Let's Scrap Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to your next stop in the

If you came here from Eniko's blog then you are in the right place! If you did not, Mindi Brown has the hop order to help you find your way.

I am so excited to be involved in this hop! Its my first hop, and I can't wait for all the fun! Let's Scrap is a great website with double layout sketches, card sketches, fun challenges, tutorials, and lots lots more! There are groups of gals getting together to get inspired, get busy, and get some scrapping done!! Head on over and check it out!!

Here is the sketch I am showcasing for the hop:

Here is my snazzy little card...

Caspie really wanted to be involved in the blog hop too! She's really feeling lovey dovey lately, and loved my card... I think she might want to give it to Precious?

I changed the square to a smaller circle for a few reasons. One, I wasn't feeling the square. Two, circles are representative of happiness, family, togetherness... this is why you love them so much on layouts. I thought for a Valentine's Day card a circle would be more appropriate. Three, my patterened paper looked cuter in a circle.


True to the sketch, I used a pile of bling to make the heart. I also added Stardust Stickles to the centre X and O on the pp to enhance it, and some pink glitter glue to the hearts inside the "o"s on love you.


All my supplies are random stash stuff - nothing from any big manufacturers!

Now for the fun part! Here is the RAK I am offering! It is the "home" 8x8 Vintage Findings kit from Making Memories! I stole the photo off the Making Memories website, rather than opening the package and having to get it all back in!

Here is how easy it is to enter for my random draw

*Be or become a member of Let’s Scrap which you can do by clicking here http://letsscrap.ning.com/ . It is free, easy and fast! Once you get there, I am sure you will love it!

*Become a follower of my blog

*Leave me a comment telling me who your valentine is this year!! My valentine is always my baby sister since its her birthday (xxx)

And if you would like a second chance in the draw

*Make a card from the sketch I have posted and upload it to the gallery at Let’s Scrap. Please tag it as such   2-2-12,LEAP47

Please note there are no spaces and that LEAP is all capitals. 

*Leave a comment with a link to your card on Let’s Scrap.

The hop ends at 11:59 pm Central Standard time February 29th, which you would be able to track using the clock on the main page of Let’s Scrap.

Can't wait to see what you all come up with!

 

Thanks for visiting,  and joining in on this fun hop! Good luck, and keep hopping!!

Your next stop will be the talented Moira Coward.

If you get lost along the way or have joined the hop in the middle, Mindi Brown is the beginning of the hop. You don’t want to miss any of the fun!

My First Blog Hop!!!

Wow! So Let's Scrap has invited me to join in on their blog hop! I am sooo excited!

 

Even more exciting, it is a card hop, so I have to make a card based on one of their exclusive, never-seen-before sketches! Sooo exciting! The sketch I got was fabulous and I know exactly who I am giving the card to... (so she better not be peeking on my blog Miss Valentine's Baby!)

 

In total, there will be 50 ladies participating, so thats 50 card sketches, 50 inspiration cards.... and the best part, every one of us will be giving away a RAK with 2 chances to win on each and every blog! WOW!!!

 

So ladies... get ready, this is gonna be a fun one!!

Giveaway time!!!

Well... its time for my very first giveaway.

This comes from My Memories Suite, a digital scrapbooking software. I was given a free copy to evaluate and another copy to give away! The brand new Version 3 has just been released!

Here is my first complete album. It is going to be a pocket album for my Mother-in-Law to keep in her purse. The cool thing about My Memories Suite is that you can also make videos, interactive albums, etc. I could have added music to this, but I was unsure about privacy issues so left it off.

This is my draft version of the book. I would love you to give me suggestions or let me know about pages that aren't quite right...

In total I spent $12 downloading things for this album as well as using the $10 free downloads I had. I found in making it that I really didn't need everything I had downloaded, so I would suggest you start with the essentials you really want, and then buy as you find you need something else. Primarily I used the Neutrals pack and Scrap Basics - Orange, with a bit of Vows and White Weddings thrown in. Everything else was freebies!

Review of the Software
Please note I was given a free copy of the software to evaluate. I am in no way required to give a favourable review, and all opinions are mine and mine alone.

Overall, I loved this software. It was so easy and fast to use. It does take a while to figure out where everything is, and in that respect I think the software could be improved by having a "View All" button for each category of add-on. That being said, I also found the division of all the elements very useful at times, and was OK with it once I figured out where things were (i.e. funky black flower is a Neutrals flower).
I love the quick crop options for the photos. I really can't say enough about how awesome it is to pick your photo layout and have the photos all jump right in, custom cropped for you. All you have to do is adjust the crop location on the photo if your subject is not dead-centred.
I also love all the ribbon and button options available. In general there is a wide variety of embellishments with anything you can think of... and if not, you can probably download the pack that you want.
The freebies online are awesome. Believe it or not, I did use some winter/Christmas accents in this album - its all in context. I would suggest that you download all the freebies so you have them available as there are hidden treasures in all.

My pet peeves - it is hard to see what-all you receive in the purchased downloads. I would prefer it if they had it all laid out element by element so you can look for something specific you want. I ended up buying one set that I barely used because the embellishments didn't have the feel I was looking for. I did use and love the papers in that set though.

All in all, this is a great, quick, easy to use software. You don't have to be "good" at computers to use it, and its easy to get going. I read nothing online and just jumped right in. I would suggest it for anyone who is interested in printing hardcover or softcover custom albums, making videos, or just digital scrapping. As an added bonus, what a great way to make an interactive album friends and family far away can experience!  This gets a two thumbs up from me!


Now get your own copy....
How to win:

1. Follow my blog
2. Visit the My Memories site. Check out the different kits available around the site.
3. Comment back here with two things: which kit or add-on you like best, and what your first project would be with the suite!
4. Bonus entry for any ideas or tips on how to improve my album. These need to be specific i.e. on the page about the cake, I think you should add an orange flower.
5. Bonus entry for sharing on Facebook or Twitter. Just comment letting me know you did!

The contest closes December 6th at midnight. Winner will be selected randomly from all entries.
Now if you don't win the giveaway, don't despair! I have a coupon code for you as well which gives you $10 off the software and $10 in free downloads! Simply visit here and enter STMMMS51336 in the promo code box and away you go!


Congrats to Chrissie who won the software!