And here's a layout I created using the kit. I'm really loving layered papers right now, so this was fun playing with the different colors.

And I just realized I haven't even mentioned this little trip to the beach, here on my blog. Ah well. It was overcast but we got sunburned anyway. The journaling on the layout tells you everything you need to know. It was a great trip and I'm glad to have it documented!

The next two are 12x12 double layouts.

The next ones were created using digital products from Tami Miller. I love her designs and she's got her new shop open at Scrapbook Bytes. She's going to be adding a lot of kits over the next several weeks so check it out.

Have a great day!

For those of you who don't know, this is a traditional part of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo which begins this weekend (I think).

We're not much into the rodeo, other than the lights and sounds, although we did go last year because Scott had never attended. Here's the layout I did commemorating that. We're not going this year, although I am looking for a recipe for fried oreos. And if you have to ask, you really just don't want to know. o.m.g.

I had fun with this layout. I wrapped the rope through the title letters, which helps them look more realistic, the way I would use them on a paper layout. This is done in Photoshop by making a duplicate layer of your rope or ribbon, one on top and one underneath your letters or other objects. Then you use your eraser tool to remove parts of the top ribbon that should be underneath. Sometimes getting the shadows just right is a bit tricky, but its worth the effort.

Credits: Digital Kit: "One of a Kind" by Juno Designs;
Font: Segoe  Script

I love this layout because I got so many photos from Isabella's time at camp. We get these photos from her camera that she takes with her as well as from the camp itself. They take lots of photos every day, post them online, then we can order prints, which I order digitally of course! LOL. This camp is a big part of Isabella's summer and I love seeing her smiling face, even if its from afar!

Credits: "Abbalicious" by Golden Girls Designs;
Fonts: Pea Carolpz by www.kevinandamanda.com, Piquarnic

This layout speaks for itself. So glad I finally journaled these thoughts.

Credits: Digital Kit: "I Heart Me" by Jennifer Barrette Designs;
Font: Piquarnic

Kid's College is a great summer program run by a local community college. They have classes all day for kids K-8th grade. Its held at a local high school which makes my girl feel very grown up. She took all sorts of classes, some educational and some just fun.

Credits: Digital Kit: "Live Like You Mean It" by AnnaBV Designs;
Font: Times and  Times Again

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!

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!

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.

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

I will say I am in the process of scrapping 2009 photos, things I missed during the year, so I can complete my album and order all my prints. My goal is to have the 2009 album ready for printing by the end of Jan 2010. We shall see. But while looking at photos, I found a few layouts that were created for Scrap N'Art a few issues ago and now I can share them here. Enjoy and hope you are having an awesome first day of 2010!

Credits: Polka Dots and Paisley, by Creations by Rachael and Wimpychompers Creations, available at Pretty Scrappy .

Credits: Hankey Pankey, by Stacey Crossley Designs and Teri's Thing-O-My-Jigs, available at Pretty Scrappy.

Credits: Catch A Wave, by ScrapperGirl Designs, available at Pretty Scrappy.

Happy New Year everyone! I'm quite certain its going to be a good one!

And it matches these papers and elements so if you've been looking for a fun digi kit to show off your Christmas memories, this would do it perfectly!

And, check out the inspiration from me, my CT gals and the PGD gallery!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful winter season and Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate!

I will be offline for a bit, spending time with friends and family, and taking lots of photos! Will see you when I return!

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