Scraps of My Geek Life » Scrappin Life

Make Personalized Photo Gifts Online

Michele — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:09:00 +0000

Mother’s Day is right around the corner and moms always love getting personalized gifts. You may not be able to get this to her on time, but these are great for any holiday or celebration.

My newest post at MyBlogalicious is a list of 4 online (& 1 iPhone) service where you can make personalized gifts for anyone.

Personalized Photo Gifts

If you want to create a scrapbook for your mom for Mother’s Day, but do not know where to start, there are several online sites to help you out.

Go to MyBlogalicious for the rest of my story….

Make Personalized Photo Gifts Online originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Project 365, Week 18

Michele — Sun, 06 May 2012 12:42:04 +0000

This was such a crazy busy week and I didn’t even get half of it in pictures.

Project 365, Week 18 originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Project 365, Weeks 15, 16, 17

Michele — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:43:30 +0000

I have kept up with my Project 365, but not on posting it.

Week 15

Week 16

Week 17

Now I’m all caught up!

Project 365, Weeks 15, 16, 17 originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Easily Share Spring Break Photos & Win an iPad From Wondershare

Michele — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:48:55 +0000

Sharing your best Spring Break photos has never been easier than with Wondershare. And if you add your photos before April 16, 2012, you just might win an iPad or 1 of 20 daily licenses to Wondershare Video Editor.

Share Spring Break Photos

It is so easy to add your pictures and only takes a few minutes. Go to Wondershare’s Spring Break page and you’ll see this:

Fill in your departure city and your destination and click “Next.” Then you have the option of uploading 1 – 3 Spring Break photos along with a short reflection (you are given prompts if you don’t know what to say.) Click Finish and you will know immediately if you won one of the 20 licenses to Video Editor.

This is my finished product:

Go ahead and create your Spring Break vacation memory and share the link in the comments below. The Spring Break vacation with the Most Likes will win the iPad.

Follow Wondershare on Facebook & Twitter.

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post. All opinions are 100% my own. See full contest details on the Wondershare site.

Let’s Talk About Spring Break Photos!

Where would you like to go for Spring Break if you could go anywhere? Don’t forget to leave a link to your Spring Break photo memory in the comments.

No related posts.

Easily Share Spring Break Photos & Win an iPad From Wondershare originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Personal Journal App, Path; Daily Geek Find

Michele — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:00:58 +0000

Path is the best personal journal app I have found on my iPhone. Path, an iPhone app (iTunes link), was started in November, 2010 and at first I used it, but it didn’t feel natural. When I use an app, I want it to make something easier. I don’t want to be confused about using the app.

Here is my first post on Path last year.

My first post on Path in November, 2010.

Path recently went through a big overhaul and now I am in love with the app. As a digital scrapbooker, using a personal journal app is AWESOME! Let me go through a few of the Path features.

Path, Your Personal Journal App

Your path has a main photo and you have your own profile picture. This is my Path.

I took that sunset picture in the rear view mirror of my car. I love it! You can add pictures, videos, places, songs, comments, people and when you go to bed and are awake.

Adding To Your Path

Here is the screen where you start. Click on the “plus” circle.

And this menu will fly out.

Awake or Sleeping?

Click on the Moon and you can record when you “Go to Sleep” or “I’m Awake.” Do you know of any other personal journal app with that feature?

Your Thoughts?

Have a thought you would like to share? Here you can write anything you want to remember that doesn’t fit into any of the other categories.

Adding Music

Listening to a song? Click on the music note and you will get a list of songs.

Adding Pictures, Video & Places

The next two are for adding the place where you are and/or the people you are with. And the top one is for adding a picture or video. When you take a picture or video, you can choose from several filters. This one is the Old Time filter.

And here is a picture in my path.

And here is a video on my Path.

Adding Friends to Your Path

Your friends can add an emoticon (choice of 5) or a comment to any of the updates in your Path. By default, Path is a private personal journal app. Path is not the place where you will collect friends and share it with the world. You max out your friends at 150. I have decided that Path is the place where I share my personal life with those who are close to me. I won’t add everyone as a friend, so don’t be insulted if I don’t add you. I will add those who I spend time with (either offline or online.)

Social Networking Overload?

I plan to use Path as a personal journal app to aid me in my digital scrapbooking. I am part of several different social networks and each one has a purpose. Path will be a more private personal place for me.

Let’s Talk About This Personal Journal App!

So, that is Path. What are your thoughts? Is this something you will use? Does the maximum of 150 friends concern you? Is there a place for Path in your social networking bag?

Path Tries Again, Now as a Mobile Journal App (allthingsd.com)
Path revamps with ‘Path 2′: A diary for the social, mobile world (gigaom.com)
Fly Or Die: Path 2.0 (techcrunch.com)
Path. The Good, The Bad, and The Beautiful (go2web20.net)
Path: What You Need To Know About It And How It Plays A Role In Your Life (socialmouths.com)

Personal Journal App, Path; Daily Geek Find originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Preserve Memories Forever For Future Generations With LiveOn

Michele — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:53:59 +0000

A few days ago my 12-year-old daughter asked me a lot of questions about my grandfather. I told her what I knew, but she asked a lot of questions that I couldn’t answer. I realized I didn’t know as much about my grandfather’s stories as I thought I did.

My grandmother preserved some of their memories, but not all of them. And where are those memories my grandmother preserved? My mom has a copy of all the pictures and videos. My kids have no idea these even exist.

I was thinking that adding all of those memories to LiveOn would be so awesome because not only would my kids have access to it, but my sisters and their kids and all the future generations. I am also sure that we all have different memories and experiences with my grandparents. This would give each of us a chance to write what we remember and share with others.

Preserve Memories Forever With LiveOn

LiveOn Rewind will help me get all those photos and videos into my LiveOn account to preserve memories forever. LiveOn Rewind is very easy to use. Here is the process:

1. LiveOn sends you the box.

2. You package up the photos and videos.

3. LiveOn converts your memories.

That is so simple!

I have tried to do this myself before and it is very time-consuming and even though I am very tech-savvy, I still had a few of the videos that I would spend hours converting and discover I did something wrong. So, I just gave up. I’m going to let LiveOn Rewind take care of those now.

LiveOn Rewind Coupon Code

LiveOn has provided me with a holiday coupon to share with you. With “HOLIDAYREWIND” you will get 30% off your LiveOn Rewind order.

Disclosure: Thank you to LiveOn for sponsoring this blog post. Please LiveOn to learn more about sharing and preserving your most important memories. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective. Although story ideas were provided, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Let’s Preserve Memories Forever!

Do you have memories that are in a box or drawer that need to be preserved for future generations? Tell me a story about a memory you want to preserve for the future.

Preserve Memories Forever For Future Generations With LiveOn originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Tech Gift Guide for Moms, Bloggers, Grandparents & Many More

Michele — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:03:11 +0000

We all have at least one techie in our lives. For me, being a techie means everything I do has a “tech angle,” whether it’s blogging, working out, reading or cooking. When I figure out the tech angle for something, then it’s interesting. For example, running…I hated running until I discovered that Nike had an app and I could track my progress. Now I’m a runner and finished a half marathon this year. I digress….

Back to my tech gift guides… If the techie in your life is a tech mom, blogger, tech kid, gamer, fitness techie, grandparents, tween, tween, family or digital scrapbooker, then I have a list for you. If you have any ideas or would like your product added to the list, send me an email (michele@scrapsofmygeeklife.com)

Without further adieu, my tech gift guides….

Tech Gift Guide

for Tech Moms

If your Mom is like me and prefers digital to diamonds and gadgets to gold, then the Tech Moms Gift Guide is for her. There is nothing like the smell of a new gadget or unwrapping that brand new laptop.

for Bloggers

Bloggers need to use gadgets to capture pictures, videos and to keep on blogging. Here is my Bloggers Tech Gift Guide.

for Kids

Our kids live and breathe digital. It is second nature and they don’t even think twice about using technology. It is their reality and I feel it’s my job to teach my kids how to use technology to enhance their lives (and use it safely.) Here is my Kids Tech Gift Guide. There area a few non-tech items that my kids LOVE too.

for Gamers

It’s kind of obvious that gamers would be into technology, but if you are not a gamer and have a budding gamer or seasoned gamer on your list, here is the Gamer Tech Gift Guide.

for Fitness Techies

I am not just into fitness, but I’m into fitness technology. The only way I run is if I can use my Nike+ AND Runkeeper to track my runs. If I can’t use technology during a workout, it’s no fun. If you know someone like that, there is the Fitness Tech Gift Guide.

for Scrapbookers

Whether you are a digital or paper scrapbooker, technology will help you tell your family’s story. Here is my (Digital) Scrapbooking Tech Gift Guide.

for Families

Each year we buy a tech gift for the whole family. Something everyone gets to enjoy. Here are a few of the tech gifts we have enjoyed. My Family Tech Gift Guide.

for Teens and Tweens

I have both a teen and a tween in my house, so I asked them what are the MUST HAVE items on their list. My Teens & Tweens Gift Guide.

for Grandparents

Are your grandparents tech savvy at all or do you need to help them upload the pictures from their camera? My Grandparents Tech Gift Guide has gifts for both.

There you have it. A tech gift guide for everyone on your list. Let me know if you have a gadget I can add to the list. I’m always looking for good idea.

Tech Gift Guide for Moms, Bloggers, Grandparents & Many More originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Gift Guide For The Scrapbooker On Your List

Michele — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:00:35 +0000

If you are looking for a gift for a scrapbooker, you have come to the right place. At the end of this post are all the affiliate links, just click on the small picture of the item you are going to buy and I’ll get a little back from Amazon.

Holiday Gift Guide for A Scrapbooker

Tech Gifts & More for Scrapbookers

Do you have a gift that you would give to a scrapbooker (or would like to receive?) Leave me a link and I’ll add it.

Disclosure: I received some of the products in exchange for reviews, but it was my choice to include in my Scrapbooker Holiday Gift Guide. You will see #spon next to the items I received. All opinions are 100% my own.

Scrapbooker Gift Guide Affiliate Links

Following are Affiliate links to the scrapbooker products in the list above.

Gift Guide For The Scrapbooker On Your List originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

Creating With Instagram Pictures; What Do You Do With Yours?

Michele — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:47:38 +0000

You can create some awesome books and scrapbook pages with your Instagram pictures. No sense in leaving all those gorgeous pictures on your iPhone. Why not put them together in a book or create a scrapbook page with a template.

Creating Books With Instagram Pictures

Here are services that help you create a book by pulling in your Instagram pictures and they will print a real book. for you

1. Keepsy – Easily create an album using Instagram pictures. It took me about 10 minutes to sign up and have an album completed. I did not send for it so I do not know how good it looks, but you can see ScrappinMichele’s Instagram Pics here at Keepsy. You can order it, link to it or post to your Facebook page. To print my book it is $29.95 + S&H.

2. Blurb – With Blurb you can also make a book. The starting price for a book on Blurb is $10.95 (soft cover). You can choose different layouts and add text if you. Remove or add any Instagram pictures and change the order. Within 10 minutes, I had a book and I could send it off to print. The book I created was $17.95 plus S&H to print. I didn’t see an option to link to the book without “publishing” it.

Creating Layouts With Instagram Pictures

And here are scrapbooking kits and templates that you can download to make your own creations with Instagram pictures.

3. Simple Journalers by Gina Miller - Gina created digital frames with journaling prompts. Just add your Instagram pictures and you are ready to go.

4. Cathy Zielske’s Layered Templates - Cathy has a few of them at Designer Digitals & 1 on her blog:

Layered Template #87

Layered Template #88

Freebie Template from Cathy’s Blog

5. Hello Sweetness Instagram Templates at O’Scraps

6. Instagram Notes Project – From Biograffiti at O’Scraps. She has the full instructions to create the paper project from your Instagram pictures on her blog.

Instagram is only available for the iPhone now, but even with that it has really taken off. I’m sure there will be more and more services and products available to work with your Instagram Pictures.

Let’s Talk About Instagram Pictures!

Do you use Instagram? What do you do with your Instagram pictures?

Please vote for my blog as one of the Top Tech Mom Blogs.

Thank You!!

Creating With Instagram Pictures; What Do You Do With Yours? originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.

What is Digital Scrapbooking and How Do You Get Started?

Michele — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 18:40:37 +0000

Digital Scrapbooking is simply creating a scrapbook layout on the computer. You use paper and elements that are created digitally using graphic design software.

Below are answers to some of the common questions I receive about digital scrapbooking.

What do I need to start creating digital scrapbook layouts?

The biggest investment would be the computer, printer (if you choose to print your layouts yourself) and the software (see next question). You can purchase digital scrapbooking kits, however, you can use a kit over and over again to create many layouts. With paper scrapbooking, once you use an element, it is gone.

What software should I purchase?

There are many different programs available starting from $29 to over $500. If you are just starting out, I recommend you start with a dedicated scrapbooking program because the software will come with some digital kits to give you a head start. A few examples are:

There are several online options which usually include a few digital kits. Often these are to create photobooks or other printed items. A few examples are:

If you would like complete control over your layouts and prefer to either make your own elements or purchase digital scrapbooking kits from online stores, then the graphic design programs are what you want. The learning curve is the greatest on these, but will give you the most flexibility in creating your layouts.

What do I do with my layouts after I create them?

Print at home in various sizes (8×8, 12×12, 8.5×10, etc) and put them into regular scrapbooks.
Upload them to a professional printing company (Kodak, Shutterfly, etc) and create a photobook.
Create slideshows and burn it to a CD or DVD.
Upload them to photo sharing sites (Flickr, Picasa, Photobucket) to share with your friends and family.

What are the advantages of digital scrapbooking over paper scrapbooking?

Digital scrapbooking is not as messy. It is very hard to scrapbook with little children around because they tend to get into your paper and scissors. You can easily save a layout before it is done and go back to it at a later date.
The digital scrapbooking kits are purchased once and can be used again and again (by the same person).
It is much easier to create a page for several people. I have 4 kids and every Christmas, I create one digital layout. Then I put different pictures into 4 different layouts. The layout for my oldest son will have pictures of him in them and I do the same for each of my kids. That way they each have a more personalized layout for their own book.
A layout can be printed out or burned to CD/DVD as many times as you would like. It is a lot easier to share with your friends and family. I have created slideshows of my layouts throughout the year and sent the slideshow out as my Holiday card.

If you have any further questions, please leave them in the comments below and I will update this post with those answers. In the next few months, I will go into more detail about the different programs, where to get the digital scrapbooking kits and how to begin digital scrapbooking.

If you would like to see a few more examples of some layouts I have created and uploaded, check my layout gallery at NDISB.

Are you a scrapbooker? Paper or Digital?

Credits for scrapbook page: Techno Geek by MIss Mint (background), Fonts/Alphas: , Neutral Date Me kit by Suzy Q Scraps (5 in title & numbers), Fonts are Cooper Black, Chalkduster, CK Ali’s Hand Official, A Whole Year, January kit alpha by Dani Alencar (Geek & glitter), 5 crazy daisy flowers by Melissa Bennet

10 Last Minute Digital Scrapbooking Gift (scrapsofmygeeklife.com)
Get ScrapHappy with Lain Ehmann – Feb 02,2011 (blogtalkradio.com)
New Digital Product Releases | 02.26.2011 (aliedwards.com)
Mixbook Acquires Scrapbooking Service Scrapblog (mashable.com)

What is Digital Scrapbooking and How Do You Get Started? originally posted at Scraps of My Geek Life.