**CLOSED**My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software Review and Giveaway (11/30)

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 Years ago, I thought it would be fun to try scrapbooking. I envisioned putting together this beautiful book full of great pictures that would preserve my fondest memories for years to come. Well, little did I know that scrapbooking can actually be kind of a pain. It's not that easy to put together a scrapbook that actually looks good- it takes a lot of effort, and it can be expensive, too. For a slacker like me, it was just too much trouble. After fiddling around for a few days, I put away my supplies and forgot about scrapbooking.

When I found out about My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software, I felt that old creative energy welling up again. However, I was a bit doubtful-  would I get frustrated with this as quickly as I did with traditional scrapbooking? The answer was no! I quickly figured out how to use the software, and in no time I had created a cute page showcasing my pets. Take a look:

Not too shabby! I had fun playing around with the software, and I'm looking forward to actually doing something with the countless other digital photos that have been doing nothing but taking up space on my hard drive. 

My Memories Suite  is easy enough for a beginner to use, but powerful enough to satisfy experienced scrapbookers as well.  This top rated software offers powerful design tools, a user-friendly interface, and multiple sharing options. Here are a few of the things that you can do with My Memories:

• Build pages from scratch or use a professionally designed template
• Enhance your scrapbook with music, narration, and video
• Create your own word art with effects like bevel, emboss, warping, and more
• Layer multiple background papers
• Duplicate and mirror your pages easily
• Create photobooks, calendars, and cards
• Turn your scrapbook into a movie to watch on a DVD or view on an iPod

My Memories Suite comes with a large collection of papers and embellishments, and there are even more goodies that you can download from their site! Some of their digital scrapbooking kits are free, and others cost a few dollars. Here are a few that caught my eye:

           Autumn Rose (free)                 Harvest Kitchen Paper Pieces ($1.49)

I prefer digital scrapbooking to the traditional method for several reasons. First of all, there's no mess to worry about- when you're done, all you have to do is save your work and hit "x." Also, it's cheaper! Real paper and embellishments can only be used once, then you have to go out and buy more. Digital paper and embellishments can be used as many times as you want, at no additional cost. Another advantage to going digital is that it's more forgiving- mistakes can be undone with a click of a button. Decide that you don't like that background paper so much after all? You can change it in seconds, without moving any of your pictures. I could go on and on about the advantages of using this software, but I think you probably get the point: digital scrapbooking is simply an easier, less expensive, and more modern alternative.

Special Offer

My Memories has offered a special code just for my readers! When you purchase My Memories Suite v2, you can use this coupon code: STMMMS27110 and get a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook Software plus a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store!

**Giveaway**
My Memories has generously offered a copy of their software (a $40 value) for me to give away to one of my readers! The software is a digital download, and it will work on the following platforms: Windows 7, Vista, XP, Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later.

This contest is open world wide, but the My Memories software is intended for use with English language computers. Only one person (age 18+) per household may enter. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Odds of winning depends upon the number of eligible entries received .Winner will be chosen via random.org and notified by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond, and if they fail to do so a new winner will be chosen.

Mandatory Entry: Visit mymemories.com and leave a comment on this post telling me which of their digital scrapbooking kits is your favorite. This entry must be completed in order for you to be eligible to win. Please leave your email address with this comment so I'll be able to contact you if you win.

Bonus Entries
*Each of these options is worth one bonus entry each unless otherwise noted. Leave a separate comment for each one you complete!*

• Follow me via GFC (widget is on my right sidebar, try refreshing if it isn't showing up)
• Follow me on twitter @giveawaysetc, and leave your twitter name in your comment
• Follow @MyMemoriesSuite on twitter, and leave your twitter name in your comment
• "Like" Slacker's Paradise on facebook, and leave your facebook name in your comment
• Be my friend on facebook, and leave your facebook name in your comment.
• "Like" My Memories on facebook, and leave your facebook name in your comment
• Subscribe to Slacker's Paradise via RSS or email- both options are found near the middle of my right sidebar.
• Enter another one of my current giveaways and tell me which one.
• Tweet about this giveaway and leave the link to your tweet in your comment- you can use the convenient tweet button at the top of this post! You may tweet once per day for an extra entry each day.

This giveaway will end at 11:59 pm EST on November 30, 2011.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Software in exchange for this post, and I will receive a $20 PayPal deposit each time my special promo code is used. However, all opinions expressed in this post are genuine.

Giveaway of the Day: Win a $50 EdenFantasys.com Gift Card at Jenn.nu!

I just found yet another EdenFantasys.com giveaway at Jenn.nu! See that heart shaped pillow above? That's a Liberator Heart Wedge, and I really want one, so I'm entering all of the EdenFantasys giveaways that I can find. If there's something at EdenFantasys.com that you have your eye on, head over to Jenn's blog and enter to win a $50 gift card. This Rafflecopter giveaway ends on 11/14. Good luck! Oh, and if you haven't done so yet, make sure to enter my $25 EdenFantasys GC giveaway as well!

Giveaway of the Day: Win a $100 Wilson's Leather GC at Ascending Butterfly

I love leather- especially leather handbags. I like the look, the feel, even the smell of leather. However, I do not like the price, and since I'm usually broke, I rarely buy any of the lovely leather items that I admire. I'd love to win some, though! That's why I'm entering to win a $100 gift card to Wilsons Leather at Ascending Butterfly. If you'd like a nice new leather item, head over and get your entries in!  This giveaway is open until November 15th, and there are plenty of entry methods.  Good luck!

Slackin' Sunday 11/06

"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."

- Hunter S. Thompsom



Giveaway of the Day: Win Swiss Diamond's 6 Piece Cookware Set at Momma Told Me

Wow, there are sooo many good giveaways going on right now! Though I didn't win much in October, I have high hopes for November. One blog that is giving away tons of great stuff right now is Momma Told Me. She's opened so many fantastic giveaways over the past few days that it was hard to pick just one to showcase, but I decided on this one: Swiss Diamond's 6 Piece Cookware Set ($515 value). This high quality cookware set is something that just about anyone would love to win, or to receive as a gift this Christmas. Even if this doesn't appeal to you for some crazy reason, you should really check out the giveaways at Momma Told Me- she's giving away beauty products, a GPS, foods, a robotic vacuum and lots more!

Giveaway of the Day: Win a Hoover Max Extract 77 at Mom Mart

I have a lot of pets, so my carpets need to be cleaned pretty frequently. I currently have to borrow my mom's carpet cleaner because I can't afford one, so I was happy to see that Mom Mart is giving away a nice looking Hoover floor cleaner. The Max Extract 77 can be used to clean carpets and hard floors, and it's worth nearly $300! If you want to enter this great giveaway, head on over to Mom Mart before November 25th. Good luck!

Weirder Than Marshmallows: Book Review + Special Offer

Weirder Than Marshmallows:

Essays and Observations by Dan Fogg

Compiled and Edited by Deborah Carney
Published by NightFire Publications

I like weird stuff. If something can be described as strange or bizarre, there's a good chance that I'll like it at least a little bit. So, when I read the description of Weirder Than Marshmallows- "Stories that are, like marshmallows, strange, mind boggling... hard to explain, impossible to ignore"- it appealed to me.

Weirder Than Marshmallows contains true stories and essays by the author, Dan Fogg. Most of the essays are humorous, but some are more serious and personal. Much of the humor is based on human stupidity. Fogg addresses topics such as seemingly unnecessary warning labels (i.e. "highly flammable!" on lighter fluid), technological malfunctions, and people who don't know the difference between "lose" and "loose"- that's a pet peeve of mine, so I can relate! The more serious essays deal with issues such as the aftermath of Columbine and the 2000 Presidential elections.

This book isn't perfect. For one thing, it's quite short- many of the chapters are only a page or two long. Also,the writing didn't seem very polished. I feel that the book could have benefited from some grammatical changes. Many sentences started with conjunctions (such as "and" or "but"), and while that isn't always a bad thing, I feel that it was done a bit too often and made the writing seem choppy or fragmented at times.

Fogg writes in sort of an informal, conversational style- I often felt more like I was reading a blog post or an email from a friend rather than a book. That type of style could be a good thing or not, depending on your personal preference.

As I read, I found myself becoming more interested in the story behind the book. From a few personal details in the essays and from the editors notes, I gathered that the author was a young man with a disability who felt driven to become a writer. Tragically, Dan Fogg died in his early 20's. His mother, knowing how badly Dan wanted to become a successful writer, gathered his essays, edited them, and had them published. This book serves as a tribute to an ambitious young writer who died much too soon.

Although Weirder Than Marshmallows has its flaws, it did touch me. Dan Fogg clearly loved writing, and he was striving to improve his style. He had potential, and his death was a tragedy.  After reading about Dan, I feel inspired to work on my own writing skills, maybe type up a few stories. So, I'm glad that I read this book. After all, it's easy to find a few cheap laughs, but it's not every day that I read something that actually motivates me.

If you want to know more about Weirder Than Marshmallows or its author, Dan Fogg, please visit NightFire Publications and the Weirder Than Marshmallows facebook page .

Special Offer
If you'd like to read Weirder Than Marshmallows by Dan Fogg, you can purchase the Kindle Edition for $7.99 on Amazon.com. As a special limited time offer, any of you who purchase the kindle edition can get a special Scentsy Pumpkin Marshmallow Scent Circle- all you have to do is forward your receipt to dc@nightfirepublications.com

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Congrats, Winners!

A few of my giveaways have ended over the past few days, and now I have three confirmed winners!

The winner of my leather Woofwerks dog collar giveaway is Uneatable Sorbet (comment #114), who won on a re-draw after the first winner failed to respond within 48 hours. The collar will be worn by her black lab, Mu, who wandered into her back yard one day and became her beloved pet.

The winners of my Spooktacular book giveaway were Ashlyn_Jai (comment #53), who won the Scary Stories Treasury, and sweetsue (comment #26), who won Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk.

Congratulations, everyone! I will be mailing your prizes out within the next few days. To everyone else, thanks very much for entering my giveaways, and stay tuned- I'll be having more over the next few months. And remember, if you like entering contests, try to check your spam folders often- missing out on prizes due to winning notifications ending up in there is no fun for anyone! Well, maybe it is for the person who wins on the re-draw, but you know what I mean...

Giveaway of the Day: Black Friday Frenzy Gift Card Giveaway

I've already mentioned that I'm really hoping to win some gift cards this month to buy Christmas presents with- so I was very excited to see the Black Friday Frenzy Gift Card Giveaway! For this event, 21 blogs have come together to offer 21 gift cards to 21 winners! The gift cards are to places such as Target, Walmart, Amazon.com, Kohls, and more. If you wanna win, enter at one of the 21 participating blogs (I entered at giveawaybandit.com) before November 10th. Good luck!

Giveaway of the Day: Gift Card Giveaway Gala at MamaNYC

To celebrate the relocation of MamaNYC Headquarters, MamaNYC is giving away six gift cards! Here are the prizes:

• Grand Prize: $100 American Express Gift Card and $50 PayPal Cash
• First Place: $75 Visa Gift Card
• Second Place: $50 Visa Gift Card
• Third & Fourth Place: $25 Amazon Gift Card
• Fifth & Sixth Place: $10 Amazon Gift Card

This awesome rafflecopter giveaway is open until November 25th, and there are lots of ways to enter. She's planning on having even more great giveaways later this month, too! Check out MamaNYC for your chance to win.