My Memories Suite Scrapbooking Software Review

Awhile back I was contacted by My Memories Suite a digital scrapbooking software manufacturer to test their software and write a review.

I did traditional scrapbooking for awhile several years ago, but never really got into it. But digital scrapbooking software, that sounded like something I could get into!

I downloaded my free copy and got to work. They have a cool MyMemories Youtube video showing all the advantages of digital scrapbooking. They even have several free layouts available on their website!

Oh wow! this app is SO cool - within 20 mins, I have created 4 different albums or digital scrapbooks.
This tool is amazingly easy to use and even though there are ready made templates for you to use and enjoy, they are all fully customizable. For instance, I added more snowflakes to one page and removed the label from another, switched pages layouts around and added additional elements from the software library.

 

It is fabulous that I am going back through old photos that have been saved on my computer for years - now I can print these off or email them to family for them to enjoy as well!

Next I am going to try incorporating one of these layouts in my art journalling! Stay tuned for a post on that!

Another great thing MyMemories.com has done is provide me with a discount code for all my viewers!

This code provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value!

Just enter the code STMMMS94944 during 

checkout to receive your discount!

Don't forget to check back here next week when I'll be having a contest for a chance to win this great scrapping software! 

This post is linked to Get your Craft on Tuesday at Today's Creative blog & Works for me Wednesday at We are THAT family, & Take A Look Tuesdays at Sugar Bee Crafts & Made By You Monday at Skip to my Lou & The Tuesday Link Party at Bowl Full of Lemons, also Making it with Allie, Hooking Up with HOH!

And Even More Art Journal Pages

These are for CR...are you reading? :)

Been having more fun.

On my mind

Wow this summer has just sped right by! I informed the kiddo that he only has a little more than a week before heading into grade 9, he was NOT impressed :)

I have been submitting to a few jobs per week is seems, but I guess they are getting a lot of interest because I have not gotten any interviews scheduled.

I am thinking maybe I need to change careers, but without going back to school, which I cannot afford at the moment, I am at a loss for what to do. I have submitted for local office type work, but again, I either come across as over-qualified, or not qualified enough in the skills they require.

I had a Dr appt on Tuesday as I was having some digestive issues. My Dr seemed very preoccupied. I was down 10 lbs from the last time I saw her in March, but she didn't even notice as she scribbled the number down on her hand - I hope she added it to the file later!

She is sending me for blood work and an ultrasound. She thinks I may have ulcers.

I had my nephew's girlfriend and baby over on Tuesday afternoon. Cali is 4 1/2 months old and so happy! J loved being around the baby - he was amazed at how tiny she was :)

 


I have already whipped up a lil tunic type dress for Cali - I just made the pattern up but it was after they left, so I have to wait until they visit again to try it on her and make adjustments before making a few actual dresses for her.

I am still working on my art journal - but the table I work on is also my cutting table, so I kind of have to choose one craft, either sewing or arting to do at any one time as I cannot fit another table or workspace in my crowded lil office/sewing/craft room :)

This post is linked up to On my mind over at Down To Earth.

More Art Journal Pages

I have been playing around with my art journal more this week.

Here are some more of the pages I have made recently. This type of loose art is very cathartic.

Magazine cutout

Post-it mask

Art over handwriting

Side pocket & tag

Marker & stamp scribbles

My first art journal pages

 Blogger is playing around and keep adding all these large spaces - sorry.

Art journalling is very different to the art I normally do. It is far less controlled and loose. I have to work on that. I still try to balance and perfect things to much, but I am thoroughly enjoying myself.

This is my 1st 2-page spread. 

Mostly watercolours and stamping.

2nd 2-page spread.

It looked too much like a scrapbook page - wasn't happy with it.

So I modified it. Added stamps.

3rd page 

I started by creating the crackle finish with white glue.

I like how it turned out. I will use it often.

The border is a torn paper napkin.

4th page. I used a lot of different techniques on this one.

Post-it masking, stamping with found 

objects, and podgied a bit of lace

5th & 6th pages - after gessoing the pages, 

I scratched a comb through the right side and used 

the end of the comb to draw swirls - see pics below.

These pages still need to be finished.

(gesso is a medium used to prep the pages 

for all types of art - it also thickens the pages)

Hubby bought me a gallon of gesso (as well as 

a set of fine markers) as an early 

birthday present (well I did ask for it :)

I'd love to hear what you think of my art journal pages.

It is very therapeutic :)

Works For Me Wednesday - YouTube Videos!

See my lovely new ART journal?

I MADE it!

Completely...I didn't just cover a book I bought

I made it entirely from scratch.

Yup, and it wasn't all that difficult, a bit time consuming and if I had had more patience, it wouldn't be as wonky.

 Inside front cover

 Inside pages

 Here you can see the stitching

 Back inside cover - the glue soaked through the 

scrapbook paper, need to use thicker paper next time.

 My edges are not as neat as they should be

Hopefully, my second attempt will look better.

I got all the instructions from Baronessnz on YouTube.com
There are 4 videos, so make sure you click the next one when the first is finished.

For more Works For Me Wednesday tips, head over to We are THAT family

Simple Ideas That I LIke

Again, while Stumbing (stumbleupon.com) I came accros some neat ideas.

Click on the photo to be taken to the original blog.

Awesome photo family tree

Twiggy Candle Holder

I love all things Turquiose and I LOVE this!

I think this is such a cool idea!

Have to search Value Village for doillies now :)

My low carb breakfast

On the low carb board I frequent, there is something called a MIM (muffin in a minute).

It is a bread substitute. Yesterday I made a MIM and after toasting it, topped each slice with 1/2 a fried egg (yolk broken), then some tomato slices, another 1/2 fried egg (2 eggs total) and then some marble cheese. I broiled it for a min to melt the cheese. It was pretty good!

Muffin in a Minute
Serving Size: 1

1/4 cup flax meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg 
1 teaspoon butter
shake or 2 of garlic powder
shake or 2 of seasoning salt

Put the dry ingredients in a coffee mug ( I use a wider raminkin).
Then add the egg and the butter. Mix well
Microwave 1 minute (or so). I usually do 1 min 15 secs.

You can simply eat them as is, or cut and butter and eat. I slice mine into 2 rounds and toast in the toaster oven. They come out more like toast that way in my opinion.

Kid is home from camp.

This post is a few days late - I was hoping to include photos. We bought a DVD filmed during the week of camp, but I cannot figure out how to get snapshots from it to post here.

 Kid is home from an adventure filled week at Extreme camp where he got to ride horses for the first time (and perform in the rodeo on pick-up day), sleep in a HUGE treehouse (sleeps 10), build his own shelter in the woods and then sleep in it (good thing it didn't rain :)), go water tubing, go wakeboarding, jump off a ledge 40 ft in the air to grab an acrobat bar, sleep in the upper level of a barn and watch a 3 hour movie before bed, get sprayed with a firetruck hose, go canoeing, go kayaking, walk a tight rope high in the air (blindfolded!) and jump off the back of a speeding boat! And most of it was caught on film!

And I had to convince him to go in the first place...he already has plans to book for next year!

Week in review

We are heading out bright and early tomorrow (Saturday) morning to drive the 2.5 hours to pick J up. It has been pretty quiet all week and I *suppose* I miss him :)

Peanut is going crazy looking for him. She usually sleeps with him each night, we let her sleep with us twice but no more, she wiggles around too much and kept me awake. Every day she runs upstairs to his room to check if he is there.

Remember my weird bee sting sensation - once I booked that Dr appt, it stopped altogether. I ended up cancelling the Dr appt anyhow.

I recently read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It is a really good read. It is the 1st in a trilogly. I am waiting on the 2nd form the library.

This is the publishers blurb:In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the other districts in line by forcing them to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight-to-the-death on live TV.

One boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery to play. The winner brings riches and favor tohis or her district. But that is nothing compared to what the Capitol wins: one more year of fearful compliance with its rule. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her impoverished district in the Games.

But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

It is also being made into a movie in 2012.

The friends we went to Cuba with last year, left today for another vacation in Cuba, a different resort thought - I so wish we could have gone with them too. Maybe next year.