CONTEST TIME!!!

My scrapbooking journey began back in late 2003. I had an idea to make a scrapbook for brother and his fiancé. I began like many with paper scrapbooking. It quickly turned into something I really enjoyed doing. I then began to work on other projects and learned more about scrapbooking. I bought a Cricut machine and was just in love with scrapbooking, but there was something missing from paper scrapbooking for me. It was difficult to find supplies for some of the things I wanted to scrapbook like Civil War battlefields. I had been using Photoshop for many, many years. I used to make wallpapers for your computer. So in 2008 when I first heard about digital scrapbooking it seemed a perfect fit. The first few layouts I made were of Civil War battlefields and looking back on them now they are pretty bad.

One of the first digital scrapbooking sites I found was ScrapMatters. I fell in love with the site instantly. I met so many wonderful people through the site - designers and other scrappers. It felt like home and one big family. It was a place where you could share things besides just scrapbook pages. I felt so much love from everyone there in 2009 when my Dad passed away. It was such a difficult time in my life, but I loved having so many wonderful and caring friends. Even though ScrapMatters closed I have stayed in contact with so many of those people I met through other scrapbooking sites and social media.

One of the things that I love most about scrapbooking are all of the wonderful people I have met. So many have encouraged me, inspired me, given me advice, been a shoulder to cry on, and been a cheerleader.

Now I want to give back to the wonderful people that have so blessed and enriched my life with their friendship.

In March 2015 my Dad's younger brother passed away. He had never changed his will after my Dad passed which meant that the share that was to go to my Dad was split between my siblings and me.  My Uncle was a unique guy. I have so many fond memories of going to the theater with him to see plays and musicals. He loved to travel and go on roadtrips. He told the corniest jokes over and over, but you laughed each time. He was a devout Lutheran who served as Usher in our church for many, many years. The first time we went to church after he passed it was so weird to not see him as an usher. He would help you in any way he could. He was always early. When we had family gatherings we always had to tell him a later time so he wouldn't show up too early. He was a great guy and is greatly missed.

So to give back to the scrapbooking community I am holding a contest where the prizes will be purchased with the inheritance from my Uncle.

The challenge for this contest is easy . . .  download the template pack below and use one of the templates to scrap a layout. 

It can be whatever you want to scrap with whatever kit(s) you want. 

For those that know me, know that I normally will take a template and modify it. Great! Go for it. You can modify these templates however you want for this challenge. I just need to be able to see that you did use one as a starting point.

The first place winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to Britt-ish Designs. Britt's team is the first creative team I ever joined. Britt is also one of the nicest and coolest people. Her designs are AMAZING!!!! You can check out her designs at her website. This winner will be selected by me.

The second place winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to either The Lilypad or Sweet Shoppe Designs. Both sites have some super talented and awesome designers. Quite a few designers from ScrapMatters have found their way to both sites. This winner will be selected by my niece, Juno.

The third place winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to either The Lilypad or Sweet Shoppe Designs. This winner will be selected by my niece, Annika.

A friendly hint . . .  For those that know me, know that I talk about my nieces *A LOT*. And I also have made just a few scrapbook pages about them. ;) I can say that if your page is about something they like you might have a better chance at being picked as the winner. I won't say here what they like, but if you have heard me talk about them or seen some of my layouts you might have idea of what they like. ;)

And for everyone who participates there will be a special participation prize.

1. Download the template pack
2. Scrap any layout you want. You can use whatever kits you want. It can be any subject you want. I just need to see that you used one of the four templates.
3. Send me your finished layout in an email at yzerbear19@gmail.com. I will need your email address if you win so this will make it easier. 
4. Only one layout per person.
5. Attach a copy of your layout as a 600X600 page. 
6. Be sure to include in your email your real name and username.

The deadline to enter is: JUNE 18, 2016 at 11:59 PM ET.

After the deadline I will gather all of the layouts and decide the winners. I'm going to try to video my nieces picking their choices, so wish me luck with that!

Once the winners have been selected I will notify the winners through email and announce them here on my blog.

Good luck to everyone! I can't wait to see what you create with these templates!

Happy Birthday! *FREEBIE!*

Today is my birthday! 

YAY! I'm so weird that I even set this post to publish at the exact time I was born. LOL I love to give away things on my birthday, which means that you get to benefit from it!

For my birthday this year I created a brand new template based off of one of my favorite layouts I did in 2015 when I took my nieces to meet Cinderella at a local apple orchard. They had a blast and were just in love with her and she was so super sweet with them.

Credits: Believe In Magic - Glass Slipper by Amber Shaw & Studio Flergs, I'm Yours by Britt-ish Designs and DeCrow Designs, and Princess Talk by Sahlin Studio

You can click on the image above to download or CLICK HERE. 

The download link will be good until 11:59 PM Eastern Time on May 31, 2016. 

I hope you enjoy the template! I would love to see any layouts you create. You can leave a link the comment section below or email them to me at yzerbear19 at gmail dot com. 

I'm now off to enjoy my birthday with my two favorite little girls and Melinda. We're going to go see Thomas the Tank Engine at Greenfield Village. Then we're going to a local mall and having dinner with my brother. It should be a fun filled day. :)

Later!

-Melissa

FREEBIE time!

Since my birthday is in two weeks, I'm feeling a bit generous. :)

It's been over two years since I offered this template. So if you missed it when it was offered before you can get it now.

***This will be the LAST TIME it is ever offered.*** 

Sorry. This download has expired. This template has been retired.

IMPORTANT: While I offer these for free here on my site, please do not share the files with others. Please do not post the download links to other sites, etc. If you want to share with others please direct them back to this blog so they can download the files themselves. I've been very generous in sharing my creations and offering them as freebies and would like to do so, but if people take advantage of this generosity I may have to reconsider it.

This is your last chance to get this template. Please remember that the download is only available until 11:59 PM ET on April 29, 2016. 

If you already have this template be sure to come back on April 30th for a brand new template freebie. :)

Enjoy!
-Melissa

Yes I'm alive!

I know I haven't been the best blogger, but didn't realize just how bad until I recently checked. Yikes! Guess I've just been busy living life.

I have a few exciting things coming up, starting this weekend. :) One of my most popular templates will be offered again for free. And then at the end of the month it's my birthday and I have something special planned for that as well.

I will try to be a better blogger! LOL

- Melissa

Happy Thanksgiving + FREEBIE!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! I know I'm a little early but with all the chaos of the actual holiday I know I won't have time to post a message tomorrow. So Happy Thanksgiving a day early!

I have so many things to be thankful for in my life (in no particular order):

My family - my Mom, my sister Melinda, my brothers Chris and Pat, my sister-in-law Emily, and my two beautiful nieces Juno and Annika. Also thankful for all of my cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and ancestors.

My kitties. They are like children to me even though they can be a royal pain in the butt! I still love them.

To have a home to live in, food to eat, and a job.

For my talents like scrapbooking. Creativity is such an amazing thing and I am thankful I have found some great outlets for it.

These are just a few of the things I am thankful for this year.

I'm also thankful for all those who download and like my designs. Thank you!

I know in my last post I may have mentioned offering up another template for free. The template that I am going to share, people have been begging me to release for years. It was given out previously to people who participated in a challenge at MouseScrappers. But from now until the end of the year, you can download it for FREE in my forum.

In order to download this template, you will have to register for my forum. I changed the settings so now anyone can see the freebies there, but only members will see the download links. You can click on the picture above or the link below to be taken to the forum.

If you want to download it, YOU MUST REGISTER!!!!

The template will be offered from now until December 31st. After that, it's going back into the vault!!!

Enjoy! And I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!!! :)

Melissa

Long December template freebie and IMPORTANT NEWS!!!

I had signed up to host a Tuesday Template challenge at ScrapMatters in December, but with the site closing that challenge won't get posted. Since I had already made the template, I decided to offer it as a freebie here.

The title is inspired by one of my favorite Counting Crows songs. My favorite line in it is "A long December and there's reason to believe maybe this year will be better than the last . . . "

Here is the layout I created with it:

Credits: So This is Christmas by Clever Monkey Graphics

Since ScrapMatters is closing and I will be losing my most complete gallery, I decided to create a message board where I can post all my layouts. It will also serve as a place to post my freebies. In order to access the downloads you will have to sign up for my message board. I will no longer be posting the links directly on my blog.

And this isn't the only freebie that is currently being offered! If you missed your chance to download any of the following, you can still get them through the message board. :)

 

On the message board you can also download, "Annika's Closet" paper pack, "Find Your Roots" kit, and "I Love Auntie" mini kit. I may have one additional template to add. It is a template that people have been BEGGING for. So check back often to see what other freebies I add.

 

You can find all these freebies at: YB Designs Digital Scrapbooking. Only members are allowed to view the freebies and download them. So you will have to register as a member.

 

Enjoy! :)

 

Annika's Closet

I am so excited by this new product! I bring you, "Annika's Closet."

 My nieces have closets full of clothes! And when I scrap photos of them I like the papers to match their outfits, but I don't always have a paper to match so I will then create my own. This paper pack is inspired by 7 outfits worn by my youngest niece, Annika. Here is what inspired this colorful paper pack:

This paper pack will be available to download for free until October 1, 2013.

Below are the links to download the papers. There are two zip files, so please make sure you download both for the complete paper pack.

SORRY!
These downloads have expired

 

IMPORTANT: While I offer these for free here on my site, please do not share the files with others. Please do not post the download links to other sites, etc. If you want to share with others please direct them back to this blog so they can download the files themselves. I've been very generous in sharing my creations and offering them as freebies and would like to do so, but if people take advantage of this genorsity I may have to reconsider it.

 

I hope you enjoy this fun and unique paper pack! And look forward to "Juno's Closet." :)

 

Melissa

My beautiful nieces

Melinda and I took the girls to Dow Gardens on Sunday to take photos for Annika's 1st birthday invitations. We had a lot of fun. Annika was really hamming it up for the cameras. Juno didn't want to get her beloved red shoes dirty. Silly girl.

ANNIKA- 10.5 months old - She is such a happy, easy going baby. She is so much fun. She has the cutest little dimple when she smiles.



JUNO - 27 months old - This photo was completely spontaneous. I didn't pose her. This is also nearly straight out of the camera. I only removed a few little blemishes on her cheek. She is such a gorgeous girl. She is super silly, fun, and smart. She is really growing up to an awesome little lady. It makes me sad to see how grown up she looks now. She has lost a lot of her "baby-ness."



Auntie is so proud of both of them and loves them so much! They are such a joy.

Melissa

Project Mouse: Princess Edition! + FREEBIE!!!

I am sooooo excited by the latest installment of Project Mouse by Britt-ish Designs and Sahlin Studio. It's a bundle of royal goodness!!! Introducing Project Mouse (princess edition). The collection comes in a bundle as well as individual pieces. It is super versatile.

You can buy this AWESOME collection from both Britt's and Krista's stores. Here are the layouts I've created with it:

Isn't She Lovely - These are Annika's 9 month photos. I came home and knew I had to scrap them. I love how they turned out. She is such a doll and turning into such a ham. :)

Unforgettable - These photos were taken the day Annika was born. This was the first time I got to hold her. It was one of the most memorable moments of my life.

And since it is a Princess bundle, I had to scrap some Disney Princess photos. :)

Meeting Princess Cinderella - These photos were taken at Walt Disney World in December 2010.

I love how versatile this bundle is. And with two beautiful nieces, I know I will be using it a lot.

And I have a template FREEBIE for you! I decided to turn my "Isn't She Lovely" layout into a template

You can click on the above image or CLICK HERE to download. Please let me know if you have any problems with the download.

ENJOY! I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! We're staring our weekend with a trip to the Vera Bradley outlet sale. So excited!

Melissa

Project Mouse LOs

I haven't posted any of my Project Mouse layouts lately so here are my latest creations with the Project Mouse goodies. Click on any of the pictures for the full credits.

To start with, I finished the Disneyland recap pages. YAY!

Day 6 Recap

Day 7 Recap

I also used Project Mouse goodies to scrap all of the fun characters we met at Storyteller's Cafe

I had so much fun scrapping these pages I decided to do a daily recap for our Decemeber 2010 trip to Walt Disney World. I haven't scrapped the first day yet, but will do so soon. So for right now it starts on Day 2 of that trip. LOL

WDW - Day 2 Recap

Come back to tomorrow to see the newest Project Mouse goodies. :)

Melissa