My Memories Suite 2.0 Scrapbook Software - Review and Giveaway!!! Enter by 10/28

I would like to preface this review by disclosing that I am NOT a scrapbooker!!! I have tried it in the past, I made them for friends and family members, but no matter how I tried I just could not get into it. I am however a photographer - in case you haven't seen the immense number of photos I have on my blog, I can tell you that I easily take hundreds if not thousands of pics a month. I don't know what I would do if I ever had to settle for film cameras....but back to my point...this scrapbooking software is not something that I would have ever blinked twice at, but I am glad that I was approached to try it out and host this giveaway for My Memories Suite.

So the program was super easy to install and like many other programs you have the option from the get go to design your own or use designer templates.
For the first run through I decided to do with the designer set. You then are given a screen where you can choose how many pages and which pages you would like to use. 

Next you are given the template. There are also many options on the sidebars to customize the pages utilizing the included pages, buttons, artwork etc. or you can purchase additional options in the gallery sidebar. For anyone who has been checking out my blog lately you will have noticed we had been enjoyed our unusually warm weather by going to the beach and of course I took tons of pics so I figured I would use these to make a few pages. 







When I was ready to start uploading pictures you can either upload one at a time or use the fast fill option - which took me quite some time to find when I was browsing through the toolbar. I was a bit disappointed with the small size of the picture icons - even in the preview screen there is no way to make them larger. This is an issue for me since I tend to take a lot of quickshots that have minute details so I could have between four and ten shots that are difficult to tell which is the one I want. 






Once you have your pics on the page you can twist, turn, crop,  make notes, journal, or add embellishments at the touch of a button. For the first 6 pages I picked each pic individually, but for the last 4 used the fast fill. It was really easy and quick. I do recommend knowing which pics you want to use ahead of time in order to avoid the small tile problem. 






In just over an hour and a half, here is what I had produced - 

 

 
 

 




I have not had a chance to experiment more with this software, but am interested to do so as it has some great sharing and interactive enhancement features - You can make a beautiful scrapbook an interactive memory experience for anyone who sees it. Use simple one-click options to enhance your scrapbooks, with music, narration, video, and even the Internet. Go beyond pictures by showing off video of the birthday party, or record a narration to capture the memories that pictures alone cannot. With My Memories Suite you simply don't look at a scrapbook-you experience it! Take advantage of a full suite of sharing options and turn your scrapbook into a movie to watch on a DVD-or view on an iPod. My Memories Suite allows you to share an interactive album on a disc (DVD or CD) that will automatically play on a computer (PC or Mac). Viewers can interact with your scrapbook by clicking on video, playing narration or navigating through your scrapbook like a website. You can even place in web links for them to visit or embed hidden files like Grandma's secret cookie recipe.

Now for the GIVEAWAY!!!

First we have special bonus just for reading - 

A code that provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value! The code is - STMMMS47520

Before you run off and purchase this great scrapbooking software you can enter here for a chance to win. We have a number of ways for you to enter, but be sure to leave a separate comment for each one and to leave contact info! - feel free to break it up in a { name at host dot com} format - 

1. Mandatory entry - Pop on over to MyMemories.com and take a look around, then come back here and let everyone know which Digital Scrapbook Kit is your favorite 
2. Become a follower of this blog - link on the right hand tool bar or click here if you already are a follower - let me know
3. Follow me on twitter - @gckhomeschool - if you already do just let me know
4. Follow My Memories on twitter - @MyMemoriesSuite
5. Tweet about this giveaway with both @gckhomeschool and @mymemoriessuite in the message 
6. Post an entry about this giveaway on your blog or website and come back here to link it! 

Do any - at least #1 - or all of these by Friday Oct. 28th at 11:59p EST to be entered to win a FREE Full version of My Memories Suite 2.0 - 

My Memories Suite Version 2.0 digital scrapbooking software is a fun and creative way to keep and share memories, whether you have a Mac or PC. The software's design tools will help you to build entire albums effortlessly using one of the many installed templates, or designing your very own pages from scratch. 

Available worldwide. Intended for English-language computers. Technical support is English-only. This product is retail valued at $39.97.

Disclaimer: I was contacted to review this product and was given the software for free, but this did not bias this review in anyway. All opinions are mine alone and represent my personal experience with the product. The winner will be contacted through link they provide no later than Tuesday 11/1/11 and will be given a code to download software directly from the site.

Congrats to @blakepro  the winner of our giveaway!!!!

New photo project....

This is a bit off topic, from my normal homeschooling stuff, but hey I can do that right... homeschooling isn't the only thing that goes on in our lives...hard to believe I know, but it is true!

I have decided to work on my photo skills a bit and am challenging myself to a 365 project. You can read all about it here. I have always loved to take photos, but have never really put anytime into truly trying to do it. So I have decided that I am just going to do it! I am going to put the time and energy into an area that I feel I might have some talent in.

Two very excited girls -

celebrated SR's 10th birthday a bit early this year...by going to a fabulous concert last night!

Another Busy one!

We had another rather hectic time last week, but it was again doing lots of things that we really wanted to do - which is always good!

We had some HOT days and since the pool looked like....

They decided to fill up the kiddie pool on the deck.

We couldn't get to the water toys so they went digging through the craft closet for things they could recycle into squitters, scoops and floaties!

We went to a local park to do our nature journal pics for the week - TAKE A PEEK!

of course SC was attached to KM, per usual...

they couldn't help wading in a bit

then it was back to the house for a picnic lunch...I was not cool enough to sit at that table!

We experiment with some new bread recipes...

KM said that these were better than the restaurant bread
and she can be a tough bread critic!

We worked on Ancient History and decided to turn the History Pockets into a giant lapbook!

Using this scholastic box as a tri-fold presentation board...

and pieces from different History Pocket books...
we think it is going to work rather nicely
We will let you know how things turn out as we progress through this one...but it will take us a while as we plan to work on the ancient at least through this next year!


Finally our homeschooling group did a benefit performance of Midsummer Night's Dream
for the museum where we have our coop classes.
They had another spectacular performance!
KM's favorite part is the fight scene, though she had a bit of trouble staying in character!
This is the cast mascot, who must be fit into each set!


All and all it was another GREAT week!

New Blog - Nature Journal

I was talking to KM the yesterday and we decided that since we both have our incredible new cameras and we have been spending sooooo much time outside taking pictures that we should start a Nature Journal photo blog. Soo we did!

Check it out - HERE!

First Hike of the Season

So yesterday was our local homeschool groups first hike of the season and we had such an incredible time!
My absolute favorite thing about homeschooling events is getting to see all the different aged children interacting with each other. It is just amazing to me having come from the PS world were children are so segregated from one another all dependent upon where their date of birth happens to fall. Two children born a week apart from one another and living on the same street could never be friends just because one is in 1st grade and the other is in 2nd - why is that? What makes people think that is okay?
ANYWAY - before I go on a tyrannical rant - here are some of favorite pics of SC and KM on the hike ----oh and I just have to mention that this was a two mile hike, the first mile SC was very content in the backpack, but then I decided I needed a break, so I took her out and SHE HIKED THE LAST MILE all by herself!!! WOOOHOOO you go girl!

Great Moment

The coolest thing happened yesterday afternoon.

KM and I were getting some workbook stuff done when I glanced out my back door and saw one of my dog standing at the edge of the yard. This is not a totally unusual occurence as we have 3 dogs, an invisible fence and woods behind the house that the dogs often just randomly bark at. This was different though because he was just standing and staring into the trees. The other 2 dogs were no where to be seen and were totally silent. I saw something move suddenly in the woods and I thought maybe it was one of our cats, however this was a slow move. I moved over to the window to get a different angle and could not believe what I was seeing...2 bucks ~ just standing there and eating. They were the most beautiful thing.

I wish wish wish I had a better camera, but considering mine is nearly 5 years old and this was about 75-100 yards into the woods. I really shouldn't complain!

I couldn't believe how calm they were. We spent nearly 30 minutes watching them walk around eating here and there. They would look up every once in a while and stare at us for a minute before bowing to eat some more. It was amazing and I am so glad we had the opportunity to see it!