New Blog Header

For some reason, I really enjoy making blog headers, so I made a new one tonight.

Credits: Techno flirty papers
Ribbon and stitching from Shabby Sundress Collection the Elements
Jewelry tags and jump ring from Fresh Delights
All above by Eve Recinella of Sweet Shoppe Designs
Painted wood alpha by Samara Gugler of Digital Scrapbook Place
Messy box alpha by Tamra Burwick of The DigiChick
Folded corner template by Karah Fredricks of The DigiChick

New Blog Header

I hadn't changed my blog header in quite awhile, so I just did it. I used It's a Spring Thing and Scratch n Stamp Alpha by Eve Recinella.

New Blog Header

I love changing my header every so often. And Marmelade is one of my very favorite kits from Eve Recinella. So it only makes sense that I should have a header with that kit. The cardboard is from Enjoy Life, also by Eve, and the alpha that spells out CAT is from Punky Girl by Lauren Grier.

Creative Teams

I'm back to being on one Creative Team again. Lauren's needs have changed, and I wasn't sure I could give her what she needs, so we agreed that I would leave her team. I'm ok with that, and she seems to be too, so it's fine. I still love her designs, and I wish her all the best!

And now I can really devote my energies to Eve Recinella's team. Honestly, I really don't know how people do it who are an several teams at once. I obviously don't scrap as much as a lot of people do - I quilt and embroider and do other stuff too, so I've learned that one team is enough for me.

Submission for Publication

I just finished a new layout today, but I can't share it yet. I submitted it for possible publication in a new Blueprint Layouts book. I used some of our Christmas photos and a sketch from Blue Media (the publisher of the book). They put up a new sketch or two each month and take submissions until the end of the month, so I should know whether they want my layout sometime next month. I have a feeling that they get LOTS of submissions, so we'll see - I'm not extremely hopeful. But it would be really cool if I get the layout published.

In other news, I had a birthday yesterday. My DH gave me a couple of books I'd been wanting, my DS and his fiancee gave me some new teas I'd never tried before, and my mom gave me a check and took us out to dinner. So all in all, it was a good day. Oh, and I'm playing with a full deck now (meaning I'm 52!).

New Blog Header

I finished a new header tonight. Used Jack Frost Kit by Eve Recinella, the notebook paper scrap is from Girl Notes by Lauren Grier, and the font is Cheryl (you gotta love a font with your own name, huh?).

Published!

I've had 3 layouts accepted for publication! I'm really excited about this. They will be published in Ready, Set, Create, which is the magazine I was published in a few months back. And good things seem to come in 3's, since I had 3 accepted last time too. These are layouts of my cat, Lucky. I've removed the posts of them from here until after the publication date of the magazine.

Eve Recinella Designs

One of my favorite digital designers is Eve Recinella. I have read her blog for quite awhile. She recently opened her own shop, Eve Recinella Designs. Then last Friday, she debuted at Sweet Shoppe Designs. Well, Lauren Grier also sells at Sweet Shoppe Designs, so I asked Lauren on Tuesday if she could talk to Eve and tell her how much I would love to be on her Creative Team. On Wednesday, I got an email from Eve, asking if I was interested in being on her team.

WOOHOO!! I am now on Eve Recinella's Creative Team! I worked on a layout for her just today. I'm not quite finished with it, but I'll post as soon as I'm done with it.

Sale at Katie the Scrapbook Lady

I read several scrapbooker's blogs, and one of my favorites is Katie the Scrapbook Lady. I love her products, and she's having a sale. If you click on the ad below, you will be taken to her shop. Have fun shopping!

New Blog Banner

I put up a new blog banner today - it's easier to do with the new blogger, so I may change it every so often. This one uses 2 kits from Lauren - Punky Girl (for the background, tag, and alpha) and Ana (for the flower, pin, and swirl). I've also done a new layout with Punky Girl, which I'll post soon.

Rejection

Well, I didn't get the CT assignment I applied for. I'm not terribly surprised, but I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. Not extremely, but a little. There's another call for The Digichick that I think I'm going to apply for too. I'm sure the competition for that one will be REALLY tough, and they're only looking for 2 or 3 people, so I'm not sure exactly why I'm going to put myself through this. Except that the Digichick would be a dream assignment if I got it. It wouldn't be for just one designer; it would be for all the designers there; how cool is that? So what does it hurt to send them an email? So I guess I'm going to do it - I just have to remember not to get upset if they turn me down.

New CT application

I applied for a new Creative Team today. This one is different though - instead of a digital scrapbook designer, it's a sketch artist. So it would mean I could use any product with her sketches. Only one problem - I think there were a TON of applicants! So I have no idea what my chances are - probably not too good. But they would be zero if I didn't apply, so I applied. Applications close the 20th, supposed to hear the 23rd. Wish me luck!

Photoshop

I printed 3 more layouts today - so hopefully I'm all caught up with printing. And I bought Photoshop 6.0 on eBay today, so I guess I made my decision - LOL! Here's what I figured - I sold an embroidery hoop about a month ago for $85, and I've been saving that money for something special. Then I sold some embroidery software last week on eBay, which netted me $329. I also have some other software I'm selling which won't sell for anything close to the first one, but is currently at $39. So I figure if I'm ever going to buy it, now is the time, right?

Printing

I realized I hadn't printed any layouts in awhile, so I printed six layouts today! I love the way they look when they're printed. I really need to do a better job of printing them as I do them. Anyway, I think I may be caught up on the ones I want printed now - I'll have to go through all my layouts and see. And next step is to burn them all to a cd to be sure I have backups of everything - I sure don't want to lose anything!!

I'm also considering buying Photoshop. I've been using Photoshop Elements for a long time. I won't pay the full price for it ($649!!!). But I discovered yesterday that I could buy an older version of it on eBay for around $100, then buy an upgrade version for $169. So now I have to decide if it's worth almost $300 by the time I add shipping costs and everything. It has some features I would like, but is it worth the $$$? Still not sure. But since I sold my old embroidery software for a little over $300, I'm considering it. Of course, I did just buy a Wacom tablet, but I would have bought that eventually anyway. LOL!!

Punky Girl

I have exciting news to post today - I got my creative team that I applied for earlier in the week!! And I really am thrilled!!! I just got notified today, which actually was earlier than I expected. In fact, when I saw the email so early, I was afraid it might have been a rejection. But no, it wasn't.

New Header

I decided I wanted to put my own header on my blog, so that's what I worked on today. I had some terrific help from this blog: http://lindsayteague.blogspot.com/2005/07/how-to-2.html. Thanks Lindsay!! Boy, it wasn't hard for me to create my header, but getting it to show up, that's another story all together. It showed in the preview, but when I'd publish, it wouldn't show up then. Talk about frustration. I think it finally came down to I didn't have a semi colon after the url for the header (but then why did it show up in the preview?). From what I hear, if I was willing to pay for a Typepad blog, it would be a LOT easier to do things like this. I love having a blog, but not quite enough to pay for it (yet). So I'll just have to struggle through for now I guess.

Altered/Collage Challenges

ScrapArtist is now my favorite digital scrapbook message board. They have cool challenges, the absolute best shoppe, and a very talented community. One category of challenge that I've been participating in the past 3 weeks is Altered/Collage. Here is the artwork I've done each week:



(1) Altered envelope. I used Sentimental Journey and Art Inspiration Collection kits from ScrapArtist and Valentines Kit from Digital Memories Magazine. The font is Cheryl.



(2) Altered tag. I used clip art from the Vintage Workshop, Art Inspiration kit from ScrapArtist, Bookbag Essential kit by Gina Cabrera, and brushes from the Digital Distressing kit from ScrapArtist.



(3) Tear It Apart - Puzzle ATC. The background is from Sentimental Journey kit; everything else is from Emma's Sundress kit (both by Michelle Coleman of ScrapArtist). Font is LB_Typewriter. I used a photo from the Flickr 100 year old pool.

Overlay Class

These are a couple that I did last month for a class on overlays.

Sunrise

I took this photo in front of our house the other morning.

Another word art assignment

I completed another assignment for my word art class over the weekend. This is another photo provided by the instructor (isn't it a beauty?), and I found the quote and added it to the photo. I love doing the word art - it can add so much to a photo! And the best thing about it is it isn't hard at all!

The quote reads, "It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream." (author unknown)