Scrap Wizard

Just one of those weeks.....

2009-04-20T22:18:00.007-04:00

I cannot believe that I am pushing my computer while it is in the middle of having a hard drive break-down. Plus, we have been traveling upstate for funeral services today and will do that angain tomorrow. But, I promised to have some more of the Simply Newborn kits; so I am going to keep this brief. I hope you find some really wonderful things in here for you to use. Actually, I made this kit last year; but I enjoyed making it and I think there is a lot of good stuff in here. Birth announcements, lots of flowers, photo masks, photo clusters with and without wraps or bows, did I say lots of flowers? They match the paper, the clips, the birth announcements. Anyway, enjoy........

http://www.4shared.com/file/100522483/1543cd65/SW_Simply_Newborn_Elements.html

Well, this is interesting.

2009-04-18T22:28:00.005-04:00

Allrighty, an anonymous person left an interesting comment regarding the satin ribbon templates from yesterday. I love getting comments...nice ones, anyway. This lady was interested in learning how I get the colors in the crumpled ribbon to reflect the direction of the ribbon. Well, here it is. I used a piece of paper from my Simply Newborn kit. I made it to look like a baby blanket. So, when I looked at the crumpled ribbon template; I remembered the "Blankie" paper and it just fell into place together. Just follow the tutorial and use this paper. Of importance here are steps 17 and 18 of the tutorial. You really want to just slide your ribbon pieces around until they look good.
Might I suggest that you change the colors in this paper before you duplicate the multiple layers. In other words, download the paper, unzip it and then open your Satin Ribbon Template in Photoshop Elements. Place your "Blankie Paper" and then adjust the color before you do Ctrl>J to duplicate it. Okay, that's one way. Another would be to complete your ribbon, merge the layers and then adjust the color before you save it. You could link the layers, but that is a whole different tutorial.
I was going to put just that one paper in here, but I think you deserve the entire Simply Newborn kit! So, over the next few days; I will be offering the entire kit. Today, I am offering the paper. Hope you like it, and thank you for trying the tutorial.

http://www.4shared.com/file/100167077/cb70a98b/Paper_Blankie.html

http://www.4shared.com/file/100166491/325ee89/Simply_Newborn_Papers.html

2009-04-17T21:09:00.003-04:00

Oh my gosh, by now everyone has seen and heard the video of Susan Boyle. Now, how refreshing is she? This woman worked towards her dream for her entire lifetime and sure enough, she now has the voice of an angel. Personality. A tremendous sense of humor. So far, far above the raunchy howling of many modern singers. I just hope and pray that her dream continues. If you somehow have missed her performance, goggle it. She will lift your heart and your spirit.
Beyond that, I hope to lift your mood a bit this weekend. You get something for free, you can follow along with the tutorial as though you were solving a crime and you finally get to snazz your pages a trifle. Now, you can add a bow or toss down a crumpled piece of ribbon on your page that will absolutely match your paper. Unlimited use, which means that once you make the bows to match the kit you are working on; you can sell the kit without even giving any credit to ScrapWizard. Cool, huh? Please don't just download them and throw them in your stash. Follow the tutorial which is written for beginners trying to learn Photoshop Elements. When you finish, I guarantee that you will think it is fun and you will be making bows to match everything. Have fun and enjoy your weekend.

http://www.4shared.com/file/99989179/8605cd5a/SW_Satin_Ribbon_Templates.html

Just another fish.........

2009-03-26T22:57:00.003-04:00

I have not been fishing for at least thirty years, which is no excuse for making this blunder. Yesterday, someone requested a fishing kit that was not a fly fishing kit, but rather a kit with walleye and bass. Whoa......I really messed this one up. I put a pretty rainbow trout on the background paper. Perhaps, "Its For Me" (the person who left the comment) can at least use the frame, jonsey and fishing pole. I left it in PSD. form just in case. Maybe someone else will want it.

http://www.4shared.com/file/95214237/558abb1b/SW_Quick_Page_Ya_gotta_THINK_like_a_fish.html

Requests are appreciated.

2009-03-24T08:42:00.002-04:00

As you can see, I have decided that I like the free digital concept. If you are searching for something in paticular, leave me a comment and I will try to come up with a freebie that will meet your needs. Or, perhaps you have seen one of my previous kits somewhere and would like to have it offered here for free. Don't hesitate to ask, I will do my best. Thank you and have a wonderful day.

Keeping You in Stitches

2009-03-23T20:41:00.003-04:00

Well, I tried to sew some stitches on a paper scrapbook page yesterday and made a miserable mess of it. My tension was wrong and then I got sticky glue on my needle as it went through the paper. Just your basic sewing disaster! And that reminded me of this digital kit that I made last year. It is not strictly a design element, but it does force you to use the templates to create your own matching frames. You will learn something worthwhile, even if it is just that digital stitching is the way to go.

So, help yourself and have a wonderful day.
Unlimited Use.

http://www.4shared.com/file/94600559/6ec3d05a/SW_Keeping_You_in_Stitches.html

Digital Flea Market

2009-03-19T11:49:00.007-04:00

Hello,
After two months of not blogging, I can easily be found guilty of neglect. However, there is so much talent out there; I am sure that the death of one little blog would go unnoticed. I took some time out to try the boutique world, but it was just a bit too much for this retired granny. With this economic tsunami becoming a reality, I am more determined to make my site a "take n make" site. It may not be everyday that I will offer you something, but I will try to be pretty consistent. If a tutorial is required, it will be included. If there is something that you would like to know about basic digital creations, ask and I will try to be specific along with samples for you to use. No question is too silly for me since I had to teach myself.

Please remember, that there are plenty of kits out there for free. Summer Driggs has lots of beautiful kits for free, Scrap Girls still has their Refresh kit for free and of course there is the number one talent magnet, DigiFree. I will be offering completed kits, elemental separates, design elements such as overlays, brushes or templates. In other words, this is now my digital flea market. I hope you stop by often and I really want to encourage you to leave some feedback, since that is all that I ask. It is just a matter of courtesy.

My intention is not to entice you to purchase anything, but rather maintain the purpose of stirring up those creative talents within you to establish your own style and construct your own designs.

Today, let's go with some frayed fabric brushes. Very easy to use. Hope you enjoy your new brushes and are inspired to make some of your own.

http://www.4shared.com/file/93857152/54824939/SW_Frayed_Edges_Brushes.html

Happy Kwanzaa........

2008-12-25T20:51:00.004-05:00

Please take a look at my Kwanzaa and Christmas rub-ons.

http://www.4shared.com/file/74893347/a4c80e73/SW_Christmas_and_Kwanzaa_Rub_On.html

More goodies..........

2008-12-25T14:44:00.005-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I am just a tad exhausted, so I am going to take a few days off to sort out my computer files, clean my house and just chill out for a bit. I need to load some fun pages before I play hookie, though. I was looking at the cover of the major paper scrappin magazine and fell in love with a layout they had. So, I thought you might like a template for your digi pages and also some embellies, bows, paper, etc. for your stash. I loaded everything into one zip file, so that you couldn't peek. It is called Winter Excursion. But, if you want only the quickpage template, download only the second zip file. Have fun.
http://www.4shared.com/file/77551178/fe51b886/Winter_Excursion.html

http://www.4shared.com/file/77554149/95a52be1/Bundled_Up__Quick_Page_Template.html

Merry Christmas to all.

2008-12-25T06:39:00.009-05:00

Joy, it has been gone from my heart for years now. My family is scattered in different cities that are hundreds of miles apart. My Father died five years ago and that was the last of my birth family. But, Christmas is the joy. The promise that all will be together without strife or crisis. The end of the separations and differences that exist here. And it comes not in death, but in the birth of Christ. I wish you all the joy of the moment and the peace of the promise.

Did you ever hear of the Polar Express? For my portion, I have three quick pages that are in PSD form, so you can receive all the parts, pieces and papers. Wishing you a Merry Christmas................ScrapWizard.

http://www.4shared.com/file/77508702/e0a07b17/Lead.html

http://www.4shared.com/file/77506093/a3f5917e/Believe_.html

http://www.4shared.com/file/77505189/494c8cf8/Engaged_on_Christmas.html

Please follow the web map below to hop aboard the Polar Express:
Designed By K

Digidesigns by Amberbaz

DivaDesignz

BusyScrappin

You Are Here

Serene by RW

simply.scraps

Red, Black and Green......

2008-12-20T21:00:00.004-05:00

The official colors of Kwanzaa. I promised you a quick page for both Christmas and for Kwanzaa, so here it is. I made them both .png files to make them super easy for you to use. Just plunk your photo behind the page and email if off to Grannie in Oklahoma. Hope you like them, they are zipped together in the same download. Have a good night.

http://www.4shared.com/file/76921163/130d4790/Red_Holly_PageBlack.html

Looks like a white Christmas.......

2008-12-19T23:19:00.004-05:00

At least in Michigan. I truly love the snow before Christmas. It's fresh and clean. It sparkles and glistens. Fenton (in Michigan) got a little over a foot of snow today and does it ever cause you to stop and take notice of how absolutely beautiful this world is. Having said that, I am not sure that anyone should hear what I have to say about snow AFTER Christmas. I remember that Robin Cook once wrote a description of snow on the city streets after foot traffic and car exhaust. He called it "rotting snow". Well, those are pretty much my sentiments as well. But, today it was fresh and clean; so I am hoping that someone out there had their children on the ski slopes or taboggan runs. Maybe they gave life to a snowperson in the front yard. Mostly, I hope you got some good pictures for your scrapbook pages. And being pressed for time, you may be able to make use of a 'clean' snow quick page. While I am at it, I would like to thank the courteous ladies that left me such nice comments about my quick page from last night. I appreciate it. Tomorrow night, I will have a special quick page suitable for either Christmas or Kwanzaa. It will be in two PSD layers only because it has a separate journal spot, so don't let it scare you. Night all.......

http://www.4shared.com/file/76797297/f90f2ea2/SW_Winter_Playland_.html

Please, don't misunderstand me........

2008-12-18T22:15:00.003-05:00

I love Christmas, but I am just on the side of super saturated at the moment. It seems to me that Christmas was much more of a sentimental time when I was a child. I was one of the very first of the baby boomers. My Father was in the Army Air Corp when the war ended and I was born into an economy that was as much in its infancy as I was. There was no such thing as a mall or a shopping center. There was Sears, Roebuck and Co., but there was no such thing as a credit card. If you got a Christmas present, it was something that was part of your life on an everyday basis. Something like a stuffed animal or a rag doll. Christmas was about celebrating the joy of Jesus, the joy of family and a prosperus future for every aspect of our country. I can only wish and pray that each of your lives will be as blessed as mine was. Needless to say, I get caught on memories every now and then. There may not be much demand for this quick page, but I had fun making it. I have fun remembering, isn't that what scrapping is all about?

http://www.4shared.com/file/76642958/cd4274f8/SW_War_Correspondence.html

Thank you.........

2008-12-08T11:59:00.002-05:00

I wanted to sign in and say thank you to the 25 people who picked up my brad template. I hope to see some of them in the galleries around the web. I also wanted to let you know that I put a couple of rub-ons in the FREE section over at Busyscrappin. There is one for Christmas and one for Kwanzaa. They would be a nice addition to your holiday page or your handmade cards. Enjoy.

A promise is a promise. . . .

2008-12-05T20:42:00.003-05:00

If you really read my post from yesterday, you know that there is a treat here just for my blog followers. They are loyal and come back to visit whether I have been a loyal blogger or not. A pretty terrific group of scrappers.

My keyboard is cold. . .

2008-12-04T18:52:00.003-05:00

Not because I have not been using it, but because it is so blessed cold here. Usually, we are in Florida by now; but we are waiting on some medical issues. Growing old is not as easy as we thought it would be. Regardless, here we are; still in Michigan. I have been making lots of Christmas digis lately, so I thought that I would put a freebie out there for you. This is a set of brads with an extra silver rim, so you can change them out. If I was not so cold, I would stay in this freezing room and put together a template for you to make your own brads. They are much more fun when the pictures inside mean something to you, such as; a little pic of your kitty or puppy. Come back tomorrow and I will have it here for you. However, I will not be putting it on DigiFree because a friend of mine has a kit out there. So only the people who read my blog will have a clue. Saturday morning, it will be gone. For now, stay warm. I am going to go put on some fluffy warm weather socks and probably a fleece jacket.

http://www.4shared.com/file/74500489/49b1a4bc/Brad_Pack.html

Still here.

2008-11-21T09:03:00.007-05:00

Good morning, I hope you are having a wonderful day. Any day that I wake up is a wonderful day for me. I have this ear infection that some days makes me wish that I could sleep through the whole day. Every new antibiotic seems to make it worse than it was before. Needless to say, I stay up many nights playing around with Photoshop, which is hopefully a good substitute for gambling or drinking. The world just does not need another old drunk with a gambling habit. Thank you, Adobe. So, this morning I woke up and looked at what I created last night. Perhaps, I would do better as the little old drunk. This red page looks like I took a cake decorating class at the tattoo parlor.
http://www.4shared.com/file/72508536/9d5c1704/Teaberry_Tree.html
And the blue one reminds me of a night when the sugar plumb fairies vandalized the forest after an experiment in the meth lab. http://www.4shared.com/file/72508838/723ca950/Crystal_Forest.html

So, if I fail to wake up tomorrow; don't fret. However, I would seriously hesitate if your physician wants to put you on antibiotics for ANY reason. They (the two injections, one in each arm and ten days worth of orals) have caused disturbing changes to my artistic endeavors. Who knows, the Crystal Forest or Teaberry Tree might appeal to someone. As for me, I need to do some house cleaning and leave the artistic stuff to the ladies over at BusyScrappin.

Christmas Angel

2008-11-12T22:51:00.003-05:00

One thing about digital is that you end up 'playing' with old stuff and seeing where it takes you. I guess it beats playing solitare. This little lady is one of those old pieces that I have been playing around with and I am going to put her out there. Some people might like her and find a use for her. I think of her as a Christmas angel. So, I cleaned her up and polished her wings and used her as an Overlay. But you could use her with a gradient or add any number of blends. See what you can do with her. What the heck, she's an angel; see what she can do for you. I know, I'm a little bit whacky. No terms of use on this one. Use her for personal, commercial, scrap for hire. No credit required.

http://www.4shared.com/file/71256701/2f43d76c/Christmas_Angel_4.html

Holy smokes. . .

2008-10-29T13:48:00.004-04:00

That's what I said, Holy smokes; it is snowing here in Michigan. Very light snow, but snow; nonetheless. We usually don't stay in Michigan once the snow starts falling, but we had some late appointments this year. It turned out that we were able to attend a funeral last Sunday, which was very important to Gary and I still have another dental appointment coming up as well as my mammogram. Mammogram, it always reminds me of a Telegram where someone answers the door and is presented with little black and white pics of my mammary glands. Then it seems as though Bob Hope should come shuffling out to sing, "Thanks, for the mammary".
But, of course; you are probably way too young to remember such things as telegrams and Bob Hope. I remember. Little ole ancient me, I remember it well. Old people, how they babble on. and on .. and on ...
I think I promised a freebie tonight. And you thought I forgot! This is an action freebie. Oh my gosh, there is another one. The action figure doll. You might remember those. . . Action Figures!! Okay, okay, I'm back. An action freebie that will turn a photo into an wrinkled, grungy mess. Sounds like the good gift that heaven bestowed on me.

http://www.4shared.com/file/68899733/8f5a7eff/SW_Aged_Action_Freebie_Kit.html
I highly, highly, highly recommend that you download the Tutorial that goes with this freebie.
http://www.4shared.com/file/68900057/6066f5bb/SW_Aged_Action_Freebie_Tutorial.html
I would also highly recommend that you unzip and print out the Tutorial BEFORE you jump in head first, unless; of course you are a whiz that can dance around this little ole lady. And there are surely some that can. I hope you enjoy this freebie and if you like it tons and bunches, you may just want to purchase a kit that I will posting in the store over at Busyscrappin by weeks end. I want you all to concentrate on having a sugar coated Halloween and then when all the parties and trick o' treating are over with, you can relax and make yourself familiar with Photoshop Element Actions.
Please do remember to get onboard for the Busyscrappin Halloween Blog Train on Friday. There will be soooo many freebies from all of the designers there, that you will forget all about rippin off the Snickers and Tootsie Rolls from your kids. Enjoy the holiday everyone!!!

Just a little preview

2008-10-27T14:40:00.003-04:00

Hey ya'll,
I have not been around much lately and I need to apologize for that. However, I am working on something really fun for you; so please be patient. I am leaving a little ad for the Halloween blog train coming up this week. I know that I have worked really hard on this and from the previews that I have seen; so have all the girls over at Busyscrappin. So, I am back to work now. Have a wonderful day. I will be posting a freebie on Wednesday night, so check back.

Thank you . . .

2008-10-21T23:22:00.005-04:00

Yes, I would like to thank the two people who voted one way or another. Since they voted differently, here are both pages. Enjoy.

http://www.4shared.com/file/67901273/184d90c2/Blankie_Sample.html

http://www.4shared.com/file/67901720/faf8f7d6/Little_Prince_Sample.html

Battle of the sexes . . .

2008-10-19T21:52:00.005-04:00

Yes, I'm going to slap another election on you. I have been working on a new kit, "Simply Newborns"; to put in the store over at BusyScrappin. The problem is, I cannot decide which QuickPage I want to give away as a Freebie Add On. I have one for baby boys which I named "Little Prince" QuickPage and I have one for baby girls which I named "Baby's Blankie" QucikPage. So, I need you to please vote for which one should be offered here as a freebie on Wednesday. I would say Tuesday, but I have another dentist appointment on Tuesday. This appointment will only last two hours, but I am dreading it soooo much. Anyway, please help me out by leaving a comment below as to which one you want. Don't you wish the national elections were so easy? No lies. No voter frauds. No back stabbing. No standing in line for hours to vote. Just leave a comment, either boy page or girl page. Thank you and have a wonderful day.

For baby girls

For baby boys.

Add this to your calendar.

2008-10-12T19:15:00.006-04:00

I'm a bit under the weather right now, but; please click on over to BusyScrapping and check out some of the goodies. This will be my very first blog train, and let me warn you that my offerings are not for the faint of heart!

Let's talk about Overlays...

2008-10-03T23:15:00.008-04:00

I could sit here for days and make overlays. I love them. Some of them are more like templates rather than overlays. I like them all. I love the fact that you can make overlays from any patterned paper that you are fond of. For instance, take a look at this page that I did of Taylor. The background paper is an overlay made from a paper pack created by Anna Benjamin over at Paper Moon. I used a JPEG of one of her 'Brocade Papers' and converted it to black and white image and then I save it as a PNG. Now, how simple is that? And it looks great. That is one way to make a simple overlay.
Then I used one of my 'Ragged Overlays' from the Ragged Overlay Kit that is listed over at Busyscrappin. These are PSD files that have just two layers. The bottom layer, you use as both an overlay and also a shape template. The upper layer, you use just as it is to provide the back side of your torn paper. You can also use that layer for a colored backside or even the patterned backside of double-sided paper. The number of combinations are almost endless. If you are unfamiliar with using shape templates as overlays, I have added a freebie below. Nothing fancy, it is made from a basic shape provided within your Photoshop Elements. It is a great example of how you can create shape overlays of your own. If you like the looks of the Ragged Overlays, go with the link to BusyScrappin and purchase one or all of my Rugged Overlays for just $1.00 each. You can absolutely make your pages super standouts with double, triple and even quad overlays. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend.

http://www.4shared.com/file/65586898/51714338/SHI_Black_Filagree_Overlay.html

One of my favorites.

2008-09-29T11:22:00.005-04:00

This is truly one of my favorite photos of Izabel. The kids took Izabel on her first cruise last summer. Well, do you know how the towels are folded like origami animals on your bed? This is Izabel having her first encounter with the towel animals. I just love the way she is being so hesitant as she 'sizes up' this critter. Also, I like the little curl that forms at the nap of her neck where she smells so 'Izabellish'. Anyway, I personally have never been on a cruise and have no desire to do so; especially when there are real life pirates out there.

Did you notice the stitching on the shabby fabric frame? Cool, huh? That is a brand new kit that I just listed over at Busyscrappin. As a bonus in that kit, there are two golden charms, one for little girls and one for little boys. Just for stopping by today, however; you can download the 'Little Man' boys charm here. Have a wonderful day!
http://www.4shared.com/file/64954191/a45007e6/Little_Man_Charm.html

A piece of candy for my sweet . . .

2008-09-25T21:52:00.009-04:00

I have been playing, as you can see. But, lots of you downloaded 'Scream in the Dark'; so I thought you might like another spooky page. Please, this page is not for commercial use. Enjoy!

http://www.4shared.com/file/64504040/d8196c01/SHI_Piece_of_candy.html

Oldies, but goodies.

2008-09-21T21:51:00.003-04:00

Some serious house cleaning going on here. No, I did not wash the windows. I have been packaging up a few goodies for you to take home. This is my complete golden charm collection and for today they are free. Tomorrow, who knows. Enjoy.

http://www.4shared.com/file/63928159/3b6f9dfe/SHI_Charm_Collection.html

Last Day of Summer

2008-09-21T13:10:00.007-04:00

Well, here in the United States; we have about seven more summer hours. Tomorrow is officially the beginning of autumn. We call it Indian Summer here in Michigan. Of course, this is beautiful country settled by the Ottawa, Chippewa and Kickapoos. Hence, we still have our Indian Summers. My favorite time of year when there is a crispness in the air that I cannot explain. It is like the deep sign coming from all the trees and plants as they release their last bit of energy in preparation for the coming winter. And you DO NOT want to get me started on Michigan winters! Enough of my rambling!

This has been a busy week for me. The routine fall stuff like closing the pool and trimming down the plants. But beyond all of that, I had a big change in my scrappin world. I got an offer to join the team at BusyScrappin'. I suppose that you might have noticed the new blinkies. So, with change comes . . . always more change. Hey, it keeps me young. BusyScrappin' is a relatively new site with twenty or so designers and lots of new products. They have plans in the works for free collaboration bags and Halloween kits as well as reasonably priced digi items. That makes a difference to me, I just simply cannot afford a lot of the digi stuff out there. At BusyScrappin', the prices are within my spending range. Since I might actually have an opportunity to sell some of my products, I will be moving all of my complimentary products (freebies) into my boutique after the first several hundred free downloads. Or there abouts. I am not about to sit and watch my download screen and count the downloads, but you get my drift. Most designers, will preview their complimentary items for a day or sometimes a weekend. After that preview period, they move that item to their stores. Anyway, that is the plan. So, if you do see my very identifiable SKDesigns Product Page on DigiFree or one of the other preview sites, don't hesitate. He who hesitates. . .well, you know.

The good part is that I still get to do what I love, I still get to ramble on and now I get to be part of a real team. Cool, huh? So, go through my archives and snag whatever is there to snag; because tomorrow it may not be there. Actually, I have had a lot of people looking for that Halloween page I did last year, so I have listed the link for 'Scream In The Dark' below. Also quite a few people have missed my Bows with Pearls, so if you want those; please take them now. For the time being, I wish you all a pleasant day. Go over to BusyScrappin' and take a look around.

http://www.4shared.com/file/24660985/9ebf2ae/SHI_Scream_in_the_Dark.html

CT Call over at BusyScrappin'

2008-09-19T15:50:00.003-04:00

Okay, this is not even out in the public yet. Just thought it would be a heads-up for anyone who has been thinking about joining a Creative Team. Everyone over there is super sweet and easy to get along with. FYI

Murder at the Deadwood Saloon

2008-09-17T15:48:00.002-04:00

We have started a new tradition in the neighborhood where my husband and I spend the winter months. It is a Murder Mystery Night and we have a blast! So, I found it neccesary to create a vintage western kit for our Murder at Deadwood Night. Now, I have more news. . .the Deadwood kit is actually being listed over at BusyScrappin'. How cool is that? I actually am now part of the Design Team at BusyScrappin'. They invited me onto the team this weekend and it is sooo much fun! So, if you like the looks of this page; you can look for the Deadwood kit over at BusyScrappin'. It is quite a new place for digital scrappers and I am really impressed with how well it is coming together. Lots of fun and more in store. . .forgive the pun!
Now for a little Post Script: Since it would be highly unethical for me to post my neighbors dressed up as Saloon Girls from Miss Kitty's Place; I used this photo of my daughter and son-in-law instead. It was taken about 19 years ago, so I hope they don't get too bunged!

This is the reason . . .

2008-09-11T18:20:00.014-04:00

This is the reason that I need a 12 inch printer!
I love digital scrapping because it is so relaxing, it kicks my instant gratification needs and I feel more creative than I do when I simply cut out paper. I love digital scrapping, because there is no way that you can "Put Time in a Bottle" (below), or fit a huge clip within a page protector such as in "Izabel" (below). But, I wanted to make this page special; so I used an overlay of Emily's High School as the background. Then, I added a snapshot of her following her commencement ceremonies. The picture was taken in front of Kennesaw Hall; which is located on the campus of KSU. And of course, she now attends KSU as a freshman. So, if I had a twelve inch printer; I could have done a "Virtual" scrap page that would have been soooo bum sweet. I guess, until I am ready to part with some money; I will just have to keep having fun in "Digital".

Time in a Bottle ~ You can still purchase The Transparent Bottle Kit at my boutique.

I love this FREE Quick Page from Raspberry Road Designs. It is part of Susan Darter's Nantucket Briar Collection.

Little old lady in lockdown?

2008-08-05T11:53:00.004-04:00

Well, I have not been napping as anyone would think. However, I did get locked out of my blog because of a spam issue. Actually, I even heard something on the news this morning about Google locking down some blogs. As an after thought, I will bet my bottom dollar that mine was included because of my little "The Shack" promo. I might consider removing it, if I have any more problems. However, it is a wonderful book that I can recommend wholeheartedly. That's it for today, I was just checking to see if I was "Out of Quarantine" yet.

Victorian Boot Kit

2008-07-24T15:19:00.004-04:00

I had so much fun designing this kit. These boots would make a darling addition to any vintage OR modern page. So, head on over to my boutique and check out the Victorian Boot Kit. Very reasonably priced!
(This kit INCLUDES a PSE Beginners Tutorial)
$2.00.

The Dark Knight

2008-07-20T16:32:00.006-04:00

Wow, we just got back from the theater. The Dark Knight is actually a fantastic movie. Of course, there will be lots of little crazy freaks trying to imitate the Joker for Halloween. Lovely role model! For the life of me, I do not understand why we continue to do this to our children. My children were terrified of the clown doll from the Poltergeist movie. Come to think of it, did I not just recently post a scrap page of my darling son (Ted) taking my grandaughter (Zuzu)Trick or Treating. Now, you cannot tell me that children are not affected by the scary things in movies! Look how he turned out! Actually, I am extremely proud of my son; he is one of Atlanta's finest . . . a Fire Fighter! And my daughter is another one of Atlanta's best . . . a Cardiac RN.
So, now back to my subject of the day . . . On The Dark Side, oh yeah! Big John Cafferty fan, here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgloaS4NGyM What else grows on the dark side, besides The Brown Beaver Band? Mushrooms, oh yeah! You asked for em, you got em.

http://www.4shared.com/file/55831755/503f2a21/SHI_Mushroom_Medley.html

Summer Scrapin Freebie QuickPage

2008-07-12T12:39:00.008-04:00

Download it here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/54895078/7a52a6d9/Summer_Scrapin_QuickPage_Freebie.html

ShaZAM from Jessica Sprague

2008-07-11T22:26:00.006-04:00

BEFORE
AFTER

I love a good challenge. So, when Jessica Sprague added a little goodie (like a really stupendous camera strap from Cotton Candy); I had to follow through. If you go to her SpragueLab site, you can read the PhotoShop Friday challenge that she put out there. The camera strap is super cool, but the tutorial that she has named the ShaZAM Technique is well worth the trip. I liked the camera strap so much that I even made my own paper kit to match it. Of course, the winner will be the one and only one to have their name drawn from a bucket on Monday, July 14th. So, go and add some ShaZAM to your scrappin' techniques. Can't say that I didn't try!
By the way, you can purchase the expanded kit in my boutique section.

Gone for a long time.

2008-06-26T09:22:00.005-04:00

Wow, it has been over a month since I last posted here. Been living in a funk. Finally, my new doctor put me on a new med for asthma and diagnosed me with something called polychrondritis. Never knew that I even had asthma and if I cannot breathe, I certainly cannot say pol*y*chon*dri*tis. Anyway, I am alive; atleast until tomorrow morning when I have my first ever stress test. Doesn't matter.
I was working on a page yesterday that made me smile. Thought I would post it. I will be back in the groove soon with some freebies.

Raffia Bows ~ Free

2008-05-17T22:18:00.008-04:00

You can never get enough bows. But putting bows on boys scrap pages looks a bit hoky. Try some raffia bows, they are totally macho little man. Did I mention that they are also free. I have had these posted on my Freebies For You Page, however; nobody downloaded them because they were not picked up by DigiFree. So, tomorrow I will delete them from my Scrap Wizard Home Page.

http://www.4shared.com/file/47749159/80f34d25/Raffia.html

Please check out my new Transparent Bottles Kit and Dress Form Kit in the Scrap Wizard Boutique. Very low prices for high quality digitals.

In the Scrap Wizard Boutique.

In the Scrap Wizard Boutique.

Digital Dollar Store

2008-05-15T19:20:00.005-04:00

Ever wonder why my kits are so inexpensive? Not because they are inferior products. Not because I don't have any confidence. Not because they are easy to make. They are inexpensive because I do not know how to create a shopping cart on this blogger system. Each item has to be purchased separately simply because I do not have the expertise to do the whole Add to Cart, View Cart, Checkout routine. So I figure that if you have to go through the routine more than once, the product should be more than well worth your money. Fear not, I only have three or four items in my Boutique. Not like anyone buys them anyway. Rest assured, I will figure it out.
Until then, I have a new freebie (some Raffia Bows) for you on my Free For You page. Have a great night.

Reorganizing my blog. . .

2008-05-13T20:53:00.003-04:00

Boy, it sure isn't easy. I have set aside a section solely for freebies. Also, I have created a section for turorials and one for a boutique. I moved most of my free stuff over to the Free for you section. But for tonight, I am exhausted and cannot do anymore. I planted flowers from about 8:30 this morning until about 2:00 this afternoon. My poor achey breaky back. Hope you will come back to my blog soon and check out my progress.

Mother's Day

2008-05-10T21:57:00.007-04:00

Of all the things life has to offer, being a mother is the best. So, to all the mothers out there . . . Happy Mother's Day.
You can download the .jpg file here and send them on to the mothers in your address book.
http://www.4shared.com/file/47152745/a8eb0151/SHI_Mothers_Day_Card.html

New Look

2008-04-21T09:47:00.003-04:00

Hello,
I did a bit of updating this weekend. I added a new header, which you can easily notice. My darling daughter (the glitch witch) has been nagging me to revamp. I like the new look, so I am grateful for her little nudges. I had hoped to add some buttons to my blog, but for the life of me; I cannot figure it out. Now, if this was Front Page; I would be dancing on my header. But, the glitch witch promised to help me out today or tomorrow. For the time being, I have updated my sidebar archives. Any post that had a freebie attached to it, is listed in the archives popup list. There are bunches and bunches of them, so go nuts with my permission. Have a wonderful day and thank you for stopping by. Later . . .

Rockin with a new hairstyle. . .

2008-04-15T19:00:00.003-04:00

Finally! My grandaughter Emily is young for her grade. She will graduate next month at the ripe old age of seventeen. However, over the weekend; her appearance matured beautifully. She had her hair cut and she looks like she is ready for college.

Learning new stuff . . .

2008-04-11T19:31:00.007-04:00

I really enjoy playing around and learning new things without a deadline or the expectations of someone other than myself. So, I have been playing around with PSE and I have posted a couple of pages that I made recently. Hope you enjoy them.

So proud of her. . .

2008-03-19T17:18:00.010-04:00

I wanted to show you a page that I did of my oldest grand-daughter. She is the adorable little redhead on the far right and she will graduate from North Cobb High School in a few short weeks. She already has credits accrued and plans galore for her fall semester at Kennesaw State University. I am so proud of this young lady, I do not have the space to type all of my grandmotherly citations. She's a sweet Georgia peach!

On our way.

2007-11-09T14:09:00.000-05:00

Wow, I have been backing up files for what seems like a week. I have the house pretty much in order and I will spend tomorrow going through every single drawer, packing what I think I might need for the next five months. I still have to pack all my clothes and my paper scraps tonight. I am alotted one Crop Station packing unit for my paper scraps. Anyway, we will be on the road by Sunday. Once I get to Atlanta, I will order my new computer (YES!!) and then I will not have to wait for too long before it gets delivered in Florida. As soon as possible, I will have a freebie listed on http://digifree.blogspot.com/. Of course, I will be way down at the bottom of the list, but hey; sometimes you have to dig for treasure! So, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and I will talk to you soon. God bless us all.

Recommend Renee Pearson

2007-11-01T20:10:00.002-04:00

Yes, I am glad that it is over with. I have one grandaughter here in Michigan and I have four grandchildren in Atlanta. Loving the one that is here is natural, loving and missing the ones that are there is miserable. So, holidays are always rather bittersweet to me.

Would you believe that it has taken me two days to write a tutorial? I do all of this stuff because it keeps me on my toes, so to speak. But, two days . . . I keep getting interrupted and my mind wonders off. Nonetheless, there seems to be quite a few people out there that appreciate base, bottom-line, tutorials for BEGINNERS.

Actually, if I could recommend any one book that helped me the most; it would be "Digital Designs for Scrapbooking" by Renee Pearson. She does not use intimidating phrases like 'clipping masks' or 'digitizer'. Well worth the price. Get it. Read it. Do the exercises.

Back to being a beginner. I am still there. I got interested in digital scraps in May or June of this year. So, I learn everytime I open PhotoShop. I tried CS3, but I have gotten too attached to using my mouse scroll wheel; which is not possible in CS3. Saved myself big bucks there.

So, I can understand why people who are just starting like to learn from someone they do not know. Well, here I am. I remember a few months back, I would pick a page from a paper scrapbook magazine and duplicate it digitally. Man, I was so proud of my little self. I recreated a page that was in Creating Keepsakes Magazine. I was so proud (and brazen and stupid) that I loaded it up in the Creating Keepsakes Gallery. I even posted that I scraplifted and totally plagiarized (or in this case, pagiarized) from a member of their design team. It wasn't until weeks later that I read a muse from Ro about scrap etiquette and how inappropriate my behavior had been. I was so appreciative of someone leaking the information to me. If I can help even one person avoid that type of embarrasment, these tutorials are worth every minute of my time. By the way, if you do not know what a "Ro Muse" is, stop by ScrapGirls.com and sign up for the newsletters. You will learn more than just clipping and pasting. . . things like scrap etiquette.

This free tutorial and file kit to practice with are definietly for the beginners. It is repititious, grueling and worth every second you put into it. Give it a try, let me know what you threw at the wall. But, by the time you finish this tut; you will not feel like a beginner anymore. And that is our purpose for this moment.

For those of you who know how to do the good stuff, click on my Blog Archives for September. There are over 30 freebies there including two complete kits with some really fun embellishments, such as these envelopes all ready to slap on a page.

God Bless Us All. Yes, even the goofy guy at the seance!

Down the Tutorial and Excerise Files here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/28061019/770bd04f/SHI_Tutorial_and_Vintage_Envelope_Files.html

Please remember to go to September Blog Archives for the entire kit that contains this stationery and much more.

Big sale at Scrap Girls

2007-10-20T13:29:00.000-04:00

I have gotten so far behind on my blog. Too many things to do and so little time to do it in. But, I did want to make sure that absolutely everyone got the word about the big Anniversary Party going on over at ScrapGirls. All the way up until Wednesday, 22.3% off. I know that I want to go and pick up that All Stitched Up Kit, but I want to have the time to look around for some other stuff. They have all sorts of games and challenges. These girls have worked overtime to make this fun for us, so we should take advantage of all their toil and trouble. Now, get over there and see if you can win one of those $33.33 prizes. Have fun.

City Streets Preview

2007-10-02T09:05:00.001-04:00

Well, I must apologize for that last page. I had Taylor for two days and she was kind enough to share her cold with me. When I was putting 'Autumn Leaves' together, I had a scratchy throat and dizzy head and well . . . it shows. That must be the ugliest page yet. As a matter fact, it is going to be deleted. There, it is gone. . .forever.

However, after spending a week with my Nyquil bottle; I got back to work on a kit that I am really excited about. If you have teenage sons or pre-teen nephews, you will be sending me kisses. My one and only grandson, Zach; is all boy. He does not hug his Grandmother. Nope, he runs at me with both arms open, grabs my neck in a flying strangle hold and swings his sweaty little body into whatever direction he is going. Nor does he call me Grandma . . . he calls me, G-Dog.

The point to all this is that I find it difficult to find scrap stuff for boys. There are frogs and tricycles, and baseball and soccer stuff; but I want some strumin geetars and noisy traffic stuff. I needed some Zach stuff! So, I am waiting on a note of approval from Designfruit.com to see if I can release "City Streets". No bows, no cute little hearts . . . just "City Streets".

Hopefully, I will get a go ahead and as soon as that happens; you can download
some cool kid stuff. Until then, how about a little sneak peek? There are six pages and each has just one journaling block. I named this one, Up On The Roof.

What the heck, one more little peek won't hurt. I named this one, Rumble and it is my personal fav.

Here's hoping that I hear from the multi-talented Designfruit soon. Meanwhile, G-Dog is outta here.

Freebie here: Journaling Blocks for Simplicity

2007-09-23T07:59:00.001-04:00

I wondered why there were no downloads on the Simplicity frames and journaling blocks. I forgot to add them to the blog. Thank you jhawkeye for catching it. My apologies.

Download the Simplicity Journaling Blocks here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24278651/d3314c8e/SHI_Simplicity_Journaling_Blocks.html

Freebie here: Scream in the Dark!

2007-09-19T22:08:00.001-04:00

Had to take Shadow to the vet's office today. Gary was out on the Harley with 'the boys', so I had the pleasure of taking her by myself. She was a perfect little angel . . . well at least for Shadow. She is an eighty pound Belgian Sheepdog with a bit of a personality snag. When she was about two, she was running around the yard faster than black sambo. Gary had the sliding door open on the side of the van. Shadow was not about to be left behind and she actually took a flying leap. The thud was heart stopping, but the unearthly cry that ripped through the neighborhood was literally chilling. Her right rear knee did not clear the running board and she required surgery to repair it. So, today was just a routine blood workup to make sure that the pain meds are not causing damage to her kidneys.

Enough about my day, hope you all had a good day. It sure was beautiful here in Michigan. I love a true Indian Summer day and we do not get that many of them anymore.

I thought I would load one little piece of paper for you tonight. Halloween is just around the corner, so a few of you might want to use, Scream in the Dark.

Download "Scream in the Dark" here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24660985/9ebf2ae/SHI_Scream_in_the_Dark.html

Freebies here: "Little Gold Charms 2" and "Grunge Elements"

2007-09-17T17:26:00.001-04:00

Would you believe that I got an email this morning from a friend in Pennsylvania telling me that she and her husband were leaving for Florida in 14 days?! I guess the time is really slipping by faster than I realized.

Anyway, I have been looking at my download stats and it seems as though the elements are of more interest to you than the paper. So, I made some more little gold charms and some grungy stuff that I like to think of as shipping or postal stuff. The tags read:

Caution: Children are LOOSE!
Caution: Contents are ALIVE!
Caution: Girls on the MOVE!
Handle with Care
Caution: Boys on the MOVE!

Download the Grunge Elements here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24468106/de54f140/SHI_Grunge_Elements.html

Download the Little Golden Charms 2 here: http://www.4shared.com/file/24468105/475da0fa/SHI_Little_Golden_Charms_2.html

Freebie here: "Little Gold Charms 1" Kit

2007-09-15T20:18:00.002-04:00

This was the first kit that I published last week. These are a few of my favorite things. Please make sure you download these:

http://www.4shared.com/file/24029297/ac7a4775/SHI_Little_Golden_Charms.html

They are the prettiest darn charms you will find out here. Actually, my friend Carol; has just finished her reconstruction from the ravishes of breast cancer. I started with an Awareness Ribbon Charm for Carol and it just grew. I will be making more, so keep posted. Have a great weekend. I will be back someday next week with something new, I hope. At my age, who knows?

Freebies here: "Natural Accents" and "Belt Buckles"

2007-09-15T19:40:00.001-04:00

Wow, am I ever glad that my better-half pooped out early. He wanted to go to town tonight for the AppleFest. The AppleFest is a HUGE event here. It is sponsored every year by St. John's Catholic Church in town and it is where everyone is right now. Apple pie, by the slice, by the pan, by the plate, any way to eat apple pie can be found at the AppleFest. They raffle off two new cars every year, tons of prizes and did I mention apple pie and beer? Anyway, Gary is taking a nap with the dog; which means I get to take a rest.

Are you ready for some bugs? Another thing you may have noticed about the Simplicity packs, they are infested with bugs! I think they make a nice addition to kids pages. All kids like bugs. My children used to have mantids on the curtains in the dining room. I would run screaming around the house at night. One day my son was going to show his Great-Aunt his collection of snakes. Oops, he left the lid open on his foot locker. Then, of course; there was the cigar box sitting in the middle of the floor in the pantry. Now, what would you do if you saw a fancy cigar box sitting in the middle of the floor? I had no idea that he had a spider collection. Anyway, kids like em and mothers hate them.

Get your bugs here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24315630/441a2546/SHI_Simplicity_Natural_Accents.html

************************************************************

This last group, I made for primarily vintage pages. I always remember my Grandmother having fabric covered belts on all of her dresses. It is a comforting memory. There is no photo of these, they are simply belt buckles covered in the vintage paper with the solid ribbon running through them. You can use them for photo wraps or simply a trim on the edge of a page.
Download the belt buckles and photo wraps here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24313283/1c855a37/SHI_Simplicity_Photo_Wraps_Belt_Buckles.html

Freebie here: "Manfred's Florals with Drop Shadows"

2007-09-15T19:08:00.001-04:00

There is a sweet grandfather who lives in Germany and works miracles with type fonts. Undoubtedly, you have seen his work; but never knew his name. His name is Manfred Klein.

These little flowers add such a giddy and happy feel to children's pages. They are bright and colorful and they are a gift. Please respect Mr. Klein's copyright and his generosity by using them appropriately on your own pages only. Thank you.

Download the Florals with Drop Shadows here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24313275/727ee3cd/SHI_Simplicity_Florals_Drop_Shadows_MKlein.html

Freebies here: Simplicity Epoxy or Gelly or Plastic . . .

2007-09-15T18:56:00.001-04:00

It really does not matter to the wizard. I like the looks of some Gelly Embellies, but some of them I'm not so crazy about. Now keys, I love keys. Anyway, I had this download on earlier and then I decided to break it up into two downloads. It takes a long time for some people to get files if they are in an area that does not have access to cable or dish. So, let's get on with the show.

Oh, way too much ringmaster today!

Download the Gelly Ribbon Tags here:

http://www.4shared.com/file/24318387/cd2b7318/SHI_Simplicity_Gelly_Ribbon_Tags.html

Download the remaining Gelly Embellies here:

http://www.4shared.com/file/24318385/23251234/SHI_Simplicity_Gelly_Embellies.html

Freebies here: "Glass Buttons" with PSD Text files

2007-09-15T18:30:00.001-04:00

My daughter hates my glass buttons. I love them. By the way, if you would like to learn how to make them and you are running PSE; there is a wonderful tutorial at Spoono.com. It is called, Interface Orb by Brian Fusco. Of course, his are for web sites; but scrappers are grateful happy people and we will say, thanks anyway. We are not a picky bunch. A simpler version for a Gradient Brad by Linda Sattgast can be found at scrappersguide.com.

As for the wizard, they are glass buttons and I've got a bunch of them. This set actually includes several PSD. files which you can use if you are running Photoshop Elements. With these files, you can change the text to suit your own needs. Otherwise, I tried to think of titles that would apply to scrapping. If you have some suggestions for words that you would like, I'm open to a limited number of them. Not a lot, no more than two per person. And when I get exhausted, I will not offer this service. Right now, I am a gluten for punishment and I need the ego boost.
Hope you like buttons!

Get em here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24315625/2d6be088/SHI_Simplicity_Glass_Buttons_and_PSD_Files.html

Freebie here: "Hearts and Flowers"

2007-09-15T17:46:00.001-04:00

I cannot tell you how pleased I am. First, my husband and I had a wonderful time at the Lipizzaner Stallions performance. A very small audience, but the riders and horses were still breathtaking. The majesty and history of these horses is unparalleled. The music puts your imagination in Austria and Spain in times that we can only read about. Anyway, if you ever get a chance to see them, go!

After the show we went to Ruggerio's for lasagna. When we were kids, Mr. Ruggerio would kick us out after teen club. We were a pretty rowdy bunch and we all had to pool our money to pay for one pizza and sodas. Not financially sound to open a pizzeria across the street from a junior high school. Of course, now the restaurant has moved out of the city into an upscale location. The owner is still there, he still eyes us carefully when we come in and he still makes the best Italian food around. Another urban legand.

BUT, the BIGGEST, the BESTEST part of my whole day (well almost) was coming home to find that I actually had comments on my blog. Good heaven, someone knows the wizard! Anne, and AJ and TripletMommy and TheresaMarie. They all left comments!!! Yahoooooo! Thank you so much for making me feel like I am doing a fun thing for you.

So, with all of that aside; let's download!!!

I am going to start off with a real treat. If you ever do a search for PSE brushes, you will recognize the name, Hawksmont. An extremely talented lady who lets us use her brushes for whatever we want, as long as we appreciate her work. Thank you, Hawksmont.

You can download Hearts and Flowers here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24345742/2c7737ea/SHI_Hawksmont_Hearts_n_Flowers.html

Freebie here: Colored "Circle Stamps and RicRac Circles to match"

2007-09-15T12:58:00.001-04:00

Download your circle stamps here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24315628/53da9c35/SHI_Simplicity_Circle_Stamps.html

Freebie here: Simplicity "Plain Paper, White Scallop Over Vintage and Flowers"

2007-09-15T12:51:00.001-04:00

Download the Simplicity Plain Papers here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24321195/312c241/SHI_Simplicity_Plain_Papers.html

Download the Simplicity White Scalloped Over Vintage Papers here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24321078/e2e2f945/SHI_Simplicity_White_Scalloped_Over_Vintage.html

Download the Simplicity Flowers and the Organdy Bows here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24315626/b462b132/SHI_Simplicity_Flowers_Organdy_Bows.html

Freebie here: Simplicity "Vintage Paper, Plain Scallop Over White, Stripe and Plain Bows"

2007-09-15T12:43:00.001-04:00

Download the Vintage Paper here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24320994/c2bac40a/SHI_Simplicity_Paper_Vintage.html

Download the Textured Solid Scalloped Paper here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24321596/9d123b27/SHI_SimplicityPaper_Scalloped_Plain_Over_White.html
Download the Plain Bows here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24313269/62d39ea7/SHI_Simplicity_Bows_Plain.html

Download the Stripe and Polka Dot Bows here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24349771/d4858a2b/SHI_Simplicity_Bows_Colored.html

Freebie here: Simplicity "Vintage Stationery and Envelopes"

2007-09-15T12:39:00.001-04:00

Download the Vintage Stationery here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24318381/2448d62d/SHI_Simplicity_Stationery_Vintage.html

Freebie here: Simplicity "Pinned Journals" and Pins

2007-09-15T12:33:00.001-04:00

Back again. It takes me longer to upload files than it does for you to download files. I taxed the limit and pushed my boundaries today as far as uploads are concerned. However, I have a date with the Lippizanner Stallions at 2:00pm and it will take us a good hour to get there. I will get as much onto this blog as I can before I leave. Hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Download the pinned journals here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24313280/858c0b8d/SHI_Simplicity_Pinned_Journals_Pins.html

Freebie here: "Beautiful Baby" Kit

2007-09-14T10:55:00.001-04:00

I'll be darned. Here it is 11:00am and I just had to answer the door in my pajamas. I love working with PSE and I learn lots and lots, but I may be out of my mind. The only feedback I got was from my daughter. So, Kristin; here is a set that I made during that lesson we took back in June. The overlay on this paper is one that you made and there is a lot more in the kit than is in the photo. Hope you like it. I still plan on having some technicolor on here before night fall.

Download Beautiful Baby Paper and Embellies here:

http://www.4shared.com/file/24246782/592b04ad/SHI_Beautiful_Baby_Embellies.html

http://www.4shared.com/file/24246789/cef9dd25/SHI_Beautiful_Baby_Papier.html

Freebie here: "Kristin's Garden" Kit

2007-09-12T22:55:00.001-04:00

Where does the whole day go? Yesterday, I looked out towards the backyard and there was Mr. Atlas, AARP.PC digging out the old steps to the pool. Those steps have been there for 30 years and need repair badly, but what makes this old poop think he can take them out by himself? So, I got on my old trusty leather yard gloves and we now have rotting steps on our back deck. So, of course; the dog is terrified of this foreign object and refuses to go piddle in the back yard. Which means that she had to go out at 2:00am. This cycle just keeps going round and round and round. This afternoon he sat down and wanted to know if I wanted the stairs to go straight out or did I want them to curve around the way they used to be. Dah! Just he and I and the dog and it's a darn nut house around here. Enough of my wallowing.

My daughter called tonight from Georgia and wanted me to see what I could do with an overlay she made. Well, I guess I did not quite understand what she wanted me to do with it. She liked the paper when I was finished, but she did not like how I got to the end result. I'm slappin' my forehead again and wondering which way to go . . . Snap! or Pop!

Regardless, I thought it was a good opportunity to put together a little prize for my blog. Had to put on my little wizard cap for this one, but it is always fun. Now, it is your turn! You've got three papiers and I think there are about five embellies. What kind of magic can you come up with. I'd love to see your pages. Maybe a little comment or two. Am I alone here?

For the sake of sharing, I would like you to know how easy this is to do. I use PhotoShop Elements 5, so you really can accomplish good things without the high-end, expensive software. All I did was to open Kristin's Overlay that she wanted me to use. That was the swirly area in the middle of this page. Then I placed a paper template over that, which will size the template and plop it right on top of Kristin's Overlay. For this quickie project, I used a ScrapSimple Paper Template called Enchanted from the ScrapGirls site. Then I run my little mouse cursor up to the Menu Bar and select Adjust Color. It sounds so easy, because it is.

The only frightening thing about PhotoShop is the terminology. When I say, go to the little two toned circle thinga majiggy; it is so much more friendly than 'Click once on your Adjustment Layer Symbol. I am sure that Adobe would love to say 'thinga majiggy', but there would be a gazillion and one interpretations for thinga majiggy. So, once you know the language; your mind interprets Adjustment Layer Symbol as 'the layer thinga majiggy'. Once you get ontop of the language, it is actually fun and you will learn to hussle through the daily chores so that you can have some free time with PhotoShop.

Download the papier here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24142137/c7ceb0a2/SHI_Kristins_Garden_Papier.html

And don't go away without your embellies.
Get em here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24142038/56b3c704/SHI_Kristins_Garden_Embellies.html

Actually, there is one embellie in there where I copied an idea from an article in the 'Creating Keepsakes' September issue. It was a layout by C.D.Muckosky that I really liked. See if you can spot it! Have fun. I have to babysit at 6:00am, so I am outta here.

Freebie here: Little Golden Charms

2007-09-10T15:28:00.001-04:00

Well, we closed the pool this morning. There was much discussion about whether to fill it in this summer or continue to keep dumping dollars into water that nobody swims in. That is always the last warning sign that the leaves are coming down and the flakes will follow close behind. Another summer in Michigan over and soon we head south for the cold spell.

I created this blog just this morning, so that I could display some of my scrap pieces. For the time being, I will concentrate on setting up the download services; so you can use my papers and pieces if you wish. Alas, once a freebie, always a freebie. However, at some point; I will be listing my newest pieces for sale. But, at this stage of the game; I am experimenting with this global marketplace and all its ramifications.

I put together a group of "Little Gold Charms" this weekend. Please leave me a note if you use them and perhaps a link to your work. Please do not use my pieces for any money making endeavors. Thank you.

Download here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/24029297/ac7a4775/SHI_Little_Golden_Charms.html