Not registered? Join now!

March is the month where you will be celebrating all things green and Irish. St Patrick's day is a celebration close to my own heart as I live in Northern Ireland, and although not quite Ireland its as close as you can get.

This month is a month of change for Graphic Central. There has been a clean up of hosts and anyone who hasn't posted on their forum for 30 days has been automatically removed. As sad as that is it makes the way for new hosts who have new ideas for our forums. If you find you have been removed in the host clean up and you want your old job back then just ask the ACD (Marg) or the CD (crisantemo) and we will see what we can do. We have decided to try to get the newsletter going again as it had fallen by the wayside the last few months. It would be good if anyone had some new great ideas for future newsletters or things we can do at GC,
if you do please contact the ACD or CD.

I would like to take this opportunity to officially announce that Margarita is our new ACD to Graphic Central. Margarita is no stranger to GC she already knows the ropes and I am absolutely sure she has already settled in well to her new role.

Also new to hosting at GC, Jaden. Jaden has been posting on the photography forums Photography board
for some time so you already know her. I know Jaden will do a great job.

Other changes include Heather looking after the digital scrap booking forum Digial Scrapbooking board and Margarita on the glitter board Glitter Names board.
Both these forums are quiet so the girls would really appreciate you popping in to say hello.



Here is your Get-To-Know-You question this month to be answered by all hosts on the Community Leaders board. Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day and if so, what special things do you do?




Earn points. Win prizes.

It sounds easy because it is! You can earn points to win fabulous prizes -- like movie and TV show DVDs, CDs, gift cards, books, calendars, planners, beauty products, magazine subscriptions and much more -- by becoming a Points & Prizes member!

Want to know more?

Here's how it works:

Get free points by visiting web sites
You'll have lots of chances to find point codes throughout our partners' web sites. You can pick up even more points by subscribing to and reading email newsletters, entering contests and doing other easy, everyday things.

Redeem your points for a variety of prizes
Our prize box is regularly updated with all kinds of new goodies you can "buy" with your points. See what cool prizes are available in our Prize box

It's free to join, and registration is fast and easy. Sign up here!
Ok, so where's the fine print? Read the rules.

Don't forget to visit our very own Points & Prizes chat forum and collect even more points.



Each month, the Scrapbooking Forum will be having a challenge that is open to everyone. Just visit the board here the first few days of the month to grab the free kit or template and show us how talented you are! The new board host, MomsLilGal03, Heather, is going to be posting lots of freebies each month, so check in regularly. The winner of the challenge will receive a customized tag for your siggy that says you won that month's challenge. Here is a link to the March Scrapbook Challenge at SK. March Scrapbook Challenge



We will be offering one or two new glitter siggy snags every month on the Glitter Board here. So drop on by each month to see what we have offered to brighten up your signature.





March 1 - National Pig Day, Peanut Butter Lover's Day, Share a Smile Day
March 2 - Read Across America Day
March 3 - National Anthem Day
March 8 - Fat Tuesday
March 11 - Johnny Appleseed Day
March 12 - Girl Scout Day
March 13 - Daylight Savings Time begins, Good Samaritan Day
March 14 - Commonwealth Day, Pi Day
March 15 - Absolutely Incredible Kid Day, Ides of March begins
March 17 - St. Patrick's Day
March 19 - Purim begins at sundown
March 20 - First Day of Spring
March 21 - Children's Poetry Day, National Teen-Agers Day, Single Parents' Day
March 22 - National Goof Off Day, National Sing-Out Day
March 23 - Toast Day
March 26 - Make Up Your Own Holiday Day
March 30 - Doctor's Day
March 31 - Tater Day

Special Goings-On
American Red Cross Month
Music in Our Schools Month
National Craft Month
National Drug & Alcohol Awareness Week (1st Week)
National Umbrella Month
National Frozen Food Month
National Noodle Month
National Nutrition Month
National Peanut Month
National Sauce Month
National Women's History Month
Youth Art Month







Here's what little leprechauns look forward to on St. Patrick's Day: a magical snack that can add color to the grayest March afternoon.
Pot of gold not included.

Ingredients

* White cake mix (we used an 18-1/4-ounce box)
* Food coloring (red, blue, green, and yellow)
* Baking cups
* Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare your favorite white cake mix, then divide the batter evenly among six small bowls. Following the chart below, dye each bowl of batter a rainbow color.

RAINBOW COLOR DROPS OF FOOD COLORING
Purple 9 red and 6 blue drops
Blue 12 drops
Green 12 drops
Yellow 12 drops
Orange 12 yellow and 4 red drops
Red 18 drops


2. Line 16 muffin pan wells with baking cups. Evenly distribute the purple batter among the cups, then the blue, and so on, following the order shown. As you go, gently spread each layer of batter with the back of a spoon to cover the color underneath.

3. Bake the cupcakes according to your recipe directions. Before serving, remove the paper wrapping, and if you like, top each cupcake with a whipped-cream cloud.






Even if you can't catch a leprechaun this March 17th, you can still make one.

Materials

* Toilet paper tube
* Green craft foam
* Acrylic paints: green, skin-tone, pink, and brown
* Black permanent marker
* Tacky glue
* 4 brown pipe cleaners
* Decorative button



Instructions

1. Wee Leprechaun - Step 1 For this crafty little decoration, first trace around the end of a toilet paper tube onto a piece of green craft foam.

2.Wee Leprechaun - Step 2 Draw a 2 1/2-inch circle around the first circle, then cut them both out to create a hat top and brim and set them aside.

3. Wee Leprechaun - Step 3 Next, using acrylic paints, paint the paper tube green. Add a skin-tone face and hands, plus rosy cheeks, as well as a band of brown paint around the back for hair.


4.Once the paint has dried, use a permanent marker to draw on facial and clothing details, then use tacky glue to stick on 3 coiled brown pipe cleaners: 2 in the back for hair and 1 around the face for a beard. For feet, fold another pipe cleaner in half, then tightly coil and pinch the ends, as shown.


5. Place the folded pipe cleaner inside the tube and glue the feet to the edge. Glue on the hat top and brim and a 5 1/2- by 1/2-inch strip of craft foam for arms.

6.Finally, glue a decorative button to the hat brim.



If you have any questions or concerns about anything here at Graphic Central, we are always available by email, private message, or you can even post here!.

Community Director - Amanda, (crisantemo) at amandamcwhinney@aol.com
Asst. Community Director - Marg (Margarita) at signesmom@yahoo.com