Almost Christmas!

WOW, I can't believe I haven't checked here in a month. I've been busy cleaning, redecorating and decorating for Christmas this whole month. I'll be spending the next couple of days putting the finishing touches on decorations and picking up around the house. But my favorite part of the next couple of days will be cooking! Ham and chicken, potato salad and baked mostaccioli are just some of the things that are on the menu. Mushroom tarts and rouquefort swirls for appetizers and plenty of wine and drink. I may even make a punch too.

I haven't taken that many pictures yet but I took this one that I really like! It's definitely beginning to look alot like Christmas! It's super cold here and we're expecting more snow today as well. I don't really mind the snow, but when the wind blows and it's -35 degrees, it's really tough.

















Well, hopefully after this rush of partying and holiday happenings, I'll be able to get back to some digi scrapping!

First Freebie Kit . . .

OK . . . I have the file uploaded now and we're going to see if this works. First I should tell you that the kit is created in 200 ppi and the download size is about 16MB. If this is too large and/or you're having a problem downloading the file, please let me know by leaving a comment. There will be a Terms of Use text file included indicating how the kit can be used . . . please be sure to read it over before using any of the papers or elements in the kit. Here's a preview of the kit:

It's called Little Boy Blue and contains the following papers and elements:

1 blue/brown plaid paper

1 blue grunge paper

1 blue colored pencil paper

1 light blue paper

1 "sons" word art element

1 leather knotted cord

1 knotted plaid ribbon

1 wood frame

1 riveted "boys will be boys" button

1 rivet corner overlay

1 blue sticky note

1 dark blue straight stitch element

You can download it here: LittleBoyBlueKit.zip

Making progress . . .

I've been working on and trying to find out how to get freebies on this blog for you to download and I think I've almost figured it out. I set up an account at 4 shared and am working on finishing a kit I've had sitting on the computer for a while. The goal is to have a kit a week to give away for free. I'm not saying that's what I'll be able to do, but that is my hope. Here's a LO I've been working on with some of the elements from the kit. Hopefully, in the next day or two, I'll have it ready for download!

A New Banner . . .

I made this great kit for the Designer Finder Contest and I just had to make a new banner for my blog using the papers and elements. I was kind of afraid when I heard that you needed to make at least one metal element for the kit. I ended up making 3 and I think they turned out great! I can't believe how much I'm learning in PS CS2. There were certain things that I didn't understand or didn't take the time to practice with that are now clicking and that I really understand.

Well . . . I'm off for now . . . I have to wait I think until Saturday to see if I am eliminated. If I am . . . I'll be happy with what I have learned and accomplished so far and keep on learning, practicing and CREATING!

Going to the Quilt Expo tomorrow

I love going to the Quilt Shows! There's one in the spring at the Stevenson Center and one in the fall at the Schaumburg Convention Center. Being that it's getting much colder outside, I'm once again thinking of the quilts I need to finish. I also like the fact that they can be displayed as art. Although, I love painting on canvas and have a few pieces displayed throughout the house, my favorite is the art quilt I made from a kit. It's called Moonlit Garden and is hung in my living room. Here are a few photos . . .

I think this quilt is the greatest piece of art I've made . . . even if the design was someone else's. The quilting was done by me on the machine and is very dense throughout the entire quilt. I just love the colors and everything about it! So I'm excited about going to the show tomorrow and looking forward to it! At least it will keep my mind off of the Designer Finder Contest as the week 3 assignment will be posted late tomorrow night and it's making me nervous just thinking about what that will be.

August Sunset

August Sunset
Originally uploaded by ladybug_6

This is the photograph I thought of when I received the colors for the 2nd week challenge of the Designer Finder Contest. That's where the name for the background papers came from.

This photo was taken last year right out my front window. We moved into this house 5 years ago and my husband and I go back and forth about getting a tree in front of our house. I really wanted one and he didn't. For now . . . I've kind of let go of wanting a tree in front. We catch some really awesome sunsets here so I guess if we did have a tree, I wouldn't have got such a great pic.

I try to take pictures as often as possible. Sometimes, especially since I don't use the tripod, they don't come out that great. This one did and I absolutely love it and its one of my faves.

Japanese Anemone

Japanese Anemone
Originally uploaded by ladybug_6

I really just wanted to check this out to see how it works. These are one of my favorite flowers I have in my garden. They're a perennial so they come back year after year and with each year, I get more and more! It would be great to see these in every one of my flower beds in spring time!

BTW, does this flower look familiar? It was the inspiration for the flower in my "with Love" kit.

Learning something new every day

I like that I'm learning new things on PS. Keeps my mind off how nervous I really am about the Designer Finder Contest at DSP. No matter what happens I know I'll be closer to my goal. Even if it may take longer than expected. It's fun to see how things develop and how some ideas just don't work out. Atleast I tried and I'll know better for the next assignment . . . whatever that may be.

The current assignment wasn't too bad. Creating a layout with the previous kit and making some background papers with a certain color palette. Nice colors that's for sure. I don't envy the judges' job though. I'm sure it's gotta be tough going through all the posts and narrowing it down. There are 50 contestants and believe me . . . the competition is stiff!

I like the way my background papers came out . . .

So, I'm awaiting to see what the next assignment will be. I know it will be to create elements to go along with the papers, but none of us know what kind of elements they will be looking for. Until then . . . or maybe later this week . . .

A new challenge . . . both personally and professionally!

Well . . . I managed to place sixth in the contest at DSP. Now . . . I've taken the plunge and entered the Designer Finder Contest. Round One will be over at midnight on Friday. This is my entry . . .





















I actually like it quite a bit. Very girly, girly! Not something I would even considering buying myself since I have 2 boys. I especially like the way the flower and the laced element turned out. The pearls have been sitting in a folder on my computer for a while now so at least they've found a home for now! The papers are really great too! I just love the whole kit! I'm very proud of myself actually . . . and I think I deserve it . . . well at least for my first time shot.


I was really nervous about posting it, and a little apprehensive yesterday right after post it, but the responses have been great so far. Anyway, there's probably about 50 people who entered the contest . . . maybe more. I think the competition will be tough. There are some really great kits in the gallery so far! Most of the contestants have been with DSP for quite a while. As long as I'm learning more and furthering my skills with PS CS2, it will be worth a try!


And now I get to wonder what the next assignment will be. Gosh . . . this is starting to get me nervous all over again!

October's almost over!

Geez, I can't believe October is almost gone! I've been so busy helping Sam adjust to school and I also joined the NKOTB (that's New Kid On The Block) challenge at DSP. I've also been trying to sell some stuff on eBay. Busy, busy, busy . . . and, of course, been playing around in PS as well. I've been trying out patterns to make background papers for digi scrapping and even trying my hand at making blinkies. All very fun to do!

I wonder how long this addiction to digi-scrapping is really gonna last. Yesterday, I was thinking that maybe I was lost before I discovered digi-scrapping. I mean . . . really . . . most of my "hobbies" don't last that long. I do have my favorites, of course, but this is one that really seems to be sticking with me and it's like if I don't try something out in PS at least every day, I feel out of sorts. I've certainly been learning alot and have accumulated quite a bit of tutorials off the internet of things I want to try and things I think I might use one day. (That's in addition to all the magazines and books I already have!)


Anyway, let's see . . . here's a taste of something I recently created . . .

This is the layout I submitted for judging in the challenge at DSP previously mentioned. I really like this one the best of the three layouts that I did for the challenge. My hubby thought this was the best one too.

A whole week has passed me by . . .

Can't believe it's been a whole week since I last checked in here. With the kids beginning school again, the time just flies by. Trying to sell some stuff on eBay . . . so that's kind of keeping me busy as well. Think I hit a little rut in PS, but that's the way it goes. I just haven't really liked anything new that I've come up with. I'm sure something will spark soon enough.


In the mean time . . . here's another one of those mini pages I made for my iPod.

Aren't they just too COOL!

Mini Albums . . . they're addicting!

I've spent most of yesterday and today creating these mini pages for my nano. I think I've created about 25 or so thus far. I did an album for family, one for my garden and one for our recent trip to the zoo.

Here's a few of the pages I especially like . . .

Don't know how many more I've got in me but all I know is that I've got to create more! So off I go again to play in PS!

Keeping busy . . .

Seems I've missed a couple of days here. We went to Brookfield Zoo to see the new baby giraffe and I've been busy getting school supplies together. Been also playing around with PS making mini pages for the Nano. These are really fun to create . . . quick, easy, small and FUN!

Here are 2 so far that I like . . .

Even though the pic of Ian is pretty old, I like the way this "mini page" turned out! Like I mentioned . . . they're so quick and easy to make . . . it's addicting. I'm definitely making more of these today! Now I'll always have pics of them with me and I won't have to worry about ruining any original photographs. They're much nicer to look at than just a plain ol' photograph too!

By the way, I got this idea from Digital Scrapbooking magazine . . . in the June/July 2008 issue. This is a great magazine with some really cool ideas for digi scrapping!

Here's a photo of that baby giraffe too . . . it was taken by my little guy, Sam . . . I think he did a great job! The baby doesn't have a name yet so we'll have to wait and see.

Well, I'm off again to go play in PS!

Digital Scrapbook fever

Been thinking more about scrapbook projects and other thoughts and ideas, etc. for things to create in PS. I have these tiled patterns I created many years ago with Terrazo on the Mac. I saved them all this time and I created background papers with them. They are in 300 dpi though and I guess 200 dpi is what all the designers are now using. That is on DSP atleast.

Here's a small sampling of some of the papers I've created so far . . .

I should try to create a coordinated set in 200 dpi and get the Stuff-It program so I can convert them to zip files. Files, experiments and scrapbook elements are starting to take up quite a bit of space on the computer here. I probably should look about getting a back up disk drive as well. Well . . . I'm off to go play if PS for now!

Thoughts for today . . .

Been trying to clean out old stuff . . . in the "studio" and on the computer. Came across one of several quilts I still haven't finished yet. This one is intended to be a wall hanging or "art quilt" of a kimono.

It is on the smaller side . . . measuring 40 X 45 inches approximately so I could just stitch it on the machine. I guess I'm still not quite sure of the motifs I'd like to do so still it sits unfinished. Besides, I do have yet another quilt that is almost completed. (I still have to decide on the border I'd like to use) That one is much bigger though measuring 80 X 100 inches and the biggest quilt yet that I have undertaken. I have a picture of it here . . .

It's been sitting unfinished for atleast a year now. Since it's almost September, I'm starting to think about quilting again. I should try to finish it before that really bitter cold weather sets in. I know this one's gonna keep me nice and warm too! I do have a couple of other quilts that are still unfinished as well.

There are also 3 that I have finished and some other smaller pieces and wall hangings that I have done. I'll have to post pictures of those as well, but for now, I'm getting tired and want to wind down for the night. It's been an exhausting day . . . standing in line at the college with Ian so he can get his classes and schedule together and getting books 'n such. So . . . until tomorrow . . .

How 'bout the header ^ !

I really like the way it turned out! It didn't take very long either. This is just a small sample of some of the digitial art I've been creating lately. I'll be posting additional pictures and samples in the near future.


I've dabbled from time to time with Photoshop and have learned a few things over the past year or so. Recently, I got the digital scrapbook bug (Lot's of fun!) and came across this at the bookstore . . .



















I still have lots to learn about the ins and outs of it all, but I'm definitely having a lot of fun learning!

A New Day

I told myself last night that I would try to write here everyday so that I can get my thoughts down and get myself more organized. (I really need to straighten up my "studio" space yet again.) I came across this acrylic work that's in one of the many piles of books, papers, etc. on top of the table in there . . .

Again, I just started to play with the paint . . . here I used cream, light "sky" blue and chocolate as my base colors and just mixed variations from there. I tore pieces of sheet music and scrapbook paper and other textured papers and adhered them with gel medium. To create the first layer of texture I applied saran wrap to wet paint and let it set up. I also used a rubber stamp and even outlined some of those images with pen and pencil. Finally, I added some sand for additonal texture and because the colors reminded me of the beach. Here's a picture of the detail of the lower left hand corner. I just love the texture here!

This was painted on gesso primed 140 lb. watercolor paper and measures 12 X 17 1/2 inches. Again, the pictures don't see to be that great here, but in person, I really like the colors and textures I created.

My First Post

I just signed up for this today and want to see how it works.

I'm hoping to post some of my art work and get my thoughts about it written down so that I'll able to look back at what I did and how I accomplished it. It seems that the art I create and like is when I don't have a plan at all and just pick two or three colors of acrylic paint and start to play. That's how this painting came to be . . .

The picture looks washed out because of the glare at the top created by the gel medium used to adhere the sheet music. (Photography's not my thing really) It was painted on gesso primed 140 lb. watercolor paper and measures 12 X 17 1/2. My favorite part, of course, is the pear which you can see in detail here . . .

I really love the colors here . . . the blues, lime and yellows are one of my favorite combinations of colors of late. Crackling medium is something that I like to use to create texture on an otherwise flat surface and for backgrounds.