coast, are experiencing a July heat wave making walking outside feel like walking into a sauna. 


When it gets this hot outside, it’s hard to find the motivation to do anything other than take shelter in air-conditioned room and relax. As caregivers, it’s important to keep your aging loved one active, even in the summer sun. Here are a few ways to cool off and keep active on the hottest days!

Make popsicles – Creating popsicles is as easy as freezing fruit punch. This is the perfect activity for hot days. Fruit juice popsicles are also a tasty way to stay hydrated.

Swimming – Of course the pool is always popular on hot days. Try going early in the morning to beat the highest heat. Check out your local gyms for water exercise classes for seniors.

Reading – Visit your local library for reading groups for you and your senior. Make going to the library a weekly venture where you can find new books and escape the hot sun.

Movie Date – Movie theaters are always a cool place to relax on hot summer days. Catch a matinee (with a senior discount), and enjoy the latest action or romance movie. You don’t need us to tell you that it is hot out there! Many of us, especially those on the east coast, are experiencing a July heat wave making walking outside feel like walking into a sauna. 

When it gets this hot outside, it’s hard to find the motivation to do anything other than take shelter in air-conditioned room and relax. As caregivers, it’s important to keep your aging loved one active, even in the summer sun. Here are a few ways to cool off and keep active on the hottest days!

Make popsicles – Creating popsicles is as easy as freezing fruit punch. This is the perfect activity for hot days. Fruit juice popsicles are also a tasty way to stay hydrated.

Swimming – Of course the pool is always popular on hot days. Try going early in the morning to beat the highest heat. Check out your local gyms for water exercise classes for seniors.

Reading – Visit your local library for reading groups for you and your senior. Make going to the library a weekly venture where you can find new books and escape the hot sun.

Movie Date – Movie theaters are always a cool place to relax on hot summer days. Catch a matinee (with a senior discount), and enjoy the latest action or romance movie. 

 

Published by Senior Helpers-2018

 https://www.photoorganizingsolutions.net/Blog

Sue Thornton | sue@photoorganizingsolutions.net  |  469.544.9525

Sue Thornton
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Smart Phones All sizes and shapes of smart phones today.

Once upon a time the only camera families had were the Kodak "Brownie" Camera.  Do you remember them?  These cameras were basically point and shoot and took black and white pictures.  Then color film came out and we could actually have a color copy, and make extra copies if we wanted.  Then Kodak came out with smaller cameras with a flash cube so we could take pictures in low light.  

There are still cameras being sold today due to all the improvements that have been made.  They have bigger sensors, but in more compact camera bodies, improved optics, better performance, and now can have limited WiFi.

Before the Smart Phone came to be it was known as the 'camera phone' we took more photos than ever before because it was easy.  However the first 'camera phones' were not as good as they are today.  Yes, the photos were okay but you really couldn't get a great photo with them.  The Smart Phone of today (2018) can do just about everything. We are always connected to the internet and we can edit, enhance, then share items. It is a small computer and can hold more information than ever, almost like your desk top or laptop computer. 

Samsung and Apple are coming out with new, improved smart phones several times a year now.  Apple users usually stand in line to get the latest and greatest phone whenever a new one comes out.  Samsung, Android phones, come out with new versions on a regular basis as well.  We seem to be wanting and needing the latest technology and the manufacturers of these items know the consumer will purchase them.

Sue Thornton
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Meeting Essentials

As a small business owner there are so many things to do when starting a business and knowing how to network with various groups is important to spend some time doing until you feel your business is going in a positive direction.  I feel that you need to do a lot of networking to help get your business noticed in your community.  But one of the most important things you need to remember is that you will not immediately be able to gain business.  Most people who start a business think they can just walk in the door and everyone will want to do business with them immediately.  That doesn't generally happen, you need to cultivate a relationship with each group.

Several places that any business owner should consider joining are:

  • Your local Chamber of Commerce
  • A networking group such as Master Networks
  • Look for groups that you can find a synergy partner
  • NextDoor (neighborhood groups)

You will find that the more you get involved with networking groups the more fun you will have and enjoy the people in those organizations.

I believe that joining the local Chamber of Commerce is a great return on your investment.  My business grown every year by being a member of the local chamber of commerce.  as a member, I can have a website on their platform and that gives me more visibility in the community.  You can add specials on their site and point them to your own website.  But the relationships with other members have helped grow my business, and meet new friends in the process.

Each chamber has various committees that you can join and find the one you feel comfortable in or that meets your business needs.  They have a networking group, and other committees to help you get involved and get noticed.

The cost to join a local chamber may look overwhelming, but the return on investment is something you need to check out every six months or so.  If you are a niche company the chamber is a great place to get seen by many people.  Don't limit your networking to only one group.  Check out Meet Up and their various groups around the city. There is something for every type of business, from photography clubs to how-to clubs (Linkedin, Google+ and other type groups.)