Today I am thankful for and love ...
1. Floradix Floravital, its helped me bring my iron levels up!
2. My job! Just getting my design groove back again!
3. And my husband! He has been inspiring me a lot latley.
What are three things you love at the moment? Do share!
You know how I posted the shortest post a few weeks ago, well I think this post could be the longest - hah!
I know I haven't been very active with blogging and posting in the gallery/forums, I am currently balancing my life. This is what I've been up to -
1. 6x12 Divided Page Protectors
Because I'm sssuch a busy girl, I have found these pages protectors so useful! I have adopted a new (new to me) approach for preserving my day to day events through out the year. I have told myself I don't have to create a full page layout for each and every one of my memories, and that its alright just to put favorite photos into simple pockets that look like they belong in a standard photo album. Then when I feel inspired to do a big page ...well I can, cant I! So I'm ordering more of these 6x12 Divided Page Protectors
There is still room for creativity, but with boundaries obviously. I think thats kind of good though, because the more options you have the longer you could take in actually finishing the project. Check out the closeups (pardon the dust and glare in some shots) -
I used the 10X12 Page Protector for this one.
2. Jessica's Cupcake Cafe
I'm not the type to recommend games to people... in fact I really try and discourage people from spending time on such things, but a while I go I was going through some emotional stuff. I didn't feel like creating and I didn't know what to do with myself, so I engaged in some active entertainment. If you are bored and you want to exercise your brain a bit you should check it out!
3. Pin Cushion by rosekepler(Etsy)
I'm getting into fibre arts and I really needed a styley pin cushion. I adore the one I just bought from Rose Kelpers Etsy Store. It looks at home in my studio with all my other teal findings. Thanks Rose! You are so talented!
4. 785B Modo Tripod by Manfrotto
If you are looking for a tripod that works with both your video and photo camera, then this is a great buy. I purchased it a few weeks ago and I am so so SO pleased with it. I would tell you what the features are, but why would I do that when I could direct you to a funny asian guy who demonstrates it so well in his own language!
Honestly, if you are interested in purchasing one of these then click to watch the clip, he is hilarious! There are 2 parts, so make sure you watch both.
(Love his yellow top!)
5. Jif Power Spray
I have discovered the secret to having a clean and de-cluttered home... organizing! More of that on another post.
I want to explain the Jif part of this post! This year I have developed an obsession with clean smells... particularly citrus and eucalyptus. I've never really loved the smell of lime and lemon but all of a sudden they make me really happy! I have no idea why. Any way Jif Power Spray has the best natural smelling scent, I have tried almost all the cleaning sprays on the shelf and all of them (except Jif) have disappointed me with the artificial lollie like citrus smell. I'm pleased to say I have very clean and shiny bench tops!
6. Cold Walnuts
I'm not pregnant. Just thought I'd say that before you continue reading.
Another obsession that has developed during this year. They have to be refrigerated, they're just not the same if they're not cold. I take a handful a day and they help me fight nausea and also give me energy, I love them! I have been trying to get pregnant for over a year now, but have had no success due to my hormone imbalance. This imbalance can trick me into feeling pregnant sometimes, with nausea, dizziness, loss of energy, strange cravings etc. It's crazy I know.
I'm hoping things will balance out by the end of this year so I can add another Chapati to my family table, God willing.
Justin's going to have Cruciate ligament surgery on his knee in two weeks. This means he will be off work for 2-3 months! We are going to use this time to set up the graphic design part of our business that we have always talked about. So if you need any work done, don't hesitate to contact me.
Oh have you been listening to the Paper Clippings Round Table? Well they started a digi version last week. It's hosted by Steff from the Daily Digi and I love it! We get to listen to Izzy's voice twice a week now! hah! He's a lovely man isn't he! Noell is so blessed!
Ok, I'm going to raid the fridge for some walnuts now! Here's one last page design -
CLICK HERE FOR SUPPLIES
Bye bye!
So here I am about to share my latest pages and announce the winners of the LIVE LAUGH LOVE collection.
Kids are tucked in bed and Justin's working on his music. Really exciting things happening down in his studio, I hope to share the noise later on in the year with you all.
I have to say thank you BIG time for all your kind and encouraging comments. Especially to those who are new to my products and new to digi scrapbooking. It's not my goal to convert the traditional to computer scrapbooking, or push digi-scrapbookers into hybrid. Not at all. I just want people to stay true to their style and abilities. Do whats logical and satisfying for you in order to preserve your memories and photos.
I am loving the liberty in embracing both computer scrapbooking and traditional.
I thought I'd share some of the top products I am using lately on most of my page layouts.
I hardly start from scratch when I am using traditional items. Meaning I design a basic composition on my computer first that gets printed out, then decorated. It's SO much more quicker to do it like this! I find myself spending way too much time fiddling and cutting a composition in place when there's no digital foundation, most of the time I have to go back and adjust something and its really hard when you don't have that Ctrl+Shift+Z option.
Anyway! ...Products -
1 & 2 -Brushes. Most of you may have noticed I love using my digi OLd Text Brushes and digi Distress Brushes. They just add that bit of interest and detail to a page thats quicker and more accurate when you do it digi.
3 - Bracket Masks. These are new in my shop. Lately I've been reaching for bracket shapes more, so I thought I'd make a handy pack. They are great for my journaling, I just clip a plain paper to it and start writing. Also great to clip photos directly to as well.
4 - Glimmer Mists. I am so thankful for these little bottles of beauty. They make me happy every time I use them, the tiny glimmer stuff mesmerizes me. I spray it lightly over my printed designs(printed cardstock only, it wont work on normal printer paper) or I use a brush for more controlled applications.
5 - Craft Prick. I feel like this was created just for me! For years, I have been using a sewing pin to do what the craft prick now helps me do. I use it when Justin tries stealing my Martha Stewart ink pens! No just kidding. He has stolen one of my Martha Stewart pens though, which I wasn't very happy about. I said to him, anything with Martha Stewarts name is expensive, so don't touch it! Any way the craft prick is good for adhering tricky small items with and making holes for a brad.
6 - Prima Flowers. I'm hiding my stash of Prima flowers, so my husband isn't shocked by how much I bought! It can be a bit pricey if you want to own a variety of colours and sizes. Thats why I recommend buying the plain white ones, you can easily paint or mist them to suit your page designs
So thats what I love using at the moment, I will update those images later on in the year when I feel like the list is changing.
Here's my latest pages -
LIVE LAUGH LOVE
Some easter layouts -
CLICK HERE FOR CREDITS
Greatest Joy
And now for the LIVE LAUGH LOVE winners!
Here are the random numbers -
Congrats to these ladies below! Collection coming your way! Enjoy!
Happy Monday! and happy Sunday to those that are finishing their weekend, I hope it was a wonderful one. Mine was good, although it is starting to get cold. Time to start using more garlic in my meals, I think.
I have been thinking a lot for the last few weeks about my hybrid and full digital pages. I was felling caught between the two. I love creating both and wanted to play with both, but wasn't sure how I was going to display all my pages. Do I continue my 2010 album with the plan to create a bound book? And dedicate hybrid pages to a special themed album? What if I was inspired to create an everyday 2010 hybrid page? Then what? So I have been thinking and thinking on how I was going to do this and I finally found an exciting solution. The D-Ring Album.
I bought this beautiful 12x12 corduroy one a few weeks ago (brand is American Crafts), for the purpose of my 'specially themed' hybrid layouts. But now I am going to use it as my 2010 album. I am so excited about this, it means I can still do the 100% digi pages and add the hybrid pages in the one. I am also very excited about the fact I can design different sizes throughout, because the D-ring Album lets you use any size page protector. There's the 12x12, 8.5x11, 6x6, and then there's the ones with little pockets! -
...perfect for storing memorabilia! Something you can't really do when you create 100% digi for a bound book. So I am very excited about how I am going to use these. I will still create pages for bound books, but they will be smaller and for special subjects like... maybe my sisters wedding (this year, wink wink Vineeta!) ...LOL! yes she has a new man! And things are headed that way!
Check out this 8.5X11 page I created yesterday -
La La Laaa
Click here for credits.
Like the little icons? I am going to try and add these to all of my projecs, I hope they help, if you are thinking of doing something similar.
This is the original photo -
All I did was convert it to black and white and add contrast through the levels palette. Then I erased the distracting lines and background behind the couch, and placed the text behind my image. Here's what the layout look like before I printed it on kraft paper (I adore the effects of this, btw! You'll be seeing more kraft from me!)
Then I had fun embellishing the page!
I'll be back later this week with more inspiration and new product previews. Oo! and by the way! The Lift This challenge is starting this week, so make sure you join in for that too!
Have a good one!
Well not really, Im just a few shades browner & 2kg's heavier (yikes!). My poor husband however got a tan... the painful way! Yes he got sun burnt... and he got it bad. He was in pain for about 3 days after surfing for almost 2 hours without any sun block on. He thought because it was an overcast day he would escape any form of burning. Well he's learnt his lesson.
Do you wanna see some pics? First I want to mention this awesome stationary store I bumpt into while in the Gold Coast. Have you heard of kikki.K? Oh my oh my! I am in love with their products! I have never seen a store stock such gorgeous stationary. I spent quite a bit over there and was pleased to find out, they sell online
aaaaand New Zealand has 5 of them!...1 just a 25 minute drive away! Check out what I bought -
This is such a gorgeous little friendship book that I am going to use as a visitors book for friends and family to fill out. I'll show you all how I use it once I have a few pages filled out.
We are forever loosing pens in our houses, so I thought having a white pen means that no one going to want to use a white coloured pen, so its going to stay put near the phone always... thats the theory anyway.
A weekly planner, looks easy to use and stylish. I got other little nicks nacks too. If you would like to know how to win one of these goodies, keep reading.
Here are my favourite holiday pics -
It was such a wonderful holiday! So many wonderful memories were created... and thats the most important part of a vacation, spending MORE time with the people you love. It might cost a lot and involve careful planning. But in 20 or 50 years time you are not going to remember the price tag... you will remember things like the kids blowing bubbles near the sea, the way they expored the motel you were staying at, and your husband looking as bright as a crayfish! It doesn't have to be in a far away country too. It could be 3 hours away from where you live! Start making those plans to relax!
'Today I...'
Fill in the rest with a list or sentence. Create a page using the text.
here's mine -
The Creative Team will vote for the best designed page. And the winner will win this friendship book -
All submissions must have 70%-100% Pixel Canvas Items used. Pages need to be submitted in the Art Journal Challenges gallery, click here to view. Challenge/Contest closes Tuesday 19th Jan
All the best!
I just got my 2007-2008 family Album done! I am so relieved to have it finished and printed.
This time I ordered from Snapfish.co.nz. I had a few disappointments with it, but I can still appreciate and enjoy the album. I found the quality a little lower compared to Shutterfly's. The inside of the cover had air bubbles under the paper, the images came up a little desaturated and the quality of the prints are'nt so crisp like Shutterflys. There is also no option to put text or image on the spine, which is really important. I wanted to order closer to NZ, but wont be ordering again at Snapfish, especially after spending $123.80 NZD (I hope my husband doesn't read this!). There is another fantastic option for New Zealanders though, and its called photobook.co.nz. The quality is A+ and just as good (if not better) than Shutterfly. I used PhotoBook to create a yearbook for one of my clients and found the prices to be really good. The software to construct the albums on PhotoBook isn't too flash but it is really easy to use! I would recommend their services to all New Zealand digital scrapbookers.
So, here are my favorite pages from the 2007-2008 Year Pearce Family album, finally those pages I created when I first started digiscrapping are printed! Take a look! Size is 8"-8"
And this is the last page, below is the inside cover (digital version)
Heres a quick gift idea!
Take some shots of your kids against a black or white background, and create a snow globe gift for family members, like I did below -
I got this done at Snapfish, and was very pleased with it. Turned out very classy!
On my next blog post, I will share a canvas art, created for one of my clients. I can't believe its Friday, this week has gone by so fast!
Enjoy the weekend everybody!
HUGS
Vinnie
I'm proud to be a stay at home mother, this is my highest priority. After that I'm a designer, artist, author, & teacher when I can find the time.
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