A give-a-way!

Calling all digital scrappers! A freebie from me to you! I'm on the Creative Team at E-Scape and Scrap and they are celebrating their 7th Birthday. In celebration, I've created a layout using their new kit 'Lucky 7'. I then created a Quick Page of that layout and am making it available FREE to anyone that wants it! Just go here to get it! Please leave a comment in this post if you are having trouble downloading, or you don't know how to use a Quick Page, and/or even if you just 'like' this! So go ahead, help yourself and enjoy!

My layout

The new kit

The freebie! get the high resolution version from the link at the top of this post

Also check out this way cool  *Digital Scrapbooking Blog Train*  (in the tabs section of my blog) for more freebies and fun!!

It snowed last night . . . :(

But I'm not going to assault your eyes with the photo of my poor petunias. So here is my latest layout using elements from Katie Pertiet and Anna Aspnes. My lilac bush was drooping right to the ground but has since sprung back. I picked a whole bunch of blossoms so I could at least enjoy a bouquet.

Sweetest moments

I took this photo today at 5:50am. There was some fog on the lake and then the sun broke out onto these wonderful pelicans that are in our bay. I was thrilled with the reflections!

Linking up to World Bird Wednesday at The Pine River Review 06.07.11

Queen Anne's Lace

I did this for a 'Scrap Your Flowers' challenge over at Digital Scrapper. I loved that this butterfly landed on the white Queen Anne's Lace - so fitting.

Project 12 - March 2011

My month-in-review for March.

One of the good guys

This is 'Art Journaling' in the digital form. Julie Mead at E-Scape and Scrap released a new kit called 'The Good Guys Conspiracy' and it has taken off big time! This is a photo of my Dad during WWII. I used several papers, different blend modes, some at a different opacity. I also scanned a paper of recognition that Dad received during the war and threw it into the mix. I always want to try art journaling with real paper and glue but I never do get around to it - digital just seems to be so much more forgiving!

Dream on . . .

Even though it looks like the middle of winter here this morning, I'm dreaming of my flowers in August, sigh . . .

Love

What do you love?

For our challenge at Digital Scrapper we were to scrap anything we love - people, things, anything. Well, of course I love my family above all else but I decided to scrap a thing. Partly because I didn't know where to start or stop scrapping the people I love! So, here is my sitting room. Doesn't it look peaceful? Well, it is, and I love it. I wish I was there. I want to have the same feeling wherever I am. Right now I am looking at my office in our home in the city and what I see and feel is utter chaos. Stacks of photos, papers, crafts, cards, picture frames, camera stuff, albums - projects, projects, projects! I really need to get a handle on it and today is the day I start. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify. "Have nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful and believe to be beautiful" William Morris. My spring cleaning begins today.

Valentine treats

My Valentine Cookies

I set this plate of cookies on a counter by a north-facing window. Although there was a white freezer behind them, the background appears blue! I ran an auto levels adjustment and it brightened everything up a bit - and that was it. Settings were F5.6, 1/40s, ISO800

I made these from a recipe I  found at "allrecipes" for the Best Rolled Sugar Cookies. It rolls out very nicely and they taste great! After I had all the fun of photographing them, I a made a scrapbook page "Sugary Sweet Sugary Cookies" and then I gave them to my grandchildren!

1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight). I form the dough into disks for easy rolling.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. 

Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Try rolling the dough out on parchment paper, cutting the shapes, then removing the excess dough. That leaves the cookie in perfect shape and you can just slide the parchment onto a cookie sheet. (See the tip for this on the same page as the recipe at "allrecipes").

Measure

Form into disks

Sugary Goodness!

I shared this with Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

and Friday Flair Linky Party Valentine Edition

Project 12 - January 2011

Yes, January isn't over yet but I needed to create a layout as part of my duties as a Creative Team Member at Digital Scrapper. We are having a fun challenge called "Project 12" where we are making a layout that recaps each month. I have the pleasurable duty of being the cheerleader for this project so I needed to get a layout finished and up in the gallery. I didn't have trouble finding photos because I only took about 628 while on our cruise!! I kid you not . . . then I filled in the last four with things that are scheduled for the next two weeks. I spent HOURS creating this but now I'm set for the next eleven months because I'm going to use the same template each month. I have visions of February and Valentine photos dancing in my head . . .
TOOT - this layout has been featured on the Digital Scrapbook Artisan Guild homepage! Take a peek here.

Merry and Bright

I love digital scrapbooking! I created this magical layout of my daughter and her baby boy out having some fun on the ice. Most of the elements are from a kit called "Christmas Past" by Susan Bartolini. I made the Christmas lights myself. If you want to know the best place to learn how to make elements and learn digital scrapbooking with Photoshop Elements or Photoshop you have to check out the Premier Membership at Scrapper's Guide. It's an amazing resource and is very affordable. I made my Christmas Lights using a tutorial by Kayla Lamoreaux in the November Premier.

Believe

I created this real paper and glue and ribbon mini album for Christmas 2007. My journaling on the inside front cover started with the sentence "I believe our family is the most important treasure we will ever have". That was three Christmas's ago and I still believe.
The cardboard base was from Bo Bunny Press but I can't find it on their website now. The papers I used were from Reminisce and were from the "Snowglobe" collection. To make it, I cut out the papers in the shape of the cardboard letters and glued them on with white glue - messy, sticky, Aleene's white glue. Then I sanded the edges with sandpaper and inked them with real ink. What a trip down memory lane in more ways than one. I mostly scrap digitally now, but I absolutely love the feel of real paper and being able to hold something in my hand like a book. It's something I want to do more of in 2011, perhaps in the form of an art journal. Hmmmm, now that is something to look into!