We have a Winner!!!!

Sarah has won the MyMemories Software Suite V3, $10 to spend in the MyMemories Store, and $20 to spend in the Touched By A Butterfly Store at MyMemories.  Thank you all for entering my contest.  I do hope to have at least one more this year, so please keep checking back here for more information and another chance to win.  Congratulations, Sarah!!!!

MyMemories Software Giveaway!!!!

In honor of my birthday on August 19, this year I will be giving away one copy of the MyMemories Scrapbooking Software Volume 3 and $10 to spend in the MyMemories Store!!!!  My lovely friend and designer, Celeste from Touched By A Butterfly, will also be giving the lucky winner a $20 coupon to spend in the Touched By A Butterfly Store at MyMemories. Each contestant will be allowed to enter the contest in 5 ways:

1.  Follow http://missasmuse.blogspot.com/ and leave a comment with your email here.
2.  Visit www.mymemories.com to pick out your favorite designer and kit that you would like to have and come back here to leave a comment with your email.
3.  "Follow" me on Pinterest and leave a comment here with your email saying that you have done so.  (There is an easy follow button on this website!)
4.  "Like" MyMemories on Facebook and leave me a comment telling me so along with your email.
5.  Follow MyMemories on Twitter and leave me a comment telling me so along with your email.

The winner will be randomly chosen at 9 p.m. EST on August 19, 2012.  I will post the winner here and email the winner with the coupon code and instructions for using it shortly thereafter.  Good luck!

MyMemories Software Review

For all of you who love to capture memories of your kids, grand children, or even pets, then MyMemories Suite Volume 3 is for you!  The MyMemories Software is a wonderful program that allow you to prepare digital scrapbooks without the mess of scissors, scrap paper, and glue.  All you need is a computer and an ounce of creativity in order to create dynamically themed pages based on your photos and your memories.

The MyMemories Suite Volume 3 allows you to customize scrapbook pages in a variety of methods.  You can resize, reshape, and recolor photos, turn them into shapes, and embellish to your heart's content on papers of your choosing.  The software itself is extremely user-friendly allowing even the most novice of techies to create beautiful pages that will last forever on already designed templates or pages which you design from scratch.  Best of all, MyMemories has added customized gifts to their plethora of digital scrapbooking materials from mousepads to t-shirts, keychains to phone covers and stationery that you may decorate with your own images and digital scrapbook pages.  But you do not have to limit yourself to scrapbooking: you may use the software to create all kinds of hybrid projects from cards and calendars to memory books and CD covers!

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the MyMemories Suite Volume 3, please visit www.mymemories.com and add the coupon code STMMMS4712 at checkout to receive $10 off the price of the software and $10 to spend in the MyMemories Store.  In order to receive the full discount, all items must be purchased at the same time.

If you have any questions regarding the software, please leave your email address and a comment.  I will do my best to give you all the information you need before delving into the extremely addictive world of digital scrapbooking.  Check out the Scrapbooking tab to the right of the page for a sampling of exactly what you can do with this wonderful software.

Remember to make a memory today, and keep a camera on hand to capture it!

MyMemories Scrap Challenge and Sale

As many of you know, I am now on the Creative Team of Touched By A Butterfly, a digital scrapbooking design company.  This week, our fearless leader Celeste is hosting the Weekly Blog Challenge at MyMemories.  To enter, all you have to do is design a page using one of Touched By A Butterfly's kits.  These may be purchased at her MyMemories Store or you may download a free kit from Touched By A Butterfly's Facebook page simply by "Liking" it.  You can purchase the MyMemories Software for $10 off plus get $10 to spend in the MyMemories Store using the coupon code STMMMS4712.  The lucky winner of the challenge will receive a FREE copy of the kit Smashology 101 by Touched By A Butterfly.

In honor of her hosting the weekly scrap challenge, Celeste is offering 35% off her entire store as well.  Be sure to check out the store!  I have several new clusters and an upcoming photobook there which you are sure to love as much as I do.  Make sure that you hop on over to the pages listed in order to enter the challenge and have a chance at the freebies!

Remember to make a memory today, and keep a camera on hand to capture it!

Time to Go "CAMP"ing!

The Blog Train has rolled into town once again, bringing you a very special theme for a hot July.  Instead of resorting to the normal reds, whites, and blues of the summer, www.blogtrainblog.blogspot.com has the lovely summery theme of camping free for users for the entire month!  This is a once in a lifetime chance to grab freebies from almost a hundred digital scrapbook designers.  I know what I will be downloading for the next 2 weeks.  Do you?  Just check out The Blog Train Blog website to find all of the coordinating kits for the color template following template.  Happy Hopping!

Christmas in July Blog Hop

Hello Everyone and welcome to our Christmas In July Blog Hop. This hop is hosted by Touched By A Butterfly and A-Manda Creation.

You should have arrived from YoBeth's Blog http://scraptious.wordpress.com/

We wanted to start Christmas a little early this year. We have some new digital kits to showcase for you today. You will see some awesome inspiration along the way as well as some great freebies.

Here is a cute QuickPage that I created using Touched By A Butterfly's kit entitled "Funky Christmas."

Grab "Funky Christmas" here

Freebie QuickPage Download Here

Here is the blog hop list in case you get lost along the way.

Celeste http://www.touchedbyabutterfly.com/
Amanda http://amandacreation.blogspot.com/
Yobeth http://scraptious.wordpress.com/
Melissa http://missasmuse.blogspot.com/
Dawn http://dawnsdelightsart.com/
Yolie http://www.justyolie.com/
Stacie http://hestiashelper.blogspot.com/
Dagi Scrap http://dagiblog.blogspot.cz/
Amy http://scrappinmemories78.blogspot.com/
Hilary http://www.facebook.com/cutiefatchick

Keep on hopping... Go to Dawn at http://dawnsdelightsart.com/

Ho Ho Ho!!! Hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy our Christmas In July Blog Hop.

Christmas in July Blog Hop

For all of those who love Blog Hops, I will be working with Touched By A Butterfly in hosting a blog hop on July 7, 2012 for one day only beginning at midnight Central Standard Time.  So mark your calendars, and hop on over to download your free Christmas content.

When the Lord closes a door, He often opens a window!

Lately, I have been down.  And that is putting it nicely.  Nothing seems to be going right in the world.  My significant other moved to Texas without me, my grandfather was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and I failed to obtain a teaching job in Latin this year.  I have tried crawling into bed and not coming out before, but I promise that it never works out for the best.  Instead, I chose to vent.  Luckily for me (and you), I vent through art.  Sometimes I journal in my Moleskine, sometimes I make Artist Trading Cards, and sometimes I dive into digital scrapbooking.  Whatever the case may be, I always have something tangible to offer for my efforts.  So recently, I applied to work on the creative team of Touched By a Butterfly, a digital scrapbook design firm.  And finally, after viewing my blogsites, I was chosen to be a member.  Digital scrapbooking was there for me when I needed it (as well as those of you who have supported me here), and now I have the opportunity to give back to the artistic community in a meaningful way.  I hope that you will enjoy my designs as well as the opportunities it will bring for the digital scrapbooking community.  And in the end, maybe I will have more time to work on the things that I love...my relationship, my family, my education, and my art.

Takin' What Their Givin' Cause I'm Tutorin' for a Livin'

Recently I have had two jobs, tutoring Latin and writing tutorials for a digital scrapbooking site www.scrappingartistry.com.  It is said that you never learn anything until you have to teach it.  Well, I have had quite a bit of help from Lisa J. at www.mymemories.com.  So far, we have learned to organize outside content, import outside content into the MyMemories Suite, and have learned the text-wrap tango.  What will we learn next?  Tune into www.scrappingartistry.com every Thursday for the next several months to learn a new technique to use when applying our art form.  Enjoy, make a memory, and take lots of pictures!

For a Limited Time Only!

MyMemories.com has just sweetened their software and designer kit package deal for the next month only.  Anyone who buys a copy of the MyMemories Volume 3 software (and $10 to spend in the store on whatever you choose) will receive a 1 year RAKStar Membership for free!!!

You may ask, "What do I get with a RAKStar Membership?"  Let me tell you.  You will get a free HUGE digital scrapbooking kit every month that is compatible with the MyMemories Software, a monthly add-on kit (including 24 papers, embellishments, and alphabet or word art that coordinates with the monthly kit, 25 RAK Center Points to spend on kits of your desire, a RAK Scrap Mega Kit with over 100 digital goodies, and a 10 kit compilation from 3Scrapateers.  In total, that is a value worth $247.35!!!!

Simply use the code STMMMS4712 at checkout when you purchase MyMemories Suite V3 and $10 worth of goodies in the store (remember to use it all at once and whatever is over comes out of your pocket!), and leave a comment to me on this site stating that you purchased a kit with my code.  Once I get a receipt, I will follow through with the paperwork for www.mymemories.com, and you will get you RAKStar Membership!!

So, what are you waiting for?  Scoop up this deal right now because it only lasts until March 31, 2012!  And remember to go make a memory today.

If at First You Don't Succeed ...

After my last rant about telling my Muse to be quiet, she bravely spoke up and offered me a chance to rectify the situation.  Mind you, that seldom ever happens.  If it does, you better buckle up and be ready for a ride on the horse of a different color.  Several of the digital scrapbooking designers offered yet another creative team call.  I am not sure if it is hubris at this point or just another attempt at deflating my ego, but I needed a change and a challenge.  So, once again I submitted my information, several layouts, and my blogsite for review by perfect strangers, patiently waiting for the response that my designs were "bland" and "didn't pop."  But, as Old Blue Eyes once said, Luck can be a Lady.  Finally, several people enjoyed my writing well enough to invite me to join a Blog Team for digital scrapbooking.  So now, I can add that I work for www.creativeartistry.com writing about creations from Missy's Bits Designs and Sugar Moon Designs.  I look forward to blogging each week, trying a hand at designing, and using my words to entice others to do the same.  I am considering this a learning experience given to me by the heart of my Muse, and hopefully she will lead all of us on an exciting journey.

Now... I am ready to go make a memory or two and write about them!!!

When Your Muse Should Keep Silent

Okay.  I must admit that occasionally the little voice inside my head speaks louder than it should.  Or rather, a little louder than I should allow it to speak.  Recently, my muse told me that I should offer my talents to several graphic designers with the hopes of becoming a member of their creative teams.  Everyone (that is my mom and boyfriend) tend to enjoy my scrapbooking skills and I had the insane idea that everyone else would love them too.   Instead, my art was met with little less than fanfare.  In fact, I believe that I was called boring...or dull.  I am not really sure because my muse has been in shock ever since.  I actually have not been able to enjoy scrapbooking ever since.  ...That is...until today.  Even though I had an epic failure with my attempt at joining a creative team, I was given the opportunity to enjoy my passion once more.  One of the designers stated that she had several positions opening for members to create art other than scrapbooks using digital scrapbooking kits.  Thoughts began to flood my mind.  My creative juices simply keep flowing.  I don't know whether I should build a matchbook shrine, an Artist Trading Card, a journal, or simply a Random Act of Art Kindness postcard.  Sometimes one door has to close in order for a window to open.  Sometimes we have to listen to our muse, and sometimes, it is best for her to keep silent.  She eventually will start talking again (in her own time), and we just must be receptive to the ideas that she puts forth.  Hopefully, I will soon be able to take a picture and enjoy the fact that one day someone else will enjoy it too.  

When push comes to shove, the only person who can tell your muse to be silent is you.  But make sure that if you tell her to hold her tongue, you are willing to live a life a little duller, a little colder, a little darker, and a lot lonelier.  I have learned that while I may not always like what my muse has to say, I will always give her the opportunity to speak.  She has a lot of wisdom to give, and if I don't listen, who will?

Choo! Choo! January's Blog Train has rolled into town!

For all of you who love digital scrapbooking as much as I do, I wanted to inform you that the January Blog Train on The Blog Train Blog has rolled into town.  So what exactly is a blog train, you ask?  A blog train is formed when groups of designers all offer FREEBIES on their blogs which coordinate in some way.  The Blog Train Blog hosts one every other month, and January's train is called "Refresh."  This month, 71 designers (yes, 71!) have created mini-kits, alphabets, papers, and embellishments that all follow the same beautiful color palate.

However, all of these downloads are considered as "Outside Content" for the MyMemories Software Suite.  This does not make them any less easy to use: just make sure you follow my instructions from this blog on using outside content.  Prepare to be amazed and surprised, find new designers that you love, and gain fresh inspiration of creating scrapbooks for the New Year.  It takes a while to make it through all 71 blogs, so start early with the downloads and remember that these freebies will only be good through the month of January 2012.  Remember to make a memory today and everyday!