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The Groove September 2012

By

Fall - DaraD

A lovely layout from a past Groove Challenge (February 2008)

In the Groove

**The Groove is moving to a new home!**

Beginning next month, your favorite scrapbooking newsletter is taking on a new and exciting format – on Facebook! You’ll still find all your favorite features: great scrapbooking tips and tricks, digital freebies, scrapbooking challenges, outstanding layouts by Scrapbook MAX! community members, spotlights on designers and scrappers, and more. But best of all, with our new Facebook format, instead of getting one monthly newsletter, you’ll be getting scrapbook inspiration and news posted several times a week for scrapbooking fun all month long!

Now, get even more “groove” right now on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/scrapbookmax – there’s already tons of content to explore. Be sure to “like” us in order to make sure you’re getting all the most recent updates – and don’t forget to tell your friends!

Thank you to all our loyal readers who have tuned in to The Groove each month since 2006. Throughout this issue, we’re featuring some spectacular layouts from past Groove contest for you all to enjoy!

Happy Scrapping!
The Groove Editors 🙂

Memories of Goin’ Retro

Retro - Fiona Storey

Remember this fun and funky contest from March 2007? We loved looking through all your great “yesterday” layouts, especially the Groove-y ones! 🙂

Scrapbook MAX! Designer Profile

Carolyn Ritter
Meet Carolyn Ritter, a “new” Scrapbook MAX! Digital Kit Designer, – although she has been making gorgeous designs since 2007. We’re so glad to have Carolyn aboard! If you haven’t already checked out Carolyn’s ever-expanding category in the store, now is the time! Combining a love of craft, an ability to design on many themes, and an obvious flair for color, Carolyn’s designs are sure to inspire your projects! In fact, Carolyn has shared a beautiful fall-themed freebie for you to enjoy, and a fun challenge to get you scrapping (read on for more details). Learn a bit more about Carolyn now as she introduces herself in her own words.

I’m a mom of two young adult children, a pastor’s wife and a crafter. I have always loved all types of crafts — sewing, crocheting, knitting — you name it, I liked it. So, of course, when scrapping became popular, I was right there with everyone else. I was a traditional paper scrapper for many years (and still scrap that way occasionally since I have so many things to use up).

However, I have also enjoyed working on my computer. When I found digital scrapping, I knew it was a “match made in heaven”. LOL!! But my love for the two combined didn’t stop there. I loved all the digital kits that were out there, but I just never seemed to have what I needed for my layout. That’s when I decided to really learn my program and become a designer. That was back in very early 2007. I thoroughly enjoy what I do and look forward to many more years of designing.

I enjoy creating most any type of kit and there are many things that inspire me. However, I think that my favorite ones are seasonal kits, especially fall and winter as those two seasons are my faves. As I get more kits uploaded to the store, more of those types of kits will be there. I have lots of ideas for future kits, including a wedding series. I’m excited about being part of this community!

And we’re excited to have you with us, too! Thanks, Carolyn! 😉

The Groove Monthly Freebie Challenge

Welcome Fall Freebie

Get involved in a fun challenge to expand your scrappin’ skills – and get a fun freebie in the process! This month, designer Carolyn Ritter has supplied a fabulous fall freebie that you’re going to love. The challenge is to make not one but two layouts, one on a fall theme, and one re-colored for a different seasons. Click here to get the freebie, the challenge details, and to get started!

Christmas Past
Christmas - Nannybernie

We’ve certainly had some beautiful Christmas and Holiday layouts submitted for Groove Challenges over the years! This is one of our favorites from December of 2009 by nannybernie. Feels like Christmas in September, doesn’t it? 🙂

Get a Discount on Featured Scrapbooking Kits

Love the style of Carolyn’s freebie above? You can get 10% off of four of Carolyne’s kits this month (pictured below) available in the Featured Content section of our store! All you need to do is add the kits to your cart, and use the coupon discount code CAR-SEP. Applies only to the kits found in the Featured Content section of our store, new orders only. Offer expires September 30, 2012.

Coffee - Embellishments
Coffee Backgrounds
Keep On Truckin
Bundle of Joy - Girl
New Releases in the Scrapbook MAX! Kit and Templates Store

Great new kits are added to the Scrapbook MAX! Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Templates Store each month. Below is just a small sample of some of new kits recently added to the store by various designers:

Fun in the Sun III – Sandrine Boarqueiro-Verdun

Fun in the Sun


New Orleans – Amanda Wittenborn

New Orleans


By Frog Pond – Carena Scott

By Frog Pond

Goodbye – and Hello!
Summer Fun - Julie Clark

This layout was The Groove’s very first content winner, all the way back in July of 2006! What a gorgeous summer layout by Julie C. – it still inspires today (isn’t that the great thing about scrapbooking? Keeping memories and moments alive)!

Well, we’ve had some great times as a monthly publication! We hope you’ll join us for our new chapter on Facebook as an even better, more interactive, more news and inspiration packed “scrapbook groove”!

Be sure to Like us on Facebook and tell your friends today. And…stay Groove-y!

– The Groove Editors 🙂

The Groove July 2012

By

Day At the Park

In the Groove

Summer time has arrived! Time to scrap days at the beach, long afternoons on the porch, summer hikes, games and other adventures! To get you all inspired, we’ve kicked off this issue with Kimmyann’s Day at the Park. Love those summery, watermelon-like colors that evoke the tastes of summer!

You’ll also find a scrapper profile focusing on Scrapbook MAX! designer extraordinaire Fiona Storey. Fiona’s giving away a summer freebie, too along with a fun challenge. You’ll also find a discount on featured kits, and more layouts to inspire your summer scrapping!

ONE MORE THING! There’s a HUGE summer sale going on in the Scrapbook MAX! Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Templates Store! Read on to see how you can save a whopping 20% off your orders this month!

HUGE SUMMER SALE ON DIGITAL KITS!

From now until July 31, 2012 you can get 20% off on orders of $10 or more in the Scrapbook MAX! Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Templates Store. Choosing from any of the kits and templates in our store, simply add at least $10 worth of products to your cart, and type in the code SUMMER exactly as shown in the coupon code box before completing your order. This is a great time to stock up on kits for all your summer scrapbook projects!

Check out what’s new and cool, use the coupon code, and save!

Note: Offer applies only to digital kits and templates sold in the Scrapbook MAX! Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Templates Store, on orders of $10 or more. Coupon code must be typed in before checking out. Valid on new orders only, expires July 31, 2012.

Scrapbook MAX! Designer Profile

Meet Fiona Storey, a Scrapbook MAX! Digital Kit Designer, frequent challenge host, and an inspiring and helpful force in the Scrapbook MAX! community since the year it all began, in 2006! Get to know a bit more about Fiona and what inspires her to dream and create her signature designs. Fiona has also picked a few layouts of YOURS that she thought deserved the spotlight. And, she’s sharing a fun-in-the-summertime freebie and challenge with you! Thanks for sharing, Fiona! 🙂

Fiona Storey
I have only been designing since 2006. It all came about by accident, but then the best things always do! I was looking for a way to re-size my embellishments to fit on the handcrafted card I was designing, found Scrapbook MAX!and with hours I was totally hooked!
My designs have changed so much over the years, but I can not say I actually have a ‘style’ as such. I see a photo, an embellishment or more often than not a page that someone has scrapped and I go from there. My head is constantly buzzing with new ideas (most I never get around to making!)
My favourite scrapbook styles are vintage and romantic looking. I love flowers, lace, ribbons, bows and pearls, anything pretty and cute too!
My favourite all time designer is Silvia Romeo. I spend hours trying to design like her. She definitely challenges me to make new items and look at things in a different way. She really does the vintage look perfectly!
Currently I have several projects on the go (confused chaos works for me lol). I am working on a kit for the guys, a vintage kit, and I have something in the pipeline which is bright and cheerful. Diversity is always fun!

Some of Fiona’s favourite pages by other Scrapbook MAX!-ers

This one is by Eye (Irene) – I love her style. She takes a kit and totally transforms it into her own unique style. She has given me so many great ideas for embellishments over the years just by the way she can think outside the box.

Granmas Roses

This is by Marion. I just love her sense of humour. She can tell a complete story on her pages with little effort.

Pisa

Finally, there’s this one by Lindaathome. She is a scrapping machine! I love the diversity of her pages. Every single one is well thought out and balanced.

Delightful Denim
The Groove Monthly Freebie Challenge
Summer Fun Freebie

Each month a designer shares a freebie with Groove Readers and challenges you do to something fun with it! Find Fiona’s “Summer Fun” freebie and challenge here!

Save on Featured Scrapbooking Kits

This is your chance to get a few of our profiled designer Fiona Storey’s favorite kits at a great discounted price! Four of Fiona’s kits (pictured below) will be featured in our store all month long, and you can get them for 20% off! All you need to do is go to the Featured Content section, add $10 worth of kits to your cart and type in the coupon code SUMMER (mix and match featured kits and anything else in the store for your $10 order!).

Offer expires July 31, 2012 – full details above!

Island Cruise
Tea For Two
Garden Dreams
Sunshine and Showers
July 2012 Challenges

There’s always something going on in the Scrapbook MAX! Challenges and Contests Forum! Here’s what to keep your eyes open for:

July Challenge Schedule

July 1-31, 2012 – The Groove Monthly Freebie Challenge (Fiona a.k.a. Angelwithin)

July 1-31, 2012 – Designer Monthly Challenge (KapiScrap or KapiColors a.k.a Sandrine)

July 1-31 2012 – look for Michelle McCoy’s “Scrappin’ Challenges”

…plus there just may be an extra challenge or two in the mix!

GREAT DEAL ON SUMMER KITS!
Summer Vacation Pack

It’s one of the greatest digital scrapbooking deals going! The ‘Summer Vacation’ Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 Expansion Pack has everything you need to make awesome summer pages – professionally designed summer-themed template pages, paper scraps, embellishments, and backgrounds! It’s packed with digital content valued at over $100 – and it’s yours for only $19.95!

Check out the What’s Included page to see everything you get.

Please note that the Summer Vacation Expansion Pack requires Scrapbook MAX! 2.0.

Plunge Into Summer!

We love this mermaid-themed by Letha! How cool is this? Makes us want to dive right in and go swimming!

The Mermaids

Look for the next issue of The Groove on August 1, 2012!

The Groove June 2012

By

Purple Dream

In the Groove

Another edition of The Groove is here, packed with a scrapper profile, great discounts, freebies, challenges and more!

We’re starting things off with a dazzling layout from Scrapbook MAX! community member Aussie Annette above to get you all inspired. Sometimes its tempting – and absolutely just right – to pack your layouts with color. Other times, one color is just as dramatic. It can really make a statement. Thanks, Annette!

Scrapbook MAX! Designer Profile

KapiScrap

Meet Sandrine Boarqueiro-Verdun, a Scrapbook MAX! Digital Kit Designer, frequent challenge host, and very helpful member of our Scrapbook MAX! community! Below, you’ll get to know Sandrine a bit better, enjoy a few of her favorite layouts and comments by those who use her kits in their pages. Plus, she’s sharing an AWESOME freebie and challenge with you! Enjoy – and thanks, Sandrine! 🙂

Hello Dear Groove Readers!

Let me introduce myself to those of you who don’t know me yet. My name is Sandrine aka KapiScrap (or KapiColors). I was born the month of October to the last century (LOL) in Versailles, France. I have been living in the South West of France (in the “cassoulet” country) for more than 12 years.

I created my own company in 2000 at this period. I work in the development and testing (quality) software area. Two years ago I created KapiScrap & Art, which focuses on the digital scrapbooking industry. The organization has three main activities: scrapbooking kits design, resale of Scrapbook MAX! on the French market, and training courses. If memory serves, I discovered digital scrapbooking at the end of 2009.

I’m married and I have two adorable kids: 6 and almost 10. They are, of course, my favorite models, but they are also a great source of inspiration. I’m very lucky as the youngest one loves striking poses for the photos and dressing up, leaving me with plenty of photos for different themes.

Many of my kits are kid themed since my kids are my favorite subject to scrap, and also because I like funny stuff, but not solely. During the day I work on very serious and critical topics, so when I design a kit I like getting swept away in funny characters like Mr. & Mrs. Bunnies in Hoppy Easter, my little Reindeer in Reindeer Village, or the friendly penguin in Winter Fun Penguin Style.

Winter Fun Penguin Style

Before starting to draw the items of a kit or creating papers, I think a kit as a *whole*: the style, the pallet, and I list the items. We are two persons designing at KapiScrap, so we also share the tasks as we draw everything from scratch and some items require several hours to be designed; an example is the bat in Witches Brew, or very sophisticated items like the beater in Baking Memories. My colleague (and husband) is a really great designer who has an eye for detail so for the very sophisticated items he is the right person. Some kits like Forever Adorable I & II, Hoppy Easter, Winter Fun Penguin Style though are 100% me, and I always insist that we design everything from scratch, so that means that our kits are unique.

Baking Memories

I have loads of ideas for themes… but I don’t always have enough time to design all the kits. That being said,I have asked some members of my CT to describe my “designer” work as they are the best persons to describe my style, as they work with it regularly. My girls Monkey Musing, Tigroune and Tin Tin had this to say:

“Fun, playful, colorful hand drawn elements that scream out are different from everyone else’s work. You don’t use CU items so your items are unique to only your kits. Plus your kits and templates are well thought out. You have an eye for detail which is why your work is refreshing.”

“Each of your kits has its own exclusive items which are very well designed with any detail. Your kits are always very comprehensive. What I definitively love in your kits is that they are unique, you can’t find your items in any other kits, and the quality of each item allows to print any page for a perfect result”.

Forever Adorable II

“I love that you have a lot of papers and shapes that can really make someone use their imagination, and I love that your kits are bilingual, I think that is one of the features that makes you stand out. Also you are not afraid of colors in your kits. Your templates are real original with the circle shapes…”

Thanks, Sandrine for sharing your designer story and for sharing lovely images and comments on your work! It was great to get to know a bit more about the person behind the beautiful digital scrapbooking kit and template designs!
– The Groove Editors

A couple of Sandrine’s favorite layouts (with her favorite models!):

Forever Adorable Page
"Kids" Page

Get a Discount on Featured Scrapbooking Kits

Sweet Summertime

Love this kit and the three kits showcased in Sandrine’s profile above? They are the feature kits in our store all month long, and you can get them for 10% off! All you need to do is add them to your cart, and use the coupon discount code SAB-JUN. Applies only to the kits found in the Featured Content section of our store, new orders only. Offer expires June 30, 2012

The Groove Monthly Freebie Challenge
Sweet Springtime

Each month a designer shares a freebie with Groove Readers and challenges you do to something fun with it! Find Sandrine’s “Sweet Springtime” freebie and challenge here!

June 2012 Challenges

There’s always something going on in the Scrapbook MAX! Challenges and Contests Forum! Here’s what to keep your eyes open for:

June Challenge Schedule

June 1-30, 2012 – The Groove Monthly Freebie Challenge (Sandrine a.k.a. KapiColors)

June 1-30, 2012 – Designer Monthly Challenge

June 15-31, 2012 – Mid-Month Challenge (Deanne Gow-Smith – approximate start date is the 15th)

New Releases in the Scrapbook MAX! Kit and Templates Store

Great new kits are added to the Scrapbook MAX! Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Templates Store each month.

Below is just a small sample of some of new kits recently added to the store by various designers:

Fiona Storey – Sentimental Punk:

Sentimental Punk

Katie Castillo – My Birthday Boy Cluster Frames:

My Birthday Boy Cluster Frames

Deanne Gow-Smith – Laura Jane:

Laura Jane
Shades of Purple
Sweet Springtime

Another almost-all-purple layout, this one from Scrapbook MAX! member Tigroune. While using one color can make a dramatic statement, it can also convey sweet simplicity and the perfect backdrop for a great photo like this one. Purple-licious!

Look for the next issue of The Groove on July 1, 2012!

February 2012 Challenges and Freebies

By

Michelle McCoy - Groove Freebie

In this month of Valentines, share your love of scrapbooking by joining a scrapbooking challenge!

Michelle McCoy – The Groove February 2012 Monthly Challenge (Freebie Mini kit!)

Challenge theme: Colorize to match the included swatch, and make original embies using included papers and your own shapes.

—————————————————————————————–
Deanne Gow-Smith – Moonbeam’s Mid-Month Challenge

Challenge theme: Starts on or around February 15, 2012

——————————————————————————————
Sandrine Boarqueiro – Designer Monthly Challenge

Challenge theme: Starts on or around February 1, 2012

——————————————————————————————
Michelle McCoy – Look for Michelle’s ongoing Scrappin’ Challenges

Chock full of freebies, prizes and great scrapbooking ideas!

The Groove November 2011

By

In the Groove

The sun is golden and the air is crisp -there’s something special about the great outdoors at this time of year! This month, The Groove is helping you to jump into autumn as though it is a great big pile of leaves!

First, we have some great featured layouts from our gallery showing off some fun in the fresh fall air – like lindaathome’s spirited layout above!

Next, we have details about an all-new Thanksgiving Expansion Pack for Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 – read on to learn how you can get over $100 worth of Thanksgiving and fall-themed digital scrapbooking content for only $14.95!! (details below!).

Last but not certainly least, we have a GORGEOUS freebie kit and challenge from designer Carena Scott – that and more layouts and kit showpages to get you inspired to scrap the season!

NEW! Family Thanksgiving “Mega” Expansion Pack

Introducing the NEW! Family Thanksgiving Expansion Pack for Scrapbook MAX! 2.0. This is a richly colored and versatile collection of Thanksgiving and fall-themed digital scrapbooking kits and coordinating templates. Sold separately, you would pay over $100 for everything included. But during the month of November 2011, you can get it for the special introductory price of only $14.95 US by using the link below!

Click here to learn more, and to find the Buy Now button to get this fantastic price!

Family Thanksgiving includes ten premium digital scrapbooking kits and 44 unique template pages. Themes such as Harvest, Family Album, Travel, Thanksgiving Cards, and Fall Country make this collection a must-have for scrapping family, friends, and autumn moments. Offer ends November 30, 2011 – so be sure to hurry!

Special introductory pricing ends November 30, 2011. Use the special link to get this discount. Applies to new orders only. Cannot be combined with any other discounts or offers. Family Thanksgiving requires Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 software.

**See Sample Layouts Below Using the NEW Family Thanksgiving Expansion Pack!**

From Katie Castillo’s “Autumn Burst” (Family Thanksgiving Expansion Pack):

From Michelle McCoy’s “Harvest” (Family Thanksgiving Expansion Pack):

From Fiona Storey’s “Its All Relative” (Family Thanksgiving Expansion Pack):

SALE ON THE HALLOWEEN FUN EXPANSION PACK – EXTENDED UNTIL NOV. 5, 2011!

Did you miss out on our introductory offer for “Halloween Fun”? There’s still time to save! We’ve carried over our spook-tacular introductory offer on this Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 expansion pack until midnight, November 5, 2011!

Grab it now and scrap all your Halloween memories. With over $100 worth of digital scrapbooking goodies, the $14.95 sale price is too good of a ‘treat’ to miss!

Click here to learn more, and to find the Buy Now button to get this fantastic price!

The Groove Monthly Freebie Challenge

Each month, a designer offers a great freebie mini-kit and issues a challenge. All you need to do is download the freebie, create a layout that steps up to the challenge, upload it to the Groove challenge category in the gallery, and post a link to your layout in a reply to the challenge thread!

This month, Scrapbook MAX! kit designer Carena Scott is offering you a dreamy set of elements for creating dazzling layouts. For all of the details please check out the November 2011 freebie challenge thread here.

November 2011 Featured Kits

Looking for kits with Carena’s signature style? Here’s a few for your list, all found in our Featured Content section of the store! You can save 10% off these four featured kits by typing in the coupon code NOV-CSC at checkout. Offer is valid on new orders only in the Featured Content section – expires November 30, 2011.

A Dream Comes True
Paper Shapes Vol. 2
Golden Forest
Once Upon A Time
Playing Through the Seasons

Here are two amazing layouts by Scrapbook MAX! community members. Daydreamer captures the spirit of those golden days of autumn with neutral colors and rustic embies. Victoria64 invites us to embrace the frosty chill of winter by featuring a hockey game cast against icy blues, and warmed up by balsam greens. Beautiful work, ladies – and you can see the joy on everyone’s faces!

Fall
Winter Hockey

Look for the next issue of The Groove on December 1, 2011!

The Groove September 2011

By

Sunset by alohagrrl

In the Groove

For many of us, we’re soaking up the last rays of sunshine before autumn begins. But no matter where in the world you live, who doesn’t appreciate the beauty of the outdoors? This month we’re featuring layouts with gorgeous “outside” photos. Get inspired to get outside and snap some pics – no flash required! 🙂

We’ve got HUGE news – about a SUPER SALE in the Scrapbook MAX! Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Templates Store. Read on for all the exciting details!

You’ll also enjoy an incredible freebie and challenge from our friend KapiScrap and Art. You’ve seen lovely layouts by KapiColors in the forums and gallery! Find this and more in The Groove!

Summer Treats

This “outdoor” layout came from last month’s Groove Freebie Challenge, with a summer freebie from designer Katie Castillo. We love the elegant presentation of this page that draws your eyes to the photos – on a hot day the frozen treats are a welcome sight, too! Great job, Letha!

Summertime - Letha

SUPER SALE in the Store! Stock up and Save 20%

This month, when you spend a minimum of $10 in the Scrapbook MAX! Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Templates Store, you can save 20% off your order! Just fill up your cart, and type in the code SUPERSALE exactly as shown in the coupon code field before you checkout. You’ll get a whopping 20% off your order.

This is a great time to stock up on your “digital scrap supplies” for the year. Browse the store for gorgeous designs on all the themes you can dream of: birthday, Christmas, boy, girl, pets, travel, “every day”, and so much more! Don’t wait, check out our selection of thousands of digital kits and templates, by some of the top designers in the industry!

Note: Coupon code SUPERSALE must be typed in the coupon code field exactly as shown. Applies to new orders only and cannot be combined with any other offers. Minimum purchase of $10 – valid in the Scrapbook MAX! Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Templates Store only. Expires September 30, 2011.

The Groove Monthly Freebie Challenge
SweetSummertime by KapiScrap

Each month, we feature a great freebie mini-kit and a fun challenge. All you need to do is download the freebie, create a layout that steps up to the challenge, upload it to the Groove challenge category in the gallery, and post a link to your layout in a reply to the challenge thread!

This month, a lovely freebie (showpage above) and summer-y challenge is hosted by KapiScrap and Art. For all of the details, please check out the September 2011 freebie challenge thread here.

The Great (Imaginary) Outdoors!

The outdoor “landscape” may be whimsical, but this layout still shouts “summertime”! We love the extraction, and the adorable embies, to say nothing of the layout’s photo subject – so sweet! Lovely work from tin tin.

Froggie Page - tin tin
**NEW RELEASES!** – Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Templates

Great new kits are added to the Scrapbook MAX! Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Templates Store each month. And remember – all through September 2011, you can save 20% on orders of $10 or more (see above for all the details!).

Below is just a small sample of some of new kits recently added to the store by various designers:

Autumn Crunch Kit – Carena Scott

See Red Kit – Kirsten Smit

Vintage Treasury - Monja Wessel


Vintage Treasury Elements – Monja Wessel

Harmony - Siobhan Kite

Harmony Template – Siobhan Kite

Look for next month’s issue of The Groove on October 1, 2011!