In case you haven't heard, May is NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY MONTH, and we're celebrating with photography ideas and fun all month long here in our blog, in our eZine, and even with the release of a new book from Rebecca Cooper, Real.Life.Photography.

And on that note, I have found the coolest photography site ever! And I just had to share it with you. It's called Dear Photograph.

The Concept
The idea behind Dear Photograph is simple: hold up a photo from the past in front of the place where it was originally shot, then take a picture of the picture, adding a dedication about what the photograph means to you. The results, however, are astounding. By turns nostalgic, charming, and poignant, Dear Photograph is a stunning visual compilation that evokes childhood memories, laments difficult losses, and above all, celebrates the universal nature of love.

If the concept looks familiar, it seems to have inspired a popular television ad for Chevrolet, as was pointed out in an article from AdWeek.

 

About the creator of Dear Photograph:
Taylor Jones, at just 22 years of age, was inspired to start his website Dear Photograph as he flipped through old family photos at his parents' kitchen table. When he came across an image of his brother sitting at that very same table, he lifted it up and snapped a picture of the picture. In a moment, the idea for DearPhotograph.com was born. After taking more photographs, Jones posted them on a website and asked people to submit their own renditions -- but he had no idea how overwhelming of a response he would get. In just six short weeks, millions of people had visited, hundreds had submitted, and Jones had created an internet phenomenon that captured the world's attention.

Are you in?

To play along, post your own, Dear Photograph, on your blog or any hosting service (Flickr, etc.) then link it back to this post.

We are *hosting the challenge here on our blog until the end of May. And check back because we will be posting our own Dear Photographs throughout the rest of the month from members of the Ella Publishing staff and the Ella Friends team.

*All participants will be entered into a random drawing to win a copy of the book, Dear Photograph, and some other surprise goodies, too.

Oh, and you can listen to an interview with the author here.

Buy One Get One FREE

CLICK HERE TO READ COMPLETE REGISTRATION DETAILS!

Their is a fun LIVE event happening on National Scrapbook Day here in Utah and we have a special ***discount for you.  We have limited spots available, so take advantage of this discount, Good until 5/3/2012. come hang out with Stacy and I and see the INSIDE of the Doodlebug offices.

We've created two LIVE Crop & Shop events later in the day (as a BONUS!)
Each three-hour event will feature 3 rotations, including a lecture-style class with Stacy, a hands-on, create your own 8x8 album with Wendy Smedley and Doodlebug designers and a final hour to enjoy a delicious box lunch, delightfully fun make & takes and a special National Scrapbook Day store chock full of Doodlebug products at special prices.

Details: After you register send your Big Picture Login name and the name of your friend to allison@stacyjullian.com

***Offer good until midnight PST 5/3/2012, only one deal per customer***

In this episode of Books and Crafts it is all about playing. Thanks to Vicki Boutin and her awesome new book Angie had fun playing and she shares what she learned and made on today's episode of Books and Crafts at My Craft Channel.

We love Vicki and know you will too. Check out her book and don't miss her blog. She is genuine and bubbly with a strong desire to help us all get in touch with our inner artist.  Thanks Vicki!!

April is such a happy month!! Many thanks to Big Picture Classes for sharing these awesome giveaways. To make it easy to enter and even easier to track we are trying out a giveaway tracker, raffelcopter, It is super easy and allows you to enter more than once, no need to come back and leave multiple comments either.

Giveaway information below!

1. Design Challenges is a 4-week workshop with Elizabeth Dillow and Stacy Julian

Fitting scrapbooking into a busy schedule can be tricky; even more so if you’re feeling a little stale, bored, or generally uninspired! Scrapbooking is about the photos and the words that make up your memories, of course, but if you lose sight of the value of the process, our beloved hobby can feel a little like a chore—and scrapbooking should never feel like a chore. If your creative process is feeling a little anemic or you simply want the accountability of a challenge to reset your creative focus, you need Design Challenges!

2. Join Tracey Clark of Shutter Sisters in this self-paced class, Picture Color.

Through this 30-day photo centric celebration, Picture Color will encourage you to turn your lens toward the colors that delight you most. With daily email prompts delivered right to your inbox, you will be greeted and inspired by a myriad of colorful shades to awaken your senses and your inner-artist as your camera clicks color after vibrant color!

3. Have fun using your stash and making pages with Nic Howard and May Flaum in Double Take, a 4-week workshop.

Are you looking for a class to help you use your stash while embarking on a journey of creative fun? Do you want to put a dent in your pile of photos whilst learning through sketches and example layouts how to create visually effective layouts? Double page scrapbook layouts are a great way to create a more cohesive looking album, include more photos and stories in your layouts and still have plenty of room left over for creative fun! What could be better than getting a whole class packed with two-page layouts? We're doubling the fun with not just one, but two of our fabulous teachers, and they are teaming up for a BPC class like never before!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Welcome to Thank You Thursday, a day when you make and give thank you cards to spread good will. All of today's cards are inspired from 31 Thank you cards eBook (shown above). And again the cards are created from Doodlebug Designs create-a-card line. Thanks Doodlebug!

Thank You Butterfly by Robyn
I sometimes struggle with cards because there's such a small space available to work with. I loved card #12 in the eBook that uses a cluster of embellishments to anchor the design. I started with some of the Doodlebug glitter paper and added an embossed die-cut shape that I wrapped with Doodlebug twine and topped with a dimensional embellishment. The "thank you" sentiment sticker in white provides a great contrast on the black background.

Afloat by Ashley
This card was inspired by Heather Nichols Card on pg 12 of the 31 Thank You Cards. The boat and the dad sentiment are what inspired me. I just love this whimsical card that is so true to Doodlebug Design. A fun tip for this card is: Make movement on your card by placing small embellishments such as jewels or brads on the horizontal. That draws the eye across the card and the water moves! :)

Thank You Card by Grace Tolman
Going through the ebook 31 Thank You Cards was just pure eye candy for me. I really enjoyed that read and picking just one inspiration was a bit hard to do but the card on page6 really spoke to me, I really liked the design of arranging elements in a grid. I tilted the sketch to its side and used a stamp punch to create my blocks of paper. I then used some Doodlebug Design Inc. twine to create layers and dimension to the papers. I had fun finding different ways to wrap the twine around the blocks and I added my sticker sentiment on two of the blocks. I finished off the card with some jewels also from Doodlebug Design Inc.

Thank you card in black and white by Melissa
This card was inspired by Kristina Werner's card on page 7 of The 31 Thank You Cards Ella Publishing e-book. I love the way she used a mask. I didn't have a mask, so I used a sheet of Doodle Bug Designs thank you sticker and stuck those to my card. A quick spray of mist and I pulled up the stickers. they left a great thank you background for my card.

Two cards by Shemaine

I was inspired by the color combination of black, white and yellow that Kristina used for her thanks card (pg. 22). I love yellow and black together. So for my card I chose to use the same color combo by repeating the sentiment in white Doodlebug Design stickers and added the pop of pink at the end. The 3D flower over the strips of bright pattern paper really pops off the black cardstock.

I was inspired by Kimber mention of how " flowers were a lovely way to let a friend know how much you appreciate all she does for you." and the beautiful felt basket of flowers on the front of her card. (pg. 26) So I chose the Doodlebug bouquet 3D sticker for the focus of my card as well. I love adding color to my cards and these bright colored rhinestones and glitter paper by Doodlebug Designs make it easy to do just that!

Go make and deliver Thank you cards!!

Giveaway: To enter the giveaway leave a comment sharing who you think deserves a thank you note!

Giveaway closes Friday 3/23 at midnight MST

Winners announced Monday 3/26

Learn great card making techniques at the Doodlebug Blog and check out all the awesome stamping ideas at Stampin' Up!

Who should you Thank?

Ways to say Thank You?

Welcome to Thank You Thursday week! We're leading up to a day of thanks this Thursday, so visit our blog every day until then for fun cards and giveaways!

Today we are talking about WAYS to say thanks,  and of course sharing thank you cards to get you motivated to make some of your own.

Thanks to Doodelbug Designs has sponsored this week of thank you by providing cards from their Create-a-Card line, to some of our designers and by providing a daily giveaway of card goodies worth $40. Also Stampin' Up! is giving away a sentiment stamp each day. Thanks to both of them!!

Thank You card by Grace Tolman
When asked what is my favorite Thank you sentiment or quote, I refer to the sentiment on this card a lot. I think that we don’t thank people enough. I know for me, it’s hard to just say thank you without any reason behind it. But truly, for the most part, we need to be grateful for people in our lives just for being themselves. I also chose to use a yellow palette for this card as my main color scheme because, for me, that color just brightens anybody’s day. I hope this card will do that for you today.

Thank you Chick by Melissa Gener

Sometimes you have to think outside the box. When I got this chick, that I am sure was designed for cards about spring, Easter or babies, I was initially a little stumped. Then I thought, what if I had this little chick saying something to my recipient? I wanted something cute and fun. What's more fun than a cool chick right? And so the card was made. It's a great sentiment for girlfriends and teenagers. I'm sending it to my little sister, who is the coolest chick I know.

Thank You Hearts by Melissa Gener

Baker's twine in not just for tying up your baked goods anymore. On the card, I used the Doodle Bug Baker's Twine as floss to create my heart shape. I drew a shape in pencil, poked evenly spaced hole, and stitched.

Angie Lucas now shares 5 creative ways to express gratitude!

1. Paper piece or stamp a bra image
Outside sentiment: "Thanks For Your Support"
Inside sentiment: "You always know how to perk me up!"

2. Stamp, cut,  or die-cut a large heart image, with "Thank You" stamped inside the bottom half of the heart image.
Inside sentiment: "Thank You From the Bottom of My Heart"

3. Make a multiple-choice thank-you card. 
Outside sentiment: Thank You For...
Inside, checkboxes:
__Everything
__Being There
__Talking
__Not Talking
__Remembering My Birthday
__All of the Above
 

4. Say thank you for a thank-you card! It would be hilarious. 
Outside sentiment: "THANK YOU for the thank-you card"
Inside sentiment: "It was beautiful." or "I feel very thanked." or "How very thoughtful of you!"

5. If you receive a "THANK YOU for the thank-you card" card, send ANOTHER one back:
Outside sentiment: "NO, thank YOU!"
Inside sentiment: "Thank YOU for the thank-you for the thank-you card!"
Just see how long you can keep it going!

What are some other ways to say Thanks? Help us out by sharing in the comments below, and enter our cool giveaway!

Giveaway: To enter the giveaway leave a comment sharing your favorite thank you sentiment.

Giveaway closes Friday 3/23 at midnight MST

Winners announced Monday 3/26

Learn great card making techniques at the Doodlebug Blog and check out all the awesome stamping ideas at Stampin' Up!

Who should you Thank?

For the ultimate Thank You card resource check out the eBook 31 Thank You cards! It's on sale through the end of the month for only $5.

Welcome to Thank You Thursday week! We're leading up to a day of thanks this Thursday, so visit our blog every day until then for fun cards and giveaways!

Today we are talking about WHO should get a thank you card, and of course sharing thank you cards to get you motivated to make some of your own. Doodelbug Designs has sponsored this week of thank you by providing cards from their Create-a-Card line, to some of our designers and by providing a daily giveaway of card goodies worth $40. Also Stampin' Up! is giving away a sentiment stamp each day. Thanks to both of them!!

On with the projects

Thank you for brightening My Day by Robyn Schaub
I created this card for the receptionist at my office building who always greets me with a smile and a hello, no matter how many times I walk in and out during the day. She has such a wonderful personality, and I don't think she gets enough recognition for being such a positive first point-of-contact for our company. When I saw the rainbow of colors in the Doodlebug papers, I immediately thought of rays of sunshine, and I knew it would be perfect for this card, which uses a pre-made trifold base from Doodlebug's Create-a-Card line.

Thanks to those special people by Ashley Harris
This card was made for my daughter’s primary teacher at our church. She goes above and beyond the call of duty when teaching my daughter. She is such a great lady and loves butterflies! Baker’s twine has so many fun uses. It helps bring a card together for sure!

Remember your friends by Melissa
This card was a snap to put together, but still have that lovely handmade look. The inside of the reads "... for being my friend." A simple sentiment for a simple card. My best friend loved getting it as much as I loved making it for her. Sometimes just a simple Thank You is best.

Host of major event by Elizabeth Dillow
Each year my husband and I attend a benefit auction on base where we live; all the money raised from auctioning off themed baskets goes to a scholarship fund that benefits local Air Force family members. It's a huge undertaking to plan, organize, and pull it off and this year the woman in charge is brand-new to the event! I thought it would be nice to slip her a thank you card to acknowledge all the hard work she's put in to make the auction a success.

Tip: Cut your first little flag from the sturdy glitter card stock and use it as a template for all the other flags. It's easy to stretch your supplies when you only use a little bit at a time (but a little bit of patterned/glitter paper can still make a big impact!)

So who should get a thank you card? besides the obvious of course

• librarians
• school teachers
• mail carriers
• receptionist
• military families
• public servants

Giveaway: To enter the giveaway leave a comment sharing who you think deserves a thank you note!

Giveaway closes Friday 3/23 at midnight MST

Winners announced Monday 3/26

Learn great card making techniques at the Doodlebug Blog and check out all the awesome stamping ideas at Stampin' Up!

I am just thrilled to be heading out to Anaheim this weekend to go to CHA. I love connecting with friends in the industry and seeing the new product releases + all the awesome booths. One other thing I enjoy is to look for emergin trends on the show floor. As part of my preparation I have been viewing the pre-release images and I see emerging trends. I am sharing my short list of what trends I will be looking for. Some of these are brand new, some are slowly growing. What trends do you see?

Patchwork

Handmade by Lily Bee

Game On, Websters Pages

She Art, Pink Paislee

Strawberries

Pretty Party, Crate Paper

Eye Charts (this is a huge home decor trend)

Maya Road

Subway Art

Be You, Fancy Pants

This list could keep going.

• airmail
• luggage Tags/tickets
• chevron pattern
• kite tails
• union flag
• mason jars.....

What do you see?? What do you want to see as a trend?

This has to be my favorite Angie project from season one- I LOVED how hers turned out. She has them displayed on her piano and gets lots of comments about how cool they are. So what is my problem, I need to get some done!! In the meantime learn how to make some yourself.

Book Picks

I shared a book by contempory writer, Aimee Bender called An Invisible Sign of My Own. LOVED this book and I read it after I read another book written by Aimee, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, and I highly recommend both of these books. I found both stories to be quirky, emotional,a bit edgy, but definetly a unique read.

Angie choose, Theories of Everything: Selected, Collected, and Health-Inspected Cartoons, 1978-2006 , for her book pick and she says it is, “Total nerd humor. Found in the New Yorker. Kind of like Seinfeld, the jokes are about mundane, everyday life. Jokes about ‘nothing.’ Like there’s a poem to your toaster...”

*Disclaimer these links may contain affilate codes which may generate a few pennies for Ella, thanks

Wow- what a thrill to be a part of My Craft Channels first season. We are so excited to be filming season two this month. For now enjoy the episodes here on our blog over the next few days.

Stuff we couldn't show, and other random comments below.

Our book pick, the original Listography, has a super cool website and app with a place to compose your own lists plus all the additional Listography books. 

and a book I have not seen, but so want to, is the To-Do-List a book that has a collection of other peoples to do lists, what a cool idea. You can read other people's to do lists and learn more about what a to do list says about you on the book authors blog.

Do you use lists in your scrapbooking? life? do you save them?? I think I should make a layout out of old lists...

Don't forget our List-It! products, Angie does a review of them below.

Happy list making!!

Disclaimer**and when I can figure it out, I try to add Ella's amazon affiliate links so a few cents of your purchase, if you make one, may go to Ella.