Hello, hello, and Happy Monday! I hope you all had an inspiring National Scrapbooking Day. (If you missed our free downloads, click this link to get them now.)

There are 87 layouts to inspire your creativity in the May/June issue, so, grab your issue, and let’s get started!

(P.S. Don’t forget to leave your thoughts on the issue in the comments section. We’d love to know what inspired you! And, if you’re inspired to create—which, of course, we hope you are—please post your pages and projects, here. We look forward to reading your thoughts and seeing your artwork!)

On the Cover
Master ‘07 Lisa Tutman Oglesby designed this month’s cover layout. Click here to read Lisa’s account about creating the cover.

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Make a fresh start. Executive Editor Beth Williams shares 10 ways to freshen up your scrapbooking life.

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If you’ve got wedding photos to scrap, you’ll want to check out the Wedding Memories in a Flash Web exclusive from Hot Off The Press. (Fun Memory Makers fact: Two of our staffers are engaged and both are to be married this September—Art Director Christy Miller and Assistant Editor GinaMarie Reda!) Stay tuned to the Memory Makers blog for crafty wedding ideas from our brides-to-be!

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Are you entering the 2009 Memory Makers Masters Contest?
Click here for details.

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The May/June Try This column focuses on how to use one of your photos as the background of a layout. It creates such a cool effect. This is one technique I can’t wait to try!

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I laughed out loud while reading the journaling on Master ’07 Hillary Heidelberg’s Big Brother layout. It’s incredibly endearing. (It’s also a great example of using text as a design element.) In Hillary’s Scrap Simple feature, you’ll learn how to identify your go-to supplies to make creating layouts quick, easy and fun.

(Click here to see the MM team's essential supplies.)

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In the Get it Together feature by Master ’08 Amy Peterman, she not only shares great organizing tips (that I definitely need to try!), her accompanying artwork is incredibly inspiring. I love the way she uses paint and vivid colors. I feel inspired to tackle my scrap supply area and also to create a few new layouts using paint and color in interesting, engaging ways.

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“Be a tourist in your own town and visit historical sites, museums and landmarks. Get your camera and go.”

I love the above prompt from Courtney Walsh’s Scrap Your Stomping Ground feature. I plan to create a mini-album about my city favorites, including even the littlest things like my beloved local used bookstore, library and coffee shop. Read Courtney's article for additional prompts and layout inspiration.

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Be sure to check out our two galleries: The Oh, Baby Bonus Gallery and our Reader Idea Gallery. You're sure to be inspired!

—Katie