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holidays

The Groove December 2008

By

marion-Devyn-Christmas Layout Devyn Christmas 2007 by Marion

Happy Holidays From The Groove!

It’s that time of year again – time to gather with friends and family, deck the halls, prepare and enjoy fabulous food, and celebrate the goodness that is in the world.

Could there be a more precious time of year to remember in gorgeous scrapbook pages? In this issue, you’ll see some of our holiday favorites from Groove readers. We hope they inspire your own festive digi scrapping projects!

As always, we have an awesome freebie and challenge – this month from designer Fiona Storey – to further flex those scrapping muscles (see below)!

And if you need even more scrapping inspiration, we hope you’ll take advantage of our AMAZING coupon for shopping in the Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store (20% off!)- it’s a great time to stock up on kits for the holidays and the year to come! (More details below!)

 

The Joy Of Christmas Past

The holidays bring with them such cherished memories. You probably have a stash of older photos, either in a shoebox, old photo album, or perhaps already scanned onto your ‘puter.  This holiday season, take a break from the hectic pace, and walk down memory lane by scrapping a page or two with a special photo from yesteryear. It’s a great way to recapture the childlike wonder of the season. It may also make a touching gift for someone you love. Enjoy these two gorgeous layouts by scrappers known for their vintage pages, sacannon and Gotart.

 

sacannon-christmas joy layout 

Christmas Joy Layout by sacanoon

 

Gotart - Xmas Heart Layout 

Christmas “Heart” Layout by Gotart

 

Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store: Save 20% off! 

This is a great time to stock up on kits for holiday scrapping, and scrapping in the New Year! When you purchase ANY KIT in the Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store now through December 31, 2008, you’ll save 20% off!

All you need to do is fill your cart with your favorite kits, and enter the coupon code JINGLEBELLS in the coupon code field. You’ll save an amazing 20% off of your order!

Shop and save in the Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store at:

http://www.scrapbookmax.com/digital-scrapbooking-kits/

Use the code JINGLEBELLS all throughout December 2008!

Offer valid only in the Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store and applies to new orders only. Cannot be combined with any other offer.Coupon code JINGLEBELLS must be entered at the time of purchase. Coupon expires December 31, 2008.

 

Holidays in the Booster Pack Store!

The Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store is a great resource for gorgeous, creative kits to suit all of your digi scrapbooking occasions. And that goes for holiday scrapping as well! Just do a simple search for Christmas, Holidays, and other key holiday words, and you’ll see what we mean!

These lovely layouts were made by designers who used their own holiday kits (available in the store) to put them together. Have a look, and imagine the possibilities!

Nativity Layout 

Layout by Siobhan Kite, using her Nativity Kit

Carena -Merry Christmas Layout

Layout by Carena Scott, using her Xmas Wonderland Elements Kit 

Donna Thomas- Merry Christmas Layout

Layout by Donna Thomas, using her Christmas Felt ALpha Kit

 

The Heart of Christmas

It’s a true delight to see children enjoying the holidays. And it’s not just about getting gifts – this is a magical time, somehow. These are times of wondrous stories, sparkling surroundings, and special traditions that children love. And doesn’t seeing the bright eyes of a child remind you of being one yourself? That’s part of the magic!

Below, we feature three layouts that capture the innocence, wonder and heart of being a child during the holidays. Thanks to ValerieElaine, pickngrin, and twpclerk!

 

 ValerieElaine- Christmas-Laurie-Layout  

“Mandy” Christmas Layout by ValerieElaine

 

pickngrin-letter-to-santa-layout

Dear Santa Layout by pickngrin

 

twpclerk-Christmas Snowman Layout

 Snowman Layout by twpclerk

 

Scrapper Profile

Linda S.

Linda S. a.k.a. LSignal

Meet Linda, a.k.a LSignal, a talented digital scrapper, and helpful forum member.  Get to know more about her below, and check out some of her favorite layouts (we love Linda’s creativity!).

Q- If you were an animal, what would you be? Why?
Gosh, I have no idea.  Maybe a cat.  They are independent, smart and beautiful.  My husband is allergic to cats, but we had them growing up.
 
Q- How long have you been digital scrapbooking and what got you started?
I have been digital scrapbooking for about two years.  I can’t remember how I discovered it, but I was hooked after my first page.  I love scrapbooking without the cleanup.  The forum was a fantastic help.  I am always trying to turn my friends on to digital scrapbooking.
 
Q- What are your non-scrapbooking hobbies?
I have gotten into digital photography, recently.  I, also, enjoy my telescope.  I hope to eventually get into astrophotography, but I have a lot to learn.  
 
Q-  Tell us about your family.
I have a husband and two boys, ages (almost) 6 & 8.  We don’t live very close to any other family.
 
Q-  There’s a blank screen in front of you. How do you begin your layout?
That is a hard question.  I start with whatever is exciting me about the project.  Sometimes, I start with an embellishments, but, usually, that means that I put the pictures on a white background and begin searching through my stash of stuff for inspiration.  Then I just work through trial and error.  Hopefully, at some point, the muse speaks, and I get a vision of what I want to create. 
 
Q- Tell us about one layout that you are particularly proud of and why.
 I am not a designer, so I usually work from kits, etc.  Often, my pages reflect the vision of the designer, and not me.  I am most proud of the stuff that I have done that comes from my own sense of creativity. I am very proud of a page I did of my son holding up a trophy.  The embellishments came from a kit, but I feel like I made it my own, and I had to learn new skill in order to make the page.
 
Q- What is the best part about using Scrapbook MAX!?
It is so easy!  I am getting better using photo editing software, but I never use it to actually make a page.  Nothing beats Scrapbook MAX!.
 
Q- Describe your favorite time of year.
Easter is my favorite time of year.  I love the religious significance.  I, also, love Christmas.  Thanksgiving is usually a lot of work 🙂 but my kids love Thanksgiving.

Thanks, Linda!

Check out some of Linda’s lovely layouts below!

LSignal - Pumpkin Festival Layout

 LSignal - Swimming Lessons Layout  

 LSignal - Pinewood Derby Layout

The Groove Monthly Freebie

Challenge! 

 

FST- Timeless Elegance

Timeless Elegance Freebie from Fiona Storey

 

The Freebie Part

Fiona  Storey has generously supplied a an elegant freebie collection that could be used to scrap romance-inspired holiday pages, or any pages requiring a touch of class!

Find the freebies in our Groove Monthly Freebie thread!

The Challenge Part

Here is the challenge, using Fiona’s freebie collection:

Use the freebie background and at least three of the freebie embellishments to make your own elegant layout!

Share your layout in the The Groove’s December 2008 Challenge thread!

December 2008 “Featured Kits”

Love Fiona’s freebie mini-kit? Looking for kits with a similar style?

Below are December’s four featured kits, all by Fiona Storey. Remember, when you use the discount coupon code JINGLEBELLS until December 31, 2008, you’ll receive 20% off your purchase (see details above!)

 

Fiona Storey - Timeless Elegance Kit

Fiona Storey – Timeless Elegance

 

fst-country-christmas.jpg

Fiona Storey – Country Christmas Kit

 

fst-invitation-to-love-kit.jpg

Fiona Storey- Invitation to Love Kit

 

Fiona Storey - Mega Pix Kit

Fiona Storey – Mega Pix Kit

 

Window on a Winter Wonderland

For those of us who live in climates where it snows, there are few things more magical than waking up early to a dazzlingly white, perfectly still winter morning after a snowfall. What a sight it is when each branch looks like it’s been frosted by hand – what a feeling to see the dangling icicles but feel toasty warm inside!

We loved how these two layouts captured the feeling of such a morning! In Michelle’s (wolvsie35) layout, we have a sense of looking in from the crisp winter day, and in Eye’s layout, the wonder of looking out at the white landscape spread before us. Gorgeous!

Wolvsie-Winter Scene Layout 

Winter Layout by wolvsie35 

 

  Eye-Winter Layout

Winter Layout by Eye

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

 

Look for the next issue of The Groove on January 1, 2009.

Not yet signed up for The Groove? Sign up for free today, and get a link to The Groove delivered to your inbox each month. Inspiration, freebies, challenges, scrapper profiles and more await!

The Groove December 2006

By


The Groove

Digital Scrapbooking Inspiration – December 2006

Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store Is Now Open!

After months of making sure it was just right, Scrapbook MAX! has finally opened its Booster Pack Store! Here at The Groove we just want to say…the wait was worth it! You’ll find TONS of highly original digital kits, templates, and embellishments that you can use with Scrapbook MAX! (You can also view new items added to the store in the forums under New Releases). Search by theme or category, or even by your favorite, highly talented Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Designer. You can even sign up to become a Designer yourself!

You’re going to be amazed at the quality and variety of premium content available at the Scrapbook MAX! store- it’s sure to take your digital scrapbooking experience to the next level! We’re so excited to have you browse around that we’re giving you a coupon code for 10% off your order. Simply fill up your virtual shopping cart, and type CHRISTMAS in the field labeled “Coupon Code” before you checkout. How’s that for an incentive? (Hurry – offer ends December 31, 2006!

 

Check out the Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store today!

Digital Scrapbooking Tips

Groovy Tip #1: Slideshow CDs are a great way to share your scrapbook with friends who don’t use email, or who can’t receive large email attachments.

Groovy Tip #2: Align your objects precisely with the Align toolbar. Go to View > Toolbars, and select Align to use the alignment options.

Scrapper Profile

Meet Bob Halberg a.k.a. poppabob. We know Bob for his beautiful work (which often highlights nature settings) and his helpful advice on the Scrapbook MAX! forums. Learn a little more about this very talented “poppa”!

Q- If you were an animal, what would you be? Why?
A- A bear. I think it would be cool to be able to sleep all winter!

Q- How long have you been digital scrapbooking and what got you started?
A- I’ve been digi-scrapping about 3 months or so. It started with a desire to put together a book for my grand-daughters so when they graduate they would have all these memories of when they were younger. I never realized at the start how much fun this hobby was going to be!

Q- What are your non-scrapbooking hobbies?
A- Almost anything to do with computers. I’m a geek. A very large geek. I also like to read and I play the guitar when no one is around.

Q- Tell us about your family.
A- I have the two most wonderful parents anyone could hope to have. I have a wonderful wife with a great sense of humor and who is very supportive of all my “hobbies”. I have 4 children that I can be proud of and 2 grand-daughters that have taught me how to be young again. My sister is a very talented paper scrapper. I bought her a copy of SBM and she just loves it too!

Q- Tell us about one layout that you are particularly proud of and why.
A- I really like the “Sunrise” layout in my gallery. It’s one of my favorite photos and encapsulates how I feel about Mother Nature.

Q- What is the best part about using Scrapbook MAX!?
A – Scrapbook MAX! makes it so easy to try different things and experiment. It’s just plain simple to use without sacrificing features! It allows you to explore the creative aspect of a layout without getting mired down in all the technical details. That and the wonderful, caring and sharing community that came with the program.

Check out some of Bob’s favorite Layouts!

Click on Sunrise, Many Faces, and Home to view larger images.

Interested in being one of The Groove’s profiled scrappers? Write to us at [email protected] for details.

Creative Genius


Holiday Spirit!

Want to celebrate the “true meaning” of Christmas? Why not collect funny and special pictures of your friends and family, and make them each a digital scrapbook that describes memorable experiences together! This scrapbook would also be a great place to tell a special person what you love and admire most about them. Isn’t that what the season is all about?

As always, share via print, email, or CD – a great way to keep in touch during the holidays!

Click here to view larger image

Contest: “Happy Holidays”

The holidays are fast approaching. It’s time once again to decorate, to sing, to eat, to gather with friends and family, and to hope for peace in the world. This month, we are looking for layouts that capture the spirit of the season, past or present. The winning layout will be published in the next issue of The Groove and the winner will receive a groovy prize!

To enter, publish your layout as a JPEG image using the ‘High Quality’ and ‘Web/Email’ options, and upload it to the contest page in the Scrapbook MAX! gallery. All entries will be available for viewing. Contest closes January 1, 2007, Midnight (CST) –the extended deadline means you can use this year’s holiday pics! **Note: You must be a registered member of the Scrapbook MAX! forums to enter this contest. To register for free, click here.

“Thanksgiving” Contest Winner

Click here to view larger image

Congratulations to our “Thanksgiving” contest winner: Nicole N. from Wabasso, MN. This layout perfectly captured the feeling of the fall season and the spirit of thankfulness. We loved the color combinations, clean design, and originality. Marvelous!

EVERYONE outdid themselves this month. The entries were gorgeous and straight from the heart. We’re looking forward to seeing your layouts for next month’s contest (see above for details)!

Inspirations

Pin it down! Add buttons, rivets, and brads to the corners of your pictures or paper scraps to create a “pinned down” look. These embellishments really add to the 3D feel of your digital scrapbook. (A special thanks to Julie C. and Carol D. for supplying these great layouts!)

Click on “First Haircut” and “Jett” to view larger images.

Embellishment Backdrop! Choose your favorite embellishment. Add a blurred effect then make it almost transparent. This blurred figure is now an interesting backdrop image for your page. Make several duplicates and scatter them across your page for a “wallpapered” look.

Click on “Christmas 2005”, “Girl’s Best Friend” and “Graduation” to view larger images.

The Groove Wants You!

Have a Lois Lane complex? Put it to use by contributing to The Groove! We’re always looking for fresh ideas to make The Groove fun and exciting – just like our readers! Tips, musings, inspirations, ingenious scrapbook ideas – if you’ve got ‘em, we’d love to read ‘em! Email The Groove your bright ideas today! Contact us at [email protected].

Next Month in The Groove:

The Groove celebrates Pets! Plus – look for December’s “Happy Holidays” contest winner!

 

 

The Groove Newsletter – August 2006

By

The Groove

Digital Scrapbooking Inspiration – August 2006

In The Groove
They say that a change is as good as a rest. We, your groovy editors, can’t think of a better change than a well-deserved vacation! Of course, holidays have a special place in the hearts of digital scrappers because: vacations = memories = photos= scrapping. We hope you’ll share your favorite holiday layout with all our readers by entering our “On Vacation” page layout contest! (See below for details). Whether you choose to sun yourself on a beach in the south of France, or happily cram yourself into a tent – kids and all – at the local campground, enjoy!
Musings on Vacations
Quick! Pack your bathing suit, flip flops, camera, and sunscreen – it’s time for vacation! For me, vacations come in two varieties. First, I think of road trips filled with car games, maps, and camping gear. These trips always begin with a packing frenzy. Clothes, beach wear, sandals, hats, sunscreen, tents, pillows, coolers, snacks, and excitement – all crammed into a car or camper. Once you arrive, you settle in for relaxing strolls, adventurous bike rides, and evening campfire gatherings. The menu includes hotdogs, roasted marshmallows, and your favorite chips.

Vacations can also mean 8-hour plane rides to fun and exotic destinations! Disney World, France, Italy, Australia, Asia – wherever your dream spot may be… just don’t forget your passport, camera, map, and dictionary. I revel in the tourist role; the hustle and bustle of sightseeing, snapping pictures, gathering memorabilia, and planning the next day’s activities. Don’t you love to collect pamphlets, flags, postcards, and stamps? And of course, trying new restaurants and foods is all part of the package. Then, you return home with souvenirs, great stories, and a thousand pictures!

Digital Scrapbooking Tips

GROOVY TIP#1 : In Scrapbook MAX!, you can quickly change the properties of an object by double-clicking on it.
GROOVY TIP #2: Move objects around your page using your keyboard. Select the object and press one of the cursor keys to “nudge” the object in that direction one pixel at a time.

Scrapper Profile
You might be wondering about the design team that creates the templates included with Scrapbook MAX!. Well, wonder no more! We had an opportunity to sit down and talk with Karin, a truly groovy part of the design team.

Marnie- Karin, what are your hobbies (other than digital scrapbooking of course)?

Karin- Reading, attempting to knit things, and playing with my dog.

M- If you were to create a scrapbook that included the most important people in your life, who would be on those pages?
K- My family, friends and pet – is that cheating? Of course there’s also my large, close, extended family…thank goodness Scrapbook MAX! is so expandable that I can fit everyone in!

M- Where do you find your inspirations?
K- My favorite layouts have been inspired by patterns and funky color combinations that scream “the 70s”. Coffee mugs, placemats, and retro clothing are a great source for scrapbook ideas!

M- Tell us about the three pages from the Scrapbook MAX! templates that you are most proud of and why.
K- Page 1 of Baby Boy – I love the soft colors that are perfect for baby, and the little blue footprints!

Page 1 of Imagination – I think bright, primary colors are so fun for kids. And who doesn’t like dinosaurs?
Page 3 of Olden Days – My grandma’s old photo albums, the ones with the black pages and faded, sepia-toned photographs, inspired this album.

M- In one sentence, tell us what you think is the best feature of Scrapbook MAX!.
K- Point, click, scrap – perfect!

M- Finally, tell us about the scrapbook project(s) you are currently working on.
K- A dinosaur-themed scrapbook for my hilarious godson, and a “travel diary” of a recent trip to Victoria, B.C. with my husband.

Creative Genius
Digi scrappers are famous for “thinking outside the page”. Every month, we feature examples of imaginative uses of digital scrapbooking. Read on and get inspired!

“I use Scrapbook MAX to communicate my son’s milestones to Grandma and Grandpa who live far away. Just last month, my son started walking. I made a three-page scrapbook filled with footprints and ‘hoorays’. After receiving the “My First Steps” album through email, my mom called to say that she didn’t feel so far away!”

– submitted by a groovy Scrapbook MAX! user

Contest: “On Vacation”

Vacations are often the highlight of the entire year. They’re fun, exciting, and rejuvenating! The Groove wants to see your favorite vacation page for this month’s “On Vacation” contest, no matter where you’ve been or what you’ve seen! The winning layout will be published in the next issue of The Groove and the winner will receive an official Scrapbook MAX! mousepad!

To enter, publish your layout as a JPEG image using the ‘High Quality’ and ‘Medium size’ options, and upload it to the contest page in the Scrapbook MAX! gallery. All entries will be available for viewing. Contest closes August 24, 2006, Midnight (CST). Good luck! **Note: You must be a registered member of the Scrapbook MAX! forums to enter this contest. To register for free, click here.

July 2006 “Summer Fun” Contest Winner

Click here for a larger view

Congratulations to our “Summer Fun” contest winner: Julie C. from Nashville, Tennessee! We loved Julie’s summery colors, cool pattern combinations, and her fantastic use of layering. Thanks, Julie, for your fun and inspiring layout!
And thanks to everyone for your fabulous entries. Picking one winner was a challenge! We’re looking forward to seeing what you all come up with for next month’s contest (see above for details).
Inspirations

Behind the Scenes. Do you tend to snap a lot of “scenery” pictures – rolling hills, interesting trees, beautiful sunsets? Use one of these pictures to make an attractive page background. Just enlarge the picture to fit the page. Then, right-click and choose Effects > Blur or > Gauze. If you’d like, you can adjust the opacity bar to make the image more transparent. Then lock the picture to your page. It’s that easy!

Click these links to see larger “Hawaii” and “Sunsets” images.

Embellishment Rainbow. Found the perfect embellishment, but it doesn’t match your page’s color scheme? Simply use the Advanced Effects to alter the color. Right-click on the object, choose Effects > Advanced, and click on “Adjust Color”. Then slide the bars to adjust hue, saturation, and lightness until you get the right look!

Click these links to see larger “Dog Bone” and “Dog Bone With Color Adjusted” images.

The Groove Wants YOU!

Have a Lois Lane complex? Put it to use by contributing to The Groove! We’re always looking for fresh ideas to make The Groove fun and exciting – just like our readers! Tips, musings, inspirations, ingenious scrapbook ideas – if you’ve got ‘em, we’d love to read ‘em! Email The Groove your bright ideas today! Contact us at [email protected]
Next month:

The Groove celebrates Back to School. Plus – look for August’s “On Vacation” contest winner!