Blog: What's coming up, What's inspiring, Whatever!

"Mary" has arrived

2008-06-04T19:19:00.001-07:00

And she's fabulous! This kit contains beautiful patterned papers and an array of lovely embellishments. The two samples above are of the papers. There are eight patterns in all. Click here to see the kit.

And, all kits at Posh Pixel Designs are HALF OFF for the entire month of June. This is a great deal! Enjoy!

Mary, Mary

2008-05-31T09:30:00.001-07:00

A new kit is on its way for June, called "Mary." This kit is striking and rich in color and medieval flair.

Flower Cards

2008-05-05T10:04:00.001-07:00

Individual "die cut" flowers to adorn your pages. Coming Soon!

New Quick Page

2008-04-29T12:39:00.001-07:00

I recently scrapped some photos for a friend who doesn't scrapbook at all. I used Quick Pages to showcase some of her family's photos. She was amazed. She had no idea that you could just place your photos behind the layout and it looks so good. When we get together again, I will show her how she can take her photos and place them in a layout quickly--and beautifully--with Quick Pages.

This LO shows the latest Quick Page available, called "The Blues." It's actually quite cheerful, and you'll find that just about any subject matter works well with this design. Quick Pages are 300 ppi transparent PNG files, so all you have to do is place your photos behind the layout. Then, you can add your journaling and anything else you wish. In this LO, I added the Brushed Silver Alpha Charm.

Quick Pages are available in three sizes: 12 x 12", 8.5 x 11" and 11 x 8.5". You choose the size you need. They are $1.99 each.

New Paper Pack Available

2008-04-28T11:46:00.001-07:00

This pack contains six papers at 12 x 12", 300 ppi. Shown here as a bg paper is blue. This pack, and others like it, are just $0.50.

Digital Scrapbooking Overlays

2008-04-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

I have owned a few traditional scrapbooking overlays in my time. I was first introduced to them by my sister-in-law, who is on top of every new product out there. Overlays, or transparencies, are really cool. They can dress up a page in many ways.

New digital overlays will soon be added to Posh Pixel Designs' product line. The Snack Attack overlay seen here was created out of necessity. This imagery is near and dear to my three-year-old's heart. All this child does is EAT. To use this digital overlay, which is a transparent PNG file, I simply placed it on top of the photo, which is on another layer. Then, for added realism, I set the overlay layer's mode to Multiply. I even added a very slight drop shadow to give the illusion that the transparency is slightly "floating" above the scrapbook page.

You can print out the overlay onto actual transparency film, and place it over a completed layout, too. You can even recolor the file. These overlays are flexible, so have fun with them.

Paint Shop Pro Scrapper

2008-04-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

I use Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 to create my digital scrapbooking layouts for my own albums. When I first purchased the software, I was a little overwhelmed by all the features, and the ability of the program to edit digital photos. Then, I just started using it. I started with basic things, and then moved on to more complex tasks.

Now, I am very comfortable using the software, and use it every single day, even to do digital art that is not related to scrapbooking.

Currently, I have written a few tutorials at one of my other blogs. Feel free to stop by and learn something new about digital scrapbooking and Paint Shop Pro Photo X2.

Quick pages coming soon

2008-03-20T19:28:00.001-07:00

For my own sanity and ease of completing layouts for my albums, I've been working on quick pages, where you simply plug in your photos, journaling and a title.

These pages will be easy to use in Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro or even Digital Image Pro. Look for them in the next week!

I need COLOR!!!

2008-03-07T10:28:00.000-08:00

Winter is almost on its way out of here, but not soon enough for me! I already did some spring cleaning yesterday, and got the Easter decorations out, too. My oldest son put them up (he loves that job) and I did some more colorful flower arranging for my favorite basket. We still have snow on the ground, and it's going to be dreadfully cold this weekend. But, we're almost through this gray winter.

This layout of my youngest son brings some much needed color into my life.

Wanted to share this with you

2008-03-05T08:48:00.001-08:00

I love these fonts I downloaded free. Laundromat 1967 ("Gone fishin' and text in circle frame)and Note this, (used on graph paper journaling.)

This layout of my son, Connor, uses papers and elements from the "Boyland" kit. I also wanted to say that in Paint Shop Pro, it can be very useful to apply your drop shadows on their own layer so you can erase part of it away, making the element you shadowed have a very realistic look, as it relates the the layer it sits upon.

It's "transparent" I like to sew...

2008-02-06T18:28:00.000-08:00

Well, if you didn't get that, it's okay! What I'm saying is, I love transparent overlays for scrapbooking and other artistic endeavors.

AND...I like to sew. I love quilting, although I don't do much of it nowadays.

So...I have just offered the Stitch Collection at Posh Pixel Designs. I designed a number of different stitched shapes, like a heart, that I just love (made my seven-year-old a Valentine at midnight) and they come in black and white.

Here's a layout I did featuring some of those stitches and also a transparency idea that goes with Land of the Free, although it's not offered in that kit yet.

What I'm working on

2008-02-04T11:05:00.000-08:00

I do thumbnail sketches all the time. Constantly! I'm currently developing a kit of papers that are primarily black and white. I don't know how many times I think I've got the right patterned paper to work with my photos, then I realize the photo is great in color, but the paper is just TOO colorful. Many times, a photo looks better on a very neutral background.

As for my creative process...well....it starts something like this....

Whoa! That was just plain F-U-N!

2008-02-03T07:43:00.001-08:00

The Boy Land Kit is done! But I don't think I'll ever be done working on layouts with this kit. Going through the design process on this one really made me realize just how few "boy" kits are on the market. I have so many photos of my own family that really call for something more masculine, but not too childish. I hope you enjoy working with Boy Land!

Coming soon!

2008-01-28T09:38:00.001-08:00

Oh, I am enjoying working on this kit so much, I hope I know when to stop! This kit called "Boy Land" is coming in a week. I've been inspired by my littlest son's pajamas that claim his "imaginery friend did it." Too funny...

This kit will contain a slew of papers and super fun embellishments. I have already begun plotting the layouts I can complete for my own personal albums. I have two boys who fit the bill on this one!

This woman inspires me to.....look closer

2008-01-16T18:17:00.000-08:00

I have known about Marjolein Bastin for many years, but never knew much about her, other than she is Dutch and she is an extremely talented artist. Some may know of her because of her partnership with Hallmark. I first learned of her beautiful work from a cross-stitch magazine. Her work is about nature--the trees, flowers, plants, the wonderful creatures. What drew my attention to one of her cross-stitch designs was her incorporation of a little hedgehog, and I used to own a little African pygmy hedgehog by the name of Jezzie. She was CUTE!

Marjolein has a website where you can read extensively about her, view her artwork, purchase her art and other items. When I went there, I was just thrilled with all the little touches of her art in the website that really make it her own. Her detailed drawings and paintings make me want to reach out and touch. They make me want to step outside with my dog tomorrow morning and really watch those sweet little birds going after the seed my neighbor sprinkles under the pine trees.

It is the dead of winter here in Michigan. It did reach 33 degrees today and we had significant sunshine, so my driveway did melt off, thank goodness. However, I think I'll go dig up my cross-stitch magazines from the early nineties and see if I can find that hedgehog amidst all the spring flora and fauna.