Community Spirit

Have you browsed over to Scrapbookgraphics lately?

With a gorgeous new look and an awesome store Scrapbookgraphics is a great home for you on the web.

Here’s some of the reasons I love coming back daily!

• Each Tuesday at 9pm EST there’s a fun chat with Kate who runs a fun set of games and challenges, and you are rewarded with coupons from from the Studio girl sponsoring! Awesome!
• Miss Behaving has some fun and informative tutorials – seriously they are a hoot!
• Keep an eye on the blog for announcements, weekly features, free gifts and tutorials!
• There’s a pile of fun challenges – I love the Finish a Photobook in 2010 – see my post about it
• A friendly bunch of scrappers in Comments Central

Enjoy some community in your scrapping today and check Scrapbookgraphics out!

Melissa

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PS This post first appeared on the mgl Scraps CT blog

Logging my memories

In an aim to simplify my life in 2010, I decided to combine my scrapping ideas, monthly round-up, diary and journal into one and so the Memory Logbook got put on my wishlist for Christmas 2009. My DH bought the printable version for me and it sits on my desk. After 10 months, I’m still using it, which is a ringing endorsement! I’m jotting down info about my baby’s routine, events and snippets of life for future journalling and being inspired by the weekly challenges. Want to know more?

The Log Your Memory mission is to provide tools, education, inspiration & support for those interested in documenting and sharing the stories of their “real life” through scrapbooking and/or journaling.

The busier & more full the life, the more there is to scrapbook … and the less time to get it done. Rather than hoping stories will be remembered or relying on an unorganized collection of calendars, notes & memorabilia, Log Your Memory offers a system for ensuring memories get documented – easily and consistently.

Our central product is our annual “Memory Logbook” … a datebook/planner consisting of daily and monthly calendar pages, weekly challenge prompts, examples of “real life” layouts, a variety of questionnaires, and lots of room to jot down memories or sketch ideas, all designed to help busy scrapbookers focus on the everyday memories, experiences & pieces of life they most want recorded for future generations, but may not have time to immediately scrapbook. With this information conveniently documented all in one place, it is easily accessible when there IS time to scrap … a wonderful tool to help “jog” the memory and get the creative juices flowing.

Supporting the logbook and the “real life” scrapbooking mission is the Log Your Memory online community at www.LogYourMemory.com.

I thought I’d let you all know about the community too, it’s full of paper and digi scrappers from all over the world! A fun place to hang out.

How do you record bits of life for your scrapping? I love having an all in one tool to help me capture the little things.

Melissa

*affliliate links where possible*

PS This post first appeared on the mgl Scraps CT blog

Simplifying digi-scrapping

I enjoy the daily posts at Simple Scrapper, in my quest for simplifying life this year (my one little word is simplify).

I’ve been joining in Celebrate Monday for the last couple of weeks, it’s a fun way to start the week and maybe write out some journalling to go with a photo to scrap later.

I loved Jen’s series on 21 ways to tell your story. This post about layout inspiration is a great taste of her simple tip-style. Her simple tip topics cover:

• Community
• Organization
• Photography
• Productivity
• Storytelling
• Techniques
• Tools

Jen also has a fan page on Facebook where she asks for input on upcoming topics and ideas are welcome!

Jen also hosts a virtual girls night out for scrapbookers

What is #scrapchat?
#scrapchat is a weekly chat focused on all facets of memory keeping, including paper, digital and hybrid scrapbooking as well as photography and photo albums. Parties will begin  at 9pm central time every Monday in the Simple Scrapper chat room and last approximately one hour. We hope you’ll stop by and say hi!

Next #scrapchat:
Monday, October 4, 2010
Sponsor: Everyday Elements Online
Topic: PSE tips & tricks
Time: 9:00pm central time
Location: Simple Scrapper Chat Room

How do I participate?
Navigate to the Simple Scrapper chat room and log in as a guest or create your own Chatroll account on Monday evenings at 9pm central time.

So if you are looking to fit more actual scrapping into your scrap time I recommend you check out Simple Scrapper!

Melissa

*affliliate links where possible*

PS Photo by ALI EDWARDS

PPS This post first appeared on the mgl Scraps CT blog

Project 365 Fail

Have you got any Project 365/52 photos that have never seen the light of day? Did you start the project and then never complete it?

I certainly did. In 2009 I attempted Project 365, and didn’t take a photo everyday but most days I did. I like to think that instead of a failed Project 365 I have a resource of everday photos for my layouts – a set of stock photos you could say.

Noell from Paperclipping.com also started a project and kept adding metadata to her photos to help with the journalling later.Though she’s not using them in a standard Project 365 way, she’s got some cool ideas here. She is now using the metadata to make some stylish simple summer pages here.

Katie the Scrapbook lady is working on a Backwards Project 365 where she is documenting the story behind a photo each day. What an awesome idea!

As for me, I didn’t end up scrapping Project 365 for 2009 at all. So this year I’m not attempting to do this, but rather I’m working on getting my favourite photos from this project into an album. I’m just highlighting a few of the photos each month using 2 pages spread from a template with a simple journalling box to the side.

Also in 2008 I did a brag book challenge over at Scrapbookgraphics and completed pages for 2007-2008. So I thought I could create an album to take both of these project off my to do list. You can have a sneak peek of my album’s progress here

If the ‘View Photo Book’ button above does not work,
copy and paste the link below into your browser
http://www4.snapfish.com.au/snapfishau/projectshareewelcome/p=685211277109416052/l=4898244019/g=105659315/cobrandOid=1024/otsc=SYE/otsi=SPRJ

I hope I’ve inspired you to take another look at those old projects and maybe something fun can come out of them for you!

Melissa

*affliliate links where possible*

PS This post first appeared on the mgl Scraps CT blog

Ready to leave

2010 10 25_Front yard_0003

Originally uploaded by mshanhun

Our home on a clear October day, roses in full bloom. Only a few more days to spend here in Kalgoorlie.

Katie Inspires me

Katie the Scrapbook Lady is one of my favourite bloggers. Katie’s posts cover everything from an intro to digi-scrapping to guides to holidays throughout the year to a reminder to regulary record our memories plus snapshots of her life. I found Katie at the Daily Digi had to check out her blog.  I just love reading back through her posts using the little related posts icons at the bottom of each post.

Her big stack of printed layouts inspired me to order my first 12×12 prints and it was Katie who introduced me to the Log Your Memory planner.

Why not check out her digi-scrapping Q&As and more here, her review of Photoshop Elements 8.0 or her scrapbooking secrets

Want more Scrapbook Lady???

• Delicious: katiescrapbooklady
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/digiscrap
• Flickr: scrapbooklady
• Goodreads: 1853467
• Other…: http://thedailydigi.com/meet-katie/
• Other…: http://www.theshabbyshoppe.com/scripts/Katie.asp
• Twitter: ktscrapbooklady

I’m glad I found Katie’s blog, and I hope you enjoy reading it too!

Melissa

*affliliate links where possible*

PS All photos from Katie’s site

PPS This post first appeared on the mgl Scraps CT blog

Daily dose of digi inspiration

I just adore The Daily Digi, for over a year now Steph and the team have been writing awesome posts about digital scrapbooking.

If you listen to the Paper Clipping Roundtable you would have heard about Steph’s awesome layout printing reviews, they also have a great tutorial about making your kid’s eyes pop in photos (well anyone’s eyes really!), a roundup of online scrapping classes, power scrapping, and tips about organising your photos and digi supplies

The posts cover all sorts of topics, including:

• Computer Tips and Tricks

• Hybrid Help

• Truly Inspirational

• Photography Class

• The Digi Files

• The UN-digi

• The Write Way

• A Gift For You

• Check it Out!

• Crafty Corner

• Just for Beginners

• A Bright Idea

• SCHOOL of SCRAPPING

• Team Inspiration

You can also catch The Daily Digi on Twitter and Facebook.

Melissa

*affliliate links where possible*

PS This post first appeared on the mgl Scraps CT blog

Purple is a Death Sentence

There’s a big discussion going on over at the Paperclipping Digi Show about purple and colour in digiscrapping in general – check it out!
I’ve even had a chat about it with my husband Phill and he pointed out I’ve done quite a few purple layouts. So, here’s a few of my purple layouts for everyone to hate! LOL
Some of these date back to my first days of digital scrapbooking, I almost didn’t include them, but then why shouldn’t you all see where I started out from? Click on the image for full credits.
Thankful for small blessings – Scrapbookgraphics.com Gallery

2009 Calendar – Scrapbookgraphics.com Gallery

August Brag Book Right – Scrapbookgraphics.com Gallery

Melissa’s 10th Birthday – Scrapbookgraphics.com Gallery

Friends – Scrapbookgraphics.com Gallery

Our little Star – Scrapbookgraphics.com Gallery

Celebrating 2 years – Birgit Kerr Play Day – Scrapbookgraphics.com Gallery

Meeting Grandad Store – Scrapbookgraphics.com Gallery

Once in a blue moon – Scrapbookgraphics.com Gallery

Lydia’s 15th Card – Scrapbookgraphics.com Gallery

My Sunny Side – Scrapbookgraphics.com Gallery

Another purple success story – by Seth Godin

So don’t let the naysayers put you off!

Actually, an interesting thought is that the colours you scrapbook with are not necessarily your favourites, but rather those colours that match the mood of your story or colours of your photos.
I know there are a lot of passionate purple lovers out there, but I guess they just don’t buy digital scrapbooking kits as much as the purple-ambivalent among us.

Melissa

*affliliate links where possible*

Celebrate Monday – Read!

2010 10 19_Emily’s room_0005.JPG

Originally uploaded by mshanhun

Emily loves reading, and in this photo is looking at her book of rellies! Only a couple of weeks until we move and can see them all in person much more regularly.

Celebrate Monday

I’ve been making the most of our breadmaker, and I made a few rolls. With some spiced, crumbed chicken breast fillets, egg, cheese, pineapple and salad, Phill loved them! Emily even approved of the roll though she didn’t really eat much of the salad.

This post is inspired by Simple Scrapper Celebrate Monday

Melissa

*affliliate links where possible*