Call for submissions for June/July issue

Brrr! If it's anywhere near as cold and dreary where you live as it is in my Portland office, you'll love the chance to "think sunny" for our new call for submissions.

Here are the details. As always, we appreciate seeing seasonally appropriate photos, lively designs and thoughtful journaling.

Also, please feel free to repost this information on your own blog and to share it with others. The more submissions we get, the happier we are--and the more awesome work we can share with you in the magazine.

T3: Tips, Techniques and Tutorials
Our info-packed new column, "T3," features cutting-edge techniques, tips and tutorials from our talented readers and regular contributors.

Here's what we're looking for:
Tips. Have you found a great way to use layer blending modes? A quick fix for less-than-perfect photos? Send us your tips of 50 words or fewer on any digital scrapbooking subject, along with a layout or project that illustrates the tip in action.

Techniques. Busy scrapbookers are always looking for ways to make scrapbooking quicker and easier. Send us your time- and stress-saving techniques, along with a layout or project that shows how you've used them to create.

Tutorials. Send us your projects featuring intermediate- to advanced-level techniques, along with complete instructions for achieving the look. (Check out the step-by-step tutorials in our December/January "Kick It Up" column for an idea of what we're looking for.)

Send us your submission with complete contact information and materials list via e-mail. Your submission should be a JPEG file, 100K or less. Deadline is January 7.

Reality Scrapbooking: Scrapbook Your Real Life
Life isn't all rosebuds and sugar plums--though you'd never know it by looking through the average scrapbook. Rough spots and tough times shape our families' lives as much as (or more than) holidays and celebrations. Tell your true story by sharing the details of the less-than-perfect moments you've experienced. Whether they led you to make a positive change, taught you a valuable lesson or simply helped you develop a sense of humor about yourself, difficult times deserve to be scrapbooked too.

Send us your layouts sharing the details of your real life. We're looking for strong and meaningful journaling and photos that capture emotion. We'd also like to hear your stories about how scrapbooking challenging times has helped you to cope with them in a positive way.

Send us your submission with complete contact information and materials list via e-mail. Your submission should be a JPEG file, 100K or less. Deadline is January 7.

Bonus: Want to improve your submission's chance of success? Check out our preparation guidelines.