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December 4, 2006
From the Helm
Cap'n Dawn Heath,Publisher
A panorama of taken from the Chalet du Mont Royal at the top of Mount Royal in Montreal on the 4th of January, 2006
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
The S.S. Reflections virtual cruise ship has travelled all the way to Montreal in Québec! Every month SSR travels virtually to some of the most beautiful places in the world and we've barely scratched the surface! I would love to take a train trip across Canada to Vancouver and then head up to Alaska. Maybe one day that will happen but for now, I love visiting these beautiful places through the internet and sharing my findings with you! For this trip we sailed down the St. Lawrence River to the beautiful city of Québec. We've picked a magical place to spend Christmas this year and I know you will love all you'll discover here! The Québec City area is the ideal place to spend the Christmas holidays. After all, it's got everything: abundant snow, carollers, sleigh rides, Christmas trees, Nativity scenes and Midnight mass. Just like in those childhood storybooks our parents read to us and we read to our own children.
Throughout the city, from the trees, homes, storefronts and even the office buildings you'll find that they are decorated and lit for the Christmas season. Smiles are bigger, (have you seen mine lately?) arms open wider, and the snow gives everyone the luxury of a beautiful white carpet on Christmas Eve. We can walk or take a sleigh ride!
I'd like to apologize to you for the delay in launching the December issue. On November 7 my main computer system went in for a tune up and was gone for 3 weeks! I had a second opinion but the problem was with the BIOS. The BIOS was rewritten and then checked over the course of 4 days and all is well again. The processor may still need to be replaced but for now we're back up, online and running very well! During this time, my boys and I moved house! It was a much needed move and we are very happy in a fabulous house in the same city. So, there has been lots going on behind the scenes and as I finally got the main computer back just last week I've been frantically working to get the December issue live for you! The professional designers on board SSR have created a magical Christmas issue for you and I hope you will be able to sit with a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy all that they have designed. Welcome aboard!!
The goal of S.S. Reflections has always been to make the world just a little bit smaller and that you can enjoy visiting these beautiful countries virtually with us! Please be sure to share your own inspirations with all of us and we have made this even easier for you with our brand new interactive Readers Photo Gallery! If you are having trouble uploading to the photo gallery please feel free to email Diana at dianascott@ssreflections.com as she is our officer in charge! I know several of you have written to me, but I'm clueless on some of these issues! Diana is our resident expert and I'm sure she can help you!
We hope that you are taking advantage of our 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. 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. Our featured piece of art for sale this month was created by Debi Wind!! This gorgeous victorial Christmas card is for sale by Debi! Please be sure to read her feature and see all the gorgeous cards she has created!
Here is the picture from November's contest:
I chuckled at the entries, but especially at our winning caption:
"I have been sitting here so long my cheeks are getting rosy!"
by Melodee DeStefano
Congratulations Melodee!
Now for this month's card sponsored by Altered Pages. We at SSReflections appreciate our sponsors so much! Thank you, Jackie!
All entries must be sent to our yahoo group (you can join here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SSReflectionsezine/ and carbon copied to Jill Wenzel at: jillwenzel@ssreflections.com
Our Designer’s Challenge this month has been sponsored by Altered Pages! Jackie has been a long time friend of SSR and our crew loves to play with her fabulous images!! This is special Christmas challenge has brought lots of fabulous ideas for Christmas projects and cards for you! The design featured to the right was created by Flo Hollingsworth our brand new Stamping Deck Crewmember!!
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! We have also changed our COMM policy on the Ezine Yahoo! Group and the Forum Message Board! We are now allowing COMM's from all vendors on the Ezine Yahoo! Group and message board on Mondays!
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 is celebrating this month! You can read all about it in the Stateroom feature on the Editorial Deck...of course, if you can't wait I'll tell you now. Club Posh is 5 years old! I never was very good at keeping exciting secrets...
Hearts in Touch. Have fun with these exciting brand new FUN FRAMES©. The is an exclusive new line by Hearts in Touch! The frames are die cut cardstock with scores ready in place with holes when folded provide for wall hanging using simple common pins. Simple and easy to use you can decorate these FUN FRAMES© to your hearts content! To see more about Fun Frames check out our Stateroom feature this past June!
New from PaperArtsy: Be sure to check PaperArtsy's website often as Leandra is constantly launching new stamps to play with!!
All plates are available unmounted, or on EZ mount. email sales@paperartsy.co.uk for details or go to www.paperartsy.co.uk
Stamp Francisco: Did you know that you can receive FREE (yes, I said FREE) stamps from Stamp Francisco? You can read all about it here: Free Stamp Program
Memory Maker Bracelet Save 10% on all photo accessories through December 2006! Be sure to use the promo code "SSR" when you check out!
If you would like to see your company spotlighted please contact either Korbyn or myself at info@ssreflections.com for information!
Be sure to check our sponsors websites often for monthly specials! Remember, without these very special sponsors we wouldn't have S.S. Reflections for you to enjoy!
News On Deck:
We have lots to tell you about this month! We have a brand new crewmember to introduce to you!! Well, I've already shared this news with you as Flo's challenge was featured above!
Editorial Deck:
On our Editorial Deck we have a fun and fabulous monthly Caption Contest! The card to the right is our Caption Contest subject for December! You'll need to join our Ezine Yahoo! Group to post your caption ideas! Linda has some awesome Christmas gift ideas in her product showcase this month! She found so many products to tell you about at Memory Trends last October, I don't know how we're going to tell you all about them before the next trade show!! So much to talk about...so little space!! Scrapping Deck:
Now on to the Scrapping Deck! Anita jumped right in and is creating some fabulous ideas for creating your own stamped strips as backgrounds on your pages. Becky's tutorial this month is on paper folding. Becky has all sorts of fabulous ideas for enhancing your pages! Cindi is reviewing a different kind of kit...its a kit swap!! You don't want to miss this intriguing concept and Cindi has created some amazing designs to show it off! Jill is super sizing her embellishments and they are absolutely super!! Marilyn's tutorial this month is teaching you how to create pocket pages and why you need her fabulous ideas for your own scrapbooks! My dear friend Stacie is back! Stacie has had a few months off as she prepared for back to school and worked on getting back into a routine. I'm so happy to have her back!! Stacie's feature is fabulous and its all about BRADS!! I love those little things...I use them on just about every layout or project I create! You can see for yourself that Stacie's got some fabulous ideas as that is one of her layouts to the right! In fact, that is Stacie herself to the right!
Digital Deck:
On our Digital Deck this month, you will find some awesome ideas! Dyan's tutorial is how we can create our own page pebbles with some fabulous ideas to showcase these awesome embellishments! Ramie has been inspired to create fabulous layouts using her digital elements and some special templates! You can see for yourself as one of Ramie's projects is featured to the right! Yvonne is so excited about a hybrid concept that she has discovered at Summer CHA. She is creating some amazing projects using Digital Dies with the Spellbinders Wizard! She's also discovered the Spud Club by PolkaDotPotato.com. PolkaDotPotato was created by Ashley Smith who has been with SSR as a Celebrity Headliner for another company she founded!! Its a great pleasure to feature the genius of Ashley on SSR once again!
Stamping Arts Deck:
Now on to the Stamping Art Deck! Debi's has been very busy sharing the fine art of collage! This is such a difficult subject to teach but Debi has done such a fabulous job you won't have any difficulties after reading it! Now I get to share the fabulous Flo Hollingsworth with you as she has joined the SSR crew! Flo's first feature is Merry and Bright and full of fabulous Christmas card ideas! Just check out the gorgeous card to the right! Judy's book review this month is "The Vintage Workshop Art to Wear" by Amy Barickman. We've all heard th expression, "if it doesn't move...stamp it!" Well, Judy has taken that one step further and she's stamping anything and everything with fantastic results!!
Altered Arts Deck:
Now on to the Altered Arts Deck! Cindy has created a gorgeous recipe book this month to tantilize your creative senses as well as your appetite for food! Michaela has some awesome last minute Christmas ideas to share with you too! Robin is having a retro art funky Christmas! Just take a look to the right to see how much fun Robin has been having with her Christmas ideas! I just love Robin's style! It is very sad for me to tell you that this is Sue's last regular feature with SSR. Sue has been with us since the very beginning and has faithful created each month for you! She will be back every once in a while as a guest designer but no longer as a regular SSR feature! I can't even tell you how much I will miss Sue, please join me in thanking Sue for her time, and for sharing her awesome talent with all of us. For Sue's final feature she has created some gorgeous Christmas boxes and a funky pair of ballet slippers! Sue Shute is sharing a fabulous bottle cap ornament idea with all of us and some beautiful puzzle ornaments to decorate our trees with! These are such amazing ideas for you!!
Communications Deck:
Our Interactive Reader's Gallery! is not just for showcasing your scanned images, its also for your photos and your digital layouts! We want to see everything that you are proud of! So, come on in and share what you are most proud of! We all want to see! The Christmas card featured to the right was created by Holly! So, don't be shy...share your ideas with us!! You just never know what we'll feature next or who we'll ask to be a guest designer on SSR!! IT COULD BE YOU!!! The photo gallery is so much fun and filled with fantastic designs...stamped art, digital layouts and scrapped layouts not to mention the photo gallery! You can upload all the designs that you want to share with us ANYTIME you'd like! We have an opportunity to make comments and talk about the products you used and the techniques! You'll want to definitely add this to your favorites and come back often!
Final Thoughts:
Thank you for sharing our 3rd Anniversary with us! We have had such a fun month planning and organizing future issues just for you! We'd love to hear from you if you can spare a minute to write to us! Tell us what it is about SSR that you love so much. What is it that brings you back each month? What would you like to see on SSR next year? I'm so glad that SSR is as important to you as it is to me! We are always honored by your choosing to come aboard SSR for all the fun we can offer! Remember to find the joy in each day. Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and Happy Kwansa and a very Happy New Year to you all!
As always,
Cap'n Dawn
publisher@ssreflections.com
Publisher
Reflections Publishing Group
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