:REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Starting Points by Linda Harrison

UPDATE: The winners have been announced. Find out who the two lucky winners were here.

Starting Points: Creating Meaningful Scrapbook Layouts From Whatever Inspires You by Linda Harrison is a great inspirational resource!

The book actually reminded me a little bit of my favorite section in The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker - the PROCESS of scrapbooking.

The entire focus of Starting Points is on the process one takes as a scrapbooker, the different aspects by which we are inspired to create, and how to maximize on that form of inspiration.

The book is divided into 4 main chapters:

Chapter 1: Now that captures it!

This chapter looks at photos as the initial inspiration for our scrapbook pages. Personally, I would have to say that this is most often my starting point and I'm sure I'm not alone. However, this chapter goes beyond simply discussing using your photos to determine your color palette. It also delves into ways to look at your photos to also inspire creative design, techniques and more!

Chapter 2: Wait until you read this!

This chapter is all about the words that we add to our pages. Whether it's in the form of a list, a narrative, a conversation, etc. - journaling in all its various and creative forms can really make a page stand out amongst the crowd. This is probably my second most common starting point. I often write my journaling in narrative format, but love to mix it up with something a little more fun and unique from time to time. This chapter has some great ideas for this.

Chapter 3: Don't you just love it?

For as much as I like to shop for new scrapbooking supplies and as much as I have collected over the years, I would think that the products themselves would be my go-to starting point! However, even though it's not generally my starting point, I know that it is for many scrappers and this chapter delves into how to really maximize our ever-growing product collections for successful layouts!

Chapter 4: Doesn't that look interesting?

I know I've been inspired by some seemingly strange and not-so-strange things over the years - business cards, magazine ads, Target email, clothing, etc. This chapters offers some new and interesting places to look for unconventional inspiration and gives you ideas for how to transfer that inspiration onto a layout.

In addition to Linda's amazing work, the book is also graced with 8 other very talented contributors: Lisa Damrosch, Summer Fullerton, Amy Litch, Ali McLaughlin, Lisa Moorefield, Kim Moreno, Kelly Noel, Denine Zielinski

Within the 128 pages are 120 stunning layouts, all with clearly defined starting points. There are also nearly 7 dozen technique tips scattered throughout the book to further assist the reader in taking inspiration to inspired creation!

WANT TO READ MORE OR PURCHASE?
Visit the Starting Points page at Amazon.com. You can also read more of my reviews for other recommendations.

GIVEAWAY:
I've got TWO COPIES to give away!

To enter, submit your vote in the poll below and then be sure to leave the following in a comment to this post so that I am able to contact you if you win!!

FIRST & LAST NAME:
EMAIL:
CITY, STATE:



Leave your comment by Wednesday, December 17th, 2008, 11:59 PM (CST) in order to be considered to win a FREE copy of Starting Points.

I will announce and contact the random winners via email on Thursday.

(ELIGIBILITY: Only US residents are eligible to win. Sorry...international shipping is just a little too steep for me right now. However, everyone is invited and encouraged to participate in the poll.)

Upcoming Review:
Photographing Children Photo Workshop: Develop Your Digital Photography Talent (Photo Workshop) by Ginny Felch with Allison Tyler Jones