mmidol

2006-11-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

Winners of the Decorate Life Books
Congratulations to the following winners of MM's Decorate Life book series.

Suzanne
Angelique
Beth

We've emailed the winners so please send your address so we can send your prize.

Thanks for all the comments that we received about the MM Idol contest. It's much appreciated!

2006-10-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

IT IS OUR SINCERE PLEASURE

TO INTRODUCE YOUR

NEW MAKING MEMORIES IDOL!!!!!

Wilna Furstenburg!!!!The voting was breathtakingly close – with more than 1,000 votes cast, it literally came down to a difference of 20 votes at best. Jennifer, we all LOVE your work and know we’ll continue to see beautiful things from you. And now – Wilna – you are going to be one very busy woman.

We called Wilna this morning to share with her the great news and her response touched all of us. She said, “I’m totally overwhelmed … [pause] … I know people usually scream and shout … [pause] … but I just cry … [sobbing with joy] …This is amazing!”

She added, “This is just wonderful. You’ve just made my day. I’ve been so overwhelmed with the amazing response from SO many people. I can’t thank you and all of the incredible people who voted for me.”

After she finished crying (well, we’ll be honest, after we ALL finished crying with her), Gail Pierce-Watne got right down to business and gave Wilna her first assignment. She’s been charged with creating a surprising, brand-new look for two of Making Memories’ latest product introductions which will appear in our next book due out in January 2006.

And to all the Making Memories Idol voters – thank you from the bottom of our hearts. This has been a thrilling, exciting, nerve-wracking experience that we’ll not soon forget. In fact – we enjoyed it so much that we know we’ll be doing this again in the not-too-distant future. Thanks to the popularity of this contest, we’ll be hosting our next Making Memories Idol which will wrap around our next book introduction. And with three new books coming out from our publishing team each year, you can expect the competition to be bigger, better, and more exciting than ever!

If you have suggestions on how our next IDOL competition can outwit, outlast, and outplay this one, please let us know in the comments below. Oh – what the heck – why not make it another contest, too!?! We’ll choose three names at random from those of you who leave a comment or suggestion, and the winners will receive all of the Decorate Life books (Scrapbooks, Home Décor and Celebrations. It’s our way of saying THANKS for making this such a successful competition.Wilna – you ROCK girl! Congratulations again!

The Making Memories Design Team

2006-10-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

And now ... a word from our IDOL!

I am overwhelmed. Moved. totally, completely, incandescently happy. A total Mrs Darcy. i am in between bouts of laughing and crying. The greatest part of this experience have been without a doubt the unprecedented support and enthusiasm that I have encountered among my friends and family and lots more people I have never even met. Through this hobby I have build friendships that I never would have had. And the kindness and BIGNESS of the love from people totally astounded me. I am so comforted, cheered and encouraged to see that the human heart's ultimate goal is still to pay it forward. Thank you to everyone who has been supporting me and loving on me and rooting for me. I thank you. Again and again. The English language does not have vocabulary enough for the gratitude I feel. Seriously.love from WILNA.
my blog: www.wilnaf.blogspot.com

2006-10-30T06:10:00.000-07:00

It's time to vote again, this time for the MM Idol winner. The challenge last week was to create a unique home decor project, something that you would put on the wall of your family room and include photos, something that is simple enough to recreate but clever and fresh enough to inspire. Take a look at Jennifer and Wilna's entries and place your vote. The winner will be announced tomorrow.
Best of luck to both contestants!

2006-10-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

YOU’VE GOT QUESTIONS … Part II
We received more than 300 questions from Wilna and Jennifer’s fans – and while they couldn’t answer every one of them, they’ve added a few more thoughts for today’s blog edition!

From Lisa/Aggie/Kendra: Where did you get that Pink Tree? Where did you get that Star? How did you make that garland? (For the Challenge #3 design):
From Jennifer: I fell in love with the Pink Feather Tree on a recent trip to a local craft store. I grabbed it and tried to barter with the manager for a special deal since it was going to be featured in this big contest, but sadly, they didn’t bite and I had to pay normal retail for it! I think it was worth it!!The star I bought at Wal-Mart in their Christmas ornament section at least 4 years ago. I didn’t plan in advance what I was going to put on top of the sign-post. I wanted a big Styrofoam snowball, but the stores were closed, so I had to search around the house for a substitution. The star won! And the garland was really simple – I picked out my 4 patterned papers and punched out the circles using a 1 ¼” circle punch (approximately 30 circles per pattern). Each circle on the garland is 2 punched circles, glued together with the twine in the middle, pattern side facing out. There are more than 60 circles on that small garland for the little tree.

From Anamarquez: How do get your ideas? Is something you see and you turn into your own by changing something or adding something?
From Wilna: This is exactly what I do. I would see something somewhere that I like, that catches my eye and I will use it on paper and make it my own. The best way I can describe it is I would see something in that inspires me or produce a certain feeling in me. I would then work a page until that feeling is recreated. I guess it is to me a very intuitive process. That is how I would know when enough is enough.

From Katie D: What is your favorite MM product and why?
From Jennifer: There are so many fabulous products to pick from!! Right now, I think my favorite product is the Cheeky Board Clips – they are so versatile!! They make it easy to quickly assemble embellishments and photos to the page in a grouping without having to go back and add adhesive in multiple steps! I like anything that makes scrapping faster.

From Jeannie: When you scrapbook how long does it usually take for you to decide how you want your layout.
From Wilna: Not very long. Why? I am not afraid to make a mistake. Rebecca Sower once said there is no scrapbook police. I would do the same page twice if I did not like the first try. But I would never throw the first one away or think bad about it. Remember it is only paper. And very importantly every single page you do, whether you like it or not, helps you grow as a scrapbooker. I have done some pages that I did not like and then my best ideas for another project will come from that “disappointment”. Nothing you do creatively wise is ever a waste. Never.

2006-10-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

YOU'VE GOT THE QUESTIONS ...
Wilna and Jennifer have the answers! Last week, we asked you to send us your questions for the MMIdol contestants. This week, they’ve taken a break from their heavy duty design schedule to answer some of them.

From Dana: What is one tool you cannot live without?
From Jennifer: Well, it’s hard to pick just one tool! Aside from the basics, like my paper trimmer, computer, etc., I really, really love the Making Memories Silent Setter. I love that thing!! Especially because I make a lot of cards, it’s nice to have a dependable hole punch and eyelet tool.

From Mary Ann: Do you start out with your photos first, and then decide on your papers and embellishments, or do you find all the fun things you want to use on a page, then search for photos that would go with them?
From Wilna: What inspire me the most ALL the time are the pictures. I just love fetching my pictures from Shoppers Drug Mart (where Shannon always helps me), coming home, looking at them and every time the urge to scrapbook overtakes me. My starting point is ALWAYS the pictures. I will select paper to go with that and then work the page adding elements until I am done

From Helen: How often do you change your mind when working on pages/projects?
From Jennifer: This is my downfall! Sometimes I have lots of different ideas which makes it hard for me to make a final decisionsm and then usually as I am working on it, I change it as I go … so I may start with a general idea, but don’t get attached to anything, I let all my pages work themselves out.

From Anonymous: Where do you get your source of inspiration when using Making Memories products?
From Wilna: I love, love, love MM product. I always have. I can prove this statement in a court of law. The judge will convict me on 2 accounts: one is witnesses (My best friend Maryna will testify) and two, on my MM stash. Back to the question: why do I love MM product? Because you don’t need any external inspiration. The product itself shouts and screams to me to just CREATE!!

From Veronica: Have you felt creatively blocked? What do you do to get out of it?
From Jennifer: Absolutely! In fact, there was a period of time this year where I didn’t do anything creative for a few months. Sometimes a creative block is small, in those cases, I spend time “researching” ideas from non-scrapbooking magazines, design websites, etc. Sometimes I pick up a good scrapbooking magazine or idea book (especially when working on something specific in scrapbooking). In times where I get in a big funk, I usually find it’s because I am trying to juggle too many things at once – so I “clean house” and try to eliminate some obligations to find more breathing room.

From Fran: Where does your inspiration come from? How long does it take you to complete a layout when you’re not under such pressure?
From Wilna: Hands down I would say that music is my biggest inspiration. I got a new CD from Third day earlier this year and did a whole mini album inspired by the lyrics. I listen to Tree63, Leeland, Third day and Michael W Smith blasting away when I scrap. My biggest dream is excellent quality crystal clear surround sound in my scraproom. I take about an hour to an hour and a half on a page. Pressured or not.

From Misty: Have you been published?
From Jennifer: No, I haven’t been published in a traditional paper publication – yet – but I am keeping my fingers crossed on this MM gig!!

From Kristy Z: How do you keep true to your own style and keep coming up with new ideas? With all the ideas out there in magazines and on websites how do you keep those influences from taking over your style? Finally, how did you find your style?
From Wilna: Seriously I don’t know what style I am. Probably leaning more to the ART side than the DESIGN side. I think more importantly that because you are you, you like certain avenues more than other. That will cause your work to have that flavor that says: YOU. I subscribe to only one scrapbook magazine and I have 2 IDOLS in the scrapbooking world (Rebecca Sower and Maria Grace Abuzman), so yes, I look at what is happening out there. I am cautious however to stay true to what I like, what I find beautiful, what I am comfortable with. And with what makes me happy. That is how I found and will keep “my style.”

2006-10-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

BEHIND EVERY TALENTED DESIGNER
… is a supportive (and apparently adorable, sweet, funny, and understanding) husband! Wilna and Jennifer seem to be pretty lucky women, based on our interview with their significant others. Following are some excerpts from our conversations with Jaco Furstenberg and John Pebbles.

MMIdol: How has it been living with an Idol contestant these past few weeks?
Jaco: Intense fun!! Missed a few meals. Loved every bit to pieces. Proudly the husband of my idol!!
John:A lot of late nights and counting down the minutes waiting to hear who will advance. And driving around town to find someone who sells Hostess Snowballs.
MMIdol: Have you been following the contest online, or are you aware only through your spouse’s reactions?
Jaco: Didn’t miss a e-mail, blog-post or comment/ thread on many a message board. Stayed up later even though I ought to have been studying for my upcoming exam in two WEEKS!!.
John: Yes, I have been following the contest, I have been emailing friends to help get people voting, and sometimes I have to be the one to tell Jen whether or not she made the cut, ‘cause she’s a big chicken!
MMIdol: What do you think of her hobby?
Jaco: The best thing since Sliced bread. My wife is fulfilling her passion and I’m reaping the rewards: No limit on the budget: If she needs it…: GO and get it babe!!
John: You mean addiction? I really like that scrapbooking archives the memory of the photograph rather than just leaving all of our pictures on the computer. It makes my wife happy, it’s an outlet for her creativity, and because her stuff is very pretty. And heck, I even went to CHA with her last winter.
MMIdol: Have you tried scrapbooking?
Jaco: I’m her biggest fan, supporter, sponsor and critic, but I do know my limits or when I’m treading where angels fear to thread: Leave the best with her he(ART). I do have my bicycle!
John: No, but I have made a few Rubber Stamped cards. My creations are typical guy stuff – totally inappropriate to be seen in public. I do help her sometimes by giving her ideas when she is stuck, so really I should take credit for at least 2.98% of her success.
MMIdol: Is there anything we should know about your wife?
Jaco: She’s fast and she’s good. She is passionate, devoted, she is a driver, a hard worker. Loves what she does and does it with total commitment. She brings sunlight into every life she touches. She is not a domestic goddess, but she is an excellent homemaker. She is our children and my personal cheerleader and promoter. She will and does move mountains for her family and friends. She is irreplaceable and irresistible and therefore, so easy to love upon!!
John: If there was a contest for which contestant was loved the most by their husband, I think Jen would win. I am really proud of her.

2006-10-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

ALL ABOUT … JENNIFER & WILNA

MMIdol: How are you holding up?
Jennifer:Well, I think I am holding up okay! The big pressure was last week with the Party Project, now I feel a little bit more relaxed going into the final round. It’s been so crazy, I think the most exciting thing is just that I keep advancing, I am starting to really feel like Kelly Clarkson!!
Wilna: I am telling you this past week has been hectic in a good way. We have 3 girls with school and ballet 5 times a week. On top of that my parents, which I have not seen for 18 months, arrived from South Africa. That is actually a blessing. My mom is here to cook and help out in the house and that freed me up to create and spend time on the project. In fact as I am typing the delicious aroma of my mom’s soup is floating around. My whole family are so supportive and amazing.

MMIdol: Tell us something about you that might surprise us.
Jennifer: I think most people would be surprised to know that I am fairly new to scrapbooking, and I don’t fit into the “traditional scrapbooker” role... I don’t have kids, I don’t own a super-fancy camera. I came to paper scrapbooking after spending a lot of time with Digital Scrapbooking and Rubber Stamping – both of which I do quite actively. I love mixing all different mediums and products and computer graphics – it’s a blast! While it may have taken me a long time to start scrapbooking, I have been following along, buying idea books and papers, saving and waiting for the day when I would finally be ready to take the plunge!!
Wilna: That I can eat cornflakes anytime of the day. (LOL!) That I am a terrible tease and love to laugh out loud. I love my husband of 15 years more than the day we got married. That I can laugh at myself. I am a fierce friend. And a strict mother (really). I love scrapbooking passionately.

MMIdol: What will you do when this contest is over?
Jennifer: What I will do when the contest is over is pretty dependent on the outcome – win or lose, this has been an amazing opportunity!! I do have a few other deadlines and projects going on this week as well, so I will try to stay on schedule as much as possible. Thankfully, I have work to keep me busy and distracted while waiting for the outcome, because I do get very nervous and anxious waiting for the results.
Wilna: I am going for a massage (wink-wink). Monday is my mom’s birthday so we will be celebrating that by going out to dinner. Then I am going to be spending some quality time with my family. When I send in the final design the contest will be out of my hands and in the people’s hands. And when the voting closes I will go to bed and have a good night sleep knowing that I have done all I can do.

Check back tomorrow to learn what our contestant’s HUSBANDS think about their wives in this competition!

2006-10-23T23:40:00.000-07:00

THE LAST TWO STANDING ...

What an amazing event – and what incredible turnout! Thousands of you have weighed in on your favorite designs, and while the results were sooo close throughout the day, two challengers have emerged victorious.

Congratulations … WILNA and JENNIFER!

Each of the party designs were spectacular – we loved everyone’s beautiful looks and wild creativity. We’re going to so miss Robyn; her designs were glorious and innovative. And Robyn, we’re all going to miss your uplifting letters that accompanied your submissions – you sure know how to make us smile!
We’re just a week away from knowing who will be the first MAKING MEMORIES IDOL (or “Midol” as so many of you have come to call this! Yes, we missed that when we named the contest!)

So to our contestants … may I have the drumroll please … here is your final challenge:

Our homes are an extension of our family’s personalities. Fortunately, Making Memories makes it easy to personalize our environments with an enormous array of products. Let's put your creative skills to the test and see what unique home décor project you can come up with! So here is your assignment... to create something that you would put on the wall of your family room and include photos. Let your creativity run wild and create something that is simple enough to recreate but clever and fresh enough to inspire!

I think it goes without saying – this is THE challenge. So the fresher the idea, the better!

You’re in the home stretch … Good luck!
gail

2006-10-22T23:01:00.000-07:00

Voting for Challenge #3

It’s time to vote again. Check out the latest entries from our 3 remaining contestants. If you remember from last week, the challenge was to create the décor for a party. Take a look at these fantastic projects and place your vote. Voting ends on October 23rd and midnight so don’t delay!

2006-10-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

10/20
Creative Injuries

Who knew that scrapbooking could be such a dangerous pursuit? In talking with our current design team, we discovered a list of damages inflicted in the process of creating gorgeous designs for our books, packaging, and magazine projects.

Lynne Montgomery has to win for most ironic injury, since hers was sustained while teaching others how to PROPERLY handle a razor blade. “When I was teaching a beginning scrapbooking class, I demonstrated how to safely change a razor blade in a paper trimmer,” she says. “After the demonstration, I picked up the project and noticed red spots all over the place. I had totally cut myself with the razor blade. Ouch. Clearly, this was an example of what NOT to do.

Erin Terrell, Keisha Campbell, and Joanna Bolick are among the designers who have suffered from needles (piercing the skin), hammers (hitting fingers while trying to set eyelets), and scissors (you’re supposed to cut PRODUCTS ladies, not BODY PARTS!). It seems, though, that clothing and skin frequently are the real victims of scrapbooking. Christy Tomlinson and Wendy Anderson have ruined more than one outfit with paint, ink, and glue. And Julie Turner grabbed more than her share of attention when she would venture out into public with hands dyed a rainbow of colors. “When I first started experimenting with Making Memories’ new dyes, I wore gloves and dipped things into the dye using tweezers,” she notes. “Before long, I was so into it that the gloves came off and I was getting it all over my hands. I would bleach the color off before running errands, but ultimately I even gave that up. So for several weeks, I had a lot of explaining to do when I was out in public.”

Here’s the thing: we do not carry insurance on body or property damage! So to our Idol contestants – be careful out there. As they say, it’s all fun or games until someone loses an eye(let)!

2006-10-19T13:05:00.000-07:00

10/19

What MM Product is Most Like You?
Have you ever played getting-to-know you games with other people and the question comes up "what kind of fruit are you most like?" Well have you ever considered the question "what kind of MM product are you most like?" Give it some thought. Our designers did and this is what they said.

If you ask Maggie, she'd say she that petals with rhinestone brads fit her the most because she is a girlie-girl. That makes perfect sense for her also because she is a fashion guru who loves texture and color, just like the petals. Christy thinks of herself like the petals also, but for a different reason. She thinks they are most like her becuase they are fun, funky, and are made up of lots of things (differnt mediums) and that fits her perfectly.

Wendy thinks the Cheeky line fits her personality best - fun, bright, and playful. The brown color in this line reminds her of her down-to-earth disposition. These are great qualities for a mother of four young children to have.
On the other hand, Lynne feels like she fits best with the Vintage Hip collection. As a child her mother made her tag along (not to Lynne's excitement of course) to all sorts of old vintage shops. Somewhere along the way, she has grown to love and appreciate old, untique items.

Joanna on the otherhand thinks she is most like cardstock. It's colorful, comfortable, reliable, and textured, just like her.

2006-10-16T23:03:00.000-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS to Robyn, Jennifer and Wilna!

They will move on to Round Three and the Designer Challenge Three. The layouts from all four contestants were incredible once again the voting was tight from start to finish…thanks to all of you for showing your support for our talented artists by casting your votes!!! We’re all going to miss Scott’s fabulous designs; we know he’s built a big fan base and it’s hard to say goodbye. Though we’re sure we’ll be seeing more of Scott’s work in the future!

Now, on to the Third Designer Challenge!

Challenge #3For this week’s challenge, we are moving more towards a project and further away from a scrapbook page. Throughout the year, we all have many reasons to celebrate. For this Challenge, assume you have a party coming up. I want you to create the décor for it -- it’s up to you to choose the specific occasion or theme. The party that you will be throwing is for adults 18 years or older. You will be inviting ten guests. For this challenge you will only need to create one set, but for the “real” party you would need to duplicate these items, so keep that in mind.Please create the following for your party:

- Invitation
- Centerpiece
- Party Favors
- And one project of your choosing that fits your theme.
-
We are looking for fresh ideas that use products in an unusual way. You can use any products, and this time incorporate as many Making Memories products that you wish.

Time to be inspired! We can’t wait to see what magic you stir up this time.
Good Luck!
Gail

2006-10-15T23:43:00.000-07:00

ELECTIONS IN OCTOBER

We're just a few weeks away from our national elections ... so let's warm up those voting muscles by casting your vote now for your favorite design from Making Memories Idol Challenge #2. Our four contestants' beautiful designs are live and can be seen by clicking on the "View and Vote Now" link to the right. Look carefully - your vote helps determine which of our three contestants will move on to the next challenge!

One other thing - let's get out the vote! Make sure to tell your friends and family to visit our voting page and make their choice as well.

Check back tomorrow when we reveal the three finalists!

2006-10-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

Winners of the lavender roller

So are you dying to find out the answers for the scrap room contest? Well, here you go.
1. Wilna Furstenberg – C
2. Scott Cotner-Young – A
3. Jennifer Pebbles – B
4. Robyn Weatherspoon – Missing

With that being said, here are the 5 winners of the lavender roller.
Elaine
JudgeLisa
Brandy Baucom
Julia
Kimberly

I’ve emailed the winners so let me know your address so I can send your prize.

Congratulations to the winners and thank you everyone who participated. Look for more contests to pop up.
Have a great Friday.

2006-10-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

Creative Timeline
As you get to know our designers, you know each of them is so incredibly busy (aren’t we all?) and it gets many wondering: how long does it take them to create a layout? We asked some of our designers about their creative process, and if we learned anything, we learned that there is no set timeline for brilliance.

Keisha: I am so, so slow with most of the projects I do. I often have to walk away for a while (it could be for a few hours, or a few days). I often start with something I really love – like a new photo – then grab the newest supplies I have. There’s no plan. Usually a lot of wishing. Generally it takes me at least a day to finish one layout!

Maggie: I usually take about an hour to create a scrapbook layout [Ed note: An hour! Maggie, you’re killing me!] I mentally have all this inspiration and different ideas fllowing around in my head and I like to just go for it and see what comes out!

Julie: I’m sure I’m the slowest scrapbooker in the world. When I’m given an assignment I spend quite a bit of time mulling over the possibilities. I don’t think I’ve ever finished a layout or project in a day. I admire artists so filled with creativity that they can complete a layout in a few hours!

Christy: Layouts usually take me about three to four hours. I enjoy digital scrapbooking, so sometimes I’ll create my layout in Photoshop and then recreate it in paper form … this actually saves me time because I know what size to cut my papers, pictures, and other embellishments. Putting it all together, at that point, is a breeze.

Wendy: Ugh. I am a slow designer, for the most part. I lose a lot of sleep (like complete nights of it) because I’m working on a project. Sometimes the lack of sleep is because I just can’t get it right and nothing is flowing. But more often it’s because once things start flowing, and I get in a groove, I don’t want to stop.

2006-10-11T12:24:00.000-07:00

YOUR TURN TO WIN!

With our four contestants offering us such meaningful insights into their personalities and lives, we thought we’d give you a little insight about where they make all this beauty happen. While they are toiling away at home, pouring all their energy into this week’s challenge, we figured we’d give our loyal Making Memories Idol fans a chance to win a few prizes themselves.

We’re not going to make this easy on you, either! Rather than give you all four designers’ rooms, we’re only letting you see three of them. Below are three pictures – one each from three of the contestants. Now it’s your turn to match the space to the designer. And you have to try to figure out whose scrap space is NOT pictured here! Post your guest to the blog and we’ll randomly select five people from the contest to win one of our brand-new LAVENDER RUNWAY ROLLERS!

You have until tomorrow night (Thursday) at midnight (EST)/ 9:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) to post your answers. We’ll announce the five winners Friday morning!

Format your answers like this*:
1 – a
2 – b
3 – MISSING
4 – c

*These are not the correct answers, though one or two may (or may not) be correct.

And in the meantime, make sure to let us know if you have any special questions you’d like us to ask of the contestants. We’ll share their answers later this week!

Good luck!

1. Wilna Furstenberg
2. Scott Cotner-Young
3. Jennifer Pebbles
4. Robyn Weatherspoon

(a)

(b)

(c)

2006-10-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

And then there were FOUR!

CONGRATULATIONS to Wilna, Robyn, Jennifer and Scott. Your votes are sending them on to Round Two – and one step closer to becoming the Making Memories Idol! This was an incredibly tight race with just a few votes separating the contestants at times!!! All five contestants did an outstanding job and showed incredible grace under pressure. Since that is how the Book Design Team always works, we have another challenge and deadline ready for this fab four.

The Making Memories Design Team

Challenge #2
For quite a few years now, my motto has been to take time for the little things. I know that for me it is easy to get so wrapped up in the day to day schedule of life that I forget to take time to notice the details, the small things, the things that really matter -- the things that I really want to remember 20 years from now.

My challenge for you has two parts:

1. Create a layout with the theme "the little things." That doesn't have to be the title; in fact, try to come up with something different and unique but I want to see what some of your "little things" are.

2. Use at least nine photos. You can use more than nine, but no less. You choose the size and the layout - one can be large with eight small photos or they can all be the same size, etc. It is up to you.

Have fun, be creative and make it meaningful!!

I can't wait to see what you come up with! Good luck!!

Maggie

2006-10-09T06:27:00.000-07:00

Meet Your Contestants
Now that the voting has begun, we thought you’d like to know a bit more about the contestants behind these beautiful designs. We asked each of our five finalists to tell us just a little about themselves and their families and we’ve posted excerpts from their interviews below. Make sure to check back with us each day this week as we reveal more about the contestants, and about the current Making Memories Design Team. As a special bonus, we’ll start a new contest for “Making Memories Idol” fans later this week – you could win some fantastic prizes while we search for our own Idol! Stay tuned!

From Mindy Bush
Well...My husband and I have been married for almost 10 years now and we have 6 kiddos with the oldest being 8 on down to our youngest at 4 months. They are all close in age, so about every other year I've been pregnant (ugh) but it's been worth it. They are wonderful and worth every minute of those nine months of agony! My family is so important to me and we do a lot together. We set aside one night a week just to do family stuff and have fun. I'm also close with all my extended family as well and we get together often.

From Jennifer Pebbles
I am married to the world’s most awesome dude ever!!! My husband John always supports and encourages my creative pursuits and I love him to bits and pieces!! Although John and I are only a year apart in “school age” from the same small high school in the same small town- with many similar friends and acquaintances- it wasn’t until after we both graduated from college that we met/found each other on Match.com!! We have been married for a blissfully happy 2 ½ years. John and I have a little furbaby Chihuahua/Fox Terrier named Honey, who has been the subject of many scrap pages lately since she was diagnosed with a terminal heart condition. We love her a lot, and are trying to make the very best out the days we have left with her.

From Wilna Furstenberg
[My husband] Jaco and I have been married for 15 years this year (we are both 35, in fact his birthday is June 18, 1971 and mine is June 19, 1971!!) and we have three girls: Tia, Kirstin and Jana ages 5,7 and 9. We are from South Africa but have been living in Canada for almost two years. My husband is a medical doctor.

From Robyn Weatherspoon
Well, my family consists of myself, Gregory, Erica-20, Brittany-17, and Michael-4. We are a mixed family which means both Gregory and I brought a child to our union. He brought Erica, I brought Brittany, and together we had Michael. We are a very funny family where everyone is completely different from one another. It’s amazing we get along as well as we do! My daughter Erica is in her second year in college, Brittany is graduating from high school this year, and Michael attends pre-school.

From Scott Cotner-Young
I have a wonderful Partner of 11 years, Mark and we have a beautiful son, Ethan (you will see him a LOT). We adopted Ethan 4 years ago. We were there for the birth and that was also the birth of my Scrapbooking obsession! I usually do not enter contests, but this one intrigued me. After I received the news, I ran and told Mark. Although I don’t think he really “gets” the industry as a whole, he is VERY supportive and appreciates my work. His comment….”You have to go all the way!!” I haven’t really had time to tell my friends about it, except my on-line friends, and they “get” it!

2006-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Challenge #1
Congratulations to Jennifer Pebbles, ScottCotner-Young, Robyn Weatherspoon, Wilna Furstenberg, and Mindy Bush! These talented artists are the top five contestants for this competition and are steps away to becoming the first MM Idol. We are so excited for all of them. Each week the contestants will be challenged from a current MM Design Team member. They have until this Saturday at MIDNIGHT (MST) to create the challenge and submit it back to Making Memories. All of the submissions will be posted on Monday. You will then vote again and one person will be eliminated. The first challenge comes from Erin Terrell.

- - - - - - -
Since this is the first MM Idol Challenge, we want to make it as painless as possible for you. :o) We simply want to get to know you better! We consider ourselves part of a team here at Making Memories, so we’d like to know a little bit more about the designer who will be working with us in the future.
The challenge is this: create a page about YOU. It can be about your average day, your quirky habits, your favorite clothes…it doesn’t matter as long as it gives us a peek into your personality. Use whatever products you like—but even better if the products represent you in some way (such as your favorite color, etc).
Good luck! erin t.

2006-10-02T23:34:00.000-07:00

AND THEN THERE WERE FIVE!!!!

These past 24 hours have been spectacular, especially as we've had the privilege of watching thousands of people register their votes and select their favorite designers! We hope you are as excited as we are to see what these talented designers create in this next step, the Designer Challenge!

In the next couple of days, we will be giving information about the first major challenge. Each challenge will be posted directly to our blog at www.makingmemories.com/mmidol. Each challenge was created by our design team in an effort to learn about the finalists, see different views of their style, and of course, get an idea of how they work under pressure!

Congratulations to these five very talented artists……all of the finalists were AMAZING and we know that we are going see much more of their work in the future!

This is going to be an exciting week…stay tuned!!!!

The finalists are ...

Mindy Bush
Wilna Furstenberg
Jennifer Pebbles
Robyn Weatherspoon
Scott Cotner-Young

2006-10-02T16:00:00.000-07:00

The Final 20 ...

Someone kindly asked if we would add the names of the 20 Making Memories Idol finalists to our blog ... Thanks for asking - we didn't think about that before we closed the voting (and thus lost access to all the images ...) We hope to post everyone's submissions to our web site in the very near future. But in the meantime, following is a list of the finalists, in random order:

Scott Cotner-Young
Staci Compher
Joy Jaeger
Kim Franz
Wilna Furstenberg
Sonja McLean
Mindy Bush
Jennifer Pebbles
Kori Babb
Jacqueline Yeo
Celeste Smith
Becky Heisler
Angelina Bustamante
Sarah van Wijck
Robin Weatherspoon
Rachel Carlson
Myrthe Bertens
Denise Levy
Rita Peterson
Bernadette Henderson

Thanks for asking!!!!!!!!

2006-10-02T00:29:00.000-07:00

CAST YOUR VOTE!

HUGE Congratulations to our 20 Finalists! It has been incredibly difficult to select just 20 contestants from so many wonderful submissions. But at last, we did narrow down the choices and their designs are just a click away. Now their fate is in YOUR hands. Please click on the "VIEW & VOTE NOW" link to the right, review all designs from the 20 finalists, and finally ... VOTE for your favorite one. We're keeping a close watch on the tallies today, and on Wednesday we'll let you know which of these five designers will go on to compete for the title of MAKING MEMORIES IDOL. (Remember, voting closes at MIDNIGHT tonight ... so cast your vote right away!)

Thank you again to all of you who entered the competition. We wish we could send you all personal notes - but please know our gratitude is heartfelt!

On with the fun!

- The Making Memories Design Team

2006-10-01T21:35:00.000-07:00

Anyone else getting just a little anxious out there? Because our pulses are racing in here. We’ve worked through the weekend in an effort to narrow the field, but we’re still having a challenging time cutting the list down to 20. It’s been an honor and a real treat to spend time with all of your designs. They demonstrate so much creativity, so much innovation, and such devotion not only to your craft but also to your family – because nearly every page that has come our way has captured a memory, an emotion, a moment that means something to you. It’s been a little sneak peek into a “day in your life.”

We know every one of you – nearly 1,000 of you, in fact – are waiting to hear if you made it to the final 20. We're going to post the winners to the site at midnight tonight (Sunday). * Then, sometime early Monday morning, we’ll post the 20 finalists and let the voting begin.

So let’s talk about the voting process. We’ve tried to make this simple – but that’s not as easy as you might think! So – after you log in to vote, you’ll see multiple boxes each featuring three or more separate designs. (Some people did submit more than one view of a design, so there may be more than three pictures in a submission). You can click on the picture to see a larger view – but clicking on the picture will NOT register a vote. So go ahead and check out everything in great detail and look as long as you want. Just know that once you vote, that’s it. We cannot cancel out votes, and to keep everything fair, you may only vote for one designer each competition.

The steps for voting are:

Register to view the entries; this helps us ensure that people are only voting once per competition
Carefully review all entries (they may be spread among multiple pages, so click “Next” at the bottom of the page to see EVERY entry
Decide on which ONE entry / designer you want to vote for
CLICK VOTE
That's it! Make sure to check back each day for new news and information about the contestants. And visit again next Monday to cast your vote from the new challenge which will be introduced to the five finalists this week

Okay, only a few hours left until things go live here. Thanks for checking back with us … This is going to be a wild ride!

*If you read our earlier post, we said we were going to send emails to the 20 finalists. However, due to a technical glitch this evening, we will have to send out letters to the finalists tomorrow. So ... it looks like everyone will find out the results at the same time by vistiting the contest and entering to vote! We sure appreciate everyone's understanding on this!

2006-09-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

How do we pick just 20?
Send food. And pillows. We can’t leave the office. You should see us here – we’re all sitting on the floors, surrounded by printouts of page after page after page of beautiful projects and designs. We’re a fire hazard. We’ll be lucky to narrow the field in time for Monday’s unveiling …

Anyone know the number for Pizza Hut?

2006-09-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

Our minds are spinning here. We’ve received literally thousands of beautiful, elaborate designs from all over the world. Submissions have come in to us from the UK, Germany, Australia, Japan, and all over the world. You’re all making it very hard on our Design Team. Where is Simon when we need him? Truly – there’s nothing here to criticize … it’s up to our crew to select the best from the best. Hmm … I think there might be another book in the works – we’re going to have to find some way to show off all of these designs. (Okay, I don’t actually make those decisions for the company, but I’m hoping the idea gets to the top!)

Monday is going to be SO exciting – we can’t wait to unveil the 20 finalists …

If we can only decide who they will be …

2006-09-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

Submission Deadline – Noon MST
This is it. The final day. You have noon (MST) to submit your designs. Don’t wait until the last second to send them in! These are NOT your taxes … this is potentially something GREAT! So stop reading this blog and start pouring through your albums – your talent is too good to hide!

2006-09-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered…….

What it’s like to be a member of the MM design team?
We asked Julie Turner who has been on the MM design team for about 4 years now. This is what she had to say.

What's your favorite thing about being an MM designer?
There are the obvious benefits like getting a paycheck and finding boxes of new product on my doorstep, but those aren't the best things about being a designer. And after so many years in the industry it's no longer the thrill of being published, even though Gail and her team make our books and artwork look incredible. What I find really satisfying these days is how each new set of book assignments gives me a creative push. Working gives me the impetus to stretch and grow my style. There is something very satisfying about that process. I don't think I would find the time to make that happen if I wasn't on a design team.

Another favorite thing about working on the team is that several good friendships have developed that I hope will continue long past our years of working together on the design team.

What do you do to keep fresh and current as a designer?
As a designer, I always have to keep my eyes open for new ideas and inspirations. Fresh ideas can be found anywhere. Whenever I have a few minutes between running the kids here and there, I often pop into a store like Pottery Barn or Target to see what new trends are out there. I love browsing through bookstores too. When I can't make the time to get out, I spend time on the internet browsing through my favorite links such as Pottery Barn, Paper Source, and Martha Stewart. I keep an idea file so I will have plenty to inspire me when I sit down to scrapbook.

What's your all time favorite MM product?
This is such a hard question! On the practical side, I would probably say the Tool Kit. On the creative side, I love the Vintage Hip buttons, especially the glass ones and the red and white ones.

What do you like the most about the books you contribute to?
I love to see how a group of designers, all using the exact same line of product, can come up with such a variety of ideas and styles. It's a testimony to the creativity of the artists and the versatility of Making Memories product.

2006-09-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

How do you get inspired?
There’s still time to submit your designs for Making Memories Idol – the deadline is still two days away! If you need a little spark to get your creative juices flowing, perhaps you can find some inspiration from our current design team. They recently shared with us some of the tricks they use to start the ideas rolling …
1) Look Around: “I’m always taking note of things that inspire me in my scrapbooking,” says Maggie Holmes. “I look at signs, ads, fashion, you name it. I have a folder where I keep different ideas and pieces of inspiration. Then I just start to play.”

2) Let Your Mood Decide: Lynne Montgomery doesn’t limit herself to starting at any one place. Depending on her mood, she’ll start with a photo she loves; a message she wants to share; a new product she wants to try; or a sketch she’s been dabbling with for some time. Once she knows the focus of her project, the rest of the ideas fall into place.

3) Start with the Photo: Erin Terrell is a systematic designer whose projects begin with the photo. “I find photos that inspire me, edit them, and print them,” she explains. From there, she selects a background cardstock which guides her color choices for the rest of the project, arranges photos, prints journaling, adheres embellishments, and finally, adds a title.Whatever fires you up, let it work for you now! The countdown is on, and we want you to be a part of this exciting challenge!

2006-09-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

Then & Now
We all grow and learn to do thing better with practice. It’s just the way it works. If you look at the projects that you do now compared to the projects you did when you first started you’ll see a big difference. Our designers would admit the same thing. We thought we would stroll back to memory lane to see the “then & now” of their scrapbook albums.

This is the first layout I ever had published - it was in CK in 2001 or 2002...remember when quilling was new to the scrapbook world?!?
Wendy

One of the first pages I did was for our honeymoon album, and I remember being really, really proud of the road that carries across the 2 pages.
Joanna

Wow—here’s a blast from the past. This layout is 7 ½ years old!! I still love it, though. I’ve always made the focus on my photos, but I used to use a lot more ‘cutesy’ decorations. Also, there weren’t as many choices in scrapbooking all those years ago, so I tended to use chalks, pens, etc. to customize my layouts.
Erin

I started scrapbooking ten years ago. All my early pages were made to document my kids’ homeschooling activities. The rest of my photos were kept in traditional photo albums with the little black photo corners (sadly, with no journaling). In this layout, we had taken the day off from learning about ships and the science of floating to have some pirate fun. I used many of the hot trends of the time: silhouetted photos, double matted photos mounted at an angle, and hand-printed titles with the little dots.
Julie

2006-09-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

More Questions and Answers
We saw a few more questions so here are some answers.

Q: Can digital layouts be submitted?
A: Yes

Q: If I add more than three layouts/projects will I be disqualified?
A: No you won't. If you need to add Multiple views to a projects that's fine.

Q: Can I delete or change layouts once they have been uploaded?
A: No, once you upload your projects you can't change them.

If anyone is having trouble uploading or if you have more questions, please feel free to email directly at contests@makingmemories.com. We'll answer your questions quickly.

THANKS for all the interest. We are so excited. We are seeing so many beautiful submissions!

2006-09-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

Why Books?
It’s one thing to strike gold with a wonderfully original idea. And it’s quite another, to wait and wait and wait until inspiration arrives. Enter, the reliable reference book. We put these volumes together for several reasons, but the most important? To inspire. It’s amazing what varying results can be achieved when simple paper and embellishments fall into the hands of various designers. And that’s the beauty of the books. We can see what others have done and use that as a proverbial launching pad for our own creations. As long as there are new ideas out there, we’ll be producing books about them.

Gail Pierce-Watne
Creative Director of Publications

2006-09-19T09:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of frequently asked questions. I think we have covered them all so far. If you have more questions feel free to email me at: contests@makingmemories.com

Q: How do I post?
A: Follow these instructions:
Click on www.makingmemories.com/mmidol
Click on “enter the contest” which is a link located on the top-right hand side of the page.
You will need to create an account with a user name and password and your contact information (name, email, phone).
Click “Submit”
Click “Add New Portfolio”
Enter a name for your portfolio (we recommend using your first and last name)
Click on “Click to Upload.” Make sure it’s the correct image because you cannot delete it once it is uploaded.
A separate window will pop up which allows you to browse for your image. When you find it click “Upload Image.”
Add a caption to your image (it doesn’t matter what you put as the caption).
Click “Submit” – This will add your first image to your portfolio. You will then see a thumbnail of your project in your portfolio.
Click “Add Another Image” and repeat these steps to add your other two images into your portfolio.

Q: What do I need to submit?
A: All contestants are invited to submit three designs to our web site at www.makingmemories.com/mmidol consisting of two existing scrapbook layouts and one project. With the layouts, you are welcome to create original art, or are invited to select from your existing album collection the pages that best represents you, and fits with the Making Memories brand. Any page size is acceptable. You can upload double page spreads or single pages. The third submission should be a photograph of a project you have created using scrapbooking or any other materials – we’re looking for examples of household décor, gifts, or any other creative material you have crafted over the years.

Q: Is this contest limited to U.S. residents only?
A: No. Anyone can enter, not matter where you live.

Q: How do I enter my phone number, it’s formatted to the U.S. format?
A: This is currently being fixed.

Q: Can I delete, change, or rename my projects once they have been uploaded?
A: No. The uploading system does not allow you to change a layout, rename it, or delete it. You can upload up to 5 images per portfolio. We would recommend adding another image since you cannot delete them.

Q: Can you offer some tips on saving files before they are uploaded?
A: Save your image as a 72 dpi jpeg. Once you upload your image we will be able to click on it to enlarge it. It will automatically resize it on our end.

Q: Will the public be able to view all the layouts that are uploaded?
A: No, only Making Memories will be able to see your submissions at first. On October 2nd we will be narrowing the list of entries to 20. We will then post the 20 entries and open it up for everyone to vote. Over the course of a few weeks, the votes will narrow the field to five, four, three, two and finally, one MAKING MEMORIES IDOL."

Q: When uploading my photos into a portfolio, what do I need to name the portfolio?
A: We suggest that you put your name as the portfolio name. However, we will be able to view your contact information so if you name your portfolio something else, that’s okay, you don’t need to change it.

Q: Will the winner be a permanent member of Making Memories design team?
A: The contestant selected as the Making Memories Idol is not guaranteed a permanent position, unless otherwise determined after and unrelated to the contest itself. Contestant submissions will be included in the Sponsor's next book providing deadlines are met.

Q: If my one of my projects is best shown from more than one angle/view, can I upload multiple images of the same thing to show all sides of the project?
A: Yes, you can upload multiple images so we can see all sides. Please keep in mind that only five images can be uploaded per portfolio.

Q: Are we required to only use Making Memories products on our layouts?
A. No, not at this time. You can submit layouts and projects that you have already done. Initially, we are just trying to get an idea of what your style is.

Q: I have uploaded my first two layouts but I can’t seem to get the third one to load. What is the problem?
A: Check to make sure the file is uploaded. Also check to make sure that you complete all the steps (see How Do I Post comment). If that doesn’t work email me the error that you are getting. Email me at: contests@makingmemories.com

Q: After I uploaded my images, how come only one is showing up?
A: You might not have updated it completely to your portfolio. Check to make sure that you complete all the steps (see How Do I Post comment). If that doesn’t work, feel free to email me at: contests@makingmemories.com

2006-09-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

Yes! We're here! We're working with our technical team and answering all your questions in an FAQ document that will be posted to our web site in just a short while. Thanks for your patience! We'll post the link here just as soon as it's ready for you. In the meantime, thanks for your enthusiastic response to this contest. We're in awe just how many would-be "Idols" are out there ... This is going to be fun!

2006-09-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

Question: Is this competition open to all nations or just USA and Canada?
Answer: ANYONE can submit their work. It doesn't matter where you live!

2006-09-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

Charrie asked: "After signing up, do we then make a portfolio in our own name where we upload our layouts? Or call it something else?"

Answer: Make a portfolio in your own name.

2006-09-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

Will everyone see our submissions?
No. Only Making Memories will see your submissions at first. On October 2nd we will be narrowing the list of entries to 20. We will then post the 20 entries and open it up for everyone to vote to narrow the list down to 5, 4, 3, 2, and then the winner.

2006-09-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

How much MM product do you have to use?
We have been getting a lot of questions about how much product you need to use for your submissions. Although we would love to see our product in use, we are not requiring you to use a certain percentage. We really just want to see your best work and your style. So with that being said, let your creativity be your guide.
If you have additional questions, post them and we'll be sure to get them answered.
Thanks for asking!

2006-09-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

Day One of the MM Idol Contest
Is there an artist in you just screaming to get out? Have your friends told you that you should become a professional designer? Do you have a secret desire to have your work published and enjoyed by a huge audience?
Then you could be the first …
MAKING MEMORIES IDOL
Many of you may know Maggie Holmes, one of Making Memories’ beloved designers. She knows a thing or two about taking risks – and how the risks can pay back many times over. In fact, Maggie became a designer through one of Making Memories’ earlier contests! “I entered the mini book contest Making Memories had a few years back and I was chosen as one of the winners!” she says. “I was so excited just to have won but then they asked me to start doing some work for them – creating packaging, projects for the catalog, things along those lines. After a few months of that, the Design Team manager asked me to join their book team and of course, I said yes!”

There you go: living proof that you, too, could become part of the Making Memories family through Making Memories Idol. We cannot WAIT to see all of your great designs. Start submitting your projects today through our site, and make sure to read the rules and how to’s carefully before you get started! Post your questions if you have any.

Good luck!