I had some comments recently that thanked me for the Blinkie tutorials I put together a few posts ago. It feels good to know that I could help someone out because I know all too well how frustrating it is when you are new to something. I think I am going to keep a pen and notebook next to the computer everytime I do something new so I can keep track of the steps I took to reach my results. As soon as I figure out how to do a screen shot I will start posting them along with the written description.

When I searched for tutorials I found the ones that helped me the most had both sceen shots and a written desription. I rarely was able to follow the tutorials that used video only, usualy they had a different version of the software and the workspace was off and you did not have the same effects or add-ons.

That is why I like to encourage everyone to play with all the effects they use during a tutorials, by spending more time checking out the results of several effects you learn the programs capabilites quicker.  Who wants to replcate someone else’s work when you can create something uniquely yours.

Well, good night, kiss those babies.

The more I go through my boxes and boxes of pictures the more I realize time is going by so quickly. My children are getting bigger and look more grown everyday, I still remember the days they were born with such clarity.

I scrapped a traditional page today, one of the very few of my daughters baby pictures, I had forgoten how much I enjoyed scrapping this way. You tell yourself that you will pull the loads of paper and embellishments out tomorrow or the next day, but do you? It has been months since the last time my hands stuck together because of a glue stick. I am pretty sure that the book I put together for my parents at Christmas time was the last traditional scrapping I took on.

Do you find yourself giving up one outlet when youfind another? Or do you stay loyal to the inspiration that you first fell in love with? You know I write here almost everyday and some days I rack my brain trying to find something interesting and usefull to everyone who views my writing, do any of you have a request, even if I do not know the answer I will post links to the place to get them.

Well goodnight to all of you, please remember to kiss your babies.

All the wasted time spent searching for a web-host has finally ceased, soon I will have my own web-site up and running. I tell you it was a completely dissatisfying experience trying to find a host that would provide me with the needed features for a Digital Scrapbook designer. I need unlimited space and bandwdth because I plan on hosting kits for other designers as well as all of the Scrap for Charity kits.

I wanted a host that had an easy to folow site creator, now that was the most dificult chore throughout all of my searching. I signed up for multiple free web-hosting sites just so I could preview their web-builders. I found one thing out, if you pay for it you get better quality and ease of use. All of those free web sites out their promise big things but usually lack in many areas just so you are tempted to purchase an upgrade.

I tell you, look everywhere for the best deal because you do not want to end up having to purchase an upgrade just to do the business online that you are striving for.

Well, kiss your babies!

I recently switched graphic art programs and I find myself in a state of perpetual learning yet creatively stagnant. Photoshop has been my friend from the begining of my digi-design journey and now that I have begun using Paint Shop Pro I feel lost. Photoshop was easy to pick up on, completely user friendly in my opinion. I guess if I had started with Paint Shop Pro I would be saying the opposite, I expect it to function in the same manner as the Photoshop family of programs but it is in a whole new ballpark.

As I use it more I become frustrated and find myself turning it off and using Photoshop instead. I know that I will never amster the program if I do not use it but creating in Photoshop is almost effortless now and I want to get my kits done more efficiently. I should probably use PSP while making personal creations until I get the hang of things and then move on to creating kits. Oh well, I will figure it all out one way or another in time. Do you find yourself dedicated to one program? Is it the first one you learned?

Goodnight everyone, kiss your babies.

I love to scrap traditionally but I find I just don’t have enough time these days to deicate to it. Digital scrapping is so much easier and faster so I end up spending all my time doing this instead.  I used to love getting my hands sticky and all glittered up just to make the perfect page.

Now that I can do this and even better effects digitally I have neglected the hundreds of dollars worth of paper scrapping supplies I have laying around. On occasion I pull my supplies and pictures out and sit down to create something new, I come up with a greate layout idea and bgin making it. Just as I really get into the page I find myself thinking how Photoshop would really bring out the texture of the photo or that I need something to look more realistic. I end up putting everything away, scan my picture into my photoshop program and build the page digitally.

Hopefully as the newness of this digi-scrap bug wears down I will be able to enjoy traditional scrapping once again. Well, good nigh everyone and do not forget to kiss your babies.

In my last post I posted a few things in refrence to the use of a flatbed scanner in digi-scrapbook designing. I want to add a few more things today do not limit yourself to thin, small objects. You can scan larger bulkier items all you need is a heavy, dark object to lay over the scanner to eliminate overexposing caused by excess light. I use a black drape that I no longer have hanging in my windows. It is thick and heavy plus it covers the entire scanner and whatever is on the bed of it. I have scanned many of my Angel figurines and the end result is pretty realistic.

When it is just too large or akward to fit on the scanner my next resort is a digital camera. If it is a dark item lay it on a white background and vice-versa for a light object. Try to stay away for a color that is already present in the object because you may need to do more clean up when you remove the backdrop later.

Kiss your babies. 

My flatbed scanner is one of my most trusted friends during the creative process when putting a kit together. I once balled up a piece of lined paper and flattened it back out, scanned it and pulled it up in Photoshop CS3 Extended to manipulate into to a journal.

I scanned a pair of feather earrings some time ago and created an overlay for a girls princess page. Braided pieces of leather in mutltiple colors ended up a perfect embellishment for my baby boy kit. All I had to do was scan it and then remove the white background to have a realistic looking embellishment.

Your imagination is the limit with this tip, if it will not damage the suface of your scan space (course objects that will scratch it or something sticky or oily) then you can scan it and use it. Scanning them is way easier than trying to take a picture and extracting everything from it but the subject. Most times the result is a blured and sketchy outline around your subject that you will have to clean up before using it. This can be a painstaking job that requires a lot of time and patience to reach your desired level of satisfaction with the end image.

Well, kiss your babies. 

i have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off comparing various web-hosting packages and services. Each are unique in their offers and their limitations and all of them offer at least one or two things I am looking for in a web-site.

I currently have a free site that I sell my Digital Scrapbooks from but the customer has to wait for me to send them their download links after they purchase. I had one customer wait 12 hours because I lost my internet connection over a big storm where I live, this is seriously hindering my repeat sales possibilities.

I also want a forum and guest book, customizable templates and secure shopping carts all while allowing advertising but not being forced to accept outside advertising. Well, I guess it is back to searching for the perfect hosting solution for my little scrapbook endeavors, kiss those babies.

This time of year is full of color and festivities with harvest just around the corner as well as Halloween and Samhain. It is time to reap the benefits of a summers worth of hard work and cleasing your life of the old. This year I have so many new things in  my life that I will be taken stock of and determining what I need to let go in order to start the season new and fresh.

Halloween, Samhain, Day of the Dead, All Soul/Saints day so many different celebrations and holidays in just a few short days this month. I have been taking the time lately to create kits that hightlight each of these festivities. This type of things are your sure bet kits, everyone takes pictures during these times to preserve the memory forever. Making sure you have a wide selection and that you honor all holidays and not just the ones you celebrate will bring you more followers.

Have fun learning about these holidays that you create for and try to stay true to their meanings in what you convey with each element and background.

Kiss your Babies.

I have come to the deternination that the best resource out there for the digital scrapbook desiner is commercial use products. Not only do other desigers create commercial use designs, many have freebies that they share with us newbies. I have purchased commercial use products before and I still plan to in the future but recently I have come across many free commercial use products.

I do create commercial products as a way to give back to the digital scapbook community for all the wonderful inspiration and freebies that I have come across and all of my commercial use products are free to use. Some attach restrictions to their commercial use products and some have no restrictions at all, mine are not limited in use at all.