Scrapture

It's Official

2006-07-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

I have moved! ...to my new cyber crib. Won't be posting here anymore so bookmark the new addy: http://www.angelbq.com (photoblog, blog on photography, scrapbboking and wifery under one roof). And I must say, I love using wordpress and livingdot. More about that on my welcome entry. See yah over there blog comrades.

The digiworld is rockin'

2006-07-03T15:18:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, it can't simmer down just a bit, it's always alive and kicking. Here are more goodie treat which will enlarge your eyes. Brace yourself.

*FREEBIES, CT CALLS; CONTEST and ETC..*

From digitalfreebies friday freebie, check Jessica's eclectic blog for detail on how to get those textured papers, doodle freebie fun from karen Hunt and last some really cool punch labels from Leah.

Doodle is in in. merediths' blog has this one and while I forgot to add picture of it, Nancie Rowe Janits has one too. Misty Mareda has these cool flowers on her blog.

CT calls: Marcie Reckinger needs CT's and to see how her designs are like I made a collage above of those I liked the best. The first one you can get by going to scrapping garden where they have daily download of bits and pieces of this kit that just started this July.

Corina Nielsen of Plain Digital Wrapper and IOD are calls I will apply to. Now that i am reporting this, I might add more competition, but public service must prevail, LOL. Also from sweet shoppe, both Lauren Grier and Amy Bleser needs CT's. Not sure if I already told you this, but Gypsy chick at ACOt si having a ct call as well. She has funky sweet colors. Stacey from 3 scrapateers is having a call and same with

And remember Dani Mogstad, Meredith Fenwick, Kimberly Giarusso, Gina Miller, Lie Fhung and Ashley Olsen has monthly guest spots too. But since it's July already, you have to wait till next time.

On contests and other stuff, Fishscraps has announced the winner of the awesome stuff up for draw. Scrapbookgraphics also has a contest for their spa kit with details posted on their blog. And also Shabby princess announced that they will soon come up with a free item for this month and maybe a sale for independence day. And in 3 days, the 7th of July, a new edition of the muse newsletter from scrapartist is coming out. And watch Gina M's blog tomorrow as she adviced herself.

*SALES AND PRODUCTWATCH*

1-2: A bundled up offer from Trish Jones at PDW, and also her stuff at trishjonesdesigns.com is 40% off.
3-8: Gina Miller will retire some items and is offering them for 60% off. She even made it easier for us by providing a list in alphabetical order. Sbb is not known to be an easy place to shop, so this comes in handy. I also included some titems I plan to snag along with the bead a licious new additions.
9: CGE has also some offers, check Kim's blog for details
10: Amy Bleser's CT call. Check digishoptalk for a larger image
11: An offer from the sweet dreams hoppe on their opening 4th of July
12: Robin Cabana sale at scrapdish, 40% off on red, white and blue stuff on 4th of July
13: Ad from PDW
14-16: Michelle and Nancie to celebratehow they joined forces creates this wonderful 4th of July kit. This is the new one at 25% off for 2 days. Also they have put in two old kits also at 25% off with independence day theme. Dianne R's 4th of July kit is also 25% off.

1: From the element team at SBB.
2: Also new stuff from SBB
3: New from Ali Folendore at PDW
4 & 5: The new July Kit with guest designer Dennis Docherty aka Spaceraven at Scrapartist
6 & 7: New Hopscoth kit at 30% off by Dani at designbydani
8: New paper from Shawna Clingerman at NDISB. Discount at her blog.
9: New her cd stuff from Meredith and Kim at SBB
10: Mega kit at PDW for only 8 dollars
11: hand stitched alpha by Tia Benett at 2 peas
12: New from Corina Nielsen. She has such funky colors. I love her style.
13: Charity mega kit from clikchickdesigns

And look at these wonderful papers. 1-3 is from Debbie Knorr, a new designer on Gina Miller's CT. Read her blog for more info and where to find these. And the last I think you know already. This must be my favorite right after wicked garden. I love the sweet colors. It's nothing I've seen from their past works when it comes to color, but they sure put their signature on it with the IOD textures. So at 25% off, get your IOD fix now! Check their blog for their plans to spice up thursdays.

And since sunday is designer digitals day, here are some rockin' new stuff.

Other sale; purescrapability.com offers 40% off when you spend 5 USD. Ideabooks4u with the generosity of the Pertiet's is giving away a free copy of simple scrapbook magazine with purchase of font and/or book. It's jampacked with sale right now, so forgive me if I forget some. Scrapbook elements has sale on items at the military theme to celebrate independence day, Kathyrin balint at her own store, digital outlet, digital scrapbook place and the dailyscrap to name a few. Its' madness I tell you.

*FEATURED*

So PDW opened. I scanned over their stuff and there are some amazing designers and digi stuff over there. Here is what caught my eye. I must say that my fave is Corina Nielsen. I love her dainty flowers and that very creative printer box. Did I mention she is a filipina like me. Aren't we a creative bunch, teehee. Andrea Victoria is too as a trivia.

Anyway, check the blogs of the designerrs of this site since most of them have coupon code. Like Corina, Shawna, Amber Clegg Stacie and Amy Teets.

They are working on a new products feature which is a must have.

Info Dumping

2006-07-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

Ok as the title implies I need to dump my thoughts before they short circuit my brain and my notepad. I have enough stuff on my mind, so would be nice to relieve myself of these.

First of all, had a bad mentally worn out day yesterday. No big reason, but it's just one of those days where small gets big, and lots of small accumulated, and besides I get easily frustrated. And I also got a little overwhelmed. Supposedly my cousin, her hubby and son was coming to stay with us for a couple of days starting tomorrow, so with the loads of chores and the little time left, it got me pressured. And clutter at home, clutters my mind as well. I also got an slr which made me want to learn and make 2 blogs about it (things I learn and a photo a day blog), and shop for scrapkits that were for sale, scrap the bunch of stuff I have and other to do things, and washing machine bailing on me again.

Ok so today is a better day. Found out they weren't coming before next week so now I have ample of time now and made a new cleaning plan. The living room is way ahead and looks really neat now. Did some redorating for a fresher and cleaner look. It cleanse my head definitely. Still have the rest of the house, but will make one day per area ao that we can really get in the corners. Hopefully, despite me sitting here and blogging with plans to scrap later, can finish my workplan since I did make some allowance. And another good news, I found out that the washing machine can be fixed for free since we are within 5 years since purchase, so when they open on monday I will call them at once, so I can have clean and dry laundry again.

Enough ranting. I am happy and comfy on this hot summerday wioth my bathrobe in the clean and nicelooking living room. No LO to show this time, but probably a lot on next post.

But I have been reporting sales so much now that I forget to share my buys. Scrapbookgraphics.com just opened and that's why I picked up all of these to get the free 15 dollar worth collaborative spa kit. I am a happy buyer, because these stuff is truly great buys. After the spa, the 2 next is from Anna, 2 next after that from Doris Castle, then Maya's coll weathered treasures with really ncie rusty hardwares, asian inspired kit by Mindy and really lovely kit from Sara Carling (btw, she even emailed to thank for the buy. That's customer service!).

For my own overview this is my wishlist to buy later so I don't fall for every sale out there:

1. Some cool stuff from cottagearts, net
2. 2 huge kits from scrapgirls and a curve template
3. Some magnetic poetry from Miss Mint's store and from Katie Pertiet
4. Urban Bohemian from Jen Wilson
5. 2 kits from Meredith's latest urban colour set
6. Some cool brushes from 2peas and a paper set
7. Stuff at fishscraps
8. Some stuff at datascrapping.no (Linda GB stationerie and Ida's doodles)
9. Stuff at scrapbook elements from Taran, Anna and Kay Miller
10. Gina Miller's beaded accents
11. Some stuff from Miss Mint, metal like tape and foil
12. Cutie Patootie kit from modscraps
13. Andrea's Downtown Unique
14. 2 of Christine Smith's stamped alpha
15. More stuff at scrapartist ofcourse
16. More stuff at Designer Digitals
17. 2 kits from Julie Mead
18. Amber C's delicate days
19. Stuff from Tracey Lee
20. Doodles from karen Hunt and Sausan
21. 2 of Lynn G's latest kits at scrapbook elements
22. Splotches from Tracy Ann
23. Michelle Underwood stuff
24. 3 kits from Lie fhung and stitches
25. Tagbook and other new stuff from Sweet shoppe designs
26. Kimberly and Holly collaborative kit and For the Girls of Kristy Ann
27. Clipboard from Hetaher Ann
28. Papertear from Steph
29. More fonts
30. Stuff from Dani M.
31. Overlay from Amy jo and scrapgirls
32. Other vintage stuff
33. Halfwits from Mary Fran

Other non kit but scrap stuff related

1. Photoblast actions
2. Amber Ludlow conversions and photoenhancing technique
3. Teya's set 1 actions
4. Some of Panos's actions for sale
5. More actions, can't egt enough
6. Understanding Exposure book
7. Photoshop CS2 books from Deke Mc Lelland and Scott kelby
8. External harddisk
9. Much much later, Macro lens and zoom lens and an 18-200 lens from Nikkor and other SLR accesories
10. Wacom tablet
11. LCD monitor for pc
12. Maybe more RAM
13. Designing with Digital book and other scrapbooks
14. Make a scrapbookalbum for my LO
15. Scrapbook Magazine

and happy news, I have ten subscribers now here. Hope you drop a line sometimes so I know who you are. Would like to know you shophappy people. Thanks for the comment by the way on the previous entry by Andrea Cox. really appreciates it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*CONTEST, FREEBIES, SALES AND OTHER STUFF*

1. Freebie from Amy Martin
2. Freebie from Lisa of Modscraps
3. Balloon freebie from Mari K.
4. Quickpage freebie from Lori Barnhurst as part of her being fetaured at scrapartist for the month of July. her stuff has an introductory sale at 25% off. (Correction: She is a permanent addition to the team, and Dennis Docherty is the guest designer)
5. Freebie from dawn Stocstill
6. Free card from Valerie F's blog
7. A crop event ABC's of me, can't remember where (don't have the original image)
8. Candice Wong sale
9. Dani's Grafitti cd at SBB discounted
10. Opening ad for scrapbookgraphics
11. Kim Christensen sale at SBB
12. 25% sale for Karen Hunt at SBB
13. Winner from Jen Wilson's name that kit contest; baja bliss
14. Some inspired blogs featured like Ali Edwards, Ronna etc.

1. Free Quickpage from Michelle Coleman's blog. There's a
2. Pipecleaner new from KristyANN coming at plain digital wrapper
3. From purescrapability
4. From Deb Fisher

With all the moving around of designers, new sites and 4th of July coming lots of stuff happening. Scrapbookgraphics has reopened and you might snag a great kit for a single purchase of 35 (they also have their own blog now). The kit's really worth it. I love every piece of it. In some hours holly and the gang will also open at plain digital wrapper. Sure there is sale there too and I think those numbers on their fortune might be incentives for the registering who will fall on that number. Sweet dreams opening, guardian peas site (update links soon at the right) that is about charities and , sweet shope has new designers, digichick is looking for more designers and twopeas has new designers in the house.

Elememental scraps had 50% (some sale has expired as I am writing because of the pause in blogging), Nancie Rowe Janitz has a contest on her blog, Ecelectic scraps had a draw for her minikit (forgot to include her new stuff at the collage. Will do next entry. Correction: I did do that last entry. Silly me.), Photoblast at ezactions.com has acontest related to their new set of conversions, digitalfreebies.com has 40% off their new releases and don't forget the friday freebie evry friday, Christine Nash has 30% off her stuff, Carrie Stephens had a surprise at her alpha freebie with savings, Amber Clegg has a coupon code on her blog with preview of her newest stuff (it was updated not so long ago, so will post pics later), Jen Wilson extended her sale with a coupon code on her blog because of problems at SBB (it is actually the slowest loading site and when there's so huge collections there it becomes hellish browsing the stuff), Ali Folendore at SBB has a sale for 50% if you spend 20 on her stuff (she got a blog now by the way) and ACOT is holding a fourth fo JUly sale with the whole store on sale.

*PRODUCTWATCH*

1: Ange Dawn's new kit at sweet shoppe
2: New from Michelle Coleman
3. Coming soon from Jan Crowley
4. New from Michelle Underwood
5-9: New stuff from Gina Miller and you can even custom order. Info on her blog
10-21: New stuff from Sweet shoppe design. They release every Sauturday now and the have an ongoing sale on their whole shop now
22: New from Kristy Ann
23 & 24: Even more from Sweet Shoppe

1: New from Dani M at 50% off
2: New paper pack from the IOD sisters
3: Kim Christensen's summer collection at SBB
4: Citrus add on from Robin Carlton
5: Deb F creation
6: free kit at scrapbookgraphics for a single purchase of 35
7-8: From Dani M and Kimberly Giarusso
9: Quarterly assortment from sweet shoppe designs
10: Collaborative kit from Eve and Amanda at guardian peas
11: Addon from theresa Hernandez at ACOT
12-21: new from Digichick
22: Preview from Sara Carling (since this post is late, you can already see it at scrapbookgraphics)
23: Magnetic poetry from Gauchogirl at scrapgirls
24: From Gina Miller, you can custom order, check her blog for details
25: Cute bags from Holly's mom's shop.

Since it's a new month, new freebies at 2peas and new stuff for sale. The first four is the freebies. Still think their kits is too expensive, but their small packs is worth it for 4 dollars. Some of their previews is wrong or too small though.

*FEATURED*

This time I discovered the goodies from cottagearts.net. Feast your eyes. Ok, lots of stuff coming while I am writing. Will try to write in a shorter interval so you for example can see the new collaborative set from scrapartist wherein dennis docherty has joined in as guest designer. preview of new stuff from Amber Clegg and since it's sunday tomorrow more new stuff from Designer Digitals. Have a nice weekend everyone.

Resurrected and loaded

2006-06-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the absence. Now I just have accumulated so many stuff that I am afraid I will forget some of those news without previews. But let's start with the regular sharing of my LO's. Been busy, but had a hard time finishing these. And also I have to emphasize that deleting the prefetch does suchj wonder to the performance. You lose some of your preferences, but it's easy to fix it again.

Credits: Almost everything from Michelle Coleman's Chelsey's dream except for dark brown paper by Dianne Rigdon from Joshua's day in the sun, imperfectly frame stitches by Cristine Nash, Double stitch from Sara Carling's authentic kit, straight stitches from Gina Miller, burlap heart by Gina Cabrera at DDE. hand stamped brush from Michelle Coleman and denim alpha from Katie Pertiet. Fonts used: Book Antiqua, Pretext and Carpenter ICG.

Credits: Brickwall background from Jennifer Tripetti's Play Hard kit, Alpha freebie from Carrie Stephens, Funky flowers from Gypsy chick at ACOT, ricrac from Gina Miller's finishing touches, Antiquefinds card from Michelle Underwood, tag from Summer Whimsy kit here at Scrapartist, Freebie pink flower from Kim Christensen, eyelet from rough n tumble kit by Eve Recinella, acrylic stapled heart from Michelle Coleman's tutti frutti elements pack, staples from Girls Lie too kit by Kim Christensen, picture blended with free paper from Kristy Ann Nerness (free from newsletter) stamped crown and metalcrown accent from Michelle Underwood's crownstamp pack, letter p from Michelle Coleman's new handstamped brush alpha and swirly doodles by Ida (freebie from catscrap.com). Fonts: Rebekah's Birthday and Oedipa.

Credits: IOD wicked garden papers, staples, inked edge overlay, tag, tape and paper clip form IOD's essential kit, crochet from Dianne Rigdon's sweet abandon kit, criss cross stitches from Micheel Coleman's tutti frutti pack, ribbon and lopoey trim from Gina MIller's finishing touches, aged notebook paper from Gina MIller, alpha from Mindy Terawasa's treasured kit, and Michelle Pearson's floral brushes as clipping mask for paper. Atomic cupcake crumble and tear action. Free Dagerre action on photo lightened with blending modes. Fonts: Broken 15, Jefferson and Bulky Refuse type.

*FREEBIES*

1: From amy martin's blog. Chenille accents
2 & 3: Free from Carrie Stephens
4: Doodles from Vera Lim
5: Alpha from Susan Long
6: Freebie at Sandra Boddington's blog
7: From Karen Hunt's blog
8: From Gina mIller's blog with 3 usd off coupon inside
9: New freebie from Michelle Coleman
10: Freebie from Cristine Smith if you subscribe to her blog on her assigned blogfeed service
11: New freebie from Catscrap
12 & 15: Free from the gallery of scrapartist
13: New freebie from Paula Duncan
14: From Brenda Kempf at SBB
16: One of the three free kits from rakscraps newsletter

No preview, but free felt balloon from Mari K, and the usual regular freebie from Designer Digitals.

*CT Calls, Contest and other News*

Here are some CT calls, Jessica Dixon, Vera Lim, Deena Supreme and Digochick is lookingg for added designer. Also Jennifer Layden of elemental scraps is also on the lookout. Plenty of contests and draws in blogs. One of them being Jen's infamous name that kit, and also Nancie Rowe Janitz has a cool contest in her blog. Eclectic scraps has a draw for her new arrows and minikit. Thompson just had a draw for 2 books. Several chats like Andrea's chat tonight 10pm EST at ACOT.

Jen Wilson is having yet another sale. Got lots of her stuff at her sale during NSD, and now I will pick up the rest. Sara Carling, Andrea Victoria and Manda Bean is retiring some of their items and has huge discounts. Got a 2scoop from Andrea and Manda, one from Andrea and a kit from Sara Carling. Mari K has a sale at Digichick. Tracy Ann has a huge clearance sale at SBB. Seems like cleaning the stash is the season now. We just had Michelle Underwood, Michelle Pearson and Traci Sims and now Jen and Tracy Ann. Yet another teaser ad from scrapbookgraphics. I am setting aside some of the dough for some news. Plain Digital Wrapper is soon opening. Sure they have a big sale, and scrapbookgraphics ofcourse. Lots of moving and stuff happening at the different stores. Read Robin Carlton's blog for the changes in her sweet shoppe design. New people, some people leaving and new releases only on saturdays like the Designer Digital. Digichick also lost some, and recruting new ones. Michelle Pearson is also seeling digiscrappin. biz. And a new shop sweetdreamsshoppe.com will open at 4th of July. By the way, I got a raffle for the benefit of Laura. Awesome prices and good cause. It was 2 when I bought, but now it's 5, but the prizes are amazing and it's a way to help out. Gina Cabrera released an awesome kit at DDE and it's awesome and huge, reduced by 1 USD. Elementalscraps.com has 50% off on their whole store. Last day to get Eve's new kit at 50% off at 3scrapateers. Summer giggles has 40% off again at her shop. Dawn has updated the prices and it's 30% off her newest items at SBB and Modscraps. 40% off Carrie Stephen's quickpages too.

And here are some stuff that has passed by. Although Nikki also sells at elementalscraps

*PRODUCTWATCH*

1: The new megakit from Gina Cabrera at DDE. Big kit. Had to have it. It's reduced by 1 USD.
2-8: New stuff from Katie and the gang at Designer Digitals.
9-11: New stuff from Scrapartist
12 & 13: New stuff from Dawn Stocstill
14 & 15: New from Andrea Burns
16 & 17: New from Laura Alpuche
18: New fun kit from heather Roselli
19-21: New from Fee Jardine
22: Preview from Christine Smith's upcoming kit
23: From Traci Sims
24: New preview from Jan Crowley's megakit
25: Preview from laura's ipcoming kit. name her kit and win.

1-9: New collaborative kit from ACOT. This is the finest one of the 3 in my opinion.
10: New from Eve Recinella at 3scrapateers discounted till today
11: New from Carrie Stephens
12: New from Jen Wilson to be released soon. Name this kit and win.
13: Preview from Anna Aspnes (probably for the opening of scrapbookgraphics)
14: New from Michelle Underwood, 50% off
15 & 16: New from Amy Teets
17-21: New from Jessica at eclectic scraps
22: New from Kylie Clark at polkadotpotato.com
23: Collaborative project at digitalscrapbookmagazine.com
24: Not sure of the maker here, will get back to it
25: New at SBB

1-8: The different parts of Laura's courage kits. You can get them as one package at e-scapeandscrap.net or get them fromm the shop where the designers of a particular part comes from
9-13: New from Jasbeanie. She just had a 20% sale, so it pays to be aprt of the newsletter,
14 & 15: New from Kimberly Giarusso
16: New stuff coming from Mindy Terawasa (I suspect this will be from scrapbookgraphics.com)
17-23: New from Tracy Ann Robinson. First 4 from SBB and the rest from Sweet shoppe.
24: From Vera Lim /she has her own shop now, looking for ct and plenty of freebies.
25: New from Kelly Shulz at scrapbook-elements.com

*FEATURED*

1-5: From E-scapeandscrap.net. Julie Mead's work, except for the last where she collaborated with 2 other girls.
6 & 7: Cool stitch accents at cottagearts.net
8: More accents from Shawna Clinerman at NDISB. She has some cool stamps there.
9: From elementalscraps. 50% off as part of their sale on the whole store.

Ok, I have to catch some breath, LOL. Till next time. Hopefully with not that much interval. Byeee.

Block slacker: Guilty

2006-06-25T23:14:00.000-07:00

Never thought I would actually neglect my blog for so long. Thing's are a bit hectic, and there's just tons of info out there now with the digishoptalk boards open and more bloglines subscription. But I have saved all the previews and ads since last time so I will compile them pretty soon, but some might be over already when it comes to sale, and I will try to remember the ones that have no ad for I forgot to take down notes. Be right back then ladies.. For now please check sweet shoppe at the specials section, blog of trish jones for a coupon code, jen wilson's name that kit game with her newest fresh intuition, scrap with nikki sale, cool new stuff at digichick, cool new freebie at catscraps, scrapartist and vera lim design, sale at scrapbook elements, mari K sale at Digichick, Dawn Stocstill's 30% off at her new stuff at SBB and modscraps, Tracy Ann Robinson's massive clearance sale, Acot's new fab collaborative kit, Vera LIm's CT call, clearance center at CG Essentials and Eve Recinella's newest kit at 50% off. Stay tuned till I update this with pictures, collages and more stuff.

Fiesta of Goodies

2006-06-20T09:34:00.000-07:00

No LO to share this time, but I have lots of other stuff and finds to share:

*FREEBIES*

1: Free Sample at Fishscraps from Carrie Stephens to celebrate her anniversary
2 & 3: From Leah at her blog mommyish.net
4: From Shawna Clingerman's blog, designer of NDISB
5: From Dianne Rigdon at her blog
6: From Amy Martin on her blog
7 & 8: New uploaded freebies at Scrapartist
9: From Lara Payton at her blog

*SALES and PRODUCTWATCH (and one contest/challenge)*

1: From Meredith Fenwick at SBB
2: Something new coming from ACOT, yet another collaborative kit
3: Light & Sweet From ACOT
4 & 5: New from Gypsychick Designs at ACOT. I got those felt flowers, really funky and colorful
6: Also from ACOT, Sign and Date Stamp Pack
7: New stuff from Dawn Stocstill at Modscraps
8: Sweet new stuff from Lisa Cohen at Scrapatist
9: Sale Ad from Dawn Stocstill at SBB and Modscraps (but can't see it updated yet to sales price) 10: Digitals Scrapbook Magazine old issue at 60% off, PDF Download
11: The newest from Digital Scrapbook Magazine, PDF only, free papers from Micheele Coleman among the goodies
12: From Correen Silke at SBB
13: Included in De-zine's current issue
14: Minikit from Heather Ann, at only 2.99
15: From Shawna Clingerman at NDISB

Traci Simms is retiring some of her stuff, and offering them for 50% off. Here are some of the stuff I liked among those items.

Christine Smith has a pre release sale of her new kit reduced by 25%. She has a paypal button on her blog so you can purchase it directly there.

Jan Crowley's new kit. The animation isn't working since it is resized, but this is huge. It is several kits sin one for an incredibly low price.

Jeanine Bachtold at SBB has sale on some of her stuff. The paper pack is one of those items. Discount is varied.

Also the individual eclectic bytes kits by SBB's elemnt team are reduced by 25%.

Christine Smith also has a hot spot contest with details on her blog. Prize is to chose one item among her stuff at TDC.

And almost forgot, a J-U-I-C-Y coupon code from Dianne Rigdon at her blog for her shop at shabbyelements.com. I got her rococo brush, her sweet abandon kit and also that free sample tile background.

*FEATURED*

All of these are from Scrapgirls. I just explored their site now and they have lots of yummy stuff and a big collection. What I have showcased here is maybe just 10% of their stuff. I love their colorscheme, and they have so many templates to give your papers a boost, added patterns and texture. Also it's great that they offer singel papers and single elements if you just want that particular item without buying the whole pack.

This is from a German site, digiscraps.de. Very colorful and funky stuff.

Hope you enjoyed. Till next time.

New places and new eyecandies

2006-06-18T22:56:00.000-07:00

First off, as usual, my LO since I last posted.

Daughter of a good friend.

Credits: Background from Meredith Fenwick and pink fiber from Kim Christensen, both from Sundress kit (part of -her cd- collection), Paisley and letter "l" by Kim Christensen from Girls Lie too (also part of her cd) Felt frame, heart, and crochet flower from Gina Cabrerera at DDE, felt flower used as frame is a freebie from Holly McCaig, Patchlike flower and funky flower from Gina Miller and the pink stone is from her byobb kit, polkadot ribbon from Amber Clegg's neopolitan summer kit, pink plain ribbon from Fee Jardine's Appleberry pie kit, lace from Nancie Rowe Janitz' Bleached Linen kit, stitched up button from Jen Wilson, kinda sweet alpha from Gina Miller and vintage girl alpha from Lori Barnhurst. Font is Carpenter ICG.

I tried to scrap more, but I started and it just wouldn't finish, and I didn't even save the progress. I didn't force to finish it. I hate it when I am a perfectionist. It just gets in the way. I posted about that on my dad LO, and it seem like I got the juice back and then off again. Maybe it's because I browse too many inspirations and just gets confused, or maybe it's the large supply of digikits I have now and can't keep track of things. Oh well, hopefully just a phase. I need to scrap faster, because the supply is increasing with an accelerating rate. I just wish the talented designers could take a break designing, and let me scrap. Bad chance of that happening, so instead I bring you what they have been busy with.

Before that, I got some questions from the blogger comment system by lcbannon. The magical brush I used is as I mentioned in the credits, created by Dianne Rigdon. Although you won't find it among her stuff at Scrapartist. She also has her own shop called shabbyelements.com, or if you have time you can make your own brush using the tutorial from escrappers.com. And Karen Hunt's blog is karenahunt.blogspot.com. I also googled that myself after someone mentioned she had a freebie on her blog, but it wasn't easy to find. Hope that helps.

By the way, update on my CT status which is still non-existent. Applied for Dani Mogstad and Jan Crowley, and got a negative from both. Ofcourse there is a slight dissapointment of not making it, but I decided to take it well and not get less confident on myself for that reason or think that I suck. Instead I am gonna challenge myself to scrap more and get a bigger portfolio and also to scrap better and constantly improve. I still have so much kits to use from my non ending shopping spree which is till rolling. I just got myself 3 kits from Sweet Shoppe, one of them being free, and some of Michelle Pearson's stuff which is retiring. Also getting some of Michelle Underwood's retiring kit, and some who are on sale, but not retiring. I forgot to tell on my previous posts that the retiring kit is actually priced at 1 USD, and those kits are huge. Lots of stuff. So there, now you know. (I have a collage of some of the items on the post before this)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*SALES*

And there are more of them. they never seem to stop. Michelle Pearson at digiscrappin.biz is retiring her stuff. She has 11 items there for 1 USD each. She has some great brushes, although you shuld inquire which program they are compatible with. Other designers ususally toss in the png files too besides from the abr, but this doesn't so check it out first.

Other sales news, two of the founders at Scrap Outside the Box has 50% off on their products. Nancie Rowe Janitz also has a new texture pack to add texture to your papers. She has a coupn code on her blog that will entitle you to 25% off, and even a free sample for you to try out.

Summer Giggles has 25% off on her stuff and added 2 new kits. You can see it on the post below this.

Do check out the "specials" link on your favorite shops. Maybe they have new reduced items.

And you still have today to get the free exclusive father's day kit at SSD if you spend 10 USD.

Sarah Jones has a sale, check out below at *FREEBIES and OTHER NEWS*

The individual kits of the eclectic bytes collection is also 25% off. Available at SBB.

And Important: 5 USD for subscription at Scrapbook-bytes. Usual price is 25. its' available till Thursday.

*PRODUCTWATCH*

1 & 2: New from Miss Mint
3: New at SBB
4: Cool stuff from Scrap Outside the Box by Jennifer Tripetti (been looking for mesh since I saw them in 2 LO's lately and this has it, kit's name is Remix: Play Hard)
5: Elements to go with the Copacabana kit from Michelle Coleman I featured earlier.
6: The textures from Nancie Rowe Janitz I was talking about in the sales above
7: New from Sandra Boddington at Sweet Shoppe
8-18: Stuff from Designer Digitals, mostly new. They have lots of new stuff this sunday. Just learned Tia Bennett don't sell her stuff there anymore. I am late with the news.
19-21: More stuff from Scrap Outside the Box, the 3rd is 50% off. Nice jounaling pieces.
22 & 23: Stuff from Digiscrappin.biz. The first is a kit that you can buy or you can get free if you purchase for a certain amount. More details at their site.
24: New from Sausan at scrap2gether
25: From ACOT by Gypsychick designs. They just added 2 more products as I am writing this. This was their first contribution to the digishoppe at ACOT. You have to check out the 2 new stuff they added. It's a sparlke overlay and really cool flowerfelt. A little different from the felt flowers I've seen. Lots of details and very colorful. I'll add pics on the next post.

The brushed alpha's from Scrapartist have been a big hit, and is often used as finishing touches on LO's and now Michelle is out with a new one. I bet this will be another hit.

*FREEBIES and OTHER NEWS*

1: Amber Clegg reposted these neopolitan summer kit add on flowers. She had saved one of them at 72 dpi, but this one has all 3 at 300dpi
2 & 3: Cindy Wickoff has a father's day quote freebie on her blog, and if you use it and give her a link you can get the paper pack
4-7: Thanks to Tyting who has started posting her LO's at Scrapartist, I discovered 3 great Norwegian sites (links to be added on the right side of this blog soon). Datascrapping.no, catscrap.com and digi-lo.com. The last 2 offers these freebies I posted pictures of. Number 7 is from catscrap, while the rest is from digi-lo. Since I live herre in Norway, it's fun to discover these sites, because we don't vene have digiscrapping magazine here, buhu.
8-9: Just discovered that digichick has one of their de-zine as free sample, and there is one whole kit there. Their dezine at just 3 USD is great value, because the full kits there are great.
10: Free from Kimberly Giarusso from purescrapability.com
11: Sample from Nancie Rowe Janitz of her new product
12: Sale from Sarah Jones Designs
13: Anouncement of the new designers at Sweet Shoppe
14: Free from Traci Sims if you spend 7 USD at her shop your-digital-dream.com, she still has 50% off on 26 clearance items.
15: Preview of things Kim Christensen is working on

And the latest hype; everyone is storming at this new hangout courtesy of Shannon Bieger, digishoptalk.com/boards. You have to go check it out... Everyone wants to be a part of this. It is a friendlier site with just chatting. You can also subscribe and get a monthly free kit for one year.

*FEATURED*

Thought I feature Maya of Scrapbookgraphics.com (I had about Carrie Steohens and Scrapbookelements and fonts before). She has some real gems, and on June 39th great changes is coming to her site involving atleast Carrie Stephens, Angela Spangler, Rhonna Penner and Anna Aspnes as I know of, but there is atleast 5 more talents.

At Freebies I mentioned these 3 great Norwegian sites, and here are some of the stuff I have my eyes on from these 3 places. I especially love the first 2. I think I will explore scrapgirls.com. Haven't really browsed through their big collection, but Holly put in a good word for them, so I am off to check it out.

Nowadays I am loving details and embellishment (especially laces and metal accents (bolts, metal mesh, barbed wire after seing some fab LO's with these stuff), and I am loving the details from the LO's of Amy Martin, Tyting and Cd Muckosky. I still heart Stenway's mom's LO and Michelle Coleman's. Scrapartists has great talents.

I try to make it a point to explore all kind of LO's and I think I want to try freestyle of those I have not explored yet. I don't want to stick to one kind of style. It's great to dare yourself with challenges. Variety is cool.

Hope you liked this edition *wink* Till next time... Stay Tuned.

Father Day's special

2006-06-16T17:42:00.000-07:00

Brace your self for some more goodies, beacuse Father's day is approcahing and some place has sales, contests and freebies.

But before anything I managed to scrap. I used plenty of time on this. I couldn't make it feel right somehow. I must learn to have fun, and not be such a perfectonist all the time.

Journaling is mostly about the time dad contracted meningitis, and was near death. He returned to a child, lost his memories and got super thin. So I am glad God was merciful and let him stay with us longer.

Credits: Photoalbum, albumpages and alpha from Jen Wilson's Genuine Swing. Papers from jen Wilson's Grandad's lap, cut with Miss Mint's decorative edges, vellum mat vellum from Jen Wilson's everyday bliss kit, Beaded wire from Chelsey's dream kit by Michelle Coleman, Buttons and bookplate from Jen Wilson's latest element packs, vintagepaper paraphernalia from Kathryn Balint's My old Office, frame corners and Inked overlay from IOD essentials kit, Burnt edge Overlay from Michelle Coleman, stitches from Gina Miller and tripleframe from Eve Recinella's Rough n Tumble kit. Fonts are Beccaria, Carpenter ICG and Saeculum.

Just curious, how long do you use in one LO on the average.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So here are my findings:

*Sales, calls and contests*

1&3: Digishoppe is offering 30% off and has a giveaway if you spend 10 USD or more
2: Sweet Shoppe also has a free awesome kit that is up for grabs if you use 10 USD. I love all the accents here and the papers are wow.
4-7: KristyAnn Nerness is having a sale on her accents. 1 usd for eah of her accents. That is waht I call a sale, and her For the Girls collaborative kit with Fee Jardine is reduced with 1 USD. I just love the doodles there. I have a doodle pack by Fee, and they are so great to use.
8: Scrap2gether needs more designers
9: Since I mentioned Diamante's call for creative team in the last entry I have here an example of her kit

Besides from that. Create a LO using Kristy Ann's For the Girls and get randomly picked to win two of her kits. A prepicked blog commenteer (is there such a word. Prepicked in the sense that she already has the number prepicked and it depends if you will be the one to comment at that number) on Andrea's blog will get her two new embellishment for free, also Mari K's super dad's book mini-kit will be given away to a random blog commenter.

I hope I didn't miss out on any now, because I forgot to take notes. Oh by the way Andrea burns has a contest at ACOT, but more about that below.

And since I just browsed at Digital Scrapbook Review now, here is more:

and here are 16 of her 21 kits at SBB that's up for retirement.

They are marked with closeout, so just search with that word and you'll stumble on them. Most of her other stuff is reduced too, some 20, some 40 and etcetera. Varied reductions.

Kristy Ann's sale poster:

And from Sweet Shoppe (You won't have a hard time shopping for 10 USD, check out below for their new stuff out on the store).

*PRODUCTWATCH*

1: Andrea Burns is featured designer of June, and therefore she has released a new kit there. Lavender Fields. It's so pretty and girly. Loved the alpha especially. Since sh is featured there is a contest and a chat in relation to that. Just read all about it at ACOT.
2-5: New stuff at Scrapartist. Michelle Coleman has a tropical paper pack, elements to follow, and Dianne Rigdon has a patriotic piece out too,
6: Gina Miller with new accents
7-11: New from Rhonna Farrer. Aren't they lovely!
12: Lie Fhung's new kit
13: New from Laura Alpuche
14 & 15: New from Summer Simmons
16: Cool Accents from Faith True.

New Sweet stuff from Sweet Shoppe.

The Eclectic Bytes at SBB that I featured on the other entry is also available now individually. Same on Gina Miller's new collection.

*FREEBIES*

1: Eve Recinella's blog has this pp for free
2: Christine Smith's blog has these goodies
3: A quickpage at Mari K's blog
4: New freebie uploaded at Scrapartist

Ok people that's it. I have the itch to shop now.

CT Pondering and shopped again

2006-06-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

One Ct call is soon ending. Another one tomorrow, and another one before the month ends. I also passed sausan and karen hunt and missed summer simmon's and meredith. I narrowed my preferences to Jan, Dani and Gina C. My problems are:

1.) Time (here a lot of factors steps in)
2.) Restrictions
3.) Have I got enough pictures
4.) Am I good enough
5.) Can I scrap fast enough (so far I have taken my time because I do so much in between, take this blog for example and my other blog.)
6.) I have shopped frantically the latest months and have still too many supplies unused

The last and first is the biggest hindrance. And then again, I have to stop thinking to much, and just have fun. But I think ideally guest spots are better for me. Lie Fhung has guestspots, so does Meredith, Dani M., Gina Miller and Designer Digitals. Gina C's CT call is a 3 month spot. But still it's still fun to be creating for creative designers, and up till this day I still regret not entering Meredith's call when I see her great new releases.

(Oh my, I just submitted my application to dani m. This is exciting. So it is about having fun, taking chances, being challenged, getting to know other people and just let go)

Ok, enough ranting. Here is a LO I made last night. I said before that if I ever needed Dianne's magic brush, I would buy it spontaneously and so I did.

Credits: Everything from Lie Fhung's Soul Searching Sampler Kit given out during NSD, except for half bow ribbon which is a freebie at scrapsupply from Lie Fhung, ribbon from Jen Wilson's enlighten and, letter "M" from Lori Barnhurst's Flower Alphabet, freebie lace from Bannerwoman and a little magic brush from Dianne Rigdon. Font: 4 Magic DNA. Most of the items recolored. Midnight Gold action on photo from atncentral.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok to our updates then:

*SALES*

Meredith has her scheme again. That could be something to check out. especially since she just released the new line of Urban Colour.

Also Michelle Coleman's new kit from her contest is 30% off if you punch in the coupon code on her blog when you check out. It's good till friday. I just downloaded mine :) Love that green beads on the upper right.

If you are also subscribed to ACOT's newsletter there is a coupon code for 40% savings when you shop for 20 USD.

*PRODUCT WATCH*

Charity kit at thedailyscrap.com. It will go to Steph730's (better known as the woman behind the digital papertearing) son. Check out the details over at their site.

From the girls at Digichick. I fancy Andrea's, Lynn's and Tracey lee's stuff this week. 2 first from Traci Sims, Second 2 from Andrea, 5th from Tracey lee, New from Ange thereafter, Follwed by Lynn, then Valerie Fowler and last from Kimberly Giarusso.

Now over to stuff from SBB: 1-3: new stuff from Kim Christensen, 4 & 5: Gina Miller, 6 & 7: Trish Jones, 8: Michelle Underwood and last is from Karen Hunt.

*FREEBIES*

Karen Hunt's blog has a freebie. Tamra also has one. She is a very active digichick. 3-5 is a sampler at CG essentials. Chipboard alpha from Megan. Glitter from the blog of Digishoppe (they'll have sale soon, and also their featured artist also has a freebie on their site). Rischa has some doodles to share and the last is from a link I found at Karen's blog.

*CONTESTS/CT CALL*

Random comment on Gina's blog for her thursday posts win 5 USD GC.

Andrea Burns will be introduced at featured designer at ACOT, and there will be contest and kit related to that. So stay posted. I got lots of stuff from her so I am sure to join.

Diamante of 3 scrapateers needs CT members.

My hand hurts. My butt hurst for sitting too long, and same with my back, so I am splitting. This must be my record short entry, LOL.

Short, but Sweet

2006-06-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

...as compared to previous posts, but nevertheless lots of eyecandies and fresh off the grill news. Before anything else, a LO I made last night. I am kind of slow scrapping (have so many other things to balance) compared to my shopping. I have an overwhelming stash waiting to be tampered and fickled with.

Btw, The amount of subscriber with bloglines has risen to 6. Stuff like these makes my day, so keep it coming. And I appreciate all the comments here, and glad that you find this site useful. Thanks for supporting it, and I will try to continously provide you with the good stuff.

Yet another one of my hubby's nephew. I like scraping kids, and have no kids of my own, so luckily hubby has lots of niece and nephews.

Credits: Everything from Andrea Burns' Playtime kit at ACOT, except for Cardboard tag and felt arrow from Gina Cabrera at DDE (Book Bag Essentials and Snippet Essentials), acrylic brush strokes by Michelle Coleman, Photo prong from Eve Recinella's Rough n tumble, notepad from Jan Crowley's Little Black Dress and Flower doodle by Fee Jardine. Fonts: FG-Matilda and 39 smooth. Ittybitty actions used as well as VP filter. Free Sketch action used on the lower image from adobe studio exchange.

Another personal news: I was randomly picked to win last edition of Ange Dawn's What's your Number contest. Head on over to her blog and join in the fun. You might be next! Here is what I won:

Also sally of IOD said she liked my entry in their name that kit and might use it on a future kit. I am uber flattered. These two ladies are extremely talented. I just got 2 more paper packs from them to add to the Plantation paper pack (Wicked Garden-sorta reminds me of the silent hill game and also Carriage House)

Just thought to share how I scrap. I think it differs from person to person. I usually take a picture out of my scrapable image folder, the choice depending on my mood. Then I check out among the thumbnail preview of my stash what suits the picture and the mood I want to try to convey. Then I start. Usually doing some basic enhancement first on the pics with ittybitty actions. Sometimes I have a vague picture of accents, details and placements from the beginning. Sometimes it just comes in the process. I always try to incorporate something new I learned or a new idea I have for a LO. Ofcourse the BG paper is first. I usually don't use too busy patterns as the main background. And then I think of how I can showcase the rest of the papers. It would be a shame to not show off the rest. Usually a kit has several wonderful coordinating papers. I also will at this point put additional filter (Virtual Photography) or other action to match the mood of the papers. I finish it off with the accents, journaling and putting dates and names, etc. Final adjustment, tweaking on the angles and just using the "eye" on the layer to see if some items are better off without.

I also have a notepad where i usually write ideas I come up with when I am not scrapping. Seing other inspirations in the external environment, magazines, outdoors, windowshop display or the digiscrapbook gallery. I also note down new technique I stumble upon which I wish to try. And last i scribble a particular picture or title I want to scrap as prospective projects. So what's your method of scrapping?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First line of business:

*FREEBIES*

Check it out Yvette has gathered her creative juices to design and is now offering a freebie on her first attempt. What a great idea with those palm trees as brush. Graphic eyecandy. Email her at her blog (which I will put among my blogs on the left side shortly after I finish this post) to get your copy and show some support!

And many american patriotic kits are out. This one is free from Ashley Olsen at her blog.

A great basic background free at sweetdigicreations.com by Jeanelle Page. She gives out a freebie each sunday. So be on the lookout. (At closer look, it seems I reported this before, but what the heck..)

*CONTEST*

Michelle's name that kit is over and winner to be announced in not so long. Oh my gosh, 430 entries. That's an overwhelming response. Her blog shoot up to top digiblog!

Jen Wilson's anme that kit ending tonight so be quick and send your name suggestion. Mine is already sent. It was tough, I had plenty of ideas with this kit.

And a new top digital scrapper contest again. This time by Miss Mint of peppermintcreative.com. And also Designer Digitals always looks for a monthly featured artist that will be rewarded with a 20 dollar GC, so if you want to be next monthæs featured artist, check out how on their site.

*SALE*

Amy Jo's toolshed shoppe has a sale. Don't know how long, but for example her overlays are reduced from 3 to 2. And they can be used for commercial purposes!

And Holly has this sale. I already have the first one and I am drooling over the 3rd. Love the patterns on the paper and the candied colors. The 2 others are great as well! I said to myself not to buy below 40% sale (with the exception of the iupcoming 25% sale at Scrapartist, but I am tempted here).

And last Valgal of Digichick will be having 50% sale on her elements and paper packs on the 16th and on the 27th.

*PRODUCTWATCH*

This is always the longest part, because there seem to be popping new great stuff constantly, and also there are lots of great old stuff I want to feature.

1: This is the kit to guess the name of. Isn't it sweet stuff
2-5: From Scrapartist.com, first three from Nancie Rowe Janitz; Summer Afternoon-it just spells sweetness and last is from IOD, the awaited heirloom enamels. wonderful and authentic accents
6: New from Robin Carlton at Sweet Shoppe Designs
7: New from Eve Recinella at 3scrapateers
8: New paperpack from Suzy Nunez at digishoppe
9: Beautiful Journey from Misty cato

1-12: Big stuff at 32.99 from the team at SBB. You cna download, get several cd or one dvd. It's a great sample, so if you have 33 dollars to spare, this is a great deal.
13-16: Stuff from Trish Jones available at her shop and SBB. She has great stuff at her Store. I've seen it before, but I rediscovered it now. Her stuff reminds me a little of Jen Wilson's textures. Her site has a cool design.

More accents:

1: New set of brushstrokes from Meredith Fenwick.
2-6: More doodle delights from karen Hunt, also from SBB, same as Meredith
7: Minipreview from an upcoming kit by Laura Alpuche and
8: Preview of upcoming kit from Jan Crowley
9: A great boykit from Amber Clegg's store, amsdigiscraps.com

*OTHER NEWS*

Wait for the new scrapbookgraphics. So far what I know is that Anna Aspnes, Ronna Penner and Carrie Stephens has something to do with the poster above.

*PHOTOSHOP TIP*

I discovered through a thread at scrapartist the existence of photoshop tv and that led me also to a podcast of killer tips in cs2. Scott Kelby is one of the 3 hosts. Will link it up after this post on the right. Ronna Penner also has a podcast with tips. Lots of resources coming up.

When it comes to stamping, do remember to make a new layer to stamp, otherwise it will be difficult to go back and erase it when you have regretted after a while.

I want to be more efficient in using the pen tool. I am still stumbling on this and still on my trial and error stage. It's useful in making path wherein you want your text to follow. Gina Miller had a small tutorial on her blog on working with paths. You'll find it archived at her tips and tools album on the right side of her blog. It's not with pentool, but nevertheless it's useful.

Also when resizing your pics to be smaller remember to apply an unsharpen mask (Basic settings as recommended by Scott Kelby is 85, 1, 4). Instead of tweaking if you want more, apply it twice.

Internet tips: If some pages is weird, doesn't display images or the link on yousendit is not working/showing, it might be the internet security messing up. I turn it on till it loads and switch the NIS back again when page loads for safety reasons. Before i was wondering why I couldn't see the kits at Citrus Blossom, NDISB, and Sweet Shoppe and now I know why. And if you are saving pics and it only wants to save in bitmap mode with the filename as untitled, clear your cache in the internet options. If you get stuck with other problems, most likely other people have experienced it too. Google it! Many computer forums has the solutions.

And it's wise to have an external disk to save your kits, pictures and memories. I found this baby on sale. I might get one. You'll never know when the computer will go haywire and crash.

Fella scrappers, till next time.

Weekend Goodies

2006-06-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

Darn, I made a post twice today but messed it up with the new tab thingy msn toolbar. So I decided to let go till after the movies and stroll outside with hubby dearest. Ok to take two, hopefully the last. I just hope you guys have already digested my previous posts, and enough people are benefiting from the tons of info here.

*JEN WILSON*

I won!!! Well, atleast runner up. I was extatic to find my name there. Funky Fandango. Earned me a copy of the kit. Lovely stuff! The new kit is available now under the name Genuine Swing!

Jen has a delayed sale. 7 items for one dollar each. I got 'em all. It's only up for some few hours left. It was actually in honor of her daughter's 7th bday, and these stuff are reduced with 67%. The only thing is that it's not precut, but it's great anyways, and saves time and space.

*PRODUCTWATCH*

1: Shabbyshoppe's new kit
2-3: New from Amber Clegg (amsdigiscraps) now available at her own shop at introductory price of 2 USD per piece. Will soon be out at Digichick
4: Progress on Sandra Boddington's kit out soon. Her name that kit contest is over nad she decided to go for Mulberry memory. Very appropriate. Love her alpha's lately. The hanging kind
5-9: New from Tracy Ann Robinsson. Some from SBB and some at sweet shoppe designs.

Sunday means new products at Designer Digitals. All are brand new, except for the last 4 which is fairly new.

1: New from Andrea Victoria at Sweet shoppe. Another one in her collection NGA or No girls Allowed.
2-11: New collaboration kit from ACOT's Designers. Huge Kit.
12-14: Collaboration kit from Jeanelle Page and Amber Clegg at digiscrapdivas.com (seems like blue and red is the thing right now).

*VARIOUS STUFF-FREEBIES; CONTEST, ETC.*

Free awesome frame from IOD which is in style with their new upcoming enamel heirloom elements. Misty freebie by Tracy Ann Robinsson at her blog. Alpha freebie from Steppedonalego, sketch contest at Laura Alpuche's blog, name that kit contest on Michelle Colaman's blog, 324 comments so far, what a response. I am working on my contribution. Chrisitine Smith working on new stamped alpha's, Sandra Jackson's messy memories at SBB for just 3USD. New from Joyful heart designs, ans some nice doodle journaling space by Sarah batford at ACOT.

I mentioned Jeanelle Page previously and her store sweetdigicreations.com. She is having a 25% off sale and she has some cool stuff. Number 1 &2 are freebies on her site. There are 2 other kits too for free. You just have to register. Look at number 3. Isn't that a great kit.

Other stuff: 12 hour 25% off at sweetshoppedesign. Just change the order having the 12 first and 25 on the end. Just a typo I guess. The next 2 images are small previews on kit coming up from Carrie Stephens. 4-8 are examples of emily powers' work. She and Angela Powers is having a CT call so you would know how their design looks like. Meredith also has a freebie on her blog. Contest at Peppermint Creative. Next Top Digital Scrapper. Prizes are free access to her stuff for a year and bookbinding of LO's from heritage. 5 rounds. Also, I found out that those who entered the Name that kit by IOD gets a coupin code. Buy one take one on their paper packs. Oh lovely. Wicked Garden and Carriage House please for me. Sarah Jones has a request for recipe on her blog, and win one kit of hers at Digichick.

This is what I bought with my coupon code at SSD. Love the colors, texture and elements from Mindy T (SweetMindy. I had to give up Sonorian Sunrise once again), and Sara carling's Aero. When I saw at the scraplift blog, a LO made by this kit, i was smitten. I had to also give up the tagbook, the love-o-saurus, already reduced by 50%, bears'n'blossom, neopolitan, floral sky, serenity, pixiestixchic, mudd pie, robin robin-bo-bobbin, tainted love, thank heaven, pocket full of posies, feels like home, tootsie pop and dream a little dream. So it was toucg you can say. I left out Paula Duncan and Sandra Boddington since they both had even higher discount recently at 30%.

*FEATURED*

Carrie Stephen's good stuff at fishscraps. She still has 10% sale because of the contest where you cna wacom and canon rebel.

All of these eyecandies from Scrapbook Elements. Before I only knew about Lynn Grieveson there. After stumblin to Taran Conyers who made that swirly doodle font at shabbyshoppe that Andrea likes to use, I also discovered other great designers that SBE houses; Anna Aspnes (who is this month's featured artist at scrapartist, Kay Miller (nicely blended papers), Dennis Docherty (also known as spaceraven), Kelly Shulz (who also has her own shop)and Terry Marucca.

*FONTS GALORE*

Fonts from 2peas. They normally costs 2dollars. Not bad price.

For sale at Fontgarden.

Free at Fontgarden.

Typadelic by Ronna Penner. Wowzer, pretty expensive stuff. But digging her style. Swirly at shabbyshoppe by Taran Conyers.

With that I bid adieu.

Rushing it with a load of treats

2006-06-09T07:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have a short time till we head over to my inlaws. We're gonna sleepover, so no scrapping and blogging for me till tomorrow. I did manage to squeeze in a LO last night amidst the never-ending organizing and surfing for news.

This is hubby's nephew from England. They were here summer of 2005 for our wedding. I was trying to get a decent picture of him, but he just didn't want to pose and smile, but I guess it captured the real goofball that he is.

Credits: Corrugated paper, black tag and ink splatter from Gina Cabrera's Book Bag Essentials. Feltarrow also from Gina Cabrera from snippet essentials line at DDE, cut green paper from Eve Recinella's rough n tumble, Silver clip alpha from Ashley Olsen, twill ribbon from Kim Christensen's his cd; swimtrunks (collaborative kit with Meredith Fenwick) at SBB, twill words from Jasbeanie's boys will be boys element pack, stitches from Gina Miller's revamped stitch essentials, beaded circle from Summer Simmon's Citrus Grove (recolored) and acrylic brush strokes from Michelle Coleman. Fonts are: Rub it and Freeze.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok then let's head over to what I have found since last I blogged (believe me, they are plenty, the scrapping world doesn't sleep it seems).

So let me see, what to start with, hmmm...

*CONTEST/CT CALLS*

(the last one just came as I was writing this blog, check more about sausan below)

Also, Christine Smith has already announced her winner for her new kit. Ange Dawn will soon be back with her usual what's your number. Holly has name her mom's new purse shop and up for grab will be a 25 dollar gc at her shop, holy shmoly. And ofcourse fab Jen is back with her new name that new fresh intuition kit. I submitted my entry after playing around with words and scribbling. Sandra also has a name that kit contest on her blog.

When it comes to CT calls and me, Jan Crowley's, Dani Mogstad and Gina Cabrera's call is so tempting, but as much as possible I don't want to be restricted to certain designs, because when I scrap the design and kit choice comes after my mood and the photo, and besides I don't scrap that much (specially since I don't have kids yet) and so I choose to be selective. But maybe guest creative teams. Although, I now regret not having applied for Merdith since I used so much of her stuff in my latest LO's and her new urban colour range is so awesome (see below).

*FREEBIES*

1&2: free if you register at Liddy's loft
3: Discovered Lie Fhung has some samplers and these ribbons free at scrapsupply.com after browsing at their fonts
4: Free paper pack by the new awesome edition of the muse from scrapartist (their newsletter). Sign up now. Previous editions can be found in the forum.

This is my desktop now. free desktop calendar also at the muse's newsletter.

Offer at your-digital-dream.com from Traci Sims (the newest addition to the designers of digichick). See her first kit there below.

This goodie from Sausan's blog who designs for scrap2gether.com. Which leads us to....

*PRODUCTWATCH/SALE*

This is Sausan's stuff at Scrap2gether.com. She has awesome doodles and papers. Lovely.

I have so many new stuff collages, so moving along...

1-5: New June kit from Rhonna farrer at 2peas; Split pea. Lovely brushes.
6: New stuff from Sbb's element team.
7-8: Lovely Mother daughter tea kit from Theresa Hernandez at ACOT
9-10: Lovely new stuff from Michelle Underwood at ACOT and also availableat SBB.
11: Tainted Love, new from Manda Bean at Sweet Shoppe Designs.
12: New from the team at Modscraps
13: Freebie on NDISB's newsletter.
14: New calendar book, designing with 2007 from autumnleaves
15 & 16: Soft kit from Mary Fran at nitwits collection.

1: From Cottagearts.net
2: Wonderful blended papers from kay Miller available at SBE
3: New from Mari K at Digichick
4: In the City by Tracey lee at Digichick
5: Blue Nile by Andrea t Digichick
6: Brown paperbags pack at SBB
7: Postal paper pack from Denise Bailey at Scrap2gether.com
8: Pinky Boo from Fee Jardine
9: Birthday wishes from Sandra Boddington at SSD

Lovely accents for your pages:
1: Stamped alpha from Christine Smith at Digichick
2: A brush with tea from Christine Smith
3: Paintbox by Fee Jardine
4-6: Funky doodles from Karen A Hunt at SBB
7: More additions to the work in progress element pack of Room at San salvatore from IOD
8: Blooming Stitches by sandra Boddington

More elements from Meredith Fenwick.

And while we are on Meredith, look at her new kits on the urban colour series to be released later today at SBB. I love the second and third the most.

1: Jen's fab new kit coming soon after someone wins the name that kit contest
2 & 3: New from Michelle Coleman, Gypsy Rose
4 & 5: New from Shabby Dianne, Sweet Abandon
6-8: New from Lynn Grieveson for SBE, cherry festival, to be releases sunday, together with her example LO
9: Debuting kit of Traci Sims at Digichick

2 new kits from Heather Ann Melzer at her store heatherann designs.com.

New designer at Holly's place, Corina out with new stuff. Pretty stuff.

1&2: 2 day special from Gina Cabrera at DDE on her new line release for snippet essential. Reduced price for the whole burlap set with alpha as bonus/gift.
3: Sale of cottontail
4: Pinwheel freebie made by Gina Cabrera by cottontail kit available for download at Heather Ann's shop.

The last is from Scrapartist. Oh goodie, goodie, can't wait!

By the way, Ashley Olsen sells several stuff at her own store for one dollar!!! Check her dollar store section. That's so cheap for one kit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That was my rush entry (1 and 1/2 hour long, gosh, I just had too much to report).

This is my latest shopping bag:

Coming up purchases: burlap series from Gina Cabrera at DDE, lots of stuff from Ashley Olsen's dollar store and various stuff at Scrapartist's sale. Magnetic Poetry from Miss Mint.

Coming up reviews on next entry: Fishscraps stuff by Carrie Stephen, Fonts (typadelic, Fontgarden and 2peas) and several designers at my newly discovered Scrapbook Elements (before I only knew about Lynn Grieveson). So watch out girl with info overload till next post.

Inspiration by accident

2006-06-03T09:09:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to scrap lately for several reasons. Instead I have been hunting kits and buying them or making reviews of them. I already showed my enthusiasm for actions on the post before this, and as I started playing around with one of our wedding picture and cross processed it, it suddenly got a tint that made me think of Meredith's Urban Colour Rave that I just bought not so long ago. And the ball started to roll. I noticed that my 3 latest LO's has Meredith's stuff as the dominant item. So she saved me from the slump!

I managed to scrap 4 for the last days. I set a ban on myself today to stay away from the pc because weekend is day off of my baby, supposedly, but since she had overtime today, it''s scrapping time! First two pictures from our february wedding in the Philippines:

Credits: Papers, cornerstamp and alpha's from Meredith Fenwick's Urban Colour Rave, Frame and label from Lie Fhung's Soul Searching Sample kit, phototurns from Holly McCaig's NSD, Round tacks from IOD Essentials, flower crochet from Gina's Cabrera's Snippet essential at DDE, Miss Mint decorative edges used on red paper as clipping mask and monogram ornament used on our wedding invites turned to a brush and used as clipping mask for one of the paper's in Meredith's kit. Fonts: Jane Austen and Cotillon. Actions used: Ittybitty Actions cross processing.

Credits:Sea grass Kacki paper from Michelle Colema's Good Karma pp (freebie on her blog), Meredith Fenwick's paper and dot from Swimtrunks kit (his cd by Kim Christensen and Meredith Fenwick), Christine Nash's template on the circled paper, twill jumpring from Holly McCaig's NSD accent pack, tag by Kime Christensen from his cd's Overall kit (collaboration with Meredith F.), shmootzy alpha from Nancie Rowe janitz, string from Jan Crowley's downtown kit and frame from Kim Crother's sloppy borders gallery collection. Font: Dear Joe. Actions: Light b&w conversion with ittybitty actions.

Credits: Papers from Katie Pertiet's Tapestry, Jackie Eckles' altered kit and folksy paper pack, speech bubble from Kristy Ann Nerness' Noteworthy, Window frame in the background from Katie Pertiet, ink spatter and artist "bra" wordart from Gina Cabrera's Book bag essentials, Alpha's from Holly and Kristy Ann's Create collaborative kit, crown from Kristy Ann's collage combo, tapes from IOD essentials and Katie Pertiet, images from stock exchange and adobe bridge (utensils, paintbrush and torso), buckle from Michelle Coleman, "belt" and frame on chest from Holly McCaig's NSD, acrylic brush strokes from Michelle Coleman and twill used to hang fram by Kathryn Balint's my old office. Made a brush and used as clipping mask by an image silhouette bought from Stock expert (swirls in hair too used as brush from stock expert). Fonts are disgusting behavior, broken 15, xerox malfunction and plastique.

Credits: Paper, tag on picture, lace and stitch from Nancie Rowe Janitz' Bleached linens, vellum tag from Miss Mint, masking tape from Katie Pertiet, Wordart from Jen Wilson's You Name it Indviduality, ornate frame from shabyy princess' studio chic and sanded chipboard alpha from Jan Crowley. Fonts used are: mom's typewriter, pristina,teletype and vtsmith upright

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So many stuff to report. That's what happen when I don't blog for the wekend (but i did get a refreshing break, making Lo's and going out with sis and hubby).

*CT Call and designer call*

The digichick girls, Kimberly Giarusso (guest ct only for one month), Jan Crowley and Heather Roselli are out looking for girls on their Creative teams. Jan's call is very tempting. Love her works (she has a new kit below). While the sweet bunch wants 3 more designers to join them.

*SALES/MY SHOPPING*

Beside from these, Lori Barnhurst is removing her store (scrapsydaisy.com) and has put everything on half the price, yes that's 50% off. You have till the tenth to snag her goodies. Here is my tentative shopping cart (minus some because I also have to make room for Eve Recinella's sale. I love her elements and colors). Eve's wishlist is below Lori's, and Paula's below Eve's. i also would love something from Sandra Boddington, but haven't posted it here.

As I make this entry, I come upon a new sale. Summer Simmons is having 40% sale at summergiggles.com as celebration for 2 of her design team to make it to final 7 at UDS. Look at some of her lovely stuff in my previous post. Also Holly has 15% off her newest addition in the inspiration series. Kristy Ann's birthday sale, but check the specials at their store where 2 of her paper pack is 50% off.

and this is my real shopping cart from Scrapartist. Got 25% off the other day (one-day sale).

It was tough narrowing it down. There are so many good stuff there. I loved for example MCO's lace brushes among other stuff. And it was hard choosing between IOD's papers. Wicked Garden has been in my eye for a long time, but it ended with plantation with the wonderful gentle colors and texture.

And later, while I was doing a LO with Bleached Linen, I decided I needed the elements too (at normal price another day).

and I also took advantage of Holly's sale. I already bought stuff during her memorial day sale, and got more now. I love her accents and been using some on the latest LO's . When I am stuck, she has the stuff I need.

Due to the many and frequent sale, and I am going insane, I think I will stick to sale 40% above. Less and I have to pass. I also bought by the way a font because the journalling fonts Michelle Coleman's rocks. So I got the FG Matilda at font garden for 3 dollars. I said to myself not to buy fonts, but again I broke my rule (Michelle had posted wrong font on her LO, and gave me a hard time finding it, but i remember she used this frequently, so I went to her old LO's. Seems she likes Marydale and FG Matilda. Marydale is a free font though. Fontgarden has lots of nice journaling fonts for sale.)

*FREEBIES*

Not all goodies is for sale. Some costs 0 dollars. Yes there are plenty of freebies going around. You have to get Paula Duncan's newest kit for free, before it goes empty. After that it will be selling at sweet shoppe design. Dianne's alpha is already expired. Glad I got in time. Bloglines does help bigtime! Holly's felt darlings are up for grabs at their yahoogroup. I am going to apply for the group shortly.

NEW UPDATE: 2peas July free kit is up (After i published, Katie's blog doorbelled at bloglines where I got the info. Won't post any previews, worked too long on this entry already, and man am I hungry. But head to 2peas now. I am downloading at the moment!

And if you join contests, then you might get more free stuff.

*CONTESTS*

IOD has just ended their name that kit contest. I joined in, but wasn't so lucky. I also wasn't lucky at Ange Dawn's regular what's your number contest (but since she holds it regularly, I might get more chances. VAlerie's new kit is also up for draws at her blog. Time is short. Winner is announced today. Christine Smith will also have a draw on her new kit that is due thursday.

*PRODUCTWATCH*

1 & 2: IOD's new San Salvatore

3: New from Nikki Meador

4: New from Mindy Terawasa at Sweet Shoppe

5: From Maya at Scrapbookgraphics (got it from Gina's blog)

6: Lie Fhung's Resilience for charity to Indonesia

7: Anna Aspnes' Sono Summer at Scrapartist (featured designer of this month).

8: Valerie's new kit for release very soon.

9: New from Dani Mogstad

10: At cottage-arts.net

11 & 12: More stitches from Lie Fhung

13: new from Paula Duncan

14 & 15: new from Christine Smith out soon (check her blog on how to win it)

We have more:

1-3: Fee Jardine and Kristy Ann Nerness' new collaborative kit, ain't the doodles fab!

4-5: Holly's new stuff from her inspiration collection.

6: New yummy stuff from Jan Crowley.

And then some more:

1: New collaborative kit soon out at ACOT

2 & 3: New from Michelle Coleman, what lovely colors

4: Lovely textures. It's available at 3 scrapateers (don't remember the name, something with stitch)¨

And still going...

Barely making it on time is the newest from Summer Simmons. It's 40% off as part of her sale.

*ACTIONS and IMAGE ENHANCEMENT*

Played around with the ittybitty actions I bought and here are some results. First one is original:

Framecorner free action from teyaphoto.com

And here is a cross process:

And because of Michelle's new LO. I searched for midnight sepia action free from atncentral.com. I also found some other actions in the process, like the cool gothic glow and lensblur (mimicing the effect of the camera add on lensbaby, I wrote about the lensbaby on my other blog). Original picture first, then the rest in the collage (applied first ittybitty actions as seen in the first image and then added the other new free actions).

Just check the effect on gothic glow on this picture I borrowed from atn's site:

And since friday passed, Jessica Sprague had a new issue of her photoshop friday. The b&w conversion I was already familiar with, but not the sepia. Look what I made with that technique.

That's a wrap, phew! I am outta here... PS! Pardon the small text, something got screwed when I pasted the credits. Those were the only one's that were supposed to be small. Still owe some new links for scraptools. Later, ok....Man, the sun is so bright outside, I should be getting my butt outdoors. Norwegian summers are too short to miss. (Just to have an oversight for myself. 30.22 dollars used this month so far, 130 with the actions, and then I have now a plan for the next 33 dollars.)

Actions and can't be without tips

2006-06-01T02:55:00.000-07:00

June is here people, and summer has officially started people. My Flickr free account has gone back to 0% again, and so from now on I will make collages and explain each image on the collage. Saves blogspace, loading time and space on my limited flickr account.

It's sick by the way the amount of typos I had last entry. The reasons are ussually that I am sleepy already, too tired because of all the pc activity or just typing too fast and too much. For the record, I am good at spelling, just so that is said :)

I'll start with something new this time;

*TIPS AND TRICKS*

So I won't eleaborately state the details of each tip, because after I write this I will update my template and scraptools links and add the link to the tips. Some of them has screenshots, so it's better you get it from there.

When I started this new blog, I made the links to my favorite blogs to the left, and left out some of the others listed on my other blog. When I now discovered bloglines thanks to Dianne R., I now can still keep track of my whole blogroll. Still, I will keep the blog links to the left for readers here so they can discover these cool, informative and entertaining blogs. I must say that people having lots of blogs to stalk must avail of bloglines' service. It's quite a timesaver for an imbalanced time freak like myself, and you're always first with the news, hot off the grill. I am so thrilled of how it works, and how much it has helped me and given me more time. Some blogs don't have feeds. Like Livehouse australia, and then some blogspot users must have toggled off their feed in their settings. To learn more how it works, check bloglines.com. It is a free service. I downloaded a notifier for my system tray so that it makes a sound everytime someone makes a new entry in their blog. You can make folders for the subscribed feeds. I have one for scrapbooking, one for food blog and one for my wawies community friends. This works so well that I even found a blog coupon code unintentionally. At first, I couldn't understand why the old entry appeared, and thought bloglines was having a bug. You see that entry of the blogger shows a new kit release that is actually old, and I recognized it and new that had to be an old entry. Those bloggers who doesn't have e afeed, but I wish to stalk, I put them on a seperate folder on my favorites bar in IE.

The next tip is on saving your LO for web so that it comes out sharp and crisp. I had a problem with this before. My LO's was blurred (like you would ask yourself, do I need glasses) I didn't quite explore how to fix it (was lazy finding the solution for this, I had tons of other stuff I wanted to explore), but stumbled upon this tutorial at Christine Smith's newest blogentry. She had taken a tutorial at Jessica Sprague's blog (this blog has photoshop friday where she makes an assignment/post a tutorial every friday. I have now tried everyone of her tips. You should check it out. I will link her to the right at scraptools under the title Photoshop Friday.) and modified it a bit to her preferred settings and for elements user. But I headed over to Jessica's blog for the CS version/Photoshop version. Her settings gave me a sharp LO with a size over 500k. One can scale it a bit down to a smaller size if some galleries require smaller than that. I also learned a basic all around setting on her blog for unsharp mask which she has learned from Scott Kelby (85%, radius 1, threshold 4. If you want to sharpen more, just run the filter twice under same setting instead of incresing it).

Her other Photoshop friday tips is creating a brush and then use that brush as clipping mask. I know how to do that already, but this one made an outline around the shape, so that it will not "bleed" with the background. Here is some stuff I learned from her Photoshop Friday. The original is to the right. I created a dreamy effect on the one to the left and used a frame on her blog as clipping mask for a cool edge.

I went to the forums of Digichick and Scrapartist on Actions (because I want to buy Photoblast, but wanted to hear the takes of those who have used it already) where some (Andrea Burns being one of them) who preferred to tweak for themself mentioned curves and saturation (I also heard some use of channel mixer and levels in b&w conversions by the scrapping photographer Tara Whitney. She makes proofs, or enhance your photo's color as well as convert to b&w). I read from a little sampler from Scott Kelby's Photoshop CS2 killer tips book (I want that book, and Deke MCClelland's CS2 one on one plus understandine exposure on use of camera. I bought a norwegian softbound book at the post office at just 69 kroner to be more familiar with all the asics and tools of PS. The book is based on PS7, but their basics is very same) how to use the control and click on a spot on the image, and then it will make a point in the curve where it is represented. So I came with this. The one too the left had too much saturation and became a little too strong, so I toned it down to the one on the right.

So it was fun to play around and tweak images, but sometimes it can be too timeconsuming. And for one a little unexperienced like me, it would take time to fully utilize Photoshop and know how each tools, sliders and curves are used. This is where Actions (effects in elements) come in handy. Before I explain more on this, since I already talked about saving for web, let's talk about how actions can be a timesaver in saving your files. Usually, a digital scrapper saves in 3 formats; one unflattened psd file so that you might modify later, a high resolutioned image and one saved for the web to post on galleries. So at Jenn Caputo's blog (I was referred from another blog, can't remember whose), she has a tip on how you can use actions to save in all three ways in just a click of a button. I recorded my action, and now by a click of a button the files will be downloaded in my 3 seperate and specified folder in the format and setting I want. Jessica Sprague's method on saving for the web requires several steps, but now I don't need to do it over and over again.

Also, at this point i came to realize the power of actions. You make your action, records it, and on the time your recording starts till it stops, it saves each step you do during that time, and next time you'll just play it and it will do the same over and over again. Action is basically a list of commands that has been recorded. This way you can save your own settings so you don't need to go around remembering and noting it down, and it saves a lot of time.

By also using actions others has created, you basically have acquired instantly the skills of another pro by the help of the playbutton of action. Some can be purchased (Tara Whitney's blog, a digiscrapper and photographer led me to a site that sells ittybittyactions which she recommended. There are 40 actions marked down as of now for 99 dollars with a regular price of 139. And as they add actions, you are entitled to get the additional. Each action at regular price is 3.50 which is a big difference from the collection of photoblast that goes for 6 dollar a piece. I am going to buy them today and got the permission of my hubbey-so happy. It will be emailed within 24 hours to the email sign up of your paypal account. There is no direct download link as of now-Photoblast will be coming with that function soon. Initially I wanted the whole collection of Photoblast at a price of 75 dollar, but since I discovered this new one, I might just get the ones I would like the most individually later, like color wash, vivid color, basic black & white, goldenrod and dark chocolate. I also hear some like to combine actions for a whole new effect. Also Amber Ludlow has an action or tip on settings for sale at 20 dollars. She is donating this to good causes.). Some actions are free though, and I went downloading at adobe studio exchange for free. There are too many stuff to try so I won't be adding the specific actions to my link, but I will link up the 2 sites where you can find the actions. Some actions is a pack with several actions under it. But take note when buying, actions don't save a bad picture, they enhance images. Meaning don't expect the result to be excactly like what they display on their sites beacuse the images are taken by proffesionals who really knows how to use the settings of their professional and expensive cameras, and therefore starts with a great picture in the first place. Other thing about actions is that some don't flatten the image on the end, and you can adjust the layers to your liking, and then some has steps where the tool pops out (like for example the dropshadow settings) and you can adjust it, and when you push ok, the rest of the action plays on. Among the actions, dialogs also comes out with instructions, or terms of use or the maker of the action. Still, I have to recommend Virtual Photographer filter plug-in that is compatible with elements as well. It's free and you can find the link to the right. Great to start with.

This morning my computer and internet acted a little weird (it got faster again after I restarted the modem). So I went over to dinside.no to test my internet speed, and on the side I saw an article titled...aaaand action (hollywood style), but I knew this was about photoshop action, so I took a peek, and I found loats of goodies which led me to adobe studio exchange (another site is atncentral.com). You must register though to get the goodies. I tested the different actions on an image, but should have named each image to the action name for future reference. Depending on the image itself, action vaires in the ned result. The last image is obviously not from the same image. This was a dreamy action that merges 2 images gradually with the help of the gradient tool.

And then forgot to include these 2 effects. The polaroid I forgot to do on the girls image (which is by the way the daughter of a good friend of ours, isn't she adorable. I have a picture of her that I will scrap soon).

So while I am writing this entry, Kim's blog gets updated, and on her entry I discover actions again from a certain photographer named Teya. I went to her site and sees that she has 2 actionpacks for sale. each pack containing 5 actions at a price of 5 dollar a pack. that's 1 dollar per action. She has 2 actions for free also and I tried them out. Here is one of the free actions. The action stops with 2 layers and a selected eraser with opacity settings and everything so that you can give the cheeks a tint from the layer beneath.

I suggest that when you decide to go gaga over action, you make a folder for this and maybe a favorite subfolder so it will be easier to find them when you load your actions. The downside of this is that it lowers the motivation to learn more about the software. But for me struggling with time management it is great, and I can use more time to think about the style of the layout.

So, I finally got my ram 2 days ago, and I am so happy with the improvement. From 512 to 1536, the difference is noticeable. My hubby inserted it in the slot, and I adjusted the virtual memory page setting, and voila I am in heaven. I can notice the change when opening, using and closing photoshop or videoediting software or just running lots of windows explorer and internet explorer simultaneously. Fab, fab, fab!

Our internet will in these 5 days change speed to 50% more. It is the 2 free upgrade since we started using internet. Yohoo! And our next target will be external harddisk which I convinced hubby is important.

I also decided to splurge on the D50 instead of D70. After reading a lot in the net (also at 2peas), I found out that the small differences does not make up for the big price difference. Besides D50 uses SD cards which we have 2 gb plus of. So d70 can come up to 10500 with external flash, card, camera bag and extra battery, while d50 comes to 8500 Instead we can just save for a better lens later. Among the things I want in a lens is sharp images, fast and does great on those depth of field (I am not a picture/camera expert so not certain of the terms, but I have the ideal pictures and styles in my head).

*CREATIVE TEAM CALLS*

So who are these hunting for a creative team. Design by Dani (Dani Mogstad), Scrapwithnikki (Nikki Meador), Butternug squash (Christy Sturm), Sweet Dreams Shoppe (Angela & Emily Powers) and Digiscraps by Deb (Deb Fisher).

*PRODUCTWATCH*

1: Doodles by Kristy Ann Nerness (Holly McCaig shoppe)
2-6: Dani Mogstad (Picture 4 advertisment for the introductory price of the cool aid kit. It's 20% off. I love that bright kit) from her own shop at design by dani. The details are awesome, and especially love the elements.
7: By Nikki Meador, Perfect Personality at her shop- scrap with nikki, digishoppe and elemental scraps
8-9: Available at Digishoppe.
10: Huge collaboration kit at Scrapdish
11 & 12: Tracey Lee's work at Digichick. She made a complete kit of the lime and coconut pp I wrote about previously.
13: New one from Angela at Digichick
14 & 15: New stuff from Michelle Underwood at SBB
16: Debut kit of Lynn Grieveson at Digichick

But there's more:

3 first by Summer Simmons. I just looove these. Gotta get me some of those babies. And the last by Misty Mareda at Digishoppe. Cool Collage accents.

And stuff from 2peas as well (pics 1-3) from Rhonna Farrer. A kit, an alpha and a brush set. Summer fun with Nikki Meador from scrapwithnikki.

Amy Jo Smith, a designer of Digichick, has also her own shop. You can get plenty of overlays there and her stuff is free for commercial use as well. Theses overlays above from her new collection turkish ultra bold set is really rockin.

From Jenn's blog I learned about this huge collaboration kit named Ethan's Hope for 13 dollars available at elementalscraps.com: proceeds will go to a 5 year old boy by the name of Ethan who is suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It's available at elemental scraps. Each person who buys the kit becomes eligible to win prizes at the charity chat. 2 wacom tablets and over $800 in gift cards from: Gina Miller, Dianne Rigdon, Sweet Shoppe Designs, Lauren reed, Elemental scraps and every designer who contributed something to the kit.

And also, without posting a preview, I must say I am beiginning to fancy Carrie Stephen's stuff.

There are several sites offering magnetic poetry. If I am not mistaken, I think this is trend.

*FREEBIES*

Everyone is aware that it is summer as of today (and the weather is great today, make wanna seat in the porch with a cup of tea and some cookies and enjoy the sun), and a new month too. Well, some sites offer monthly goodies. Miss Mint of Peppermintcreative.com is out with her monthly freebie. You have to register (unless you are already registered), add the item to the cart and checkout. 2peas I guess will be coming soon to with their monthly goodie, and shabbyprincess anytime wtihin this month. On the back is a blog freebie from Andrea Burns.

Also you can sample the first issue of Digital Memories Magazine for free at their typepad blog, and also download the kit inside the magazine. I also learned from this that sweet shoppe designer Andrea Victoria is from the Philippines like me. How cool!

*CONTESTS*

Last, but not the least, contests. Something to spice up the digiworld, and a boost to push our creativity. This one is from Dani Mogstad:

And a huge contest to celebrate fishscraps one year anniversary over at fishscraps.com, home of Carrie Stephens. You can win a digital rebel slr by canon and a wacom. Her store is 10% markdowned for 2 weeks.

Not a contest actually, but more of a fun thing. Digichick has started doing layout of the day. No tangible prize, but it's certainly flattering and a boost. That's a nice idea and dedication from their side. Darla is hosting it. She has the most amazing LO's as I discovered during the posting contest.

With that I must retire. I have spent 2 hours making this entry. I started around 11am and it's almost 5 pm, so I already deducted small stuff I do in the duration I was writing it. Thanks for reading.

Last shot at shopping

2006-05-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

We had an artist in the house. Shabby Dianne Rigdon left a comment here, and thus another sale that missed me is revealed. I did go to their homepage and her blog to check out sale previously, but I didn't read anything about it, so I assumed there was none. Next time I'll be checking the specials link on the shops! 30% off her newest stuff. I have long wanted to buy that Little Man collection after I saw her layout at Scrapartist using these realistic leather goodies. I also think that part of what makes Dianne's LO's so realistic is her handpainted shadow. Yesterday, I saw her tutorial in scrapartist. I will link up her tutorial found on her homepage on the scraptools to the right navbar in a while. It's an awesome tip. Well, here is what I got today. KristyAnn's code is working now, and she emailed me back on it, so I got her collage deal as well. It's already cheap at 3 for 2, but I got even 15% off with the code. And last, I was fortunate to be on time for the felt collection introduction special at DDE (more on that later):

And for fun, let's take a peek at my total shopping experience for May. This was the first month I actually purchased. I relied solely on freebies before that. It started with the amazing sales at NSD (National Scarpbooking Day), and it wouldn't stop after that. Besides from these kits, i also bought extra 1 GB ram to add to my 512 which is a great investment. I am guessing it will be here tomorrow by the looks of the tracking info. I am glad these stuff are downloadable and byte wise, otherwise my hands would be tired carrying all that load, LOL.:

Ain't that crazy. I was supposed to not shop in 3 months after NSD since I went over my budget, but it was easier said than done. I have tons to scrap with now, so I wouldn' be needing so much stuff anymore. My budget is around $80 a month, but have used above $300 as of now (the value might be double though), and so I though I would lower it to $30 a month in the coming months. I want next month to be scrapartist & Lie Fhung month, the next to be Jen Wilson & Sweet Shoppe & after that would be Designer Digitals, and so forth. Every girl has to have a shopping plan ;) But in my case, I need to follow it especially budgetwise. I also want an external harddisk. We have 2oo + GB of stuff in the computer and many dollars worth of kit and sentimental values, wouldn't wanna see that banish forever. I do protect my pc as well as I can. I don't use peer 2 peer, I don't switch off the internet security, scan periodically and never open attachments even from friends (unless I know the source is reliable, like shops I have bought from). It would be too timeconsuming to burn on cd's and it would require lots of them. I don't need more clutters in my work area.

*RECOMMENDATIONS/SALE*

I didn't go buy everything I wanted in the sale. there are still some more hours left and here is some more recommendations. Lynn with 25% off, and this was one of the things I wanted:

Laura, owner of Digichick, has some really cool set of frames (floral, grungy, etc. check Valerie Fowler's blog for LO's using them, ). It is still reduced with 30% and for the musicians, her symphony kit is rich in color. As of this writing, i went ahead and bought her messy frames. I applied the remaining 0.15 I have of the GC, I won. That makes a total of 18.34 damage today and 44.78 yesterday for a total of 63.12. And before that I already shopped 231 on NSD. That will be almost 300 as earlier estimated. Plus the Ali Folendore sale at 20 and Gina's first felt sale with her shabby roses at almost 10. So 330. The only thing I can advice you fi\olks, Don't try this at home! LOL.

Nevertheless, will still recommend Laura's stuff as seen below:

And last, from Miss Mint, stuff that I didn't get for my shopping spree at her place, but they are great. love her alpha's

Last time, looking through Gina's CT, the Shabby Miss Jenn's blog, I disovered introductory price for Gina's new felt collection at DDE. It was originally priced for 10+ for all 4 packs, but was sold for 5.99 with a bonus gift. I managed to avail of the sale, although it was one day too late. Again, one day later, I discover her new fel series, pack of 4 with equivalent terms, and the bonus gift is even better now. Take a look at the Crochet flowers on the back.

Also recommending Kelly Shuls stuff at scrapix-design at 25% off. Was also supposed to get it. The Oh boy kit and the Blossom Fairy Paper pack.

And I totally forgot to mention it earlier that Ali Folendore's minikits are priced at an unbelievable price of 1 dollar a kit. Check it out.

Updated: I was now organizing my bloglines. It is really easy. I added a button on favorites, so I could just sunscribe with that button when i am on a blog on the browser I want to subscribe to. In the process, Ashley Olsen's blog appeared to be updated, and what do I read. 50% sale off her stuff. I couldn't pass this. So I got these items at her shop in SBB for 6.80. I have the silver alpha clips from before, so i had to have the gold one too. The funktabolous papers remind me of the one's I bought at Merediths' sale.:

*FREEBIES*

Gina has a freebie on her top rated blog as a memorial day special. Until now, can't find her coupon code for 30% off. I already bought plenty of her stuff at NSD, so I ain't plannin to buy as of now, but still it's annoying that I can't find it. I searched high and low. Here is her freebie:

And missed out on this one, but I will be checking the blog of the shop with the cool new look, the digishoppe. I bet they'll be giving away great stuff on their blogs later:

Although at their homepage (digishoppe), you can get a paperpack from Suzy Nunez, since she is the featured designer. Ain't their style cool. very retroish!:

*PRODUCTWATCH*

So over at Shabbyelements i almost got more stuff, but had to contain myself. Some I have seen before. Some were new. nevertheless, here are some stuff I'm wishing for. How coll are the magical brushes. If I suddenly feel a LO needs that touch, I would buy that impromptu. Beside from this I love her Happy Go Lucky collection.:

I mentioned this kit before, and the sale on its introduction. 2scoops kit by Christy Lyle and Sara Carling available tuesday at 20% off:

Zoe Pearn has new stuff at Modscraps. She has this trademark color and texture, and I always recognize her work in layouts. I love this new one. Look at that paper with the paisley. Fab, fab,fab!

At the same store, their infamous kit (this is not among their newest stuff, but I love the colors in this. A collaboration kit named Cutie Patootie:

Shawna Clingerman has this coll new stuff, and I just love the texture of this. Check the green swirl lower left. You can see the strokes and the elevated feel.:

This was a digipick. It's really funky in colors:

And last, some of Rhonna's stuff. Some of them are oldies. I love these stuff, especially her brushes, but find them a little pricey:

By the way, for those who have CS2, have you played around with adobe Bridge. Is it ok to organize with. I love the stock exchange pictures that you can get from the interface. It makes looking for stock pictures easier.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have used over 90% of my Flickr free monthly allowance of space. And most of this used just the last days when I opened my new blog. Reporting on updates everyday and uploading stuff takes a lot of space, although I resize it. Next month, I might put all in one collage and just explain each item on the collage.

What I love about the digital scrapbooking community is how equal we all are. Although I do get warm fuzzy when a designer i love visit my blog, there is no celebrity status, and I get comment from designer at my galleries. They don't look down at us non designers. They share so much of themself. They give out their tips, and so forth. That's why, when there are intrigues, I often react. How many times have I, when bloghopping, read the rants of a designer. There was intrigues at the Ultimate Scrapper contest, at the Digichick Treasure Hunt, on blogs, on paper vs. Digital, How designer shouldn't join certain contests. Luckily, these are small isolate issues, and the percentage of goodness is conquering the negativity in a bigger scale. So ladies, spread some love instead. It's hard to come by a community like this in our cynical world.

I am still struggling at time management. I have to organize the computer, the files, comment at blogs, go bloghpping for updates, comment on galleries and forums, Scan galleries and put on favorites for inspiration, make Layouts, and make this blog everyday. Still, I get guilty not being in the boards as often as I should. Then there are the people that craves my attention; my husband and my pregnant sister. And not to mention the household chores...The organizing and scouting for info already takes me 10 hours a day in the average. Now wonder I don't have time to actually make LO's. I was looking for an organizer at our local mall the other day. Although Outlook is a wonderful organizer in itself, it is overwhelming with so many functions, and besides I am alreay having a digital overload. I am yearning for a good old fashion scribbling, and not typing.

This weekend, I have banned myself from the computer (that sounds harsh, maybe 3 hours per day, LOL). We are going for a date with my sister and my hubby to eat some tapas, and catch a movie. Sunday, we had a movie night, and my sis and hubby were ganging up on me so I could move away from the pc. I love this household. I love their caring intentions and the friendship like ties we have. My sister was the one who suggested that me and hubby should repeat the date we had eating the absolutely best sushi and watching Iceage. I loved that day. I wished I had a picture of it, so I could scrap the moment. I had the camera, but was too shy to snap at the exclusive sushi restaurant, and we all sat in a round bar like counter table where evryone coluld see everyone. As musg as I fancy small foods, instead of main meal, we are going for tapas this time. And I said to sis whe had to come because in her pregnancy, tapas and grilled food is the only thing that really appeals to her

Using the computer everyday, average 10-15 hours on a daily basis is nuts! If it wasn't for the gel mousepad support for the wrist, I might have had pains. the posting madness that I won, left my hand a little sore, but still I didn't rest the succeeding day. By the way, my new household LO has reached 20 comments. That's overwhelming for me. I usually don't get that many. That's a record, and if you have commented and you are reading this, Thanks so much. Stuff like that makes my days and inspires me to amke more. Sometimes, I have inferioirity complex when it comes to my scraps. Like I feel inadequate, like I ain't making the best out of it and like I haven't found my style yet. I hoep surpass that page, so I will have no hindrance on my creativity.

I like Gina Miller posting her previous works and her redos. Her previous works are not bad. But it is comforting that newbies like me can confirm that it will get better by time. Look how she scraps now. She's a master at it. Her LO always catches my eye.

I have to go take a bath, do some cleaning and then make some Lo after organizing my newly bought stuff. But before that I have to attend to my other blog. It is need of an update. I also have to update my links. Lots of new great blogs and sites. I registered at bloglines, but have to explore it a bit. It will make my bloghopping a lot easier. Thanks to Dianne for her tip one her blog on that.

See yah tomorrow.

Triumphant

2006-05-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

I won the posting contest at Digichick and picked up the USD 20 GC. And I used it all at once. Typical me. Anyway, it caused me to be awake 24 hours and then I slept 6 hours, woke up for 3 hours and then slep 12 hours, so I catched up with lost sleep (although I heard there's no such thing as catching up on lost sleep), but still my sleeping time is reversed. Again...typical me. Had fun, got to know people, and the 2 latest LO I posted was filled with comments. Once I get things straight, I would like to be regularly posting in my top 3 place to hang out (as of now Scrapartist and the Digichick, havn't had time to explore the others yet).

Ofcourse I had to go get Andrea Burn's newest collection, hourglass. I got all except for the last. I also got a great kit from Valerie and some really elaborate doodles from Feebee. I had shopped so much fave stuff during the NSD sale, so it was easier to pick. Also, since there was an ongoing sale, I got more value for the GC. So here is my shopping bag at TDC:

And ofcourse had to take advantage of the different sales around (most of them because of memorial day.

Holly had 15% off on her designs through a coupon code in her blog. I got stuff from her archives. love the colors there and the accents. I also bought a flower pack and for the purchase above 5 USD, I got a free petal pack. Also, since I purchased (I think it requires 5USD purchase to be eligble for the draw), I am also in a draw of getting a custom kit. This round ends at 31st of May. I also later saw a coupon code from Kristy Ann Nerness that gives 15% discount too for all stuff, although the shop didn't recognize the code on the items I picked for some reason. Atleast it kept me away from more pocket damage ;)

Availed of the sale of Meredith Fenwick's stuff. A kit, alpha and license plate and brown bag alpha glitter. Used a 1 dollar discount code and her stuff was 25% off. There was also a scheme. 10 dollar gives 10% additional off, 20 dollar gives 20% more, and so forth.

Had to get one cool kit from Kathryn Balint; My old office. 20% off on that kit.

At ACOT I got my overdose of Andrea Burn's and got her Playtime and Robin's Nest at 40% off.

Got some great accent at Miss Mint's place peppermintcreative that had 25% off. Some was 33% off, like the decoupage alphabet. Something happened and I didn't get my downloads, so i contacted customer support and they fixed it at once. Great service. Also snagged a free kit. She gives away a kit monthly, but you must be logged in and registered.

And Atomic Cupcake had a sale for more than 30% off on actions. So I went ahead and bought two torn paper effects and a crumble paper effect. There's still some more I wanted, but I couldn't get carried away.

Here is my memorial day shopping bag:

I also got a kit from Scrapartist for competing in the Why I scrap Contest. It turned out wonderful, and is now available at their shop for 7.5.

*FREEBIES*

Awesome freebie at Meredith Fenwick's blog.

And at Amber Clegg's own site (designer at Digichick, check her blog on the digichick's blog for a link to her site), she has these 2 as free downloads. No registration needed:

And at Sweet Shoppe Designer Sandra Boddington's blog, there is a cool accent freebie. Her new kit is wonderful. You can see a preview on her blog:

*MORE SALE*

Elementalscraps.com has 50% off sale (Amanda has some nice stuff there). Scrap2gether.com has 35% off. Scrapbook elements also have a sale.

Christine Smith will be retiring her stuff available at both Divine Digital and digitalscrapbookpages.com and will only be selling at Digichick. Therefore she sells the kit with a 75% markdown. I like the superstar digital kit. I might get it tomorrow. The sale is just for the 29th and 30th.

Here is Miss Mint's sale banner:

Another sale at the digishoppe:

And as I mentioned earlier, sale at Atomic Cupcake:

*PRODUCTWATCH*

More and more Lo are being accented with a kit that started as an entry in the ultimate scrapper's contest at digiscrappin.biz. It's really neat. Christy Lyle created this for Sweet Shoppe Design. She also has a preview of her upcoming kit on tuesday which is a 2scoops kit with Sara Carling on her blog. On its release it will be 20% off for just that day.

More seamstress stuff from Lie Fhung:

For more vintage stuff besides from Kathryn, I like Maya at scrapbookgraphics. Lookie here. This was a digipick, Frank& Alice-Romance Kit:

I like the paper of Tracey Lee at Digichick. The name of the paper pack sounds yummy. I think I will get this before the sale is over. It's under 2 dollar for so many textured papers. :

Sunday yesterday. Meaning new stuff from Designer Digitals. Botanic collection no. 5 is out with more goodies. Also freebies from their challenges is also out.

Jen Wilson is soon on her feet again. I am getting her Fresh Intuition kits that are out so far, but just want to wait till she comes back. Curious at what her 7 for $7 is.

*CONTEST*

Ange Dawn has a pick a number (the kit you want) and leave that comment in her blogentry. It is open to comments till she posts next time. I chose the 10 paper pack. Like the texture and color on this one. So far, only I have picked that kit/paper pack.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I put on hold buying Digital Scraproom. Heard some negative experience from a buyer. Will research more. I do have Picassa, ACDsee and Adobe Bridge in CS2. I will also research on iview and PS album.

When I was organinizing and browsing the entirety of my fave shops, I should have used the wishlist function on the shop. Silly me.

I am so sleepy. It almost hurts. I am outta here.

Posting frenzy and more memorial day stuff

2006-05-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I am currently joining the fun at Digichick with a posting contest. It is also helpful to test their new host, so good luck to everyone. With that I have to rush this a bit, hopefully as little casualty as possible with minimal typos. I tend to have so many typos lately. been typing too much and rushing it always. Enough excuses. let's get down and dirty, LOL.

*MORE SALES*

Found some more sale while browsing. Starting with Digichick with their 30% sale on the whole store in occasion memorial day:

And also Meredith Fenwick at SBB has a sale herself (she also has on top of that a 1 USD off for her coupon code at digital scrapbook previews):

And Gina Miller of SBB has a coupon code hidden in her blog good until monday midnight that entitles you to 30% off her goodies. Can't seem to find it, but maybe you have more luck than me.

Some of Kathryn Balint's stuff at SBB is also on sale. here are the stuff I like from her. Great for vintage and altered pages:

Heather Ann also has this kit for sale at her shoppe:

*FREEBIES*

Snatched some great freebies today. My freebie folder is so full, that I have been so selective nowadays, but just had to get these from Michelle Coleman at her blog:

and from Eclectic Scraps blog (jessica Bolton). Lovely and grungy:

Don't forget to leave them some love!

*CREATIVE TEAM CALL*

Still on Jessica of eclectic scraps, you still have 2 days to apply for her creative team (btw, a few of her stuff is on sale as well):

*PRODUCTWATCH*

Lynn Grieveson of SBE has this great new kit. Lovely colors. So girlish. I love this:

And I have been talking about Gina's collection. Here are the four so far that she have posted. Lovely, ey. very Romantic and light.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Better get busy posting! I am off!

Camera lovin' and other scrapadoodles

2006-05-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

Ok, so excited about this. I got my Ram and memorycard reader (been so lazy transferring pictures from the camera to pc since I lost our USB wire for our cam in a vacation in Philippines. The thing with the USB is that it's not standard size. The slot for the camera is so small), and now hubby and I agreed on upgrading to SLR from our compact cam Nikon Coolpix 3700. The great thing with compact cam is that you can have it with you anywhere, and just take a random shot in an unexpected moment, and it's so light, hence compact camera. But it also makes you lazy and fed up (much like the texting craze that wore off), since it's so easy and the limitation in settings doesn't make great pictures. I know I have gone crazy with my camera, or maybe I am not using it to the fullest (I haven't even touched o experimented with the ISO setting, and I totally lack knowledge which is the reason why I am getting a good book once we invest in an SLR). One unfortunate incident in the beach in the Philippines also got sandcorns near the lens preventing it to shut and protect the lenses. I haven't gotten it to service, since I am just semi happy with my camera. The only thing I change in it usually is the flash setting (it has only 3, half, full or none). The no flash, sometimes makes it too orange and the full is so not flattering. The semi requires minimum movement where my subjects patience and my hands stability is put on the test. Often I feel guilty to make them pose again. My subjects are most often not camwhores obviously.

I often loved those sharp vivid color images from a camera, and always looked for this kind. After doing a LOT of searching and enlightenment on the internet, I found that a precise color rendition and shadows is more important. Like with a sky. There was a test between 4 dslr; nikon d50, canon eos 350d, olympus and pentax. They took the picture of the same thing with all 4 cameras. See how the blue sky completely disappears in canon. Before, I would pick which has more vivid color, but now i also read that some of these camera taking vivid and sharp images are artificial. When you enlarge them , you'll see it. I think it means something like when you overuse or not use the unsharp mask correctly, it will become artificial, maybe this is what they are talking about.

Good photos also makes a good page. Ofcourse anything can be manipulated nowadays with a good photoediting software. Usually, one can get these in bundles with hardwares and photoequipments (especially an old version of elements is bundled with these stuff). That's why I am trying to learn photomanipulation simultaneuously with layers and scrapideas. Usually I touch up my photos before I drag them to the scraplayers.

So when the taxmoney arrives and the 13th month pay in the summer, we are going to storm the cheapest and best shop so we can get good summer pictures for us to enjoy, and for me to scrap. The thing that also motivates me to good camera is that it's not long before babies will be popping (well, I wish it would pop for the pain and birthing experience scares the living daylight out of me) in our world.

I am torn between Nikon d70, nikon d50 and canon eos 350d (dpreview.com is a nice place to get educated about the different cameras). What we know is that with the camera, we are going to invest in an external flash (which you can move to give warmer light), an extra battery pack, 2 gb of memory card and a good camera bag. Also want to buy that lensbaby thing that bend your lens to give more focus on things (check lensbabies.com). The effect of the lensbaby can be done in photoshop. Tutorial is on the movement effect on the link to the right. We are also weighing 2 options. Buy a kit where the camera and lens is included or just buy the housing and then buy a seperate medium priced lens with better performance than the one included in the kit. The only existing extra equipment I have is a tripod, and I am too lazy to drag it with me.

With Nikon D70 and D50, the lens that comes with it has gotten plenty of raves for a kit lens. It's 18-70mm and covers most usage area. If we were to get a seperate, i decided to go for the 18-200 with a VR2 technology for stabilizing the shot (although I heard that the stabilizator is good only for still subjects and landscapes). Nikon D50 with the same kit lens as Nikon D70 is considerably lower in price, keeping all the essential goodies in Nikon D70. I looked at some comparison tables and the difference that appeals to me with the Nikon d70 that it has a faster shutter speed. On the other hand, Nikon D50 uses SD memorycard which we have plenty of with our old camera. That would be nice for action photos. It has always irritated me in my compact cam. The ability to freeze a movement without using too much flash.Canon and Nikon has very few points where they differ. I heard it's marginal. I checked netshops though and Canon rebel is the most bought slr camera. Quite a popular one. Canon have been in the biz awhile and it's name is trusted. My sister used a canon during the time it wasn't digital and they had photography classes as part of their curriculum.

Things I want for my camera is fast shutter speed, that the flash is adjustable (can bounce...just like when you are in a makeuptable with spotlights. If you move the spotlight to another angle, your looks change slightly) and that I can make pictures that blurs foreground or background for focus on subjects (depth of field/aperture thingy).

Now, I ain't no photo and camera expert. I have yet to capture a great picture. A lot of things is stilll unknown to me. When we had dinner at our engagement pictorial with my photographer, I asked him how he became a professional photographer. He said it was definitely not education. He started doing trial and error which I hear from many is the starting point. He took the same picture, same angle with different settings all the time, noting it down, and seeing what worked. he didn't base it on any formula or calculations. He tempered it till it was according to his liking. But, nevertheless, I want to get the basics, and have plans of buying the book of Bryan Peterson; Understanding Exposure (and want to learn cs2 more to get the full use of it and wishes for a book by deke mclle. I saw it in a netshop here in Norway, but it seems it is popular since it won't be available before 25-30 days. Another recommended site; play.com also is out of stock. I did see it on amazon though, but might wait a bit. I am really scared of this internet shopping thing. It's so easy to get carried away, it's so easy to click that buy/checkout button/process button, and all while your in your home sitting with a coffee in your hand. This convenience is not good for the pocket. I am a little afraid of hetting used to this. Before, I would just buy computer stuff on Norwegian netshops, now it has reached international domains, and I was terrified of that. I was so untrusting to buy from international shops and feared scams and the possible abuse of delicate information.

So far, what I have learned while browsing literally the whole day yesterday is the different lenses, and what they do, wideangle, standard, zoom, macro and tele (I will post lots of new useful links from my learning day yesterday). What interests me is the rule of thirds which I will definitely practice more on.

I want to go to a short course to learn more about basic photography besides from a book. The thing is that i would prefer to be taught in english, but I think that will be hard to come by in Norway.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So yah thought I was finished. Nope, I have more scrappie news for yah. Check this out:

If you are all organized freak like me, news like this would certainly delight you. There are a lot of organizer now. Photoshop album, bridge, etcetera. This news came from Amy Edwards blog (owner of SBB) and she has a review in pdf file of the software here:

*DIGITAL SCRAPROOM*

According to Amy Edwards who have bought it, it is good for it has left out extras not necessary for scrapbookers, but have lots of stuff usful for us scrapbookers, although there is stil some functions she wish it had. For me, I like the fact that it can save what file you have used in work mode so you'll end up with the name for each thing you have used and it can be exported to a text file. This does the tracking and crediting so much easier, given that you named the files properly. Another thing I like is that one can view png files properly without having to open it in PS. Their site is at dgitalscraproom.com and it sells for 20 USD. This goes in my virtual shoppping cart.

So to please our shopping pleasures:

*SALES*

Andrea Burns is having sale on both her stores at ACOT and The Digichick. Digichick has undergone a site mainteneance and change of server, so maybe that's why her store is not updated with the discounted price. However it is updated at ACOT and love her playtime and robin's nest kit over there. Still dwelling on buying. There's so many stuff I want and must definitely prioritize.

Lynn Grieveson over at Scrapbook Elements also has sale in connection with memorial day. I just love that country garden kit. So funky colors. She will soon debut in Digichick as I mentioned earlier.

A previous Digichick, Kelly Shults, has also sale at her own shop at scrapix-design in connection with memorial day as well. She is offering 25% off as well and a patriotic mini paper pack for free. Love the textured oh boy kit and fairy blossom paper pack. The latter reminds me of a paper pack Folksy I bought at Designer Digitals by Jackie Eckles, the color and the textures.

Last, check out Digital Scrapbook Previews site for a 1USD off coupon code for Meredith Fenwick and Modscraps has also sale on some items (I wish they had sale on cutie patootie kit. I love that). I am gonna get her license plate with that coupon or the glitter brown bag alpha; or both, LOL. Btw, checked out DDE just now and the snippet essentials sale I told you about in an earlier post is over (it lasted one day longer I think). They have now updated the price to normal.

*CONTESTS*

It's fun with a challenge, a contest. Something that will push your creativity and the feeling of thrill.

Here are the ones I have seen that i wish to join:

Kristy Ann Nernes has a competition wherein you must use atleast 3 items from her noteworthy series. I snagged the elemement pack during the NSD sale, and hopefully, I'll get something done. But with the way I am blogging and using so much time on so many other stuff, I barely have time to scrap, even though I sit here all day being jobless. Btw, Kristy Ann Nerness' product can be found on holly mc caig shoppe, link to the right

I mentioned earlier about the Jasbeanie contest at ACOT, here are the specs:

A new update, one more contest at Digichick in connection with their change of host:

*PRODUCTWATCH*

New product coming to Holly's place. She had a preview of the kit on her blog, which by the way has a new look. Lovely new collaboration kit with Kristin Cronin-Barrow

Felt as I said is in, and look who else has made felt items and put them up for sale (earlier I showed you Gina C's and Katie Pertiet's version), Tracy Ann Robinson at SBB:

and also Miss Mint from Peppermintcreative.com. I also included some nice items of her from her shop in my collage.

And besides from felt, glitter is also in, but that came a little earlier. Here is Dawn Stocstill's aka Hunibuni (modscraps and SBB) glitter sample:

Dianne Rigdon has just recently put her Little Man at Scrapartist, and Michelle Coleman before that with It's a Guy Thing, and I put images of those further below in seperate posts. Now it's Nancie Rowe Janitz' turn, and she too with a masculine pack, Quiet Love (not certain if the brushes on the corners are included, didn't found it on the specs). I have only the elements pack on the collage, but paper packs (one in solid and one patterned) is available as well. Cd is being scraplifted at Scrapartist. I totally adore her layouts and photos, and her 3 girls are simply adorable. Anyways, browsing her galleries, I saw an earlier work of Michelle Coleman (which is in my wishkits folder) that I appreciate even more now, and which I posted on the collage as well; Grungy Boy. Yet another masculine kit. We do need them for the guys in our lives.

More previews for Gina Miller Collection in her blog, check it out.

That's the news for now. Hope it filled your scrappy apetite :)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Certain bugs are annoying me nowadays. One of them is in Flickr. My LO below is not displaying due to this. But the image is intact in my account.

I blog too much here, and must head over to my other blog. Hasn't posted for 2 days, and has plenty stuff to tell. By the way do check my post below for some useful tips on improving performance of your Photoshop, particularly, CS2.

Performance tips-Photoshop (long, and techie, but useful)

2006-05-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Been absent, not long, but enough for me to miss the blogging world. it's been part of my routine.

I used lot of time yesterday educating myself yesterday, mainly on photography and how to speed performance of adobe photoshop. It has been bailing on me lately, and it have hindered my creativity with the frustrations. Before I went on looking for solutions, I, with the consent of hubby, decided to upgrade our ram which is one of the advices in improving performance. Photoediting and videoediting uses a lot of ram, the videoediting a little more (so when I get the ram, I will first of all test windows movie maker or pinnacle to see how the ram increased performance). So I had to research.

My first love was gadget and technology. The reason why I sat up till late on the pc,until the wedding came and the scrapbooking. So I am familiar with terms and how to search for stuff. I just love the google toolbar on my browser. It is one of my most used pc tools. The main thing is to use the right words to search. I often use it for troubleshooting, and it works like a charm every time. Yesterday, I have added so many links to the favorites folder by surfing the net. Will share and update my links here in not so long.

Back to the Ram bit. First I had to find the compatible ram. I didn't want to go look for the manual of the motherboard to see what ram is compatible for it. The compatibility issue is mainly on how many pins on the chip, so that it will fit on the slot of the motherboard. ¨Crucial, one of the manusfacturer of RAM, have a memory selector on their site which will pinpoint you to what RAM you can buy for the model of your motherboaard. I did not know the model of my board, but I have a Belarc Advicor installed in the computer. Belarc Advisor is a tool that analyze the profile of your computer. It tells you the softwares, licenses, hardwares, user, updates that is in your computer. It is very handy and free to install. Google it, and you'll find it. So I got the specs of my comaptible Ram and learned what the different specs mean. I also google searched my motherboard to find how many GB of Ram it can take and how many slots it have. I found out it has 4 slots for RAM and can hold 3 GB RAM. I also searched which brand was good, and what's better generic or brand? In the end my choice was between Corsair and OCZ and I ended up with Corsair PC 3200 (DDR SDRAM), non buffered, CL=3, 1024 MB 400 MHZ, so I will be having 1536 Ram by next week when it arrives in the post office. I also searched for the cheapest place to get it from and which one has most reliable and good service. I saved 100 kroner (800 pesos) on my pick of vendor, and besides from my 3 best choices, it was the only one who had it available on their warehouse. I also bought from them a USB penlike memorycard reader where in one end you have the USB that plugs it to the pc, and the other side where you insert the card. It reads 4 types of memory card for 299 kroner. I wanted to buy a 12 in 1 memory card reader that reads all the most common types, but the one I bought had a 1024 mb twinmos sd card as a great addition and value of the card is 240, so i got the memory card reader for just 60. I now have 2.2 GB memory card divided among 8 seperate memory card (plus the one that went with the camera of 128mb that doesn't work anymore, grin) for my nikon 3700, good for over 2000 images set on medium image resolution.

RAM upgrade is a relatively low cost speed and performance boost, but there are some minor free stuff you can try. First, defragment your disk (start>accesories>sytem>disk defragementer>Then pick the disk drive you want to defragment if you have more than one disk). This should be done on regular basis.

Then you can do a disk cleanup which you can find on the same place as disk defragment or at the system in control panel or by right clicking the disk on my computer folder. One of the things that disk cleanup gets rid off is the temporary internet file folder. This folder caches images on a website so next time you visit, it loads faster (if I understood it correctly). Periodically you can erase this folder by going to toools>internet options>delete files (in the middle under temporary internet files).

Also, erase the files at local disk>windows>prefetch. First time I heard of this and not yet sure how and why it improves performance.

Download updates at adobe photoshop download center. I downloaded it to be from 9.0 to 9.0.1. This took away the slow brush (the brsuh image wouldn't appear before some seconds interval), and it was also meant to remove some other glitches which I read at Adobe's site.

Some bad fonts or excessive fonts (recommended is under 500, when it has reached 800 it will have obvious effect on photoshop). This was the way to eliminate bad fonts. You make a temporary folder, and drag all the fonts located in local disk>windows>fonts (ctrl+A selects all fonts and then just drag the whole thing on the new temporary folder (call it moving fonts or something you'll remember it by, open it so you can drag the fonts to it). Then you will move it right bcak again to install. If there is a bad font, a pop up message will appear and say so. In my case, there was none. After I did this, I got an opening message when I started CS2. That Adobe UI font couldn't be loaded. If you close the message, the adobe will assume as normal, but that message starts up everytime and is irritating. I googled again the message content in the box and I found a solution indirectly. They said something about a certain font that had to be in the required folder of adobe. To do that you'd have to to reinstall and install the software. I found a way around, since I had elements and adobe photoshop 7.0 in the same machine so I just copied that font in their required folder to the required folder of adobe photoshop cs2, and voila it fixed the problem. Why it was removed in the first place I don't know. It was the fonts folder in windows I touched and not in the photoshop cs2 folder.

Next tip is on the preferences settings you can find on the drop down menu edit. Two particular; image and memory cache and scratch disk. Scratch disk is a disk that saves temporary files. They are large files, and should be assigned on a disk that has more than 1.5 GB free space. Also the tip is to assign it to the disk that is fastest in performance. Another tip on the scratch disk is that the virtual memory paging file (more about that later) and the scratch disk should not be on the same disk. In default, the adobe assigns it to the startup disk/local disk where the OS is. I moved it over to another disk, since my virtual memory paging file is on the Local disk.

In image and memory cache, still on preferences under edit, you can assign how much percent of the ram available will be assigned for the Photoshop. To maximize the full use of this, one should start the Photoshop before any other applications that are resource hogs (Internet Explorers, MS Office, etc.), so that you are certain that it will get its percent.

The virtual memory page file is a little more complicated. I followed the ratio, but didn't understand entirely how I would and if I should moved the paging file, but now that the scratch disk is moved, it should be ok to have it where it is. The initial size should be set at 1.5 times the Ram in the computer. So for my 512 MB Ram I set it to 768 and then I put the maximum to double (1024 MB) as recommended. There are several ways to access the virtual memory. I do it through right clicking my computer and under advance tab, there is a setting under performance. Click on that, and on advanced tab, under virtual memory, click change, and you are there. Maybe is already set ideally, so then you don't need to adjust thje settings.

Doing all these things, helped me improve the performance deifinitely. Especially the defragmentation, cleanup and the update download. Ok, That's a lot going on right there, so I'll just leave this post as it is, and make a seperate on digi scrap updates. Hope this is helpul to yah.

Wedding Layout

2006-05-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

Been a while since I did a layout on our wedding. The first one was a little chaotic where I used my first purchased kit that time. The theme was market, thus chaotic. Anyways here is my LO from our first wedding which was held in Norway last year.

I am off to scrap some vaccation pictures ;)

CT calls and other goodies

2006-05-23T12:13:00.000-07:00

Starting it off on the corner of Gina Cabrera's Digital Design Essentials. Shabby Miss Jenn who is part of her creative tem has great updates on her store. It's not easy to find the news by browsing at her site per se. I alreay mentioned some tips on the previous post on how to obtain news from the scrapping world, new releases and freebies. I have to add that looking at the designer's CT blog also helps. They usually advertise for their designers. Take for example Edhish. She is designing for 2 of my faves, lucky her. Ztampf and Sweet Mindy. She usually updates her blog on new stuff from these designers. Also another way to watch for new stuff is to check out the forums or resources. usually they have a section on what's going on in their site, sales, chats, creative team calls and much more.

Ok so enough delay, let's go to

*DIGITAL DESIGN ESSENTIALS*

They have a guest CT call. Maybe you are up for the challenge. More info here. The gallery to post LO is on SBB, click here. It's a guest spot for 3 months, and you need to atleat make 4 LO's a month. The screening will be up to June 26, so there's ample of time to get cracking. You have to use purely DDe stuff on the LO, not sure if freebies is included. Might need to ask that to clarify. Will keep you updated.

I said earlier that they have this great realistic elements in their snippet essentials. Also at Shabby Miss Jen's blog she mentions a sale on her felt collection. The regular price is 10 USD for 4 packs and is now on sale for 6 USD. It says 2 days, but it is still available at the same price. The link to the sale is here. Digital Wired photo holder is also included as a bonus. Go and get it before they update it, I think it was supposed to be finished by the 21st along with the bonus, but just bought this and the shabby roses and apparently it is still at reduced price with the bonus. I really love the quality seeing it first hand.

Since felt seems to be the trendy thing on elements along with glitter, let's move on over to

*DESIGNER DIGITALS*

One of my fave place who also has the felt trend in their line:

and her talented designer Jackie Eckles has a bright kit released not so long ago:

Also check out their Botanist Notebook Collection. They have 4 in the line now.

Let's tag along to:

*THE DIGICHICK*

I mentioned Laura Alpuche's CT call, and just posting it here:

Lynn Grieveson and Kathy Moore will soon debut in the Digichick. I love Lynn's work, and they will be great addition to a good team of designers.

*JEN WILSON*

Still Jen is very muchh busy, and hasn't been able to release new kits, especially on the anticipated Fresh Intuition on her store along with the name that kit game. I described the kits last post, but take a look at it for yourself. They are bright, fresh and so nicely textured.

*SCRAPBOOK-BYTES*

Jen Wilson also has a collection here along with designers Meredith Fenwick and Michelle Underwood. Here are some of their new stuff. Meredith has some cool brown bag stuff. Besides from these alpha's she also has heart shapes, etc. The brush strokes are cool. Scrapartist's Michelle Coleman and Nancie Rowe Janitz alos has great brush strokes. One of her old stuffs I love is her license plates. They are such a cool finishing touch. See Gina Miller use it on one of her latest LO on her blog. Speaking of Gina, she has just posted a preview of the first in her new cd collection, designer's studio. Check her blog.

Also at SBB, they have Fhung Lie. You can see and buy her stuff at her own store, Ztampf!, SBB and Digiscrappin.biz. I showcased some of Mindyæs work yesterday. Today I will show some of my fave from Fhung. Not all atre new. Her stitches are so cool and realistic.

*SCRAPARTIST AND HOLLY MC CAIG*

Mixed stuff here. It's a guy thing from Michelle Coleman at Scrapartist (By the way, Dianne's Little Man described and hown in one of my first posts, is also available now at Scrapartist in addition to Shabbyelements.com) and then the first in a new collection at Holly Mc Caig store is up (reduced introductory price). Very nice and warm color combination.

That's my explorations for today. Hope you enjoyed this
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a personal note, I am so off balanced. I used so far now 270 dollars just this month of May, and have barely scrapped. Maybe I enjoy the shopping more, LOL. But seriously next post I better make something. I miss making LO's. I blog and organixe to much. And I really have time management issues as well as sleep distortion. I am screwed. As in screwed down to my computer chair.

It's eating up time I should use interacting and doing chores. This is my challenge.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The itch to shop

2006-05-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

I am almost done now with the blinkies and this site. Thanks to the visitors so far and for your comments. I am hoping this site will be of help to those who are interested in digital scrapping or just want to follow me in my quest to be a good scrapper.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I bloghop a lot and go from one site to another. And everyday, I will try to report on what I have found out from all that hopping.

*FREEBIES*

Let's start it off with a shabby news. I didn't get to chat at their chat on NSD. I was especially looking for the one scheduled with Sara Carling and the princess herself. Also at that chat, akit was t be given out which looked yummy. Appropriately its' called Dinner Party. They are now offereing this free at shabbyprincess.com as this months download. Do snag one for yourself.

Another freebie that still is available for grabs (limited time) is from the blog of Kim Christensen. Here's a peek of the ovely paper pack in soft pastells.:

The blogtastic foxy lady Gina Miller has a freebie (unlimited time) on her site. Wonderful color combinations here:

This next kit is not a freebie from a blog (I wish...sigh). This is a collaboration of the designers at Scrapartist for the Magazine Scrapbook Answers. Too bad publications like these are not readily available in Norway. I could order online, but it will take so long till it arrives.

Anyway this kit is gorgeous, and I found it at Dianne Rigdon's blog. It's available with the special edition Ultimate Scrapbook how-to-guide.

*SALE*

Special birthday sale from Tracy Ann Robinson. 4 kits for 5 USD if you shop for 15 USD on one single purchase. She has already some collections on sale so I might get extra extra value in addition to the amazing 5 USD for 4 kits. Each of these kits are worth 5.25 USD. I love her foils and alpha on that set of four.

*CONTESTS/AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE*

There have been several contests too. Valgal with her new kit had a draw. The kit was the prize. It is over now, but the kit will be available this week at the digichick for 5 USD. It's a fun kit:

Another ongoing contest is from Andrea Burns also a digichick designer:

ACOT ofcourse has some ongoing contests with Jasbeanie among others. Check out resources section of their site. My alltime fave designer Jen Wilson is a little occupied now, but her new line fresh intuition is released everytime someone wins with best suggestion for the kit name. She has released 2 so far on the contest

I become a great scrap shopper. My shop folder is so organized and things keep adding up. Let's see what new stuff are worth getting (in my opinion).

Talented Ztampfalicious designer Fhung Lie is out with yet another lovely kit. I still haven't digested the soul searching yet and she pops out this one:

here's an added preview of the same kit:

Sweet Mindy is ofcourse another favorite. Here is her latest kits, plus an old one that I just love the colors of:

Still at the same shop, they have a collaborative kit for a good cause. Do something good and get this piece of goodie:

Then don't forget to drop by at Digital design Essentials, home of Gina Cabrera to check her new line; Snippet Essentials. They are so realistic. I had my eye on this baby:

That's the latest finds from me. They are going glitter gaga at Modscraps by the way. When it comes to creative tema calls, Meredith fenwick just picked hers, Ztampf just recently as well and now Laura Alpuche is on the lookout. If you are interested, check out her blog among my links for more information.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Because I have been so busy with making this blog (addded link and blinkies manually. No blogrolling to help me out, that's strainous I tell you), haven't had the opportunity to be on the boards lately and watch the galleries. I have lot of catching up to do. I also missed a well anticipated chat at Scrapartist. They had the second chance yesterday, and on the first I heard there were 200 present and it was going crazy. I guess somewhat like Jen Wilson's chat at SBB on NSD.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discovered a cool link for grungy fonts at DDE, check out among the font links to the right. It was a cool site by the name misprintedtype.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you want to stay updated with the digi world, my advice is sign up for newsletters, consistently follow blog (new kits, contest, CT call, etc. Although some blogs isn't updated so often. Be patient, digiscrapper and designers are always on the multitasking side) or check out just digital calls and digital scrapbook previews on the right.

New folks have to go check out digiscrapping with Jen and Michelle Scrapability. Many sites have tutorials to guide one through. Some of these sites is listed to the right.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am so tired and sleepy now, so better hit the bunkers. Still have some stuff to share, but my concentration ain't on top with my slepp deprivation. Till, next time.

Ali Folendore Sale & Blinkie Hunting

2006-05-21T11:53:00.000-07:00

Oh my, been hunting high and low for blinkies. Sorry if the page loads slower, but I thought it looked so fancy. I still have some links to add; "Other Links" and maybe a Technorati search so it will be easier to find stuff in this blog. I also want to add at scraptools some solution for printing out and/or bookbinding your digital scraps. Both Norwegian and American Outlets to start with. I also want to import some of the stuff I wrote so far on scrapping on my other blog. I seem to always find ways to give me so much work. No wonder I can't pull me off my chair.

I wasn't aware of it, but apparently there is a store named scraptures. Darn, and I thought I was unique. The name just popped out of my tongue without premeditation.

By the way, I am not so sure about the designer of all blinkies, and if it's ok. So if someone gets offended, please say so and I might remove it or put proper credits. I assumed it's ok since it is somewhat free advertisment.

I got a pm the other day at Scrapartist. Barely noticed it, because I didn't get any notification in my mail. I was surprised with the content. Will tell more about it later if it materialized. I might get one of my LO pubished. Makes my newbie heart beat faster. Not sure though if she got it on time because I haven't heard from her yet. Anyways, whether i get published or not, I am happy and flattered that someone would notice one of my LO's.

I am considering making contact sheets for my kits. I wish it was included in each kit. It might be too much labor though with the number of kits I have.

Isn't this cool. I just love the leather here and the realistic feel. It's one of Dianne Rigdon's new work at Shabby Elements. Love it.

Didn't win on any of the contests I joined at Acot and Scrapartist, but my competitive spirit hasn't wilted yet. I will however get a kit from Scrapartist for joining. Knowing their work, I know I've won already.

Signed me up for the Muse newsletter at Scrapartist. The older ones is available at the Forum. They have nice inspiration and downloads with it. I am not sure why I am not receiving the newsletter at other places. I get from ACOT and Designer Digitals, but that's about it.

I noticed that my LO's look so unsharp at galleries. I have to find out what the resolution setting should be so that it is within allowed filesize.

Glad I dropped by SBB. I had anticipated sale with Ali Folendore at NSD, but no luck. So this weekend, ending in 6 hours from now, she has a sale on her collection. More than 50% in fact. I used $20.50, while the value was $63. That's huge savings. Here is what I got:

Things I've learned; reposting

2006-05-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

Ok last entry before I lay my head to rest. The past 3 days or so I have been intensively scrap researching. I downloaded freebies, made my blog look more scrappy. Researched links, blogs and shopping stores (and added these to my sidebar), and just now downloaded fonts great for journalling, 2 type of free font viewer to make it easier to have overview of the fonts and uninstall old fonts never used, also downloaded a real handy plugin for my adobe elements from optikverve labs (also considering to purchase ezactions later, these sites I discovered through Gina Miller's blog, a highly creative scrapper with gorgeous kits), and browsed for tutorials on utilizing adobe fully. I learned 2 great things just these last hour. Making your images look like a postage stamp or create one of my own and journalling in circle. There's so many possibilities enough to drive one insane. There are so many shortcuts in Adobe, but it's a little too much for me to learn right now (there's just so many other things to learn), but it would make things faster once you mastered the shortcuts. I know I am just using 30% of the full use of Adobe (and I even have an old version 2.0, imagine what 4.0 could do) . I need to learn more advanced skills.

I have just recovered from the bride bug, and the wonderful community that taught me things like what a TMU is and the likes, and now I already need to learn so many new terms (I am now overwhelmed with the rush of emails coming from both waw and naw. It's 2000 something. It went too fast for me to filter and sort). I still don't know what a crop is in the forum (haven't had time to read. I just know how to crop using photoeditors, but I don't think that's the meaning.). So here's a list of things I explored as of now.

There are so many players out there and stores. Didn't know this was so huge. Just check how many blogs I have linked, and this is far from complete.
This is a place for new communities and friends. It's so amazing how helpful they are and even how supportive they are.
Moms goes digitals.
Most are selflearnt in editing.
many scrappers have killer cameras to compliment their scrapping frenzy.
Siggies are signatures, many have the blinkie type
There's also a thing called avatar which is a small thumbnail that represent you, mostly in cartoon form
Many are designing for many, many has gallery on plenty of places. It's just one big bundle of network.
Contests is another motivation to scrap
Freebies is is out of goodness and/or advertising. They really take time to make these so we should be grateful and respect their works;
Leading to this point that there is such a thing as digital piracy:
and there is a blog dedicated entirely to inform about this, let's respect this otherwise the freebies may shrink
One link leads to another. There is no end.
Beisdes from composing a layout, it's also nice to tweak on the photo itself
There exists maps/sketches for guideline in making layout
Organize your items. The digiscrapping is overwhelming on its own, so it helps to have them organized. (I organized by alpha, elements - subdivided to ribbons, buttons, fasteners, etc., full kits -subdivided to colors, themes, paper packs - subdivided to color. I have a main folder for purchased kit and a seperate main folder for freebies).
In some pages and some blogs there are small banners of website that ranks websites.
Click on these to lead to the best sites to check out.
Freebies is in different forms (some are in blogs in direct link or sharing sites, some are in gallery, some are in forum as links to blogs with freebies or there itself, some have an own section on a site for freebies, some give each friday, some give samples for coming design, some can be received in newsletter, some needs registration, some needs not while som even required that you register as customer.)
Kits are usually downloadable instantly. Some can be received in cd (especially if one has dial up connection and wants a big kit)
One must credit the creator by indicating which kit was used and who created the kit, and even the font; if you are using from different kits take notes along the way (that is if you have a short memory and in addition hasn't organized your file). Read their TOU (terms of use) through the notepad/word or document that comes in the same folder as the kit so you know how to credit the kit properly and so you know the limitation on usage. r-e-s-p-e-c-t.
Digiscrapping is for personal use
There are many challenges out there on themes or sketch layout
Some sites offer tutorials as well as shopping, gallery, forum, own blog, etc. It's all under one webby roof.
Shadow makes a LO realistic, the lower the better
Scraplifting is nothing negative like digital piracy. There is even a whole blog dedicated on scraplifting.
Get rid of the zip file once extracted. It just takes space and besides it's not allowed to pass the files to someone else.
Shabby Princess' monthly kits rocks. Many of the first LO's of rookie digiscrappers has used her kit. Perfect for newbeginner.
Almost all scrap blogs has scrappy banners, and many uses gina's bulletin board kit for their banner. Typepad is a favorite.
I've discovered 2 sites that has a scheme on pay a one time sum to download everything that is and will come on their site.
Some scraps is for good causes. Scrappers have a big heart.
It helps to have blogroller beacuse of the vast amount of sites on digiscrapping.
A great layout for me is a good picture (especially if taken with a good camera) with the perfect title to describe picture and great journalling, balance in the postitioning of things, wonderful colors and blending, nice combinations and that extra something that make the LO pop out.
Digiscrapping is something we can pass on to future generations and it's a great memory keeper.
If I understand it correctly if one is designing for a kit designer, you are entitled to scrap with their kits for free. This is good marketing as well to showcase the kit. Now I have never applied or picked so I don't know this for sure;
you apply first then they screen your works before choosing their creative team
There are some really great collaboration kits where some designer get together to design one huge kit.
People who scrap comes in different forms and shapes. From the old to the young, from dark kinned to light skinned, from north to south, majority have kids
Kids is a favorite subject to scrap
Having kids intensifies the scrapping experience. Can't wait to change my status to scrapping mom.
Quickpages are almost completed pages, just add your finishing touches
Elements is in PNG format, so that the white edges is not visible. It's cropped to the actual shape
There are veariety of software out there, photoshop I guess is the popular one. definitely a need for a software with layering
Overlay is another term and inclusion in some kits
Grunge in scrapping is not Pearl Jam.
Some have a certain style to their layouts. Some prefer distressed grunge LO, some like it vintagey, some like pastells, some like bright vivid colors, some like simple, but with something striking ... What's your style?
Almost all user surface in scrappy webistes is alike
One can buy paper tears.
There is this site where you can download a form, have your handwriting in it and submit it to their site so they can make a font out of it. One can do this by themself actually with the right tools.
One can also purchase brushes or download for free for photoediting software.
It's cool to scrap. I never imagined myself to be this girly girl and cutey cute.
There is papertear in actions as well

Note: This is something I posted on my previous blog

Welcome

2006-05-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

Ok guys, you found you're way here, so welcome to my scrappy humble abode. I realized my posts are getting too long in my other blog. besides, not everyone interests in digital scrapbooking. This place is still a blog in progress, but I am well on my way. Hope you'll drop by every now and then as I often update my blog.

Thanks for dropping by.