Thursday, December 29, 2011

A Year in Review

Now is the time when we all reflect upon what we have accomplished over the year.  For me, the year was a blessing.  I learned to capture all of my memories, shared a few with others, and even gave the gift of scrapbooking to another individual.  I learned not to take things for granted and to enjoy the small things in life because you may never have the chance to redo them.  I challenge each of you to search through your memory bank and create a page (or even a whole scrapbook) dedicated to the best memories of the year.

2011 in Review using "A New Day" by Inspired by Dominic

Saturday, December 24, 2011

And the Winner Is ...



I would like to thank everyone who participated in this contest.  It was my very first and I hope that you continue to follow my blog.  I will be hosting a contest every season, so you can enter again in 3 months.  Please continue to enjoy my weekly freebies and I wish every a blessed holiday season!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Digital Scrapbooking Giveaway!!!

Created by Melissa using Black Tie Event from Trixie Scraps Designs

Over the past several months I have become addicted to digital scrapbooking!!!  Using the MyMemories Suite V3 is so easy, that I am sure you will be creating scrapbooks left and right for everyone you love (please include one for yourself).  You can include pics, wordart, video, music, and a plethora of digital goodies that you can only get from using this amazing digital scrapbooking suite.  (For a preview of what you can do, simply download the trial version of the V3 Suite!) You can even make cards, banners, gift tags...the only limits are your imagination.  I am giving away 1 copy of the MyMemories Suite V3 and $10 to spend on your choice of goodies from the MyMemories Store.  That is a total of $50 worth of goodies up for grabs!!!

So, by now you are asking, "What do I have to do to win these this awesome gift?"  Pay attention because I am giving MULTIPLE chances to win!  Make sure that you come back here and leave a comment on this page of my blog for each task that you complete.  One winner will be chosen on December 24, 2011.

1- Follow Missa's Muse blog.
2- Like MyMemories on Facebook.
3- Go to the MyMemories Store and find your favorite designer pack.  Come back here and tell me which one it is and why.
4- Follow the MyMemories Blog
5- Follow MyMemories on Twitter.
6- Follow Evergreen_Grrrl blog.
7- Follow @EvergreenGrrrl on Twitter.
8- Follow Evergreen _Grrrl on Pinterest.

That's it!  Eight separate ways to enter this wonderful contest!  Remember to come back here and tell me once you have completed each task.  Good luck and may you enjoy (and win) this "Suite Contest!"
The Contest Winner will be announced here on December 24, 2011!!!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Free Quick Kit Challenge!!

Are you interested in digital scrapbooking but just don't know how to get started?  Do you want to build your collection of scrapbooking freebies?  Then look no further.  For one week only, I am offering a small kit for free on Missa's Muse to all of those spunky women out there!  Are you a spunky woman?  Is your wife, sister, daughter, or best friend?  Then this kit is perfect to capture her in all of her spunky splendor!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Creating Gifts with MyMemories Suite V3

The time of year for gift-giving is at hand, and I must say that I have been working on gifts for months now.  Since we are all experiencing the turbulence of a Revlon economy, I imagine that more homemade gifts will be given this year.  Plus, nothing says "I Love You!" more than the time which someone invests in making a gift for their special someones.  Some people knit, some people bake, I make digital scrapbooks.  So far, I have created 3 scrapbooks for gifts: one for my mother of the family, one for my sister of her son, and one for my little cousin of all of the growth she has experienced since coming to live with us two years ago.  Thanks to the MyMemories Suite V3, I am not even printing out the scrapbooks.  I have imbedded music into each album and will be downloading them as slideshows onto mp3 players and flash drives!  Who wouldn't love to have a scrapbook that fits in the palm of their hand and that they can take anywhere they please?

But did you know that scrapbooks aren't the only things which you can create using the MyMemories Software?  I didn't until I started playing with the software itself.  Volume 3 even has a special feature just for making calendars, and the MyMemories Store offers card, brag book, calendar, and gift tag templates.  Right now, on the MyMemories Facebook Page, the Friday Freebie is a template for holiday gift tags.  However, you have to grab it by Friday in order to get the item for free.  What a great way to embellish those pretty wrapped packages than by creating a homemade gift tag with personal pictures on them!

Do you travel to Wal-Mart or Target each year to print out family holiday cards?  This year, look no further than your own computer and printer to create the perfect holiday greeting card.  Below I have included a link on how to make greeting cards using your software. Remember that if you use the code STMMS4712 at the MyMemories Store, you can get $10 off the V3 software and $10 to spend in the store.  With all of that extra savings you can purchase your calendar packs, gift tags, and seasonal card templates. Don't forget to grab the holiday freebie kits from the store as well! The MyMemories Suite V3 is the gift that you can give yourself and use to gift to others.  I call that a win-win situation!  


Holiday Postcard I made using the December "Blog Train" with the theme "Traditions."

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

The December Blog Train has rolled into town!!!

I am a sucker for anything free, and there is nothing that I love more than free digital scrapbooking goodies.  So, when one of my favorite designers listed a December Blog Train from http://blogtrainblog.blogspot.com I just knew that I had to share it with all of my friends.  Every other month, over 100 digital designers gather together (online that is) to create a color coordinating set of scrapbooking papers, embellishments, alphabets, etc. for all of us scrapbooking junkies to download for FREE!!!   Yes, I said it, FREE!  I have taken a look at two of the sets already and am totally psyched about creating pages from the reds, blues, and creams that are available this month only.  Simply hop over to The Blog Train Blog for a complete list of contributing artists, and if you like the designs, please leave a thank you comment for their time and effort.  Enjoy this early holiday gift (and remember to save it in a special place as all of these will be considered as outside content for the MyMemories Software).

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Finding Freebies

When delving into the world of digital scrapbooking, it is always important to know where to get good scrapbooking content for free.  In the past several months, I have downloaded tons of freebies, won contests for more freebies, and followed blogs just searching for more freebies.  I must admit that I have become addicted to the plethora of goodies out there for all to have.

The first place to look (besides the sites listed on the right hand side of the page) is Facebook.  Almost all designers and companies have a Facebook page where they offer exclusive materials that can be downloaded as "outside content."  MyMemories even offers a Friday Freebie that can often be downloaded directly into your Software Suite Volume 3!  I found that the best way to find new designers is to go to a page (like MyMemories) and simply "like" all of the companies and designers that they "like."  NOTE: You MUST like a page before downloading exclusive content.  Very quickly you will see how much content is to be had for free with only the click of the mouse.

Occasionally, design companies will host a blog/page hop.  This is a communal project among all of the designers the company uses and almost always coordinates in colors.  For Black Friday (available this week until Sunday), Scrapbook-Bytes is hosting a Facebook page hop which has absolutely nothing to do with shopping!!!  The colors are vibrant and varied, but they look gorgeous together.  I downloaded approximately 10 zipped freebies which even includes several alphabets!  This is the perfect opportunity for developing your outside content folders.  The only limits are the boundaries of your imagination.  This is one I created using an old photo of my pet, Cleo, and the Black Friday Facebook Hop downloads.  I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving with tons of memories to scrap!



And just for a very special Thanksgiving, I have included two links to FREE design kits from the MyMemories Store.



Suite dreams!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Saving the Day

For the longest time, I have been the crazy cousin at all family reunions, the park, playdates, and social events.  I love to take photographs, but until recently I had no place to display my art.  Now thanks to the art of digital scrapbooking, I am now able to capture the moment and save the memory of the day for posterity's sake (or just for my own personal delights).  Here is just an example of the what you can develop using the MyMemories Software along with outside content.  Now I have a beautiful memory that will last as long as I do!


Using Outside Materials with MyMemories Suite 3

What?!?  You still haven't decided to buy the MyMemories Suite 3 Software?  Never fear!  You don't have to settle down on simply MyMemories content for your scrapbooking needs:  You can use outside content (such as those from the sites listed to the right hand side of the page) to create all of the pages you want including papers, embellishments, and quick pages.  But for those of you just getting started, I have created my own list for using outside content as well as the links provided by MyMemories.  I suggest that you print out the PDF file and keep it handy because you will want to refer to it often.

1- Choose a place on your computer where you would like to save your outside content.  (I have a folder on my desktop.)

2- Decide how you want to separate your outside content so that it is easy for you to find and use.  Create a folder for each separate "theme." (I use 5 folders: Alphabets, Directions, Embellishments, Papers, and Quick Pages.)

3- Divide each folder into an easy system for you to use an access.  You don't want to save tons of outside content and not be able to find any of it.  (I divide my Embellishments based on type, while I divide my papers based on colors.)

4- Back up your outside content!!!  I have spent countless hours downloading and separating mostly free outside content.  I plan on saving these to a back-up hard drive (which are dirt cheap right now because of the holiday sales) as well as burning them to a DVD.

Now for the tutorials:

Lisa J's Video Tutorial on Using Outside Content

Lisa J's PDF on Using Outside Content

Remember to live the Suite Life!!!

Capture Your Memories with MyMemories Digital Scrapbooking Suite 3

Little more than 3 months ago, I discovered the website www.mymemories.com after winning an online contest that I entered on a whim.   I was given the MyMemories Suite 2 for making my very own personal digital scrapbooks.  Since then, I have embarked on the wonderful journey of digital scrapbooking.  I never even knew such an art existed!  But now I am hooked, constantly downloading digital freebies, and have turned tons of family pictures into lovely scrapbooks for family members.  And just when I thought my little hobby couldn't be better, MyMemories has come out with an upgraded version of the software!  Use the Coupon Code found at the top right hand of this page for $10 off the full software suite and $10 to spend in the store on products of your choosing.  Continue to follow this blog for more details, examples of scrapbooking pages, and lists of freebies weekly.  Always remember to live the Suite Life!