My musically talented boys!

Wow! I was SO impressed at my boys muscial talent. They sat down and impromptu started to play together without any practice or coordination. I'm so proud of them.

Watch this short video. Note how their timing is so "together."

New Recipe Creations

I have to go grocery shopping this weekend. Our cupboards are bare! (except for the doggy bones--there's plenty of them--ol mother hubbard!)

I spied Phillbury's new Recipe Creations and intend to look for them at the store. I sure hope to find them.

With the cooler weather settling in, I'm ready for some new dinner ideas that not only fill our stomachs, but fill the air with the smell of home.

I found an awesome new blog to add to my RSS read called The Wooden Spoon. She has some really easy family recipes on her blog.

She made these with the Recipe Creations. With bacon, onions, cheese, and eggs, they would sure be a hit at my house! Yummy!


I understand that the recipes are included within the packaging. However, you can cruise on over to the Pillsbury site to find many more!

Have fun! And don't get as distracted as I did!

New in the Forums

As promised, I am sharing what is new in the forums on my blog!

Please remember that ALL challenges in the forums are always available!
Go dig up an old one! I do not encourage you to do challenges to earn a prize, but rather do challenges to inspire you. In a scrapping rut? Go through the challenges to see if something inspires you!

Since there is only one more event for marching band, I am excited to have my weekends back for the month of November! This means you will get the old me back! Hold on for some great stuff coming out!

There are two new quote challenges up.

The Amazing Digital Scrapbooking Race will be stopping by Hummie's World in January! Isn't that fun! There is a thread up for you to find a partner for this race. Registration will begin on December 1st for three weeks, so when that is up, I'll post details. It is hosted at Natural Designs in Scrapbooking, but travels around the digiworld!

For our Designer Challenges in November and December, we will be joining three blog trains. If you like to create, but do not have a blog to be able to join a train, have missed the cutoff to join, or you just like to make quick pages with other's stuff to be able to share, join us in the forums!

We participated in Christmas Around the World last year in the forums and it was a huge success! Join us this year in this thread. Create something small or a whole kit and share. I enjoy working with Fishinmom on this one.

For the Photography Challenges, each week we are sharing our favorite photo. Won't you join us?

There is a new Themed Thursday challenge which Candy put up for "feet"....got any good photos? Join us!


Digital Scrapbooking Day is tomorrow, November 1st!
There are going to be lots of sales and challenges and chats around the digiworld!

I am not planning anything special. However, there is a thread for us to post to share so that we can attend chats together or to enable each other when we find a great deal. Let's just enjoy this day together as digibuddies. There's no sense in me adding to the voluminous stuff out there--let's just attend things together!

Have a wonderful fall weekend!

WendyZine Scraps Actions - A Free One for DSD!

Wow! What an interesting day this has been!

I have been working with Wendy of Wendyzine Scraps for about the last week or so on a new action for Photoshop Elements users.

I was SO excited about it, only to make a new discovery today that was very disheartening.

When I upgraded from PSE3 to PSE6, it was frustrating for me to see that the "global" option under drop shadows was no longer available. This option allowed me to change the angle of just one layer's drop shadow without effecting the other layers. I believe this change was made in PSE5. I was not happy when Adobe did not bring back this option in PSE7 either.

Therefore, Wendy and I worked hard together, with her creating and me testing, to create a action to allow a layer's drop shadow to be changed without effecting all layers. I was SO excited!

The action also comes in four types of styles with various distances. I really love using it and quickly got spoiled!

However, while filming the video to share how this action works, my PSE changed drop shadow layers without the action! What! I could NOT believe my eyes. Surely I did not have her work so hard to create this action for nothing! Was all this time for not? You will see in the video, if you pay close attention, that when I show that the layers' shadows move together, they actually do not (I was shocked and just sort of smoothed over it in the video).

What do I do now? I immediately called for help from others to see what their program did. Was this something that this action does just by having it installed? That would be crazy!

I tested it on my desktop where I did not have the action installed. Sure enough, I could change the layers individually there too! What! Surely I was not imagining ALL along that I could not do this and going to great length to change the angle of one layer, simplify it, and change the angles of the other layers back all this time for nothing?

Now, it appears I can change the layers individually, but not all together. Did Adobe just put out an update that changed this? I know I updated the desktop just last week and the laptop several times in past weeks. Usually when I get these updates it indicates that it is an update for RAW camera files, but maybe it was something else?

I was going to just share this news with you today and share the link to this action, when I read that other people still cannot change the layers individually. Why can I and they cannot? This is totally strange. Just totally. I think my eyes are playing tricks on me!

So, this action may make your day like it did mine if your PSE still does not change shadow layers individually. If yours is like mine, then the action is STILL cool because of the four sizes available.

Wendy sells at Scrapbook Graphics, one of the sites I spend most of my scrapping money at!

You can pickup this action for FREE for DSD! Just click here:

Shadow It {4} Angle

Simply apply your shadows (FIRST), then run this action to set the angle.

Be sure to sign up for Wendy's newsletter as the coupon at the top of this post indicates. Just e-mail Wendy at wendyzinescraps@gmail.com with the word Subscribe in the subject line. She will add you to her list and send you a FREEBIE alpha!

I have REALLY enjoyed working with Wendy. This is my first opportunity to do so and she has a great response time which shows great customer service, is uplifting, and really cares about digital scrapbookers. I would recommend checking out the other actions and products in her store, especially for DSD!

Pssst--I bet she's shocked I found her photo on another site. {Giggle!}

Video Click - Ecclesiastes

The Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes has always been a favorite worldwide. The Canadian Bible Society put this lovely scripture to Pachbel's Canon and the accompanying video.

Click here

Why did the chicken really cross the road?

After a stressful day once again, with about 4 wasted hours trying to make my desktop work (burn a DVD without the software crippling the poor old thing), I needed some down time and turned to some e-mail forwards that I usually ignore.

Can you believe that when my computer starts, it says the bios are from 1996? Really? I knew it was old, but not that old! It is my original first computer! Can you believe it? I have just continually upgraded it. I do believe it has reached its limit. It's on it's last legs. I can only give it so much love and care before its going to go blech. It is a matter of time. I just do not have the money to buy a new one.

So, here's a funny I found and it was good to get a good laugh!

****
Here we go with that chicken with the latest updates…..

According to some well known authorities...

SARAH PALIN: Before it got to the other side, I shot the chicken,
cleaned and dressed it, and had chicken burgers for lunch.

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he
recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all
the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that
little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely
qualified to ensure right from Day One! That every chicken in this
country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the
road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road,or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the
satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken. What is
your definition of chicken?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am
now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled
about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain
against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black
chickens.

DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.

O PRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken,
but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of
the road.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You
can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken
was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my
eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave
me any insider information.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a
toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not
been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road.
Somebody t old us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good
enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads
together, in peace.

BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken 2008, which will not only
cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and
balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of
eChicken 2008. This new platform is much more stable and will never
crash or need to be rebooted.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the
road move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

October Papers Freebie/Texture File in Subscriber Area

I have decided to begin offering some texture files in the Subscriber Area!

These texture files are not for commercial use, but to be utilized in playing to learn how to design papers or to use in personal layouts. For personal layouts, you may instantly create backgrounds in any matching color to your photos!

I have also included some tips on how to utilize the texture files in the Subscriber Area thread.

The first texture file was made by scanning in my own pair of jeans! Oh, I had to iron them first though! My hubby agreed that ironing and placing a pair of jeans on a scanner was a bit of an odd thing. Oh, the things us scrappers do! I should have gotten a photo of it on the scanner, huh?

I made a few papers with this first texture in the October Color Palette Designer challenge. You may find what others have done with this color palette in the thread. Why not come and join us in creating in these colors and sharing?

Download

PSE7 - Editor Shortcut

PSE7 does not have an option in the welcome screen to allow you to start in the Editor or the Organizer, thereby skipping the welcome screen.

I never understand why they do away with a good thing, except that maybe they purposefully are trying to get you to read about the new area online and sign up for it.

Here's a video that shares how to create a shortcut link to use.

I actually do this occasionally for other programs.

Coping with Stress

COPING WITH STRESS

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.

The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.
If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.

In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."

"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can."

So, my friend, Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now.
Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.

Speed Test

I've shared typing test results for other sites on my blog before. I just think it's fun to test how fast I can type. I wish I had this kind of test when I was learning at school. Does anyone else remember how we used to count how fast we typed? I won't say my memory as I want to read what you have to say first!

This is my score for the first run through of this site here. I was a bit confused at first because when I typed the whole string of words, it did nothing. You have to hit return to get more words!

How did you do?

87 words

Typingtest

Text tip for New Digital Scrapbookers

I remember back when I first started digital scrapbooking. I wondered what text size to use for my journaling. Of course, we want it to be readable.

As I shared layouts with a Yahoo Group, the feedback was that they could not read my journaling, so I began making it bigger so they could read it.

However, I learned that when I printed these layouts that were legible in galleries and e-mail, I realized that the print was too big! I have watched many people fall into the same trap over the years.

Remember, it is not important that it be easily read in galleries and e-mails and do not let comments change that. It is only important that the text size be just right when printed.

If need be, copy the text into the layout description in the area where you give credits to Designers for those that want to read your journaling.

So, what is the right size when printed? As I recall from learning to type on a manual typewriter (oh, yes!), the standard font size is 12 point. This is what I generally use for my text.

However, do remember that not all fonts produce the same size. New Times Roman and Arial in 12 point is very readable, but in other fonts, it may not be. It takes time to develop an eye for what is readable.

Do not use fancy, cool, interesting, and awesome fonts for journaling as they can make it hard to read. Save the fancy fonts for title work.

Of course, remember the design principle of contrast to make your fonts readable. A dark font on a dark background just does not work. Changing it to a lot font on a dark background make it easier to read, or vice versa. If a good contrast cannot be found with the background, put the journaling on a mat or piece of vellum that does work well.

Feel free to add your tips for newbies in the comments as we are all here to help each other be better scrappers.

1st Place!

We are SO excited! Words cannot express how important this competition is to us and how hard these band members worked to achieve this.

The ULTIMATE for a senior is to take first place at this competition as your very last time performing. What a special moment it is for my son as a senior.

Here is a photo of the drumline during the drum break. My two sons are at the front of the bass drum line in this photo.




This is what a senior does when he is excited!

I think that thing is about 30 lbs! Wow! Yes, a scrawny tall guy does have lots of muscle! Of course, it weights even more with the harness.

Hubby tried on the drum and exclaimed how difficult it was just to turn. I think he was surprised and had a whole new appreciation for what it takes to not only play the music, but march in precision, while doing G.E.'s, and making sure your maillots are always in the center of your drum.


Hey! We made the television news! I just learned they even had a police escort back into town at 1 a.m. How cool is that!

Here's something for you to watch:

Daylight Saving Time

Someone played with my tired brain this morning (not on purpose) and had me thinking that I have not changed my clocks back this morning.

This made me set out to find this really neat site about Daylight Saving Times!

Why is it I cannot seem to remember that it changes on the first Sunday in November and March? I've got it in my head that it is some kind of scientific thing chosen each year based on the stars, moon, sky, and rotation of the sun and earth. Goodness. I must not have listened in school very well that day!


Did you realize that it is incorrect to call it Daylight Savings Time?

Are you ready to change the batteries in your smoke detectors one week from today? It's best to put batteries on your shopping list today!

E-mail Notification Changes - Simplifying my Life

I have given this some great thought and I have decided to close the Yahoo Group for e-mail notifications.

To receive e-mails in your inbox, please click here to subscribe.

Of course, you can also subscribe in a reader (or in both a reader and e-mail).

E-mails that need to go out immediately (ie. chat reminders) will be through the forum, so be sure to register in the forums and check your control panel settings.

There are approximately 500 subscribers to the blog and 500 subscribers to the e-mail group (some of them the same people). It make no sense to provide different information to different people. It makes no sense to spend my time putting information in more than one place.

Therefore, I am going to be including more announcements about what is going on in my forums here on my blog and am encouraging everyone to subscribe to the e-mail notifications.

You will receive an e-mail daily with posts to my blog.

There is a thread in the forums if you have tips, suggestions, or ideas for me.

Action FX Newsletter

Action FX has a cool new free newsletter on his blog in pdf. There are video links and tutorials, as well as other tidbits.

Check it out!

He mentions in his magazine that he will have a new upcoming site called "ScrappingFX."

Be sure to look for the scrapping freebies by his new staff which he introduces in the newsletter.

There is a new Fall Flavors kit in the Subscriber Area.

I made most of these things last year when I was working on my Shutterfly Book for Costumes through the Years as a gift to my boys for Christmas. They really liked it!

I redid a few elements (like the candy trail that had a word misspelled!) and added just a few things. I wanted to make it so much better, but I was reminded that I am not as gifted in designing as teaching and have much better things to do with my time! I needed to stop stressing myself. Maybe next year I will make some add-ons to this kit as there is so much more that can be done with the theme of fall flavors.

Kit is here.



Here are a few layouts that I made last year with things that are in this kit.

Another Scrapping Cop Video

The Scrappin Cop Actions has done it again!

Wow! I LOVE...with capital letters, this one!

Thank you SO much Deb!

I did a video again so that PSE users can see how to make this action work.

I made these things during the video, so I am sharing them with you too! However, please read Deb's TOU as she does NOT allow you to share in this method as she has commercial use rules that things made with her actions be a small percentage of a kit. I am putting this in my upcoming kit called "Fall Flavors."

I'm just hoping I can get away with sharing them this way since I did the video for her! insert>Shy sheepish grin

Download

I hope this video helps those who are having trouble getting the action to work as it is so awesome you really must figure it out!

The Scrappin Cop Actions

I have a new blog that I've added to my favorites! Really, you must check out Deb with the Scrappin Cop. She's got some very creative things, including actions! Check out my video below which shows her tag action running.

What will she have in store for us next?

The Scrappin Cop Actions

Download the tag made in this video. Please read Deb's TOU's. She allows commercial use, but it must be as a small part of an entire kit. I will be adding this to my next kit.

Today's Digi-Scrapping Knock Knock Jokes

Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Value.

Value who ?

Value ever use all the digi-supplies you've downloaded?

**********
Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Water.

Water who?

Water you doing scrapping when there are dirty dishes in the sink?

************
Knock Knock!
Who's there?

Sacha !
Sacha who ?

Sacha fabulous layout! Great work!

Bible Bits - Week 10

Each Saturday, a new printable Bible Bits will be posted. Download it, print it, post it where your family gathers, talk about it, and pray about it with your family. Use it as a screen saver for the week.

Bible Bits are in this folder . Click to open the thumbnail. Under the thumbnail you will see a link entitled “get original uploaded photo.” Open that link up before right clicking to save it.



The Choice
Max Lucado

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law. Galatians 5:22-23/New Living Translation

I choose gentleness.
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle.
If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer.
If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

**************
Have you ever laid on your back and looked up through the trees? It's one of my favorite things. Those huge, strong trees feel so gentle and protective. The light sifts through them, glimmering with hope. You can hear the gentle air swaying the leaves. Ahhh....I can feel it now.

As an analogy, the strong trees could be forceful, but choose to be gentle. They allow the Light of Christ to shine through them with a glimmer of hope. They carry the sound of peace.

As Mr. Lucaco says, nothing is won by force. Sure, our armies go out and win battles, but in daily life, most battles are won by gentleness.

I recently had a situation with my son a few weeks back. Oh, goodness, did I have reason to get mad at him! I wanted to explode and administer stiff punishments! Take the car keys away! Ground him! Take his house keys away! Yep, that's what I wanted to do. It would have stopped his behavior -- yep. But I knew it would not change his direction and attitude.

I choose to leave it alone for a while. I did not even confront him with the knowledge of what he had done. I calmed myself down and prayed to God for wisdom and for the right words to say.

Weeks later, the opportunity came and, with gentleness and a calm voice, we had a talk. My gut tells me I did the right thing. He seems to be turned around for the better now.

Sometimes it is better to wait on God and let Him guide you than to be forceful. Just because as parents or in other positions we have authority, it does not mean that we have to be authoratative.

Installing Photoshop Elements Presets - Gradients, Swatches, Brushes, Patterns, and Textures

Read the written tutorial for installing Presets - Gradients, Swatches, Brushes, Patterns, and Textures here.

Installing Filters in Photoshop Elements

See this page for the written tutorial for installing filters in Photoshop Elements.

Self-installing Plug-ins in Photoshop Elements

Download the written tutorial on this page.

Please ask in the forums if you have any questions!

Funny Fonts

Dani's Delusions shared this and it really made me giggle! Pay careful attention to their costuming as it directly correlates to the font character they are playing.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Today's Digi-Scrapping Knock Knock Jokes

Knock Knock!

Who's there?
Ice Cream.
Ice cream who?

Ice cream every time my Paypal is empty and cannot buy digi-kits!


***********
Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Argue.

Argue who?

Argue going to the digi-chat tonight?

**********
Knock Knock!


Who's there?

Accordion.


Accordion who?


Accordion to the ad, November 1st is Digital Scrapbooking Day.

********
Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Wendy.

Wendy who?

Wendy mo-jo goes, it goes; Wendy mo-jo comes, I must scrap immediately.

*************
Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Butter.

Butter who?

Butter not tell you about that awesome scrapping sale you missed.

Installing Shapes in Photoshop Elements

Installing shapes in Photoshop Elements is very easy. The instructions are similar for all versions of PSE.

You can download the written tutorial here.

Photo Hunter - Family

This week's Photo Hunters theme is "family"
PhotoHunt

I snapped this photo at a family reunion in June.
The look on their faces is priceless, but I apologize, I had to face bleep it or these two would not be happy with me!


So, which family member is 8 months pregnant?

Which family member is growing our family?

Yeah, I just love this family of mine!

Today's Digi-Scrapping Knock-Knock Jokes

Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Thisle.
Thisle who?

Thisle just have to be done; I'm tired of messing with it.

***********
Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Butch.

Butch who?

Butch your finished layout in the gallery for all to see!

************

Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Icon.

Icon who?

Icon stay up as late as I want, I'm having fun scrapping.


************
Knock Knock!

Who's there?
Dime.
Dime who?

Dime to go shopping for a new kit to match my photos.

************

Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Icy.

Icy who?

Icy a "Wow" layout!

Another Pumpkin Guts Kit Freebie

Please see this post for the preview of the full kit and a few layouts which are available in my Subscriber Area.

I left this one blank for you. The text won't look as great without the glare on it, but hopefully you can find a nice way to add your own text.

Here is this freebie for a limited time!

Download

Today's Digi-Scrapping Knock Knock Jokes

Knock Knock!
Who's there?

Ali
Ali, who?

Alittle 'ol layer style, just waiting to be installed!

***

Knock Knock!
Who's there?

Police.

Police who?

Police stop spending so much time in forums and start scrapping!

**********

Knock Knock!
Who's there?

Lettuce.
Lettuce, who?

Lettuce preserve our memories in scrapbook pages!

**********
Knock Knock!
Who's there?

Toby.
Toby Who?

Toby or not to buy that new awesome scrapbooking kit!


********
Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Dot.

Dot who?

Dots a huge digi-addiction you're stuck in.

Quick Fruit Salad

Happy Boss's Day, World!

Happy birthday, my dear brother!

I am blessed to work with some great people and thank God for them.

The peoples at our office are all pitching in to bring our bosses lunch today. This is what I am bringing.

I also cut up the rest of the strawberries and grapes and made another side dish of fresh fruit to take along.

I make it often for potlucks as it usually disappears. Everyone wants to know how I made it and I'm thinking, "uh, I opened a can."

Quick Fruit Salad

1 can peach pie filling (I like to cut up the peaches more)
2 slices bananas
2 cups sliced strawberries (I usually make the slices fairly thin)
1 cup grapes, halved
1 cup blueberries (I generally just use frozen)

Stir it all up in a bowl and chill until serving.


**This is great over ice cream and/or cake too! Although I love eating it just as it is...it feels so guilty eating such good tasting fruit.

God is Always Near

God is Always Near

One thing can always cheer me
When I'm feeling sad and low
When I'm tired of daily trials
That I have to undergo,
When those who should
Seem closest, seem like
People I don't know,
One thing can always cheer me
I know that God is near me.

One thing can always cheer me
When I do not understand
How pain and sadness
In our lives
Can get so out of hand,
When the best of human efforts
Doesn't meet the days demands,
One thing can always cheer me
I know that God is always near me.

One thing can always cheer me
More than anything I've known
And show me I will never
Have to struggle on my own
For no matter what might happen
I will never be alone
The thing that will always cheer me
Is just knowing God is near me.

Our lives are in God's loving
Hands, in everything we do
He is with us constantly,
He always sees us through.
And if our faith is strong enough
We'll never walk alone,
For with His great and perfect love
He takes care of His own.

Author Unknown

Today's Digi-Scrapping Knock Knock Jokes

Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Anita!

Anita who?

Anita get these layouts to the printer!


**********
Knock Knock!

Who's there?
Ben.
Ben who?

Ben wonderin' what else to do with this layout to make it juuuust right!


***********

Knock Knock!


Who's there?
Woo.
Woo, who?

Don't get so excited, it's just an OOB.


**********
Knock Knock!

Who's there?
Annie.
Annie who?

Annie thing that's free and awesome, I download.

***********

Knock Knock!

Who's there?
Andy Green.
Andy Green, who?

Andy Green paper went perfect with my photo in this layout.

Today's Digi-Scrapping Knock-Knock Jokes

Knock Knock!

Who's there?

Norma Lee. Norma Lee who?

Normalee I don't go around knocking on doors, but do you want to get some scrapping done, or do you just want to hang out in the forums?


*********

Knock Knock!

Who's there?
Boo.
Boo, who?

Don't cry, I'm sure you'll have digi-scrapping money to spend again sometime soon!


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Knock Knock!

Who's there?
Howie.
Howie, who?

Howie gonna get all these filed organized and tagged?

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Knock Knock!


Who's there?
Anna.
Anna who?

Anna other layout just waiting to be done!

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Knock Knock!

Who's there?
Olive.
Olive who?

Olive digital scrapbooking!

They made it easier...they want my money!

Just when I was having thoughts of stashing a few hundred dollars under my mattress, just in case our government took over our banks as they did in Iceland, preventing us from getting to our own money, just so my family could still eat, I receive this in the mail.

Wow! Now I do not even have to fill out a deposit slip! I do not even have to add up my checks or count my bills! What will they teach now in high school?

I can now just stick my checks and my bills into the machine and it will scan them and add them all up for me. Amazing.

I do not even have to wait to get my cash! Isn't this the sort of thing that got us in trouble in the first place with banks making it easier for people to get loans and people over-extending themselves just because they could?

Does anyone else find warped humor in this?

Then I read this news today:
Washington Post article


I wonder how much new and better and bigger locks for my doors will cost to protect cash under the mattress?

Imagine, there will be a day when we look into the past and say "hey, remember when we had to count our money?"

Pumpkin Guts Freebie

Please see this post for the preview of the full kit and a few layouts which are available in my Subscriber Area.

Here is this freebie for a limited time!

Download

Installing Layer Styles in Photoshop Elements 7

Wow! Did this one require a lot of time! Testing xml files requires the MediaDatabase to be rebuilt each test. I had them working just fine, but more ideas required more tests. I am glad I continued to push myself because it resulted in much easier methods.

I was not able to get the xml files to work in PSE6 as I had liked them to work a year ago. I figured it out today! Whoo hooo!

Download the written pdf tutorial for installing layer styles in Photoshop Elements 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 on this page.

Pumpkin Guts Kit now in Subscriber Area!

I gave away most of this kit last year on my blog, but I have finally found time to bring it back for my Subscriber Area.

You can read how to subscribe on this page. It is only $5.50 a month and includes many freebies and over 150 video tutorials in PSE. (I don't like advertising on my blog like this, but sometimes people read and leave so quick and would never know its there!)



When I gave this kit away last year, I never gave away the individiual file of the candy corn, only the border. I drew this by hand with my mouse!

I added to the kit several individual files, each at a different angle with different highlighting, but am offering just this one here for download.

I will have a few more pieces to share over the next few days from this kit.

Download

Here are a few layouts I made using this kit.

All made with the kit.

The buttons and the frame are not in the kit, but I do not know whose they are.

Old Guy Comedy, Part 3

Here is the third part of our video debut! To see the previous parts, utilize the OldGuy label!

I have a few questions to ask him for our next recording, but could use more!

Please leave a comment of something you would like to ask OldGuy and we will see what his answer is in our next recording! It could be lots of fun, but we need your participation!

Scrapbook and Cards Magazine

Scrapbook and Cards Today has lots of pdf downloads and tons of great inspirations! Wow...a great find! Catherine and Kerry from Canada sure do know how to put together a great magazine.

I found myself being inspired even with little ideas for my own digital scrapbooking pages.

Not only can you download the magazine and past issues, but there are great finds such as this page with downloadable sketches.

The sketches are in pdf, so they can even be imported into Photoshop Elements and utilized with the magic selection tool.

Installing Actions in Photoshop Elements 7

I have a brand new page! It will host all of my tutorials for installation of plug-ins in Photoshop Elements.

I am re-writing my old tutorial for installing plug-ins (to include PSE7), which eventually became 17 pages long, but dividing it into smaller tutorials by topic.

Actions in PSE7 now has a new Guided Action Player. This player allows for actions to be grouped in sets by designers. As designers contact me to inform me that they are willing to put them in sets for us, I will be adding them to this page. Please pass the word so that Designers who create actions will now know they can do this!

If you are a designer who sells actions, please feel free to just link them up to the above page so that your customers may have the latest installation instructions rather than re-writing your own.


This video shares how to install actions in the Effects Palette on Photoshop Elements 7.



This video shares how to utilize and install actions in the new Guided Action Player in Photoshop Elements 7.



This video shares how to create xml files for grouping actions in the Effects Palette.

Bible Bits - Week 9

Each Saturday, a new printable Bible Bits will be posted. Download it, print it, post it where your family gathers, talk about it, and pray about it with your family. Use it as a screen saver for the week.

Bible Bits are in this folder . Click to open the thumbnail. Under the thumbnail you will see a link entitled “get original uploaded photo.” Open that link up before right clicking to save it.




The Choice
Max Lucado

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law. Galatians 5:22-23/New Living Translation

I choose faithfulness.
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust.
My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.


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I took the photo for our Bible Bits just this morning and felt it fit right in with today's theme of faithfulness.

Our dog, Abbie Rae, met a squirrel immediately outside of the back door first thing this morning. There is another photo which shows better how much bigger Abbie is than the little squirrel, but this one shows their noses closer together.

Sometimes I feel like this photo where problems are SO huge and I am SO small! However, God is SO much bigger than any of my problems and He can handle them all. If I just trust in Him at all times, the fruit of Spirit will be evident in that faithfulness. Others will see that I trust in the Lord. Hopefully, it will be contagious!

I also like how Mr. Lucado's writing indicates that we will shine with faithfulness in the eyes of others as the evidence of the Spirit. Others will trust me. Others will see a good character in me.

So, the analogy of the above photo could be turned around in that the squirrel would have faith in the dog not to harm him. However, with as many times as those squirrels are chased up trees by Abbie Rae, I doubt that this squirrel was worry free, but it makes a good analogy nonetheless.

I wanted to share a few more of the photos that I took, just because they are awesome shots! I believe the little guy put his tail over his body as a way to hide it. It must be some natural instinct, just as we would cover our faces with our hands from harm.

The little guy would even tuck his head as far under as he could to curl up into a little ball. He was making little whining noises.

The little guy was injured. I am not sure how badly as he was breathing fine, but he did not walk well. I am imagining he injured a leg. I'm not sure it was broke, but enough to keep him from running away.

I could not just leave him to die right outside my backdoor and neither could I move him to the backyard to let nature take its course.

So, we scooped him into a shoe box. Goodness, did he get lively then! Hubby did poke holes for air in the top of the box.

Since he was lively enough to break out of the box, we needed something heavy to put on top of the box. Hubby was just imagining the thing getting out of the box as he drove. A scared squirrel hopping about the truck was not something in his imagination that he wanted to come true.

So, I found this bag that recently came from my Grandpa's house which was really heavy with old reels of movies.

Hubby said, "Oh, great, now we are putting a cat on top of him!"

Poor guy was not happy as he peeked out the holes in the side at me. The Humane Society would not take him, but they recommended a local vet who agreed to take the little guy in.

I guess we'll never know what happened to him, but at least we tried.

I'm not sure why we didn't just put him/her back out in the yard with as annoying as these squirrels have gotten over the years, ripping apart all of my expensive cushions to make their nests nice and soft. The things we don't do. Some people would probably have had squirrel for dinner.

This week's Photo Hunters theme is "lazy"
PhotoHunt

This was an easy one for me to do! I made this layout of my son some time ago and it fit's "lazy" to a T!

Credit- Melissa Bennett's kit

Enough for Today

WARNING: Weak stomachs may cringe--if that's you, don't read further.

I started off the day very well today.
I awoke early and worked for two hours on the new tutorials for installing actions in Photoshop Elements 7.

I was so happy to be successful in figuring out the .xml files.

The old plug-ins tutorial was well on its way to being revised.

Since it was 17 pages long already, I am going to be dividing it up into about 7 different tutorials.

I plan to create a page just for these tutorials, along with videos, and some downloads. In addition, I am going to link digital scrapbookers up with designers who are willing to create actions in sets for the new Guided actions area.

Off to work I went, dinner in the crockpot, feeling good that I would be able to get the first tutorial in the series done by evening.

Then, about 11 a.m., the school nurse called.

She explained that my son had a "staple" in his figure near his knuckle and that she would not take it out because she did not want to be responsible for any additional damage to the finger or ligaments in the process. She explained the "staple" as having hooks on the end like all staples.

I asked if she thought I could just remove it, but she was fairly confident I should not try.

Upon arriving at the school, I found the biggest "staple" I had ever seen. As you can see, on one end is a hook, which is the same as the hook on the other end that went all the way through his finger to the other side.

He explained that this "metal wire" came off a box of M & M's similar in shape to a Chinese take-out box. He had taken it off of his friend's box between classes in the hallway when someone bumped into him. He has no idea how it got into his finger.

He said he immediately pulled on it to get it out, when it bounced back and pushed the skin out on the other side. That was when he realized it he had better go to the nurse's office.

The x-ray was amazing and I wish I had snapped a shot of it.

Here we were, typical people of this day and age, trying to get a good photo of it with our cell phones. I've decided cell phones do not take good photos, especially macros.

Of course, a team of people had to observe it at the doctor's office and watch the removal of it. It really is not quite like something you see every day.

When they put the numbing shot into his finger, my son was exclaiming "oh, cool," as the skin swelled upwards.

Thankfully, all is well tonight. He went back to school and stayed for band practice, but did not play. Hopefully, he can play at tomorrow night's football game okay and, more importantly, the competition on Saturday.

After another late night at the office (dealing with people whose lives really are more messed up than mine), I was too demotivated to work on my tutorial again. It seems I fail on my goals lately more than I achieve them.

Although I was calm and unstressed during the whole event (really, I was), something about it still drained me. I'm not as young as I used to be.

Enough for today. Tomorrow is another day.

Is everyone's life like this.... or just a few of us? I really feel like my life is just one attack after another. There is always something wrong going on. I don't create the situations. I just exist and they bombard at me.

God promises me not to give me more than I can handle, but I sure think He thinks I can handle a lot.

Since June our relatively healthy family has run the gamut of medical expenses. From an ambulance ride, to 19 days of sickness, to a nearly broken foot, to major heart testing, to strange metal objects in fingers.

I'm not sure how we are ever supposed to get ahead financially when things always come at us. We've well past the family deductible. The car broke down last week.....

.....well...there's so much stuff every single week of my life...it's not worth my time to list....I'm just being a complainer. I'm just having a pity party. Don't worry, I'll leave the party soon. I always do.

Freebie

Last one! I hope you've enjoyed all these freebies over the last month!

Time to move onto something new.

Download

OldGuy Scene 2

To see Scene 1 and read more about this video, click here.

Don't forget to leave a comment with a question to ask him for the next recording! It can be anything --serious or silly.

Thanks for all the positive feedback from Scene 1!

I giggle everytime I watch this!

Freebie

I particularly like this word art and think it is going to go well with a marching band layout.

Only one more freebie with this kit--stay tuned for tomorrow -- see previous post for preview of entire kit.

Download