Who Doesn't Like a Good Deal?

So attention.. If anyone out there is looking into getting some photo books printed, NOW is the time to do it!  Winkflash has extended their flat rate sale through to Feb. 10th..  Meaning, you can get a 100 page 8x8 book for only $12.95!  That's amazing!  It's like 80 pages FOR FREE!  I had been sauntering through my photos working on Ethan's first year book, but once I heard about the sale, I went into overdrive.. I've scrapped over 5 pages this weekend, trying to get it all done.. It looks like we'll actually need two books for his first year, but at that price, I'm A-OK with that!  I've never printed with Winkflash before, so I can't attest to their quality or anything, but here's a thread with more info from people who have, if you're interested.. I figure it's worth the $12.95 to risk it, but it sounds like they do great work...

Anyway, here are a few of the pages I've done recently.. Can't show all of them, because some use kits that haven't been released yet, lol..  All images are clickable for credits...

Paper Punches and MORE!!!

Another week has come and gone and I have some more great products for you - templates of all sizes, and some cute and versatile blogwear as well..

 

First up - Paper Punches V. 1

 

Do you love the look of  custom  punches out of your background paper, with the special surprise of another color or pattern peeking through?  Then these templates are for you!  Included are 4 punched-out backgrounds, as well as the layered TIFF & PSD files of the scraps so you can mix and match and customize to your heart's content.  PNGs are also included as well!

 

I'm also releasing some brag book templates this week.. 

 

 

 

A while back, I was wanting to do a Somebody Loves Me brag book for my DS with pictures of his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins so he could look at them and know who they were when we talked on the phone.  {We live quite a ways away from family, so we don't get to see them very often.}  Well, at the time, there weren't any bb templates in the shop at Scrap Matters, so I thought I'd make some up and share with everyone..  Anyway, time has passed, things have changed, and I still haven't finished the book!  But, I did get the templates done, so that's a start at least, lol.. My CT actually used these as a jumping off point for the Yummy Scrummy Love Brag Book pages last week, then I tweaked them a little more and have re-packaged them up just for you!

 

And finally, a few more sets of blogwear - one just in time to give your blog some funky romance for Valentine's Day, and another that's more of an "everyday" design...

 

 

 

 

 

I'll close with some awesome pages by my CT, but don't forget, all my new releases are 20% off Friday and Saturday only!

 

 

 

See you next week, and Happy Scrapping!

 

 

Spotlighting Crystal

Hey all!  It's Jewelle here.  From now on I'll be popping in every once in awhile. So, lets get down to business. 

The CT member we are spotlighting is

1. How long have you been scrapping?  Have you ever paper scrapped?  When did you make the switch to digi and why?  I've been digi scrapping for almost 3 years.  I tried a few paper pages with little success.  I discovered digi after getting PSE in order to edit photos better. That was December of 2006 and I've been hooked ever since. 
2. What do you feel is your strongest scrapping skill? Your weakest? I feel like I'm getting pretty good at clustering. I enjoy doing it anyway, whether it's my strongest skill or not....I don't really know.  Coming up with titles and making them look creatively placed on my pages is probably my weakest.  
3. What advice would you give someone just starting out digi-scrapping? Stick with it!! It's frustrating at first, and you'll feel like you'll never be at the level you want to be. But, I think I'm constantly improving my skills. It's definitely an ongoing process. 
4. Describe your scrapping "system"... What program do you use? Where do you start first - photos, papers, elements, journaling? Do you always have something in mind when you start, or do you let your creativity guide you? How long does it take you to complete a layout? I use CS4.  I choose my papers first, but almost always have a picture that I want to use in mind. Next I'll look for some kind of frame. I have a hard time scrapping without a frame on at least the main photo. My pages rarely look like what I had in mind when I started! lol.  It sometimes takes just 30 mins or so to create my layouts. Other times it can take a few hours to get it right. 
5. On average, how much time do you spend scrapping each week? That always changes. It depends on so many things that are going on 'in real life'. Occasionally I'll get an entire Sunday to myself and I admit that I spend the majority of the day scrapping!  
6. Describe your perfect scrapping environment - coffee? soda? music? snacks? First thing in the morning, it's coffee and total quiet while DS is still asleep. That's my favorite scrapping time. Once I have this baby, I'm sure I'll break out the coffee at night and stay up a little...it's not like I'll be getting much sleep anyway! haha!  
7. What's your favorite thing to do BESIDES scrapping? photography 
8. What is one thing you would love to do, just so you could scrap it? Hmmm...I've never thought about that one. I guess go on some incredible dream vacation...a cruise to Alaska maybe.  
9. Who inspires you in the scrapping community? Any person or site in particular that you look to for inspiration? Wow...there are to many people to list. I tend to head to the gallery at MSA for inspiration when I need it.  
10. If you could have Amber create a kit just for you, what colors, theme, etc would it be and why? A baby themed kit sometime in early February would be fantastic!! lol! 

Crystal astounds me.  She is still pregnant, but still finds the time and energy to scrapbook.  Lets check out some of her layouts and what Crystal has to say about them!

I had a hard drive crash last spring and lost all my layouts. So, I went found the first layout I posted at DST. Its not my first layout though. I didn't start participating in the scrapping community until about a year after I started digi scrapping. It's the oldest layout I can get a copy of. The photo is of my oldest niece.

My Favorite Layouts

Light of my Life...the photo is of my son and a family friend that he's been playing with since they were babies. I just love the photo of them running.

My Favorite Boys...the photos are of my son with my two nephews who are also his Godfathers. I became an aunt when I was only 9, so my nephews and nieces are more like siblings to me. I love that my son has them in his life.

Most Recent Layout

 

Just You and Me is my most recent layout.  The photo is a belly shot of me at about 32 weeks.

Those are so inspiring to me!  Thanks Crystal!  To see more of Crystal's smokin' layouts check out her GALLERY and BLOG.

A Whole Lotta' Love!

 Hello again!  Can you believe a whole week has come and gone already!?  Seriously!  Where does the time go?!?  It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in the New Year, and now it's almost February!  But speaking of February, I promised you last week that I'd have lots and lots of goodies for you, and I don't intend to disappoint, so let's get right to it!

 

First up, is a fun little kit just in time for Valentine's Day..  Yummy Scrummy Love.  

 

- 20% off Friday & Saturday -

 

The colors are just a little different than what you normally see in a V-day kit, but I think it turned out pretty cute and funky.  I've also put together a pack of accent labels that coordinate perfectly with the kit, or can be used in conjunction with a whole host of other Valentine's kits out there..

 

- 20% off Friday & Saturday -

Another cute and versatile new product this week is my Red Hot Alpha.  It's the perfect accent to oh so many pages featuring some of that yucky love stuff...

 

Now, if you think you simply MUST have all three - and I know you're out there - I've bundled them up for you and put them at a permanent discount.

 

But wait - there's more!!  If you've been searching for just the perfect gift for that special someone, or have been wanting to put together a little book to pinpoint the highlights of a relationship, then look no further!  My CT and I have been hard at work creating this sweet little 5x7 brag book - ready for you to simply plop in some pictures, add a title or two here or there, maybe a bit of journaling, and print it and go!

- 20% off or FREE with purchase of the kit Friday & Saturday -

To round out your V-day gift-giving stash, I've teamed up with Kim - aka Geeky Diva Designs - to bring you some incredible hybrid goodies, perfect for creating all the Valentine treats, cards and gifts you could ask for!

- 20% off Friday & Saturday -

And finally, a Big Ol' Bundle of Love for those of you who love a bargain..

 

 

You can grab ALL of my new releases this week in one fell swoop and get 25% off while you're at it!  Act fast, though - this ultra sweet deal is only valid Friday and Saturday, so grab it while you can!

Now, before I get to your freebie, here's a little eye candy from my CT - and a few of the ladies on the Scrap Matters CT - and an announcement... My team and I are streamlining things just a bit, and will be closing my CT blog effective Sunday, January 24th.  Be sure to switch your follower status or google reader to this blog to be sure you don't miss out on all the fun contests and giveaways we have in store for you!

 

 

 

 

And finally, you're freebie...

DOWNLOAD

See you next week, and Happy Scrapping!

 

 

January Quick Page Exchange

This will just be a quickie as I don't have anything new releasing this week - don't worry, I'll make up for it next week! But I did have some exciting news I wanted to share with you all.. Chocolate Frosted Snowflakes has been chosen as the Sponsor Kit for the January Quick Page Exchange at Scrap Matters!

So what does that mean for you?  It means that if you don't already own the kit, you can pick it up for 30% off anytime before Jan. 31st.  Then, you simply make a 12x12 quick page and submit it to the QPE Coordinator, and at the end of the month, you'll receive all the other quick pages for free!  How awesome is that?!?  You can find out more details in the forum HERE.

See you next week, and happy scrapping!!  :D

Just Call Me Niki

Well, another week has come and gone, and I'm here with another fantastic set of templates inspired by one of my CT members.. For those of you who follow the CT blog, you've already had a sneak peek of these, and the chance to win, as well.. {For those of you who don't follow the CT blog, I highly recommend it... Those girls are always posting contests, challenges and other fun things, so be sure to take a look!} 

 

 

 

For this set, I chose to lift Niki's layouts.. I think she has such beautiful photo placement, and I love that she always manages to get more than one photo on a page - something I definitely struggle with!  And of course my creative team has been busy putting together a bunch of sample layouts for you.. I think they do just awesome work!

 

 

 

That's it for this week - as always, the templates are 20% off Friday and Saturday so act quick to get a bargain!  Happy scrapping!

 

 

Welcome to 2010!

HAPPY NEW YEAR & WELCOME TO 2010!!

I hope yours was just as fun and exciting as mine - a chick flick on the couch with DH. Okay - maybe some of you had some more excitement than that, but in any case, I hope it was enjoyable - whatever you ended up doing!

This week I have a whole slew of new products for you, and can I just say... It has been SO fun getting these together! It's really made me think about life, change, and making a better tomorrow.. I hope you will find just as much pleasure in them as I do.. So let's get to it!

First up, is a brand new kit, Resolutionary.

I've never really been one to make a lot of New Years resolutions, but this year I've been kind of inspired to make some changes in my life to be a better person. If you're the same way, then this kit is perfect for helping you document those decisions. With a beautifully soft color palette, it won't distract from any photos you choose to include, and there's also plenty of word art to keep you motivated. And speaking of word art... It's also available separately in case that's all you need to help create your "resolutionary" pages...

One of my resolutions this year is to be better about writing in my journal. Sometimes I think it's easy to justify my scrapping pages or personal blog entries as enough of a record of my life. But there's just something about the idea of physically writing things down that seems so much more "real." And even though I hate to admit it, there are some things that can't really be scrapped, but I don't want to forget them. So, with the help of my creative team, I've compiled a list of 368 journal prompts - one for every day of the year, plus some - to help get my brain moving and to jog those memories of days past - and present. Then, using my Resolutionary kit, I've created a beautiful hybrid journal cover and labels for a jar to keep the prompts in. Now I can simply draw a prompt out of the jar each day and start writing! Does this sound like something you'd like to do as well? Then you're in luck, because I've packaged it all up and now you can grab it from my store! :D

As a special New Year's promotion, I've bundled the kit and the journal jar together to create a New Year, New You Bundle. It's only available until January 3rd, and it will save you 25% off purchasing the items individually.

And finally, I have one last product for you this week. With the new year upon us, all the buzz has been about Project 365. While I tried last year and failed miserably, I think I'm going to give it a go again this year - only I think I'm going to go the P52 route and just work on a page a week. In any case, whether you're embarking on either "project" or just scrapping as you choose, you always need something to date your pages and pictures with, so I've created The Only Date Stamps You'll Ever Need.

I know many people who do P365 use dating elements as a way to unify their pages, and there's so much flexibility in these stamps, you'll definitely be able to create something with just the look you like.

And of course I have some wonderful eye candy for you: some fantastic layouts by my Creative Team using the kit.

Now, before I get to your freebie, I wanted to give you a quick reminder about the sale at Scrap Matters this Friday and Saturday.

All of my new products {except the bundle} fall into the appropriate categories for the sale, so be sure to grab them quick while they're at a discount. Also - make sure you check out the NEW Project 365 Challenge! It's going to be so much fun, and definitely help keep you motivated throughout the year.

Okay - so after all that, you definitely deserve a freebie, and here it is! A fun little alpha that coordinates perfectly with Resoultionary, but is totally versatile enough to go with just about any kit! Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD

Best Wishes for a healthy and happy 2010, and Happy Scrapping!