Inbox vs. Mailbox

I'm still working through my email inbox for e-newsletters that I can't personally use.  I did wonder about the days before e-newsletters.  It hasn't been that long ago that I received newsletters in my mailbox.  Creating Keepsakes was one of the best to get me excited about walking to the mailbox each day.  Convention and conference information came by mail.  I know I'm talking horse and buggy days to many bloggers.

Do you miss the newsletters?  I do but I don't. 

Do
I love sitting in my living room reading and rereading my newsletters.  It is easy to go back and read them again a week or two later and some of them I even save for inspiration.

Don't
Save the trees is my first thought about about the newsletters.  Also e-newsletters allows frequent correspondence to the readership.  Here's the one I like the best:  I love the links included in my e-newsletter that connect to teaching/inspirational sites.  It really expands the use of the e-newsletter and I get more information than ever before.

Example
The first e-newsletter I ever subscribed to is Scrapbooking.com.  It is full of inspiration, contests, and links.  Scrapbooking.com is an online magazine full of ideas and instructions as well as the latest trends.  I love to check out the layouts that are in the e-newsletters over at the online magazine.

The latest newsletter peaked my interest so I clicked on the link to the magazine.  I found a layout by Lisa Swift that I just had to make.  I love paper layering!  The title of the article is "Baby It's Cold Outside."   Here's mine.

What I Learned

• When you don't have the measurements of the paper pieces, make a "draft" of your layout.  Use a couple of pieces of inexpensive cardstock and your base paper and experiment until you get the right dimension you need.  It will save your patter paper.
• Save your scrap paper!  Many of the pieces above were left over pieces of Basic Grey I had saved from a few years ago.  Yes, I keep paper pieces and this layout proves it's a good thing.
• Ink the edges of your paper and it helps "separate" the pieces more and add a cool look to your page.
• Don't put away your sewing machine!  Hand stitching is fun but not all the time.

I have a horrible handwriting.  I nearly always type my journaling.  Ali Edwards has her handwriting in a font.  I totally love it.  It's free.  Here's the link to the official Ali Edwards font.

Winner
Yes, I have a winner chosen by Random.org. 

marla said...I am not really involved in any official challenges for the new year but I am going to challenge myself to get caught up on my scrapbooking. I am a year behind right now and want to get caught up!! I need to get busy!!

Congratulations Marla.  Send your snail mail address to DebbysDare@gmail.com

Weekend
Fellowship of Scrapbookers is hosting a crop in Lexington, SC tomorrow and I can't wait to see everyone.  I hope you have a Creative Weekend.

Gratitude List
1.  my good humored husband
2.  Tabitha and David
3.  taking time
4.  God's gift of life
5.  God for turning an ordinary relationship into an extraordinary one