As CK’s week honoring Lisa Bearnson wraps up, the Creating Keepsakes team has invited several guest bloggers who have worked with Lisa over the years to share their memories.
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The Beginning
As you might suspect, Lisa Bearnson was the world’s greatest business partner. Experts told us we needed over a million dollars to start a national magazine. Our gut, Lisa’s enthusiasm and thousands of idea-hungry scrapbookers proved ’em wrong! Sure, we had to endure obstacles we’re sure Lisa will never forget:
* Raised eyebrows from coworkers at WordPerfect Magazine when Don and Lisa left for a long lunch at Lisa’s house for the 50th time.
* Accidentally charging some of our premiere subscribers’ credit cards five times. Oops. (Don’t worry, we fixed it.)
* A pregnant Lisa sleeping on the couch while Don snoozed on the floor at our first press check in Liberty, Missouri.
* 40,000 copies of our premiere issue sitting for days in a semi truck and missing its mail date due to the looming presidential election of Bill Clinton.
* Our custom water bottles produced for the HIA trade show that proclaimed “Creating Keepsakes, the Scraping Authority!” (Notice the typo.)
* And there is one that Don will surely never forget: having to change little Collin’s diaper during a long lunch meeting!
All in all, we are grateful the amazing Lisa Bearnson is just what she seems—a real believer in the joys and blessings of scrapbooking, an energetic visionary who is not afraid to work and work and work to see a dream come to life, a woman who is charitable at every turn, and a dedicated wife and mother whose devotion to God and family are unquestionable.
We are so glad to still continue to count you a friend, Lisa, and we’ll watch for your occasional appearances in the magazine!
—Don (cofounder of Creating Keepsakes magazine) and Deanna Lambson
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The Early Years
I first met Lisa Bearnson at WordPerfect Publishing. She was smart, talented and fun, and I had no idea she would bless my life for years to come. When she asked me to help edit articles on her new publication, I said yes. I loved its focus on preserving memories, and I could see scrapbooking staying super-hot for a year or two. Little did I know! That small start grew into 13 cherished years with Creating Keepsakes magazine.
Over the years, I have watched Lisa champion the importance of family, friends and memories. She is kind and genuine, and it’s so refreshing that she can laugh at her less-than-perfect moments. It’s not every day a person accidentally gives up her seat on a plane!
Thank you, Lisa, for your incredible spirit and heart. You have touched my life and inspired me in ways I will never forget!
—Jana Lillie
P.S. When Kristy Banks and I had our youngest babies, Lisa insisted on a quick photo shoot at her house (see the image above). She’s gifted with a camera, and she knew how much the photos would mean in years to come. Thank you again, Lisa.
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Influencing Others
Lisa is an amazing listener and very encouraging. A long time ago, Lisa listened to me and my ideas. Lisa told me my ideas were good and inspiring, and Lisa gave me the opportunity to share my ideas with others. Without Lisa’s influence, there would be no Stacy Julian in scrapbooking. There would have been no Simple Scrapbooks magazine and therefore no Big Picture Scrapbooking.
This entire industry owes a debt of gratitude to this woman for her might and her moxie.
I am thankful for Lisa.
—Stacy Julian
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I love my dear friend Lisa to pieces! I love that when Lisa believes in you, SHE REALLY BELIEVES IN YOU. From the minute I met Lisa in 2002, she made me feel like she had 100% faith in me and my abilities, which I have appreciated so much! Over the last seven years, she has provided me with opportunities with the magazine, QVC, Kit of the Month and more. I could never have imagined those opportunities when I first became passionate about scrapbooking. It’s been such a journey—an awesome ride!
Some of my favorite memories of working with Lisa include, but are not limited to, the following:
* Creative brainstorming meetings with the team in her home. They always felt more like friend time rather than work. So many creative ideas came from each direction. The meetings were a lot of fun.
Kristy Banks, Lisa Bearnson, Loni Stevens and Kerri Bradford
* Photo shoots where Lisa was willing to hold a rat or jump off her stairs 20+ times for the shot we needed. She was always willing to do anything required of her and be a good sport along the way. (I took these two photos of her during one such shoot.)
* The gag gift she gave our QVC team at a Christmas party one year. After the prank, she gave us an amazing over-the-top present. She has a great sense of humor and is always so giving.
* The time we were rear-ended in her car while leaving a restaurant. She tried to set me up with the cute, single officer writing up the report. Ahhh, she’s a good friend.
* The time she accidentally used a permanent marker on a dry-erase board to help connect the dots and illustrate a story she was sharing with us as friends. Totally funny! Sheer panic ensued, followed by a home remedy to remove all evidence of the permanent marker.
* Time spent helping with the album she presented to a guest when she appeared on Oprah. That was a group effort pulled together in under 24 hours. It was crazy!
There are so many memories—I could go on and on. Working with Lisa has been amazing and a lot of fun. I feel absolutely blessed to know her and to call her a friend. I don’t know how I became so lucky. She has a heart of gold and has done so much for me and others over the years. She is someone I admire and respect so much.
Thanks for taking a chance on me, Lisa! I am forever grateful. Love ya!
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Free Font Friday
P.S. Don’t miss the special Free Font Friday download available this week. This week’s font is LB Lisa B—Lisa’s own font! You can download the font for free here.
Sounds like the American Dream come true – congratulations
Sounds like the American Dream come true – congratulations