Hot stuff…

It’s a stinking 38 degrees here (that’s celsius people). It’s supposed to be Autumn! I don’t do hot weather. I am very over it.

I’ve had a fairly rough week or so. Well, it feels like I have. A couple of bright spots have been finishing another rug and whipping up a beanie for Mr L from the leftover yarn (because that’s what you do when it’s hitting 40), going to a class at the Max (now I have photos and I’ll finish the album I made on the weekend) and doing two brag books with an awesome template set from Deb at PBP.

They’re both printed and waiting binding now. So pleased with them, and they were so quick and easy. With all that lovely white (it’s just faintly textured) it would be ideal to print at home.

Deb has a boy set and a girl set – great stuff. As soon as I saw the boy one I wanted it. Love it.

Amidst this autumn heatwave, the school sports are on. Mr A and I went down this morning to cheer on Mr L (who is not at all athletic). Mr A was most excited to see everyone “race” and was so enthused he joined in and quickly cut half a lap of the oval until one of the Grade Six kids collared him around the other side. He was doing good too – keeping pace with kids twice his height and 4 times his age! He’s going to be the sports nut of the family.

His big brother, on the other hand, spent a good minute explaining wormholes to me (again), this time using the side of my new saucepan. Chalk and cheese, these two.

Must go sit still and have a long cool drink before Mr A gets up do something very worthwhile with the next hour.

Catch ya…
K

A change in my groove…

We’re switching nap time to the middle of the day and it’s taking me a bit to get into the new change of routine. Eating and naps at different times is all it takes to throw me! Everything has to occur around school drop off and pick ups – but it’s getting better.

Working on some new things. Well, trying to. So many ideas, so little time. I did get a layout done with bits and pieces from My Kids and Other Specimens which is up in the SBB store. Nice and bright with snappy little pushpins.

Off to get some things done while Mr A is asleep (fingers crossed!)

Catch ya…
K

My family and other specimens…

I was on a roll last night and finished up an idea that had been wandering around my head for a while. Specimen boxes. Sort of like old museum pieces. It makes it very easy to put together a fast, simply but classic looking layout.

There are 8 different picture arrangements and the masks for each of them are included too. And the best bit is you can use the frames without the rest of the kit and often without the other’s in the group too. Good value that! It’s up in the SBB Store now..

 

I finally got a photo today that  I’ve been trying to get for ages. Mr A has a wonderful habit of sticking his dummy in his mouth at this jaunty angle.  He only does it when he has a very clear message to me – “there is absolutely no way known I am going to have a nap and there’s nothing you can do about it”.

Admittedly this photo was taken after his nap, when he’d been back to his bedroom and collected dummy, Dipsy and his most favourite, Blankie, but that angle of the dummy is what I was looking for.

I’m off to continue my disastrous knitting. It’s just not happening for me. I will be back tomorrow to share the most amazing gift I have received today that I know scrappers will understand. 😉

Catch ya…
K

Stuff…

A cold front is on it’s way and the wind is ripping through here today. The sky keeps getting darker and darker. Such a difference from yesterday’s glorious weather. School is back, so we’re getting back into routine again. School drop off and pick-ups, readers, notes and after school play.

Nothing much is happening here on any front. I did do a couple of quick digital layouts:

 

(all my own stuff).

And I am working on some new products. Not sure when they’ll be ready as I have about three (very) different ideas on the go and I keep flitting between them all. Should go and work on them, huh?

Catch ya…
K

Busy day…

Isn’t it funny how you have a lot of thing to do, and that’s the one day when the phone and the doorbell rings simultaneously??  Despite the interruptions, I have managed to get a few things done, including making sausage rolls for Mr L’s birthday dinner tomorrow.

I’ve been attempting to get near the computer, with very little success. I have been doing some things which are rolling along nicely, but I need a good block of time to make an impression. Think that’s going to happen any time soon? Nope.

I did (shock, horror) a quick scrap tonight. Just test running a kit I’m working on. Nice to stretch the legs (and the mind).

Better keep moving. I’m making patty cakes to take up to school tomorrow morning when Mr A and I go up for Maths. Mr L is excited that we’re coming to do maths on his birthday. Imagine how excited he’ll be when we arrive with cakes.

Catch ya…
K

Action…

One of the things I like about Photoshop is the ability to repeat things again and again by using actions. I use actions on pretty much everything I do in PS – from editing photos to creating elements. I thought today I’d like to inflict share my favourites with you.

• Atomic Cupcake – these are the coolest, most amazing actions. They do amazing things, and work so reliably and beautifully every time. They speed up element creation big time.
• Purty Pics– these photo actions by Holly McCaig are fantastic. It’s very rare that I can’t find one that does exactly what I want to a photo.
• DigiScrapDesigner– Tandika is coming out with some great little actions. The “I love felt” pack is just wonderful.
• Machine Wash– ok, the lastest releases are no longer actions but full-on PS filters, but they were originally clever actions that give that wonderful textured look to things.

I’m sure there are other cool ones out there, but these are staples for me. Well worth the investment if you’re into saving time. I also use my own, but they’re nowhere near as polished as those above, and are ones I usually make to do certain things like resize something for a preview or trim a PNG file, or ones I make to repeat certain steps when making a kit.

And one final infliction – a layout (shock, horror) of Mr L with my latest kit, Glitzy Mitzy and the It’s a Date brushes.

Catch ya…
K

Back into the groove…

Still finding my feet after a week away. Thrown out the routine somewhat. And with school holidays next week…

I finished up the Commercial Use flower shapes I was working on, so another tick in the done box, and I thought – huh, might scrap (novel thought, I know!).

So we have this one – love, love, love this kit – Thrifty Chic by Kim Christensen. How yummy is this kit? The “me” is mine (I like it, so it might end up in a kit one day), but the rest is from the paper and element sets. Love the colour, the textures, the shapes. So cool.

The layout is based on a sketch template by Kimberly Geswein (I altered a few things here and there to make it work for me).

And then there’s this: Corina Neilson’sstuff is soooo much fun. Check out these delicious papers – I adore the colour scheme for this one. The papers are from the “I Just Like It” paper pack, and the ribbons and brads from the “I Just Like It” element pack. Yuuuum. I made the taggy-labely thing to go with it.

And if you’re quick – she’s giving away the template I used for this one on her blog.

And as if to prove how much I really do love these papers… here they are again!

This time the template is from the very clever Priscilla Halliday. The template is a blog freebie – I don’t think I’ve done it justice here – it comes with cool scrolly elements that go over the template bits and is just divine. I’ve replaced a little heart with the flower.

And she’s on my Creative Team too!

And finally, Corina’s paper again, with a template by Misty Cato. She’s got a line of sensational templates that come with things like stitches, overlays and torn edges. Such a cool idea! There’s a sample here, but check the ones out in her store – awesome concept.

That’s it for me – might go relax in this gorgeous spring weather while Mr A is asleep!

Catch ya…
K

Just about there…

It feels like a madhouse, the day before you go on holidays. Packing, checking, lists, lists and more lists. Chuck in a birthday party, a visit from Grandpa and a crawling baby, and chaos is only a step away.

One of my super clever CT members, Sue, is selling at Digi Scrap Divas – check out her yummy kits! My favourite is Matilda – love the colours to bits and the stitches are such a cool idea. I’ve used it on this page of my dear little Miss E. I might go back and add some of the orange paper in – I like the orange/pink/brown combo.

I’ve got some new doodles, for you doodley fans out there. The scrolls are huge – they’ll nearly go across the page and the papers have a painted texture to them – so fun. The paper pack is full of colour and value – 6 patterned papers, 8 plain and a sheet of kraft. If you start with the kraft, place some of the patterned paper on top, and then use your eraser to erase part of the pattern so the kraft below comes through, you can create your own paper – check out the example on the right.

Ok, off to bed I think – big day’s driving tomorrow. Make sure you check back Monday for your freebie 😉

Catch ya…
K