National Scrapbook Day, often referred to as NSD or International Scrapbook Day (iNSD), is a significant annual event for the scrapbooking community. In 2015, numerous digital designers, online shops, and industry blogs participated by releasing free digital products, hosting sales, and organizing online events. These offers typically included downloadable templates, digital paper kits, embellishments, and instructional content designed to help enthusiasts celebrate the occasion without cost. The following guide details the specific freebies and promotional activities available during the 2015 National Scrapbook Day celebrations based on verified sources from that period.
Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Blog Hops
One of the primary methods for obtaining free digital content during National Scrapbook Day is through blog hops. These events involve a coordinated effort by multiple designers who each release a portion of a larger kit. To obtain the full kit, participants must visit each designer's blog or website to download the individual components.
In 2015, The Lilypad (TLP) organized a "Snapshots" blog hop to help scrapbookers prepare for the holiday. Participants could follow the hop to receive a free kit. The freebies for Part 1 of this event were available only through May 2nd at 11:59 pm EST. Following the initial release, the kits "Snapshots: The Stories" and "Snapshots: The Moments" were offered as Free with Purchase kits during the {inter}National Scrapbooking Day celebrations, which ran from May 4th through May 7th.
Similarly, Kate Hadfield Designs participated in The Lilypad’s "Life is an Adventure" Blog Hop. Designers provided free gifts, and participants could collect all pieces of a huge collaboration kit by hopping through all the stops. This type of event encourages cross-promotion and provides users with a comprehensive set of coordinating digital assets at no charge.
Free Templates and Tutorials
For users interested in digital scrapbooking but unsure where to start, several designers offered free templates and instructional videos in 2015.
Cathy Zielske released a free template set to celebrate International Scrapbook Day. This package included a 12x12 template, an 8.5x11 template, and a 3x4 Project Life card file. The files were available in PNG, PDF, and layered PSD formats to accommodate different software preferences. For beginners, Zielske also provided a 20-minute video tutorial covering the basics of creating a digital layout using Photoshop Elements, effectively offering a free mini-class. The template utilized a free font called PT Sans, and a link for downloading the font was provided.
In addition to templates, designers like Kate Hadfield offered specific freebies such as "doodled frame templates" available in the shop. These small assets were intended to add a hand-drawn aesthetic to user projects.
Free Digital Magazines and Inspiration
Scrapbook Generation offered a free source of inspiration through their "Create Magazine." The May 2015 issue was highlighted as a valuable resource for scrapbooking and card-making ideas. The magazine was published every other month and featured projects from the design team, including sneak peeks of layouts created with specific product collections (such as Elle's Studio Cienna and Jillibean Soup Birthday Bisque).
While the magazine itself was free, it also served as a promotional vehicle for manufacturers. In May 2015, the magazine featured Paper House Productions and My Favorite Things. To coincide with this feature, Scrapbook Generation offered a 10% discount on all items from these two manufacturers, valid through May 22, 2015.
Sales and Storewide Promotions
In addition to direct freebies, National Scrapbook Day 2015 was marked by significant sales events at major digital scrapbooking retailers.
Kate Hadfield Designs ran a storewide sale offering 30% off everything in the shop. This sale ran through Monday, May 5th, and required no coupon code. The sale coincided with the release of new products that were part of The Lilypad’s May Build Your Own Collection (BYOC). The designer explicitly noted that the sale was a great time to purchase doodles and other digital assets.
The Lilypad also facilitated a 30% off sale on everything in the shop through Monday, May 9th, with no coupon code necessary. This sale was positioned as part of the iNSD celebrations, allowing users to stock up on digital supplies while taking advantage of the holiday discounts.
Challenges and Community Events
Beyond downloadable files, the 2015 National Scrapbook Day events included community engagement activities such as challenges and contests.
Scrapping with Liz mentioned that the Snapshots blog hop was part of a broader set of fun challenges, crops, and activities designed to help scrapbookers "get their scrap on." While specific details on all challenges were not provided in the source data, the presence of these activities suggests a focus on active participation rather than passive consumption of freebies.
Scrapbook Expo also hosted giveaways related to the holiday. In one instance, they gave away a Mystery Prize Box and two admission passes to a Scrapbook Expo event of the winner's choice. Another giveaway offered a Hotel + Crop Special for the 2015 San Diego Scrapbook Expo. These giveaways required participants to leave comments on blog posts specifying which event they wished to attend, creating an interactive element to the celebration.
Summary of 2015 Offers
The 2015 National Scrapbook Day landscape provided a mix of immediate free downloads and time-sensitive promotional offers:
- Immediate Freebies: Blog hop kits (The Lilypad, Kate Hadfield), template sets (Cathy Zielske), frame templates (Kate Hadfield), and digital magazines (Scrapbook Generation).
- Time-Sensitive Freebies: Free with Purchase kits available only during the May 4-7 celebration window.
- Sales: Storewide discounts of 30% at major digital shops (Kate Hadfield Designs, The Lilypad) and targeted discounts (10% off specific manufacturers at Scrapbook Generation).
- Community Events: Blog hops, challenges, and physical event giveaways (Scrapbook Expo).
These offers were primarily concentrated in the digital scrapbooking sphere, focusing on downloadable content and online shop promotions. The availability of free educational content, such as video tutorials, further supported the community by lowering the barrier to entry for digital crafting.
Conclusion
National Scrapbook Day 2015 offered a diverse array of free digital resources and promotional opportunities for the scrapbooking community. Through blog hops, designers released coordinated collaboration kits, while individual artists provided free templates and tutorials to assist with digital layout creation. Retailers supplemented these freebies with significant storewide sales, allowing enthusiasts to expand their digital libraries at a reduced cost. Additionally, community-focused events such as challenges and giveaways fostered engagement during the holiday period. For U.S. consumers and deal seekers, the event highlighted the value of participating in online crafting communities to access high-quality free assets and limited-time discounts.