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 Wednesday, January 30, 2008
What Do Your Purse "Guts" Say About You?
1/30/2008 2:23:55 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) As I was lugging a big bottle of spring water in my purse this afternoon, I got to wondering what other women carry around in their purse and what it says about them. So, I decided to do a quick purse dump to see what the "guts" reveal
about me. I'll show you mine if you show me yours!  Band-Aids? Check (tucked into wallet pocket). Advil? Check (in little black and white case). Phone charged? Check (charging next to the purse dump out of view). Swiss Army knife? Check (attached to my key ring). Gum? Check (and a little overboard at that, as I opened an 8-pack and placed them all in my purse). Slight obsession with black and white? Um, well, yes. Except for the chip clip (left over from last week's Memory Makers' brainstorming session/food fest), the blob of green gum in cellophane (front left, from Mei-Lin, who considers me her personal garbage collector) and a few stray quarters, my purse reflects that I'm streamlined, buttoned-up, organized (OK, I'll just say it — anal) and ready for just about anything. I could save the world with the contents in my purse! I think I may make a layout about this. Now that I've shown you mine, show me yours! I'm curious to see what you're carrying around ... and what you think it reveals about you! Best, Beth
1/30/2008 2:23:55 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) 
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Tuesday, January 29, 2008
FREE Digital Kit
1/29/2008 4:39:04 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) I had a chance to play a bit with this fantastic kit (see below) and I can't wait to create another layout. The Wild Sorbet kit is chock full of inspiring papers and elements. (There's so much more I want to use!) I especially like the digital frames, even though they didn't work for this particular page. Get a frame tutorial from Michelle, here. For this page, I took design inspiration from Master '08 Caroline Ikeji.
 Supplies: Acrylic heart, star (Wild Sorbet Kit, Michelle Coleman) Flourishes, stitches (Embrace Life Kit, Sande Krieger) Handstamped Alpha (Michelle Coleman, littledreamerdesigns.com) After you've had a chance to play with this kit, post your creations in the forum. We can't wait to see what you come up with! —Katie
Digital Scrapbooking
1/29/2008 4:39:04 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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New Photography Forum
1/29/2008 11:54:28 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) We've got a new home on our site for photography questions and answers. Stop by the forum and check out our Photography thread. Enjoy! (P.S. I'll check back in later today to provide the link to the free digital kit I mentioned last week.) Here's a preview:  —Katie
1/29/2008 11:54:28 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Monday, January 28, 2008
Happy Monday!
1/28/2008 3:33:52 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)  Team Memory Makers got together last Friday for a creative day. We met at my place to brainstorm new ideas and find ways to serve you, our reader, better. As you can see, Maizie (one of my dogs) was exhausted from having company all day! Be sure to come back and visit the blog this week as the editors give you an inside look at our brainstorming session. There are some exciting things coming your way! Have a wonderful week. Christy
1/28/2008 3:33:52 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Thursday, January 24, 2008
Give Your Black-and-White Photos a Punch
1/24/2008 12:38:30 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)  This past weekend I ventured back to my hometown for a friend’s wedding. I was anxious to try out my newly acquired tripod, a gift from my photojournalist dad, so I carted it to the wedding. I never thought I was going to be one of those people who brought their tripods to weddings, but I’m so glad I did! Besides a few jokes from friends, everyone enjoyed playing with my camera, plus I was able to get a sweet shot of my sister and her boyfriend. Without the tripod, this shot would have been blurry. I loved this picture of the two of them, but I wasn’t fond of the background. To eliminate some distraction, I created two layers and erased the black and white layer so the color below would come through. This is a simple trick and easy to do in Photoshop Elements. Here’s how:• I created a duplicate layer of the picture and then went to Enhance>Adjust Color>Adjust Hue/Saturation> • I clicked the colorize button and adjusted the saturation to eliminate all color. It makes it appear to be black and white. • I then made sure  I was on the black and white layer, and with my eraser tool, deleted the black and white so the color came through underneath. As you can see in the before and after shots, the black and white background puts the focus on the happy couple. Do you have any photo tips to share? Click here to share your digital tips and tricks in the forum.Create something. Inspire everyone. GinaMarie
photography
1/24/2008 12:38:30 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Mad for Magazines
1/23/2008 1:44:30 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) Hi, my name is Beth, and I'm a magazine junkie. My addiction started back in elementary school, with Ranger Rick, random Teen Beats and Archie comic books, and escalated to full-blown love in middle school with the Scholastic Book Club's Dynamite (Remember that?! Most of you, not so much, eh?) and a subscription to Teen magazine, followed by subscriptions (in no particular order and by no means comprehensive at ALL) to Seventeen, Glamour, Mademoiselle, Victoria (I'm so glad it's back!), Weight Watchers, Real Simple, Mode, Parents, Parenting, Time, Sports Illustrated, Cottage Living, Country Home, Country Living, More, In Style, Oprah, Romantic Homes, Body and Soul ... well, you get the picture. I have a bit of a problem. But, there's something so wonderful about coming home to find that a new world has been delivered straight to my mailbox, full of whatever it does best—whether it's providing fashion, beauty, inspiration, news, tips, gossip or advice. My husband said to me last night when sorting through the mail, "Well,
it looks like you hit the mother lode. You got three girly magazines
today." Pure nirvana. I only got a chance to skim through them
yesterday, but tonight I'm going to curl up and indulge my addiction.
What brings delight to your days? Make time to fit it into your schedule this week!  Best, Beth
1/23/2008 1:44:30 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Visit the Cafe Press Store
1/22/2008 1:49:45 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
1/22/2008 1:49:45 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Monday, January 21, 2008
Are You Being Served?
1/21/2008 2:50:01 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) We love hearing from y'all, whether it's with constructive criticism or praise for something you've read in the magazine. Below is a letter we received today via e-mail. We work hard to keep the pages of MM diverse and to offer ideas and inspiration for young and old alike. And for that matter, we try to expand our view to include single and married scrappers, artists whose work is intermediate or advanced and to showcase a variety of styles of layout. Read what Marlene has to say and then come to the Forum and let's talk. Tell me if you feel you're being served: Dear Memory Makers,
Thank you for the section in your [February] magazine for singles. For years I have felt like wearing a sign that says, "I'm single, and yes, I do love scrapbooking." Sometimes people have even acted surprised that I like to scrapbook, and they wonder what I scrapbook since I don't have kids.
So thank you for including a feature in your magazine that made me feel important and included.
Best,
Marlene Peace and love. Patty
1/21/2008 2:50:01 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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30-day Photography Challenge
1/21/2008 10:48:37 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)  Like Tracie, I, too, have been challenging my photography skills this January. And so the story goes: During a lovely morning of blog browsing, I stumbled upon Soule Mama's blog. Her photography and writing drew me in, and after a bit of reading, I discovered that she was participating in a 30-day Photography Challenge. And because one of my January hopes is improving my photography skills and the way I view the world through the lens, I couldn't resist participating. So, I keep my camera close, and snap the details of the day that catch my eye. It certainly is an exercise in paying attention and appreciating those things you might otherwise overlook: a lunch routine not complete without Diet Coke, the sun setting on the way home from work, a bedside table piled with favorite books, a beloved coffee mug. Are you participating in any photo challenges this year? If so, please leave a link in the comments section. I'd love to be inspired by what you're seeing. Layout credits: The digital frames are a little sneak peek of an exclusive kit Michelle Coleman created for Memory Makers. During the next few weeks, stay tuned to this blog for details on how you can get the kit for free! The Embrace Life accent is from Sande Krieger's Embrace Life kit. You can download the kit for free here. Happy Monday, Katie
Digital Scrapbooking | photography
1/21/2008 10:48:37 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Thursday, January 17, 2008
What are you creating today?
1/17/2008 5:41:40 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) We get such cool stuff to play with here at MM! I made this adorable envelope using a 6x6 portfolio from the Sara’s Surfaces collection from Hot Off The Press.    I’ll use this as a gift box for a necklace that’s to be a Valentine’s Day gift for a friend. I love getting handmade goodies, and thought this packaging might make the gift a little brighter. What are you creating today? supplies: Adhesives (Magic Scraps, Tombow) • Chipboard stickers, patterned paper (Cloud 9) • Envelope (Hot Off The Press) • Marker (EK Success) • Ribbon (American Crafts) • Misc.: bling, foam adhesive
1/17/2008 5:41:40 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Zumba Night
1/17/2008 11:38:56 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) Last night, I attended a Zumba class for the first time at our local YMCA. It was a blast! It’s an aerobic class that uses basic Latin dance moves to create a powerful workout. My co-worker, Katie, and I were amazed at how many women showed up for this class. Women of all ages were shaking and dancing to the Latin music.
Since I have moved down to Cincinnati I haven’t been as active as I was back in my hometown. It was so refreshing to find a workout class that was also a lot of fun. And trust me, I’m not one of those “wake-up-early-in-the-morning-and-go-on-a-five-mile-jog-for-fun” types. I mean, I know fun, and that’s certainly not my idea of fun!
Let us know what energizes you. Perhaps it’s being creative, listening to music or enjoying a peaceful moment of silence. How do you become energized and ready to take on another day?
Create something. Inspire everyone.
GinaMarie
1/17/2008 11:38:56 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Blog Loveliness
1/16/2008 8:59:11 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) In response to Katie's blog yesterday about favorite blogs, I find myself going to some favorites every day for a glimpse into someone else's beautiful life. While I'm drawn, obviously, to scrapbooking sites, I've really been basking in the beauty of home decor and winsome handmade items lately. Here are some of my current favorites:  posie gets cozy (And, check out Alicia's new site. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE everything this talented woman does, as mentioned in a previous blog entry.) messy thrilling lifedear daisy cottagea cottage industrychez fifithe cottage nestTake a trip to one—or all—of these blogs today for a glimpse into some truly inspired lives. And, be sure to take some time to reflect on what's inspiring about your own sweet life. Best, Beth
1/16/2008 8:59:11 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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