My Last LO for the Year

Posted on | December 30, 2007 | 7 Comments

Ok, this is it folks. No more lay outs for this year. I think I’ve reached my maximum creativity level for the year.

This layout is special. Not because of the image. I mean yes I love my typewriter but for this digital scrapbook page I used purchased kits and elements besides freebie stuff. I spent $10.75 at SBB for Dani B’s stuff because she’s going to be “retiring” from designing and I like some of her stuff. For the first time too I didn’t make anything original piece. I was either too lazy or I just want just use what’s already available. The next LO I plan on using something from Vera Lim, also at SBB. I love her stuff but just have been a tight wad to buy any.

For this layout, the credit goes to:

Papers: Dani B, Rene Bross, and Ronna Penner
Elements: Dani B and Valeri from DSP
Font: Aquiline from dafont.com and Courier

Photoshop Action: Dani B (used to create the wrinkled look on the circa paper)

The journaling:

We love anything old. In the last few years we’ve been collecting old items, nothing much, just what we find and what we can afford at that time. Drew’s always been good at keeping his eyes out and one day, on the local E-bay aka iLand, he saw this typewriter. I have been looking for one and for $35 this is just perfect. So we called and the item was still available. We made arrangements and this little Underwood changed hands. Today it sits on top of our kitchen cabinets looking beautiful and elegant.

We’ve collected other items but this is one that I have always wanted to have and to this date the one that I love the most.

We always look forward to our antiquing trips, even Emma enjoys it too.

For the journaling, I used the same technique as the text that flows to the shape of a circle in the previous LO but this time I used the pen tool. What I did was I selected the pen tool, clicked on the very top left where my journaling started, clicked on the right where it will end, clicked just above the circle and I did small clicks around the circle (I could have done one click above and another below the circle and form the line to create a half circle around the image but it’s easier for me to just do multiple clicks for this purpose), clicked just below the circle, clicked to the left (the very left bottom my last line), and let go. Then I went through the process of pushing my Command key (I’m on my Mac this time) or Ctrl on the PC and selecting the mask on the layer…

Ok, it’s 4:15 a.m. I have not been able to sleep lately. I think I’m so not use to being at home and sleeping in. I love being on holiday break {::smile} Have a great New Year and wishing you all the best this upcoming year! Thanks so much for visiting my site and leaving me comments here and there. I really appreciate it!

Tut: Text in Shape

Posted on | December 29, 2007 | 5 Comments

Well, there are a few reasons I wanted to do this page. First, I got motivated to do a page and I didn’t want to loose it. Second, I am in the SCS 2008 scrapbook challenge. Third, CK had an after Christmas crop last night and extending it to this weekend, so thought I’d join in… or at least lurk, do my thing, and feel like I’m with a bunch of ladies scrapping.

I did this layout on my Mac using Photoshop CS3. The kit is a freebie from Two Peas in a Bucket by Cherie Mask, font is Angelina from ScrapVillage and the brush was downloaded from the Internet, free PS brush but not sure from where.

For those familiar with digiscraping, what I did was pretty simple, not high tech at all. I was going for a flat magazine look with a little sprinkle of fun here and there. I used a lot of text on shape or in a couple instances, text in shape. The text on the bottom of the left page (used the circle under custom shape) and the journaling on the right (used a square under custom shape) I did using this concept. I could have gone low tech and just kept pushing my enter key each time but that’s a hassle, especially if I have to redo/edit the text. This concept can be done using the pen tool too.

Text in round shape:

The wondering, secrets, letters to Santa, wishing, shopping, pondering, traffic, not being able to buy for one self, is finally over. Christmas time is here.

Christmas 2007

Drew, Emma, and Savitri plus the animals: Shady, Max, and Simba

Page two journaling:

This Christmas was a happy one for us . Emma really understood what all the activities were all about and we also tried to give more . From the putting up of the tree to the Christmas shopping, and even the traffic, this season had been quite smooth . For the first time Emma participated in the St. Nick’s Workshop at church . We opted for a small but meaningful Christmas . Emma only wanted three things from Santa, a cash register, a sleeping bag, and a computer. From mom and dad she only asked us to buy toys for other kids who are less fortunate . We adopted three children, one angel tree and two children from a family, to buy gifts for . Emma helped us a lot in picking and choosing the gifts for these children . We went to church at the Episcopal church . Something new for us but we thought why not, they had a wonderful Children’s mass . We all woke up Christmas morning feeling happy . Especially Emma when she knew what day it was . You can see from her face the joy she had when she saw what Santa brought her . Mom and dad were happy with their gifts and how happy Emma looked each time she opened her presents . We couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas. Everything we asked, love, peace, and joy were given to us . We felt blessed.

To help you out, I have created a video for the text inside the shape or the flowing circle text. I used Photoshop CS2 for the video. In one of the step, you have to push the CTRL then click on the mask in the LAYER box to select the circle. This is a very important step since you can’t just use the magic wand to select or any other tool. For the Mac, it’s the same, push command and then click. Enjoy!

My First Non-Christmas Project

Posted on | December 28, 2007 | 6 Comments

Guess what I got for Christmas? a CUTTLEBUG!!!! Whoohoo!!! I also received some My Favorite Things stamps, my first, so quite excited about that. I didn’t get any templates though. My husband didn’t know what a bug is and didn’t know the many accessories (were on my list but he chose to get me other stuff) that you need to make it actually produce something. So today, I finally got to Joann’s and got a few embossing background templates.

This evening I got to play with my new toys and also the shipment of SU preview that came in a week before Christmas. Here’s what I came up with:

For this card I used the Stylized Cuttlebug embossing template for the background. This is the first time, or second time after the test one, that I used the bug and it came out so nice. I was very careful when I aligned and sandwiched the template that the paper. Then my daughter, she’s 3, helped me turn it. Pretty tough little girl. She loved it and I’m thinking of getting her a CuttleKid. I think she’d be so thrilled since she LOVES to do arts and crafts with mom.

For the pattern paper, I used Stampin’ Up! Apple Cider, Chocolate Chip, and the 2007-08 in-color cardstock. The ribbon is the pomegrate color and the string is hemp.

Then for my second project, I used my MFT, Meet Me at the Cafe, stamps and the Spots and Dots embossing background. I LOVE this set. I have two others that I’ll play with sometimes this week, I hope, and I’ll share when I do get something decent to show you.

This embossed blue cardstock is actually the test page that I did, or Emma did for me. She said I helped hold it and she turned it. I trimmed it and voila. For the colors, I used my watercolor pencils and blending pen. I’m not very good at coloring but I tried really hard and I think it’s not that bad looking. I kind of like it myself, ha!

Besides going to Joann’s, I also went to Target today and from their $1 bin bought 21 little mailboxes. I’ll be using them in my January workshop and also as gifts. I’ll be decorating these tins like so and like so and so and so. Ok, you get the picture. Aren’t they so cute???? Want to join? I only have 10 tins/spots! :D
Well, that’s it. I’m going to shop for some Nestabilities and also an ATG gun. Also I’m thinking of getting Emma a CuttleKid for her birthday and going to eyeball the Bind-it-All and Scor-Pal. I can’t keep up! Too many toys!!!

Hope you enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

Posted on | December 24, 2007 | 1 Comment

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday and a great new year to come. Besides the death of my wonderful dog and beloved grandfather, 2007 has been a good year for our family. We couldn’t have asked from more and we feel very blessed. I hope that next year will be the same if not better.

Although I have no resolution, I do hope that my crafty side of me will flourish this coming year and that I’ll be able to share my creation with you on a regular basis. I know that the last part will be the hardest for me since I’ll have a lot of work load this next semester. I don’t talk about my work much but I do work full-time and a public university and I also teach 1-2 online classes each semester (my part-time job). This spring I have two courses that I’m in charge of and one of the course is new, so I’ll be quite busy this next month or two. I’m not sure why but I registered for two classes too, a French II course and database management (this one’s work related). The good news: they’re not taken for credit, just for fun. I am also planning a monthly Stampin’ Up! workshop at my home (well, we’ll see if it’ll end up a quarterly deal by April!) so that I can support my addiction to get together and stamp/scrapbook. On top of that I need to take care of my young family, so super, super busy. But I love my busy life and I wouldn’t change it one bit. Actually if I were less busy I’d be volunteering at my husband’s work or taking on a freelance web developing job or two, ha!

Have a great one everybody and I will post again in a few days. Hopefully with some scrapbook pages — that’s this week’s goal for me!

Last Christmas Card

Posted on | December 18, 2007 | 5 Comments

Although this isn’t the last card I made this year or the last I sent out, this is the last Christmas card that I will post in my blog for this year. I think I’ve shown you enough Christmas and it’s time to move on. I used the spongy stamps, really popular one or two years ago. Not sure what the status is now. I still love them.

Joy