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From the Helm
Cap'n Dawn Heath,Publisher
Stamping and Scrapping Reflections has had quite the journey to McMurdo Antarctica! We left Ushuaia Tierra del Fuego, Argentina and have enjoyed a breathtaking cruise on our way to McMurdo! Of course, it's not called a cruise when you come to Antarctica, it is an expedition! We have enjoyed some of the continent’s most impressive wildlife and dramatic landscapes. The birds, including large penguin rookeries, have been awesome to watch and what fun it has been rub shoulders with seal colonies while orcas and whales can sometimes be seen plying the waters offshore. Did you ever think that you'd ever spend Christmas in Antarctica? We hope that S.S. Reflections has made the world just a little bit smaller with our cruises around the world and has inspired you to try new and different ideas when you create. I can't tell you how much fun I have researching each of the countries we visit. I've been so looking forward to our expedition to Antarctica as many years ago, I worked part time for CARA (Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica! The program was sponsored by The National Science Foundation and run out of Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay Wisconsin which is owned by the University of Chicago! My position with CARA was not of any importance at all, but I did love my time there. We even had a movie shoot at the Yerkes that started Keanu Reeves called Chain Reaction. I hope you enjoy the photo to the right. I took this with the webcam at Scott Base in Antarctica. You can view this webcam yourself at the Antaractia New Zealand website.
As we approach the Christmas season please don't forget those who are in need. We have so many people who are in need of help. Christmas is a time for giving and as this has been a record breaking year for disasters please join me in giving of your time and money if you are able. You can contact the American Red Cross and donate online or you can call 1-800-HELP NOW, or contact the Salvation Army to donate online, or you can call 1-800-253-1868. All of us at S.S. Reflections wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a season of Peace and Love! Happy Holidays to everyone!
If you are joining us for the very first time, let me explain what S.S. Reflections is. We are a completely FREE online magazine with a truly unique concept. SSR is a virtual cruise ship from the Golden Era here to entertain you as we visit a new country/port each month. We have an amazing crew who create designs and share ideas with you each month from various areas of the ship. Our fly-out menu bar, to the left, can take you anywhere on the ship that you would like to be. It will guide you through each deck on this magnificent ship! If you'd like to read each and every feature, at the bottom of each page is a blue arrow and a link to click which will take you to the next page to read. We also have Intro Pages for each deck. On these pages are ship's wheels with our crewmember's pictures inside - you can click on the wheel and read a short, fun bio for each designer. You can also click on the name of their room on the ship and it will take you directly to their article, or you can email each crewmember directly by clicking on their name! Please write to us and be sure to let us know what you love about SSR!
We hope that you are taking advantage of our new program to actually purchase the designs created by our amazing designers! All you need to do is click on the thumbnail of your favorite design and if it is for sale, it will be listed at the bottom of the supply list and you can email the crewmember directly for information about purchasing the design featured! Shipping and Handling are not included in the price of the design. Insurance is required on all sales. The beautiful canvas piece to the right is ready to hang in your home! Our very talented Melissa Huber is selling this lovely work or art!
The Caption Contest has been so much fun on the Ezine Yahoo! Group! We can hardly wait to see each new entry. The featured stamp used in each month's article is also that months prize. The November caption contest was sponsored by Hearts In Touch! Thank you Frances!
The Ezine Yahoo Group members voted for their favorite caption and the winner is....
The winning caption was: "Dear Heart, I dream of you in Technicolor."
from Donna Urban of Edmonton AB, Canada!
The December caption contest is sponsored by Mother Rubber Art Stamps!
For detailed instructions and our current contest just click on the card. We are having so much fun with this contest on the Ezine Yahoo! Group, I hope you join us!
Have you signed up for our bi-monthly newsletter yet? Did you know that we send out a newsletter when we change our Reader's Gallery each month? The newsletter is FREE and is full of up-to-date information on what is happening on board the S.S. Reflections! If you would like to receive our newsletter you can sign up for it HERE. If you are a member of the Ezine Yahoo! Group then you are having a wonderful time sharing ideas and tips and techniques. We are planning lots of new programs for the Ezine Group and the Message Board! If you have any suggestions or ideas please feel free to share them with our Communications Officer, Debi Wind and her assistant is Diana Scott. Debi will be managing the Ezine Yahoo! Group and Diana will be organizing some fun on the Ezine Message Board! We are actively looking for a Swap Coordinator for the Ezine List, if you are interested in organizing our swaps please email Debi at debiwind@ssreflections.com.
Our Celebrity Headliner for December is Julie Creek of Creek Bank Creations! Julie is the brains behind the Creek Bank Creations line of products! Creek Bank Creations, Inc. have my favorite line of products called "Office Werks". I did a make 'n take taught by Julie last Spring using the file folders to create a mini album which I distressed and altered (I can't help myself) for my Dad for Father's Day! I'm just certain that you will enjoy meeting Julie as much as I have!
Z Becky Brown, Inc. is our special guest feature in the VIP Lounge this month. Carolyn Brown Whiting and Nancy Race joined together to design a line of exceptional handbags that project a message with chic versatility. Both mothers of three, Carolyn and Nancy have developed a line of exclusive handbags which are just awesome! We first met these talented ladies at Summer CHA this past July and we were immediately drawn to their line of handbags! I absolutely fell in love with the bamboo handle on the black bag! I can't wait to get my hands on one of these and make it my own! Of course, it will be distressed and altered within an inch of its life as I just can't seem to help myself!!
Our Designer’s Challenge this month was sponsored by Prickley Pear! Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps began in the creative mind of Nicole La Cour. Although she discovered stamping five years ago, her passion for illustration bloomed at a young age. She recalls her love of art classes in high school and during her free time she practiced copying images until she had an exact match. The awesome design on the right was created by Suzanne Saupe!
Korbyn's Korner - S.S. Reflections Advertiser Spotlight!
korbynmay@ssreflections.com
Director of Sales
As you finish reading this jam packed issue of S.S. Reflections, please make your way to our Making Waves page and visit our advertisers! We have revamped the page to make it more accessible to you and easier for you when you are shopping! Some of our Advertisers have wonderful specials and announcements just for you!
Don't forget that we have created a store directory listing for you and if you don't see your favorite store listed, be sure to send them our way! If you own a store and are interested in having your store included (Brick and Mortar stores and Online stores) please contact Cap'n Dawn at publisher@ssreflections.com as we have a very special introductory rate for one full year!
Posh Impressions Has a brand new website! Please be sure to check it out to see the project featured!
Hearts in Touch Hearts in Touch Check out the new Christmas images, Sheet #77 Christmas Time and #78 Victorian Christmas Scenes, now available at Hearts In Touch. You'll want to check Frances site often as she is always creating new stamp images!
Caputo's Kits Looking for a creative way to store your handmade A2 sized cards? Head over to Caputo's Kits to pick up the brand new Card Keeper Kit! It comes with blank cover boards to decorate, 10 custom made page protectors to hold up to 20 cards, and binding rings. Refills available! Be sure to check our Designer's Challenge for ideas on what to do with this awesome new kit!
PaperArtsy comes out with a brand new plate every month! You will want to check their website often so you don't miss any of their awesome images!
Memory Villa is home to scrapbooking supplies from 30 of the best brands. Popular products uploaded weekly... Drawings and layout contests too! Excellent customer service is what Memory Villa is all about! Free USA shipping on orders of $75 or over, and a flat rate of $4.50 on smaller orders. The best part, if you see it on their site - it's in stock!!!
Two Paper Cranes - Click here for a look at the awesome products that Two Paper Cranes is offering! You will want to check their website often for the most recent products added to their store!
Be sure to check our sponsors websites often for Christmas specials! Remember that without these very special sponsors we wouldn't have S.S. Reflections for you to enjoy!
Now to tell you what is on our Editorial Deck! Scrapbook Premier's feature is about one of my favorite company's...Diane's Daughters! Dawn Shepherd is sharing Tidbits of Christmas thoughts with all of you this month. Judy, our Stamping Deck Librarian, is reviewing "Altered Books, Collaborative Journals, and other Adventures in Bookmaking" by Holly Harrison. Our Editorial Deck is small this month because some of our crew needed to take some time off for important obligations!
On our Digital Deck this month, Ramie is digitally scrapping portraits! You won't want to miss Dyan's part two using definitions on your cards! Bill photography tutorial is about natural lighting! Elizabeth scrapping the tidbits of life with some awesome ideas! Tara's tutorial this month is how to create photo collage! Tricia gave birth to Vanessa Taite November 14th and still had time to write about tying up loose ends for her December feature! I think that is quite an appropriate article don't you? We all send our heartfelt congratulations on the birth of the newest little crewmember! 
Now on to the Stamping Deck! Cindy has written an awesome tutorial on how to do a colorful collage! If you don't believe me just see the beautiful card to the right! Debi is creating amazing cards using background papers! Robin and Wendy have created beautiful altered calendars! Cindy Cade has created gorgeous art dolls! You won't want to miss these and oh my...You are going to love Andi's Twinkling H20 Christmas cards! Suzanne's Christmas board book is just spectacular! Lori is dazzling us with her Victorian Christmas cards! Purnima is away receiving some very special treatment but she still sent in a very beautiful art doll to share with you! Please continue to keep our Purnima in your prayers! We really miss her! Melissa is blue and silver which is just so appropriate for our expedition to Antarctica! Tracey is has created some awesome projects playing with dots and plaids and stripes! Our stamping crew has all created such beautiful work this month, I'm sure you will be inspired!!
Now on to the Scrapping Deck! Laura has done some awesome projects using Sun Printing Papers by NaturePrint Papers! Jill is adding texture with foil embossing! Chrissy is taking some time off, she had major surgery last September and is having some difficulty with the healing process. Please keep Chrissy in your prayers! Stacie is playing with fun foam on her pages! Marilyn is inspiring us with some awesome projects using mulberry paper! Cindi is inspiring us with awesome papers by Scrappin' Sports & More! Becky is adding sparkle to her layouts! In fact, the layout to the right is just a sample and it's for sale! Janet has lots of brilliant ideas for adding lots of pictures to your layouts! Stacha has some amazing ideas for using stips of paper to embellish your papers!
We have a very special Reader's Gallery to share with you! You will just have to go to the gallery for yourself to see all of the cards submitted! But, alas, we had to pick one design to show you here, and I know you will love this Christmas planner project created by Susan Shute of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin! If you would like to be featured in our Reader's Gallery, please submit your designs to Robin Willis! If you have something that you'd like to have included in our December 15 gallery, please submit your designs to Robin by December 10th at robinwillis@ssreflections.com. We love to showcase all our reader's artwork! Please remember to send us your name and the city/state or country where you live along with a basic list of the products used. We hope to give our advertisers as much exposure with your designs as we can!
Thank you for joining us for Christmas in Antarctica! You are the reason that we are the number one online magazine! We hope you enjoy your virtual cruise and since we are so close, we thought it would be the perfect time to visit New Zealand next month as we begin our third virtual world cruise! We have lots of surprises in store for you but for now, you have the whole month to enjoy this fabulous issue of S.S. Reflections! Remember to count your blessings each day and know that each new day is a blessing to you! We hope you will be able to relax and enjoy your favorite online Ezine, S.S. Reflections! We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Happy Sailing,
Cap'n Dawn
publisher@ssreflections.com
Publisher
Reflections Publishing Group
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