Freebie Friday - Digital Kit

Here's a great freebie kit from retrodiva {designs}, The kit includes: a ribbon, a bow, 3 patterned papers, 1 solid paper and a photo frame. You can download this freebie here.

Adornit Summer Blog Party & Blog Hop

Adornit is hosting a Summer Blog Party & Blog Hop. You can join the fun by clicking on this image. Have fun! Colleen

Freebie Friday - Layered Digital Templates, Digital kit and more

I found a nice collection of freebies on Jen Caputo's blog. Grab them here. 

Enjoy,

Colleen

Freebie Friday

Here's a great freebie from Digital Scrapbooking Freebies

Enjoy,

Colleen

Freebie Friday - Layered Digital Template

Paislee Press Designs has a great freebie available - a layered digital template. 

Not only is Paislee Press Designs giving away this layer digital template, but she is also giving away two $10 gift coupons to her shop.  From her blog, "One prize will go to the most innovative/creative use of the template and the other winner will be chosen by random drawing. To enter this contest, create a layout using this template, upload your creation to an online gallery then come back here and post a link to your layout in the comments section below. I will be taking entries until Sunday, January 11th at 11:59pm."

Finally, Paislee Press Designs has a tutorial of how to use layered templates, titled Layered Templates 101, that provides step-by-step instructions on how to use her freebie. 

I'm entering the contest. I hope to see your creations there too.

Make it a creative day,

Colleen

Freebie Friday

Today's Freebie Friday comes from Jenni of Weathered Halo Designs.

If you use her design, make sure you give her some kudos at her scrapbook.com post.

Happy scrapping!,
Colleen

Freebie Friday

Today's Freebie is a collection of unusual buttons © 2003 Ronna Penner. You can download the collection at scrap-bytes.com.

Happy Scrapping!,
Colleen

Saturday Sketch

This 5-photo, 2-page layout was created using a digital kit. Don't despair if you are a traditional scrapper. This layout is easily duplicated when broken into steps.

1. Start with a solid background paper.
2. Cut large paisleys or crescent moons from patterned paper and adhere to the background paper.
3. Trim the 5-photos to size.
4. Using a large circle punch or Coluzzle circle template, cut a half circle from each of the two end photos as shown.
5. Adhere photos to pages.
6. Adhere ribbon so that it overlaps both the paper and photos.
   
7. Pierce the middle of each felt or paper circles (as well as the paper where the embellishment will go) and insert a large brad (or a button) through all layers and splay the back the back of the brads to secure.
8. On a slightly larger circle of felt or paper, add your layout title and journaling.
   Adhere to layout.
9. The final touch is a coordinating frame adhered over the main photo to highlight your subject.
   

Digital kit: Rainy Day Sunday Add-On, designed and copyrighted by Amy Bleser. See yesterday's Friday Freebie to grab this kit for free.

Please send me your completed layouts. I helps keep me motivated to create these sketches each week.

All the Best,
Colleen

Freebie Friday

Today's freebie is available for download from digitalfreebies.com. Rainy Day Sunday add-on kit is by Amy Bleser.

Happy Scrapping,
Colleen

Freebie Friday

Fridays at For the Love of Scrap are for sharing freebies that either I have created or found in my internet travels.

These quick pages can be downloaded for free from digitalfreebies.com here.

A Spring Garden {Quick Page Bonus} by Angela Sharrow

Happy Friday,

Colleen

Freebie Friday

This entire digital scrapbooking kit can be downloaded onto your computer for zip, zilch, nada. That's free folks. ;o) Get it here.

Be Mine by retrodiva {designs}

Happy Friday,

Colleen

Make it Monday

Mondays are Make It Monday at For the Love of Scrap. You are challenged to create a layout using the inspiration I provide. The inspiration maybe a word definition, a quote, a color palette, or an advertisement. This challenge meant to train your mind to look for scrapbooking inspiration in the world around you.

Plum is this year's hot color. So, try incorporating some into your next layout. Here is this Monday's inspirational color combination. Here's how to translate this combination to your layout. Use:

• a dark royal plum for about 1/2 of your layout,
  
• a light silvery grey for 1/4 of your layout,
• a medium violet for 1/8 of your layout,
  
• and a medium olive for the final 1/8.
  

When you have completed your layout, please post it on our Google Group.

Just like Project Runway...Make it work!,
Colleen

The Thursday Review

Thursdays at For the Love of Scrap include reviews of products, books, magazines, stores, and all things related to scrapbooking and papercrafting.

Up for review this week is Digital Scrapbooking magazine.


The stats:
Issues per year: 6
Cover price: $6.99 US and $9.99 CAN
Advertised subscription price: $23.97 US
Best subscription price: $14.99 US.

Digital Scrapbooking is published by CK Media. CK Media also publishes Paper Crafts, Simple Scrapbooks and Creating Keepsakes. These magazines are leaders in the industry. So how does the newest sister publication stack up?

This review is based on the April/May 2008 issue.
As you can expect from its name, digital scrapbooking, the magazine has a digital scrapbooking focus. It does, however, also incorporate tips and techniques that can be used by hybrid, tradigital and traditional scrapbookers alike. For example, on pp.13-15, of this issue the article addresses that fonts should match the mood of your page. Though the article goes into details about how you can create a layered title that utilize different font styles and sizes using either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements; the tips can be applied for use with traditional materials fairly easily.

Other topics covered: photo color correction, scanning, templates, tutorials, product reviews, and more.

Renee Pearson is probably the best-known contributor to this magazine.

This magazine is best for those who are comfortable using a computer, like a challenge and can learn independently. You do not need to be proficient with Photoshop to enjoy this magazine, though you may glean more from some of the techniques demonstrated.

Rating: $$ out of $$$
$ = Not worth the money.
$$ = I wouldn't pay full price, but definitely pick it up when on sale.
$$$ = Don't wait, buy it now!

Happy scrappin',
Colleen

Tuesday Tips

Tuesdays at For the Love of Scrap are full of tips. These tips could be anything, for example:

• How to organize your craft space.
• Hosting a crop at your home.
• Getting the most from your supplies.
• Great scrapbooking sites.
• Answers to questions you send to me.
• An much more...

Today's Tuesday Tip is how to properly clean your craft stamps. Regardless of what type of stamps you use (foam, polymer, or rubber) they all must be cleaned after each use. Cleaning your stamps preserves its details, prevents it from becoming brittle and avoids accidental inkings.

For proper cleaning you will need a stamp cleaning pad and stamp cleaner.


If you use a solvent-based ink such as Staz-On, you will need a solvent ink stamp cleaner.

Of course, if you use both types of inks, it's best to have a separate stamp cleaning pad for each.

What I have found works best to clean my stamps is to first clean them with baby wipes, then scrub them on the stamp cleaning pad (with the proper stamp cleaner) and finish by patting them dry on a clean cloth.

I hope you found this week's Tuesday Tip helpful.

All the best,
Colleen

Freebie Friday

I know it's not Friday, but I wanted you to have this week's freebie early. Head on over to our Google Group and download our Make It Monday quote as either a .psd or .jpg file.

Have fun!,
Colleen

Digital Paper Freebie

Here is a digital paper freebie that I created using Photoshop Elements. You can download it as either a .psd or .jpg file here.

Make sure you read the Terms of Use file before using.

Enjoy,
Colleen

Sketch #27

I haven't made a blog entry since November. I can't believe it. I've been teaching myself Photoshop Elements. I've been using digital kits to create the last several sketches. This took me hours to create each sketch. I'm going to try sketching in gray tones going forward. I should be able to give you a sketch a week this way.

As always, if you use my sketch, please send me a link to where it's posted or send me a .jpg file of your creation and I'll post it here. My email address is colleen@colleenmulder-seward.com.

PS You might be wondering why I skipped sketch #26. I've submitted it for consideration at another blog site for their Saturday Sketch. I'll keep you updated.

ttfn,
Colleen

Sketch #25

One page. 12 photos. Great for: baby's first year, 12 grades of school pictures and holidays/events where you have a ton of pictures but don't want it to take up an entire album .

Credits:

Papers:
Paisley paper = Funky Floral by Leah Riordan Designs @ scrap.mommyish.net and oscraps.com
Striped, linen and green papers = Larry by Jan Crowley Queen of Quirk @ oscraps.com

Embellishments:
Funky Floral by Leah Riordan Designs @mommyish.com and oscraps.com

Font:
Chelsea Studio

Happy scrapping,
Colleen

Happy Digital Scrapbooking Day!

If you have ever considered trying your hand at digital or hybrid (also known as tradigital) scrapbooking, now is the time. Today, November 3rd, is Digital Scrapbooking Day. Digital scrapbooking sites across the internet are celebrating with freebies, big discounts and tutorials to get you started. Click here to view all the the official DSD participants.

Happy Scrapping!,
Colleen

Sketch #24

Believe it or not, this layout was inspired from a scene in Ugly Betty. Like I revealed in my earlier post, my inspiration comes from everywhere.

I think this sketch is reminiscent of a French bulletin board with a file folder tucked under its ribbons.

Please send me your creations. I just love it when you share them with me.

Credits

Papers: ©2005-2006 Atomic Cupcake Springy collection. www.atomiccupcake.com.
Embellishments:
- Brads and tab ©2005-2006 Atomic Cupcake Springy collection. www.atomiccupcake.com.
- Ribbon is my creation.
Font:
The King and Queen

NOTE: All the Atomic Cupcake items are available as a free download on their website.

Until next time,
Colleen