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February 1, 2006
From the Helm
Cap'n Dawn Heath,Publisher
Welcome aboard the next leg of our brand new world cruise 2006! This month we find ourselves in the beautiful islands of Papua New Guinea! This beautiful photo is the view to Tavuvur Vulcan shared to you with permission from photographer Jochen Kalmbach of Letzte Änderung. You can see more of these stunning islands through the eyes of Jochen just click here! Thank you Jochen for sharing your work with us! I have friends who were missionaries in Papua New Guinea so I've heard about this country most of my life but I still feel as though I have not even scratched the surface! I would love to one day visit these places that we cruise to every month and not just dream about it! We hope that S.S. Reflections has made the world just a little bit smaller with our cruises around the globe and that the beauty we share with you inspires you to try new and different ideas when you create. Please be sure to share your ideas with all of us!
It has been one year since the Tsunami and as we reflect back on the past year, it was a year full of disasters that have hit around the world. The Tsunami, earthquakes in Pakistan, hurricanes in Mexico and our own southern states, tornados in the Midwest, mudslides and wildfires in California and the southwest and just recently, extremely cold weather in England and Eastern Europe. Because of these horrible tragedies, we have so many people who are in need of help. Christmas is a time for giving and you have all been so very generous and I want to encourage you as we continue to cruise around the world in our virtual cruise ship that not everyone is a blessed as we are. Please remember to contribute to the American Red Cross, you can 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. Even a few dollars can help someone who is in need.
Last month we announced our new Quick Links at the bottom of each page! Now we have even more exciting news for you! We have expanded our Stamping Deck to now have an Altered Arts Deck on our virtual cruise ship! We are all so excited about this new addition to our very special magazine and we just know that you are going to love the Altered Arts Deck too! We hope that by splitting the Stamped Arts Deck you will find your way around us much easier! 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. As mentioned above, we now have a Quick Links feature to help you get to where you want to go to next! We also have Intro Pages for each deck which are listed in the Quick Links section. On these pages are ship's wheels with our crewmember's pictures inside - you can click on the wheel to read a short, fun bio for many of our designers. 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. 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 Cindy Cade is selling this beautiful crystal pendant!!
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 month's prize.
The Ezine Yahoo Group members voted for their favorite caption and the winner is....
Here is the picture from January:
The winning caption was:
"I'd be MUCH taller if I didn't have this 100 pound weight on my head"
from Peggy Sweeney in TX!
For instructions and a closer look see my January 2006 article. Stamp image by Hearts in Touch.
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 Officers, Debi Wind, who runs our Ezine Yahoo! Group and Diana Scott who runs our Ezine Message Board. We would love for you to stop by and say hi to everyone!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
We have a brand new announcement for our Ezine Yahoo! Group and Message Forum Board! SSR is hosting Saturday Flea Market! We started on Jan 21 and it will be held every other Saturday! We will make announcements ahead of time so you can be prepared to gather up your goodies to buy/sell/trade to your hearts desire. All transactions other than the original ad will take place off of the list, this will be mandatory. You may include an attached picture or url link in the ad.
Rules for "Saturday Member Flea Market Day":
1) Beginning January 21, 2006 members of SSReflections Ezine Group may post ads selling/trading stamping items, cards, scrapping items, layouts or any other type of craft item. Sorry, no items that are not craft related can be advertised. Members may also post services that they provide such as custom layouts, cards or handmade gifts. No Ebay ads or vendor ads will be allowed.
2) Please contact seller privately and not through the Ezine list. Please include your email address in the body of your ad and type "Flea Market" on the subject line.
3) Members are responsible for setting their own prices, calculating shipping costs, and communications with whomever the sale is made to. Any issues regarding sales are to be settled off list. S. S. Reflections will not intervene to resolve any sales issues.
4) S. S. Reflections is not responsible for any failed sale, shipping costs, or reimbursing members for sales that fail to complete.
5) Have fun!
If you think this is wonderful news...we have even more! We will now offer COMM's from any vendors who are members of the Ezine Yahoo! Group to post comms on Mondays only. Advertisers of SSR are allowed to post COMMs any day of the week! We strive to give our readers every opportunity to purchase the best products available!
We are pleased to announce to you that our Celebrity Headliner for February is, Corrine Mihlek-Brzys of Janlynn Corporation! When scrapbook designer Corrine started scrapbooking for her family over seven years ago, she never expected the craft would lead her to a new career. "It's funny how things progressed," she says today, "I started scrapbooking before it became the huge trend it is now here on the East Coast. I used magnetic photo albums and horrifically tacky stickers found in the Kids' Craft sections of large craft stores. Then, when an actual scrapbook store opened up near me, I went wild! This was an answer to my dreams--product made FOR scrapbookers! I practically lived in that store. Eventually, the owner asked me to teach some classes, and my life hasn't been the same since!"
Our first crewmember introduction for February in the VIP Lounge is Ramie Ahlstrom! Ramie has been the Scrapping Cruise Director here at SS Reflections since the beginning and just recently became our Business Manager. Ramie is also my best friend and I'm thrilled to introduce Ramie and her beautiful family to you! You will find Ramie's features on the Digital Deck! Ramie was the first to share digital scrapping layouts on SSR in her articles like we have had on the scrapping deck! We knew at that time that we had to expand our Digital Deck to include articles as well as our awesome tutorials!
Scrapbook Premier magazine is featuring a wonderful company called "Brainiac Scrapbooking"! Let’s face it . . . at one time or another, we have all faced the dreaded scrapbook ailment known as “Brain Freeze.” The photos sit in a box, product is piled on your workspace, and nothing seems to click. Your creativity has taken a vacation and you’re stuck in a rut. What’s a scrapbooker to do? If you missed this feature in our mid-January updates, now is the time to get caught up! We will feature a new article from Scrapbook Premier in our mid-February update.
This month we thought it would be fun to tell you about the Designer’s Challenge we do each month. Every month we have a vendor that sponsors the challenge, and they send each of us a product from their company that they would like us to showcase. Looking back at our previous challenges, we've received such diverse items as rubber stamps, a card keeper kit, altered art collage materials, scrapbook and card-making paper, puzzle pieces, products such as Glossy Accents, holeless beads, die cuts, fibers, and Transfer Ink, just to name a few. If you are interested in sponsoring one of our Designer Challenges, plese don't hesitate to contact us!
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 has a brand new website with Sunday International! Please be sure to check the site regularly to see the featured project!
Hearts in Touch. Has exciting news to share with you! Who, What, When, Where is LUCY ??? Coming soon to Hearts In Touch Rubber Stamps. Watch for her “debut”, courtesy of Val Wilson, Artist.
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 November 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! Leandra is a featured instructor at CHA, the premier craft trade show, at the end of January and her class is already sold out!
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 monthly specials! Remember, without these very special sponsors we wouldn't have S.S. Reflections for you to enjoy!
News On Deck:
You will probably notice that we have changed our decks around a wee bit! Our Editorial Deck now features not only Dawn Shepherd's Tidbits feature but we also have the VIP Lounge, Scrapbook Premier and our Caption Contest listed on the Editorial Deck! I'm sorry if this confuses you, but we are trying to make SSR easier for you to navigate and we will continue to work to keep our standing of excellence in the industry. We will also make mid-month changes to the Editorial Deck so be sure to come back when you receive your newsletters!
Now on to the Scrapping Deck! Stacie is making memories with metal! Lets face it, we just can't resist all the awesome metal additions to our pages! Jill is guilding or gold leafing, her pages which adds a luxurious effect to all your creations! Marilyn's awesome tutorial this month is on chalking! Yes, now is the time to get all those chalks out from the back of your cupboard! Cindi has a very fun theme this month as she is scrapping a"round"! Becky's is scrapping with dimension and you will love her ideas! Janet is in love with all the mini books! Just wait until you see some of her ideas, you will love them!
On our Digital Deck this month, Yvonne is creating Quick and Easy Digital Coffee Table Books with the Epson StoryTeller®! This is such an awesome gift idea!! Ramie has created beautiful digital heritage pages! Dyan's is filling text with photos to create personalized cards that are just gorgeous! In Bill's feature this month we will discuss composition! So grab your old photos and plan to learn how to take better pictures with this excellent tutorial! Elizabeth has created some gorgeous digital layouts using Word Art! Tara's tutorial this month is on monochromatic layouts with some beautiful examples for you! Tricia is taking some time off to spend with her new baby! We miss you Tricia!!
Now on to the Stamping Art Deck! Debi has needed to take a month off from her article. We miss your beautiful art Debi! Andi is sewing on her creations and they are drop dead gorgeous! You will really enjoy Andi's tutorial this month! Cindy Cade has a fun color theme to her feature this month...are you by any chance feeling "melon"choly now that the holidays are over? We have the perfect cure for you here! Purnima is in a bright whimsy mood this month! We love it when Purnima plays with color and she hasn't let us down yet!! Melissa has created some gorgeous valentine altered trading cards for you to enjoy!! We have brought Judy back to our Stamping Deck as her book reviews are always stamping related! Judy's book reviews are always fantastic and her artwork is mind blowing on any given day and she hasn't let you down this month either! Judy is reviewing "The Art of Fabric Books: Innovative Ways to Use Fabric in Scrapbooks, Altered Books & More" by Jan Bode Smiley.
Now on to the Altered Arts Deck! Cindy has created a very special project for you this month! She has been playing with all kinds of elements! Robin is reviewing the brand new kit club, "The Kit Kafe". The first kit is a paperbag book and you will love what Robin has created with this kit! Wendy has taken the month of February off because of the loss of her father and because she is opening her very own shop in her hometown of Thames in New Zealand! When Wendy does come back, she will have her very own column! Yes, after all these years...we are splitting Wendy and Robin up! After all, they are the original designers for our Altered Arts Deck! Suzanne's has been very busy creating all kinds of altered projects to share with you! One thing we can always count on, Suzannes work is absolutely beautiful! Lori has been busy creating beautiful vintage Valentine's cards! Tracey's tutorial this month is how to create the perfect bow for your art!
We are planning some huge changes for our Reader's Gallery which should begin with our March issue! If you are part of our Ezine Yahoo! Group and our Message Board community then you will be the first to know!! We always have a very special Reader's Gallery to share with you and this month is no exception! This beautiful card featured to the right was created by Flo Hollingsworth of Glendale, AZ! 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 mid-February gallery, please submit your designs to Robin by February 10th at robinwillis@ssreflections.com. We love to showcase all our readers' artwork! This would include, stamped art, scrapped layouts and digital layouts too! 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 our cruise to Papua New Guinea! We have so much inside this issue to share with you! Its a good thing 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!
Happy Sailing,
Cap'n Dawn
publisher@ssreflections.com
Publisher
Reflections Publishing Group
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