Lala's Birthday Redux

So not that long ago, I was not very good at digiscrapping. I decided to go back and smooth over some of my favorite, but lacking pages. I am not going to repost the original picture, but I will link to the original post here.

You might be wondering, "That's nice Jen, but why should we care?"









I am offering the improved layout as a quick page!

The differences are slight, but I think they make for a MUCH more finished looking page. As usual, let me know what you think please. :)

I made this page with a freebie kit I got from the Faith Sister's web site called Birthday Bash. The designer is Meredith Cardall. Go visit her store here.

Another Freebie for you!

I am now on the Creative Team for Snowflake Beach Designs. Chanin's newest kit is Cora's Best Friend.

Here is my layout:

Click on the QP preview to get it from 4Shared. It will only be up until Wednesday morning! So get it while you can!

Funky Love!

Amber and Nicole have teamed up for yet another great collaborative effort. This is their newest effort, Funky Love. Here is my layout:


And because you guys are the best, I made a quick page of my offering for you. :)

As usual, click on the QP preview to download from 4shared.

Here is the whole kit preview from Amber:


Click on the kit preview to head over to her blog to leave her some love for her great new kit.
Here are the papers you can download from Nicole's blog. Click on the preview to get to her blog.

New Year Quick Page

If you like this QP, you'd better grab it quick! It will expire Monday night at 11:59 Pacific! Click on the preview to download.

download

If you like the quick page, you will love the kit! Click on the kit preview to get to the Gingerscraps store.

Want some frames?

New Year Snow Day!!!

I used the Gingerscraps kit, New Year for this layout. I LOVE this kit. The colors are beautiful. Hurry over to Gingerscrap's store and buy the kit, you can get there by clicking on the kit preview. It has gorgeous papers and beautiful elements. I love the party hats. :) I ADORE the star swirlies. Ah stars...

Would anyone like a QP?

Adorable Quickpage

My friend Charmaine and I are now creating for Chanin of Snowflake Beach Designs. Chanin has an adorable new kit called Cora's Best Friend. I will have a freebie quick page for you next week from it, but for now I want you all to head over to Charmaine's blog and go and download hers from her blog. Please leave her some love and let her know how great her work is. :) Oh and hurry, the link will only be up until Sunday.

By the way, we should all thank Charmaine, because she is the person who taught me how to digiscrap. ;)

Click on her page or QP preview to be taken to her blog.

Be sure you go to Go Digital Scrapbooking and pick up this kit. Here is a preview, image is linked:

Spring Fling Bling Quick Page 2!

Your page will look different from mine when you use this QP because I bent a photo and stuck it on top of the top frame to give the page a more layered look.

I used the Lliella Designs kit, Spring Fling Bling for this Quick Page. You can buy the whole kit from her store at Funky Playground Designs. And you should. It's a gorgeous kit. Check out her blog too, there is a blinkie for it on my sidebar.

3 Months Was a Very Busy Month

I used the Lliella Designs kit, Spring Fling Bling for this LO.

Spring Fling Bling Quick Page

I made this page this weekend while I was at my church's women's retreat. My husband thought that digi-scrapping should not be allowed during arts and crafts time. :)~

If you download, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. I would love to see what you do with my stuff. (No one has ever shown me. :( )

I used the Lliella Designs kit, Spring Fling Bling for this quickpage.

Very Basic Photo Editing....

I do not claim to be a good photo editor. But I try very hard to make sure the picture I use in my layouts are good quality photos. After all, aren't the pictures we are trying to showcase the point of scrapbooking?

Which brings me to another point, a mini-rant if you will. A close friend and I discussed this recently and we came to a great conclusion I thought. We (and by we I mean my friend and I) scrapbook to capture moments with our families. We want to showcase our gorgeous children, and the fun (and not so fun) moments and experiences we have with them. So when I scrap for myself, it is rare that I have fewer than three pictures on the page... I take a LOT of pictures.
So for me, it is hard to have that many photos, leave them large enough to see the detail, and leave a large amount of the always desirable white space.

I realize that digi-scrapping is an art form. I just think that too many of us are in love with our gorgeous digital elements, papers, and alphas; so the photos (the very reason for scrapping in the first place!), have begun to play second fiddle.

So to me, it is so important that the pictures be the star of the show. I like to take pictures and while I'd like to think I am not bad behind the camera. (Oh I want a real camera!) because I have the camera I do, my photos sometimes need an extra boost in the editing room.

I am a BIG fan of actions. I recommend visiting Pioneer Woman's blog (does anyone NOT read her blog?) and spending some time in the photos section. While you are hanging out there, make sure you download and install both sets of her actions. For the pictures on my last couple of layouts I have run both the Fresh & Colorful and Boost actions. These two actions alone will kick your pictures up a notch.
Here's an example, my before:
My after:

Isn't that a huge difference? One extraction later with a dash of Fresh & Colorful and boost. I also had to go into the Image Adjustments menu and fiddle with the brightness and contrast... all that kicking it up a notch washed out Alton's face.

Now, while actions can make all the difference in the world, they might not be the perfect fit for your photo.Don't be afraid to play with your levels, contrast, color, or balance if they are needed.

If you are not using Photoshop CSsomething or other, and ARE using Photoshop Elements, never fear. The Pioneer Woman has directions for photo editing in PS Elements.

So on your next layout, make sure you spend a few more minutes making sure your picture is as good as you want it to be! :)

Spring Fling Bling

Does anyone want quick page? Comment and let me know.
I have decided to post the photo editing tips, but I am going to do it later tonight or tomorrow. So check back soon!
I used the Lliella kit, Spring Fling Bling for this layout

Someone to Love

Forgive me for not being more verbose about this kit. I just got back from Disneyland and I am Exhausted. (I hope you noticed the capital E!)

This is an adoption kit. Amber has 2 gorgeous paper packs, a ton of great elements, and an ADORABLE alpha you will want to download.

"But Jen," you say, "You've used no alpha or elements to speak of on your layout."

Sometimes the pictures speak for themselves....
Isn't the paper beautiful? It reminds me of the gorgeous handmade papers I used to buy in college for card making.
If anyone is interested, I have a little instruction on photo editing if anyone is interested that I would love to share with you another day. Too tired right now.



Okay so RUN over to Amber's blog by clicking paper pack preview and download this kit as it unfolds this week. You will not regret it.

By the way, I used the Stolen Moments kit, Someone to Love for this layout. :)~

Big Top BRAG BOOK!

I just can't wait anymore. I was going to wait and post this tomorrow, but I was too excited!
My very first brag book! I made the pages 5x7 300 dpi for your flexibility, but you can scale them down to 4x6 and print them at that size. Pop them into an album or punch a whole in the top left corner (I purposely didn't element that area) and fasten it with a decorated ring fastener. Grandma will love it!

There is a total of 8 pages. One personalizable title page, and 7 other pages for you to pop your own pages into and SNAP! Instant brag book!

As soon as I unzipped this kit I made this brag book. I could not wait to create with it! I love the kit and I hope you think these QPs are fun!
I love this kit. Make sure you head over to Amber's Blog and download it while it is still free!

Download by clicking the preview. Please let me know what you think! This is the largest freebie I have ever done and I would love to hear what you think or see what you do.

I used the Stolen Moments kit, Big Top for this project.

Snow IS Real!

I did this layout during the Speed Scrap at Gingerscraps today.
I used Nicole from Digi-designs by Nicole's speed scrap.
Here are the instructions if you missed the SS:

1. Choose at least 3 pictures... You can have more than three, but you must have at least three. Choose pictures that you would like to journal about. (There will be a journaling instruction later on.)

2. Use as many papers are you want - but the background paper needs to be solid

3. Create an element cluster (any size, any elements) and place it on your page UNDER your photo.

4. Add some string or ric-rac

5. Use a repeating word somewhere on your page. Be creative.

6. Title your layout with 3 words.

7. Add journaling on some sort of journaling block (it can’t just be typed on your background paper) and date your layout.Add any other finishing touches that you would like. Then go post your layout on the finish line. Make sure to leave love for everyone and tell them what you liked about their layout!

I used the Ziggle Designs kit, White Christmas for this layout.

Speed Scrap @ Gingerscraps today at noon!

Join little old me in the Gingerscraps forum for a speed scrap today at noon Pacific.

You will get these bling frames I made from the Gingerscraps kit New Year for participating! See you there!

Big Top

Amber has made the most adorable primary colors kit. I complained to her that there weren't enough primary colored boy kits around and even though that isn't what she meant to do with this kit, here it is. I love the colors and the elements. I have something special up my sleeve for all of you from this kit, but you have to wait until Amber releases all the pieces. ;)

Here is the full kit preview:


Hurry over to her blog and pick up the papers today!

National Delurking Week!

If you are out there and happen to come across my blog for one reason or another, please leave a comment!! This is National De-Lurking Week! I get hundreds of visits but I have no clue who you are! I only have 1 or 2 faithful commentors. Now is your chance to show yourself! Let me know you like my blog and you are watching! You don't even have to leave your name. Just tell me you are looking! Thanks

I'm hosting a Speed Scrap!

Join us at the Gingerscraps Forum on Saturday. There will be an adorable participation prize (that I haven't made yet) for making a layout.

It's quick, it's fun, and you get a freebie! Besides, how else will you get a layout done in an hour?

To get to the Gingerscraps forum, click on the image above, then click on the Challenges thread, then click on speed scrap, and then click on the appropriate day.

Happy New Year!

It's a New Year, so I have a new monthly desktop for you!



I made this desktop with the Gingerscraps kit, New Year! It is available in the Gingerscraps store; you can click on the kit preview to be taken there.

As usual, you can click on the image to download it from 4shared. Please leave a comment either here or 4shared if you download.

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I have something really exciting for you later in the week. Keep checking the blog for something new and REALLY fun!


I used the Gingerscraps kit, New Year and an Ellie Lash calendar stamp for the calendar.

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Don't forget we have another Speed Scrap tomorrow night in the Gingerscraps forum!

Ho ho ho! (Again)

I used the Ziggle Designs kit, Reindeer Games for this layout.