Thanks everyone for joining us for a fun-filled week last week! We had a blast and hope you did, too. We're busy compiling a complete list of all 100 winners' names to post here on the blog. Coming soon!

What else is happening this week? The Craft & Hobby Association summer tradeshow starts tomorrow in Chicago! We're sitting this one out (we're exhausted!), but we'll definitely be at the winter CHA in Anaheim, in just six short months. Still, we've got some fun CHA-related giveaways coming over the next month, since our own Wendy Smedley is so good at keeping up with the latest releases from afar.

CHA summer is an anniversary of sorts for Ella, too. It was last year at CHA Orlando that we started handing out business cards, offering a sneak peek of our website, and inviting people to sign up for our newsletter. We had 900 people signed up that very first day. And the number has decupled since then! (Decuple = x10).

Katie Scott generously hosted us in her time-share condo, and made us feel oh-so welcome.

We got to hang out with Ella friends Tami Morrison, Noel Culbertson, and Katie Scott, two of whom we had met for the very first time! Pictured below: Katie, me, Tami, and the talented Emilie Ahern (formerly of The Scrap Review)

Pictured below: Ashley Harris of The Scrap Review, Noel Culbertson, and Lain (formerly of Ella Publishing Co.)

We got to be panelists on the Paperclipping Newsbreak, which later turned into a recurring stint on the Paperclipping Roundtable. (Pictured below: Lain, Nancy Nally, Noell Hyman, me, Ana Cabrera)

We got to see the latest and greatest releases and visit our first CHA consumer show. And I clearly did not take enough pictures.

Ah, good times. Here's looking forward to more to come!

Stay tuned!

p.s. How about you? Are any of you heading to CHA? Do any of you WISH you were going?

Welcome to the Most Influential Scrapbooker Awards BLOG TOUR! If you're ready to have some fun, you've come to the right place. (If you'd rather not have fun, well, stick around anyway. Maybe the 100 prizes that are up for grabs will change your mind.)

Here's how it works:
Every day this week, two of the MISA nominees will be spotlighted here on The Daily Trumpet, and we'll link you directly to their blogs, where you can go and leave a comment for a chance to win one of the amazing prizes described yesterday. There will be ten winners on each spotlighted blog, each day. This means that if you visit every featured blog this week, you can enter a total of ten times. This also means that there will be 100 prizes given away to 100 winners in just five days!

And the fun starts right now, on this blog. Leave a comment right here on this post telling us another possible thing the initials "MISA" could stand for (other than "Most Influential Scrapbooker Awards"), and we'll award TEN randomly chosen commenters.  (examples: "Most Ignorant Surgeon Awards" or "Make It Stop Already" or "My In-laws Smell Awesome.") Can't think of one? Just second someone else's choice!


Today's Spotlight: Cathy Zielske

Cathy Zielske may have lost 33 awesome pounds in the last six months (way to go!), but that is not why she was nominated. She made the list because, after losing her job when Simple Scrapbooks closed last March, she chose to dive into the industry with both feet. She supercharged cathyzielske.typepad.com, developed awesome new classes at bigpicturescrapbooking.com (including the top-attended class ever for BPS), developed a series of popular digital templates for designerdigitals.com, became the eBook designer for ellapublishing.com, and was even featured on the Martha Stewart Living Radio blog. Read her complete profile here.

We asked three "in the know" scrapbookers who have been following her career to share a few thoughts about Cathy. Here's what they had to say:

"Cathy has inspired me to: stop obsessing about chronology and get caught up; include our everyday stories in my albums instead of focusing solely on events and holidays; design better pages through the use of common margins, focal points, and other useful design tricks; and not be afraid to use my real voice in telling my stories, both in my scrapbooks and on my blog. But none of that makes as much of an impression on me as this: she is first and foremost a great mom. I like that she has her priorities straight."
~Barb Wong, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

"I have had more 'a-ha!' moments reading Cathy's blog, participating in her online classes, and listening to her tutorials than probably all other teachers combined. She has a lovely way of making every project approachable and conveys to her audience that she has every confidence that they are perfectly capable of doing the same. The most important lesson I've learned is that you don't have to tell every story, but those you choose to tell should be real and authentic. You can never make a bad page if it is genuine, though she has many ideas to make it look good too!"
~Lee Currie, Oakville, Ontario, Canada

"I admire Cathy's ability to inspire others, whether it be to try digital scrapbooking or to grab your sneakers and start running, even when you think it's next to impossible. (That actually did happen, for me.) She is so real and so honest in everything she does, she makes you believe you can do it too. And that it's totally okay if it's not perfect. From Cathy, I've learned to relax. Keep it simple. Don't sweat the small stuff. Trying is better than not. In scrapbooking and for everyday life."
~Debbie Alvarado, Homer Glenn, Illinois



Now, head over to Cathy Zielske's blog today, where another ten prizes are being given away as we speak! (And she gets to tell you her criteria for picking her ten winners.)

*****

p.s. Don't forget to check out Time to Scrapbook! 9 busy women share 27 tricks for fitting it in, Ella's newest eBook, which features advice and layouts from all nine nominees.

GREAT GUESSES everyone. Not only did you mention tons of people we were also considering, you gave us some great ideas of people to pay attention to. And you reminded us how HARD the choices were!!! And we feel very gratified that every single one of the nominees was guessed by you guys at least once.

Make sure you click all around our special Most Influential Scrapbookers section, read the nominees' bios, find out the selection criteria, and see how YOU can nominate someone for our next award.

Feel like someone's missing from our list? Nominate her (or him) for next time! Also, read the Most Influential Scrapbooker Awards FAQs to learn about our mystery 10th nominee. We originally named 10, but one was unable to participate due to scheduling, so she wanted to wait and see if she gets nominated next year. (Oops! Gave it away! It's a girl!) And to keep things authentic, we decided not to pull in an alternate. Please, nominate anyone you feel is missing by clicking here!

And the winners from our three-day guessing game are:

MONDAY
rosarivero, goldnuggt, rebeccak

TUESDAY
Myra, buenvsh, bigredtx

WEDNESDAY
Cyn, buenvsh (hey we didn't say you couldn't win two days in a row!), julesspud

And did you see that the 9 nominees' new eBook is live??? (We never could show you the complete cover before today, because both Maggie and Margie are pictured.)



The secret is finally out. Whew.

We've got less than 24 hours to go until the BIG REVEAL!

You ladies are some good guessers. Eight of our nine nominees have been guessed at least once in the last couple of days. There's just one person who hasn't yet been named! Keep the guesses coming...

Here are today's hints:
Eight of our nominees have blogs, while one no longer does.
Six of our nominees have companies named after themselves.
Three of the nominees have companies that are not named after themselves.
One of our nominees earned the nickname "Penelope" at age 12.
At least three of our nominees are baffled by the "skinny jeans" trend.
Two of our nominees have never heard of reality-tv star (and tabloid princess) Kate Gosselin. (We just had to ask!)
Of the remaining seven nominees, three would like to see Ms. Gosselin get out of the limelight and stay home with those eight kids, while four think she's just misunderstood. (We should stage our own version of The View with the nine nominees, don't you think?)

Again, the FIRST THREE comments today that contain at least one correct guess (and NO incorrect guesses) will each be awarded a $10 gift certificate to ellapublishing.com. Yes, you can guess people who have been previously guessed. It's the first three correct guesses each day that win.

(Note: we won't be announcing this week's blog winners until after Thursday, when the full list of Most Influential Scrapbookers has been posted.)

Last week, we gave you a quick heads up about an exciting event happening here on our website this month! And for the next three days, as we lead up to the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT on Thursday of our nine Most Influential Scrapbookers, I'll be dropping little hints here on the blog.

And, over the next three days, we'll also award nine $10 gift certificates to ellapublishing.com! All you have to do is guess who you think was nominated by leaving a comment on this post.

The FIRST THREE comments each day that contain at least one correct guess (and NO incorrect guesses) will be awarded a gift certificate. So, guess as many times as you'd like, but be careful about including more than one person's name in each comment, because if one name is wrong, the whole comment doesn't count!  (Note: we won't be announcing this week's blog winenrs until after Thursday, when the full list of Most Influential Scrapbookers has been posted.)

Today's Hints
Only one of the nominees lives in Utah.
There are two nominees living in Arizona.
Two nominees live in East-Coast states and one lives in a West-Coast state.
Two nominees live in states bordering Canada and two live in a state bordering Mexico.
Five of the nominees lives in landlocked states.
One nominee lives outside of the United States.

p.s. Keep an eye out for our new eBook, to be released this Friday! It features hints, helps, and eye-candy from the nine Most Influential Scrapbookers of 2010.

Just in case you were on vacation yesterday and missed it, the newest eZine is live and ready to be read! And speaking of vacations, that's the theme of the entire issue! You'll find lots of travel-related tips, tricks, and techniques. So take a mini vacation from whatever you're doing right now, and head on over there to enjoy some scrapbooking goodness.

Now, are you ready for the giveaway?
To qualify for our random drawing, all you have to do is leave a comment here telling us which article or layout (or both) from July's Scrapbook Ellaments was your favorite!

We'll pick SEVEN random winners who'll each receive a coupon code to save on their next eBook purchase! Why are there seven winners? Because today is 7/7/2010! (And it's also our copy editor Rachel Gainer's birthday today. Happy birthday, Rachel!)

Here's the prize breakdown:
Winner #1 will get 10 percent off her next purchase.
Winner #2 will get 20 percent off her next purchase.
Winner #3 will get 30 percent off her next purchase.
Winner #4 will get 40 percent off her next purchase.
Winner #5 will get 50 percent off her next purchase.
Winner #6 will get 60 percent off her next purchase.
Winner #7 will get 70 percent off her next purchase.

All winners will be chosen randomly, and names will be announced Saturday, July 10. And all winning coupon codes must be used by July 17, 2010!

Let's hear what you have to say!

p.s. Shhh! Don't tell anyone else, but in the meantime, please enjoy 7 percent off of the three eBooks cover girl Jennifer Larson picked as her favorites. This deal lasts today and tomorrow only. Just use the coupon code SEVEN at checkout when you purchase one (or all three!) of Jennifer's picks by Thursday, July 8, 2010! And I'm not telling you what they are. You'll have to read the article to find out!

No, they're not the BEST scrapbookers, they're not the SMARTEST scrapbookers, and they're not the scrapbookers with the CUTEST KIDS. They are simply the MOST INFLUENTIAL.

They're the scrapbookers who give of their time and their talents to inspire the world's memory keepers. They're the scrapbookers who are innovating, teaching, sharing, partnering, and spreading the good news of scrapbooking far and wide. They're the scrapbookers who are attracting new audiences to the hobby and making scrapbooking look COOL to the uninitiated.

And starting Monday, July 12, we'll start sharing HINTS about who they are. Then, the week of July 19 through 23, we'll have the BIGGEST, BADDEST BLOG TOUR you've ever seen, starring our Most Influential Scrapbooker nominees!

There will be 100 prizes and 100 winners (all from the Most Influential Scrapbookers) given away to folks like you! (See, we told you they were "givers.")

Please stay tuned! The party starts next week, culminating with the Friday release of an awesome new eBook, where the nominees share HOW THEY FIND THE TIME. Wouldn't you like to know how the industry movers and shakers manage to fit scrapbooking into their busy schedules?

The time is coming...

Congratulations to lynm and zonemama, who won the Studio Calico July kit and the Eight is Enough eBook from Wednesday's giveaway! Enjoy, ladies...

Did you see? Ella's newest eBook is now up for sale! You are among the very first to know about it...word has been leaking out little by little, and the word is that it's AWESOME!



In Eight is Enough: Easy ways to stretch supplies and use leftovers, we partnered with Studio Calico (and five of their talented design-team members) to show you awesome tips and tricks for saving cash and using up your stash!

You see, design-team members typically have the goal of creating layouts that show off all the amazing products that come in that product line or kit. And Studio Calico designers are no exception. The goal is to show off the wealth of supplies you get in the kit. (And I can attest that Studio Calico kits are PACKED with goodies; there's seriously a lot of beautifully coordinated bang for your buck, especially considering what you'd pay to buy all the items separately.)

Wendy and I wondered what would happen if we asked those SAME designers to try to create four layouts with just eight supplies total. We wanted to see them stretch their creativity and their supplies. And we told them they had to pull these supplies from their stash of extras and leftovers (specifically, their extras and leftovers from past Studio Calico kits).

We were amazed at how beautifully diverse their designs were! And we know you will be too. This book is a definite must-read. Here's the feedback we're getting so far:

"Love Love Love Love Love the new eBook - it just might be my favorite one yet!" ~Katie Scott

"I couldn't believe how FULL it was. I'm so impressed with all the layouts and how many incredible tips are inside!"~Rachel Gainer

"It looks PHENOMENAL...I'm so proud to be a part of it!! xoxoxo" ~Stephanie Howell

The Giveaway

Now for the fun stuff! To enter, leave us a comment sharing your favorite memory from Eight is Enough the television show, if you remember back that far! (Note: "I liked Willie Ames WAY better in Charles in Charge" or "I've never even heard of that show!" both count as acceptable comments.)

We'll pick TWO winners. One will receive a free copy of this stunning new eBook, and the other will win Studio Calico's upcoming July kit, called "Continental"! Here's a sneak peek. Visit Studio Calico's website for more info or to join the kit club. (Note: if you're intrigued by this kit, it's best to place your order SOON. Their kits have a tendency to sell out if you don't act fast.)





Let's hear it!

(p.s. Wondering about the winner from last week's Making Memories contest? It was commenter #190, harrisonquilter, who is looking forward to some sunshine and waves after a tough couple of months. Well, here's a teeny tiny ray of sunshine for you!)

Happy Monday! (And to all of my fellow Americans, happy Flag Day too!)

Occasionally, we get emailed comments asking us what's the best way to print an eBook...



or whether it's okay to have an Ella eBook printed and bound at Kinko's or another copy shop...



or what the options are for binding a printed eBook...



Well, we have several articles posted on our website that will help you with these and other questions!

We invite you to peruse...
Alter Your eBooks: print, customize, enjoy!

Printing Tips: get great results with your home printer

FAQs (scroll down to "Purchasing, Downloading & Printing eBooks")

Enjoy!
~Angie

p.s. We have WINNERS to announce! Congratulations to Andrea Macdonald, the random winner of Layle Koncar's guest blogging giveaway; to kymburns, the random winner of Tami Morrison's BPS giveaway; and to PattiP (aka "honu2") and "mklsutiger," the two random winners of the Karen Foster giveaway!