Hybrid Chalkboard and FREE Daily Download!

Welcome back!  I have got the cutest hybrid project for you today!  As I mentioned yesterday, as you met my CTMs, Lori does wonderful hybrid projects and she has one for you today!  I hope you enjoy it!

I know you don't want to miss today's FREE Daily Download, either!

Lori used my "Springtime is Mine!" kit to make her chalkboard project.  Wait til you read about how she made the 3D flower, too!  You are gonna HAVE to try it!

Thanks for stopping by Today!  Enjoy reading the following hybrid tut from Lori!

Finished Project

Hybrid Chalkboard

by Lori Imel

1. First I measured the chalk board (I picked it up at a thrift store). Then I put those dimensions in photoshop (or whatever program you use). Open the new image at 300 ppi to match the kit size. I did both outside and inside the framed area.

2. Then I started arranging the flourishes, etc in the corners. See image, for example.

Prep work in graphics program

3. Open a "new" image - paper size. Take the items from the 1st image and arrange them on this new paper. Do not overlap and leave room to cut around these edges. (So I would not have white edges showing, I used the dropper tool and "stroke" to place a color edge around each item. Then if I did not cut away all the excess - it blends well into the item. On large items that do not have a lot of intricate detail - this is NOT needed).

I also took Vicky's tag (round circle with a fancy edge) and filled up the page with these (I had extras).

4. Print on cardstock (use a good printing mode). Then carefully cut out each item. I have found that "cutter bee" scissors are fantastic - you need sharp scissors with a very fine tip to cut out small detail well.

5. Take your flowers and leaves etc and give them dimension. I take a crochet hook, or pen and "curl" the items. Sometimes I will curl from different directions. The idea is to make it look more "real"

6. Those tags I added (3D flowers).... I took them and cut between each area that goes in (depression between bumps) - cut towards the middle but you want to leave a significant amount of space in the middle. The first one I did 1 inch, 2nd a little more, and 3rd one even more - but not so that it would break apart..... I also used 1/4 of a yellow post it note and cut along the long edge about 1/8" strips, but leaving about 1/4" edge along the top edge - to make a fringe.

Take the 1st tag piece and curl the petals down (curling from the white side - non-printed side). Do this with each tag piece. Then I used tacky glue in the center (printed side) and placed the next tag piece in the middle section. I had 3 layers of tag pieces (petals). Adjust them so that the top layers do not have cuts in the same places. The top layer I actually squeezed a bit more up (think of a flower starting to bloom). Then I added the "stamin" - yellow post it note to the middle of the top layer. I also put the "butterfly) on my flower.

7. Arrange the items on your chalk board - use your 1st image as a guide. I use double sided tape - mounting tape - puffy tape.... you want it to be dimensional..... When working with hybrid - look at real items. How do they look? Look at the distances (drop shadows), different heights..... This is when your paper projects really begin to look so real....

Enjoy!!!

LOVE My CTMs! and FREE Daily Download

I have got a great group of ladies who work with my kits to give you all some inspiration!  Today, I would like to introduce you to them through layouts that they have done of themselves.  I have included a link to the kit they used as well as you can click on their layout to leave them some love in the gallery at Digitals.

Remember to visit the store for the FREE Daily Download and to see what you can find in my store that is marked 30% off on all items $2 and up.

Thanks for stopping by Today!  Have a blessed day!

Meet Tammy.  I met Tammy while I was a designer at Faith Sisters.  She used "Love, the Greatest of These" to create her page with.  I really like how she used each letter of her name to start each paragraph.  Tammy told me she felt very uncomfortable about making a page about herself.  And isn't that the way it is with ALL scrappers?  If we think about this, never making any pages of ourselves will lead to our grandchildren and great grandchildren never knowing about us!  Let's all see if we can do a better job of that, me included!  :D  Thanks for the beautiful page, Tammy!

 Meet Anita.  I met Anita while I was a designer at Faith Sisters.  Anita always participated in my challenges and bought several of my kits!  I posted a CT call on the blog and Anita responded.  I think my memory serves me correctly in this, LOL!  Anita has been sick and put forth extra effort to get this beautiful page done!  She used "Bee a Blessing" which is the daily download.  Don't you just love how she did her journaling?  I learned something else about Anita today.  She carried the last name of "Blessing" for 15 years and that makes all of her children, literally and otherwise, Blessings!  :D  Fantastic page, Anita!

 
Meet Judith.  (We lovingly refer to one another using our initials!)  I met J when I was hanging out at Digitals as a scrapper several years ago!   J loves "rich color, autumnal color in particular," so she chose to use "Thankful Hearts" to scrap about herself.  J truly is the kidder, but she is also a most compassionate person and would do anything in the world for you!  You will see some FREE goodies in the near future that she created!  Don't you just LOVE her clustering in this page!  Thanks for such a beautiful page, J!

Meet Lori.  I first met Lori as a designer at Digitals when I joined the site back in 2005.  She left Digitals and I eventually met up with her again at Faith Sisters where she was designing.  Lori has put the designing aside and is working as a CTM at Digitals for the store and now I am blessed enough to have her on my personal CT!  Lori used "Springtime is Mine!" for her wonderful page!  And because she does mostly hybrid projects with kits, this is her first page for 2012!  And what a wonderful page it is!  I hope she continues to make more pages using my kits just as wonderful as this one!  I will have at least one special hybrid tutorial for you from Lori in a couple of days, so stay tuned!  Wonderful layering on your page, Lori!

While I'm  at it, I decided to post this one I did of myself for one of the challenges at Digitals last year.  Since I was making a fresh start at Digitals as a designer, I decided to use my kit, "A Fresh Start" to do this layout.  As I've already mentioned, I registered with Digitals back in October 2005.  I was very active in the forums and gallery and by 2010 I had made 10,000+ posts!  At some point I joined the store team as a 1st responder which helped me to achieve so many posts!  Our job was to make at least 200 posts a month.  It was good as it made people feel welcome at the site.  Then I moved up to become one of the CTMs for the store.  Sometime in 2009 I started messing with my own designing of kits and giving them away right here on this blog.  In 2010 I decided to make the leap into selling my designs.  I was in 3 different stores to gain the experience I needed before being accepted at Digitals as a designer!  I appreciate Stacey so much for giving me the "opportunity of a life time" is how I see it!  And the rest is history as they say!  :D

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know a little bit about the fabulous ladies that work "with" me!  Thanks so much for taking the time to read all the way through the post today!

I am the Featured Designer! with FREE Daily Download!

Yep!  Beginning today through May 11th, I am the featured designer at Digitals!  That means a daily download for you as well as other goodies I will have!  Keep your eyes and ears open!

Before I give you the link to the daily download, I wanted to share my answers to the designer interview that is part of being the featured designer.  I hope you enjoy my answers and learning some more about me!

1. Do you keep a wish list? If so, what is your MOST WANTED item at the moment?

I HAD one item on my wish list.....the full-blown version of Photoshop.  I’ve used PSE for years!  My son recently bought PSCS5 for me.......now to learn it!  :D
2. What is your designing routine, i.e. do you get a snack, put on music, get organized and then work on a kit until it’s finished or do you pop in and out as time allows?

Being a stay-at-home-pastor's wife, my routine is DH's routine!  So, I would have to say that I pop in and out as time allows.  There are days that I do get to design at leisure.  But, anytime I am designing, I work best in the total quiet.  I am a night-owl so most of my designing is done in the wee hours of the morning, and when the clock strikes midnight it is time for a snack!  Then I'm good to go for another couple of hours!
3. When you scrap, do you use your own products?

Yes, when I get the chance to scrap, I use my own products.
4. What is your all-time favorite product OR what is your best selling product(s)?

My favorite products have been "A Fresh Start" and "Glorious Autumn Days" as I just LOVE the color palettes.  My third favorite would have to be a tie between "Love, the Greatest of These" and "Springtime is Mine!"
5. What are your reasons or motivations for digital scrapbooking?

I used to paper scrap and I always had a paper mess all over the house!  Once I discovered digital products and with the switch over to digital photos, not to mention my love of working on the computer (I could work it 24/7), there really is no other way to go for me!  Not to mention the cost effectiveness of digital products.  They can be used over and over again.  But the best part.....NO mess to pick up!  I can save and close and the "mess" is gone!  Click a button and I can pick back up where I left off!
6. What is the best food you ever ate? Describe.

I honestly have NO earthly idea!  Almost every time I eat I could say it was the best food I ever ate because I just LOVE to eat!  I will say, however, that I LOVE the Spicy Orange Chicken at Applebees and the salad at Olive Garden!   YUM!
7. Where is your "happy place?"

Without a doubt, my happy place is when DH and I get to visit with the kids and grandkids, which are times too few and far between!
8. If you won the lottery, how would you spend the winnings?

Well, I don't believe in playing the lottery, but if I did and I won I would prepare for our retirement.
9. If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would you chose and what would you want to talk about?

I would really enjoy meeting all of the digi friends I have come to know over the last 6 1/2 years.  And I think it is obvious what we would talk about!  :D
10. What else should we know about you?

I haven't always been happy with who I am as a person, but I think I have finally reached that point.  I guess that comes as you mature.  I am content in the life that God has put me in!  I couldn’t always say that!  He is a Gracious God!

 This page created with A Fresh Start items.

Another great benefit of the Featured Designer spot is the sale that is happening in my store through May 12th.  Every item regularly price at $2 and above is 30% off!

While you are shopping in my store, be sure and grab the FREE DAILY DOWNLOAD!!!  But if you don't want to bother with the daily downloads, you can also purchase the kit at 30% by clicking on the preview below.  Be sure and check out the layout inspirations below the preview!

Thanks so much for stopping by Today!  Let's scrap those memories before they fade away!!

Lyrics Challenge at Digitals

There's still time to participate in this challenge!

I reworked an old kit of mine from when I first started designing and it is a favorite oldies song of mine, so I thought we would work with the lyrics from it for the next 2 months. I can imagine all sorts of pages being created from the lyrics! Hope you have fun with it!

Please include at least a phrase (or more) from the song on your page. Also, to qualify for the participation prize half of the elements/papers you use in your layout should be free or purchased, from Digitals' designers..... "past or present is fine as long as it was purchased or downloaded thorugh us" per Stacey.

Post your page in the Lyrics Gallery and then come back to this thread and post a link to your page so I know you have completed the challenge.

Now for the lyrics from www.lyrics-house.com

Morning Has Broken
By: Cat Stevens

Morning has broken, like the first morning.
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird.
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word.

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlight from heaven.
Like the first dew fall, on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning.
Born of the one light Eden saw play.
Praise with elation, praise every morning;
God's recreation of the new day.

Morning has broken, like the first morning.
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird.
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word.


AHHH! I L.O.V.E. that song! Hope you do, too!


Now, here's your participation prize.   Have fun with the challenge and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Thanks for stopping by Today!  I hope you will join me in the challenge!

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1st Birthday

This kit was a request from my daughter for her son that turned 1.  She bought napkins, plates, etc from the Dollar Tree and the items were the inspiration for this kit.  It is BRIGHT and BOLD and has lots of fun elements to scrap those party pictures with!  The preview is linked to the store.

Remember to check out the newest April CAKE category while everything is on sale for $1.50 through tomorrow!  There are 77 pieces!  My pieces are part of "He's Still Working on Me" and can be found HERE.

Thanks for dropping by Today!  Scrap some memories today before they fade away!

It's CAKE Time!

Don't you just love the happy colors of spring -- all the blooming flowers, the beautiful butterflies, and the lush green lawns.  We do too, so our designers have worked together on our April Create A Kit Event (CAKE): Spring Bling which launches today!

Now through April 24 is your chance to build your own kit with these amazing colors. We have lots of styles and themes to suit your taste, and lots of general papers and elements that you can use in almost any type of layout.  Be sure to pick up a bundle at the low price of just $1.50 per set! And look for our next CAKE starting May 19.

Here's my pieces of CAKE!  Click on the preview to see them in the store!  Thanks for stopping by Today!

BUNDILICIOUS $AVINGS!

In this economy, who doesn't want to save as much money as you can?!  That's why I have bundled up some of my products so you can $AVE Money in your scrapbook crafting!  I have 12 bundled products in my store.  But, instead of listing them all here, I'll just give you a special link that will take you to the bundles only.

BUNDILICIOUS $AVING$

If you are interested in the individual products, you can click on my name in the left hand column in the store.

Thanks for stopping by Today for this $avings Note!  Scrap those memories before they fade away!

Last Day to Enjoy 30% Sale!

TODAY, Sunday, April 8th, is the last day for the 30% off Easter Weekend Sale.  Please note, this sale excludes items under $2.  Click on the preview to go to my shop and Shop til you Drop!  I just added some new bundles, too!  You will see them first when you are in my shop.

Thanks for stopping by Today!

Easter Weekend Savings

Welcome back!  I've been gone for a bit, I know.  I've been working on a BUNCH of BUNDLES for the shop. 

Also, beginning right NOW through Sunday, April 8th, I'm having a 30% off Easter Weekend Sale.  Please note, this sale excludes items under $2.  Click on the preview to go to my shop and Shop til you Drop!

Thanks for stopping by Today!