Thursday, November 12, 2009

Cute Layouts by Lajuana


Here's a couple more very cute layouts using my "Valentine Be Mine" kit. These were was created by Lajuana aka "scrapladyandmore" .

The first one is titled "Minnie Mouse" and was formerly on display in the Gallery at Deco-Pages.com:



The second one is titled "I Love Minnie Mouse" and was also formerly on display in the Gallery at Deco-Pages.com:



Thank you Lajuana for choosing and using my design!!!

Unfortunately, the "Valentine Be Mine" kit is no longer available for sale at Deco-Pages.com since the site has closed.

Happy Veteran's Day!!!


Here's a very patriotic layout using my "Patriot Colors" kit. This one was created by Cyndi Waldmann aka "Digi-Scrap". It is titled "US Veteran's Day" and shows the development of the United States Veteran's Day. It was formerly on display in the Gallery at Deco-Pages.com:

(Unfortunately, the image no longer avaiable)

Thank you Cyndi for choosing and using my design!!!

Unfortunately, the "Patriot Colors" kit is no longer available for sale at Deco-Pages.com since the site has closed.

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Starving Artists Multi-Store Tagger Collab On Sale Starting Today...



180 designers set out to make a unique tagger kit, with 1 common color scheme. The result was the LARGEST tagger collab in HISTORY!

All of your favorite designers, All of your favorite stores are hosting this One-of-a-kind multi-store collab!

A list of stores are provided as well as a list of designers on the Starving Artist Blog. Be sure to check them all out to get one heck of a colorful, unique tagger MASSIVE collab.

But Hurry!!! This collab ONLY runs through the month of July at a Low introductory rate per kit of $2.00 each!

Stay tuned for the biggest collab kit in digi-scrap history....



The starving artist collab is the first of it's kind for taggers, designers, and the digital community! Never before has so many different designers and stores come together for a common purpose! To designs and have fun! The starving artist collab kits will not share a common theme, but a common color scheme. Each kit is unique within it's design, and they are HUGE!!! There is a minimum of 10-15 papers and 30-50 elements PER KIT!!! And each for $2.00! WOW!!! And they are only available for the month of July as a Mega Collab!!! Be a part of history! There will never be a multi-store collab like this! Follow the blog, check out the designers and the stores and mark your calendar's for July 1st.....That's when the amazing kits take off. And remember, each store will have a special section entitled Starving Artist Collab.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Retro Design's Newest Quick Page Freebies

The following two layouts were created using Quick Page Freebies created by Helen Weber (Retro Designs). They were formerly available through Deco-Pages.com:


Quick Page Freebie #1


Quick Page Freebie #2



Meandering Salamander

Journaling:
This was a tough critter to get a photo of on our recent trip to Florida. He kept meandering everywhere! My daughter, Nicole, tried to get a photo of another one but no such luck. Patience and persistence finally paid off or I simply wore him out for this photo.

Notes:
This is another great QP by Helen Weber (Retro Designs). Many others who have used the QP have opted to do extractions. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do an extraction or not, but the photo of the salamander on the wall behind the bushes lent itself to an extraction of the bushes. Unfortunately the extraction covers up a third of the frame Helen created. If you know me by now, you know I can never leave well enough alone. The quick page comes with a Sun clock with it’s time set at ten minutes after 10:00. I took my photo at 4:00 in the afternoon, so I had to change the time on the Sun clock. With a little cutting, pasting, mirroring, blending and erasing the Sun clock now displays the corrected time.

Credits:
Photos: Tom Dillion II
Quick Page Freebie #1: Helen Weber (Retro Designs) - Time Began In A Garden Quick Page Freebie
Font: Papyrus
Software: PSCS2


Potting Shed Window - St. Thomas

Notes:
This is another great QP by Helen Weber (Retro Designs). The view through a Potting Shed Window is something I would love to see everyday. If I could see this view everyday, it would mean I was living on the beautiful island of St. Thomas in the Caribbean. This photo was taken on a photo tour of the island during our recent Caribbean cruise on January 29 – February 8, 2009. It was taken from the top of the mountain looking down at the Port of Havensight. There are two ships in view in the middle upper right window pane. The ship to the right is the Emerald Princess, which we were cruising on. I made some subtle changes to the QP. I changed the text on the plaque in the upper left to say St. Thomas. I added a plant in the bucket on the shelf. The plant is an extraction of a plant I took a photo of on the cruise. Finally, I added a ship key chain to the right side of the window.

Credits:
Photos: Tom Dillion II
Quick Page: Helen Weber (Retro Designs) - Time Began In A Garden Quick Page Freebie #2
Font: Ravie
Software: PSCS2

Thank you very much again Helen Weber (Retro Designs)!!!

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Lori Staton's Flutterfly QP Freebie



33rd Anniversaries

My newest layout was created using a cute Quick Page Freebie designed by Lori Staton
for her "Flutterflies" kit. The kit was formerly available at Deco-Pages.com.

Journaling:
Roses for Cheryl from me and flowers from Linde and Sue to celebrate our… 33rd Anniversaries.

Notes:
I went to college with Linde. He and Sue were married one week before Cheryl and me. Almost every year we go out for dinner to celebrate our anniversaries together. This year started with brunch at our house. Then antiquing in Springfield, Ohio. Then dinner at Red Lobster.

Credits:
Photos: Tom Dillion II
Quick Page: Lori Statton - Flutterfly QP Freebie

Font: Brockscript
Software: PSCS2

Many thanks to Lori for sharing her Flutterfly Quick Page Freebie!!!

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Retro Design's Quick Page Freebies

The following two layouts were created using the very generous Quick Page Freebies by Helen Weber (Retro Designs), which can be found by first going to the former "Scraps Of Memories Freebies" thread in the Deco-Pages Forum. After you're there you must post a message asking if you can join the fun or something to that tune. (You may have to register on the site if you haven't already done so.) Helen will send you a Private Message within Deco-Pages with the link to her first Quick Page Freebie. Once you have completed the Quick Page and posted it in the Gallery, go back to the thread, post a link to your layout and Helen will send another Private Message to you with the link to her second Quick Page Freebie...




Lucretia and Samuel Leiper

Notes:

I was going through my Mother’s collection of family belongings. Something I have done several times before. Only this time while looking through a green metal file box that belonged to my Grandfather (my Mother’s father), I noticed the lid was a little heavier than it should be and there was something rattling in it. Then I noticed a key hole, so I looked through the file box and found a cloth bag containing three keys. One was broke. It was most likely the original for the file box. Another key was too large for the hole. I’m curious what lock it fits? The third key was newer and very shiny. It did not completely match the broken key, but it fortunately fit the hole. It was most likely the replacement for the broken key. I was amazed when I opened this secret compartment in the lid. It contained several rolls of old coins, my Grandfather’s wallet and several envelopes. Each envelope contains photographs of my Mother’s family. Having not seen many photographs of my Mother’s family, this is an absolute gold mine for me. This layout contains some of the contents of one of the envelopes as well as the envelope itself. It was sent by a Mrs. Jenison to my Grandfather in June 1921. This date is based on the date on the letter contained in the envelope and the post mark. The two photographs I placed in the book are of my Grandparents, Lucretia and Samuel Leiper. The four photographs along the bottom are of my Grandmother. The photographs were taken at Mrs. Jenison’s home in Lansing, Michigan and the Conservatory on Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan. What appears to be cards with writing on them are actually the back side of some of the photographs. These were written by Mrs. Jenison. I felt these were journaling enough for this layout. The one I thought was humorous I placed on the book. It says: “Who’s the Jewess? or Hunk?” I thought it was humorous because I thought the term “hunk” was a modern day term… It just proves there’s new under the sun. The sayings on the other two photographs are: ”I always take the best picture when you can’t see what I look like” and “A chicken with a chic pose and a hen face at the Conservatory on Belle Isle, Detroit, Mich.”. The second saying was on the back side of the photograph of my Grandmother in the bottom right of the layout.

Additional Notes:


When is a Quick Page not a Quick Page? It's when you want to add something to the layout and you want to place it under an element in the Quick Page. I wanted to place the photographs under the book. It required duplication of the background and then erasing everything around the book. Thus, making the book in the Quick Page it's own element. LOL!!! This was fun! Thanks Helen!!!

Credits:


Photos: Mrs. Jenison
Quick Page Freebie #1: Helen Weber
 (Retro Designs) - Scraps Of Memories kit
Flower Elements: Deb Ammerman – 07 Scrapbook Day kit
Swirl Element: CAZ – Garden Party June 2006 PTP kit
Font: Edwardian Script
Software: PSCS2




Leiper Family


Journaling (left side of book):


LEIPER

Samuel Harper Leiper
.....b. March 23, 1897
.....m. December 21, 1921
Lucretia Isabell Bashaw
.....b. August 24, 1898
Hugh Miller Leiper
.....b. November 1, 1922
Moneta Frances Leiper
.....b. January 31, 1924
Glenna Joanne Leiper
.....b. December 28, 1928

Journaling (under photo):


Samuel Harper Leiper
.....b. March 23, 1897
.....d. May 13, 1935

Notes:


I decided to make this QP layout a mini-genealogy of my Leiper Family. The middle photo features my Grandmother Lucretia Isabell Bashaw Leiper holding my Mother Glenna Joanne Leiper on her lap with my Uncle Hugh Miller Leiper standing on her right and my Aunt Moneta Frances Leiper standing on her left. The photo in the book features my Grandfather Samuel Harper Leiper.

Credits:


Photos: Unknown Photographer
Quick Page Freebie #2: Helen Weber (Retro Designs) - Scraps Of Memories kit
Font: Harrington
Software: PSCS2

Thank you very much Helen Weber (Retro Designs)!!!

More Layouts Using Patriot Colors

Here's a couple very cute layouts, that have used my "Patriot Colors" kit and are formerly on display in the Gallery at the former scrapbook website Deco-Pages.com:

The layout below is titled "Stars of the Stage
" was created by Lajuana aka scrapladyandmore.


.....(Image No Longer Available)

The layout below is titled "Kung Fu Poser" was created by Lajuana aka scrapladyandmore.

.....(Image No Longer Available)

Thank you Lajuana aka scrapladyandmore for choosing and using some of my design!!!

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Patriotic Layouts

The following two Patriotic layouts were created using the Quick Pages from my new "Patriot Colorskit, which will be available at a website to be determined.



American Eagle

Journaling:
''O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!''

This is a photo of the American Eagle artwork painted on the wall at the VFW Post 4044 in Columbus, Ohio. It was painted by a local artist, John Buttaci. I had the fortunate chance to photograph it at my Uncle Hugh Leiper’s Going Away Party on June 12, 2005.

Credits:
Photo: Tom Dillion II
All Elements: Tom Dillion II – Patriot Colors kit
Font: Eight Fifteen
Software: PSCS2





Hugh Leiper

Journaling:
Hugh Leiper
VFW 4044 Post Commander
1988-1989

Note:
This is a photo of a photo of my Uncle Hugh. I was amazed when I found the photo hanging on the wall of the VFW Post 4044 in Columbus, Ohio at his Going Away Party on June 12, 2005. This is my Mother’s older brother. I couldn’t understand why he was having his Going Away Party at the VFW until I found the photo and realized he was a member and former Commander.

Credits:
Photo: Tom Dillion II
All Elements: Tom Dillion II – Patriot Colors kit
Font: Pythagoras
Software: PSCS2

Monday, July 14, 2008

Patriot Colors

Preview 1

Preview 2


Preview 3

"Patriot Colors" was available in the store at the former scrapbook website Deco-Pages.com. I've been working off and on this kit for a year. I'm glad it took a year because of all the techniques I've learned and incorporated in the kit. They make the kit so much better.


"Patriot Colors" is just in time to scrap your 4th of July layouts. It celebrates patriotism with the deep colors of Red, White and Blue. I love these colors. To me they stand for freedom, honor and country. This kit can be used for any occasion. Let your imagination be your guide.

All Kit Elements were Created at 300 dpi.

The Kit Includes:

- 21 Background Papers
- 9 Bows
- 9 Clips
- 15 Brads
- 3 Flowers
- 6 Prongs
- 17 Ribbons (18” long)
- 2 Quick pages at 12”x12” size

- 82 Total Elements



More Layouts Using My Designs

I love to see the layouts that people create. I especially enjoy the layouts that are created using some of my designs. Following are some more layouts formerly on display in the Gallery at the former scrapbook website Deco-Pages.com:


The Layout below is titled "Only the Shadow Knows!". It was created by Margie Cochran (macochran) using my "Wild Thing" kit:



The Layout below is titled "Shark Attack!". It was created by Margie Cochran (macochran) using my "Wild Thing" kit:


The layout below is titled "Banana Weed". It was created by Deb Ammerman using my "Garden Party" kit.

.....(Image No Longer Available)

The layout below is titled "Sakura"
. It was created by (1iceprincess) using my "Garden Party" kit.

.....(Image No Longer Available)

The layout below is titled "Carolyn's Garden"
. It was created by (1iceprincess) using my "Garden Party" kit.

.....(Image No Longer Available)

The layout below is titled "Rockin' with Even Start
". It was created by Rhoda Jayne using my "An Art Nouveau Surprise" kit.

.....(Image No Longer Available)

The layout below is titled "Summer Vacation with Heather
". It was created by Rhoda Jayne using my "An Art Nouveau Surprise" kit.

.....(Image No Longer Available)

Thank you all so much for choosing and using some of my designs!!!

Thursday, June 05, 2008

My Newest Cruise Layouts

The following two layouts were created using my "soon to be released" kit fondly named "Heather's Hope". Once the kit is complete, it will be available at a website to be determined.



Scuba Divers Monument

Journaling:
Almost directly across Aven Rafael Melgar (the main street of Cozumel), was this very picturesque arched monument of scuba divers and fish. We had no idea what the monument was for, but I needed a picture of Cheryl standing in front of it with the cruise ship in the background. Getting the picture was difficult because of street traffic, tourists on the sidewalk and the Royal Caribbean ship in the background sailing away. We have since learned that this is a monument to scuba divers.

Credits:
Photo: Tom Dillion II
All Elements: Tom Dillion II
Font: Taco Salad and Highland Perk
Software: Photoshop CS2



Hard at Work

Journaling:
When we were at Labadee I spotted what appeared to be a cute wishing well in the distance. Upon closer inspection, I found a man sitting comfortably in a chair and realized he was “hard at work” as a life guard.

Credits:
Photo: Tom Dillion II
All Elements: Tom Dillion II
Software: Photoshop CS2





The following layout was created using my "soon to be released" kit named "Mex & Margs".  Once the kit is complete, it will be available at a website to be determined.



Pancho's Backyard

Journaling:
On the sixth day of our cruise we arrived in Cozumel, Mexico shortly before lunch. As Cheryl and I walked along the main street, we decided we were hungry and needed to try some real Mexican cuisine. We had read many restaurant reviews before the cruise. Pancho’s Backyard was a favorite of most everyone. We decided to try it. We absolutely loved it. They had excellent food, atmosphere and entertainment. We can’t wait to go back.

Credits:
Photo: Tom Dillion II
All Elements: Tom Dillion II
Software: Photoshop CS2

Layouts Created Using My Design

I love to see the layouts that people create and how they use the same elements differently. I especially enjoy the layouts that are created using some of my designs. Following are some layouts formerly on display in the Gallery at the former scrapbook website Deco-Pages.com:

The layout below is titled "Animal Kingdom Parade 3" and was created by (bonitatime).

.....(Image not found)

The layout below is titled "I Am Leo" and was created by Margie Cochran (macochran).


Thank you both for choosing and using some designs I created!!!

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Belize Zoo

The following layout was created using my Wild Thing kit, which is available in the Deco-Pages store.


Belize Zoo

Journaling:
On the third day of our 2003 Holland America cruise I enjoyed the pleasure of going to the Belize Zoo with my classmate, Bobbie. The best part of the trip was talking to a wonderful person I never really knew in high school. Many thanks to Bobbie for a very fun trip and memorable experience… The Belize Zoo is a short 45 minutes from Belize City, Belize. Tuesday, March 4, 2003.

Credits:
Photo: Tom Dillion II
All Elements: Tom Dillion – Deco-Pages - Wild Thing
Font – Teacher’s Pet
Software: PSCS2

Monday, March 03, 2008

Deco-Pages Wild Thing!!!

The March PTP (Pass The Pixel) Kit for Club Deco Members is WILD THING! This is a great kit for scrapping a zoo trip or animal safari. All of the contributing designers did such a wonderful job on this wild kit! Following is a collage of all the contributions to the kit:



Unfortunately, I finished mine a little late, so it's not included in the collage pictured above. Following is my contribution:





















If you don't know, Deco-Pages is now offering three ways to join Club Deco...

1. 1 year for $36.00
2. 3 months for $15.00
3. 1 month trial for just $7.99

You should give the club a try for a month to see what a great deal it is! You get the equivalent of 12 to 14 kits from the designers! You also get the Color Challenge Starter Kit, and so much more from our Design Team! Please join us today. You can sign up for Club Deco in the Deco-Pages Forum at the following link...

http://board.deco-pages.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3355

Scrap2Basics - May 2007 Mega Kit


Scrap2Basics - May 2007 Mega Kit

One of the neatest things that happened to me while I was still at the Scrap2Basics site was the invitation to contribute a mini-kit to the May 2007 Mega kit. I was thrilled. I had been on their Creative Team from almost day one and they tutored me and couple others to the point where this invitation was possible. The deadline was only a short period of 5 days, so I was under the gun. I was so excited that I whipped out my contribution in record time. The contribution, fondly named "Mother's Blessings", didn't have to be large, only 5 background papers and 5 elements. The contribution was the start of my designing. Below is a preview of my contribution...



I don't know if I ever had the chance to thank any of them because the site closed shortly after May 2007. So, many thanks go to that entire Scrap2Basics design staff, especially Pamela Gibson, Jennifer Riggins, Melissa Daniel and Heather Heinzer for their tutorship and the start of my digital scrapbook future...


Thursday, February 28, 2008

Deco-Pages 2007-2008 Welcome Kit

The Design Team at Deco-Pages created a new 2007-2008 Welcome Kit, to keep welcoming the Deco-Pages creative member family back to the website, and it gives our new visitors an opportunity to try Digital Scrapbooking Papers and Embellishments at no-cost.

Following is a collage of all the designers contribution to the Welcome Kit:



Following is my contribution to the Welcome Kit:



So far the kit has been getting rave reviews. Please encourage your friends and family to try Digital Scrapbooking, and to come join the fun at
Deco-Pages!

Enter Deco-Pages

When one door closes, another door opens. As a result of my relationship with Patti Bravard and her design position at Deco-Pages, she put out a couple hints to the owners that I might make a good designer. I didn't have much of a resume other than the Valentine Be Mine kit I put together for the Inspiration Challenges at Scrap2Basics and a mini kit addition to the May Mega Kit also at Scrap2Basics.

On May 20, 2007 Pat suggested I contact Deb Ammerman about the possibility of being a designer at Deco-Pages, which I did...

"Hello Deb,

My name is Tom Dillion. I have just been chatting with good friend Patti Bravard. She suggested I contact you about the possibility of being a designer at Deco-Pages. Designing kits is something I have been working toward. I have many ideas in my head. So far I have created one full kit in a Valentines theme and one mini kit in a Mother's Day theme, (which is part of the Scrap2Basics May Mega kit). There are many techniques I want to learn so I can include them in future creations. I would be very interested to know the requirements of being a designer and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Tom Dillion..."


Deb replied the same day...

"Hi Tom,

I saw your Valentines kit on your blog a while ago, when you first visited our site. :) I thought of contacting you, but did not want to step on anyone's toes. I mentioned to Pat that I had seen your kit, and she thought you might be interested, so I asked her to talk to you. Deco-Pages is about creativity and friendship Tom... we are very easy going. We make suggestions, never demands. We love working together as a team, and we are very supportive of one another. We ask our designers to try to create at least two kits a month to add to the store, however we know that making memories with our family and friends comes first... so if may find you get one kit done in a month, and three finalize in another... no one will ever yell at you if you do not get two kits done per month.

Best Regards,
Deb Ammerman
Co-Owner
www.deco-pages.com
deb@deco-pages.com"

I replied 2 days later on May 22, 2007...

"Deb,

I must admit this is very tough decision. My loyalty has been to Scrap2Basics through and through. Pamela Gibson, Jennifer Riggins and Heather Heinzer have taught me a wealth of information and have given me the chance to succeed. I will forever appreciate what they have done for me. It's so depressing for me to see what Scrap2Basics is becoming. I have done everything I can do to promote the site and it's still not looking as good as I had hoped. I think the site is lacking just one little thing to make it a great scrap site and attract people. I have run out of ideas on how to find it, and it's time for me to move on...

I look at Deco-Pages and feel I have found a new scrap home. I love the friendship aspect of the site. That's one of the most important things to me. I love that I have become such great friends with Pat. I'm sure if she lived closer to me, she would already be kicking my behind for not jumping at this opportunity before now. She's such a wonderful person! There is one thing I told her though... scrapping my last cruise comes first before creating kits. I have about 30 layouts created so far and I want to complete my album, so my wife, family, friends and fellow cruisers can enjoy it. It's one of the things that definitely inspires my creativity. I have another cruise coming in January, so I really need to be finished scrapping the last one before then.

I would like to thank you for your wonderful invite and accept your wonderful offer to join Deco-Pages as a designer. This will be fun. You'll have to let me know what I must do and how to participate in the Club Deco program because it sounds very inspiring and fun. I look forward to your reply.

Again, thank you very much,

Tom Dillion..."


Deb replied the next day, May 23, 2007...

"Hi Tom,

I am very excited that you have accepted my invitation to join our design team! :) Please see my comments below....


I am not quite sure what to say... I do not know anything about Scrap2Basics or what is going on... I do know that I am sorry that you had an unpleasant experience, for me, this has to be about creativity, friendship and fun... I hope that you will always feel free to express any concerns you have about anything with me and the Design Team at Deco-Pages. We truly are a team, and we love working together... our friendships are very important to all of us... it is what makes Deco-Pages that site that it is, and we extend that friendship to anyone who finds our site... We love digital scrapbooking, and we value our friendships. We believe in the golden-rule... these things are the foundation on which Deco-Pages is built... it is a very strong foundation. :)

Pat is such a sweetheart... I just love her... she has been on our Creative Team for so long, and has just recently joined the Design Team with her husband. We are having so much fun together.... I can understand how you feel. :)

If I might make a suggestion... (I do this from time to time, and I tell the designers from the beginning, that you should always take what you like and leave the rest.) If you create elements and backgrounds to use for your cruise pages, put them together into a kit to sell, and kill two birds with one stone. One of the things that I tell the designers is to create for yourself... then package it up, and put it up for sale... if it sells, it is icing on the cake, and your kit will be wonderful, because it is something you love.

Tom, one of the things that a designer needs to understand about the digital scrapbooking market (this is something I tell all the new designers who come on board with us) is that no one is getting rich doing this... I don't want you to come into this thinking that you will put a kit up for sale and sell hundreds of them in a matter of days... hey, I would love it if someone proved me wrong, but it just has not been our experience. I want our designers to come into this with their eyes wide open, so that there is no disappointment. This is about creativity and fun... otherwise it would be a horribly bad paying job. That is why we create what we love for ourselves, and any sales we make are just pure fun! Now, don't get me wrong... if you leave a kit up long enough, over time (With a lot of patience), you will get enough sales to justify the time you spent on it... I am NOT saying you will never sell anything... I just want you to know we are honest, and we do not try to pull the wool over anyone's eyes.


I am going to attach a contract for you to look over and sign. Basically, we have to have something in writing because we are a business. I want you to know that you will always be treated with friendship and respect... if you have any questions or concerns about the contract, please let me know and I will do my best to address them. Once you sign the contract and send it back to me (which you can do via email) we will print, sign and send a copy back to you via snail mail, so please include your mailing address on the last page of the contract. After I get your contract back, I will change some settings in the forum and make you a Designer & Moderator, at that point you will be able to see a private section we have in the forum that only our Design Team can see. At that point I will also send you a link to a Welcome Packet for New Designers that explains about Club Deco, about setting up products in the store... and has other important information you will need to know.

Thank you, I am looking forward to getting to know you better, and to sharing this wonderful hobby, and lots of creative fun in our little family of designers. :)
Best Regards,
Deb"


I replied the same day with a signed contract!!! Deb replied May 24, 2007 with...

"Hi Tom,

Welcome Aboard!
I have created a little Welcome Area for Designers, it is a little web site in itself with answers to questions you might have, and links to the tutorial on how to set up your products in the store. I will have to set up user names and passwords for you for the shopping cart, and for FTP. I will send those to you soon.

Please do not hesitate to ask questions. I do have to let you know that I work a "day job" as a graphic designer for a monthly publication that is going to press early next week, so this is an extremely busy week for me. So please forgive me if I do not get back to you as quickly as I would like to. If you have a pressing question, you can post in the private section in the forum for the Design Team, and if I cannot answer you, one of the other designers will be more than happy to help if they can.

Again, I am very excited that you have decided to join us! Welcome aboard! I hope you have lots of fun! How are those cruise pages coming? Have you been creating any elements of your own to use on your pages? Can't wait to see some of them in the gallery!
Best Regards,
Deb"


Wow... a Designer!!! I need to get busy designing!!!


Monday, October 15, 2007

Everyone Still Out There?

I bet you are. I haven't been though. After 8 months of 70-80 hour work weeks I can finally get back to my Scrap life. One of the things that really bothered me when I started working overtime in March 2007 was the decline and fall of the Scrap2Basics website. From what I understand, and please correct me if I'm wrong, there just wasn't enough traffic coming to the site to justify it staying in business. I learned a lot about digital scrapbooking by being a member of that website.

I gained many friends at that website. One friend in particular, Patti Bravard, helped me through those times. She kept in contact with me telling me of her scrap adventures and keeping my interest alive. She had seen the writing on the wall regarding the demise of the Scrap2Basics website and made her move to
Deco-Pages.com. She and her husband, Michel, became a wonderful design team, Paris Designs. They have many beautiful products in the store at Deco-Pages.com. Check them out Here.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Busy, Busy, Busy

I've been such a bad blogger recently. It's funny when you read other people's blogs. They say much the same thing when they haven't posted in a while. Recently, times and life are so busy that there's much time left for anything.

I had been working 70 hour work weeks starting after my last post, which left little time for scrapping and blogging. I work for a global multi-function engineering company. We had several projects with deadlines that had to be met for review purposes or final submittals. We met the deadlines, but the hours were long. I'm not working the long hours now for the second week, but we still have deadlines. Hopefully, it won't require me working so many hours.



Then add to this... On February 5th my wife and I embarked on our own home-based travel business... CTL2 Travel. This is a long range business venture, which we will do in our retirement years. Hopefully, retirement will come a little sooner than age 65 (or whatever the age is now). It will also afford us to travel at reduced prices. Following is a little information regarding the business:

Our website is:
www.ctl2travel.com

We would appreciate you doing us a favor by checking it out. We offer the same great values as the highly advertised sites, and your confirmations come from the same travel vendors such as Holiday Inn and American Airlines, for example. There is zero risk in booking through our travel business. You’ll really love our site! It is one of the best travel and vacation websites on the Internet today. And, you’ll be doing us a huge favor. Anytime you book vacations or travel on our site, you’ll get the same or better deals, and we earn a commission. If you book through the highly advertised sites, you merely help them pay for their advertising. When you book through us, we get paid for my word-of-mouth advertising. We know we can count on you to use our site and to spread the word!

Here's the site again:
www.ctl2travel.com

Please add it to your "favorites" so it will be handy next time you travel!

Have a great travel and scrap day!

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Inspiration Challenge #2: Feb. 15th - Feb. 28th at Scrap2Basics

Inspiration Challenge #2: Feb. 15th - Feb. 28th at Scrap2Basics hosted by me.

In keeping with the current season, MARDI GRAS, the inspiration for this second Inspiration Challenge is an art image titled "New Orleans Mardi Gras Man" that I found while surfing through Fotosearch.com. Use the art image as inspiration, select your own elements, some pictures and create an inspired layout.

Following is a view of the print:


New Orleans Mardi Gras Man


There will be a gift for all those who participate in the challenge.

I invite and look forward to your participation.

I'm Still in a Valentine Giving Mode...


Papers........................................................Elements


Any person who posts a layout in the Inspiration Gallery at Scrap 2 Basics using the Inspiration from the 1st Inspiration Crop or 1st Inspiration Challenge by 11:59 PM EST, February 28th, 2007 and posts a comment on this blog will receive my "Valentine Be Mine" kit.



1st Crop Inspiration....................................1st Challenge Inspiration

My First Kit!!!


Papers........................................................Elements

I finally completed my first kit... Valentine Be Mine. It features 12 papers, 6 ribbons, 2 prongs, 8 photo corners, 3 paper clips, 4 heart clips, 2 brads and 2 buttons. It was fun to create. It involved a little work and thought, which was the fun.

I created it to give as gifts for particpating in the 1st inspiration Crop and 1st Inspiration Challenge at Scrap 2 Basics. The 1st Inspiration Crop was held during the Grand Re-opening of Scrap 2 Basics on February 4th, 2007. Since it was Valentine season, the Inspiration for the crop had to be something valentines. I found an art print titled "Two Hearts" by Laura Lynen at Art Select that I thought was perfect inspiration. Following is a view of the print:



I say "I thought" because only three persons participated... and I was one of the three! The participation gift I gave them was the Papers half of my "Valentine Be Mine" kit. Following is my inspired layout using papers and elements from my own kit:



The participation gift for the 1st Inspiration Challenge (explained in the post below) was the elements half of the kit. Again, only three persons participated... and I was one of the three. The participation wasn't too bad for the 1st crop and challenge. I'm very glad four people participated. It's just like the saying "If you build it, they will come" from the movie "Field of Dreams".

So far the four persons really like the kit. I know it's past Valentines Day now, but I can't wait to see any layouts created with the kit.

Have a great scrapbooking day!

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Inspiration Challenge #1: Feb. 6th - Feb. 14th at Scrap2Basics

Inspiration Challenge #1: Feb. 6th - Feb. 14th is New at Scrap2Basics and hosted by me.

Inspiration, as you already know, comes from everywhere. It could come from a simple color swatch, a beautiful dress or a pair of socks in a catalog, the quilt your grandmother made, the holidays, birthdays, greeting cards, art, places you have visited (like the Caribbean or Hawaii), car shows, sports teams, layouts by other scrappers, templates, advertisement, websites, family, etc., etc., etc. It's endless.

The inspiration for this first Inspiration Challenge is a template provided by Jennifer Riggins. She and Pamela Gibson used it on their blogs back in October for their Happy Hauntings Contest. The contest was unfortunately not well attended, so I asked if we could re-use it for this first Inspiration Challenge because it definitely inspired me.

Following is a preview of the template:



Following is my layout it inspired:



There will be a gift for all those who participate in the challenge.

I invite and look forward to your participation.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

One Great Thing...

For me, one great thing in digital scrapping is being a member of the Creative Team for the Scrap2Basics Design Team. As such I get to work with a great Store of products from 7 fabulous designers:

..........Pamela Gibson Designs
..........Jennifer Riggins Designs
..........Curious Platypus Designs (Susanne Frey)
..........Fabella Designs
..........Terragina (Kerstin Schreck)
..........Melissa Daniel (Four Cubs Designs)
..........Sus Designs

Following are some of their wonderful products that are great to use for Valentines layouts:


Pamela Gibson Designs



Jennifer Riggns Designs



Susanne Frey (Curious Platypus Designs)


Fabella Designs


Terragina (Kerstin Schreck)


Melissa Daniel (Four Cubs Designs)


Sus Designs


Following is a beautiful mega kit titled Unconventional Love, which they all worked together making:


Scrap2Basics Design Team


Go check these products out and create some Valentine layouts!

Have a great Valentine scrapping day!


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