Book of Me Challenge

This was done for the March Book of Me Challenge at DSO... it is led by Livia who has a GORGEOUS posting bonus (do 3 of her challenges and you have a really wonderful kit named I heart sunflowers!). You had to scrap 5 of your favorite things (right now).

Of the scenic photos Ive taken, these are my 5 favorite (right now). I'm definitely no photographer, but these pictures evoke certain feelings when I look at them.

Thanks to Mrs Wresh for the template and pimpyourscrapbook for the "wooden" background paper.

Little Roses.. Little Freebie!

I made these a while ago.. if you like them, feel free to download them! each rose is on it's own layer to make one less step in using them! 4shared or box.net

I really love Kristin's new kit.. it's so soft and the elements are gorgeous! check it out on her blog, Digi Delights (each part is just $1 right now)!

Have a super great day!

PS: stop by kimb's blog.. she has some fantastic freebies going on!

Lyric Challenge

I made this layout for the Lyric Challenge at DSO led by Livia. She has 3 challenges this month and if you do all 3 you get to collect a whole kit! The kit is super cute too.. it's sunflowers!

The layout is kind of plain, but I texturized the paper and extracted the picture. It came out how I wanted it to.

Making Embossed Paper (PSE)

Embossing is a really fun and easy technique that makes your paper pop!



1. Bring a background into PSE or make a new one and fill with color, then texture or pattern (if you like).



2. Create a new layer above your background. Using your brush, paint some designs. Painting them into a pattern looks really nice (using the Patterns in PSE won't work for this tute).



3. Duplicate your background layer and move it to the top, grouping it with your brushed pattern layer. You can't see your pattern yet, but don't worry! Leave your blending mode on normal for all layers.



4. Select your brushed pattern layer and apply a bevel to it. I used simple sharp inner, but you can use anything you like.



5. Play around with the opacity until you get the embossing to your liking. You can change the light source and see how different the embossing looks.



enjoy!

March Color Challenge Freebie

The March color challenge at DSO (led by kimb) is up and FLYING! Here's my contribution: 4shared or Box.net




I also made this bonus mini kit just for you visiting my blog :) 4shared or Box.net


thanks for stopping by and as always, please send your friends to my blog to download and do not send direct links!

blog awards and tag-you're-it!

Shannon at Desert Designs gave me some blog love!

the lemonade stand is "..an award for the neighborhood spirit and friendship our blogs let us all share"!

wasn't that so sweet - why don't you go say hi to her? she has some great stuff to share and her daughter is a gorgeous dollbaby!

I'm going to pass them on to my good friends Holly and Shuranda!

I am also going to do the "tag" thing:

rules:

•Go to your photo folder in your computer

•Go to the 6th folder of photos

•Go to the sixth picture

•Put the picture on your blog and a description of it

•Invite six friends to join the challenge

•Link them in your blog.

so.. umm this was my sixth picture in the sixth folder LOL

I don't know what that is. but it was in my food folder so I am assuming that's what it is LOL. oh wait! I know what it is...

CONEY ISLAND CHILI DOG PIE!! it is D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S even for non-low carbers. My husband loves it!

I won't be tagging anyone.. but play along if you like (and make sure to try that recipe - it's awesome)!

Template Challenge..and a Sneek Peek!

I guess I am challenge crazy! This one was done for the DSO template challenge, led by Bunny this month. She has a really pretty posting bonus available!

fonts: cheri and angelina

template by bunny cates

papers, stitches and elements from the kit I am making for the march color challenge (I have added the rose colors.. you didn't get to see those on the sneak-a-peek.. but look how cute that cherry blossom tree is!)

Photo Op Challenge.. and 2 Freebies!

I did this one a few weeks ago, but thought I would enter it into the March Photo Op Stop Challenge at DSO. It is being led by Jazz who always has fabulous wordart posting bonuses!

and just for stopping by - I am giving away the Vintage Paper and Cluster as Freebies! The paper doesn't have Sparky on it, it is just the antique white with lace behind it. The cluster inclues the postcard, kids card, string and lace! They are both very cute - make sure to click the preview to see them closer. Special thanks to Gunhild for her CU items!

download from 4shared

Quote Challenge

This is for the March Quote Challenge at DSO, led by andrea dickinson.

You may not be able to see it, but everytime I look at this picture I know my sister is laughing hysterically.

her and that dog!

ribbon - lovely sample - bad candy
robinsegg paper - blossom love sampler - by chrissy snow
striped paper- blue paisley - by mommyscraps
heart frame - Dear Mother - by Helen Monteiro
Smile - Edwardian Script
quote and backdrop - Tempus Sans ITC

I really love that DSO gives kits as posting bonuses (they are really pretty!) and don't do the whole point system. I can't always do 20 layouts in a month just to get a buck off of some store item. I actually don't do challenges that give coupons as rewards.. maybe I'm missing out on something, but I prefer it this way.

March Scraplift Challenge!

New Challenges at DSO! This is for the March Scraplift Challenge led by Beth ! She has a beautiful posting bonus up (hint hint: it has butterflies!!)

I really love these photos I took while driving. I changed them to "newspaper" black and white and then duplicated the layer. I changed the duplicate layer to Overlay, then sepia tone and finally turned the opacity down to 50%. I think it makes the BandW a little richer. There are some really nice actions out there for beautifying BandW but I forgot to load them into my PSE7.

papers, lace and bronze heart by Gunhild (CU items) and the buttons are from the scrappin cop (CU items). font used is Payrus.

Keep checking back for a new freebie sometime within the next week! It's for the Colour Challenge at DSO - and those are always fun! I'll give you 2 hints about my freebie:1) it has quilled flowers and 2) here's..

How to Fit a Picture into an Irregular Frame (or any frame!)

The first thing you need to make sure of is that your frame and photo are on their own layers. Of course, I put everything on it's own layer to make editing easier. Then:

• Activate your frame layer


• Choose your magic wand tool


• Click the main photo area (you should see marching ants in the part of the picture you want to keep)


• Right Click; Select>inverse


• Activate your photo layer


• Hit delete

This should delete all of the picture except what was inside the frame.

4Shared and viruses!

I'm sure you have heard about it over the last week or so.. but apparently 4shared has more in store for you than just free kits and quickpages! Read More Here

I personally have seen my anti-virus program stop 2 trojans in the last month. I do run 2 anti-virus programs (updating daily) and a malware program every day so I know my system is safe, but it sounds like these new ones are getting by and into other's PCs.

My husband is planning on reformatting my HD this week (we were on planning it anyways) and I have moved all of my important stuff to the extra HD I have.

I don't want anyone to be scared of DLing from me, so I have made an account at box.net (I suggest you do too). Like the posters above, I too believe it is coming through ads at 4shared and not through DLing. I have had that one ad pop up that pretends it is an anti-virus program more than once (I simply shut down my PC) and some other really strange (and pornographic) ads have popped up there. Box.net has no ads (at the moment).

I also do not want to be responsible for wiping out my husband's PC! My PC is one thing.. but if it happens to his he will be really angry!

Anyways.. be safe. I would recommend not DLing anything from 4shared and moving your stuff to another place. Also run your AVs and even have grisoft check yours out online.

Please note: I have had no complaints with any of my things, this is simply a preventative measure!

PS: another good thing to do is to make sure your popup filter is ON!

EDIT 3/3/09: apparently there is a bandwidth limit on box.net so I will include the 4shared links. Use firefox if you dont want troubles (although Ive not had any in the last week from 4shared).

domesticG

Click to view entire layout!

I did this double page layout for the February Template Challenge at DSO hosted by teriann hanks.

The kit I used is from Andrea Dickinson and the alpha from Sir Scrapalot Designs

This is kind of out of the box for me.. thought I'd try something new with a grungy look to show off my new washer and dryer! and that's not me BTW haha that's Mrs June Cleaver herself - the original domestic goddess!

See my post on Made by Renee about Joaquin Phoenix and the Dosmestic Goddess!

Random Photoshop Brush Tips

from Obsidian Dawn:

You know how the grass that comes with Photoshop fluctuates in color, each time that you use it? You can do that with any brush that you want! Here’s how.

• Hit F5 to bring up your brushes tab
• Choose “Color Dynamics”
• One way to control the color is to choose two colors for your foreground and background colors. In the case of a blade of grass, say… light green and dark green. Then set the “Foreground/Background Jitter” bar somewhere between 25-75%. When you use your brush, it will now vary in color between the foreground and background colors that you chose!

Another way (or you can do the former and then ALSO do this) is by using the Hue, Saturation, and Brightness Jitter sliders.

• Hue will change the color itself. Set it at about 10%, and your green will become both a blue-green and a yellow-green sometimes.
• Saturation will change the intensity of the color. Set it at 20% or so, and your green will switch between a bright, vivid green to a slightly grayed-out green.
• Brightness will change the darkness of the color. Set it at 20% or so, and your green will range between a light green and a darker green.

Play around with these settings, and you can achieve all kinds of color variations!

Other Brush Tips from Obsidian Dawn:

Under Brush Tip Shape Spacing: This will make the brush closer together or farther apart

Under Shape Dynamics Size Jitter: This will make the size vary more or less

Minimum Diameter: This will dictate the minimum size that the brush will be (as its varying in size)

Under Scattering Scatter: This makes the brush scatter about more or stay more along the path that you’re painting

Under Other Dynamics Opacity Jitter: This makes the brushes vary in opacity as they are painted - more or less

Freebie Quickpage!

I thought I'd make a QuickPage to go with the Feb DSO Colour Challenge (click picture to enlarge). Of course, my little kit is still available for download (see this post).

download the QP from it's new home on box.net and enjoy! (4shared link)

3 Column Blogger

Say - did you notice I changed my blog? I made it 3 columns.

Here's how you do it. Make sure to adjust your margins too.

After setting it up, I had to change my blog background to be wider. It is best viewed in 1024+ resolution.

Of course you can still read all my blathering and silliness in other resolutions.. but if you want to change yours, just right click your desktop > Properties >Settings. Then slide that little bar around until you get the resolution where you want it.

Thanks for visiting me.. and feel free to grab a blinkie! They are on the lefthand side.

Freebie and a challenge!

click the preview to see it up close and personal!

I am so indecisive - I can never make up my mind! I made so many things to go with my DSO color challenge (led by kimb) kit that I had a lot of trouble cutting it down! Because I'm so shilly-shally, that's what youre getting!

Not only are there 4 soft fabric papers, 5 fishbone stitching, 2 flowers and 2 ribbons.. but I'm throwing in my favorite birdie, 4 star papers, a star arrangement and 2 bows (not shown on preview)!


Now I am in love with the fabric papers! Click on the preview below to take a closer look at the detail:



I know it's a bit different from the preview in my previous post, but maybe I will give that stuff away another day this week!

EDITED: Download it from it's new home at box.net (4shared link)

peace, love and honeybees.. whatever that means!

This is for the Recipe Challenge at DSO. It is being hosted by Lynn.

The Great Exchange

go check out The Great Exchange challenge at DSO! Its being hosted by Shannon.

The Great Exchange - February 2009 Join us each month as we create items to
share! Create one item to share and receive ALL that month's creations in
return. We will feature a different Designer and/or product each month

sounds fun doesn't it? and you can get my cute little quickpage made with kimb's Fresh Posey!

New Blinkies

The top blinkie is 150x50 pixels - perfect for forums etc.

I told you they could be pretty :)