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.

Another freebie for you!

I decided to make my Mardi Gras Kit available for download here as well. This is the kit I made for the SNL Fab Five Birthday Bash and gave away at the chat. Hope you enjoy . . .



Download it here:

MrsC_SNLFFB_MardiGrasKit.zip

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!

Finally . . . a freebie for you!

I know I've been promising a freebie kit and here it is!




This kit contains the following:

1 pink tile paper
1 pink plaid paper
1 pink silk paper
1 light pink silk paper
1 pink folded ribbon
1 pink flower
1 embossed heart vellum note paper
1 white eyelet
1 love stamp
1 “with Love” word art
1 chipboard bracket
1 pearl necklace frame

and here is the link for the download

with Love kit.zip

Once upon a time . . .

This is a LO I did for the monthly Showcase Challenge at DSP for SNL. The elements used are from 15 different SNL'rs and I think I have a total of 18 elements.

Recently, I was able to get a copy of this photo. Mom had it framed and it sat on a side table at the condo along with another photo of Mom (at the age of 3 or 4) with her sisters. I was able to get a copy from my cousin of both photos. The original photo is full length and shows Buki's veil puddling all around in front of them. I cropped the photo for this LO so you could see their faces. The bouquet is huge and truly amazing as well! Rose is still supposed to get back to me on the exact date of their wedding so I'll update the LO when I get that info.

I also obtained a few other older photos and hope to be able to create LO's with those soon. In the mean time, I'm still trying to put together another freebie kit as well. I was just really excited about this LO and how it turned out that I had to post it here too!

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!

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.

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!

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!