July 18, 2008
Kids who inspire: The Young Arctic Ambassadors
 When I was 9, I wasn't thinking about how to save the world's climate (most likely, I was thinking about how to save my place in line when the ice cream truck turned onto our street).
But HP has the privilege of sponsoring a group of kids who are right now treking their way North into the Arctic Circle to help save our planet from its climate crisis.
Meet the Young Arctic Ambassadors -- nine kids, ranging in age from 9 years old to 16 years old, who've come together from all over the world, including Kenya, Italy, France, and North America.
They've joined award-winning photographer Sebastian Copeland, team leader and explorer Luc Hardy and others to make a life-changing expedition in the hopes of changing the world's behavior.
 I invite you to learn about their mission, see the expedition photos, and follow their expedition's blog (and perhaps leave them a comment, a cheer, or share how you too can go green?)
They've inspired me.
I hope they inspire the best in you, too.
July 11, 2008
Take charge: Pick what free projects come next!
Just in case you missed that big, fat poll on the HP Community Wiki home page, I want to make sure you get a chance to vote for what free projects you want next from HP and from other members.
Help me help you! Vote in our poll, and tell me what you want next from HP. Whether it's a stack of 15-minute printing projects, or toys and puzzles for the kids, or new ideas on how to showcase your digital photography by printing at home, we want to give it to you!
And to those of you who've taken the time to send me an email or compliment -- thank you! I love reading your messages and ideas. And I hope you'll share more of your thoughts and creative printing projects with the entire community, too.
I look forward to seeing your top picks for what projects will come next ...
July 2, 2008
Act fast: HP’s 50% off 4th of July sale ends Saturday
 With gas prices climbing faster than I can run Old Glory up the flagpole, I am looking to save money wherever I can. (Summer vacation is barely underway, but I'm already looking for sales to help outfit the kids for August classes.)
I'm guessing you could use a deal, too.
That's why I'm sharing this news: You can get up to 50% off with HP's 4th of July sale and score free shipping storewide on HP.com. Save on laptops, desktops, wireless all-in-one printers, photo printers, office printers, supplies, accessories and more.
Act fast: HP's 4th of July sale ends Saturday.
Happy 4th of July! And happy shopping.
PS: Get your spirit on with our print-at-home collection of July 4th flags, party kits, iron-ons, pinwheels and more. | June 26, 2008
Get out of jpeg jail: print and share your digital photos
 I'm guilty. I admit it. I have lots of photos currently locked up in what I call "jpeg jail". They're stuck on my camera or in a folder on my laptop.
I need to liberate them. I need to print them. I need to share them with others.
I mean, look at this face. Can you imagine this poor pup being locked up on a memory card? I can't either. Thank goodness Pioneer Woman posted this photo to the Wiki for all of us to download, print, and share . (In addition to her free photos, Pioneer Woman also shares lots of recipes (try the Marlboro Man Sandwich and the Apple Dumplings...yum!) and photo projects on the HP Wiki.
And if you haven't seen her award-winning blog, thepioneerwoman.com, go check it out. You'llbe in for some laughs, some amazing photography, and you might just find a little bit of yourself in the housewife who lives on a ranch, is raising four kids, and channels Ethel Merman and Lucille Ball.
I'm off to print some photos...Yee-haw!
June 6, 2008
Print-at-home cards for dads and grads 
As much as I love searching aisle after aisle, row after row for the perfect greeting card, I don’t always find something that looks and reads just right. Afterall, when someone is special to my heart, I want the card to be unique, too. And if I don’t find it, I leave the store empty-handed.
To be perfectly frank, it’s the rare occasion that I add “greeting card” to my shopping list these days. Thanks to the HP Activity Center, the cards I print at home rival anything I pay $3.99 for at the local drugstore. Plus, my cards get custom messages, or treasured photos, and a personal touch that just can’t be found on the shelf.
My friends and family tell me they’re “keepers”, which is all the confirmation I need to make this a new tradition. So for this Father’s Day and the upcoming June graduations, I’ll be using the latest additions to the Activity Center. You can, too.
For dads, try printing these gift ideas and cards:
» Father's Day Gift Coupon -- see how to make it
» Father's Day photo card
» Father's Day Iron-ons
» See more projects
» Add your project to the Father's Day Gallery
To help your graduate celebrate, you can print these at home:
» Graduation party kit
» Graduation invite
» Graduation cards and thank-yous
» Get more projects
PS: If you need a gift idea, you can save up to 50 percent on HP printers and all-in-ones at HP.com.
May 9, 2008
Crafting with HP at Maker Faire!
We had a blast crafting with HP Community Members and making new friends at the HP booth during Maker Faire last weekend.
Watch the video to get a glimpse of the feel-good vibe and to see that family fun is as close as your home printer:
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| April 22, 2008
The Circle of Love (Why Sharing is Good)
Three brothers. Three sisters. Although I had no other option, I did learn that it’s good to share.
And so have lots of you. And for that we’re giving away free Original HP supplies to the following members of the HP Community Wiki for sharing their ideas, crafts, tips, and time.
PC Smart’s Sandbox
Check out PC Smart’s creative scanning and printing page and her blog to pick up some crafts, projects and printing and scanning tips you can start using today, including:
An Apron a Day’s Recipes
 | You know how you sometimes have to look all over the pantry to find the good stuff? Sometimes this Wiki is the same way. (We’re working on improving that!). |  | Have you seen the mouth-watering filenames attached to the An Apron A Day’s Recipe’s page? I’m talking about stuff that you beg your mom or grandma to make: - A 345-Year Oldy But a Goody Pot Roast Recipe
- Uddely Delicious Ice Cream
- My Big Fat Greek Salad
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Thanks for sharing.
We’re sending some Original HP Supplies love your way!
| April 15, 2008
What do you want to see, do, watch, learn, or change?
I started a thread last week: Tell us how we can make this community better.
Haven't received a comment yet. Not one suggestion. Not one complaint.
And I'm quite sure that has more to do with the time required to make suggestions than it does that there aren't any suggestions for improvements. (Afterall, my list of ideas and wants is about as long as my arm.)
So let me make it easier for you to send a message anonymously: Please vote in the poll to the right.
Got something more specific to suggest?
Please share it here or in our discussion forum. Chances are someone else in the community would like to add or change the same thing, and we'd really appreciate hearing it from you directly.
Either way, I hope you make your voice heard. And I'll be sure to share the results -- both here and in updated pages on the HP Community Wiki.
Thanks!
| | | April 8, 2008
Go green with HP! Earth Day is just 2 weeks away (Tuesday, April 22nd). But you don’t have to wait to do something good for our environment. You can start today and have fun and feel good about doing it.
Earth-friendly Crafts
For example, use your creative skills to make Earth-friendly crafts that encourage green-living and recycling all year ‘round.
I'd also like to share these eco-friendly tips and HP environmental programs that you can take advantage of -- you don't have to be an HP customer or own an HP product to do so. (Most of this info has been previously published on HP.com.)
Re-use equipment
You can also make a difference by encouraging re-use of your used equipment (be sure to take action and protect your personal identity first): - If you recently upgraded to a new printer or computer, give your used equipment to your kids or another family member
- Check with local schools and non-profit organizations to see if they accept technology donations
- Sell your old equipment – to a neighbor, through classifieds, or online venues such as Ebay
Recycle ink cartridges, printers and more
If you can’t re-use or sell your equipment, recycle it.
- HP offers free HP inkjet or LaserJet cartridge recycling. Check inside cartridge boxes for return materials (available for some products and countries). Simply place the empty cartridge in the postage-paid envelope provided and mail back to HP
- HP’s Planet Partners program accepts all brands of computing, printing, and multifunction hardware for recycling
| | HP recently reached its goal to recycle 1 billion pounds of printer and computer hardware. To learn more about how you can partner with HP to help us recycle 2 billion pounds by 2010 and save energy with your technology purchases, visit HP’s Global Citizenship report on product re-use and recycling.
Got a tip or recycling idea? Please share it here or in our discussion forum.
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April 6, 2008
Why the HP Activity Center and your ideas inspire me
I love the HP Activity Center. It makes crafts possible for someone like me.
- My grandmother, at age 87, still knits and crochets.
- My mother sews (and handmade most of my grade school wardrobe).
- My first sister makes gift baskets (for what seems like every celebrity with a condo in Palm Springs).
- My second sister, knits, crochets, quilts, and makes scrapbooks. (The list goes on. If we captured her life in a brag book, I'd go broke buying extra scrapbook pages from Michael's.)
- My youngest sister has four kids and will eventually find time to craft when the youngest goes off to school. That said, she's very creative and has made some amazing photo albums and has decorated two homes.
Then there's me. I didn't get what I call the family "make" gene.
I am not exaggerating when I tell you that for years I thought I was a gypsy child adopted into my family. For example, while my sisters and mom receive "oohs" and "aahs" for wrapping their Christmas gifts with handmade bows and what seemed to me to be laser-cut paper and machine-precision folds, my gift-wrapped packages only needed the "to" line completed on the gift tag -- only Angela could make a package look like it was wrapped by the family dog, so putting my name next to "from" wasn't necessary. I swear.
Thank goodness for gift bags. They've saved me from ongoing humiliation.
For the past 2 years, the HP Activity Center has been my gift-bag equivalent for crafts. With projects ranging from easy print-and-go cards, books, and more to advanced digital scrapbooking that allow imaginative embellishments, even I can create crafts!
And now I have a new resource: this community. Your discussions, your tips, your crafts, your project ideas and your presence shared here in the HP Community Wiki is my new ongoing inspiration list -- a daily webinar of creative expression.
Thanks for sharing! I now have a healthy outlet for my craft envy.
PS: I invite you to share your ideas on how we can make this community better. Please add your thoughts to a new thread in the discussion forum. |
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