I've recently set up a couple of toys ways to keep in touch with the goings on at ScrapBook inspirations HQ:

Twitter is a highly-addictive website where you can post short messages about whatever comes into your head. We're at the quirkily/cutely named scrapbooki. You have to sign up to follow our tweets (messages) and I'll add you right back.

I've also succumbed to the lure of a Facebook group! You can find us here. Again, if you're not a member of Facebook you'll need to sign up. The group is really exciting because you're able to post photos of your layouts, share ideas and hear what we're up to.

Our email newsletter is also quite new. It goes out once a month (just before we go on sale so you'll get a reminder to start stalking postie/newsagents!) and will have previews of what's in the magazine, extras and special offers. Unlike Twitter and Facebook all you need is an email address. You can sign up by clicking the button at the top-left of the blog.

We are currently looking for your original page designs for a Reader Gallery on the following themes:

Weddings
When wedding bells start to ring, the cameras always come out! We'd love to see what you can make with snaps from someone's special day.

Fathers
They might embarrass us with their dancing, but we love our dads! We want to see your layouts celebrating everything that's great about fathers.

Email a digital image (please make sure they are not huge files) of your layout at our dedicated address scrapbook.gallery@futurenet.com. Remember to add your choice of theme to the subject line. All we ask is that your layouts are your own work and that you haven't submitted them to any other magazine. ScrapBook inspirations does not accept layouts that have been published elsewhere, that are being considered for publication or have been entered in any competitions.

Please include the following details with your submissions:

About you
Your name and address
A daytime phone number and email address

About your layout
Title of your layout (a few words to describe the story behind the photos and what inspired your design)
Tell us about the techniques you used and your favourite products
What supplies you used and where you got them from

About your hobby
How long you've been scrapping and what inspired you to get started.
Have you ever had any of your work published before?
What's your favourite product?

See there's nothing to it and you've got plenty of time as the closing date for entries is 6 March 2009. You'll receive an email if we'd like to feature your layout.

Are you looking forward to a romantic day tomorrow? I'm a bit of a geek (and so if my boyf!) so this robot-love card from moonmum really appealed!

A little plug too for Design Team member Shimelle Laine's upcoming class Here, There & Everywhere. It's a six-week online class all about places - where you are, where you've been and where you'd love to go. Sounds like fun!

I'm getting snow fatigue. All I want is a more clement weekend so I can leave the house without wearing all my clothes plus a comedy woolly hat! The forecast is for sleet here though. How lovely. My back-up plan is to hibernate and get seriously crafty. If you're planning a similar sort of weekend may I suggest the following:

Sign ups are now open for Cheryl Johnson's popular photography class, Painting with Light. The six-week course, now in its fourth rotation, starts on 27th February. Cheryl will help you to learn more about your camera and its capabilities as well as encourage you to look more creatively through the lens.

Shimelle Laine pointed me in the direction of Banana Frog's project of the day by Emeline Seet-Ng. Not only is it an excuse to play with paper, but to get baking too (not that I need much excuse if I'm honest!).

What are your weekend plans?

The March issue (50) of ScrapBook inspirations goes on sale Friday 6th February

In this special birthday-themed issue you'll find...

* Happy Birthday!
Celebrate your happiest days with loads ideas for layouts and albums. Plus, don't miss our pick of the best party stash - including cupcakes galore!

* Take your best-ever photos
Ten tips to help you improve your photography today.

* Pop-ups and surprises!
Make layouts with more than meets the eye: Jane Dean and Michelle Jackson Mogford share their creative ideas.

* Cropping with friends
Plan a creative getaway with your pals with an info-packed article from cropping pros.

* Stash overload!
Your chance to win a heap of scrapbooking goodies with two great competitions from HobbyCraft and Ellison

Plus don't miss your favourites:
* We Challenge You to make a page for pennies
* Make a coordinated set of accents in Just the Thing
* Eight pages of reader layouts

The March issue of ScrapBook inspirations goes on sale Friday 6th February 2009.

To celebrate our 50th issue, we’ve joined with HobbyCraft to give away 20 fab prizes of American Crafts scrapbooking goodies - it's a stash overload!

How to enter
We've got 20 prizes to giveaway, each one including papers, stickers, rub-ons and embellishments. All the details, including the all-important keyword, can be found on page 14 of the March issue of ScrapBook inspirations, on sale 6th February.

To be in with a chance of winning click on http://www.futurecomps.co.uk/SBK50HobbyCraft/ and enter the keyword you'll find on page 14 of the March issue. The deadline for entries is 6 March 2009. Good luck!

We’re celebrating our 50th issue by joining with Ellison to give away five brilliant Sizzix prizes – enter now for your chance to be a winner!

How to enter
We've got five prizes to give away, each one including a Sizzix Big Shot die-cutting machine, dies, ideas book and storage box. All the details, including the all-important keyword, can be found on page 47 of the March issue of ScrapBook inspirations, on sale 6th February. These prizes are courtesy of Ellison, the manufacturer and distributor of Allstar, Prestige and Sizzix brands. Visit www.sizzix.co.uk or call 0871 222 2277 (in the UK) or +44 (0) 845 345 2277 (outside the UK) for more details about their product range.

To be in with a chance of winning click on http://www.futurecomps.co.uk/SBK50Ellison/ and enter the keyword you'll find on page 47 of the March issue. The deadline for entries is 6 March 2009. Good luck!

Celebrate 50 fabulous issues with us! We've teamed up with some of the best scrapbooking retailers to set you a birthday challenge.

How to enter
We've got three annual subscriptions to give away and to be in with a chance of winning you need to get hold of a copy of the March issue of ScrapBook inspirations (on sale 6th February). Turn to page 64 and seek out the mystery keyword (you'll have to do a bit of rearranging!).

To be in with a chance of winning click on http://www.futurecomps.co.uk/SBK50 and enter the keyword you'll find on page 64 of the March issue. The deadline for entries is 6 March 2009. Good luck!

We are currently looking for your original page designs for a Reader Gallery on the following themes:

Babies
Who can resist big eyes, chubby cheeks and tiny fingers and toes? We certainly can’t, so send us your baby layouts for us to coo over!

Polka dots
Dots and spots have to be one of the most timeless design motifs – and they work wonderfully on scrapbook pages. Show us what you do with them.

Email a digital image (please make sure they are not huge files) of your layout to me at our dedicated address scrapbook.gallery@futurenet.com. Remember to add your choice of theme to the subject line. All we ask is that your layouts are your own work and that you haven't submitted them to any other magazine. ScrapBook inspirations does not accept layouts that have been published elsewhere, that are being considered for publication or have been entered in any competitions.

Please include the following details with your submissions:

About you
Your name and address
A daytime phone number and email address

About your layout
Title of your layout (a few words to describe the story behind the photos and what inspired your design)
Tell us about the techniques you used and your favourite products
What supplies you used and where you got them from

About your hobby
How long you've been scrapping and what inspired you to get started.
Have you ever had any of your work published before?
What's your favourite product?

See there's nothing to it and you've got plenty of time as the closing date for entries is 6 February 2008. You'll receive an email from Cheryl if we'd like to feature your layout.

Here's a fun way to waste five minutes, take the What kind of creative are you? quiz on Youniverse.

I am 'Eyes wide open' and I have, among other things, a great appreciation for creativity in all its forms and a magpie eye for beauty! What are you?

Via: How About Orange.