“Glorious” Layout by daisydilly
In The Groove
The response to NEW! Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 has been unbelievable! We love that YOU love all the amazing new features, and are blown away by the level of creativity of the layouts being produced by our community.
In this issue, we’re showing off some of these amazing layouts to inspire you! And we’ve also included awesome tips, tricks and tutorials shared by our own community members that you’re going to love using in your next project. There’s also a terrific freebie and challenge from Granny (with two chances to win Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 software or choice of mega pack!), and a coupon to use in the Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store. Information about November’s design team challenge hosted by Carena Scott is also below.
A special thanks goes out to Donna Thomas (a.k.a. autisticwonder) for a GREAT design team challenge last month. Part of the challenge was to get participants to share as many tips and tricks about Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 software as they were able. The result? A whole host of great things to try and learn in Scrapbook MAX! 2.0! In fact, the thread was so inspiring, we’ve included some of these tips throughout this issue of The Groove. And since we don’t have room for all the great tips in our newsletter, don’t forget to browse through the October 2009 challenge thread – find out new things to try!
Don’t have Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 yet? If you buy today, you will save an awesome 20% off, PLUS you receive a mega bonus expansion pack (“Life Is Beautiful”) absolutely **FREE**!
Bend and Curve!
No, we’re not talking about yoga – we’re talking about the cool new things you can do with text in Scrapbook MAX! 2.0!
Text is taking to a whole new level with the capability of adding bend points to curve, stretch and distort (Caption Text), and write text along a curve (ribbon text). Click here for a tutorial on getting creative with your text!
For inspiration, check out the layouts below!
dillie1 – Curacao Layout
Marion – Dancing in the Streets Layout
Adding A Pattern!
Here’s a quick tutorial from Michelle McCoy on adding a pattern to your text with Scrapbook MAX! 2.0. Thanks Michelle – great stuff! (Hint: Click on the images to enlarge and read Michelle’s instructions. You can also find Michelle’s tutorial in the October 2009 Design Team Challenge thread)
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
For another great tutorial (on making embellishments with Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 – COOL!), checkout poppabob’s awesome tutorial thread, complete with beautiful screenshots!
Pattern Panache!
Here are some fab layouts that showcase patterned text (love those autumnal designs!). Remember, the text you see isn’t word art (i.e., they’re not embellishemnts!). Kimmyann and KPierce typed in text to the text object box, and then in a few simple steps, added cool patterns to the interior of the texts, and shaped the text until it looked just right!
Kimmyann – Nathan Layout
KPierce – Karen and John Layout
Tips and Tricks for using Scrapbook MAX! 2.0
Some groovy tips and tricks from Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 users!
“With Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 we can for the first time use kerning which controls the spacing between each character and each line if it is multi line text. It is very useful to save space and make certain text (like vertical text) look a lot better. From any text property window you go to the advanced tab to change the kerning.”
KPierce – October 2009 Challenge Thread
“Did you know that you can now Zoom in and out in the crop window to help making your crop selection? If you have a scroll wheel on your mouse just scroll to zoom the photo in and out while in the crop window. If you hold down the CTRL Key and scroll, the crop selection changes size! How cool is that?”
poppabob – October 2009 Challenge Thread
More Layout Inspiration!
Here are some more layouts to inspire your next project. We fell in love with the rich palette of colors used in each one. So expressive!
mortmomof2- Favorite Thing Layout
omajo – Araluen Garden Layout
sacannon – The Beauty of Autumn Layout
The Groove Monthly Freebie Challenge!
The Freebie
This month, Esther Barry ( a.k.a. Granny) takes it away! Download Granny’s freebie from the challenge thread, and take the challenge!
In this challenge, I would like you to learn/practise using some of Scrapbook MAX! 2.0’s coolest new features. (If you don’t have the full version of the software, you can still participate! Just download the free trial version here.)
The Challenge
So…
1. Use the seamless tiles in the kit to make a background (import as background>tile).
2. Import the other tiles as paper scraps to use as… paper scraps! LOL.
3. Use some of the tiles as shapes.
4. Make a caption text for your theme, and use one of the tiles as a texture for the text.
5. Use the frames and colorize them to match the colors of the tiles
6. Pins and buttons are optional
Remember – we have a great set of easy-to-follow tutorials available if you’re looking for more information about Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 new features!
The Prizes
Here’s some exciting news! Throughout the month, Granny will be selecting two challenge winners who will each get a free copy of Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 software + Life Is Beautiful mega expansion pack (or, if they already own the software, a choice of one mega expansion pack!).
Disclaimer: No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited or taxed. Prizes must be accepted as awarded (no cash value). Electronic download delivery only. The decision of the moderator is final.
October Winners
Challenges are always great fun, and last October was particularly exciting month with super-hopping challenge threads and copies of Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 to be won! Thanks to hosts Michelle McCoy, Donna Thomas, Fiona Storey, and Diana Carmichael for hosting great challenges that stirred up all of our creative juices. We hope that you the winners enjoy their prizes. Look for more exciting challenges with prizes and freebies in the coming months!
And here is a list of Challenge Winners!
September Weekly Challenges (Fiona Storey)
angelfaye
ryansmom66
Groove Challenge (Michelle McCoy)
Kazr
tanni
Oceania
makeyesup
October Design Team Challenge (Donna Thomas)
sacannon
O2BNGdhope
nannybernie
Kimmyann
dillie1
The FreeSpirit
nanwu
KPierce
Breast Cancer Awareness Challenge (Diana Carmichael)
Eye
Winners of Random Drawing:
MrsPeel
Marion
Liyie
November 2009 Featured Kits
Below are November’s four featured kits, all by Esther Barry. Be sure to use the coupon code EBA-NOV, to get 10% off your purchase. Simply add any of the four Featured Kits to your cart in the Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store until November 30, 2009, and type in the coupon code EBA-NOV, to receive your 10% off discount (be sure to type in the code EBA-NOV exactly as shown. Applies to new orders only).
Esther Barry – When A friend Goes Away Kit
Esther Barry – When I Grow Up Kit
Esther Barry – My Book Of Treasures Kit
Creative Tricks With Scrapbook MAX! 2.0
We all know that Scrapbook MAX!-ers are creative. Here’s a couple of totally artistic, outside-the-box ideas for things you can do with Scrapbook MAX! 2.0.
First Trick:
sacannon – Autumn Layout With ‘Handmade’ pumpkin!
“The pumpkin (in the layout above) was made entirely in Version 2. It may not be the best pumpkin, be it shows what you can do with the software. I just used two different colors of paper. Used a circle shape on each. Adjusted the circle to an oval shape. Then layered alternating colors making each one slightly smaller than the previous one.
Then using a darker paper I shrunk it down to make a stem. I used another paper of the same color, but adjusted the color slightly darker. Used the cirle shape again. Stretched it to an oval shape again. Then made it smaller and placed it under the stem of the pumpkin. I also added a slight shadow under a couple of the layers of the pumpkin.”
sacannon – October 2009 Challenge Thread (and we totally think the pumpkin ROCKS, sue!)Second Trick:
Using Embies to make frames
- Open your paper scrap folder again CTRL + 3
- Choose your paper scrap
- Now go to Custom Shape, Select, Browse as before
- Go to the Embie folder and choose an Embellishment with a nice clear outline, I chose my own Fiery Star
- Now click Invert Shape, OK
- Now using your embellishment has created a perfect frame, which you can lay over a photo to create a frame.
TheFreeSpirit – October 2009 Challenge Thread
Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store:
New Releases
Great new kits are added to the Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store each month. Be sure to stop by and check out our awesome selection of embellishment kits and template sets, professionally-designed to work with Scrapbook MAX!.
Below is a small sample of some of new kits recently added to the store by various designers.
Katie Castilllo – Stop In For A Spell Kit
Deanne Gow-Smith – Country Harvest Template
November Design Team Challenge
Looking for another fun challenge, and another chance to win Scrapbook MAX! 2.0 software? Check out this month’s challenge hosted by Scrapbook MAX! Booster Pack Store designer Carena Scott. Get all the details here!
Freebie “Sweetie” Mini-Kit by Carena
Look for the next issue of The Groove on December 1, 2009!