I've been getting into scrapbooking lately...

I even got this app on my phone called Scrap! which allows you to put together photo books. It's fun to mess around with anyway.
But, alas, that's not why I'm here. There's a new software I've come across called MyMemories. It's sort of like a digital scrapbook, but of course it can be printed or you can send it out to be professionally printed and it doesn't only do scrapbooks. You really can make all manner of things with it. I guess I'd call it more of a photo book, because it really can be as simple, or as complicated, as you wish.
I've made a few things so far, to mess around with the program but I'm not going to show them to you as they are not very good and I didn't really have any sort of theme or project in mind. But I will make another post, probably within the next two weeks, to show what I'm working on now, as I'm pretty excited about it.
And it really is easy to use. Click and drag mostly, drag and drop. Just as easy as making a blog post, really.

If you want, you can go check out the website to find out more about it (and they have great examples of cool things there, not to mention templates that you can download to use in your projects). That is right here.
And if you decide you do want to buy it, you can use this code: STMMMS50462. By using the code you get $10 off the software and $10 to use in the MyMemories store.
Some quick instructions to use the code:

1. Go to http://mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software
2. Click Add to Cart
3. Add the above code in the Promotional Code area
4. Finish the checkout (you'll then be prompted to make an account to download the software and so you can have the $10 shop coupon)
5. To download the software then, go to http://mymemories.com/my_account/downloads, click the link and your download should start

*

One last thing before I end this post and get back to my NaNoWriMo-ing, I am hosting a GIVEAWAY of the MyMemories Suite! One winner will receive the software for FREE. All you have to do is...[drum roll, please, ahaha]...go to http://mymemories.com/store/photobook_creator and make a quick photo book (this is completely free, though it'll ask you to make an account before you do this). It doesn't have to be over the top or incredible. I just want you to get a taste of the software. When you're done, click the share button and email it to mmcontestentry@gmail.com. Then just leave me a comment on this post telling me that you did so.

So, a quick recap:

1. Go to http://mymemories.com/store/photobook_creator
2. Create a photo book to your liking
3. Click share and email it to mmcontestentry@gmail.com
4. Leave a comment on this post, telling me that you did so

That's it! I'll pick the winner on December 1. Good luck to you!

Always,

Alyssa

(Now, to slog through 5,000 words. Wish me luck!)

EXTERMINATE!

In honor of Halloween, I thought you might be interested in this:

I tried to think of a clever pumpkin/Dalek title for this post, but I failed.

Yes! That is a pumpkin carved into a Dalek! I wish I was creative enough (or patient enough) to do that. And they even got a whisk (or, rather, a mixing blade). No plunger, though, but a meat thermometer. And the little top bit spins and everything and...here's the best part, it actually rolls around and such.
The original article is here on evilmadscientist.com. They have step-by-step instructions on how they did it (which has a few surprising elements).
Here's they're video of it moving about, which they also have a link to on the site:

And I would also like to point out that there are several clever Dalek/pumpkin exclamations on its YouTube page. Once again, no creativity here.
I'd be interested to see more interesting or clever pumpkins; any pictures anyone?

Magical Photography by Brooke Shaden

This is just a sample of the amazing magical photography done by Brooke Shaden. This is my favorite kind of photography (in fact, there's another girl I've found that has a similar style, but her name is escaping me so I'll make another post on her). I love the wonder and childlike magic, with the interesting shapes, textures and colors. And I adore the way the girls' hair looks.
To see more of her amazing work, check out her website.
And if you'd like to see more interesting things, from funny to inspiring, check out Lost at E Minor, an Australian based website that focuses on art and creativity of all kinds. I've come to actually really love their site, checking it several times a week. And I've signed up for their email newsletter, which has been consistently great.
And I'm off to read for a while. I may blog about this book I've been reading lately, it's pretty good.
Stay tuned...

Kim Noble, or should I say Patricia?

I've never been one to keep up with reading blogs. I get on Tumblr a lot and Twitter but, as I've said, those are a little different to me.
Anyway, I've started reading this blog on my Kindle called Phantoms and Monsters, which can be found here on blogspot. They post a lot of conspiracy theories and supernatural happenings, most of which are sent in from readers and the like.

I'm usually a pretty skeptical person but I love reading about supernatural phenomena, whether to play devil's advocate or just to see what other people think about a certain topic. It's just something I'm into.
I read this really interesting article the other day (which you can find here) about a woman, Kim Noble, that has what's called Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) or split-personality disorder.

"...a condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities or personalities (known as alter egos or alters), each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment. Each sub personality or alternate personalities have a unique set of memories, behaviors, thoughts and emotions related to each specific personality."

I must say I've really read or heard of any other people with DID, simply because I never happened to come across it, but I thought this woman's story was particularly interesting. She has a 14-year-old daughter, named Aimee and, for her, her mom is normal. So much so that she even has her favorite personalities. Kim said that it's normal for her daughter to get several presents from each of her different personalities and, she says, she has no knowledge of ever going out and buying them.
A dominant personality is pretty much what it sounds like - one of the personalities or alter egos that is, for the most part, in control. Kim's dominant personality is a woman named Patricia, she describes it like this:

"To most of the outside world I am Kim Noble, and I’ll answer to that name. But the truth is her mind shattered into fragments before she could even talk, leaving numerous alter egos to take over."

Intriguing. What would it be like, to wake up and realize that you had finished a painting that you had been working on without any knowledge or memory of doing so? In Kim (or Patricia's) life this is a normal occurrence, as one of her alter egos loves to paint. "Kim, meanwhile, is winning plaudits for her art."


"I realized that part of every personality was up there. It was the nearest thing to integration we will get."
Interesting, no?


Here's another article about Kim Noble, for the interested: Kim Noble, the Woman with 100 Personalities.