This month's newsletter is about popsicle stick bridges, a suprisingly popular topic and digital scrapbookoing, my latest project.

If you need some Valentine's Day craft ideas, visit Holiday Crafts.

And remember spring is not that far away.

Eileen

Popsicle Stick Engineering

Thanks to John of North Carolina for this notice.

You’ve got three weeks left to register and complete your bridge. Or maybe, you’d prefer to be a spectator.

It’s pretty amazing to see what can be accomplished with such simple materials.

I just came across your popsicle stick bridge article.

The third week in February is National Engineers Week, nationwide.

Many of the Engineers Societies do various projects to create a desire to learn more about the field of engineering.

We've had a Popsicle stick bridge contest every year. The kids really get a kick out of it, plus we award cash prizes.

Our span has a 24", 500 gm limit; Elmer’s Glue, no paint and no bumps in roadway. A "car" 2"x2"x4" must pass through it. There are some other rules.

Two years ago we had a sixth grade girl's bridge take 350 lbs to break. It might have taken more but the pull chain shackle popped open.

Click here for more information.

I belong to the North Carolina Chapter 082 of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

John

I Finished My Homework; Can I Go Play?

I just completed an assignment from ScrapGirls.

Yes really! They asked me to submit my story for their “Way Cool Scrap Girl” weekly column. I’ll let you know if it gets published. I’m so excited.

You may have heard me rave about Scrap Girls before. I get their free newsletter , which has just gone daily (from three times a week).

The newsletter is chock full of wonderful designs, free downloads, tutorials, and warm thoughts (Ro’s Muses).

The world needs more Scrap Girls.

Fewer news journalists, more Scrap Girls. That’s the way I see it. It would be a better place.

Scrap Girls stuck with me for months, continuing to send me the free newsletter, while I dithered over whether to take the plunge and order some of their products.

That gave me time and incentive to read and learn about some of the amazing digital techniques that are displayed in every newsletter and on their website.

I also downloaded a few of the freebies that are offered with each newsletter. When I finally went to order, I got everything I needed for a little over $10. Every tool came with clear instructions that even a beginner can follow.

I don’t know how they do it all and still make money; but I love ‘em!

I finished my homework; can I go play – with my Scrap Girls toys?

Reader Letter of the Month

This letter from a subscriber to The Artful Crafter Digest really made my day; so I just gotta share it. Apparently Patricia hit the wrong button and inadvertently unsubscribed herself! When she realized her mistake, she sent me this lovely note.

Dear Eileen:

First of all Happy Birthday

I have been having a problem with this site all day. And now night ... I DO NOT want to cancel your site.

I think it’s great and love everything about it! ... I am in the process of changing careers and need you very much at this time. Please do not cancel my subscription.

My background is art and I have been restoring porcelain, plaster and crystal for ten years ... would like to do some crafting and hopefully sell to small boutiques and such. I was also thinking of designing wall murals.

I have tried jewelry and so has everyone else [For more on that, read my blogs on jewelry trends starting December 31st.] ... so many crafts so little time ... HAHA

Once again Happy Birthday and I too will be 61 this month. So good to hear and have you encourage women like myself to create. ... Love you and your website ...God keep you well!

Patricia

Honestly, aren’t crafters just the nicest people?!

Where Did All My Paragraphs Go?

If you are reading this newsletter using Micrrosoft's Internet Explorer browser, you probably think I don’t know how to paragraph. Believe me, I do!

It frustrates me no end to review the newsletter after publishing using my various browsers. Month after month, I find that Internet Explorer has stripped out all the paragraph breaks. I believe this is confined to version 7.0. I have tried to corrext this many times with no success.

So, I apologize for the look to all of you Internet Explorer users; however the content is the same. Just try to imagine the paragraph breaks and lots of white space.

OR … if it really annoys you (as it does me), try reading the newsletter using another browser like Netscape or or Opera, all of which are available for free downloads.