Hogmanay (New Year) Blessings

I got this in an e-mail and thought I'd pass it on to all of you, too...LOL!

2009 Friendship Contract

After serious and careful consideration, your 2009 contract of friendship has been renewed. It was a very hard decision to make, so try not to screw it up!!!

Modern Hogmanay Blessing

May peace break into your house and thieves come to steal your debts.
May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills.
May love stick to your face like Vaseline and laughter assault your lips!
May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy.
May your clothes smell of success and the problems you had forget your home address.
May 2009 be the very best year of your life!!!!

And my response...to be said on the evening of 31 December at midnight (or earlier if you just can't stay up). ;-)

Auld Celtic Hogmanay Blessing

May the Gods grant their blessing upon this dwelling,
And upon each stone and beam and stave of it.
And upon all the food and drink,
And the furnishings and clothing.
May the family and the animals
Enjoy the fullness of health
And prosperity, for now and always.

Slainte!

Fun with Food: TwinkHenge!

Gentle Ladies, Good Sirs, and Druids...presenting TwinkHenge! This most mystical of all cream-filled spongecake constructions is a "trifle" small, but historians believe TwinkHenge to possess unknown supernatural powers. The well known properties of the construction materials will certainly enable it to last for centuries.

The 75th anniversary of the Twinkie happened in April of 2005 and the company asked people to contribute their recipes and stories and photographs. They even published a book with the recipes (available on Amazon.com).

TwinkHenge was possibly created in 2004 (the earliest known siting on a blog so far) and possibly in Portland since the original photo was found on a Portland based website: www.nightswimming.com/pics/TwinkHenge.jpg. There is no true history available on its creation that I can find. If any of you know more about it, please post a comment!

If you're curious about Twinkies and how well they stand the test of time (and man), visit the T.W.I.N.K.I.E.S. Project web site.

Nollaig Chridheil [Happy Christmas] to you all!

I hope you all have a very, very peaceful Christmas filled with family and friends and love. Here's a festive wordart present from me to you. Click on the image to unwrap it.



(does not include the background paper)

Oh, Baby - update!

It's a GIRL! The ultrasound clearly showed her attributes for a few seconds before she curled up in a ball as if to say, "How rude!" LOL! Mommy was so excited that she had to go buy something pink right away!

Only one person guessed correctly - and he doesn't scrap! So to celebrate our wee lassie, I created this wordart freebie for all of you (hmmm - this could be a new kit in the works!). Click on the image to download it.

Good Karma Friday - Send a free 'Thank You' card to our troops overseas

If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com, you can pick out a thank you card (all the artwork is created by kids!) and it will be printed and sent to a soldier that is currently serving overseas. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one! It's FREE and it only takes a second.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? This takes just 10 seconds and it's a wonderful way to say thank you. Please take the time to send to our troops and then please take the time to pass it on for others to do. We can't ever say "thank you" enough.

Thanks for taking the time to support our military men and women!

Here's the card and pre-made message I chose.



"Thank you so much for your service, being away from your home, family and friends. I just want to let you know that I appreciate it and thank you for it. Please come back safe and soon."

Facebook has a lot of digi-designers and shops on it. it also has a lot of silly, but fun (and free!) virtual collecting and gifting applications. One of them is called Hatchlings where you collect colored eggs year-round. They have created special holiday eggs, too...I just got one that hatched into a reindeer!


If you're on Facebook and would like to play along and collect an egg or two, click on the basket below.


If you're not on Facebook yet...what the heck are you waiting for?
Click here: http://www.facebook.com/ and when you get signed up (it's free!), send me a 'friend' request!

Happy ChristmaHanaKwanzika - And A Free Gift For You!

Thanks for being my customer in 2008 - I really appreciate your business! Here's a special Celtic snowflake ornament just for you. Just click on the image to download it.



Want some more special ornaments? Of course you do!
Visit these blogs from my friends from Plain Digital Wrapper anytime during the last 12 Days before Christmas (13-25 Dec) to collect them all.

Brandi White - Tammy Moore - Tracy King - Tammy Kat - JulieItIs - ScrapDZines

Slainte {Gaelic for Cheers!},
Catriona MacGregor
Digital designs available exclusively at Plain Digital Wrapper.

New Product Release - Snowstar Felt Trio

These three happy snowstars would like to help you decorate your holiday pages and hybrid paper projects! They'd be ever so cute on those greeting cards you haven't finished up yet, too!
On sale at PDW for only $2 through Saturday!
They measure 2 3/4" to 3" tall by 2 3/4" wide.

Giving Thanks, a Photo Challenge, and a Freebie!

In these stressful times there are still things that make us thankful. I am thankful for the big things like my family, friends, and job of course, but I'm also thankful for the little things like audiobooks, Earl Grey tea, e-mail, and fizzy bath bombs.

Photo Challenge: Take some pictures of the things that make you thankful. Here are some additional ideas:

• your creativity
  
• warm socks on a cold night
  
• the first cup of coffee or tea in the morning
  
• that album or song that always makes you feel better
  
• spellcheck
  
• your snuggly bed pillow
  
• leftover turkey and pumpkin pie (yum!)

Here's a special 12x12 quickpage made from one of the 52 weekly templates in my upcoming "Project 365" set to help you scrap your "thankful" photos. Click here or on the image to download it.

Leave me a message in the comments area with a link to your finished page. I'd love to see it!

Please remember to send your friends to this blog to get their own quickpage, too.

Oh yeah, before I forget...THANKS! for visiting my wee blog!

Good Karma Friday - Holiday Mail for Heroes

Have you gotten an e-mail recently telling your to send a holiday card to a wounded soldier at Walter Reed Veteran's Hospital? Although this is a great idea, don't do it. Walter Reed does not accept the cards and has not done so for years. For more info, click here.

Instead, the Red Cross has a 'Holiday Mail for Heroes' program where they will distribute the cards. Here's the details...

• All cards must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, December 10, 2008. Cards sent after this date will be returned to sender.
• Please ensure that all cards are signed.
• Please use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” Cards addressed to specific individuals can not be delivered through this program.
• Please send cards as opposed to long letters which delay a quick review process.
• Please do not include email or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.
• Please do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.
• Participants are encouraged to limit the number of cards they submit to 25 from any one person or 50 from any one class or group. If you are mailing a larger quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes. Each card does not need its own envelope.
• All cards received may be used in program publicity efforts, including appearing in broadcast, print, or online mediums.

So, go ahead and get going and send a few right now! You''ll make someone very, very happy!

Fun Geeky Products for Your Holday Gift Giving!

I love looking around at all the new gadgets coming out
for holiday gift giving. You never know when one of them may actually be a brilliant idea! Here's a couple I found on PC Magazine's
web site that I thought were clever.

The sneaky and subtle OH! *#% (yes, that's really the name of it!) flash drive from Fred & Friends takes file security to a new level. It looks like a wire from a broken plug-n-play thingy but it's actually a self-contained 2GB flash drive! Who'd ever think to steal a ratty looking thing like this! LOL! The only drawback I can see is that it really can be mistaken for a useless piece of junk and it might get tossed in the trash...accckkk!

Laptop art from Infectious will add a whole lotta flair to your laptop! Infectious also produces designs for your wall, car, and other devices. The art is printed on easy to apply 3M vinyl - just peel and stick. If you want a change, just peel it off and apply another! There are more than 70 designs available right now.

Best of all, there's an open call for submissions, so why not try your hand at designing? All designs selected get 5% of net sales and up to $100 in Infectious product. Design of the month gets an additional $400 in cash. Go do it!

Have you found a cool gadget, too? Tell me about it in the comments section!

Another One Bytes the Dust: Digital Scrapbooking Magazine is dead

Posted on the Creating Keepsakes online community web site...

Dear CK Media employees, readers, and loyal contributors,

I am saddened to share the news that, due to difficult conditions in both the economy and the publishing market, CK Media has made the decision to cease publication of the print version of Digital Scrapbooking magazine after the February/March issue (on sale Jan 6, 2009).

Go to their web site to read the full article. As more information becomes available, they will post it on www.digitalscrapbooking.com.

I guess the key is to keep it DIGITAL and only make it available online. That would cut the production cost at least in half...no printing...no paper!

My very favorite digital scrapbooking magazine of all time was Scrapbook Answers magazine with a CD full of video tutorials and free kits. Sadly, it was discontinued in late 2006 even though it was a success and had lots of subscribers (like me!). The publishing house decided that it wasn't profitable enough and they decided to switch their publishing focus to young males who like video games rather than crafty, digital women. Whatever.

Good Karma Friday, a freebie, and a $5 gift certificate!

Now is the time to think about getting military holiday packages ready to mail. Show your appreciation for our men and women in the armed forces and their families this holiday season by donating handmade cards.

Cardsforheroes.org is a non-profit organization that offers safe and secure ways to donate your handmade cards. Want to participate? Please visit: http://www.cardsforheroes.org.

And here's a couple of free card sketch ideas to get you started! Click on the image for a larger view.


Send me a link to your beautiful cards and I'll post them here and give you a $5 gift certificate for my shop!

And the race is on...

Happy Digital Scrapbooking Day and a BIG $1.50 sale!

Hurry up! Come on over and pick up some great bargains...today only!

Happy Halloween...wherever you are!

Our PT Cruiser car club participates in a "Pumpkin Bash" at the historical XXX Drive-In in Issaquah where we dress up our cars as well as ourselves.

Here's my car and my "chubby" hubby and I. ;-) We had fun making our 'monster mouth.'


There were about 20 cars participating. The one on the right (under the tarp) was turned into a haunted house...very clever. It won for 'best decorated' car, of course!

Meet "Joe, the plumber!" He got 1st prize for 'funniest costume!' He's going to wear it to work Friday and come in with a plunger saying, "Somebody send for a plumber?" What a nut!

Start your 'Year in Review' album now!

Start saving your favorite photos and join me in putting together a nifty little 'Year in Review' album project!

Don't wait until next January to start thinking about doing a year in review (YIR) album - use those photos you've been taking all year and join me in putting together my new 'Semi-PreMade Album: A Year in Review' project right now!

Not ready yet? Don't worry - with these new template sets you can begin anytime!

The 'Semi-Premade Album' YIR project is made up of 6 two-month packages created to help you capture the highlights of your year and create a fabulous 5x7 album ready for printing with your favorite photo vendor. Each set has four layered templates (.psd files) making a 2-page spread for each of two months and includes fun elements, photo frames, and textured paper shapes...all for only $2.50 per set!

But wait! Subscribe to the entire project and get a special bonus front and back cover set! And that's not all...post your finished pages in the special 'Year in Review' PDW gallery and get a special surprise treat!

Set 1 = January & February: on sale Oct 29-31!
Set 2 = March & April: available Dec. 1
Set 3 = May & June: available Jan. 1
Set 4 = July & August: available Feb. 1
Set 5 = September & October: available Mar. 1
Set 6 = November & December: available Apr. 1
Bonus = Front & Back Cover pages: on sale Oct 29-31!

The 'Semi-PreMade Album' template sets will be issued monthly and there are two ways to purchase them. (on sale Oct 29-31!)

1. Purchase the entire project at once for only $12.00 and get a monthly download link. Subscribers will get the bonus front & back cover template set free with their first download.
   Click here to subscribe to the full set.
2. Purchase each individual template set as it becomes available each month for only $2.50.
   Click here to purchase set 1 - January & February.
   Then, purchase the bonus front & back cover template set separately at any time for only $1.50.
   Click here to purchase the bonus front & back cover template set.

As you complete your pages, post them in the YIR Gallery and post a link in the YIR forum for a special treat!

Don't want to do a 'Year in Review' album?

Use these templates to create any kind of album you want - school years, clubs, scouts, baby's firsts, wedding, heritage - the sky is the limit!

And, best of all, this album is totally customizable and reusable year after year!
A truly 'green' project!

Remember, all my designs are S4O friendly!

It's Samhain...Trick or Treat!...and a sweet freebie for you!

The Celtic year begins at Samhain [pronounced sow-in]. It is divided into two seasons: the light and the dark, celebrating the light at Beltane on 1 May and the dark at Samhain on 1 November. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, since it marked the beginning of a new dark-light cycle. It is a time of death and birth, a time of change, where we leave our old life behind and pass out of the darkness into our new life. The Celts observed time as proceeding from darkness to light because they understood that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed below the ground.

The night of Samhain [in Irish, Oíche Shamhna and in Scots Gaelic, Oidhche Shamhna] is one of the principal festivals of the Celtic calendar, falling on 31 October - Halloween. It represents the final harvest. According to Celtic lore, Samhain is a time when the boundaries between the world of the living and the world of the dead become thinner, at times even fading away completely, allowing spirits and other supernatural entities to pass between the worlds to socialize with humans. It is the time of the year when ancestors and other departed souls are especially honored. It is still the custom, in some areas, to set a place for the dead at the Samhain feast and to tell tales of the ancestors on that night. (Perhaps this is where 'ghost' stories came from.)

Bonfires played a large part in the festivities celebrated down through the last several centuries, and up through the present day in some rural areas. With the bonfire ablaze, the villagers extinguished all other fires. Each family then solemnly re-lit their hearth from the common flame, thus bonding the families of the village together. Often two bonfires would be built side by side, and the people would walk between the fires as a ritual of purification. Sometimes the cattle and other livestock would be driven between the fires, as well.

When Christianization came to the Celtic people, the religious spin doctors of the day turned this ancient celebration of the changing of the seasons into a scary bedtime story of witches and goblins. This misguided belief still survives in various branches of Christianity today. The Celtic Samhain festival was converted to All Hallows' Day on 1 November by All Souls' Day on 2 November. Over time, the night of 31 October and the remnants of the festival dedicated to the dead came to be called All Hallow's Eve which was eventually shortened to Hallowe'en (Hallow's Evening) and today it's Halloween.

Some of the customs and traditions of Halloween that we celebrate today were brought here by Irish and Scottish immigrants. One Irish custom is to bake a ring into a Barnbrack Cake. Each member of the family gets a slice and great interest is taken in the outcome as there is a piece of rag, a coin, and a ring in each cake. If you get the rag then your financial future is doubtful. If you get the coin then you can look forward to a prosperous year. Getting the ring is a sure sign of impending romance or continued happiness. Another custom popular one at parties is dunking for apples and coins: a portent for success and wealth. Even wearing costumes and masquerading as the souls of the dead came from our ancestors from the Celtic countries.

All the designers at PDW have set out some tasty treats for you and they're scattered all over the store. Here's just a few previews of the treats you can find to fill up your goodie bags! Click on the picture below to get started!

Here's a wee lighthearted freebie for your Hallow'een treating...click here. And tell all your friends to come knock on my door to get their free treat, too!

Come play with us - Join the PDW Creative Team!

We're looking for scrappers of all styles and experience levels. Never been on a creative team (CT) before? Just started scrapbooking? That's OKAY with us! We want YOU to come join us! PDW has some big things coming, and as a Creative Wonder, you'll be the first to know!

Click here to visit the forum and check out the details!

Oh, Baby!

I'm gonna be a Gran, again! We are all really excited and 8-yr old Isabel can't wait to be a big sister!

The wee one is due to arrive in early May, so how about a Baby Pool to pass the time! Guess the following:

- boy or girl
- date*
- time of day (hour, minute, am or pm)
- weight
- height

(* it'll probably be a c-section but you never know!)

The winner gets a fun prize - but only Gran knows what it is! ;-) There will also be a special bonus prize given to a randomly chosen player when we find out if the bairn is a lad or lassy! Add your guess in a comment and remember to include your e-mail address so I can let you know if you're a winner!

Entries so far:
Mommy: Boy, May 10, 8:30 AM, 8lbs 6ozs, 21"
Tammy Moore: May 3, 9:13 AM, 7lbs 6ozs, 20"
Athena: May 16, 4:02 AM, 7lbs 12ozs, 21½"
Larry R: Boy, May 13, 10:46 AM, 7lbs 2ozs, 17"
Randy H: Girl, May 2, 8:15 AM, 6lbs 1oz, 18"
Sharon McB: Boy, May 5, 8lbs 11ozs
Gran: Boy, May 8, 11:35 AM, 7lbs 2 ozs, 17.25"

Viovio! I love these guys!

I've been researching photobook printing services and sneaking up on the big guys is Viovio! What caught my eye at first was their ability to do a 5x5 minibook. After I lost a lot of my files on my EHD, I only had 6x6 versions of many of my layouts. Printing them at 5x5 was the perfect answer. Best of all, they are the most economical solution I've found!

Click the image below to check them out for yourself.



Here's what my wee booklet looks like: glossy paper cover with 15 satin finish, back-to-back pages (featuring 30 layouts). The price for the 5x5 size includes two booklets...a nice feature for gift giving!
(Note: the cover in the photo below is smaller than the open booklet
because it's a separate photo placed on top just so you could see it.)

Vote for me!

I have two summer-themed layouts in a competition at Penscrappers.com and YOU can help me win! Just click on the "Vote" button next to each of the layouts.

You can vote for as many as you want, but only once per layout (the system does remember).

So, what do I get if I get a lot of votes? There are some really cool prizes: 10 entrants win a nice new Wacom Bamboo Fun pen and tablet (neato!) and one grand-prize winner takes home a Bamboo Fun, a camera, and a printer! Not to mention bragging rights! LOL!

Thanks for looking...and voting. Please pass the word!

Design Your Own Postcards!

A postcard is a piece of heavy cardstock measuring at least 3.5" by 4.25" and no larger than 5" by 6" (according to postal regulations) with an address and postage stamp on the right half of one side. Nothing special or magic about them, so why not make your own!

Use your favorite digital scrapbooking kit or a favorite photo or both to send an inexpensive and thoughtful note to a son or daughter away at school or camp, a relative overseas in the service, or even as invitations to your next party. Did you know, 4x6 bragbook templates are perfect for making a postcard? Here's one I made using my Just-in-Time bragbook template set 1 and a few random elements and papers. The font is Baveuse.



The easiest postcard to make is to simply take a 4x6 photo, draw the usual postcard markings on the back, write your message, and put a stamp on it. Seriously! You can also apply specially made, pre-printed postcard backing that you can peel and stick to give your photo or layout extra stiffness. That way your special postcard will not jam up the machines at the post office...they hate that!

A few other details to know...

• It cannot be printed on just plain paper (too thin) and it cannot be creased or folded over because it will get stuck in the machines.
• If you use a photo, it will probably get a bit scratched up during the trip through the mail.
• If you print your own at home on an ink jet, it will run and smear if it gets wet. Use a laser printer, a special photo printer such as the Epson PictureMate, or your favorite digital photo processing center.

So...now that you know how easy it is...why not make a few dozen today!

Happy ',?;-:" Day!

Today is National Punctuation Day...use some!!!

<;-)

Arrrr! Buy my treasures for only $1 each!

Hey, all you scurvy scrappers...in honor of TLAP Day, I'm selling all my treasures at only $1 each!* Even my newly released "Here There Be Pirates" kit, its two add-on packs, AND the bracket book (pictured below)!

But HURRY! This bounty will only last for two days - Friday and Saturday - and then it'll be back to business as usual! Arrrr!



What arrrrrr you waiting for? Go grab ye some bountiful booty! Don't forget, all the other rascally pirate gals are selling off their treasures, too!

* Pssst...come a little closer...all my Commercial Use products are only $3 each!

Yo ho! Yo ho! Tomorrow is Talk Like A Pirate (TLAP) Day!

Sail on over to Plain Digital Wrapper to join in on our 2nd annual "Pillage and Plunder" sale!

While cruising around YouTube, I found this great video featuring George Harrison singing his little known hit, The Pirate Song. Aye, matey, it be a good one! LOL!



Want to learn more about the official TLAP Day? Click here.

It's the Highland Games Weekend!

Hi all you lovely readers! You may have noticed my absence on the blog lately? This is the time of year (July) that I am busy with our local Highland Games association - getting ready for the biggest Scottish event in the state which happens annually on the last weekend in July...tomorrow!

We leave tonight to camp out for three days of listening to world champion bagpipe bands, watching hunky kilted athletes toss the caber, and having tons of tartan fun. This year we're camping in our wee vintage wooden teardrop trailer that we've been working on. It's now painted the same color as our PT Cruiser and I've been adding some Celtic knot stencils to the doors...gotta do it! Inside we have plaid sheets (of course!).


The "Wee Dram" gets a new foam mattress

There's still a lot of work to do on it to get it the way we want it, but it'll do for now. Stand by for some photos of the fun to be posted next week!

Slainte - and see you in the "Tilted Kilt" pub (the beer garden)!

Sail away, sail away, sail away...

My free-spirited friend, Marilyn, has taken off on a sailing trip to Alaska with her husband on their 45' sailboat. They will be gone for 3 months, exploring the inland passage as they go. When they return they will refit for a 5 year adventure around the world.

She will be able to communicate now and then through short text-only e-mails via ham radio and when they hit a port with an internet cafe or library with access, she'll update her travel blog. I'd love to be able to "go off the grid," but I don't think I could go that long without the internet and e-mail. ;-)

Here's a lovely cartoon in her honor (I am 'not' a good sailor!). If you like it, go to www.vimrod.com and subscribe to get a silly daily cartoon in your inbox.

Those were the days my friends...we thought they'd never end...

This weekend we had to say goodbye to two dear friends....both to different forms of cancer. Both of the memorial layouts below were done with the "Hope" charity kit. You can get this great collaboration kit for FREE! just by donating to a cancer charity of your choice! Please click here for the complete details.

Clan Packs are in the house!

Here they are - just in time for this year's Highland Games season! The Clan Packs were designed as the perfect way to scrap your Clan events, a Scottish wedding, or a trip to the historic Clan lands in Scotland. Each tartan was lovingly created using the authentic thread counts and colors used by weavers in Scotland.

The first Clan Packs, available in my shop at Plain Digital Wrapper, are Clan Donald (MacDonald), Clan Gregor (MacGregor), Clan Chisholm, and Clan Campbell. Each Clan has both a personal use (S40 friendly) and a commercial use set.

The "Personal Use" Clan Packs are for personal events (such as weddings), Clan correspondence, or handouts at your local Highland Games but you CANNOT use them to produce items for sale or for web designs. If you wish to produce items for sale or use them on a website, you need to purchase the "Commercial Use" Clan Pack version. It's easy and not expensive, so please make sure you purchase the correct pack for your purposes.

Each Clan Pack includes:
1 12x12 authentic Clan tartan paper
1 silver Clan crest
1 silver Clan name word art
1 12" tartan ribbon
4 glass tartan buttons
1 tartan bow

And, in most "Personal Use" Clan Packs, there's a special bonus: a printable 4x6 Clan postcard!

Don't forget to post your completed projects and layouts in the PDW Gallery. I'd love to see what you come up with!

Summertime Celebration: A Scrapbook Album Project

My virtual digiscrap friend, Michelle (creator of the famous Scrapability blog), had a great idea for a scrapbook album to document her family’s summertime activities. She posted 30 ideas to create memorable layouts to be assembled into an 8x8 album (or whatever your favorite size happens to be). I am in the midst of my Project 365 album, but I think I’ll jump in on this one as well. We always have a busy summer and take lots and lots of photos that always beg and plead to be let out of their computerized imprisonment and into the light of day – well, into a layout at least!

I have taken Michelle’s album ideas and rewritten and rearranged them to suit my own typical summer. I have also decided to do 20 layouts – the typical minimum amount for any printed album or, if I decide to print them myself, it will also match the pages included a standard scrapbook album.

As you read through the ideas and follow along with the project, you may find that you want to do more than one page per topic. No problem…it’s your album and it should reflect your summer in the way you want. As I read them over again, I can see where this is going to happen to me, too. I can see myself easily ending up with 30-40 pages!

I may even decide to create a hybrid (a combination of digital and traditional paper scrapbooking) album to use up some of my large stash of dusty supplies. Hmmm…I wonder where I put that double-sided sticky tape…LOL!

Tip1: If you do one page for each idea below, the even numbered pages will be on the left side and the odd numbered pages will be on the right side. This is important if you’re going to create two-page spreads and want to keep them together!

Tip2: Don’t worry about doing the pages in order. Some of the topics may come before others in your summer schedule. If this makes you crazy, just rearrange the order of the pages to suit your style. ;-)

Outer Book Covers and Spine – If you are going to print your album with a photo printing service like Shutterfly, think about creating your own custom front and back covers and spine. When I did my '2007 Year-in-Review' album, I found this easier to do after all my pages were finished because I wanted it to represent what readers would find inside. I was also able to use extra photos that I didn't use on the layouts.

Dedication Page – If you want to make one, this would be best placed on the inside front cover to avoid any 2-page spread complications with the rest of the album. If you’re doing a digital book that will be professionally printed, there is usually no option for creating an inside cover page. To get around this limitation, have your page printed separately and use your favorite adhesive to attach it to the finished album.

1. Title Page – This will be the first right hand page. Every album needs a title page. I usually create mine at the end of the project because it takes me that long to think it up! Just kidding...I actually like to make the title page reflect the theme of the album and sometimes I use a picture or two taken from the last few layouts.
2. Waiting for Summer – Tired of those wet spring days? Ready to shed your bulky sweaters and coats? Are the kids getting restless waiting for school to end? When will it finally be “summer”!! What are your plans during the good weather – work or play or a little of both? Share your observations and expectations. This page goes well with Last Days of School.
3. Last Days of School – I’ll throw this one in for those of you that have kids still in school or might be in school yourself. Sometimes the summer break for school age folks doesn’t happen until mid July. How do you survive the seemingly long wait until school is finally over? When it arrives, do you have to make special childcare arrangements, sign up for special activities and camps? If you work, do you skip a day here and there to go on a summer adventure with the kids? Do longer summer evenings mean the kids have later bedtimes than in other seasons?
4. Summer Clothes – Break out those shorts and flip-flops, sun hats and sarongs. Do you paint your nails when you wear your fancy blinged up sandals? What are the hot colors this season? Show off your summer fashions. This page goes well with Summer Vacation – especially if you get some new clothes for your trip!
5. Summer Vacation – Do you plan to get away from home during the summer months? If you are going to do a vacation album anyway, here’s a good place to get it started or combine all your trips in one layout or a two page spread. Maybe you plan on 'vacationing' at home or you have grandkids or relatives or friends coming to stay for all or part of the summer. How does this change your daily routine and what special things do you do together?
6. Food and Drink – We always connect summer with certain special foods like potato salad or Nana’s pea salad, grilled hamburgers, and ice cream. What does your family like to eat or drink? Include a special recipe. Don’t forget those special cocktails – what’s the 'in' drink of the year…pomegranate martinis or blueberry lemon drops? This page can be part of a 2-page spread with the next page – BBQs.
7. BBQs – We like to BBQ all year round but summer BBQs and potlucks are the best (or the worst!). Show off your outdoor cooking skills or memorable disasters (when we comment on 'burnt offerings,' my dad always says that "charcoal is good for the digestion!").
8. Water Fun – We live in an area where it’s generally too cold to swim in the ocean but we do love to go to the beach and fly kites. We also love to go to the lake and swim or fish. Does your family spend time at the beach, lake, river, or swimming pool? Do you beat the heat with a slip-n-slide, water gun fight, or play in the sprinklers? This page can be part of a 2-page spread with the next page – The Great Outdoors.
9. The Great Outdoors – We love to camp at the lake and try to go as often as possible. Do you go hiking, camping, fishing, or a day trip to your local outdoor recreation area? Don’t forget summertime sports and those you only do on vacation like scuba/snorkeling, golfing, boating, etc. Or maybe you spend your time in the Great Outdoors of your own backyard. Do you break out the patio furniture or get a new set? Do you add fairy lights or ornaments to your garden? This could also be a double page spread on its own.
10. Weather – Rain, sunshine, thunder storms, and hot August days. What’s your weather like? Do you love to sunbathe (using sunscreen, of course) or do you avoid the sun? Why? Note: this page may take all summer to finish. This page can be part of a 2-page spread with either of the next page – Summer Rain.
11. Summer Rain – I live in the western part of Washington state and, yes, we do get a bit of rain now and then…LOL! No matter where you live there’s something magical about a day with summer rain. What do you do on a rainy day – read, do craft projects, play games, bake cookies, watch DVDs or go to the movies?
12. Summer Flora – Summer is a major gardening season with gardens full of colorful summer blooms and ripening veggies. There are temporary fruit and veggie stands on every corner and enterprising kids may even have a lemonade stand down the street. Do you live in an area with seasonal markets? What does your neighborhood or town or city look like in summer? This page goes well with Summer Fauna.
13. Summer Fauna – Dragonflies, butterflies, mosquitoes, ants, young deer just losing their spots, and wild bunnies are just a few examples. Take photos of your pet dressed (or not) for summer fun, playing in the park, or napping in the sun.
14. Family & Friends: Getting Together – Summer is the traditional time for family reunions, weddings, and company picnics. You may be involved in the planning or just plan to attend and most of the time these involve BBQs and potlucks and sometimes involve a bit of travel. Are you combining one or more with your family vacation plans? We always go to the lake for the Fourth of July, have a community potluck, and watch a big fireworks display over the lake. Do you have a special family tradition for your get-togethers? Do you entertain friends and family at your home? Do you belong to a club that has a special event or two during the summer? Do you have any summer birthdays? Most of us have a combination of things going on so this could easily become a two page spread or more.
15. Summer Projects – Summer time is all about fun and relaxing but sometimes it also means it’s time for that home remodel or repair project you had to put off all winter. Maybe it’s yard work or house painting or participating in a work party to help out your community; just remember to take before and after pictures!
16. Summer Festivals & Fairs – We usually go to at least on of the many Highland Games in our area as well as the local Renaissance Faire. Summer is full of many local and national county fairs and festivals focused on music or beer or food or a combination! You might attend one or more or be involved in the planning and organizing of some of these. This can be a two-page spread.
17. A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Summer Solstice – The longest day of the year is coming up in just 9 days (20 June) and is a seasonal turning point. After this day, the hours of daylight get shorter as we move towards fall. What, if anything, does this mean for you? Do you feel the need to hurry up and cram as much into the remaining days of summer as you can? How do you spend your long summer nights?
18. Dog Days of Summer or Harvest Time – The summer heat sometimes stretches into September and brings sunflowers, ripe tomatoes, and juicy blackberries. Canning season is here and it’s also a great opportunity to squeeze in some last minute outdoor fun. This page works well as a two page spread with Back To School.
19. Back To School – Depending on your school schedule, this may be in late August or early September. While I don’t have school age kids anymore, I do have grand kids I who suffer through the traditional first day of school photos…LOL! Document your school clothes shopping trip(s) here, too. If you plan on going to college or taking a few adult education classes, tell about it here.
20. Summer’s End – This is the last page. It can be a summary, a photo collage of the highlights or a lead in to fall with the turning of the leaves, the coming of cooler temperatures, and a cup of hot cocoa or warm cider.

Hey, did you like this project? Why not plan one for Fall, Winter, and Spring. When you’re done, you can put them all in one jumbo “year-in-review” album or four separate albums. Don't forget to post your finished layouts in a gallery and come back here to share the link. I'd love to see what you come up with.

Project 365 - Week Nineteen Complete

Project 365 - Week Eighteen Complete

Project 365 - Week Seventeen Complete

Come along to the Digital Scrapping Blog Carnival!

Welcome to the 22 May edition of the Digital Scrapbooking Blog Carnival! The carnival travels from blog host to blog host and this time it's camped right here for your enjoyment.

Theresa L. Twogood presents Daily Prayer Journal posted at OLIN e-Book e-Publishing, saying, "I truly hope you can use this. Diaries, journals and scrapbooking all have that small common ground for daily personal/spiritual growth."

News

Karen (aka Karooch) presents Step by Step Digital Scrapbook posted at Scraps of Mind, saying, "Step By Step Digital Scrapbook is great new website that's specifically designed for digital scrapbooking beginners. It offers lots of getting started information and videos and can even provide a hand-holding Mentoring program to take away that learning curve confusion."

Other

Hummie presents The best links ever! - according to me posted at Katie the Scrapbook Lady, saying, "Awesome list of links to fun things!"

DreamScrapper presents Introduction to Digital Scrapbooking posted at Katie the Scrapbook Lady, saying, "Good introduction to things to know about digital scrapbooking. Lots of excellent resources are linked in this article."

Trends

Karen (aka Karooch) presents Black and White Scrapbook Layouts posted at Scraps of Mind, saying, "Black and White is a popular color scheme for scrapbook layouts. This article looks at some of the things to take into consideration when you're going for the Black and White look."

Tutorials

Hummie presents The Basics of Creating a New Layout in Photoshop posted at TaylorMade Designs.

DreamScrapper presents Color Theory 101 posted at Big Ideas - scrapbooking ideas from IdeaBooks4u, saying, "Great article on color theory that deals with the challenge of using a tetradic color scheme."

DreamScrapper presents Help from the Pros posted at Big Ideas - scrapbooking ideas from IdeaBooks4u, saying, "Tips on shooting a portrait, based on advice from Scott Kelby's book, "The Digital Photography Book.""

Nancy presents Video Tutorial - Digitally Tearing Paper posted at Red Leaf DigiScrapping, saying, "This tutorial will show you an easy way to realistically tear digital paper."

DreamScrapper presents Much ado about shadowing posted at Sailor and Lula Designs, saying, "Some nicely illustrated tips on using drop shadows appropriately. These tips (except the one using image warp) will work for both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements version 5 and above."

That concludes this edition! Submit your blog article to the next edition of digital scrapbooking using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: digital scrapbooking, blog carnival.

Project 365 - Week Sixteen Complete

Project 365 - Week Fifteen Complete