Simple Pleasures

Lor of Studio Rosey Posey has a new kit out called SIMPLE PLEASURES, it has all of my favorite colors so it really caught my eye.

Christmas Magic

I've always love the art of Lisi Martin.  The little apple girl is one of my favorite characters and I thought it would be perfect to use with Irene's kit FIREPLACE TAILS.

Winter Dreams

Cara Mia Designz latest release Winter Dreams along with her stunning wordart

Best Time of the Year

Another layout using Cara Mia Designs Glitzy Christmas kit, I love all the gold and bling in it.

Pigs and Fiddles

Stop counting sheep and start counting pigs when you can't get no sleep :) Pigs and Fiddles is another fun kit that will bring life and charm to your layouts turning them into whimsical and colorful purple stunners! The kit included 54 unique shadow free elements and 9 original 12x12' papers.


Make sure you also check out the coordinating Pigs and Fiddles quickpages.

For the limited time only get the coordinating Pigs and Fiddles quickpages FREE together with your purchase of the original Pigs and Fiddles page kit!!!

Season of Delight

The Guild has released it's December kit.....OMG it is just amazing!  I love that it is so unique and you gotta love that cuddly teddy bear and reindeer......check it out!

Digital Scrapbook Artisan Guild – December Kit – Season of Delight – find out more about this exclusive kit HERE

Inspire

Alice has released a new kit called Inspire....beautiful color scheme and definately jam packed with inspiration.

Inspire - Red Ivy Designs
http://www.scrapinsider.com/design-m-20.html%20Inspire

Christmas Wish

I've discovered a new designer that I just love By Becca, here is a kit she created for Christmas that is so feminine dainty.....along with the layout I created with it.  It's available at Enchanted Studio....

Heart and Home

Southern Creek Designs has released a kit that feels like home with it's warmth and heart....get it here.
http://www.plaindigitalwrapper.com/shoppe/product.php?productid=4773

Believe

Layout I created using the tutorial I wrote for bright eyes....I wanted to experiment with levels and blending, this is what

Glitzy Christmas by Cara Mia Designz
Wordart on side from Stroll kit by Dee Bee Designs
Christmas Wordart (believe) by Vera Lim
Photo from deviate art

Angel

Merry Merry by Irene Alexeeva

http://scraporchard.com/market/product.php?productid=19122&cat=0&page=1
Amazing Snowland by Irene Alexeeva
http://scraporchard.com/market/product.php?productid=18998&cat=0&page=2
Playing with WA6 by Natali Designs
Photo by chantal Adams

Bright Eyes Tutorial

Bright Eyes


________________________________________

Tutorial for Bright Eye Effect

Instructions for PSPXI (can be adapted to CS3)



I chose a picture that the eyes were the focal point, this is the facial feature I wanted to capture and make pop out from the page.

1. Create a New Image: Go to File > New
2. Flood Fill new image with white
3. Copy and Paste Photo onto new Image / arrange where you want the photo
4. Go to Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Levels

Threshold 68/137  (each photo will require a different setting.  Play with the settings to achieve the desired effect.)

What I wanted to achieve is to lighten the photo enough for the edges to blend into the background. In order to help it just blend into the background I used my magic wand with a feather ratio of 10 to select the area I wanted to get rid of.
5. Select and delete area you want to erase with your magic wand. There may be some little areas left to clean up use your eraser tool to clean it up some.

6. Finally to make it pop even more on your photo layer, duplicate layer and use blend mode hardlight. It really makes this particular picture just pop right out of the page….

I wanted to thank the ladies over at DST that answered my question on how to get this effect, some of their answers sent me in this direction to play with the settings….Never hesitate to play around with your settings, you may come up with some really unique effects.

Midnight Blue

I love this kit by Armina, blue and yellow one of the most striking color combinations there is.  Right now it's on sale for 50% off, go get it while you can at this price.....good through Nov.8th

Here are a couple of layouts I created with it......did I say this was an awesome kit to use.....;>)

Credits for Reflection:

Midnight Blue by Armina Designs
Template #14 by Armina Designs
Wordart by Viva
Alpha by Anita Stergiou
Ribbon by Artist Guild

Credits for Hydrangia:

Midnight Blue by Armina Designs

Mask by vinnie Pearce
Brush by Vinnie Pearce

Siblings

November Guild kit "This one's for the Birds" available with a membership only....check it out HERE
Free Template Zora Here

Journaling:

It always amazes me how siblings that share the same mother and father turn out so different.
Aaron, who is the eldest, is the protector. He makes sure they are not hurt by others, but of
course if he wants to give them a bad time that's okay. Kaitlyn is the middle child, filled with
loads of energy, and is little miss social diva, definately a girly girly. She also is the instigator
and loves to get Aaron in trouble. Sydney, the baby of the group is pretty content playing
on her own and when someone interrupts her can throw quite the fit! She is one that can de-
fend herself no problem. I have to say that as different as they are personality wise, they do
have a special bond that no one can take away from them.

Girls just wanna have fun

November Guild kit "This one's for the Birds" available with a membership only....check it out HERE

Picture taken by bouncingpelican

Bat-erina

My granddaughter Sydney not too happy posing for Oma. Her mother brought the kids over this afternoon so I could see them in their costumes....they looked so cute, but my darling little Sydney was grouchy because she was woke up from her nap. She didn't want to put on her costume or the batwings.....I did manage to get a few pics. Hoping Mom gets some good ones tonight to send me.

I used Sine's halloween masks, if you visit her blog you can pick them up for free....
Sine's Blog

Spooky Hour Quick Pages by Irene Alexeeva available at Scrap Orchard. Made the layout just come together easy peasy....
Spooky Hour Quick Pages

Snow Fun

My granddaughter and grandson having fun in the snow....I used Irene's NEW  kit Amazing Snowfall......

Ice Maiden

I just love creating fantasy layouts, with the help of Sine's template (free if you sign up for her newsletter) and Irene's wonderful NEW kit Amazing Snowfall, I was able to create this layout!

All available at Scrap Orchard.

Autumn Tapestry

Julie it is RAK'd me with this wonderful kit. I love the rich colors and the awesome photo

cluster that she has included in it.

Here is the layout I created with it:

Credits:

Autumn Tapestry by Julie it is available at Plain Digital Wrapper
http://www.plaindigitalwrapper.com/shoppe/product.php?productid=4637&cat=0&page=2
Knocking on Winters Door (corner lace) by Jen Ulasiewicz

November 2010 Calender

Sine has a new set of templates out that would be perfect to created your calendars for 2010.  I got a head start and did my Nov. Page.....

Here's in my November calendar page...

Credits:

SO Topped template by Designs by Sine available at Scrap Orchard

http://scraporchard.com/market/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=14

Calendar 2010 by Natali Designs
Autumn Hues by Creations by Rachel
http://www.pluckypeardesigns.com/store/product.php?productid=16181&cat=0&page=1
Autumn Splendor by New Life Dreams

Twins

Irene's lastest kit Magicial Mischief was just perfect for a layout I had in mind.....so much fun to use.

My granddaughter posing with her Auntie Lu modeling her pretend glasses.....

Credits:

Magic Mishchief by Irene Alexeeva available at Scrap Orchard

http://scraporchard.com/market/product.php?productid=18950&cat=292
Magic Mischief Alpha by Irene Alexeeva available at Scrap Orchard
http://scraporchard.com/market/product.php?productid=18957&cat=0&page=1

Colors of Autumn

Julie Mead has a wonderful mosaic tutorial in the Artisan Notebook this month! I took her tutorial and made a graphic texture with it to go behind the picture of my granddaughter.....

Here is the original image I used and then what it looked like after I used the tutorial.....kewl huh!!!!!
 

Here is the layout I created using this tutorial.

Credits:

Oct Guild Kit Autumn Reprieve
DeeBee's Autumn Dawn, freebie kit available in the Artisan Notebook
Photo Editing with Julie Mead Artisan Notebook Tutorial
Always changing (blended paper) by Createwings
Autumn Goodness wordart by girlboheme Studios

Pumpkin Patch 2

Fall for Me by Designs by Mandy King available at Scrapbook Elements

Credits:
Fall for Me by Mandy King

Blend your cares away by Tracie Stroud available at Scrap Orchard
Clipping Mask by Natali Design