Celebrating Being in FOLK with a Magazine Giveaway!

I am still excited about my pictures and submission being in FOLK Magazine! I learned about FOLK through Donna from Funky Junk Interiors and saw their call for Southern stories, pictures, and travels for their Summer issue (issue V) on Facebook.

We had travelled to the Ennis (Texas) Bluebonnet Trails last year and had previously shared the pictures here on my blog and with some of my Facebook friends. Several people encouraged me to submit my pictures to magazines, so when I saw the call in February, I started typing and submitted my pictures and story. Ben, the Editor of FOLK, emailed me almost immediately saying he loved my piece! All kinds of squealing and jumping up and down commenced at that point, as it had always been a dream to have something published. At this point, I only told my husband and kept the secret for 2 1/2 months. I was scared something would happen, my pictures wouldn't make the cut, or something crazy like that...so I didn't tell anyone. I never expected to have my first submission to be accepted by a magazine.

I watched my mailbox with anticipation. I was off  work the day the first magazine came. I ran back from the mailbox like a kid, ripped open the package, and opened the magazine to where I thought my article was. It wasn't there...My two page submission had been moved from the original location that I saw in the proof, but I found it near the back of the magazine instead. At this point there was lots more squealing and excitement when I saw my pictures in a national magazine! The very first time I submitted a story and pictures, I got published! It was a dream come true and a check on my bucket list!

I purchased additional copies of FOLK for some of my friends and family and will be giving away one copy right here to YOU, my blog friends! You are the ones who have supported me with all of your sweet comments and words of encouragement when I share my pictures, projects, and stories, so I want to give back to you. All you have to do is be a Gypsy Farm Girl follower (Blog, Twitter, Pinterest, or all 3) and leave a comment here, telling me you would like to win a copy of FOLK Magazine. I'll pick a lucky winner next weekend.

Please note the Giveaway is for one copy of ISSUE V of FOLK Magazine and is sponsored by ME. I will mail the magazine to USA residents only. The magazine is available at Barnes and Nobles or you can check the FOLK blog for independent bookstores near you.

Our sweet dog, Trixie even made it into FOLK!

Butterflies and Fun Free Stuff!

I've been trying to catch up on some scrapbooking this weekend.

 I look at the calendar and realize this year is almost over and I've hardly scrapped since Christmas of last year. What have I been doing all year? Hmmm...Taking lots of pics, but not getting them successfully in my scrapbook.

I think I have pictures screaming to get out of my computer! Remember that commercial?

While I haven't had many butterflies in the yard this summer, I happy for the ones that stop and visit and felt as if they should have a spot in my scrapbook!

I've been doing some digital scrapbooking to with My Memories Suite as well as using up a few of my 10,001 pages of paper I have in my stash! I need to start printing my digitally scrapped pages and get them out in the real world!

Speaking of My Memories, they are having a fun giveaway on their New Facebook Page. If you go and like the new page you are entered to WIN an iPad2! When the new facebook group gets to 10,000 fans, they will choose a winner for an iPad2 plus there is a

EXCLUSIVE Fan Freebie kit

available to facebook fans!

But that's NOT all! My  Memories is offering

FREE Designer Packs!

Yeehaaaa!!!

Who doesn't like a great deal? This 2 page pack with all the embellishments comes in two of my favorite colors! I can't wait to rescue some pics that are stuck on my computer to use with this layout. Hurry and Click on the link to go to My Memories and get your free scrapbooking goodies! They will be hosting new pages every two weeks, so if you like this page, GO NOW!

If you haven't got the My Memories Software yet, you can use my

code:  STMMMS41634 

to receive $10.00 off the software purchase and a $10.00 coupon for purchases from the My Memories store!

Now that's lots of fun, great bargains from My Memories!

 What are you waiting for, we got pictures to RESCUE off our computers!

Winner Winner!

The winner of the My Memories Suite Giveaway is Donna from Cottage Days!
Woo hoo,  Congrats Ms. Donna!

Donna said:
"I would love to win and use their papers for my blog backgrounds. That would be so cool! I could spend hours on their web site, but the Aquarella Dream Set papers and the Vintage Harmony packs would be terrific to use on my blog.

Thank you so much for this great giveaway!"

I'm liking both the paper packs you chose - I can't wait to see how you transform your blog Ms Donna! Please email me and I will get the instructions to you for downloading the My Memories Suite.



{The Discount code and coupon DO NOT EXPIRE, so be sure to use the code on my sidebar if you are interested  in the $10.00 off scrapbooking software and $10.00 coupon for the  My Memories Store.}

My Memories Suite - Giveaway!

Several of you noticed I used a scrapbook type format for some of  my recent blog post. Last week My Memories contacted me about hosting a giveaway right here on GypsyFarmGirl for FREE digital scrapbooking software. They allowed me to download the software and try it out and then give away to one LUCKY reader their very own scrapbooking software! They are also offering a discount code and coupon for ALL my readers as well!

I had a few questions at first and after reading on the My Memories website and checking out all there awesome stuff, I felt more confident about sharing this with you, my friends. One of my biggest questions was "How can this benefit my readers?" I love to scrapbook, but was unsure if any of You do, but then again, we are bloggers and we are really just scrapbooking what goes on in our lives on our blogs. I ask if the scrapbook pages could be saved as jpeg files and uploaded like pictures to our blogs and the answer was YES! That made everything better!

I get frustrated at times with my current photo editing on my computer - I use one program to edit a picture, then have to use another program to compress my photos in order to get them to load on my blog. (We all deal with blogger and photo uploading issues - don't we?) With this software, I am able to work in one program, save the layout with pictures and text and load on my blog with NO trouble. Hallelujah!

I downloaded the digital scrapbooking software and found it very easy to create fun pages. I've yet to hit the help button! You can share your pages by printing, exporting to a picture file, creating DVDs, albums, and there is even an iPod ready button.

I have scrapbooked the traditional way for several years and honestly had never thought about digital scrapbooking. While I love the textures and creative techniques in scrapbooking, I will admit I am behind with my scrapping. This week I have enjoyed being able to create a page while sitting on the couch, while watching tv or at the kitchen table while I am working on supper. I can work on a page for a few minutes, walk away and its still there, without dragging out all the mess on my scrapbooking table. I can scrapbook on my laptop whenever and where ever I get a chance. I have made far more pages this weekend on my computer than I have have added with traditional methods!

While I will not neglect my traditional scrapbooks all together, my memories suite has definitely sparked  an enthusiasm in me to tell the story behind some of the many pictures I have on my computer, in a creative way. I can even print the pages out on my home printer and add them to my big, fat scrapbooks!

 I love all the layouts, background options, ribbons, brads, and flourishes that are available. Better yet, I don't have to run off to the store (my nearest scrapbooking store is over 30 minutes away) to get a special paper or embellishment when I am home scraping. All the options are on my computer and with the My Memories store, so much is available at my finger tips. There are lots of options that come with the software, many free downloads available on the website, and numerous scrapbooking options available to purchase.

The only negatives I have run into have more to deal with my internet connection. We have a download allowance per day and the My Memories Suite was definitely larger than our allotment. I was able to take my computer to work and download the software from there, so all worked out fine. Our internet service does allow us to complete large downloads during the night, but I didn't want to get up at 1:00 am to complete the task at home.

Here comes the FUN part! I get to give away FREE software to one lucky person and give a COUPON CODE to EVERYONE!

The following code is good for a $10.00 discount for My Memories Suite Scrapbook Software  and a $10.00 coupon  to the MyMemories.com store! Please copy and paste the following code when shopping with My Memories  to receive your discount : STMMMS41634

Several options are available to enter to win your very own copy of the software. Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

Mandatory to enter:

1. Visit MyMemories.com and let me know what your favorite layout or paper pack is. Comment on this post and let me know what you like 

AND

 Be a GypsyFarmGirl Blog or Twitter follower.

To obtain up to 6 ADDITIONAL chances to win you can:

2. Follow My Memories on their Blog, Facebook, or Twitter.

3. Blog, Tweet, and Facebook about this Giveaway and Coupon Code to all your friends.

Let me know what you did by leaving a separate comment for each and a link to your post.

You can copy and paste the following tweet: I just entered to WIN free Digital Scrapbooking Software @gypsyfarmgirl from @mymemoriessuite. Coupon Code STMMMS41634 Available! #Giveaway

That is up to 7 lucky ways to enter this contest!

I will choose one random winner of the My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Software Version 2 on Wednesday, August 31, 2011. Entries close at 8:00 AM and winner will be notified by email and provided a code to download your very own software. If you do not have an email address linked to your profile, please include it so that I can contact you when you WIN!

The coupon code does not expire!

GOOD LUCK!