Where did the week go?

I've been busy creating my monthly SNL kit.  And . . . seeing that it is July . . . there's always the Christmas in July festivities over at DSP.  I made a bow (always good to practice those!) and a background paper for that as well.  I've also been working on another kit of my own.  I found a color palette that I really like . . .

Isn't it pretty??  It definitely has a very bright and summery feel to it and inspires me to create something in bloom!

Speaking of blooms . . . there's lots of things going on in my garden as well.

The mini sunflowers are ready to bloom . . .

and the bee balm and coneflowers are just bursting with color . . .

and even more White Swan coneflowers in another part of the garden are looking great too!

I'm off for now and looking to possibly finish the kit that I am working on . . .

Until next time . . . Happy Creating!

~Connie

SNL's Birthday Bonus Bash

I spent today making a kit for the kickoff of the Sensational Six Birthday Bash over at DSP.  During our regular SNL chat on Saturday, March 27th at 9:00 pm EST, we will be giving away kits and bonuses galore!  So if you're interested in digital scrapbooking or just want to add to your stash . . . stop by and join the fun.  You will have to be a member of DSP in order to get these goodies though.  (There is a link to DSP at the right on the sidebar) Hope to see you there!

Here's what I came up with . . .

Happy digi-scrapping everyone!

~Connie

So much going on!

I managed to finish my monthly SNL kit last night . . .  think it turned out pretty cute!

The theme was whimsical valentine with a beautiful color palette.  Doodles were the focus for this month . . . which even though I have a Bamboo, I'm still not completely comfortable using it.  I'm so glad I got this kit done!

Now I can move on to much more pressing things . . . like painting  and CED2010 and visiting all those blogs I haven't yet got to!  Gosh . . . so much to do!!

If you're looking for One World One Heart  . . . it's the post after this one.  I guess I need to start thinking about adding an additional giveaway . . . hmmmmm . . .  what should it be??

Will be back again soon!

Today is my birthday

For the past 2 years, I've received a free scrapbook kit from DSP . . . which is a really nice gesture and very much appreciated! As my way of thanking them, I create a LO using the kit and do an "all about me" page. Here's the page I did today . . .

If you want to see and read the complete details of "46 Things About Me", click on the photo and it will take you to my gallery at DSP.

I've had a wonderful day except for the fact that the Blackhawks lost. :( My hubby made breakfast for me . . . I got a dozen beautiful red roses . . . I got to relax and do some scrapbooking . . . I had a wonderful salmon dinner . . . I had chocolate birthday cake and got a bottle of my favorite perfume, Coco Chanel Mademoiselle, and also a Blackhawks sweatshirt!

All in all, it was a wonderful day! Hope to be back tomorrow with something more on my CED2010 project.

Finished my SNL kit

I'm really happy I decided to make this kit. I've been so disappointed these past couple of months because of all the problems I had with that demo of CS4 and the limitations I encounter in PSE5. I'm really glad I stuck with this one though. It's called I Remember Grandma. I remember going over to my grandmother's house when I was a little girl and she would let me play in her bedroom. On her dresser she had a silver tray with tons of perfume bottles and all kinds of jewelry. When I got older, she would let me put on her make-up too. I remember those as happy times . . . just being a kid! Anyway . . . here's my latest SNL kit . . .


I'm hoping to get something more done on my CED2010 project and be able to do some painting this weekend.

Hope to be back soon to show you more of my creative endeavors!

In the mean time . . . HAPPY CREATING!

Making progress

I did get the SNL Christmas in July challenge done today. It will be put together with all the other contributors backgrounds and elements. All those goodies will be given away on Saturday, July 25th at 10:00 pm DSP time during our weekly chat. I will say it was a challenge as I am not big on even thinking of anything Christmas until after Thanksgiving. But given that the colors were blues with silver and white, I found it somewhat easier.

Anyway here is a preview of my backgrounds and elements:




















Don't forget to be there on July 25th at 10:00 pm DSP time to get a link for this and other goodies made by the generous gals over at SNL!

I've also been working on something to give away here as well . . . it's not quite finished yet though! I will say that it does have Red, White and Blue in it!

Hope to be back with that real soon.

WOW! My SNL kit is done!

I can't believe I finished my SNL kit for this month already! I guess it helped that the winning colors were a give away. Anyway, here's a preview that I just had to post . . . I think it came out really cute! The fairy is darling, the magic tree is too and the moon is terrific . . . if I do say so myself.

I'm gonna wait 'til tomorrow to upload . . . just in case I think of something that is missing or that I could have done better. Besides . . . it's a little scary being the first one to post . . . so if someone else beats me to it I guess that's OK.

Be back again soon!

It's been crazy busy around here

I've been working on my monthly SNL kit and also needed something else for the special chat on the 23rd. I've made 2 kits in the past week . . . well . . . 1 whole new one and 1 that I reworked the elements and papers on for the chat freebie. The color scheme was for a heritage kit from the Designer Finder Contest way back in November or December. Anyway, if you are a member of DSP and come to the chat on May 23rd (10:00 pm DSP time) you'll get a link for the following kit:




I really like the way this one turned out! Hope to see all you DSP'rs on the 23rd!

In the mean time, I need to catch up on some pages and my Project 365 layouts that I've neglected for the past week. I've taken the pictures . . . just need to scrap them!

Oh well . . . I'm out of the DET Contest

There were some really awesome LO in the gallery. Mine wasn't one of them . . . I guess I can always try next time. I did finish my March SNL kit and have been playing around with it some more. The colors reminded me of Mardi Gras so I've been making some elements along those lines. Hopefully, I'll have a freebie to post here soon.

Meanwhile, I managed to get a copy of Moonlight on DVD! I was completely enthralled when I realized that I never even seen the very first episode! Since I've been catching it on the SciFi channel, my interest in the show has grown once again. I really wish they would continue this series, but I guess it was just because of the writer's strike or something and they needed fill space. Mick St. John is definitely my favorite vamp!!

I'm managing to create more LO too. Even before the DET Contest, I decided that I needed more practice anyway. Here's my latest . . .




Anyway, I'm off to relax and take in some more episodes of Moonlight! Woo! Hoo!

I'm so excited . . .

I made it to Round 2 of the DET Contest! You can see a copy of my LO by clicking on My DSP Gallery link to the right. It was a really fun kit to work with. The deadline for entries is once again Thursday night . . . and we'll have to wait I think until Saturday night (probably really late once again) to find out the results. I'm a bit more nervous this round although I really like the LO I came up with. But, no matter what happens . . . I'll have yet another LO added to my gallery! I've been telling myself that I really should do more LOs anyway and here I am! I definitely see an improvement and a style (I hope) of my own!

Anyway, I also need to finish my SNL kit for this month. The background papers and bow still need some work. And I'm not sure what to do with the gems, but all in all, I think it's looking pretty good! Here's a preview . . .

So, I'm off to do some more creating . . . IF I can concentrate! I think the contest is distracting me much more this time around!

Lots of things happening here

I'm so excited! I submitted a color swatch (first time) for this month's SNL kit and it won! The theme is wildflowers so I picked colors of spring green and hyacinth purples and daffodil yellows. Here's the color swatch:





Aren't they beautiful?! I can't wait to see what the other SNL'ers create!

I've also entered the DET Contest at DSP and submitted my LO already. I can't upload a copy of it here yet but if you check out my DSP Gallery link to the right you'll find it there. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Now, I just have to wait until about 11:00 pm on March 5th to find out if I can continue on to the next round. I'll let you know!

I'm off for now to see what else I can come up with for this month's SNL kit!

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!

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.