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Friday, November 27, 2009

Creative Team for Elyane Araujo Designs

Hello! How was your Thanksgiving? I have plenty to be thankful for this year. I have good news and bad news. The bad news first is that my oven door is broken and we cannot cook. It is my pleasure to announce the good news. I joined the Creative Team for Elyane Araujo Designs. Now, the bad news is not such a big deal because I will be busy working / playing instead of having time to cook anyways! Elyane is a talented digital designer from Brazil. Her kits have the most amazing embellishments and papers in them, including some hand drawn art she has created.

From the outside of her kit (the marketing photo) I could not even tell there were SO many great things inside. I am not used to getting so many things in just one kit! I hope you will be part of  my journey with this Creative Team work. Everyone month I will be creating two layouts for each kit I work with. I am working with two kits a month, so you will see two posts total each month with my creative designs for Elyane.

Here is my first layout using the Sunset Fall kit.  You may click on one of the three links under the layout to see it blown up on a Gallery.This is a good way to see the staples around the journaling!











FREEBIES! Great, hand drawn art for your pages or school projects.
These can be used in a layout with scanned copies of your child's school work too.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Faith Sisters

Hello, again! I would like to mention a new scrapbooking site I have been hanging around in over the last few weeks, Faith Sisters.

(Edit November 30, 2009***) Faith Sisters has a great challenge, which is all about YOU! Here is the article from their website:




As the year is coming to an end we are busy planning for next year. In 2010 we are going back to the basics of leaving a legacy of faith. This years challenges are all focused on YOU and your lifetime story. When you join us in this challenge you will be creating a mini-autobiography. We are counting down the days till January 6th because we are so stinkin' excited about the My Lifetime Story challenges!!!

Wouldn't you to know what your grandma's favorite toy was as a child, how she felt when she met your grandpa, her favorite scripture and the song that expressed her heart? Your children and grandchildren will have that treasure when you join us in this challenge!

We will start out with your family roots in January and move into your childhood in February. We will continue throughout the year with your teen and adult years as well. The last challenge of the year will be a letter to your future generations or anyone who reads your book.

Each of our stories is important. This is a book that everyone should create about themselves. It will be the most treasured album of your family. As you create this album about your lifetime story you will be leaving YOUR LEGACY OF FAITH. This is an album that can make an impact in your life as you create it, but it will also create a major impact in the lives of your family both now and in future generations. As your children read your story in this scrapbook that YOU created, they will take your stories to heart. Your stories may have more impact on them than even Bible stories, because they are personal and from someone they know and . When friends and neighbors pick up your storybook and look through it you will be witnessing without even saying a word. They will read your lifetime history and discover your of Jesus, and His forgiveness and faithfulness in your life!

The My Lifetime story challenges will begin the first Wednesday in January. A new challenge will be posted each Wednesday all throughout 2010. The last challenge will be posted the last Wednesday of December. Just because the challenge series ends at the end of 2010 doesn't mean your lifetime story album is finished. We will continue to offer periodic challenges to continue your autobiography and keep it current.

Please join us in this year long challenge! Some of these challenges may be layouts you have already completed. That is ok! We need to get these all compiled in your lifetime storybook. Everyone deserves to be the star of their own book, including and most importantly YOU! If you don't put some time aside to create your My Lifetime Story album now, you may never find the time. If something were to happen to you, would your legacy of faith be lost forever?
"Christmas Faithbooking Challenge! This year, our theme is "The 12 Days of Christmas". We've all heard this song growing up, but I never realized that each verse of the song also had a Biblical meaning. So, over the next few weeks, we will be exploring the Biblical meanings of each verse of the song and you are to create a layout which shows what it means to you." You even receive the mini kit items you need for free (for a lim ited time.)

******************
More from Betty: In addition to Christmas kits, challenges and Christmas challenges, they have great digital kits with good samples. There is a forum along with a large gallery. Check them out! I have found many of their kits to be inspirational, including a few Bible quotes. If you are not a Christian based scrap booker, there are still so many things you can take from Faith Sisters. The kits available include a large recipe card kit. To go along with the recipe cards, you can pick up this kit with all the food! Calling all FOODIES! So cute!
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUUB-tMoUSbUNvk_xX3Kl3lhi4gs7vXm2FK0ugQDsTfpozAzh6g1vAstje43Zl11SGxRdQhlju-iRiksPWJvexaV6zhNhbKOe3UteD3lzF5zfXgeuTTTzITLMe_5JV-WfiBxQvRjHSAVs/s1600/cookingFood.jpg
( The image is unavailable) so click the link above if you want to see food digital elements to say the least.

They have a great camping kit too! This is the first I have seen with actual pine tree branches! Woop-woop. They do have additional camping kits but this is my favorite.

You can click on  Faith Sisters, the title at the beginning of this post to link over to their main website. With that said, have a blessed day!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Daddy's Lil Ghoul


I'm pooped! Time to rest up for work tomorrow! Enjoy my Halloween page. I think my daughters will really enjoy this one. Especially when they go through our scrapbooks when they are grown up. What do your kids say about your scrapbook pages? My husband is not really sure what all the clutter is amongst the pages. He just knows that I am committed to my laptop!

Disney Characters Added To Three Disney Pages



Saturday, November 21, 2009

Disneyland Album First Layout!

Today, I am thankful that God gave me patience, intelligence and ability to find resources and education to teach myself to digital scrapbook to record my family's memories. I am sure my husband is thankful I have hobbies which keep me busy! Here is my two page Disney layout. I decided to try to use paint and my burn tool technique on these pages. Two Peas currently has a Weekly Challenge about adding paint to digital pages. I use these challenges to push myself to finish my layouts and post them to their gallery in addition to my blog. A few kind Peas have given me nice compliments on this layout, and the preceeding Disney page I blogged earlier today. It is great to have feed back on my work, aside from my family members who will enjoy the photos for years to come.













***All work on my blog or found through links via my blog should not be reproduced or duplicated***.

Weddings Seem Like Fairy Tales With Exceptional Photography or Photoshop

Have you ever hired a photographer to capture your wedding memories? You can pay quite a bit of money for amazing photos then photoshop them yourself. Or, you can pay an outstanding amount of money for exceptionally excellent, photos from a photographer who calls themself  a photojournalist.

Many photojournalists in the Sacramento area will charge you $2,000 to $3,500 then provide you with shopped photos that meet and/ or exceed your expectations.

Or, you can hire a photographer  that will give you options. I went with the option to shop my own photos or use them AS IS. I had an outstanding photographer named Shannon owner of Hazel Images in Santa Barbara, California.  http://www.hazelimages.com/

(I got married in Southern California. I found the photographers were plentiful, extra talented and full of flexible options. Not so much luck here in Sacramento. I spent just 25% of the average price given to me by 25 photographers I contacted in Sac. I am not dissing them, just sharing my findings. Apparently, in this area, wedding photographers think they shouldn't  have to work as hard as photographers in other areas to make a dollar.)

Back to my wedding pics...They are amazing photos! Most of them are perfect the way they are. But to get a few extra  incredible, perfect shots, I am using Photoshop Elements.

To understand what I am bloggin here, see the before and after photos below!


I removed the chair legs and peoples legs/ feet. Then, I added a colorful sky. Last, I brightened up the colors which adds depth to the photo. Hopefully, the more practice, the better I will become at coloring a sky. This was not easy.
 I don't know about you, but the people in the picture look like they are having a pretty awesome day! The weather was a typical overcast, ocean side June day near Ventura, California. The edits improved the quality drastically.
Many photographers will edit photos before showing them to their client. Ask your photographer if they can just color improve the RAW files. Then, sell you the images on CD in JPEG format. This will save you a significant amount of money.
Of course, no amount of money  can buy me my time back  that I will spend playing with these photos. Luck for me, the therapy and  joy I get from my hobbies including photography, photo editing, and digital scrapbooking hobbies is priceless. (For everyone else, you may consider spending the money! Photographers do have a lot of work to do in order to impress their clients!)



Disneyland Album Title Page & What's Happenin' Today?

I finished the first page of the Disney album! What's happening in your life today? Today, I am kid-free and enjoying myself. Last night, Gerry and I drove out of town to go to see New Moon with nine (9) additional friends of ours. The movie was EXCELLENT (minus the annoying teenage moans and groans behind us). We stayed up late last night then slept in a little today since we did not have our two-legged alarm clock, a.k.a Jasmine, waking us up.


I have sat behind my desk, plucking away at the keys of my laptop for a few hours. I made a huge pot of posole for us to eat throughout the day as well. I made this Disney page, as page one, of many pages I plan to make! I visited Disneyland with my sister, mom and two nephews the week of Christmas 2000. It has been a long time since that visit. Any how, I bought a template, Crystal Wilkerson Inked Edges #1. I thought I was going to claw my eyes out for a short time. BUT once I found and read, then re-read, and re-read Googled directions on how to use it, I made an AMAZING layout. I thought I was good with PSE but something about this kit was not working well for me today! It is a GREAT kit, I was the problem. I was NOT smarter than the kit! Here is it...my new pride and joy...

(Made with template in addition to Sahlin Studios Enjoy kit).

Friday, November 20, 2009

New Canadian Site I discovered! Candy Shoppe Designs

**Disclosure- I did NOT create or have anything to do with the creation of this layout!** I think it is great and wanted to share it with you from a site I  recently discovered. This appears to be a Canadian site called Candy Shoppe Designs. http://candyshoppedesigns.blogspot.com/
This layout is from a current New Moon (part of the Twilight series for peeps who do not know) challenge. Warning....this site is not our usual sugary sweet scrapbooking community.  Unfortunatly, I am unsure if there is a big digiscrapping side  to Candy Shoppe Designs or not, BUT I am inspired by the reality and down-to-earthness (if that is a real phrase I will be happy) of their Blog. Let me know if you enjoy them.

***EDIT Saturday, Nov. 21-Two Peas is also having a Twilight/ New Moon challenge. You can copy and paste the link to view the details http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/mb.asp?cmd=display&thread_id=2911422.

***They are offering a link to a FREE TWILIGHT FONT. Get the font here (if you just want to skip Two Peas) http://runswithvamps.deviantart.com/art/Twilight-Zephyr-Font-115311388. There are some cool layouts!
After seeing the movie last night, AND being first in line, I still do not want to make a layout of Twilight. Maybe later. It was a fluke that we were first....and I am not the biggest fan so I probably did not deserve it but we had the best seats!!! Enjoy your weekend. I will be posting a bit more, I am sure!

With This Ring...

I made this layout with many new items I have received! The scalloped edge on the right hand side was created with the Scalloped Edge Templates by Rhonna Farrer (Two Peas In a Bucket). In the next day or so, I will be posting a photoshopped pic from my wedding. There were many things in the aisle, including feet and chair legs which I cropped out. Stay tuned, or check back in the next few days, to see the before and after shots! Getting the 'perfect' wedding shot does not always happen. With Photoshop, however, you can turn your not so perfect wedding photos into a magical memory!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

My Lifetime Story

http://faithsisters.com/forum/index.php?topic=11486.msg111171#msg111171

Wouldn't you to know what your grandma's favorite toy was as a child, how she felt when she met your grandpa, her favorite scripture and the song that expressed her heart? Your children and grandchildren will have that treasure when you join us in this challenge!


Document your history...leave your legacy. Please visit FaithSisters.com through the link above to be inspired by their challenge. I thought about doing this about my Mom actually. It will be great to gather information and photos about her while I still have her in my life. She can make sure my information is accurate as well! THEN I will do the same challenge for myself for my two daughters to enjoy!
 
***Digital Design team call*** Also visit their site for a great design team call. Good luck!

Click here for the call info, ya'll:  http://faithsisters.com/forum/index.php?topic=11589.0

Monday, November 16, 2009

Wii, It's Christmas!

Honestly, I have not scrapbooked a Christmas photo since I met my husband! This is the first of many. If I did not have to work in the morning, I would be up all night doing more! It has been great reminiscing about all the joy, happiness and presents from last year. I am going to have to buy more digital kits too. Two Peas here I come!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

For A Short Moment

For a short moment, I was a new wife. My husband took this photo of me on the first day of our honeymoon back in July 2009. Even though I am not the kind of person to make layouts all about me, I enjoyed making this one! I used text template for the basic journaling. (For personal reasons some journaling has been left off of the page).  The papers are Jen Allyson and Carina Gardner ribbon. The three (3) small embellies are from Shimelle's creative team kit. I hope you are a fan of the color palette. This paper kit from Jen Allyson was a great find. I will be using these papers again for my Easter pages too.

Dream-Like Inspiration



My husband surprised me by taking some great photos with our camera at Apple Hill. He took the kids into an apple orchard which provided an amazing back drop. Normally, I am the person in our family who takes most of the pictures. After reviewing the photos of our day trip, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this one of Jasmine in the orchard.

The orchard girl photo was the I selected to learn my latest color altering tricks on Photoshop Elements. I wanted a dreamy look to this one. This photo below is the original. The photo on the right is similar to the memory  I have of Jasmine in the orchard that day back in October.! A little bit hazy and dream-like. I hope my husband continues to take photos that inspire me.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Night and Day Photoshop Fun


The photo on the left was taken Halloween last year. The tire on the car to the right of them always bothers me when I see thisphoto. I attempted to remove the car and ended up making a fake blue sky. What do you think of each photo? (Original and retouched?)

Friends

This is my favorite picture of Michelle and I! I have so many memories from high school and beyond created with and by Michelle!!! She even taught me to scrapbook!  I love the look in our eyes in this picture!!! Young, gorgeous and fun loving. Remember...whatever happens in the limo stays in the limo. Okay, except the glasses used for the drinks. Those may have fallen out of the window. A few of them. I was a bad girl. PAST TENSE! Those were the best days of my life! We rented a limo for my birthday in 2001. We were in our mid 20's! Good times!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

FAVORITE ALERT- Dinner Party Alpha Brushes Freebie


HOLLAND's rock! Here we are at Apple Hill in October 2009. (You can't even tell Jazzy was coming down with H1N1 either! But she was).

I now have a favorite alpha brush set to use for my digital scrapbooking! Since I just started, and only spend a few dollars a month on digital supplies, I really appreciate freebies! Can I handle the fact that my favorites are 9 times out of 10 freebies like Gennifer Bursett's Dinner Fairy alphabet brush set?  I used it to write out our Family Name Holland! The best part of digital scrapbooking? I can re-color and re-size all of the elements, photos and even the letters. I am going to switch things up a bit in the next day or two. I would like to remove the stitching I have on this layout and change the color of the alphas to see if I can improve this layout. I made it in just 30 minutes after the kiddies went to bed and I was done watching Jay Leno!

I hope you like it. Visit Gennifers blog http://thebursettfamily.blogspot.com/.

Papers Shannby Princess and stitching elements by Carina Gardner. (Note to my non-scrapbooking friends, designers allow use of their products on your blogs but ask for credit...list their names). I am proud to list them because I only use my favs!!!

Designing Blogging Betty

I do not have a new layout to post today. However, I have a short, short story. I had a terrible day today. PMS, pregnancy, hormones, not enough lunch to eat, who knows why. BUT, when I got home from work, I checked my blog and I have four new followers! I am very happy about this and it made my whole day turn around. Isn't it amazing how a small gesture from a stranger can mean so much when you least expect it! I plan to set aside time to follow other scrappers blogs officially this weekend! Thanks for stopping by. I hope to inspire you.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Matron-of-Honor Two Page Layout


My first two (2) page digital layout made with Photoshop Elements. This was one of the greatest days of my life! My wedding colors were brown and turquoise. My husband and I were married by the sea at the Cliff House Inn. See this link---------------------> http://www.cliffhouseinn.com/

Thanks to all of our Veteran's and Military Service men and women. I am proud to be an American! Home of the free, and the home of the brave!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Our Christmas Card 2009



(Holly Jones Delightful Christmas Tree purchased from Two Peas In a Bucket)
This is our card this year! I just received the cards from Shutterfly and they are gorgeous! I bought the template. I added a stripe plus the wording, but that is all!
This is the third year in a row I have purchased a template and plugged in our photo for our holiday cards.

I LOVE IT! I am SO glad that EVERYTHING and anything digital in PhotoShop Elements is my favorite hobby! I love making cards, layouts and digitally enhancing or playing with photos!

AND I love this photo of my family! Send me a copy of your favorite family photo!

Jasmine's 4th birthday



Do you have photos sitting around that have never been placed into an album? These photos are from over three years ago. Jasmine turned four in 2006 and I have never scrapbooked or preserved the images! I am so happy that I finished a page tonight with these older photos.
This page took me just under an hour to complete this one. I gave a long presentation at work today and then rushed the girls (and Dad too) over to their first Girl Scout meeting!
Enjoy! I know Gerry and I enjoyed taking a peek back in time.
Please leave a comment and let me know what you think of taking too many digital photos...so many that you can't ever find time to journal, scrapbook or preserve them.
What do you think about Girl Scouts? Do you have any cute Girl Scout pages that can inspire me? I would like to see them! I am now in charge of scrapbooking the troop's photos!
Bonus!

Also, I have been attempting to post a new layout daily this week. Click on Archive ------------->
to view the other posts! I am still a bit new here to blogging. I hope to have many posts on one page, yet everytime I post a new one, the others disappear to the archive!------------------------->
When I have time, I will fix it....can you tell me how I do that?! Thanks for stopping by.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Maggie's Play- Fairy Tale Town


For the last two years, my family has visited Fairy Tale Town during the hot summer month of August in Sacramento to see Maggie perform in a play. Maggie is very talented! She earned a part as a witch for the second year in a row! (The play was totally different this year and Maggie was a good witch this time!)
Fairy Tale Town has a giant shoe slide which is the house of the Old Woman Who Lived in the Shoe. Yes, just like the Fairy Tale! There are many things for kids to do and see. The girls jumped into a giant pirate ship and started "sailing" along. You can see Captain Anika here behind the helm. Okay, I am no pirate! Is it called a helm?
On another note,  I love these new papers designed by Jen Allyson. I bought them at http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/. Two Peas has been extremely helpful to me. They post free tutorial videos for people to learn digital scrapbooking. Now that they taught me almost everything I know in Photoshop Elements, I purchase all of my digital supplies from them! I appreciate them so much. I have been a Pea for nine (9) years now. Don't know what a Pea is? It's a fan and message board visitor on their website.
Hope you  have a great week!

Halloween 2009- The Corpse Bride Layout



Anika wanted to be the Corpse Bride this year! I made her a wedding dress then let  her use one of the veils I did not use for my wedding last June. We had the best time trying to figure out how to make her left arm into a bone too! This layout was a joy to make especially because of the fun, creative donut eating contest the kids participated in at The Knight's Halloween party. We all have a blast at their Halloween party followed by Trick-or-Treating each year. One Halloween layout of 2009 done, many more to do.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

My Favorite Layout- June 2009

Wedding-OurDay-Web1

Welcome To My Blog (a.k.a. My Current Pet Project-HOG BLOG)

Welcome to my blog! Do you have a blog? What did you name yours? This is my first time "pimpin" out a blog and really putting my heart into it. It took me 24 hours just to come up with a name for my blog. It took me a long time to come up with a name for a couple of reasons. First, I would like to have a place to store my digital scrapbook pages. Two, the blog must be appropriate for all ages. I thought about the point I was trying to get across...what did I want everyone to know about me? And my blog? Well, I received a very nice, unexpected e-mail from a co-worker today who is retiring soon. She told me that I have a heart of gold and that I am a truly genuine person. I was so happy that my hard work has shown! Being nice, honest and unbiased is not ALWAYS easy! Heart of Gold (H.O.G.) Digital Memories is the name I decided on. The acronym spells hog! HOG BLOG!! It sounds incredibly corny.  Here are the other names that I seriously considered:

Delicious Digi
Digital Betty
Digital Underground (but I did not go with this one so Public Enemy can't sue me)

I spent time on naming this project as if I was naming my first born child. How silly of me!


Back to the reason why I was inspired to make a blog.....an hour before I received the e-mail from said nice co-worker, I read that a scrapbooking website I adore and have trolled for nine (9) years is looking for designers to create things with their products. Since I used to do this for many years for Gotta Crop, I decided I would like to be a part of the industry again since I have had great luck with digital scrapbooking.

I am sure there are 100's of people applying and I do not have many samples but I would like to try. The first step, create a blog. Second step, utilize the blog. Third step, which I just discovered today, is leave the computer and go to bed! This is addicting! Blogging Betty is typing her heart out this evening!

Please come back soon. I will have family photos, wedding photos, stories from every darn city I have lived in and/or visited. Maybe I will even tell you a ghost story from the haunted Pershing house (as my husband has rightfully named it). I am quite unpredictable so check in every so often. Don't forget to check the links on the right hand page for wedding photos!!!!

Happy Fall everyone from the HOG BLOG!

(Note to self: figure out what a jump page is)