nature thru my eyes

Here are some pics I've taken whilst away at the coast. Not exactly the norm, I'm afraid! I've been using the Landscape feature on my camera a fair bit.

Seaweed swimming 2012 (Eden - on the edge of the wharf looking down over the side)

Spotted Gum bark - barking. 2012 I love the variations on bark - particularly on gum trees!

Spotted Gum Reaching for the Sky 2012 (taken at Potoroo Palace near Merimbula NSW)

Sky Lines 2012 I love clouds - some days their patterns just amaze me. (taken at Panboola reserve, Pambula, NSW)

Sky Lines Too 2012 - this one has the starlings on the wires and the bushland on the edges.

December Birthday Girls... digital page



December Birthday Girls Bond & Sparkle 2012 for CSI comp #51 digital page




click to go to CSI website

 I really had no ideas about this page to start with. These colours, although very pretty, I was getting nothing, nothing and nothing for ideas. I didn't have any xmas pics as yet, and wanted to scrap something I already had. So I went back to my birthday pics on the 1st December when my Auntie visited me from Melbourne. It was just luck that what everyone was wearing on that day matches the colour palette for CSI comp #51!

This might be the longest title I've ever used, but I'm really happy with this page. I had to do a really dark page inbetween because I just wasn't getting anything with these colours. But once I got that out of the way I was off n racing. I made my own 'beads' by following the example chrissie decs in the photo. As a kid it used to really grate having your birthday in December, but it was the norm in my family; me, my grandfather, my auntie, my uncle and my mum are all December babies! My Auntie (Dad's sister) took these pics of me, my Auntie, and my Uncle & Auntie who aren't.

Ingredients : lacey white plastic from Prima packaging scanned, Dee Bee Designs Love Birds : Scatter Silver Glitter & ‘PaperScallop’, Yalana Design Light Feelings no 28 flower (used outline to create my own flowers), Dee Bee Designs Love Birds -Bow 4 (blue ribbon bow) & Ribbon Blue Velvet Voile (straight ribbon), Feli Inner Peace ribbon (white bows) & Pendant (glass), created my own shiny beads using the Christmas decorations in the photo, CSI coordinates kit #51 – patterned paper (Christmas decorations), various snowflakes, various filigree circles, CSI Cordinates kit #47 journal block, created my own tags, pink n white striped pattern paper I made myself, etc
PS the page doesn't look square - but it is. A weird optical illusion thingy? Or is it just me?

Christmas card for my nan 2012

I've been a little time poor all round, but I have just managed to whack out this card for my Nan for Christmas. I will spend tomorrow morning with her (opening her presents/cards and encouraging her to eat chocolates) and then go out to lunch with my Auntie & Uncle who aren't.

I don't drive to the coast until the 27th. Didn't get time to do any cards for anyone else. Next year's resolution is to start them in July!

Christmas card for my nan 2012

Ingredients: lots of different fonts from my computer, The Ettes Time 4 Dreams patterned paper, Laura Burger Time Travels doiley, PreslestnayaP Designs Because of You elements - white flower, holly leaves and berries did myself. Quote was from the movie Kung Fu Panda (but its probably older than that!!

So This is Christmas 2012 digital layout

I did this digi page for the Orange Papiere December 2012 challenge - and what a challenge it was!! darn hard!! A sketch PLUS no traditional xmas colours (red green gold silver) AND no christmas embellies!!!  http://orangepaperieandco.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/december-challenge.html. Amazingly, I've only got the one string of flags - but I was able to configure that enough to get a similar pattern to Leanne's amazing sketch!

The amazing Orange Papiere sketch by Leanne Jago. Not so bad - its the rest of the challenge that does your head in!

In the end, it was kind of refreshing and enabled me to put on paper how disjointed I am this year the way things have fallen. Even though this page is bittersweet, I'm looking forward to being separated from my family, attending midnight mass tomorrow night (if I can stay awake!) and going to my Auntie & Uncle who aren't for Christmas Day and their son, daughter in law and grand kiddies, even though my Nan has since had two more minor falls - possibly bruised ribs. She lost so much weight in hospital, I fear her balance is compromised now.

Ingredients : CSI Coordinates kit #50: lace (changed to pink), CSI coordinates kit #30 spotty patterned paper (changed to pink/white), my own striped patterned paper changed to pink, Sweetly Scrapped paper black striped 8434600, Sweetly Scrapped bunting pink 550193, vintage roses free download internet, FAYette Happy Face elements (Buttons - changed colours to pink, Spotted Border-White), etc

Cheeky Squirrel 2012

2012 Cheeky Squirrel digi layout CSI comp #50

I really enjoyed this CSI Coordinates Pack #50! Isn't this a cheeky squirrel? I made my own striped pattern paper from the kit (a first for me), and constructed the frame from one of the swirls on the paper in the kit too. journal text says : "My brother Scott has lived in London the past 10 years or so, and like me, loves the park squirrels, whom the Brits put somewhere between the pigeon and the rat!" I used the "gather ye rosebuds" poem in the book but changed it to "acorns". (PS Oh, and it was hell knocking out all those holes from the lace. Hope I don't have to do that again any time soon. Should have used a white background!)
colours - yep,

http://csicolorstoriesinspiration.ning.com/photo/csi-49-giggler-2012?context=user#!/photo/2012-cheeky-squirrel-csi-no-50?context=user

Ingredients: Sweetly Scrapped butterfly, Squirrel pic (my brother's), squirrel (CSI Cord 27), woodgrain on acorns I created (CSI Cord 27), and from CSI Cord 50 : blue ribbon frame (put together by using mirroring), open book), numbered list, scroll title, tag, stamp, light stripes from patterned paper, blue/white patterned paper, etc

earned these CSI flairs :



Giggler 2012 digi layout

2012 Giggler digi layout CSI comp #49 take 2

I was at a bit of a loss tonight, and with no energy to look for other comps, I thought I'd try no CSI #49 again and see if I could get the colours to sit better on the page than my first attempt and try a non-xmas layout. I also wanted to try out one of these paint brush effects. I've never done two pages for the one comp before. This is me as a baby! I was inspired by the amazing layouts of Wilma Voermans at CSI.
Colours - yep, Evidence - numbers, buttons, ribbon, Testimony - used the 25 words - that's how many words are in my journaling!
Ingredients: will complete later. too.. yaawwnn.. tired now.

http://csicolorstoriesinspiration.ning.com/photo/csi-49-giggler-2012?context=user

Magic in a box 2012 digi layout

CSI comp #49. I found the example photo in this one very fiddly, and as a result, my layout also seems fiddly. The colours also seemed lovely; but putting them together was challenging for me. I loved my ViewMaster and used it for many years. I really did think it was some kind of magic!
Ingredients : [CSI Coordinates no 49 : cloud journal block (coloured red), ‘Do you believe in magic’ block, Houndstooth patterned paper, numbers, snowflake patterned paper (make into buttons), trio of flags] , background paper (created it myself – traced around the “scene photo” to get the box like pattern), [Yalana Design Light Feelings no 80 (white lacey bit), Dee Bee Designs Love Birds – ribbon Bow1 (blue ribbon), Sweetly Scrapped flower blue (coloured red), Inner Peace Elements Swirl (green scroll swirl), joy star – made that myself, Fonts: (2 peas in a bucket : AL Playbook, Fancy Free), general Windows font Calisto MT, etc
oops - yes - another digital layout!

http://csicolorstoriesinspiration.ning.com/photo/magic-in-a-box-csi-49?context=featured 



Magic in a box 2012 CSI # 49 comp digi layout



Top 5 winning page

Recipe 4 Creativity 2012 digital layout

I was really inspired by this case file to highlight my inner struggling artist. I have used two recent paintings of mine. The main theme of this comp was to do with a recipe - so I used a recipe format to do my journalling. It was very popular but the layout itself is very personal to me and shows my recent artwork and I really pushed my digital boundaries with the Coordinates kit to get the effects I wanted.
Ingredients : digital layout using Adobe Fireworks, CSI Coordinates no 47 : Curly frame, outline leaves (changed to blue), CSI Coordinates no 48 : Blueberries (coloured blue/green) and made into balloons, Recipe card, quotes (two written out on text paths), patterned tags (cut squares and butterflies out of them), patterned paper (background), clock face, apple. Scanned : doily from ChipChopShop, crochet daffodil (my nanna made it – incredibly fine work) coloured lime green, CSI Coordinates No 30 : hinge with bolts (made silver brads from bolts), Fonts: AL Playbook, Arial Narrow, Times New Roman, paintings : mine

Recipe 4 Creativity 2012 digital layout

CSI Flairs I won for this page:

My Auntie & Uncle Who Aren't 2012 digital layout

My Auntie & Uncle Who Aren't 2012 (for CSI comp no 47)

I was going for old fashioned yet retro. Not sure if I got there. Another digital layout. These are special people in my life. I always feel welcome and a part of the family. I used "kraft" background to help balance out these lovely colours, and grabbed lots from the Co-ordinates pack! I really enjoyed doing the patchwork hearts - the patterned paper in the kit was all these tiny squares, so I went online to patchwork quilt sites and saw how they did hearts, and then 'cut out' my heart from the patterned paper.

Ingredients [CSI coordinates no 47 (birdie, hydrangea flower, outline leaves, red line frame, patterned paper hearts are 'cut' from, journal block (oval), journal block patch square], [CSI Coordinates 27- stitched cloud, squirrel], mesh (made it myself), Sweetly Scrapped flowers 8091652 (coloured blue), Yalana Design Light Feelings no 122 (crochet flower coloured red/white), my own scan of a ChipChopShop doiley (coloured brown), CSI Coordinates no 45 - buttons, my own poor effort drawing of a house, etc

CSI Flairs I got for this layout :

moving nan

Today I'm moving things into nan's new room at a high care aged care place which is close to her sister's house. I'm really excited to get nan out of the hospital, where the care was just not high enough for her needs.

Can't stand around to gossip - need to get going!!

Happy christmas to all if I don't get back in time for more comments!

Kylie gW
xxxx

nan.. and me

a new card for nan (digital)

I feel like I'm split into two people at the moment. On one hand, I am enjoying digital scrapping and doing amazingly well considering I've never really done it before, and people seem to like my pages. But on the other hand I'm still in an odd place emotionally, trying to dig myself out of a bad place. I've made a very slow start. I've started to tidy up my house again, and actually went into the back garden (The Jungle) and pulled some weeds and tidied up a tiny area. That's the first time I've been out there in six months and touched the garden (I've only been out there previously to hang up clothes on the line).

Nan is still going well. But unfortunately, it looks like she will need a home that has full care now. Not that this is a bad thing; I actually feel quite good about it - knowing that she will be less likely to have another fall. But it just means that now I've got to wait on an assessment team (maybe next week), this weekend I've got to go to the place where she has been living for the past few years and clear everything out from clothes to squirrelled items, and some smaller furniture, and store it in my shed until we know where she is going and what she can take.And of course, no family are coming to help - it will just be me as usual. I can't really ask her 95 year old sister to help - she's been really supportive in other ways.

The hospital where she is currently for the rehab just don't have the staff or time to really assist nan properly. She's not been eating as well as normal (and she eats like a horse!) because they kind of drop a tray in front of her and just run. She can't read the bits on the menu to know what everything is or where it is (everything is in sealed containers) and sometimes she thinks she's not hungry now - but she is not very long after. So I've been visiting her at meal times to help her out. Last night was good. I left early from work and arrived before the food. She had Fish n Chips and icecream. She used the fork and spoon herself (with a little help from me so she didn't drop what was left on the utensil in her lap) and I helped her chop the chips into small pieces.

Then she announced something was in her pocket, and found a stray two pieces of chocolate (in foil) which she insisted I share with her. It was actually quite nice.

It was good to see her eat a fair portion of her meal. We sat, talked, watched the TV a bit, held hands (ouch she has a grip!!!) and then I gathered the laundry and left. She was a bit teary when I got there and said she had had a sad day, and I just said that was fine - we all have days like that - she said she felt like crying - I said that was fine too - we're girls - that's what we do - and if wanted to cry she should just go ahead and do it. Then she brightened up.

I don't know what I'm doing for Christmas. I would normally go to the coast to be with my parents and my brother, but I can't even think about christmas. There's not enough head space for that. If Nan is still in hospital I just don't feel comfortable abandoning her. Plus, there's still her washing to be done.

My Nan.. my birthday

OK, I've grown a bit since. This is my 7th birthday party in 1976.

My Nan is still moving at a rapid rate. It's just amazing. I really really hope that she will be able to go back to her aged care home before Christmas instead of being in rehab/hospital. She has been moved to a room where she shares with another lady, and she is loving her hired TV. She is a great cricket fan, so she enjoyed that the last few days.

I had my birthday on the weekend - a bit of a non-event usually, but my Auntie came up from melbourne to be with me, and it was really great catching up with her, and seeing pics of her new home in melbourne after her move from perth.

She told me alot of things from my past which I think will be really helpful to me. The weather was not very kind; very steamy and icky, although Sunday was the best of them. I had a little tear in my eye when I popped her back on the bus at the station (another classic train trip - by bus!).

I saw Nan last night and she was happy to see me and is the best I've seen her yet. I have now worked out how to do her laundry - I have re-discovered my container of Nappysan!!!

I have the day off today just for me to catch up on chores/get groceries. I'm going to take it slow, but not too slow - I still want to get things done!

I really want to get onto my CSI challenge page no 48 if I can. I didn't have any time or energy over the weekend.

I watched the digitally re-mastered Star Wars original saga IV, V & VI during the week. WOW. The additions are quite amazing and give it a well rounded feel. The only bit I didn't like was that Anniken Skywalker the younger was the ghost you see at the end, rather than the old self one. Ahhh... memories. I was too small for New Hope or Empire Strikes Back (plus our parents felt they were too scary), but I saw Return of the Jedi at the cinema, in 1980something.

I got some nice practical birthday presents (my favourites) mostly for my garden. My hoses are tired, my fittings leaking, and my gardening gloves ready to run away. My Auntie gave me scrapbooking tape - lovely patterns and plains.

My Nan.. breaking records

My nan is still recovering at a fast rate. She is bright and chipper and talkative (still with dementia though) and she is now walking using the frame with wheels (she calls it her wheelie). I'm visiting her every second day after work on weekdays, and in the afternoon on one day on a weekend.

I've gone back and forth a bit and burned a bit of petrol; a whole tank in 1.5 weeks. That's a record for me.

Nan's hip is healing well and some of the bruising is now turning yellow. She dressed every day, sits up in a chair in her room, does her physio, and I've just taken across her crochet and organised a TV for her in the room. Hopefully that will stop her being too demandinig on the staff; at the other hospital she shouted out to a nurse as she was helping someone else "hey you. you there - you girl! come here!" at the top of her lungs.

She's not bedridden or depressed (yet) and some people who see her wonder what she's doing there. Anyone else with her injury wouldn't look like she does (certainly not me!).

It's still a waiting game though. Until the assessment is done in a few weeks I won't know if she gets to go back to her aged care home or not.

All digital scrapbooking community ?

I've done a bit of trawling on the internet but can't really find what I'm looking for. Can anyone recommend an all - digital scrapbooking community with challenges? Would prefer one that allows material from other kits, but all of them so far seem to have their own kits and comps limited to those kits.

I'm more interested in creative digital scrapping than using templates.

Thanks in advance!

Kylie

it's a wedding... digital layout

One of my best friends at work recently organised her daughter's wedding (whom I have known since she was about eight years old). I wanted to do something special for her. I did this page for The CSI Case Files #47, but then tweeked it into the bridesmaids colours so I could give a copy to the MOTB for her desktop pic on the computer.

Chanel is trained in graphic design, so I'm sure she could do alot better than this, but I thought the proud MOTB might want something special on her computer for a bit.

glowing 2012 (CSI # 46)

glowing (in orange) 2012 for MOTB

Evidence (for CSI comp #46): grid design, animals (swallows), frames, textured element (background paper), translucent elements (white ribbon), glows (the bride?), Testimony: used word "glow" in journalling.

for glowing (in purple) from CSI

for glowing (in purple) from CSI

Ingredients : Indigo Always In My Mind no 17 (heart), [Yalana Design Light Feelings No 15 (yellow green ribbon), no 13 (mauve flowers)], [LDW Inner Peace Element bow beige (on hearts), Flower2 (white rose), Branch (changed to white and edited), Rolled Flower (changed to several colours), Ribbon White 2, Handle, Round Frame (changed to oval), Paper8 (edited to green/white)], DBDesigns E flower 5 (hydrangea), TMD Sunset Ornate Frame (white), CSI swallows, own grid pattern, CSI dictionary text patterned paper, etc

card for my nan 2012 digital

I created my first digital card (based on a Scrapville card sketch nov dec 2012), printed it out, and stuck it in a black card and wrote inside it with a white gel pen. (then I also put it in one of those plastic pocket card protectors as last time Nan was in hospital and I gave her a card she got it all wet and it buckled!)

I did a prompt message inside. Something you give someone with dementia; explaining why she's in hospital, that she's had an operation, what she needs to do to get out of hospital, that i love her, and who I am (not that she ever forgets who I am when she sees me)! That way, whenever she picks it up it will answer all her questions and maybe for a little bit not be as anxious with the not-knowings.

2012 card for my nan - digital scrapbooking. I'm not thinking clearly enough to list the ingredients. A mixture of Pickleberrypop & CSI Coordinates I think.

It's a card thing... Thinking of you with bunnies & Dad

This is the first card I created this year just a month or so ago. It wasn't for easter - I just like bunnies!!! I used the sketch from Scrapville, and it fits nicely into the Color Throwdown CTD218 comp - but I didn't create it for that, so it probably wouldn't count.

I used to love doing cards, then I started scrapbooking. Now I struggle with cards. I haven't scrapped at my table for almost 3 months (mojo gone), but I've got into digital scrapping now so at least I'm still creating and learning about that world.

Thinking of you with bunnies... 2012 card, scrapville sketch

2007 card for my dad for father's day.. strange.. similar colours..? (Thats me and Dad there)

Virtual Garden 2012 digital

My Nan slept most of yesterday, recovering from the pinning of her hip operation after a fall. She is 98 years young. I was with her in the hospital all day yesterday and the day before. All I'm hoping for is the best outcome for her.

From the moment I learnt of her fall and hospitalisation, I started to see this visual in my head, as I place I can go to and be with Nan, and I've used it alot over the past few days to escape to.

I used the Once Upon A sketch Nov 2012 sketch http://onceuponasketchblog.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/november-challenge-group-b-reveal.html#comment-form, and The Color Room Palette #136 (with added white and french vanilla) https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Color-Room/113674121988240?ref=hl.

I don't think it will actually qualify for the Once Upon A Sketch comp - they say "traditional pages only". I don't know exactly what that means, but I suspect that probably means no digital pages. It doesn't matter if I can't win anything. I just loved the sketch and wanted to share it!

Virtual Garden 2012 digital page

Ingredients: [IndigoD Always in my Heart:  lillium flowers(also did a white mask of same flowers), leaf outline, patterned paper 3 (was originally brown)], [Feli Designs Inner Peace: bird (created mask of), Tull Lace Flower, Filigree)], [Yalana Designs Light Feelings: #123 crochet flower, #7 dandelion], CSI #44 coordinates wooden frame (was originally blue), CSI #32 coordinates spotted patterned paper, The Color Room palette #75 digital giveaway kit 'This is the life' journal block (edited), etc

my nan

Although she was in some pain before the op, the operation looks good so far and she is doing really well. I've bawled my eyes out 5 times today around other people, and had lots of hugs. Nan is sitting up eating a meal 5 hours after the operation. Good on her!

I'm beat. I'm having trouble winding down. It may mean another digital scrap page before I go to bed.

I'm still seeing that visual in my head of Nan and myself on that park bench in that amazing garden. That might have to be my next page.

sad

my nan is in hospital with a broken hip. she was so good when I saw her on sunday and gave her the new clothes. I am so sad. But I am so angry with my family who refuse to come and be with her. I'm sick of hearing their feeble excuses. I've had to tell work I just don't know if I'll be in today; I just don't want Nan to be all alone and I'm going in to just be with her and hold her hand. Her sister was there yesterday.

I keep getting a visual of my nan and me sitting on a bench in the most beautiful garden I've ever seen; so many wonderous perfumed flowers, sun shining, bees buzzing, birds singing, and my nan is crocheting a rug and she is asking me how everyone is (every 10 minutes or so because she has dementia). It is so peaceful and feels so wonderful.

I don't know what is going to happen. My family don't want the operation to take place. They would rather be cowards and hope that nan will just pass away, but worse case she may linger on pain killers for the rest of her life (even if that is weeks, months or years) with no hope. Even if its not possible to recover, at least if she has the operation and survives she's got something to fight for and can go down fighting like she always has in the past. I don't know. I don't know what is best. I just feel its wrong for her to be on her own at this point in time, so I'm going to the hospital today.

I don't know if I'm strong enough. I don't know what to say. But I'm going.

New Clothes 4 Nan digital

I used the Nov 2012 sketch from Orange Paperie & Co at http://orangepaperieandco.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/kims-november-challenge.html for this page. It went through several drafts before I had a design I was happy with. I can't show my Nan with her new clothes on as they have to be labelled with her name on them before she can have them in her wardrobe! So I cut her head out and pasted it onto the clothes that I took on my floor at home! Cheating I know.

I am now also teaching myself how to use masks. Used on this page in background. Yay.

New Clothes 4 Nan. Nov 2012

Ingredients: [PickleBerryPop: TMD Sunset paper pack (orange background paper), Indigo Always in My Heart no 18 (fancy frame), DB Designs jewel scatter, Yalana Design Light Feelings (string bow), Inner Peace Elements (round antique frame, flowers)], CSI Coordinates No 45 page of text from dictionary, CSI Coordinates #43 (journal block), buttons & birdies from The Color Room digital kit, ChipChopShop plastic crochet doily (i scanned it), Prima packaging plastic doily (I scanned it), corrugated cardboard (I scanned it), etc

Self Portrait 2012 TCR #135 Digital

I loved this palette from The color Room challenge no #135 - it seemed to be dripping with vibrant colours, and although i'm not a great purple fan, it does go really well with the tan and the pink in the palette. The tan was a bit confusing to me for a while - it seemed to be called Advocado and I actually had to check the colour coding to make sure it was tan and not some kind of green, and my printer had just printed it wrong.

This is another digital layout. I still can't take myself to my scrap table and scrap. I can't do alot of things at the moment, so I'm kind of glad that some of the creative me bits are coming back after such a long absence.

Self Portrait 2012 digi page

I spent some time on this page trying to get paper-based-like effects to work. It was kind of fun. My Pickle berry pop kits have been a Godsend. I still can't quite believe the change in the quality and variety since I last looked (about 4 years ago).

This page is kind of self explanatory. This was a series of pics I did about 4 weeks ago when I was realy depressed. Stuff happens. But I've got forced smile pics to use afterwards for scrapping.

It's a bit more messy than I would have liked. Maybe I lost a bit of patience in the end.

***WOW. This page was featured for TCR #135. I'm honored!***

Ingredients: Adobe Fireworks, my pics of my petunias, my own created tags (trying to copy those on the sketch), my own created staples, Free Scrapbooking "Font" capital S and capital P, Pickle berry Pop kits : Love Birds, Inner Peace, Always in my Heart, Light Feelings, Tallula Moon Sunset, and buttons from one of The Color Room digital kits.

smaller file for those with less computer grunt:

A bit of art.. mine!

This painting just came to me in my mind and I just had to paint it - about 5 hours on Friday night. This is the first actual painting I've done for 12 months (except for the Illuminated text project) on paper.

I don't really understand what its all about yet. Something to do with change, I think. Do you want to see it? I've decided to call it Change.. with Butterflies. The more I look at it, the more confused I get - like there's a message there somewhere but I don't know the language to interrupt it. I feel a kind of saddness when I look at it, but other people I've shown feel its more on the inspiring side. Oh, well, maybe one day my artistic side of my brain will let the other side know what its all about.

I used to paint like this in the old days. Bright colours. More niave art than anything else.

Change.. with Butterflies (c) 2012 Kg Waldon

digital scrapping.. more


 

I did another layout - this time with all Pickle Berry Pop digital elements. WOW. It's so amazing what is on offer now. I just sat there for 2 hours and put it all together. I love the control over the colours and the freedom with the flowers. If I want tiny wee eye candy flowers to soften it off I just re-size some and then chop them up and spread them where I want them. Amazing!
Used Photoshop - but there were just too many limitations. I think Fireworks is the go.



Sad pics? 2012 digital layout. Yummo. Love the bits and pieces available now!



digital scrapping?

I've been trying for weeks to scrap something, but just can't. And then, out of mere frustration, I took the CSI co-ordinate pack and screen grabbed bits out of it and took it into Adobe Fireworks and just started making something up out of it. I was inspired I think by the gorgeous moulded frames. That seemed to work.
Then I tried a layout using Photoshop - but I wasn't really happy with it, and it was darn difficult to do any texty, drop shadows, etc. But I thought, hey, looks like I'm on a roll here - but I don't have anything digital to use except for what is in the CSI co-ordinate kit. (which sometimes is lacking in flowers)
I found Pickberrypop online and saw their amazing digital kits, picked four, and then bought them online, downloaded them. WOW. Digital scrapping has come a long way since I last looked into it (about 3 years ago). I bought Always in my Heart, Love Birds (loved the patterned paper), Inner Peace, Light Feelings, Photo Textures 1.1, and Talula Moon Sunset.
I love using my imagination to use what I've got to fit whatever the comp is asking for. Fireworks really fits with how I like to work;

• you splat everything in that you want to use
• then you play with layers and sizes and flipping and rotating
• you play with the colours (if you're using a comp palette or you just want to reduce the number of colours on the page)
• then you make all the layers disappear and start at the bottom and turn each one on and place it where you want it, making a few extra bits here and there as required
• you do the final touches (like text or shadows)
• you export it out

My brain is just loving this. Course, it means writing off the whole weekend to be either in front of the computer, TV or painting (I also have a painting on the go).

YAY.

Serenity - My first ever all digital layout I did in 2011 with a kit provided from The Color Room I think.

2012 stuck - my first digital layout this year using Fireworks and the CSI co-ordinates pack #43

mmm chocolates 2012 digital layout in Photoshop. Much more difficult to get it how I wanted it. Used CSI Co-ordinate pack #42.

My Home 2012 - digital layout in Fireworks. This is more like it! Used mainly the CSI Coordinate pack #44 as well as pieces from PickleBerryPop's Always in My Heart (yellow flowers/leaf outline), Light Feelings (crochet flower), Love Birds (leaf patterned paper), Inner Peace (white ribbon, swirl) (** GOT FEATURED AT CSI FOR THIS WEEK**)

illuminated text.. first attempt in adulthood

I've pulled out a book I've had on exactly how to do illuminated text that I've been sitting on for a year or two, and giving some of it a go. I love the background patterns and the work that goes into a project. As a teenager I was really interested in this, and even mixed egg yolk into my paints (with mixed results!) and tried gold leaf (it was too hard!). Somewhere I still have some of those really early efforts. I can remember the first one was tiny.

I'm having a go at several of the patterns and techniques, but no traditional materials this time. I've constricted the pallette to red, aqua, white, blue and black.

It's actually alot of fun once I get going. The border pattern is basically three steps repeated. The majority of the work was in drawing it up.

The inner parts includes a picture and text, and two large letters.

outside border underway.. yay. Once the grid lines and background colour are done, it's just repeating a 3 step process

Up close and personal.. all with a wee brush

This is a close up?? yes, it is. You can see more of my mistakes in this one!