Angie Pedersen's Scrapbooking Industry News

News from the Family History Expo

FamilyTree magazine has posted news from the MyAncestorsFound’s Family History Expo 2008 on their blog, Genealogy Insider - News and Notes from the Family History Expo.

The buzzword for this event has been “New FamilySearch”—referring to the highly anticipated revamp of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ genealogy Web site, which is scheduled to go public in early 2009. Several classes focused on how the new system works, and what it means to genealogists. Developers from AncestralQuest, PAFInsight and RootsMagic genealogy software gave demos on how their programs will “sync” with the New FamilySearch.

Read more genealogy buzz from the Expo on the Genealogy Insider blog.

Funky Finds Promotes Indy Crafters

Jessica Hood, owner/editor of the Funky Finds blog, recently announced a new mission for 2008:

I am making an effort to sponsor more giveaways in 2008. Readers love free products & they enjoy spreading the word about giveaways on various sites. The last week of each month in 2008 will have a theme. For example, the last week in February will be dedicated to promoting independent jewelry designers. A giveaway will also be sponsored during the week featuring donated items from various business owners & designers. Below is a list of the themes for each month in 2008.

I am an advocate for buying handmade items & for supporting independent business owners. I grew up in an environment that encouraged creativity & creating items by hand...Please note that advertising on Funky Finds is NOT necessary to be a featured find. My site exists to help spread the word about your products.

Monthly Themes for 2008 (Last week of each month)

January - Stationery & Paper Goods
February - Jewelry
March - Children?s Goods (Apparel, Toys, etc.)
April - Home Décor & Housewares
May - Crafts & Hobbies (Knitting, Quilting, Scrapbooking, etc.)
June - Pet Products (Apparel, Toys, etc.)
July - Plushies & Softies (Handmade toys)
August     - Adult Apparel & Accessories
September - Artists & Artwork
October - Ceramics & Pottery
November - Charitable Shopping (Businesses that donate a portion of sales to charities)
December - Holiday Items (Cards, Gifts, Décor, etc.)

Flair Designs Launches a Blog

According to a recent email blast, Flair Designs has launched their Flair Blog.

Flair Designs is excited to announce our new blog! We'll use this forum to share exciting news about our products, the company, and the creative team that makes it all happen. Look for fun scrapbook layouts and projects using our products, as well as innovative techniques you can put to use in your own crafts.

Ink Maven Launches New Blog

Ink Maven Robin Beam has launched a new blog: PearlEsq.  Beam is the Director of Education for Ranger Ink.  Her blog description:

Pearls of Wisdom from a crafty kind of gal with a twist...Let's see, PearlEsq, rhymes with Burlesque-the definition: an artistic composition, esp. literary or dramatic, that, for the sake of laughter, vulgarizes lofty material or treats ordinary material with mock dignity.

The blog combines personal life updates and musings with step-by-step technique tutorials.  Previous tutorials include 3-D Stamping and Using Distress Crackle Paint.  Beam has hinted that future blog posts may also include tips on using beads.

Big Picture Scrapbooking Launches Blog: Scrap Big

Big Picture Scrapbooking has started a blog, Scrap Big, to provide "the ultimate insider's guide to what's hot, new, and undiscovered."

According to a recent post, there will be six main authors: Stacy Julian, Paula Wessells, Kayce Rehn, Amy Oatis, Erin Trimble and Michelle Hedstrom.   Julian, Wessells, and Rehn are the founders of Big Picture Scrapbooking (BPS).  Oatis and Trimble are BPS web editors, and Hedstrom is the BPS tech admin.   

The Scrap Big blog will provide updates on functionality of the website, BPS updates, new classes, new teachers, and items of a general creativity-inspiring nature.

Digital Scrapbooking Blog Carnival Started

Digital designer Christine Smith has started a Digital Scrapbooking Blog Carnival on her blog.  The first carnival is posted here. 

According to Wiktionary, a "blog carnival" is "a blog article that contains links to other articles covering a specific topic. Most blog carnivals are hosted by a rotating list of frequent contributors to the carnival, and serve to both generate new posts by contributors and highlight new bloggers posting matter in that subject area."

The categories for Smith's carnival are How-To's and Tutorials, All About Digi Scrapping, Sales & New Product Announcements, and Contests Calls & Challenges.  [On a related note - Scrapbooking Industry News is included in the All About Digi Scrapping category, for the post announcing the Epson Stylus Photo 1400 printer.]

A new digital scrapbooking carnival will be posted every Monday. The deadline for each week is the Friday prior to the publish date. Submissions details can be found here.

Inside Scrapbooking Changes Name to Scrapbook Update

Blogger Nancy Nally has made some changes to her blog that offers scrapbooking industry commentary: Inside Scrapbooking is now Scrapbook Update.

Inside Scrapbooking's name is being changed to Scrapbook Update due to domain registration issues and to better reflect the content that has evolved here over time. Scrapbook Update will still have all the things that are familiar from Inside Scrapbooking: my commentary on industry issues, product reviews, and news and information that is of interest to scrapbook industry participants and consumers. But the new Scrapbook Update will be able to be accessed through it's own registered address at www.scrapbookupdate.com, as well as through its Typepad address, and I have introduced new content in the sidebar such as the "Useful Links" to free software tools.

Nancy also publishes an Editorial Calendar which lists major scrapbooking magazine and contest submission deadlines.

Blog Marketing: LetteringDelights.com

Seen in a recent Lettering Delights newsletter:

Do you have a blog? Mention and link to Lettering Delights in a meaningful way, and get a personal code for 50% off our products. What could you say? You could mention the $1 sale on through August 31, post a layout or creative project you’ve made using LD products, a tip for using the new Creative Delights Companion or anything you want. Make sure your blog links to LetteringDelights.com.

Here’s an example from one reader who explained on her blog the benefits of transparent graphics: http://www.moultriecreek.net/family/2006/08/transparently_d.html

When your blog [post] about Lettering Delights is live, send a message to support@LetteringDelights.com with “Blogging for LD” in the subject line, and include the URL of your blog entry mentioning LD. Send us your blog by August 31, we’ll verify it and we’ll send you a personal code good for 50% off any downloadable products at LetteringDelights.com. The coupon can only be used once and expires 12/31/2006. And it’s good during our $1 sale, too!

We reserve the right to reject any blog entries that are unsuitable. (Remember, we’re asking for more than just a link on your links page.) Depending on the response, we may need several days or a week or more to respond to you. Please be patient. Thanks.

As always, your support means so much to us and keeps Lettering Delights going. Happy blogging!

Carnival of Digital Cameras

Via DigiCam News, Cameras.About.com is the hub of the Carnival of Digital Cameras and Photography. 

The Carnival of Digital Cameras and Photography is a weekly round-up, scouring the Web for the best of all the latest news, trends, digital camera reviews, top blogs, photography tips and professional advice.

What is a Blog Carnival?

It is a roundup of blogs and articles throughout the Web, gathered into one weekly posting. It is often hosted on various sites with the same topic as their main themes.

So, Cameras.About.com organizes each weekly "edition" of the Carnival, and different sites/blogs are the host, each doing their own "rounding up" of links and resources, all related to digital photography.

There have been 19 Digital Cameras & Photography Carnivals, all archived at Cameras.About.com: 2005 Carnivals and 2006 Carnivals.  In those archives you'll find highlights from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), info on cleaning digital cameras, firmware updates, digital gift-giving advice, the hidden costs of digital photography, and a digital camera-related tidbit about the film, "The Corpse Bride".