This summer, we are providing a series of scrapbook tips on improving your photography. After all, photos are the heart and soul of what we love to do.

This month, the focus is on getting those perfect fireworks photos. I know that is something I often struggle with getting right.

Without getting bogged down in too much technical jargon for those who prefer the point and click cameras, this link provides some great advice and tips. Good luck to you during the big show!

http://content.photojojo.com/photo-technique/guides/11-tips-for-sparkling-fireworks-photos/

Scraps Marketplace

A NEW EVENT! Focused on Vendors, Yard Sale and Classes

Would you like to shop with some of the best scrapbook businesses in the area? Would you like to sell some of your older, maybe duplicate, scrapbook stash? Would you like to take amazing scrapbook classes? We've created a fun one-day event to do just that! Scraps Marketplace is your home for scrapbook vendors, yard sale steals and stellar classes in the DC area!

Scraps Marketplace is a brand new venture connecting two scrapbook crop company owners: Carren Crossley from Crops Plus of Sterling, VA and Mirella Arroyo from Weekend Memories of Leesburg, VA. We saw a need to offer a new kind of event and are excited to share this event with you!

Scraps Marketplace is a vendor fair and scrapbook yard sale that will also provide scrapbook classes during a one day event. The event will be 9am - 3pm Saturday, October 3, 2015. The site for this year's Scraps Marketplace will be located at 22685 Holiday Park Drive, Dulles, VA 20166 at the Executive Conference and Training Center (ECTC). ECTC is conveniently located off of Route 28 and Route 50 in Dulles, VA, with plenty of parking for vendors and customers!

You can check out our website: Scraps Marketplace and our Facebook page. We are SO SO excited to be offering this opportunity and we hope you will join us! If you are interested in vendoring or reserving one of our limited yard sale tables, please visit our website for more information and an application.

2016 Dates Announced!

Get excited for another fun-filled year!

While we were at the crop in April, we were able to work with the new staff at the Holiday Inn to set our 2016 dates much sooner than we expected! As a result, here are our 2016 dates:

REGISTRATION FOR JANUARY 2016 AND THOSE SIGNING UP FOR ALL FIVE DATES WILL OPEN IN SEPTEMBER 2015. As usual, we will offer a 10% discount to those that register for all 4 dates and we will offer some payment plans for qualifying registrations. Stay tuned to Facebook and our newsletters for more information on when exactly the date will open.

The prices for the 2016 crops will remain the same! $250/weekend.

July Crop - Last Minute Openings!
This is your chance!

Our rare summer crop has a few seats that just opened up! If you have never had a chance to attend one of our events before, NOW is the time!

July Classes
Just a few more days to register!

Our vendors have put together some really beautiful and unique classes for the crop this weekend.

You can take the classes even if you are not a cropper! So check out the options to make your creative juices flow!

Also, get the contact information for the massage therapist to sign up early.

You can take a look at the classes and register here: http://ourcropsplus.blogspot.com/

July Grand Prize
A must have photo archiving tool!

Photos are precious, especially the heritage variety, but scanning is never easy or convenient. The perfect solution?

Doxie Go is the rechargeable, super-portable paper scanner for everyone.

Scan anywhere - no computer required

Doxie is a new kind of scanner you can take with you, with a built-in battery, memory, and Wi-Fi. No computer required - scan anywhere, then sync to Mac, PC, iPhone, & iPad.

Intuitive design and amazing software

Doxie's intuitive desktop and iOS apps make it easy to organize, create multi-page searchable PDFs, and even send to cloud apps like Evernote, OneNote, & Dropbox.

Sync scans to all your devices

Doxie scans, stores, and syncs. Send scans via USB or built-in Wi-Fi. There's two great Doxie Go models to choose from - both make it simple to scan and sync anywhere.

A $150 value, it is the Grand Prize at the July crop!

September Has a Few Openings!
Hurry to save your spot!

Our September Crops are almost always sold out. This one is no exception. However, right now, we have no wait list! If you are interested in being first in line when a spot opens up, register for the wait list now!

You can do so below

November Crop Registration Open!
NOW is the time to join!

Our November registration opened this morning. We have just a few spots left. If you have never had a chance to attend one of our events before, NOW is the time!

The crops sell out at 80 people; any registrations beyond that number will be placed on our waiting list. So be sure to jump on this opportunity early!

What's Included:

5 fully catered buffet meals, 2 snack breaks and 2 evening dessert buffets
Unlimited soda (Coke products), water and iced tea throughout the day
Candy baskets at each table
A Thank You Gift retailing for $20-$25
6x3 crop table with plenty of space around your chair
Access to amazing vendors and shopping
Access to a wonderful massage therapist (additional fee applies)
24-hour crop room availability
Door prizes every night
Grand prize drawing retailing between $150-$250
Every table grouping has access to at least two outlets (must bring your own cords and tape)
Cricut and computer station with over 35 cartridges and color printer/scanner
We try to interrupt you as little as possible to allow you to "get in the zone"

Click below to register.

Tee Shirts for Charity
Another way to give back and win prizes!

As you can tell by our website and this newsletter, we recently rebranded. New look, new logo and that means new tee shirts as well! We haven't sold tee shirts since 2011 and now is the perfect time! PLUS, wear it at a crop for the chance to win great prizes and give a little back.

We are selling these adorable v-neck tee shirts for $25. All of the proceeds will go to Bethany House, a domestic violence shelter in Northern Virginia. Bethany House was organized to help women and their children who have suffered from domestic violence regain health and dignity and become re-established in their community by providing temporary housing and support.

In 2014, we were able to donate over $600 to Bethany House!

You can choose to have the shirt shipped to you for an additional fee or you can pick it up at any one of our crops. As an added bonus, at each crop, we will have a special prize drawing for anyone caught wearing a Crops Plus shirt over the course of the weekend.

Be sure to get yours before we sell out so that you can also be eligible to win and give back to the community. You can order your shirt here: http://www.ourcropsplus.com/#!crops-plus-tee-shirts/cf9y

Note: We will have all sizes once again available at the April crop.