Ztampf! Digiscraptistry Review and Giveaway

*This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for entering!*

I have been scrapbooking for quite awhile. I started out as a paper scrapbooker and did that for years. I was on numerous design teams- both stores and manufacturers. I had many layouts published in magazines such as Memory Makers, Creating Keepsakes, Legacy and more. I went on to work as a freelance artist and writer for Memory Makers magazine, and life was good. I was happy.

Even so, I had this nagging urge to try my hand at digital scrapbooking. I figured if I could learn it, and if I really liked it, it would save me a great deal of money and would be less of a mess than traditional paper scrapbooking. (I was right about it not creating a huge mess in my scrapbook room; however, I think I spend just as much as I did before!)

My first few attempts were pitiful, to say the least. I quickly figured out that I had a lot to learn. I was up for the challenge, and in no time, I was hooked. I was asked to join the creative team for two great digital sites and have had several of my digital layouts picked up for publication as well.

Unfortunately, life got nutty busy for me, and I took a long hiatus from scrapbooking. Even so, I was missing it. I love to create, and scrapbooking was an incredible outlet for me. Having Mom Fuse ask me to review Ztampf! Digiscraptistry was just what I needed to get back in my groove!

The artist behind Ztampf! Digiscraptistry is Lie Fhung. She is a Chinese-Indonesian contemporary artist and designer. Lie studied ceramic art and graduated with a BFA from ITB (Bandung Institute of Technology), Indonesia.

More about Lie Fhung from her website:
I have always loved crafts, design and art in their many forms. I have worked as a toy designer in the past and since 2003 I have been working as a freelance designer doing mostly website work and occasional graphic design projects. I work from my home-studio in Hong Kong where I currently live with my loving, philosopher husband.

I love creating layouts almost as much as creating the kits and elements themselves. Creating things - be it art, craft or design, is the thing I enjoy most. Reading, watching movies, traveling and listening to music (and singing along with it!) are some of other things that I also love to do.

To learn more about the coming about of Ztampf!, just click here!

Mom Fuse and Lie Fhung asked me to review Ztampf! Digiscraptistry's Crafty Calendar Kit. I was also able to choose something else from Ztampf! Digiscraptistry to work with, and after spending a very long time trying to decide (this was incredibly difficult because everything in the store is beautiful, and I wanted it all!), I chose the Birthday Bliss Kit.

I have been creating with these products for a few days now. I am in love. :) The Crafty Calendar Kit is so easy to use! Even a beginner at digital scrapbooking with a basic knowledge of how to use their photo editing program can create an exquisite calendar with this kit! Ztampf! Digiscraptistry took all of the time consuming legwork out of the process by providing the artist with pre-made calendar pages. Using these, one only has to add a photo, a tiny ensemble (a ready-made embellished frame), and any of the provided extras (date markers, tabs and charms) to complete the page.

If you are feeling more adventurous, then you can create the calendar from scratch, using the provided templates, papers, and extras.

Once you are finished with your calendar, you print your pages and then have everything bound together at a place like Staples. The end result makes a beautiful gift (think Valentine's Day!) I didn't have time to print mine yet, so instead of waiting until I did that and then post the review, I chose to include a sampling of some of my pages so you can see how terrific this calendar is. Again, Valentine's Day is right around the corner!

If you are looking for something in addition to the calendar (or instead of), then I highly recommend any of Ztampf! Digiscraptistry's other products. The Birthday Bliss Kit I worked with is great for more than just birthday pages. It is chock full of goodies that can be used with other projects. The quality of the papers and extras is fantastic.

I created this page of my little guy to give you an idea of some of the items in the kit. (Note: the lace and border stitching are not included in this kit.) I will most definitely be back to Ztampf! Digiscraptistry for more digital scrappy goodness!

Ztampf! Digiscraptistry is offering one living life one day at a time reader the chance to win a great, not-yet-released kit created by Lie Fhung. The name of the kit is Season of Love. Included in the zip file which will be sent to the winner is this great bunch of goodies:
1. A 25% OFF Discount Coupon for One Use
2. 3 Background Papers (12"x12")
3. 1 Flower
4. 1 Photo Edge
5. 1 Fastener
6. 1 Tag
7. 2 Ensembles (pre-arranged, decorated frames)
8. 1 QuickPage
9. A folder containing Product Previews

HOW TO WIN:
• Visit Ztampf! Digiscraptistry, and then come back here and tell me which gorgeous products you like the most from her store.
• If you are not a blogger, email 3 of your friends telling them about this giveaway, and cc me at colleenstearns@gmail.com.

ENTER DAILY!!!
Once you post your initial entry, you can come back daily and tell me you want another entry by posting a link to one of the projects you like from the Ztampf! Digiscraptistry gallery. :)

SCORE EXTRA ENTRIES:
1. Blog about this giveaway with a link back to my site and Ztampf! Digiscraptistry (be sure to post your link here so I know where to find it).
2. Subscribe to my blog via email.
3. Click on the FOLLOW THIS BLOG link on my left sidebar.
4. Tweet about this contest on Twitter (Be sure to follow me on Twitter too- see link in my sidebar.). Make sure to leave a link to your twitter message in your comment. You can do this once a day. Please make sure to come back each day and leave another comment with your new twitter message link.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry.

*Enter by 9pm (EST) on Friday, February 13, 2009.

One lucky commenter will be chosen at random and notified via email, so make sure you leave a valid email address in your comment. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email. If she or he does not respond within 48 hours, a new random winner will be chosen.