The Digital Scrapbook Place
N e w s l e t t e r
 

A Letter from Team Digital
Can you believe it’s March already? I have no idea where January and February went!  On the calendar I see Daylight Savings Time, St. Patrick’s Day, and the beginning of Spring. On the DSP list of events I see the next Digital Elite Team competition and a whole bunch of new contests and challenges. On my list of things to do? I’ll be spending the first week of March driving across the country with my husband and dog and a trailer full of boxes, as we complete our move back to our home state. So what does all this tell me? March is the month of change!!

What will you be doing this month to join in on this trend of transformation? Check out the monthly Events & Activities thread for constant inspiration. If you’re new to digital scrapbooking and need help getting started, everything you could possibly need can be found in the Digital Scrapbooking 101 article. Be sure to check out all the links, you’ll find a ton of information!  Or have you moved beyond beginner? Ready for a bigger challenge? You can try out for the Digital Elite Team or join me in the new forum The Next Step, for challenges and inspiration aimed at more advanced scrappers.

March is a month of transformation, let’s dust those cobwebs out of our heads and stretch our creative muscles! Re-energize your artistic desires and goals, and try something new!

Meg Beverly
Moderator/Instructor
(back to top)

SCRAP-A-FAIRE
DSP is partnering with Better Homes & Gardens Scrapbooks Etc. as a sponsor of SCRAP-A-FAIRE, a virtual festival for paper and digital scrapbookers.  Scrap, shop, learn, chat! Feb 28-Mar 4. Find out more here!

The Next Step
The Next Step - a forum and gallery created with the intermediate and advanced scrapper in mind - is up and running! Join moderator Meg Beverly and stretch your design skills in new and exciting directions!

Each month, there are Sketch and Ad challenges. (The Ad Challenge for March is particularly intriguing and challenging!) Since TNS is brand-new, you can help build a solid foundation.

Karen Bowers will be hosting a lesson this month on blending photos and backgrounds. Look for more specialized offerings like this in the future.

And since the wish to get published goes along with advancing skills, this is a place to find info on current magazine calls and share tips and hints on getting that exciting Call.

(back to top)

You can view her gallery here - and watch for her DET layouts throughout March. Congratulations, Paula!

(back to top)

Featured Designer: Kim Liddiard

Jump in to spring with a renewed passion for scrapping!  There are many ways to be inspired when making your layouts. If you are “creatively challenged,” try the following scrapbooking tricks to get you on your way.

Try a scraplift. When you scraplift, you look to other layouts for inspiration and create one that is similar with the design points you enjoyed from the original. Pick out what drew you to the layout in the first place and then incorporate that technique/design principle into your layout process. Don’t forget to credit the original or your source of inspiration – it is a nice way to say thank you.

Try a Quick Click!  Our Quick Clicks are a great way to get pages done fast. Extremely versatile, quick clicks are better than a sketch…They are an interactive sketch. Just fill with your papers and embellishments to create a layout that is uniquely you!  Check out our full line of templates.

Try PowerScrapping!   Make 10 beautiful pages in 5 Hours?!  Margie lays out a plan to get you into cranking out those layouts fast! Check out this page for more information (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/university/tutorials/powerscrapping.shtml)

We hope to see you on the way to getting many layouts created this year preserving those precious memories of your friends and family!

Be Creative! J  Kim Liddiard
Senior Designer
(back to top)

Here is our line up of April classes so you can start making your plans now! We are debuting another new class this month- DSU332- PSP Advanced Techniques taught by Lori Davis.

April classes

DSU130 – Corel/Jasc Paint Shop Pro: Introduction to Digital Scrapbooking

DSU160 – Adobe Photoshop Elements: Introduction to Digital Scrapbooking

DSU170 – Pixel Magic: Introduction to Digital Scrapbooking (Formerly Scraps of Digital and HP CSA)

DSU215 – Adobe Photoshop Actions and Automations ( Photoshop v.7 and above) (Pre-requisite- DSU 110 or similar experience)

DSU221 – Adobe Photoshop/Photoshop Elements: Montage (Pre-requisites: DSU 110/160 , DSU 220/270)

DSU225 – Adobe Photoshop: Paths ( Photoshop v.7 and above) (Pre-requisite- DSU 110 or similar experience)

DSU332 – Jasc/Corel Paint Shop Pro: Advanced Techniques (Pre-requisite DSU 331 or similar experience)

DSU351 – Photography: Home Lighting (Pre-requisite DSU151 and DSU350)

DSU361 – Adobe Photoshop Elements: Creating Digital Elements for Advanced Users (Pre-requisite- DSU 261)

Be sure to visit our classes page for more information regarding these classes and our other great classes at DSU!

We would love to hear your suggestions on future classes! Send your suggestions and comments to me at dsu@digitalscrapbookplace.com.

We’re also looking for qualified DSU instructors! If you would be interested in teaching, please contact me for more information.

Amber, Dean of DSU
dsu@digitalscrapbookplace.com
(back to top)

Challenges/Contests/Events
Check our Calendar of Events and the Events & Activities Links thread for a complete list of all events and challenges. Here are a just a few of our exciting Challenges!

Digital Elite Team Competition - This is a contest to look for the elite digital scrapbooker. It's not a teaching contest and the rules are strict - but you may do some of your best work this way. It runs for three rounds, with a shrinking number of competitors continuing on to the next. If you think you have what it takes - or want to test yourself - check out the rules and join in!

DET Bootcamp
Join in to stretch your scrapping skills in a friendly, supportive atmosphere. (Come join even if you don't plan to enter the DET contest - the Bootcamp is open to all!)

Freestyle Fandango with Suzanne
An ongoing series of challenges designed to inspire you, and challenge you to stretch your creative skills! Weekly challenges usually boast FANDANGOLICIOUS posting bonuses (freebies)!

Prompts & Props with Bethy and Z
Prompts are a challenge idea, something for you to scrap about. Props are a freebie, something for you to scrap with! From now to the end of the year we're going to focus on gift making, so that you can have a few easy quick things done and in the bag at Christmastime.

March Sketch Challenge with Abby - This popular challenge is starting up again, this month the sketch is a classic of Kim Liddiard's.

Beginnings with Bethy: For the last two Beginnings with Bethy challenges, we've been talking about design concepts. We'll be continuing that in March! Come join us. We've had great learning discussions on contrast and alignment and we'll be starting repetition in March. As always, I'll have a featured kit that if you buy and use to create a layout, you'll get the coordinating add-on for free! Check out the Beginnings with Bethy forum for all the details!

Becky's Chats & Challenges with Becky Soto - This month it's an instant album challenge using her Love's Elegance Page Kit and Add Ons. Create a layout, and the winners will not only have their layouts turned into instant pages, but they'll get the entire instant album as a prize.

(back to top)

Items Of The Week (IOTW)
Each week a new item goes on sale for only 99 cents. Check out the IOTW challenge starting each Sunday. Buy the kit, use it to make a layout, post it to the IOTW gallery and the designer will have different prizes for you! It could be a posting bonus, a random drawing, chances at a free fonting, you never know! Check it out this week!

(back to top)

What's New in the DSP Store?

Doodlicious Word Art Doodlicious Word Art - Downloadable	Scraps of Style - Freestyle Scraps of Style - Freestyle - Downloadable
Use this PhotoBook Creator with the PhotoBook Covers in White or Black to create high quality hardbound books at home in just 90 seconds!	Book covers currently available in 2 sizes: ~ 8x8 and 12x12
Frippery Charm Bracelet & Frippery Link Bracelet Add your own photos or digital scrapbook layouts! Welcome to Frippery, a delightful collection of bracelets that you can personalize yourself! These kits have everything you need to create your own one-of-a-kind bracelet including self-adhesive designer monograms, patterns and images to mix-n-match with your own photos. Includes easy to follow instructions that will guide you step-by-step through the assembly process.
	Photo Purse Create your very own personalized handbag. Take out the insert and replace it with your favorite picture or scrapbook layout. Sure to be a conversation piece wherever you go. Imagine what the grandmothers will say!

(back to top)

The Newsletter Desktop Calendar Plopper
A newsletter exclusive! Specially designed ploppers for your computer desktop. This month's offering is from our featured designer Kim Liddiard. She used her Kim’s Flowers Page Kit and Calendar Wide Simple by Kim Liddiard and Lauren Bavin.