More Polka Dots

I am trying SO hard to get well! Fifteen days now of these swollen lymph nodes and ear pain is really getting me emotionally down.

I am patiently waiting for the steroids and antibiotics that the doctor gave me today to take effect.

Meanwhile, I recorded an additional video on making polka dots to expand the learning a bit. The video can be found in the Subscriber Area. In making the video, I made these papers which will coordinate with an upcoming "potty" kit.

You can find others' contributions in this same color palette in the forums here. You'd better go take a peek as they did a great work!

Download

Making Polka Dot Papers, Baby Shower Ideas, and a Freebie

I had a lot of fun at my neice's baby shower. I'd like to share with you!

First, I made some polka dot papers in Photoshop Elements and printed them out on thin inexpensive photo papers with my borderless printer. I was so impressed with out they turned out! I may just have to do this again in the future on other crafts.

Next, I had taken a photo of her with her hands in a heart on her belly. I filled the heart area with polka dots and cut the photo into a heart shape. I saved it as a .png file and printed it out on multiples per page.

I cut the paper into strips and glued them, along with the hearts, so that they slipped over water bottles as labels. It was fun to do girlie crafts for a change since I have all these boys in my house.

I took the "baby" word art that I had made for the invitations and used an Atomic Cupcake action on it to make stickers. I cut them out and glued them to a circle which was then glued to a party stick and stuck into cupcakes. I made white cupcakes with strawberry icing and then simple brownie cupcakes.

I took the leftover cuttings and prints to make a calendar for the guests to write down their guesses on when the baby would be born.

My party planning partner made this scrumptious no sugar angel food cake. The filling is whipped cream with no sugar pudding mix fluffed into it.

She also brought these cute napkins. How simple is that to make something so "wow." She also brought other foods and decorated the gift table, but I think I've shared too many photos already. We all had a great time!

I made a video tutorial to share how I made these polka dot papers in Photoshop Elements. You can find it in the Subscriber Area (which has over 125 videos currently available for only $5.50 a month).

This freebie is also in the Subscriber Area. However, I am offering it here on the blog for a limited time, just as always! I included the sticker as well as a paper made with the sticker. I found it to be cute as a background as well as to cut out for cupcake decorations.

Click here.

Honoring Grandpa Kit (Freebie)

This post was originally posted on July 4, 2007.

I am reposting it to let you know that this kit has now been added as a freebie to all that are subscribed to the Subscriber Area of my site. To become a subscriber to see all of my videos for $5.50 per month. This is my first addition to the freebie section in the Subscriber Area, but I do plan on adding more quickly and, thereafter, shutting down my store.

I am combining the Themed Thursday this week with a freebie to celebrate the 4th of July and to honor my Grandpa who passed away this year.

{edit} Themed Thursday challenges are now in the forums. You can find this one here.

This is a layout I made with my freebie kit. I have studied several photos of Grandpa in uniform and because he has no medals or other insignia on his uniform in these photos, I believe these photos to be the ones taken before he left for WWII. Grandpa was in Patton's Army, in the Battle of the Bulge, and made it all the way to the wall before his legs froze. I like the quote I found as it seems applicable to how brave he must have been heading out.

Quote on Layout: "The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding go out to meet it." Thucydides



Claudette made some freebies with the kit. Read the post about it here.

If you use my kit, please do share with me your layout. I love warm fuzzies!

The frames in this kit and several other elements were made from the photos above, so they are authentic of the time period. Credit: Atomic Cupcake actions.

Converting Templates - Square to Rectangle

I have been asked many times how to convert a square template (which is what is most offered in the digiworld) to a rectangle template.


I have finally done a quick video to share with you. You may be surprised how easy this is to accomplish.

These are the newest templates of my digibuddy, Sarah.

You can download them here.

Here's the video! I apologize in advance if my coughing hurts your ears.

Template #43

Template #43 is now up for free in the Subscriber area!

It utilizes the same techniques as shared in yesterday’s video for clear text on the speaking bubbles.





I am anxious to see what you can do with this one. It has so much more potential that what I did with it.

In honor of....

In honor of my readers, all those who have accidentally appeared in my recent videos, and all those who are active in my forums, here are some freebie glitter stars!

Download here.

Template #42

Template #42 is available for download in the forums. There's a great template prize by Lisa available for one person to win, so I look forward to seeing your layouts!

May Designer Challenge Freebie

Here is my contribution for the May Color Palette Designer challenge.

You can find some other awesome contributions in the forum threads! Be sure to go through the chatty posts to find them!

Download Freebie

Sentimental Sappy Day, Freebie, and Filter Challenge

I've begun my sentimental sappy mom day! My baby is 21 and I am sure he won't appreciate me getting all sentimental and sappy, but maybe those that like freebies will because I made one especially to celebrate this moment.

Download Freebie



I tend to take these moments and wallow in them. It is amazing what digital scrapbooking does to help me through those 'oh so emotional moments. I have always said it is good therapy. Scrapping those good moments with those bad moments is healing. I had fun digging out an old photo and crying over it as I scrapped.

Credits on this layout other than my freebie go to Flergs Denim Blues. I recently purchased a few of her kits and I am really enjoying them.

With this layout, I am encouraging you to use a the Underpainting Filter in a layout. Join the challenge here. I simply made a selection of the photo and hit Control J to put it on its own layer. I ran the filter on the copied selection and added a drop shadow.It provided a perfect area to add a title and created a simple artisticness to the layout.

To understand how the Underpainting Filter works, one must first reflect on oil painting techniques with a brush on canvass.



When an artist paints on canvass, after making the general outlines, they create the underpainting, which in effect is simple large areas of general color. Thereafter they paint in the details.

To change the brush size, you change the size of the large areas of general color. The next slider in the filter changes the "texture coverage" and I would recommend just playing with it to watch what it does. To me, it appears to change the amount of area that the texture of the canvas shows through.

The last options on this filter are the same as in the texturizer filter. Although oil painters often painted on canvas, you may choose any texture, even those you have created yourself and loaded. Change the scaling, relief, and direction of light as you do in the texturizer filter.


So, I asked for permission in the forums yesterday to be sentimental and sappy. Of course, the ladies were so fun and friendly and granted me permission, followed by yet another food discussion....yep! What better way to wallow in one's sappyness than to enjoy sappy syrup!

I found that quite funny as I had already planned on having Texas Toast for dinner last night.

I am curious, do people in Texas think of this as Texas Toast? Or is the rest of the country just odd for calling it that?

I am also curious as to how you make your Texas Toast?

I purchase the bread called "Texas Toast" as it is thick, but it does work with regular bread also.

I crack eggs in a bowl and beat them with a fork with salt, pepper, dried mustard, and milk, just as I would for scrambled eggs. Thereafter, I soak the bread in the egg mixture, turning to soak both sides, before frying it in a pan like a pancake.

I would love to hear how you make yours! I find this a bit humerous as the last time I talked about egg salad, oh...I mean eggsalas, the power of suggestion was effective!

Have a wonderful beautiful day on me! Enjoy! ....and I look forward to your comments, as always!

Diamond Metal Freebie and Video Tutorial

Here is newest Designer Element Challenge! You can download my freebie and watch the video for how I made the papers and elements in Photoshop Elements.

Thereafter, create your own and share! I am looking forward to your participation and seeing what types of elements you come up with to create with this challenge.

See the forum for the freebie and video.

Here is template Challenge #41! It is available in both RECTANGLE and SQUARE in the forums.














Here is my layout. I made this for the Photos Done Many Ways Challenge with Sarah's photos. This is Jessica Bolton's Pastachi kit which I got on NSD.












Here is the prize! A template generously donated by Annabelle! Isn't she sweet to help me in this way?

Journal Tabs Freebie & Gradient Technique Challenge

/There is always something going on in the forums,but I often forget to post here. There is a new technique challenge which is a simple one to go with the new gradient tutorial. I plan to continue to post gradient technique challenges and to continue to up the skill level with each one.

I look forward to seeing what you can do with these freebie journal tabs! There is a video that shows how to use them also. You must be logged in to see the video and get the freebie.

Come along and play with us!

Drop Shadows on Opaque Elements

I have had quite a few people in various places request more information from me regarding Jessica Sprague's tutorial for adding drop shadows to acrylic elements for digital scrapbooking. It seem to be a popular hit with everyone! Isn't Jessica awesome?

The tutorial looks more complicated than it is. I was asked regarding an old technique I shared several years ago and it does, and yet does not, work for the acrylic elements as it does for the vellum elements.

Watch the videos to learn more.








You can download the arrows by clicking here.

Freebie Template #40

Can you believe I have made 40 of these already?

The freebie can be found in the forums, but you must be registered and logged in (if you are new, you need to activate after registation through e-mail).

If you make a layout with this template, please share in the forums. There is a prize for one winner!

Soggy Spring

I don't know where my weekend went? What did I do? I have to think?

Yesterday I guess I got some work done around the site and put up some new challenges. Oh, I did the clipping mask tutorial in video format for Photoshop Elements.

I spent time Saturday with my Little; we went out to eat and saw raptors at a presentation. The Eagle up close was awesome! I spent some time car hunting with hubby as he wants a more economical car than his old truck. Grocery shopping finished off my day and nearly wiped me out.

Today I just wanted to be home. I spent a little more time checking out chatroom software and finally took the plunge and spent a lot of money on one. I'm waiting for people in China to wake up and see the payment and send me the license so I can set it up. I thought I was going to be spending time today working on setup myself, but didn't realize I'd have to wait after making a purchase.

So, instead, I made some yummy white chili and worked on the designer color palette challenge in the forum.

I also worked a short while helping one son with FAFSA and a longer while helping the another son complete his first taxes. I almost forget he had to do his too. Did you know that here in Missouri we have been granted an extension to get our taxes done because we were declared a federal disaster area due to all the ice storms and/or flooding? It was quite a shock and seems like the news has been quiet about it.

By the way, we also had the other half of the tree that fell during the ice storm and another tree cut down last week. I'm behind on my blogging! We now have no more maple trees in the front yard and the view out the kitchen window is hard to get used to. The service cutting the trees down did a good job, but they frustrated us by not communicating well. It's hard to take off work when needed when they don't come with they say they will or leave in the middle of a project because they have forgetten a doctor's appointment. It was, needless to say, very stressful for me.

Can you believe that after we spent nearly $400 on just a new themostat (yeah, we were gipped), it wasn't working? We were getting cold once again and had to have a weekend call to the place (which costs more) to have yet once again another temporary themostat put in. Sigh. They had better not charge us for the service call for something they installed that didn't work right. So, we have to once again miss work on Monday to have another new one installed.

Last week the Bridal's Wreath was blooming. It looks so pretty.

I sure wish all this rain would stop. We've had a crazy amount of rain and storms in recent weeks--more than I ever remember before. First all the ice storms and now all the rain. What's up with our weather? It's a little scary to think about what the cause might be.






Have you found the Soggy Spring color palette challenge yet?

There are a whole bunch of freebies from all the ladies! Feel free to join us in making and sharing or just find some great things for your pages, but please do remember to thank the ladies for their hard work.

I know many of them put many hours into their creations.

You can find the thread here.

Template Freebie 39

It has been a while since I've found the time to post a new template challenge. Are you ready?

This one is a little special to me. Do you want to know why? Read more and download in both SQUARE and RECTANGLE in the forums. You must be logged in.

Brushed Metal Video Tutorial in Photoshop Elements

I have a new video tutorial for making brushed metal papers, as well as text and a basic element in Photoshop Elements.

The video and freebies are available for a limited time in the main forum and thereafter will be available only in the Subscriber area. You must be logged in to see them.

I look forward to seeing what you can do with this and what you have to share. If you do not want to try your hand at designing, you may want to check back to the forum later to see if anyone else has shared freebies also.

Freebie Arrow

I am trying to find time to work on my next kit with a driving theme. I thought I would share a piece of the upcoming kit with you.

Click to download.

Corkboard Video Tutorial in Photoshop Elements

Did everyone have a nice weekend?

I was excited on Friday when my youngest passed his driver's test. I NEVER have to go back to that place again! I so do not like the stress of waiting and praying while anticipating whether or not they passed and whether or not I have to push them to study or practice and come back again.

I'm excited! I'm inspired to make another kit for driving and hope to have it done this week. Here is a layout with parts of the kit I have already begun to create.






I made a video tutorial on how to make corkboard in Photoshop Elements.

The tutorial also show you how to make corkboard elements.

There is also a free download which includes a corkboard background, frame, tack, and little car, but you have to be logged in.

Thank you for all the kind comments on my last freebie. I don't think I've ever gotten so many direct comments on my blog (I do get some on 4shared when I use it). It really helps me to keep going at providing freebies.

Off to start another work week. I am still waiting for more signs of Spring. There is frost on my windshield yet again this morning. Poor Daffodils are trying to sing and the weather isn't cooperating.

Have a blessed Easter

I am still trying to get layouts done from 2006 and just finished Easter! I only have 6 more events to finish and I SO want to get the done.

I wanted to give my readers something nice to celebrate the risen Lord, so I took the opportunity to create some elements while creating my layout that I could share with you. It took me over two hours to make that silly egg! I created it from scratch with gradients and noise and filters, and such, and had a nice looking egg going on, but I couldn't get the realistic texture. So I scanned an egg (yes, only crazy people like me will be spending their Saturday morning trying to scan an egg). I played with that for a while to no avail. So, I got out the camera and, yes! Finally some texture to work with to blend into my egg I already had created from scratch. I sure hope you like it. I spent way to much time on it. Booo-yah!

The word art was a last minute addition and I kind of like it. Don't you?
Download here. (leave comments here though--it's sad not getting hardly any)