Busy Parent’s Guide to Digital Scrapbooking

Today I've got a very special post to share with you about a new scrapbooking class starting soon! Melissa Marti is a mom to three and loves to scrap - I saw the title of her class and knew I needed to share it with you!

Her class will show you how to preserve your photos and memories beautifully and quickly. So  you can spend more time making memories with family and less time stressing over scrapbooking. Taught with both PSE and Storybook Creator/Artisan videos, the Busy Parent's Guide to Digital Scrapbooking will get you scrapbooking faster!

I've invited Melissa to share a little more about her class today.

Hello! My name is Melissa Marti - I am the scrapper behind To Be Remembered Designs, a facebook page where I host speed scraps, give away templates, link to freebies, post tutorials and more! It's a fun place to be - I hope you check it out.

I have been scrapping since 2001. As a math major in college, it was nice to be able to let my creative side run wild. I scrapped traditionally with paper until 2008. I was working as a high school math teacher and had just had a baby. I realized I couldn't hide out in my scrapping room anymore and it wasn't practical to spread all my supplies on the table to work for an hour and then have to clean it up before dinner. Something had to change. I discovered digital scrapbooking and never looked back!

I started out (and struggled) with Photoshop Elements (PSE) but soon found StoryBook Creator. I loved how user-friendly it was; no experience required! So I signed on as a Creative Memories consultant and, after 2 years, I had landed a spot on the CM Design Team along with a couple of my favorite designers' Creative Teams.

With the closing of CM, I decided to dive in and really learn PSE. I took classes at Scrapaneers and watched every tutorial available. I now scrap in both SBC/A and PSE depending on my mood and what I want to accomplish. I've developed my scrapping style and skills - I love artsy pages and a little grunge, but the mathematician in me also loves order and geometric patterns and I gravitate toward bright, happy colors.

My Creative Team responsibilities fill my scrapping time, but since "retiring" from teaching in 2010, I have missed the joy that comes from teaching and sharing my passion. I started creating tutorials for my FB page in 2013. I love helping others learn new tricks and I especially love inspiring them to create layouts with their own photos and memories.

Last spring, Scrapaneers was looking for new Peers to add to the Peer team. I'd have to write a blog post each month (a tutorial). In exchange, I'd get to take a couple classes for free. Since I have a ton of the classes on my wish list (and love making tutorials), it seemed like a good fit. I applied. I linked her up to my YouTube channel where I have a lot of tutorials posted. I heard back a week later: She said I could have a spot on the Peers team, but that she'd be interested in offering me a spot as an instructor if I wanted more. Ummm.... YES! I was thrilled!

I often get asked by friends and scrapping acquaintances how I have time to scrap (and stay caught up!) while raising 3 children, taking care of the household duties myself (my hubby works CrAzY hours), and helping with my husband's business. I have friends who take tons of photos of their kids but have never scrapped because they don't think they could possibly find time. I have never felt pressed for scrapping time - and it's because I KNOW how to make the most of the time I manage to set aside. I knew my first class was going to help those people - the people who think they are too busy and have fallen off the scrapping wagon or - worse - have never even started. Thus, The Busy Parent's Guide to Digital Scrapbooking was born!

The Busy Parent's Guide to Digital Scrapbooking is a 5 week course (self-paced, so you can complete it when you have time) designed to show you how to scrap QUICKLY and still make beautiful pages you'll be proud to share with your family and friends. It doesn't have to take hours (or days) to complete a scrapbook layout - I'll show you how I set up and complete pages in just a fraction of the time using helpers like templates, inspiration layouts, smart organization, and more.

This class is offered for SBC/Artisan users AND PSE users. (This is the first time Scrapaneers has offered instruction for SBC/A users!!)  It comes packed with a mega kit from Mommyish and 16 templates from Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs and To Be Remembered Designs AND two quick pages I created for you with the class kit. Follow along with the class lessons and use the class materials to complete up to 20 PAGES. Yes, that's enough for a whole book!

Check out the sneak peek video on the class registration page to see the goodies included and hear about what you'll learn about in the class.

I hope to see you there when class opens on October 6th!

Melissa