Make your Valentine’s Day extra SUITE!

Make sure you take advantage of some of the GREAT new deals and goodies in the Design Shop! They are guaranteed to make your Valentine’s Day pages extra SUITE! Get them before they are gone! Make sure you savor every little bite!

…and remember to make a memory today!

Lisa J.

Winter Magic kit FREE with purchase!

Here are a couple cute pages from the great kit by Sandy McDougal for StoryRock. This wonderful kit is perfect for scrapping all your wonderful winter memories or ski trip pages! Check out the entire kit here: Winter Magic. For a VERY limited time, you can have this great kit, perfect for your winter pages for FREE. Just make a minimum purchase of $5.00 from the Design Shop and add the promo code: wintermagic at checkout!

IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT ADD THE WINTER MAGIC KIT to your cart, it will be added automatically to your cart when you add the promo code!  Enjoy this great kit for FREE – for a limited time only!
and remember to make a memory today!

Lisa J.

New Features Video Tutorial from Lesley @ The Pink Toque

Happy Sunday, and have I got a treat for you… introducing My Memories Suite VERSION 2! That’s right, you heard me correctly. Not only is there a new version to My Memories Suite with all new features, I created a video tutorial to explain it all and show those new features off!

Last month, StoryRock unveiled an all new version 2 of its famous and very popular digital scrapbooking software, My Memories Suite. Version 2 is packed with all new goodies and awesome new features that we were dying for in Version 1. It’s like StoryRock read all of the feedback of features and ideas that its users over the years have been wanting out of the software and put it in one neat little package that will make digital scrapbookers the world over very happy.

If you’ve been to the Pink Toque Craft Blog before, you know I am an avid user of My Memories Suite. I got the software over 3 years ago when it first came out, and I have been in love ever since. I don’t want to babble on forever (because the new Version 2 goodies are exciting!) but if this is your first visit to my blog and you’re wondering what all of the excitement is about and why I love this software so much, be sure to go and read my review. My Memories Suite has been the best digital scrapbooking program to ever come along and with Version 2, it just got better.

Version 2 includes 1500 new background papers, 1300 new embellishments and 20 new layouts that come built into the software for your use right out of the box. On top of that, new features such as the zoom ability, Resource Gallery, and WordArt Designer make creating beautiful digital scrapbooking pages even easier. My favorite new feature is that your text can now be curved and follow shapes. This was not something you could do in Version 1, and I love that I can create text in beautiful circular shapes or to follow the edges of a photograph right on the page. It was probably the most requested feature and question I got from readers of my blog. Before I had to tell people they could only do something like that in Photoshop, but now My Memories Suite allows you to edit curved and rounded text on the fly right in the program instead. Hooray!

Another highly-sought-after feature that a lot of people asked me about was how to view pages side-by-side so they could build double page spread layouts. Unfortunately, this was not something you could do in Version 1, but now in Version 2 it’s easy. You can also now share your digital scrapbook in a wider variety of ways, including trading cards or calendars. They’ve also streamlined the Photobook process to make it easier to create beautiful photobooks of your finished albums.

I received Version 2 last month and have been trying hard to squeeze in some digital scrapping time with it so that I could show off the new features here on my blog. I finally got around to it today, and created a new video tutorial that highlights all of the major new features available to you in Version 2. I walk you through the new things and how to use them, and it makes it easy for Version 1 users to pick right up where they left off in the old version, or for new users to My Memories Suite to see just how awesome the software really is so they can get it for themselves.

Version 1 users will love that all of the photo albums and pages they’ve created in Version 1 will be converted for them into Version 2 compatibility and that the transition will be seamless. You won’t lose anything and all of your old albums will be right there for you in Version 2, ready to go and waiting for you to use the new tools and features to enhance them even further. When you’re adding embellishments or papers, you’ll be able to easily see what items are new to Version 2, and all of the old embellishments and papers from Version 1 are collected together in a folder labeled as Version 1, so you can quickly find all of your old favorites or check out the new stuff.

Speaking of Favorites, another new feature that I just love is that I can “bookmark” the embellishments and papers that I use most often and mark it as a favorite. This means that it’s added to a special “favorites” folder so I can access those favorite items quickly anytime I want to without having to search for them every time I want to use them on my digital scrapbook page designs. I show how this works in the video tutorial.

The WordArt Designer allows you to create fun and professional looking word art for your pages easily, and is built right in to the side tab of My Memories Suite now. Type in the text you want to create into word art, select the font and sizing, line spacing, colors, fill, stroke, etc. You can add shadows or a bevel and design the perfect word art accompaniment to any page you’re working on. I also demonstrate this in the video tutorial!

I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but I’m really excited about the new features in My Memories Suite Version 2! I just recently finished up Family Life 2009 digital scrapbook and am eagerly looking forward to working with all new designs, layouts, and features with Version 2 in 2010. If you want more details about what Version 2 has to offer, check out the info on mymemoriessuite.com. Original users of Version 1 will be able to upgrade for a nominal fee to get all of the new features, papers, embellishments, and layouts that come packaged with Version 2 and brand new My Memories Suite users can get on board and pick up Version 2 for themselves!

I’ve spent most of the afternoon recording the latest tutorial and getting it uploaded for viewing. It ended up being 18 minutes long! Since YouTube only allows videos up to 10 minutes each, I split the tutorial into 2 parts:

Link to YouTube Video Tutorial Part 1

Link to YouTube Video Tutorial Part 2

Enjoy! Be sure to let me know if you have any questions or comments on the new video tutorials or you need help with My Memories Suite Version 2. Hope you’ve had a great weekend Happy scrapping!

Lesley  thepinktoque.com

My Memories Suite Version 2.0 offers an exciting new interface, intuitive features and a variety of unique designs. And for the first time is now being offered via download so users can start scrapbooking immediately!

My Memories Suite Scrapbooking 2.0 is a fun and creative way to keep and share memories. The software’s intuitive design tools and varied sharing output, help users to build entire albums effortlessly by using one of the many installed templates, or design their very own pages from scratch. Users looking to share or search for even more templates are encouraged to visit My Memories Suite’s online Design Shop offering a growing library of templates, papers, and packs to infuse the creativity of its users.
New Core Features

* “Resource Gallery”: Drag & drop embellishments, backgrounds, shapes, layouts
* feature_resources
* Find and replace text
* Identify objects that are off the canvas
* Allow setting (and showing) a mat and/or shadow on photo template objects
* Text that follows a shape (circle or rectangle)

* Add background as photo object (from backgrounds dialog)
* Import different QuickMix shapes into current album (i.e. Import landscape QuickMix pages into a   square album)
* Add different shaped album pages into current album (i.e. Import landscape pages into a square album)
* Set default shadow from shadow dialog
* Set default text options from text panel
* Better user interface design for Mat and Shadow dialog
* New Line shape
* Search for embellishments (search field on bottom of embellishments dialog)

* Edit object from right click menu
* Right click edit
* Hold shift key while dragging an object constrains it to horizontal or vertical axis
* Locate Albums (File–>Locate Albums) will ask for a directory and then search for albums)
* Warn if there are missing fonts when doing a hi-res output
* On canvas text editing

Additional Features

* Searchable Embellishments
* Add own embellishments
* Favorite embellishments
* New photo shapes palette
* Unsaved changes recovery option on next open�if shutdown improperly
* Added blue and red filters to effects palette
* New effects pallet

* Preview effect before committing
* Effects Pallet

* Created solution for the Windows Movie/DVD audio issue
* Print to contact sheet
* Fill text with background or photo
* Effects controls
* Allow for multiple backgrounds on a page (not as photo objects)

Other

* Text Art tool w/ bevel, emboss, gradient, drop shadow, image, warping or shape
* Text art tool

* Spell checking (including check-as-you-go technology)
* Duplicate & mirror pages
* Free rotate objects
* Zoom canvas for more precesion control
* Multiple Preview Views
* Enhanced (more streamlined) photobook, calendar, and card sharing wizards
* User should have ability to search provided images by tags: category, type, keyword
* Tiling for backgrounds
* Texture fills

* New look, updated interface
* Auto Fill at any time
* Gradient fills (add/edit color points, radial and linear)
* Gradient fills
* Better CD/DVD burning capabilities
* Better optical device support
* Space evenly

Code Enhancements

* Updated to install4j 4.1

* Adopted use of java 1.6 (speed, rendering, sharpness, general enhancements) Vista compatibility

Check out the website and order now!!

Adorable CD Case Calendar Project

Well, Christmas is RIGHT around the corner and we have started to think ahead to some great projects that you can put together for those family members and friends on your shopping list!  We have just added a great new project idea to the Design Shop!  It is a great little calendar template, called MY YEAR TO REMEMBER 2010 – and the fun thing is, that when trimmed up, all the pages fit all nice and tidy in a CD case!  These fun little calendars make a GREAT gift that is easy to put together and even easier to give!  Just pack all the pages inside the case and put a bow on it!  You can even find really cute little CD wrappers at some music shops that make wrapping even easier.

There are just a couple of quick instructions then you will be UP and running!  First of all, these template pages are a “landscape” layout on a 8.5″x11″ page, so they can easily be printed at home on your home printer.  They print two months on a page so they only take 6 sheets of paper, or 6 1/2 if you create a cover!  I chose to print on a matte finish everyday photo paper just to give them a nice feel.  They are designed to fit in both a standard CD case OR the slim-style CD cases.  The pages will store inside the standard cases, but not quite fit in the slim-style case.  You can just attach them in a pretty envelope for giving.

After you add your pictures to the template pages and make any changes you wanted to make, print the pages and carefully trim out the calendar pages.  I find it really easy to use some of the scrapbooking trimmers to make the cuts nice and straight – even an old style paper cutter does a great job!  After they are trimmed, just stack them in order and place them inside the standard size case and give them away!

The standard cases will require removing the case lid, then flip it and carefully reattach it to get it to display your case.  The slim style cases must be carefully opened and gently pushed back onto themselves to get them to display your pages.  See the picture above so you can *see* what I mean!  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to zip me a note on Facebook, or email me directly at lisaj@mymemoriessuite.com

Hope you enjoy using this template as much as I enjoyed creating it!

Have fun!

Lisa J.

Some Beach Somewhere

If your summer plans include a trip to the beach, check out our newest Collection, Some Beach Somewhere in the Design Shop now! The Some Beach Template, Full Pack, Date Strips and Monogram Pack are filled with gorgeous designs that are perfect for highlighting your photos of your summer activities!

The heat is on, and your summer photos will “shine” when you combine them with the waves, shells, sea creatures and other designs in this kit! Our beautiful “Some Beach Somewhere” Collection provides you with a gorgeous variety of “coastal” papers and embellishments perfect for those trips to the beach or any summer get-away. We’ve added a set of Template pages created with the Some Beach Somewhere Collection. This set includes eight beautiful layouts that make your digi scrapping fast, fun and creative!

This beautiful collection of “coastal” papers in both the template and full pack are the perfect papers to accent your summer photos! You will certainly think of “Some Beach Somewhere” when you work with this set! The beautiful colors and patterns are perfect for your favorite summer memories!

Here are some fun Beach/Ocean Titles:

You and Me By the Sea

Sun, Sand, & Sea

Just Beachy

Sand Castles & Salt Water

Teeny Bikini

Oceans of Love (or Fun)

Waves of Fun

Buried Treasure

Sandy Smiles

Bathing Beauties

Fun in the Sun

Mr. Sandman

Shore fun

NEW Trading Card Templates

The Victory Road trading card collection is now available in The Design Shop for a variety of sports including baseball, football, soccer, basketball, and more.  You can even choose the colors to match your child’s team.

FREE  Baseball Template

For a limited time, the Victory Road-Baseball trading card template is available absolutely free from the Design Shop.

The Secret to printing real trading cards

Once you download and install the templates, simply plug in the picture, add information into the provided spaces, and you’re ready to print.

Simply use the Greeting Card button in the Share menu of software to order your printed trading cards.  When you are prompted, select the Trading Card option.  From there you will be walked  through a step-by-step process for making your cards.

Magical Memories at My Memories Suite

These fun layouts were created with the new Magical Memories Designer Template. Combine the template with the new Magical Memories Designer Pack to create cute, whimsical layouts or a photobook of your magical vacations. You will love the bold and bright papers and sparkling embellishments both packs offer. Perfect for your favorite “magical memories” and a variety of other themes!

Capture the “magical” memories in your life with this FUN collection! Included are doodle frames, a star cluster, sparkly elements, scallop papers and much more. So, make your dreams come true and treasure your fun memories with this collection!!

Do you want to see more ideas on how to use this great new collection? Check out the Gallery at Ettes & Company. Their creative team has used these designs to create a variety of themed layouts.

PACKS vs. TEMPLATES TIP: Did you know that we typically do not put duplicate papers or embellishments from the templates into the coordinating designer packs?? Each time we offer a coordinating designer pack it’s usually because our designers have created so many items that we did not use in the template that we want you to still have access to them. If there are duplicates we will indicate it in the product description. So there is great value in buying both the template AND the designer pack.

Three Bugs in a Rug

Have you heard? We are so excited to be working with a new partner manufacturer, 3 Bugs in a Rug. You may have seen their great papers and coordinating die cuts, rub-ons and stamps in your local scrapbook or craft store. Now you can download their great designs for the My Memories Suite software.

Introducing four popular collections of designs. Create a fun layout for the boys in your life using the Superstar or Playtime collections. Scrapbook your favorite trip to the beach with Three Bugs in a Rug Island collection. And scrapbook the many photos of your girlfriends with the Groovy collection.

NOTE: To enter the Island Contest and win a $50 gift card to the Design Shop, visit http://www.thevillasatpoipukai.com and leave a comment after this post telling us your favorite thing about the resort.  Don’t forget, My Memories Suite users get free airfare for two when you book a five night stay at the resort!

Be Our Guest

It’s that time of year when the birds start chirping and people are getting hitched. This darling new Be Our Guest Designer Template was recently added to our Design Shop under “Ettes & Company.” In fact, the darling photos are of the designer, Annette Ward’s son Landon.

We thought we should point out the great add-on to this template and that’s the Be Our Guest Full Pack. When you purchase the add-on Full Pack, you can change the colors of the template to COORDINATE with your wedding colors. It’s easy, here’s another layout we did of one of our employees in her wedding colors and photos.