Time for a Change

I can hardly believe that it has been 10 years since I started Back Porch Memories.  So many changes have occurred in these past 10 years:  I moved to Alaska, I have been the mother of the bride twice, I have 3 (darling) grandchildren, I have been through several medical trials and so much more!  All without ever skipping a beat in getting kits out.  But one of the biggest changes of my life is just around the corner.  My mother has been fighting ovarian cancer for the past 2 ½ years and that fight is nearing its’ end.  She has the best attitude - she is full of grace, her strength is astounding, her faith is surely God given.  In short, she is amazing, and I will miss her more than I can even imagine right now. 

It seems as though this is a good time to make a change at Back Porch Memories, as well.  After over 240 monthly kits (is that even possible?), the focus of Back Porch Memories will no longer be on monthly kits.  The March kits were the last of the monthly kits.  Back Porch Memories will still be around to feed your addiction!  Right now my plans include precut layout page kits, a buying co-op, special project kits and much more.  It is simply time for me to be able to live life outside of the schedule of a monthly kit club.

The BPM Scrapbook Supply Co-Op and Special Offers page is already set up on Facebook.  Please take a moment to join this group.  I am very excited about this new chapter!  I will be offering you very regular opportunities to purchase your favorite supplies at a discount.  I encourage you to post ideas for what you want to see me offer in the group, and to add your scrappy friends to the group.

I consider you all my friends and I thank you so much for the success that Back Porch Memories has had these past 10 years – I am looking forward to 10 more.

Introducing the March Guest Designer

A big thanks go out to those of you that entered the March Guest Design Team Contest! It is always to fun to see the different takes on the same sketch.  A big congratulations go out to our next guest designer:

Candace Perkins

 

I have to tell you that I followed her link and poked around her blog a bit and I am excited to see what Candace will do with our March kit,  Candace will be hosting one of our March challenges, as well as making several layouts using the kits, so you will get to know her quite well next month.  The next Guest Design Team contest will begin in about a week, I hope you will join us again!

March Guest Designer Contest

We love seeing what you all create with these sketches each month and we can't wait to see what you do with this one! Becky Fleck of http://www.pagemaps.com creates an exclusive sketch just for us each month and we love her for it!

We'd like to see your layout include a title, photo(s) and journaling. Layouts will be judged by our design team on creativity and best overall design. The winning layout will earn a spot on our team for the month of March and this Guest Designer will get to work with one of our monthly kits.

Rules of our Guest Designer Contest:

• One (1) layout entry per person.

• Entry must use the sketch above and include a title, photo(s) and journaling.

• Your layout must be NEWLY CREATED for this contest.

• Deadline for entries is February 15th, midnight Eastern time (New York City time),and must be linked using Linky Tools at the bottom of this post.

•  We will announce our winner February 17th.

• Due to increased international shipping times and our tight due dates, we are no longer able to accept international submissions for our Guest Designer contest, including Canadian entries. Canadian entries have been accepted in the past, but we've noticed kits aren't making it to the designer in time to complete the requirements by our due date. We will continue to monitor the international and Canadian shipping times and reverse this rule if it improves.

• You must not have been a Guest Design Team Member at Back Porch Memories in the last six months. If it's been over that time period, feel free to enter again.

If you're chosen as a Guest Designer for Back Porch Memories:

• You will be contacted by BPM via email, and you're required to accept the position within 24 hours of notification (preferably ASAP).

• Your photo and bio will be featured in our newsletter and we will need these within a few days of your acceptance.

• You will receive one of the March kits and will be required to complete at least 3 layouts and 1 project (altered piece, card set, etc.) with the kit. These must be uploaded to the March Design Team folder in our gallery by March 10th.

• One of your layouts must be completed and emailed to us by February 28th so it may be included on our site as a "teaser."

• Your assignments will include hosting a monthly challenge, using our monthly sketch to complete a layout for our newsletter and completing a newsletter article. The sketch assignment counts as one of your three required layouts. For the challenge, you can use any previously designed project you wish OR use your kit. If you use your kit, this page will also count towards your layout requirement.

• We love getting to know you and so do our members. You'll participate in the forums by posting a minimum of 5 times a week. (This requirement is evolving to include our new communication formats, we are currently switching over from our message board format to our Blog/Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram/Twitter - please be prepared for involvement in any of these formats)

We can't wait to see what you do with this sketch! Good luck!

Thanksgiving Challenges

 Here are a few quick challenges for you in case you have a little free time during the Thanksgiving holiday - who needs to go out and shop?? In order to be eligible for the grand prize drawing make sure to upload your designs by midnight on November 30th.

You may complete as many projects using each challenge as you wish. Each project will earn you an entry into our monthly prize drawing. Please upload your entries using our Linky Tools at the bottom of this post to be eligible for the Grand Prize, a drawing we do with all of our monthly challenge entries uploaded from the month of November.

Janice's Paper Folding Challenge

We all have certain techniques that especially catch our eye when they’re used on a layout, and for me paper folding is one of them. I seem unable to pass up a closer look at a page with folds! So my challenge to you this month is to add a little extra dimension and personality to a page by finding a folding technique you like (try searching for “paper folding” on Pinterest) and incorporating it into your design. You can add pleats, make rosettes, create faux quilting looks (like I did on my layout) or fold origami shapes. There really are many ways to use this technique. I hope participating in this challenge helps you to fall in love with folding like I have. Have fun with this; I can’t wait to see what you all create!

Danielle's Mixing Texture Challenge

My challenge for you this month could be one that will make you step out of the box, and it could be one that you are used to doing when you create a layout or project.

I challenge you to create a layout or card mixing 3 different textures.  The textures you choose are completely up to you!

In my layout, the textures I included are:

Mist (paint)

Cardboard

Twine

Introducing the December Guest Designer...

But this time it is designerS

Thanks to all of you that participated! 

We had an unexpected extra slot to fill for December so we chose TWO guest designers from this months' entries.  Congratulations!

Kristie Coleman

 

Kristie has been a guest designer with us in the past and I am excited to have her here again.

 

Ruth Tacoma

 

 Ruth has been a long time subscriber to Back Porch Memories but this is her first time to join us as a guest designer, welcome aboard, Ruth!

 

December Guest Designer Contest

We love seeing what you all create with these sketches each month and we can't wait to see what you do with this one! Becky Fleck of http://www.pagemaps.com creates an exclusive sketch just for us each month and we love her for it!

We'd like to see your layout include a title, photo(s) and journaling. Layouts will be judged by our design team on creativity and best overall design. The winning layout will earn a spot on our team for the month of December and this Guest Designer will get to work with one of our monthly kits.

Rules of our Guest Designer Contest:

• One (1) layout entry per person.

• Entry must use the sketch above and include a title, photo(s) and journaling.

• Your layout must be NEWLY CREATED for this contest.

• Deadline for entries is November 15th, midnight Eastern time (New York City time),and must be linked using Linky Tools at the end of this post.

•  We will announce our winner November 17th.

• Due to increased international shipping times and our tight due dates, we are no longer able to accept international submissions for our Guest Designer contest, including Canadian entries. Canadian entries have been accepted in the past, but we've noticed kits aren't making it to the designer in time to complete the requirements by our due date. We will continue to monitor the international and Canadian shipping times and reverse this rule if it improves.

• You must not have been a Guest Design Team Member at Back Porch Memories in the last six months. If it's been over that time period, feel free to enter again.

If you're chosen as a Guest Designer for Back Porch Memories:

• You will be contacted by BPM via email, and you're required to accept the position within 24 hours of notification (preferably ASAP).

• Your photo and bio will be featured in our newsletter and we will need these within a few days of your acceptance.

• You will receive one of the December kits and will be required to complete at least 3 layouts and 1 project (altered piece, card set, etc.) with the kit. These must be uploaded to the December Design Team folder in our gallery by December 10th.

• One of your layouts must be completed and emailed to us by November 30th so it may be included on our site as a "teaser."

• Your assignments will include hosting a monthly challenge, using our monthly sketch to complete a layout for our newsletter and completing a newsletter article. The sketch assignment counts as one of your three required layouts. For the challenge, you can use any previously designed project you wish OR use your kit. If you use your kit, this page will also count towards your layout requirement.

• We love getting to know you and so do our members. You'll participate in the forums by posting a minimum of 5 times a week. (This requirement is evolving to include our new communication formats, we are currently switching over from our message board format to our Blog/Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram/Twitter - please be prepared for involvement in any of these formats)

We can't wait to see what you do with this sketch! Good luck!

Our October Challenge Winner

is...
Rebecca Daly

Rebecca will receive a past Back Porch Memories kit in the mail!  The new challenges will be posted soon, join us in November for your chance to win!