I got to play with a bunch of product from ScrapMatters, thanks to Scrap N’Art magazine. Here’s some of my layouts with credits and some ideas for your next layouts.

Credits: Digital Kit: “Beach Bum” by WM[squared] Designs; Font: Piquarnic

This layout was an exercise in blending. The original photo was taken by the staff at our local water park and had a water park logo in the corner and all sorts of lame computer framing. I didn’t want any of that in my layout. The photo was also extremely overexposed because of the bright sunlight and the blue water. Using my blending options in Photoshop, I blended the photo with the background paper from the kit and then used my eraser tool to eliminate the edges of my photo. I think it turned out great and this one will definitely be in our 2009 album.

Credits: “Happy Together” by Gwenipooh Designs; Font: Piquarnic

This one was fun to make. I had a lot of photos with green backgrounds. I need to be sure they were seen against  my background so I added a white border to each photo. I also added a lot of stitching to this one simply because I love the look of stitching on scrapbook pages.

There are LOTS of layouts using product from ScrapMatters in the new issue of Scrap N’Art magazine. In fact, every issue is packed full of over 100 pages of inspirational projects, tutorials and product reviews. Go grab a subscription and join in on the fun!

I took some time out yesterday to play with some digital goodies. It’s been awhile and it felt really good to create some layouts from some of my favorite photos. I created these layouts with kits from Tami Miller and Kim Gehring. I’m on their CT now and am loving the new goodies that are creating. I also created these for the challenges at Inspiration Lane, which are very cool and a lot of fun.

This first layout was created for the Ad Sketch Challenge. We had to use a specific ad, it was a film festival poster, as inspiration. I used Tami Miller’s beautiful kit, Serenity Fields, for this one.

The mock wedding was fun. The synagogue does this each year with the fourth graders which felt a little odd, but when I thought about it… they are young enough for it to NOT mean anything other than a chance to dress up, but old enough to understand the traditions and the various parts of the ceremony. Isabella informed us she was divorced, before she even made it to the reception! Although she did agree to have her picture taken with her newly divorced un-groom. It was a fun morning.

This photo of my husband resting on a bench was taken at the zoo last year. I like how the sun was in his eyes through the trees and he really was quite peaceful. I used Kim Gehring’s Hippie Chick to create this layout, and I used it for the Playing with Numbers Challenge, which pushed me to be super minimalist by only allowing a certain number of items/elements on the page.

I encourage you to check out Tami and Kim’s kits, they are really beautiful. AND to check out the digital challenges at Inspiration Lane, there is something for everyone!

Wow. I’m so behind on this blog. Lots of stuff going on, lots of GOOD stuff, lots of organizing. Where to begin?

First, I am no longer designing digital scrapbook kits for sale. After Pixel Gypsy Designs announced it was closing, I applied and was accepted at two stores. I was very excited. But after a couple of weeks, when I realized I had really done nothing to start the transition, I realized that perhaps I had been hasty. I did some deep soul-searching, okay, that’s funny, none of this is deep. Anyhoo, I thought about it and discovered that although it felt really GREAT to be accepted into the new stores, that was the only part I was excited about. And from my previous post, I’m sure you can tell that I am/was feeling a bit crowded, too busy, out of balance. So I decided to stop designing products for sale. What that means for my dear readers who love digi is that I will be occasionally sharing freebies here on my blog. When I design something for myself, I will share it with you. I don’t know how often that will be and when the first freebie will arrive here, but they will eventually show up. I promise.

In the meantime, I am VERY excited to be on the creative team for two of my fave designers from Pixel Gypsy Designs. I will be creating products with their designs and am looking forward to scrapping again for FUN. I miss it. And I am still on the Scrap N’Art team as a digi designer and paper crafter. I LOVE working with Scrap N’Art and knew I had to keep that in the whole work/life/craft balance. No way I was giving that up!

So, I’ve got a couple of busy weeks in front of me, clearing some things off my desk, getting a new schedule set up with new priorities here at home, but I’m here, I’m good, all is well. I hope you will stick with me while I head down this new little path on my creative journey.

is available!

Here are a couple more layouts I created a few months ago for Scrap N’Art magazine.

All the products on these layouts are from the fabulous designers at Pretty Scrappy. Have a fab day everyone!