:LAYOUT: bliss

I decided to enter a scrapbooking contest that Becky Fleck was hosting over on her blog. Here is a picture of the prize package and the inspiration sketch for the contest.

She said that you could do any size, any variation, so I converted it to a 12x12 and rotated it to the left 90 degrees.

I love quotes and sometimes pulling one word from a favorite quote can make the perfect title.

To further enhance the theme, I found a basic leaf pattern online, printed it in various sizes and used a safety pin to punch the pattern on the background.

Journaling:

Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree. Emily Bronte

Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill
Patterned Paper: Pink Paislee
Chipboard: Basic Grey
Journaling Spot: Making Memories
Die Cut: Pink Paislee
Ink: Colorbox
Leaf Pattern: online
Corner Rounder: Marvy

:BE INSPIRED: Creativity Prompts - February 2010

Yes, I know...

It's the second to last day of the month and I'm just now getting the :Be Inspired: Creativity Prompts download for the month posted. I hope you'll forgive me...

:Be Inspired: Creativity Prompts - February 2010

Happy scrapping!!

:GIVEAWAY WINNER: Be Loved by My Mind's Eye

Thanks to everyone who commented about their favorite tools!

We sure do love our scrapbooking gadgets, don't we!? I found several mentioned that are high on my favorites list also and a few others that I decided I'll have to add to my wish list!

Everyone who commented was entered for a chance to win the Be Loved collection by My Mind's Eye.

So, without further delay, Random.org felt that commentor #17 should be the lucky winner this time around.

Congratulations, Jennifer!! Watch your email inbox for further details on how to claim your prize!

Don't miss out on a chance to win in some other great giveaways coming soon! Sign up for updates to the AMOM blog by email subscription or your favorite blog reader through the links in the left sidebar.

:LAYOUT: Wild Child

The playful papers and embellishments play up the fun photos.

On one side, the photo overlaps the orange frame and on the other I cut the photo to align with the frame, so that it looks like the photo with my daughter looking demure (yeah right!) is peaking out from behind.

The heart which floats above the page via the use of pop dots helps to balance the two sides.

Journaling:

You certainly can be sweet, but make no mistake…there’s a WILD side in there as well! I love all your little quirks…they make you the unique girl that you are.

Supplies:
Adhesive: Duck, Zots
Patterned Paper, journaling spot, die cut: Pink Paislee
Rub ons: Fancy Pants
Ink: Colorbox
Pen: Zig
Corner Rounder: Marvy

:QUOTES: on WINTER according to Boswell, Moore & Sauro

I don't know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods, but it sure doesn't seem like winter is going anywhere anytime soon here...no matter how much we'd all like it to just WARM UP ALREADY.

In an effort to focus on the positive, here's a few quotes that shed a more positive light on the winter season.

JOHN BOSWELL:
"Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour."

CLYDE MOORE:
"There’s one good thing about snow, it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbor’s.”

REGINA SAURO:
"Delicate and feathery, crystal clear and white, six-point stars come tumbling, softly, in the night."

:GIVEAWAY: Be Loved Collection Kit by My Mind's Eye (CONTEST CLOSED)

I bet many of you haven't scrapped your Valentine's Day memories yet, have you?

Here's a little help...

Leave a comment to this post telling me what scrapbooking tool is currently your most 'beloved' by Wednesday, February 24th, 11:59 p.m. (CST) and you'll be entered for a chance to win the complete Be Loved collection kit from My Mind's Eye!

GOOD LUCK!

:CARD: My hubby's Valentine's Day card...

Here's the card that I made my hubby for Valentine's Day last weekend.

I didn't want to post pics until he had actually opened it and he finally got around to it a few nights ago. (He gets really excited about Valentine's Day...in case you couldn't tell!)

He did seem fairly impressed with the card though once he did open it. I don't really make cards often and I think this might actually be the first one I've made for him specifically.

:GIVEAWAY WINNER: Stretch Your Sketches Winner!

Another chart! :)

To enter the last giveaway for Stretch Your Sketches by Donna Jannuzzi, I asked you answer a question: "What percentage of your layouts would you say start with a sketch?"

While it seems that most of us call on some sketch inspiration only occasionally (36% start with sketches between 0-25% of the time), there are also many of us who just can't get enough. A whomping 39% of commentors use sketches as a starting point for 50% or more of the layouts they create!

However, I won't facinate you with any further facts...I'll just get on with the giveaway. Random.org chose lucky commentor #58 to be the lucky recipient of a free download of Stretch Your Sketches!

Congratulations, Miwa!! How fitting that you seem to be one sketch-lovin' scrapper! Please watch your email inbox for further details on how to claim your prize!

Stay tuned for more great reviews and giveaways coming soon! In the meantime check out Stretch Your Sketches and all the other great eBook titles available at Ella Publishing Co.

:PRODUCTS: New Basic Grey

One company that I forgot to mention in the excitement of all the new releases a few weeks ago was Basic Grey. Yes, I know. How could I possibly forget Basic Grey?

They are releasing FIVE new collections - Green at Heart, Kioshi, Cappella, Max & Whiskers and One Size Fits All.

I can't just pick one, so my THREE favorites are Cappella, Max & Whiskers and One Size.

READER RESPONSE:

How about you? Which is your favorite new Basic Grey collection?

:LAYOUT: Valentines in 3D

Valentine's Day has passed, but unfortunately all the candy that Kaitlin brought home is still hanging around and tempting me!

Things were so busy around Valentine's Day this year that I didn't get any pictures of Kaitlin filling out Valentine's for her class. Are you in the same boat? It doesn't have to stop you from scrappin' the holiday.

Here's layout I completed for Valentine's Day last year...look, no photos in site! However, I did include some super-cute Valentine's Day cards that Kaitlin received!

Journaling:

We didn’t get any great pictures for Valentine’s this year, but Kaitlin did get some pretty cool Valentines! Looks like she’s got a few little boyfriends from all the bugs and dinosaurs that filled her bag!

Supplies:
Adhesive: Duck
Cardstock: Bazzill
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey
Alpha Stickers: Basic Grey
Stickers: Basic Grey
Corner Punch: Marvy
Ink: Colorbox
Pen: American Crafts, Signo

:REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Stretch Your Sketches from Ella Publishing (CONTEST CLOSED)

Personally, there are two Becky's that made me fall in love with using sketches - Becky Higgins and Becky Fleck - and I'm sure I'm not the only one that uses sketches as a valuable tool in their scrapbooking.

While I don't start every layout with a sketch, they have helped me out in more than a few cases of scrapper's block.

However, there could be no more worthy author of Ella Publishing's newest eBook offering - Stretch Your Sketches. Author Donna Jannuzzi states in her introduction, "I start every single layout with a sketch."

In the book, she offers seven sketches starting at one photo and working the way up to a seven-photo layout. Each of these sketches includes three layout examples. The first one always follows the sketch exactly while the other two (one 12 x 12 and one 8 1/2 x 11) examples show how to 'stretch the sketch'. In all, there are 14 variations to give you ideas for how to start with a sketch, but end up with a layout that is uniquely your own.

At the end of the eBook, there is a 'Sketch Gallery' that includes two more variations of each of the seven sketches AND a 'Bonus Sketch' section that includes 18 of the authors favorite sketches. So there are actually THIRTY-NINE sketches included in this great eBook!

If you are a lover of sketches, this eBook is a must-have for your inspiration library.

Contributors for this book include Jodie McNally, Monica McNeill, Barb Wong, Tami Morrison, Lisa Kisch, Linda Barber, Noel Culbertson, Pam Young, Margie Scarpignato, Katie Scott, and Kathy Thompson Laffoley.

To check out the other great Ella Publishing Co. eBooks, check out their website.

GIVEAWAY:

Would you like to win a free download of Stretch Your Sketches by Donna Jannuzzi? To enter, leave a comment below answering the following question by Friday, February 19th, 2010, 11:59 p.m.:

What percentage of your layouts would you say start with a sketch? Please choose one of these percentage ranges:

0-25%
26-50%
51-75%
75-100%

Random.org will select the winner on Saturday. Be sure to come back to find out if you've won!

GOOD LUCK!!

:QUOTES: on LOVE according to Aquinas, Mother Teresa & Viscott

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS:
"The things we love tell us what we are."

MOTHER TERESA:
"There are no great things. Only small things with great love. Happy are those."

DAVID VISCOTT:
"To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides."

:LINKS: More digi freebies and downloads for Valentine's Day

I know these are kind of last minute, but I ran across these all within the last few days and still wanted to share. If it's too late for your projects this year, then you can save them in your stash for next year...although I'm betting I'm not the only one that still has a Valentine's Day project or two to finish up.

While these cute tags from Love. Obsess. Inspire aren't necessarily Valentine Day's specific, they certainly could fit the bill. The other fun feature about them is that you can actually customize them with your name before printing which makes them even easier to add to your gifts or other projects quickly.

Here's a great little coloring page for you kids (or you!) from Vale Design. The colored result could be an adorable accent to a Valentine's Day layout about your child. Too big? Scan and resize it.

These DIY Valentine's from A Field Journal are simple, yet sweet!

Sweet Agent Josephine has these wonderful printable Valentine's available for free download. Just print and trim!

How about these super cute tags from Studio Calico?

Scrapbook Trends blog has another lovely free digital kit available for free download. Not exactly what you would consider traditional colors, but it's actually a refreshing change.

If you like these, but missed my Valentine's Day freebies and printables list from earlier in the week, you can check it out here.

Also, don't miss the word art freebies of my own design that I posted on Thursday.

:WORD ART: Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is only a few days away. So, here a Valentine's gift from me to you. Use these wordart creations on your cards, layouts or other crafting projects.

Downloand here.

Download here.

Download here.

I do hope that you enjoy them and would love to see any creations that you might create using them. Leave a link or send me a email and I might even feature your project here on the A Matter of Memories blog!

:LAYOUT: I 'heart' this face

Here's a layout in the spirit of Valentine's Day for you!

Did I mention yesterday that one of my favorite color combinations right now is red and turquoise? Well, I also love adding pink into that mix!

To utilize space better, I overlapped the two supporting photos and part of the title over the empty area of the main photo.

I created the custom text background (THIS FACE...) in Microsoft Word and I printed in pink on pink cardstock to create a tone on tone effect.

(Click for a larger view.)

Supplies:
Adhesive: Duck
Cardstock: Bazzill
Patterned Paper, Die Cuts: Fancy Pants
Rub ons: 7 Gypsies
Chipboard: American Crafts
Ink: Colorbox
Scallop Trimmer: Fiskars
Pen: Zig
Font: Impact

:FIVE FAVES: A little digi love for Valentine's Day...

First off, if you follow my blog, I think you'll know that I'm not a digi scrapper. However, there are so many great digital scrapbooking products out there that I think they deserve their own highlight now and then.

Also, even if you're a traditional scrapper like me, that doesn't have to stop you from adding a little digi to your layouts now and then. Most digi papers and elements are easily printable for inclusion on your traditional layouts. Even better, they can also often be customized before printing to coordinate perfectly with the project at hand.

Here are a few of my favorite Valentine's Day themed digi items currently available over at Two Peas.

#1 - Love One Another ADD-ON Papers By Jen Martakis

There is also a larger coordinating kit that goes along with this particular digital paper pack, but I just LOVE the intersecting circle design on these. Also take into account that turquoise and red is one of my current fav color combinations and you've got a winner in my book!

#2 - Love You Quick Page by Shimelle Laine

OR, if you want to give digital scrapbooking a go...the easy way...pop a few photos into this finished digital template and your done! Undoubtably the fastest page you'll ever complete! If you want a copy to add into your album, you can order it through a site like http://www.scrapbookpictures.com/ that specializes in scrapbooker friendly sizes.

#3 - The Month of February by Hero Arts

Here's a few super simple, yet super cute, images that would be great to use as titles or page embellishments.

  

#4 - Winter Love Notes Digital Stickers By Holly Brooke Jones

Every scrapbooker loves stickers!! Print these out on sticker paper, cut out and you're good to go!

#5 - Write it Down Lovely Labels by Shimelle Laine
Journaling is a big part of most of my layouts, so it's always fun to have a cute spot to write your thoughts.

One thing to keep in mind with digital scrapbooking elements is that most providers often offer two levels of purchase - personal and commercial. If you are just planning on using the items for your personal projects, the personal license will be just fine for you. However, if you are planning on using them for cards or other items that you might sell for profit, you'll want to purchase the item under the commercial license. Really, it's still a good investment as you can use the elements an unlimited number of times (unlike traditional scrapbooking products).

:REVIEW: Crumpler's $8 Million Home

Crumpler is a well-known name in the world of camera bags – and for good reason!

I recently had the opportunity to review their $8M Home and it really is a great option for any professional or serious amateur photographer with a DSLR, a few lenses and other photography gear which needs to be toted around safely.

It features a water resistant shell in four stylish color combinations. The entire bag is very well padded and the interior dividers are configurable to suit your photo gear needs. There are also 6 pockets for various accessories. The adjustable shoulder strap is padded for extra comfort (camera gear can get HEAVY, after all) and it even sports a removable 13” laptop sleeve for those of you that like to do your editing on the go.

One new (and wonderful) feature of the $8M Home is the Velcro silencer which allows you to be a little more stealth during your photo excursions. This might not seem like that big of a deal, but sometimes it can make all the difference in creating natural portraits if it isn’t announced to the entire room every time your camera (or a lens…or a flash…) comes out of your bag.

Another thing that is great about this bag is that it does allow for vertical storage of a camera body WITH a lens attached. A great feature if you like to be ready to shoot quickly.

Personally, I love the look of this bag. The messenger-style, low-profile design is just a little bit trendy and the color options are great. At the moment, it's a little overkill in terms of my personal camera gear, but I hope to grow into it, so to speak.

If you’re looking for a sturdy, yet good looking, camera bag, this might be just the one for you! However, if this ones size doesn't quite suit your needs, Crumpler has a wide range of options within their product line. All the sizes and specs are available on their website.

:LINKS: Digital freebies and printables just in time for some Valentine's Day fun...

If you're looking for some beautiful freebies to help you out in creating some lovely Valentine's Day layouts, decor or treats, the web is a wonderful place to find a few heart-filled freebies perfect for the holiday of love!

This free digital patterned paper collection by Jeri Huish is just darling and available through the Scrapbook Trends blog.

The Rubber Punkin has these sweet little Valentine's tags to offer.

I'm going to be using these lollipop labels by Aly Dosdall to create some super-simple treats for our student workers this Valentine's Day!

Martha Stewart offers this hand-cut heart pattern that would make some simply stunning wall art for your home or to use as an embellishment on a crafting project.

How about a heart banner to decorate your child's room on Valentine's Day? Download the design and follow the directions offered on the Kind Over Matter blog.

Here's a few more lovely tags from Winks & Daisies.

And one more simple, yet elegant, Valentine's Day treat. Cover some mini chocolate bars with these darling little wrappers from Nice Package.

Have you found any other sweet freebies in your online meanderings lately? Please share a little link love in the comments below!

:GIVEAWAY WINNER: A Year in the Life by Write.Click.Scrapbook from Ella Publishing

Thanks for all the great comments to the review for A Year in the Life eBook by Write.Click.Scrapbook from Ella Publishing! It was so much fun to read about why each of you love your month of choice.

As I was reading them, I thought, "Hey, it would be neat to chart this and see which month's come out on top." (Boy, I didn't realize that I was such a nerd!)

So, here's the chart...

I was a little surprised that no one seems to love the love month...poor February...but every other month seems to have some devoted fans.

Not surprisingly, June, the beginning of the summer season, is loved by many. However, the months containing the end-of-year holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) seem to tower above the rest of the year when considered collectively.

This actually gave me an idea for a layout...how about scrapping a family layout that records each member's favorite month of the year and includes journaling in their own words?! Could be fun!!

Anyway, without further statistical ado, the winner of a free download of A Year in the Life is...

...lucky commentor #39! Congrats, Debbie!! Watch your inbox for futher details on how to claim your prize...

Stay tuned for more great reviews and giveaways coming soon!