Picklemama Report
by Annette (fazzbech)

Exciting times at Pickleberrypop, as we are expanding our Creative Team!  Would you like to scrap with the products by our talented Picklehead designers?  If so, do make sure you read the details further on for how to apply, we are looking for both digital and hybrid scrappers!

Do you celebrate Easter?  If so, we hope you had a wonderful time!  We took the kids to the zoo and went on a Safari bus tour, which they loved, and we also managed to slot in, oh, maybe 3 Easter Egg hunts in there too!  No shortage of chocolate in this house, I think we will be eating it until Christmas!  Lots of potential photos to scrap now, so make sure you check out our Easter category in store for all your Easter kit needs!

April Pop Deals!
Click on the images to grab a bargain!

For two days only, as a special newsletter promotion, the following items are on sale at 25% off!

So, you Want to be a Picklehead?

Click on the image above to see it full size.

Trend Watch - April 2009
by Laura (lmccandless)

Whether you are a traditional scrapper who favours clean lines, or an edgy scrapper who is always looking for the latest style to try, we are all influenced by trends. Sometimes the trends are dictated by fresh new products, but often it is the scrapping community that elevates a certain technique to star status. Remember the bracket craze? How about the glitter glut? Those are so last year! In 2009, a whole new set of trends has come to the forefront. Read on!

After more than a year of element-laden layouts, white space layouts are making a strong showing in the galleries again. The use of this empty, negative space on layouts gives the eye a place to rest. Often, layouts in this style have a very striking appeal because of their bold use of space. For scrappers who are used to creating in a more element-driven style, white space templates or scraplifting a skilled minimalist are great ways to give this trend a try. In Amanda's (amandac) layout, "Choc-Mint Icecream Yum", the open space around her cluster makes it all the more striking!: 

** TIP #1 - Don't be afraid to mix cluster work with negative space for a dramatic effect! **

One of the hottest trends in digital scrapbooking right now is the fantasy layout. This typically involves extracting the subject from the original photo and creating a whole new make-believe scene for them. The fantasy layout can be a fun, whimsical way to express your feelings about the subject. For example, in my layout, entitled "Sunrise in Spring", I took a picture of my daughter and created a lavish garden scene around her. There was something so fresh and blooming about her in the original picture that I wanted to extend to the whole layout.

** TIP #2 - If you have a photo that you love with too much clutter in the background, the fantasy layout can be a great way to put it to use! **

Photo masks are another hugely popular technique. Photo masks give a painterly and artistic quality to photos. They can give a dreamy quality to your baby photos, particularly when combined with blending modes. Photomasks can also yield a romantic softness to wedding photos. However, don't be afraid to put them to more creative use as Kaye did in her layout, "This is your story". The whimsical, magical feeling of her page was enhanced by softening the photo.

** TIP #3 - To get the most use out of masks, remember that in addition to using them on photos, you can use them on paper for a funky, unusual mat! **

Extractions remain an important tool for scrappers. They are a fun, dynamic way to add energy and detail to a layout. The newest trend is to include multiple extractions on one page. When this is done skillfully, the extractions interact with the other layout elements to enhance the story being told. Even when the additional extractions are small, they are a clever way to pack extra photos onto your layout. In her page entitled "Toffee", Tina (nzmumof4) combines an out-of-bounds extraction technique and a full extraction into a sweet scene packed with details about her daughter's pet bunny.

** TIP #4 - Don't let extractions intimidate you! Many online tutorials are available. From beginner level to advanced extractions. **

As scrappers, we are undeniably influenced by trends, but please remember to make the techniques your own. Whether it is extractions or photo masks, you can find a way to incorporate them into your personal style. Add a few fantasy pieces to your next page or challenge yourself with a white space layout. Don't be a slave to the trends, but do let them expand your creativity! Happy scrapping!

Gallery Standouts!
Check out the gallery for more inspiration!
 
Have you seen the amazing work that is popping up all over the PBP gallery of late? Here are just a few layouts that really caught our eye over the last few weeks!

Keep on scrapping and uploading to the gallery, you never know when your layout might be featured here!

Scrapbooking Top 50 Australia - Treasure Hunt!

The hunt begins on April 27th, 2009!
* Competition open to Australian and New Zealand residents only

In This Issue :
Picklemama Report
April Pop Deals!
Creative Team Call
Trend Watch
Gallery Standouts
Top 50 Treasure Hunt
Challenges!
My Reflections Promotion
Pickle Pick of the Month
April Freebies!
Photography Corner
PBP One-liners
Quick Tip - Hard Drive Recovery Help
Great Savings & Offers in the Pop Shop!

Challenges!
Come and try our challenges! Something fun and fresh to get your creativity flowing!

Lisarose is hosting a White Space Challenge this month!
All participants who post their layout, or a link to their layout, in this challenge thread by the challenge cut-off date, will be in the running to win a $10 gift certificate to the PBP shop! The winner will be announced shortly after the challenge closes.

Mama Cass is hosting this month's Scraplift Challenge, and we are lifting carollee. You can scraplift any layout in her gallery. She has amazing layouts to choose from, that will suit any type of scrapper!
All participants who post their layout, or a link to their layout, in this challenge thread by the challenge cut-off date, will be in the running to win a $10 gift certificate to the PBP shop! The winner will be announced shortly after the challenge closes.

Get out the camera and take some photos for this month's Photography Challenge!

Amandac makes us look at things "from a child's perspective". So come and play along and let's see all your fabulous photos. . (Above photo taken by our very own Picklemama as part of the challenge).

Pat's famous Pickle Jar Challenge is sure to help you find your mojo! For the last challenge we neded to include the following on our layouts: strong, extraction, happy, flowers, and clouds! Check out the gallery to see what everyone came up with and look in the forums for the latest Challenge!

And last but not least, Kirstie's template challenges are always fun and unique, especially if you add your own spin to them!

Special Deal from My Reflections!

Create your own photobooks quickly and easily! A photobook is quite literally a book with your photos printed inside. They come in either hard cover or lay-flat, flexible cover options and delivery is right to your door.

Special discount for PBP customers!
You will receive 20% off if you use coupon code PBP20percent. Offer expires 15th May, 2009. Order soon and receive before Mother's Day, such a fabulous gift idea!
*not to be used with any other offers.

Download the software >>HERE<< to create your book, and place your order!

Pickle Pick of the Month!

The lovely page My Flower by etrala stood out amongst all the gorgeous pages in our Gallery this month because of it’s delicious freshness! The wonderful combination of orange and green almost burst off the screen, and the white background just highlights the loveliness of the word art and  water paint splats. But best of all is that adorable little face peeking from the petals, this page is pure delight!  

Using products by ET Designs.

Congratulations etrala! Please PM fazzbech via the forums to receive a special gift certificate for your next order in the pop shop!

April Freebies - Printable Reminder Lists (a great Mother's Day gift!) and Desktop Wallpaper!

This month we have two great freebies to share with you...

Our wonderful Creative Team member Cass (Mama Cass) has created these super cute and very handy printable to-do and shopping lists for you, using products from katef's Hopping Mad kit and Emphasis Doodles pack! Simply download, print on either A4 or Letter paper, cut out, and give to someone special, a great idea for Mother's Day! For best results, open the PDF file in Adobe Reader and print directly from the application.

You can download the 3-to-a-page A4 size lists >>HERE<<,

or the 3-to-a-page Letter size lists >>HERE<<.

This gorgeous desktop wallpaper was created by Sunflowers using her kit Happy Dayz.

You can grab the desktop from >> HERE<<, no coupon required.

Photography Corner
Fantastic short tips to help you take some amazing and creative photos! This month's photo was sent to me in Photojojo's newsletter, and I thought it such a creative thing to do that I just had to share!

To take this kind of photo, find a very old photo of a street or landmark near where you live. (Try your local historical society or check the public library — many of them keep collections of historic photos). Then go to the exact place where the photo was taken, hold up the picture and match the view of bygone days to the ultra-futuristic scene in front of you!

PBP One-liners
This month’s signature challenge at Pickleberrypop had us all snorting and giggling. Our fearless leader, the lovely Picklemama, challenged us to come up with a funny one-liner and we all rose enthusiastically to the challenge! These were our favourite one-liners... 

Women should not have children after 35. Really... 35 children are enough.

Hard work pays off in the future.......... Laziness pays off now.

I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Some days you are the bug, some days you are the windshield.

Always remember you are unique just like everybody else.

If you have a headache, do what it says on the aspirin bottle: Take two, and keep away from children

A clean desk is a sign of a cluttered desk drawer.

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.

I haven't lost my mind...it's backed up on disk somewhere...

Today is a gift, that why we call it present

There's lies, there's damn lies and then there's statistics!

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups

Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how popular it remains?

If the shoe fits, it isn't on sale!

I get enough exercise just pushing my luck!

Quick Tip - Hard Drive Recovery Help!
The very clever and talented digiVixen shared this great tip in the forums recently and it was so good we thought we'd share it with you all!

"Apparently if you place your drive in a zip-lock bag in the freezer for 24 hours it enables the drive to be read for a short time, possibly long enough to recover important data that hadn't been backed up.

I did a Google search to check if it was just an urban myth and apparently it is something that actually does work, one example here".

Great Sales and Special Offers in the Pop Shop Now!