Digital Scrapbooking 6 Review

Okay so the new Simple Scrapbooks Digital Scrapbooking Magazine is finally out, and not only that, it's finally in my hot little hands.

Seeing as I know the Australian market is yet to get their copies, and that a lot of Australian girls will be keen to get a copy and trying to work out if it's 'worth' paying to get it shippped in from overseas ASAP. I thought I would do a little review here of what I thought about the new issue.

Firstly I want to start at the beginning - after all that is a very good place to start *hums* When you read you begin with A, B, C, when you sing you begin with Do, Re, Mi........ Excuess me I'll be back in a minute have to go turn on my i-tunes to drown out Julie Andrews singing in my head!.....

The cover. I'm afraid to say this. It just doesn't grab me. I wonder how this will look in the newsagency's when it gets here, how much it will catch your eye and really draw someone in to have a look at it - someone who possible isn't a digital scrapbooker. I don't think it would pull me in. Unlike Issue five the red background was very vibrant and caught your eye perfectly. I'm wondering from a designer point of view, if SS's choice of going with a 'set' colour scheme for their magazine will work? I don't know but, from my prospective the green/orange/red and white just didn't work with Anna Aspnes beautiful layout, it actually kind of drowns the whole thing out as the colours don't compliment the layout at all. Actually I think I'm not a fan of the 'white' background parts either I don't know why but to me it just looks to empty.

I'm going to be daring and admit to this as well- I'm so not a fan of the 'talk' boxes. But then, I've never been a fan of these in any form!

All that aside, when you actually read the blurbs on the cover they do make me want to read the issue and as I said, Anna's layout is just so beautiful - the photo is stunning the papers so pretty and you have to have a closer look and check out what she did with the photo!

The contents pages are laid out well. I love how they tucked in the details about the cover layout on page eight. The editorial is good, and so cute to see faces of the people behind the mag - although anyone else think that Molly looks very photoshoped in?? I'm also a little unsure on Renee's photo as well, but she looks more 'in' then Molly because she still has the "party" theme happening. I honestly want to grab this photo and play with it in photoshop, change Molly's colouring a little, and put a fun little hat on her!! ROFL. [I so need to get a life!]

I can't wait to see the "letters" section evolve more. The meet the team section is just STUNNING - Totally jealous of all that talent in the team!! Some very stunning layouts in here. I'm flipping through this section trying to find a favourite layout - I love Anna Aspne Anna layout, Chris Ford's Oscar the Grouch Eyebrows layout cracks me up, I adore Michelle Shefveland's the Best and most Beautiful layout that is on the cover for the section, the detail and colour in Shannon Freeman's E.Style layout makes me stare at it to drink it all in and Vidya Ganapati's Sweet Carolers layout is so cute!

Now - time for the Readers Gallery! I have a couple of 'complaints' here nothing to 'big' but 1. I'm not a fan of the reflected shadow at the bottom of some of the layouts [page 32 and 37 for those who have the mag and want to know what part I'm talking about] 2. Again, not a fan of the talk boxes, also here because I think the font is to small I had to pull the mag right up to my nose to read what was written. and lastly 3. White writing on a gray background [or any really] just doesn't work that well! It's so hard to read, even more so when the text is small and thin. I mean the black is hard enough to read thin and small as it is!

That said, this section is filled with wonderful layouts and some great tips! If you had to twist my arm and make me pick a favourite layout in this section I think I'd have to go for one right at the end, It's a Min Thing by Kelly Lautenbach

Next up is the "what" section - this is devoted to the photography/tec stuff - the book and product reviews. Honestly - this is the stuff I kind of skip over - ROFL - sorry I doin't need to worry about what laptop bag to buy - hell I don't even own a camera!! But for you dear reader I'll have a look. I would say those of you who are 'into it' will love the part about setting up a home studio. Now the gear and gadgets section... lots of things I can't afford here. If you have money to spend and need a cute new bag for your lap top.. then check this out. [I want the green one - now just to get the lap top so I can then have a reason to get the bag!] It is very cute though how they show you want you can fit into some of the bags on page 54 and 55. Hey do you think they can send me over the last tote by Tutto - of course with the Lap top, digital slr and full format printer included - they can leave out the water bottle, album and trimmer as I already have those! hehe.

Okay now MID WAY! .... Renee Pearson's "Keep Your Design in Line" - This is a challenge using four different sketches, on the following pages three different scrappers have used each template to create a layout. I'm a little bias here and have to say I totally utterly completely adore Tracy Ann Robinson's layouts of Gemma!

Next up - Numbers Album - this is fun to look at too. The layouts by Ronalyn Barut are adorable and I totally love the idea, I was reading it thinking of all the kinds of layouts I could do with this idea. I totally totally utterly love the front cover!

There is a fun little brief article on Desk top calenders I totally bypassed this as I'm lazy rofl - a calender equals organisation ... and that is something I'm so not!!! I tried it once for a little while and didn't like it.

Now this next bit had me going WOW. The Going Digital article is just sooo pretty. I love love love it!! And the layout by Robyn England is just stunning! I have to admit to a giggle here..... Lynn Greiveson is from Australia!! - I read this going "Huh I thought she was a Kiwi...hang on she is a Kiwi!" Seems New Zealand is apart of Australia now ROFL. I guess though it's only fair, us Aussies like to 'nab' any great NZ and call them Aussies - So I guess this means we can officially nab Lynn and call her ours now- while I'm doing this I think I might nab Vera and Kellie too [roflmao].

The following sections I'm going to just brush over, the how section, is interesting. learn how to feng shui your layouts with the wonderful Clara Wallace, or learn about creative journaling spaces with April Anderton... or how about to 'fuse' your paper and digital skills!

and

Lastly. The best bit. The Kick it up Gallery and no this isn't just the best bit becasue yours truly is in it but it's cool because there are some wonder tips and tricks to be had in here. I learnt some new stuff that I can't wait to try out!! The layouts for course are beautiful and creative! I love the layout Radiate by Denna Wuest that is used on the cover - very funky!

In summing up:

I think this is a well rounded issue with some great information in it and many great layouts to look at, and although there are some technical things that I don't really like and yes there are a lot of Ad's from a lot of places - but it is good to see stuff from designers and stores that I know in there and it wasn't as bad as some of the paper mags you can get out there.

I'm going to have admit that I think number five is still my favourite issue though, I don't think they topped that issue unfortunately. But still there is a lot of room for this mag to grow and I can't wait to see what the next one holds. I certainly will still be lineing up to get my hands on number seven!

This might be an interesting point, There wasn't many layouts that I had seen before, only from memory I can think of three that I had seen before. So it was great in that respect also, there is a great range and style of layouts in there.

Still though, my advice to the Aussie girls would be this, if it will cost more to order the magazine and have it shipped out here, then it will cost when it gets to the Aussie stores [going on issue five it was what $15-$17 for it?] I'd personally hold off and wait just to pick it up in the store.

Also when you think about it - if we hold off and buy it when it's in store, we will create a bigger 'demand' for the book and possible with the next issue - or the one after that the suppliers might start getting it to our shores quicker!!

and as porky pig would say - th-th-that's all folks.