2009 Calendar - Layered Templates - Limited Time Only

Well, I thought I'd work on another fundraiser for the Homeless Center. My goal would be to have people be able to add their own photos to this, but I haven't quite figured out how to do that yet! Perhaps if I just simplify a couple of the pages....

Anyway, for a couple days, I'll have this calendar available for free. Then it will move to the donation basis, similar to some of my other designs.

Here is an example of how I've done the month of January. The "spirals" are in there just to illustrate what they'll look like together -- they're actually two different pages.

Included in the download are 24 different 8.5x11 files (actually 8.75x11.25 for printers' trim margins). They're created at 300dpi. I created them using http://www.lulu.com/ 's dimentions and trim requirements. My intention for my personal calendars is to have them spiral bound using lulu. Certainly you could choose other methods. Each page also has a Bible verse on it along the bottom of the frame. The "outline" is done in two layers, so if you choose to remove the Bible verses, you can fill in the holes left where the words were.

For a limited time only, you can download the layered templates HERE. They're in one zip file, which is a 9MB download.

Layered Template #43: 2 Pager, 11 Photo

I just realized I had a 2-page template waiting to be uploaded! It's been sitting in a folder for about 3 weeks just waiting. Oops! You can tell how busy it's been at our house this summer!

Let's see... other things going on (other than being nuts busy).

I finished my family's 2007 scrapbook album! Now to wait for a coupon for printing it. I filled up all 100 allowed pages at Shutterfly! Definitely can't afford to pay for it until there's a sale!

I also just finished an "ABC: Jesus Loves Me" 6x9 book for a fundraiser for the Homeless Center. I put A-Z animals and A-Z bible verses together into this little booklet. I got news today that it has shipped (the first sample) -- so we'll see how it looks!

The other project I'm in the midst of is making a book out of the blog I have about my kids. Since February 2007, I've been trying to document all the silly things they say and do during our daily life. So I'm basically "writing a book" with a picture here or there to fill the space. I know that blogs won't be around forever, but hopefully the Blog Book will be around for the next generations. It's been a fun trip down memory lane. Also some of the quickest/easiest scrapping I've ever done, because I can just cut/paste!

Alright, that's it for me. I got sucked into "Project Runway" and am up much later than I intended as a result. But it's nearly over, so definitely time for bed!

HERE is today's template download link.

A Little Vacation - but I'm back!

I've been M.I.A. lately... sorry!

Actually... no I'm not! I took the kids to my parents' house (see photo above), left them there, then spent a week at meetings (Mon-Wed), then in Chicago with my husband to celebrate our 10th Anniversary.

It was a wonderful weekend away -- wish we could do it more often! I certainly missed the kids a TON (it was the longest they've been away from both of us at the same time). But spending alone time with my husband was a blessing.

We were able to take in Cirque de Soleil, a Cubs game (go, Cubs, go...), and "Wicked" while we were there. In some ways too short, in other ways, it's good to be home.

However, now I've got a backlog of work to do... so we'll see when we can catch up on some scrapping! :)

Play Ball Title Word Art

OK, this is a test to see if this will actually work. I've "emailed" this small PNG file to my blogger account. I'm hoping that you can click on the title link and download it from here, rather than having to go to 4shared.

So test it out... does it work for you?

Click on the image, then when the "Play Ball" comes up in a new screen, right click on it and choose "Save As" -- it should come up to save as a PNG file.

Let me know how it worked! 4Shared is great for big files, but kind of annoying (in many ways) for the small ones.

So about this little piece of word art. I needed a title for a LO of my kids playing catch (I'll have to find/share that one, too). I wanted to make a "baseball" looking word art of the words "Play Ball", but I wasn't really sure how to do that. Then the lightening bolt (er...ball) hit me in the head...

The picture above is made of a close-up photo of an actual baseball. I just positioned the letters over the strings so that it would vary a bit for each letter. So when you look at the letters up close, you can see the real strings, the leather texture, as well as the holes and accompanying cracks in the leather of each individual stitch. I thought it turned out pretty cool.

This particular set of word DOES have a drop shadow. Since I layered them on top of each other, I thought it needed something to create some differentiation in the letters. I hope you aren't too annoyed by the shadows (note: I don't typically add shadows to elements/word art, because that does usually annoy me).

I feel an alpha coming on....

Enjoy!

Layered Template #42 (back on numerical track)

Well... it was inevitable... last night my daughter showed signs of blisters on her hands, feet, and mouth. Great. Our Thurs/Friday trip to a family wedding next week may end up being out of the question. Even if they're better, we may be too shot to make the 9+ hour drive!

Anyone want to babysit on Tuesday/Wednesday? Both my husband and I have work commitments we really shouldn't get out of. I want my Mommy! This is when it's really rough to be new to an area... no support system in place!

But.... scrapping continues to provide a good outlet! :) So, you guys benefit as well.

In this LO, each stamped frame, each photo, and each word in the title is a separate layer. So there are a LOT of layers. But it also allows you to put a LOT of pictures on the page. This is another instance where I didn't want to leave out these pictures, but none of them were wonderful in and of themself.

With the title -- yes, it says "I love Maryland" -- but each word is its separate layer, so you can delete "Maryland" and add your own word. The font that I used is called "Digs My Hart" and is free at various places. To get the sticker effect, I selected the text, then expanded my selection by 5 pixels. I moved that selection to its own layer and filled it with white.

So enough of my mini tutorial -- not my forte! ;) Instead, I'll share the link for the template. Go find 17 photos to fill it! HERE is the link.