Letter From Team Digital - Lauren Bavin

How can it be September already - every year it seems that time fly’s by faster.

Life is fuller and more hurried than ever before and often in the rush the small things in life are forgotten. That’s why I truly believe scrapbooking is a great addition to my life. By taking time to do something I enjoy I am doing double duty - not only having fun doing something I love but also allowing the small happenings in life to be remembered. 

The layouts I love the most aren’t necessarily those documenting big events like birthday’s holidays and vacations, but often those documenting the small things - things that might easily get forgotten in years to come. Things like phrases and sayings that children have when they are young, tender moments between generations, favourite clothes or food. There are so many things we can document in a scrapbook page that might otherwise get forgotten.

Why don’t you take time out this month to scrap the small stuff - in the end it may make for big memories. 

At DSP September and March mark very exciting months. These 2 months are scheduled for the semi annual Digital Elite Team contest.

In this elimination style contest many members compete for a place on DSP's DET (Digital Elite Team). This group of extremely talented people are the creative team who help promote the designs sold in the DSP store.

Its always a very hard task to whittle down more than 100 entries to the final few who make the team, and the designers who are the judges spend many hours pouring over the incredible layouts submitted each round.

If you haven’t been part of a DET contest before check out the galleries over the coming weeks and perhaps sign up yourself next time around.

Lauren Bavin
Head Designer

(back to the top)

Upcoming 2008 DSP crops and events:

Monthly Crop – repeats first Friday of every month Troy, Ohio

Weekend Retreats for Central Plains States USA, Clear Lake, Iowa. Two dates possible, September 26-28, 2008 or November 14-16, 2008 - check it out here.

Possible Crops:
If you'd like to have a crop at Austen, Texas our designer Lisa Carter is planning one. Check it out here, no dates etc decided yet but put your name down if you'd like this to happen.

Please check here for those interested in any crops that may be happening in your area.

(back to the top)

It is a wonderful opportunity to ask questions about DSP and digital scrapbooking. Whether it’s a question about navigating the site or how to get started, the girls are on hand to give you some answers. And everyone who attends the chat will get a link to a free kit! Trying out digital scrapbooking for the first time? Use your free kit and try your hand at a layout . . . we know you will love it!! More details here including how to use the chat room!

Are you thinking about posting your first layout? There's a special first layout challenge each months for you. Post your first layout to DSP this month and you may be a random winner for a free page kit!! You'll find all the information here

Welcome to DSP! We know you will love it!

(back to the top)

Club Digital 

Each month you receive a wonderful selection of scrapbooking products. Something to suit every style and level of digital scrapper.

You will always receive 2 complete page kits, one plopper or an overlay and an alphabet, some great word art and more - a font and a set of png "stamps" for your scrapping pleasure, and don't forget the quick click template included in each club digital pack. Now club digital subscribers get an extra gift of an exclusive coupon for use on future purchases in the store. 

All this for the incredible price of $5.99 or even less!!! Thats well over $23 value for such a great price - The longer you subscribe - the cheaper it becomes and the better value for you!!!!!

Buy a 3 month subscription and go into the draw to be upgraded to a 6 month subscription, by a 6 month and you might win an upgrade to a 12 month subscription, and all those who buy a 12 month sub will go into the draw for a $30 coupon for the DSP store. 

Click here to subscribe to Club digital today

In addition every month there is an exclusive contest for club digital subscribers with great prizes.

This months selection includes 2 beautiful kits, a versatile one photo plopper, a typed paper alphabet, bracket shaped journaling stamps, Back to School Word art, a great quick click template and dont forget the exclusive font. .

Here are some sample layouts done by our designers with this month's Club Digital!

Click here to subscribe to Club Digital today!

(back to the top)

It's Shop Time! 
Shop Time Inspiration by Erica

It’s time to SHOP… let’s get those baskets at the ready.

New Quick Click CD - Shippable     -    New Quick Click CD - Downloadable

Don’t forget our September Club Digital is now in the shop, the designers at DSP are the best there are and you get an awesome deal when subscribing to Club Digital – all your favourite designers delivered direct to your inbox at the beginning of each month, can’t get much better than that.

Happy shopping…

 (back to the top)

Retro, Sunrays, Starbursts and Super-Sized Titles.

I have noticed quite a few advertisements and posters featuring retro designs, sunrays and their variant the starburst. Now that I am aware of it, I seem to see these fun and funky design styles appearing all over the place, including scrapbook layouts.

If you want to try this effect, there are a couple of kits with those papers, like Tina Chambers' Sunny Side Up and Lisa Carter's Comic Birthday Kit. Another great place to start is with Elizabeth Weaver’s Still Groovy QC two-page template. You can use the starburst template to cut your backgrounds, or take it one step further and try different effects, blend modes or apply layer styles for a totally new look.

Notice how your eyes tend to follow the flow of the rays – either inwards towards a single focal point, or outwards along the rays if there are multiple photographs. The sunray or starburst can be teamed with retro funky flowers, or pop art elements; or given a modern twist with circles, bubbles and stars and modern flowers.

If the starburst or sunray doesn’t grab your attention, have a look at Elizabeth’s new Modular Playground - a fun contemporary quick click with a retro feel.

 

Digi-Scrapper Inspiration by Meg 

Journal Your Way Back To School!

 

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, it's Back to School time for our little, and big, kids.  Every year we take the requisite First Day of School photos, buy the supplies, meet the teachers, and soothe the First Day jitters.  It tends to be an overwhelming time for kids and parents alike.  Lots going on and adjusting to new schedules and routines doesn't leave much time for reflection.  I have pictures from my daughter's first day of Kindergarten with absolutely NO journaling attached!  How is that possible?  Such a huge milestone from only a couple of years ago and my memories of it are hazy and incomplete. 

 

This year I've challenged myself to capture all those bits and pieces that make up the beginning of the school year and I invite you to join me!  I'm starting before school starts with some of the routines and rituals that signal the start of a year to me by making this layout about the social story books I create for my son each year.

 

They help him prepare for the year and give me a visual way to help him through those transitions.  Looking back at them, we see how much he and his needs have changed.  I love having a layout documenting this process in his scrapbook to show how we prepare for school each year!

DSP Designer Suzanne C. Walker has done a layout about a daily ritual she shares with her girls as they leave home each day.   

This is such a sweet moment between mother and children that might have easily become forgotten over time.  Now an integral part of their school day will be remembered and possibly continued into the next generation!

 

Two examples of school time details that are in our memories and now our scrapbooks.  Without the journaling, these memories would have faded.  The social stories I made will probably end up in a box some day, and photos of Suzi's tradition could never convey the details so important to her family.  As much as we all love our photos, we need that journaling to share the information and meaning behind them.

 

Join Suzanne and me in the Deeper Than The Date forum for monthly journaling prompts and challenges.  This month the concentration will be on Back To School, specifically using conversational journaling to jot down our kids' thoughts about going back to school.  Suzanne has created a fabulous child's handwriting font for all participants, to give that extra bit of child-like enthusiasm to your pages! 

 

No matter what rituals, routines, or conversations you choose to document this month, be sure to get them written down and into your scrapbooks for your whole family to enjoy.  And whatever you do, don't send your first born off to Kindergarten without writing down every detail of that life changing event!

Check out the DET gallery for fantastic examples of this current scrapbooking trend!  Here are a few to get you started:  

(back to the top)

Be inspired some more - check out the current edition of  Inspiration Station News

New DET Team coming soon...It's that time again were you get to show us what you can do and compete to be one of the best of the best! The current DET Contest starts September, to find out more and sign up look here

Keep watching for other upcoming events in September...

Contests, Challenges and Chats

Designer Exclusives: Our Designers are the best there are and they are really generous, if you enter one of their challenges you’re more than likely to receive a chat and/or posting bonus just by using their nominated kit for the challenge. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain – like more stash for less bucks with these great challenges. 

Welcome to new designer (Christine Gundersen) who joined the team in August so if you haven't checked out her latest challenge - Gundi's Goodies be sure to take a look.

Featured newsletter designer:  Meryl Bartho - Senior Designer  
Tea for Two & Two for Tea (T42 & 24T)
Meryl's Designs
Meryl's Gallery

Team Letter: Lauren Bavin - Head Designer
Lauren's Designs
Lauren's Gallery

Inspiration Station
This is a call to all dedicated DSP scrappers to ‘strut your stuff’ and inspire us with your creations. Just choose any or all of the calls for layouts the current month and you could be showcased in our Newsletter or Blog. We have a few rules so check them out and then join in the fun.  

This month’s calls will include Orange, School Layouts, Grandparents, Multi Photo Frames, Club Digital and The Quick Click CD layouts and more...

Be inspired some more - check out the current edition of  Inspiration Station News 

Click Here for Previous Issues
Click Here for Our Current Calls

Scrap with the DET – Digital Elite Team and DET Alumni
Our past and current Elite group of scrappers have some great challenges going at the moment and you’re sure to get well chosen CC should you need it – learn from the best.

Get it off Auto – Lauren and Jennifer
Weekly How To basics for everyone who wants to learn more about their camera capabilities.

The Grannies
If you’re a Granny or a Granny In Training (GIT) or just a Wannabee, you might like to see what other Grannies are up to, what challenges they have going. There is never a dull moment when you join this happy band of digi scrappers.

2008 Baby Albums – lianne99 (Tara)
You should go see some of these adorable albums of our future digi scrappers – join Tara and all the other mothers in celebrating your little ones life.

DET Boot Camp – Run fortnightly with different leaders
This is great training ground for all DET hopefuls; it’s about honing your skills ready for the next DET Contest. It’s also the place if you just want to gets some really great CC to help you move to your next level of accomplishment.

IOTW - Item of the week – Abby
The Item Of The Week is a priced to sell and generally cost only a few cents so create a LO using only the IOTW and be in the draw to win a free kit.

SNL - Saturday Night Live - MarsOlson & Debbers
This is where anyone can create their own digital scrapbook kits to share with other SNL’ers, from elements and papers to word art.

This is just a small selection of popular challenges that DSP currently has running but be sure to check all of them out here. And we have a special blinkie to place in your signature to always remind you where to find the best scrapbooking challenges on the web. Check the end of the first post in the What's Happening thread for the blinkie code.

Happy Scrapping!

(back to the top)

We are always striving to make our newsletter more interesting and useful. If you have an idea, let us know about it! If it's an article idea, a feature, even something you'd like to write, shout it out to us. So, put your thinking caps on and come up with some new features, article ideas, or something fun you'd like to see in our monthly newsletter. Then email it to comments@dsplace.com. (Please type "Newsletter IDEA" in the subject line of your email.) We can't wait to see your ideas!

(back to the top)

Newsletter Freebie

Exclusively for our newsletter readers, DSP Senior Designer, Meryl Bartho has created this gorgeous Plopper! Grab it here! Thanks Meryl!

(back to the top)