Studio Linda Renee

Color Challenge Freebie Time

2012-03-02T15:42:00.005-08:00

I did this mini kit for the Paint the Barn Challenge at Moo Two Designs.Click on preview to download.

Going Out of Business

2012-03-01T15:36:00.002-08:00

That's right, I'm closing down my shop at the end of March. The time has come for me to focus on other things that do not require advertising. That has actually been my biggest challenge. To be in business and stay in business you have to advertise, and that is something I don't enjoy doing. I tried hiring advertisers, but that didn't work out very well. I've already talked about CT. In the last few months, other things have come into my life that are calling for more attention than they have been getting. Since I need to focus on them, it is time to close up shop. So, this is your opportunity to save big!

Just a reminder that my store is always closed from Friday sunset to Saturday (CST) sunset as I am a Sabbath keeper.

I'm not bowing out completely. I will be contributing to the Moo Two Forum challenges and their collabs. I'll still be handing out freebies from time to time. I just won't have a store to worry about any more. I'll continue to keep the blog, but will probably close the FB fanpage. FB keeps changing so much, I can't keep up anyway. I've never learned how to offer freebies on FB, and finally decided I didn't want to learn. In fact, I really don't like the FB freebie thing anyway. I've found out that by "liking" someone to get a freebie, then show up in my personal page. I really don't care for that. So I found that I could "unlike" them and did so for most of them. Ha! That taught me something new. Like the page long enough to get the freebie, then unlike it. Now, what good does it do to have a fanpage, if everyone starts doing that because they are getting too many fanpages on their personal page? I guess some don't care, but I like to keep my circle small. So like and unlike. I just don't do it very much. Most of the time, I bypass the FB freebies and don't bother with them.

You know, I've been in this business long enough to see its underbelly as well as it's good side. There are good people in the business, and there are some who aren't so good. A few are thieves who take and then share what isn't theirs to others. I realized very quickly that I could spend time trying to track down pirates (as if my stuff was being pirated anyway!) or just go on about my business. In the designer's only portion of DST, there is usually one active topic where someone has found a forum that is sharing kits that have been pirated. Then comes all the posts requesting a pm with the url so they can check to see if their stuff is on there. Why bother? It's well known, that the pirates will do one of two things: they'll either move to a different site, of they password protect the site so outsiders can't see what's there. Some designers don't bother to chase the rabbits. They would rather spend the time working their business. Good for them.

Back to my Going_Out_of_Business Sale. Here are some of the products you can pick up in my store for just $1.00 each. Or get everything for just $30.00.

Featured Designer, Birthday Bash, and you get to Buy My Store!

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

For the first time ever, I am do a Buy-My_Store sale. I have over 95 products in my store, kits that are PU and S4H, and lots of commercial use. And I have a few more things to add to the store in the next few days as well. You can get it all for just $30.00 for over $250.00 worth of products. Seems like a great deal to me. The sale begins on January 16, my birthday, which I'll be off celebrating with my daughter whose birthday is 11 days before mine, so we are celebrating together this year. The sale ends on February 15. You have a month to get a lot of goodies. And don't forget to sign up for the Moo Two newsletter to get the freebies I'm giving away as the featured designer for the last two weeks of January.

Why I don't have a CT

2012-01-13T08:31:00.000-08:00

There are lots of reasons really. I've not been really successful with a CT. I've had some good ladies on my previous teams, but I am not a designer who regularly puts out product. I tend to get things done and them upload them immediately to the store. Other designers schedule their releases. I guess I'm not patient enough to do that or it's just too much bother. I also tend to go in spurts. I'll finish up 2 or 3 products at the same time. Most of my CT have been fairly new at digiscrap. I'm not an "in" designer with a big name that everyone clamors to be attached to. I'm quite sure I will never be in that league and really don't care to be. I'd just like to be able to sell a little more than I do.

There are other reasons I don't have a CT. They're hard to find, often for the reasons stated above. Why would anyone want to be on Studio Linda Renee's team if they can get a spot on __________'s team (you fill in the blank)? Today, though, I found another reason I don't have a CT. I was looking through the store gallery, and was a bit appalled at some of the LOs there. These are LO's that are obviously by CT members of some designer, but not of the store's CT or even of the store's designers. There was nothing "wrong" with the LO's as they were beautifully done as far as aesthetics go. It was the subject matter, the impersonal nature of the LO's, that disturbed me. One LO was a picture of a former child actor with a story about him. How personal is that? What meaning did it have for the scrapper? The actor in questions has been dead for decades. The only purpose I could see for the LO was to display the designer's kit that was used. Now maybe that is the way the designer likes it. But I wouldn't. To me it is a total turnoff. The LO told me nothing about the person who did it, except they are on the designer's CT.

Another LO showed the photo of a newborn but I quickly concluded from the journaling that this was not a family member. In fact, it is likely a photo from the internet. The journaling had absolutely nothing personal about it. If I was to do a LO of a newborn child, be it my own, a grandchild, a relative or a friend's child, I would certainly personalize the journaling in some way. There was a fantasy style LO that plainly stated the photo was from Deviant Art. I hope it was a royalty free image. All that brings me to this: When I had (or if I ever have again) a CT, I stated that they were to use their own photos for their LO's. They were to be personally meaningful to them. To me the best LO's are those that are from the heart. The LO's I've just described in the gallery are artistically well styled but they are sterile. They have no personality. They don't belong to anyone. They just are. CT LO's may not be the greatest styled, but you can tell when they are truly meaningful to the scrapper, and not just a LO to use the kit. If the CT wish to protect their identity, then I tell them they are free to blur features on faces and any other personally identifying information.

Something else that using personal photos does is protect the CT from copyright issues. Grabbing photos from the web and using them can be a thorny issue and can also be illegal. Getting permission to use others photos can be time consuming and possibly expensive. Using your own photos has none of those hassles. Well, would I ever have another CT? Oh, I think about it sometimes, but I would need a CT manager, which is not easy to come by. So for now, I do my own LO's and let the store CT do a few.

Old Things Become New

2012-01-12T18:38:00.000-08:00

My Dell desktop is going on five years old. I haven't used it in over two years except for about a month when it picked up a trojan. Since I couldn't get rid of it, (that expensive antivirus I was using didn't stop it and wouldn't get rid of it, so I got rid of the antivirus), I unplugged it and put it up. I went back to using the laptop. Well, last week I called a local man who has worked on computers for many years and talked to him about it. He told me he could get it up running and I could probably get a couple more years of working from it. I took it in, he cleaned it up, reformated and reinstalled the OS, installed more RAM, and a new DVD burner. I got it back the next day. I bought myself a big new monitor, speakers and a new keyboard. So you know I've spent much of the last week reinstalling software, moving files, and organizing everything.

I found out that this is a good machine. It is actually capable of handling Win7 64bit, but because the rest of the machine can't handle more than 4 gigs of RAM, we didn't upgrade. I do have a second HD slot which I am considering filling. You know digiscrapers, we fill HDs and EHDs quickly. A second HD would be a bonus. I know that God had a hand in my getting this particular computer. When I was looking for a computer, I was doing my homework, searching for information, asking questions. I searched the Dell website, and found this machine which had what I wanted at a good price. So I bookmarked it. It was providential that I did. I tried to find it again on my own, and I never could. Because I had it bookmarked, I could get back to it and finally bought it. Now I know it was a very good machine.

I think I got rid of my best Vista book, so I am having to remember how to do certain things to set it up the way I like it, but I'm getting there. I finally discovered (why did it take me so long?) how to set what properties I want to see when I view details in Windows Explorer. I finally set it to show resolution. Then I went checking my kit files. Oh, I'm glad I did. I had to do some fixing today, zip up some folders and overwrite some zip files in FTP. But that means that now everything has the correct resolution. And I'll be able easily check it from now on, before I upload and set it in the store. I tended to forget about resolution before. Now, hopefully, I won't.

Starting Monday, which is my birthday, I will be doing a Buy-My-Store, something I've never done before. But it is time to give it a try. I have over 95 products, including PU, S4H, and CU. I've always like Buy-my-store sales, because you get a great bargain. Well, now, I'm giving the bargain. After the sale, I'll be retiring some of the older kits, so this will be the last chance to get them. If you aren't on the mailing list at Moo Two Designs, you will be missing a treat. I'm the featured designer for the last two weeks of January, and I have the newsletter freebies for those two weeks. It will be a mini valentine's kit. You can sign up for the newsletter on the store's front page.

Refresh—January Blog Train

2012-01-01T07:12:00.000-08:00

Beginning the new year is a brand new blog train called Refresh. You probably arrived here from Trixie Scraps Designs and when you leave here you will be going to Let Me Scrapbook! Here is my contribution for this month's train. Click on preview to download.

Download

Busy-ness vs. Business

2011-12-13T07:30:00.000-08:00

You know the difference. You're busy but not with business. But this time of year there is a lot of busy-ness due to the holidays. Since I will have my son and his wife for Christmas, I must have everything in order. I'm still pondering over just what Christmas gifts to give to family. I've got some planned and some made and some in progress, but still have some to buy, especially hubby's. I think I know what I'm going to get him, but I have to find it. My daughter is a little more difficult. While we share some common likes and dislikes, her takes in colors and styles does differ from mine, so I have to keep that in mind when I get something for her. My son-in-law was no problem. I got why my daughter told me he wanted and would like. My son is a trucker, so whatever I get for him has to be useful, small, and needful.

I have yet to make my fruitcakes. Oh, yes, the dreaded (or is that dreadful) fruitcake that is the object of so many jokes. Well, I'll admit I'm not crazy about the common fruitcake from the store. As I recall, the original fruitcakes were not filled with lots of candied fruit, but with dried fruit. That's how I make mine. I don't use any candied fruit at all, just dried fruits, nuts, orange juice. Almost everyone likes them. No citron which I think is awful, and which is what so many people don't like. Using dried fruit just tastes better, and is loaded with sugar. I'll probably get to them later this week or next week.

My designing is pretty much on hold until after Christmas. I'm doing little. Too many other things to do. But if you're in a mood for freebies and like hunting for goodies, head on over to Moo Two where there are some hybrid Christmas goodies hidden in the shop. Just look for the gift box, click on it, and download your goodie. There are several gifts hidden so look until you find them all.

I want to wish each of you a blessed Christmas. Remember the reason for the season. The birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

December Blog Train "Traditions"

2011-12-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

The December Blog Train is rolling with lots of traditions this month. You probably arrived here from Rhonda's Scrap Bits. Your next stop on the train is Elaine Therese Digital Designs. Should you get lost on the tracks, you can go back to the station here, and find your way again.

Click here or on the preview to download.

You have until this weekend to take advantage of my free with purchase offer on all my Christmas kits. See this post for details.

Free With Purchase

2011-11-28T10:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas is coming, the goose is too skinny, so I'm sweetening the pot. I have some lovely Christmas kits in my store at Moo Two Designs. Now just because I'm down on the farm, doesn't mean we can't have an elegant Christmas complete with cookies, and for a little country feeling, we'll throw in some plaid. We won't forget about the past either.

First is the elegant in the beautiful December Wedding.

And then there are the cookies in Christmas Cookies.

We get our country Christmas from A Very Plaid Christmas Remix.

Finally, we'll remember the past with Christmas Long Ago.

From now until December 5th, when you buy any of my Christmas kits (or all of them) you will received an extra bonus package. They're for sale separately, but for a limited time you will get them free with the kit purchase.

Details are found in the kit descriptions. Be sure to check for my latest CU products in the store as well.

Black Friday Sale at Moo Two

2011-11-24T08:52:00.000-08:00

Progressive sale the entire weekend.

Digital Scrapbooking Day

2011-11-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

Ohh, many are already starting their sales and forum fun. But I'm a bit of a late bloomer in this event. As a Sabbath keeper, my store is always closed from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, central time. But that doesn't mean that I don't get into the event. Oh, no, I do indeed get into the event.

You see, you can save big all week. The sale includes all the products in my store; all kits and all commercial use. I know you'll love my newest kit. But first there are a couple of other new kits to tell you about. They are mini (at least to me!) kits but packed with enough elements and papers to make a couple of pages for your scrapbook. First is a funny, funky, quirky little kit called Pink Chocolate. It's for lovers of pink and brown which covers a lot of girls.

Next is Veggie Delight. This kit was originally given away in the Design Factor last summer. I have since enlarged it by adding more elements to make it more versatile. But it's still all about the veggies and those who love them.

Finally, I have been working on this kit for awhile. My daughter got married in December a few years ago, and though she married in a terrific snow storm, the photos are beautiful with the background of snow and Christmas. I based the kit on the colors of her wedding and reception. It is versatile enough for holiday weddings and for Christmas photos as well.

Be sure to check out Moo Too for all the great sales going on for DSD.

Like Scavener Hunts?

2011-11-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

You'll love this one!

While you're there be sure to check out the Collab kit for November. It is loaded with everything you need to make calendars for next years and years to come.

November and a blog train

2011-11-01T04:20:00.000-07:00

The end of the year is approaching quickly. Anybody thinking about Christmas? I sure am. But in the meantime, I have to get some digiscrapping done. Come to think of it, I've got to get it done 'cause that's part of my Christmas gifts. I've got a freebie for you today, from the Digiscrap Blog Train. Hope you enjoy. Link removed.

You probably came here from Marieh Designs. Your next stop will be Myst Designs. If you get lost, go to the train station.

O Where O Where Has My Mojo Gone — Again?

2011-10-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

Since our move I seem to have lost some of my mojo for designing and I'm finding other things drawing my interest. Before I could sit in front of the computer for hours and work, but now I am wanting to read a good book, study the Bible, get some needed sewing done, or work on crocheting a Christmas present for someone. Church work is calling my name too. I've got a good dozen kits in some stage of doneness. Then there are a number of older kits I am in some stage of reworking. I did get out a newsletter week before last. I guess I'm just asking you to bear with me as I go through another low period. Maybe something I read or work on will stir my imagination and work up my mojo to get designing in earnest again.

In the meantime, I am so very thankful for the place we are living. I know that God worked this out for us. We are living in a city with lots of walking and biking trails, and one of them is just across the street from where we are living. The library is just a couple of blocks away, withing walking distance. Grocery stores are only a few blocks farther on. Yet the whole place has a country like feeling. We walked around a small lake on Sabbath (Saturday) and watched a great blue heron trying to down his dinner. I was able to get fairly close and get a few photos. Isn't he a beautiful bird?

The previous Sunday we went to the zoo. It isn't the greatest zoo I've ever been in, but we really enjoyed the trip. It was a nice day, not too hot and not too cool. I took lots of photos of the fauna and the flora as there were a lot of fall flowers in bloom. The photo I am most delighted with, though is this one.

There were so many butterflies that I was hoping I could get at least one good shot of a butterfly on the flowers and I did. I got the shot before it flitted away to another bloom. And I got if with a point and shoot camera suing the 10x zoom.

Today I am going to work some on my kits, but I'm going to do some reading. I've wanted to read the book Somewhere Inside by Laura and Lisa Ling for awhile and I finally got it from the library. So have a good day, ya'll. I'm off to working and hopefully finished a nearly done kit, read a little, and cut out another jumper to sew up this week. Oh, BTW, blog train coming next week.

Getting settled and back to designing.

2011-09-25T18:18:00.000-07:00

The year is only 3/4 over, but it has been a momentous year for me and for my family. First there was my mother's last illness and death in January. Then the lack of steady work and income for my husband. He kept putting out feelers and applications, but got very little response. Last April he traveled to another state for an interview, and while they were pleased with him, they hired someone else. There is only one thing, one person I credit with getting us through, Jesus Christ. There is no other who could have given us peace in the middle of the storms that have raged around us. We had already decided that we would make the best of the situation we had. We cut expenses as far as possible and prepared to hunker down until things got better if they ever did. And they did.

In June, DH got a call from the same employer who had hired someone else in April. The person they hired had to leave the job, and they were now offering DH the job. What an answer to prayer. God worked in ways we could not have expected. I remember what one pastor said and it is so true: There are no coincidences in the life of a Christian. God had even worked out a way that we could make the move financially. After all, it takes funds to pack a truck, move to a new city and state, find a place to live and put down the deposit and rest. Yet it was all made available. God is wonderful.

The first of August we made out move into temporary quarters as we wanted to take a little time to find a place to live and not grab the first thing we saw only to regret it later. I'm glad we did. We are now in a nice, 2 bedroom townhouse in a quiet neighborhood. Yet I am only a block or two from the library, a boon to a bookworm like me. I can only thank God for getting us in this place.

I needed a sofa but I knew they were expensive and I didn't want something cheap, especially something that had been made "over there" because so much stuff from there is so shoddily made. On a trip to Office Depot, I noticed a Basset store in the same strip mall. I went to check it out and almost walked out the door when I saw the prices on the sofas. Way more than I could afford. And that's what I told the sales clerk when she approached me. She directed me to the clearance items. There was a loveseat there I kind of liked, but I returned to the showroom to look around. That's when I spotted a sofa in the right color, style, and size I wanted, and, it was on sale at the right price for me! Best of all, it was comfortable. And made in USA!. We picked our new sofa up last week. Our new place is slowly coming together to be home for awhile. I even found a book on the bargain table on how to decorate in a rental. Lots of helpful hints and tips in it. Goodwill has also yielded up a few good finds: a nice wooden wall shelf, a brass log holder (we have a wood burning fireplace), wood picture frames for some artwork I need to frame and hang and even a couple of needed lampshades I'll recover. Oh, I'm going to be busy, happily busy.

In the midst of all the moving, we received a call from our BIL that DH's sister was dying. She passed away in early September which required a 12 hour drive there, spend a few days, then 12 hours back. But it was necessary and needed, and I'm so glad we made it. Our daughter came down and rode over and back with us. We know we are getting older when we look around and realize that we are now the senior generation. With parents gone, we are now it.

Now that things have settled down, I am finally getting my mojo back and getting back into designing. In the last few days I finished a few kits that have been sitting on my HD. I have put 5, that's right, five, new products in the store today. The first kit, A Fine Gentleman, was made especially after I could not find a kit that I could use for a special photo I took of my son a couple of years ago when he was ready for church.

This next kit started as a freebie for the Design Factor in July, but now I have added papers and elements to the kit since I'm no longer limited by the challenge rules.

The last kit started out as an entry into the Design Factor, but I put it aside and did something different. Now I have finished it and put it in the store.

Finally, I have a set of CU templates.

CT contest begins October 1 at Moo Two Designs

2011-09-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

The ad is linked to the forum.

http://www.mootwodesigns.com/forum/index.php?topic=5114.0

Moving takes a toll

2011-08-24T14:36:00.000-07:00

It's been a whole month since I last blogged anything. I just didn't feel like taking the time. We actually arrived in our new town, put our stuff in storage, moved into temporary housing while we looked for a place to live. We traveled around the county to see what it was like and find areas where we would like to live and could afford to live. We settled on a small community outside the city and found a place to rent. We will be moving in this Sunday and then we'll have to unpack and get settled. It takes a lot of energy and fortitude to move. The cat didn't come with us. Our son took him home, so I don't have to worry about him now. I haven't done much scrapping or designing but I'm starting to pick it up again. Need to get son's book finished for his birthday in late September.

Nobody wants you when you're old

2011-07-24T10:05:00.000-07:00

Especially if you're an old pet. We can't take the cat with us when we move this week. But nobody wants him. He's too old. At 14 years, he's unadoptable. The shelters won't take him because they are full of kittens. We can't find a home for him anywhere. So what option does that leave us? To have him euthanized. Smokey was my mother's cat that we inherited when she died. Because she had been living with us for the last five years of her life, that cat had been with us as well. He's developing the infirmities of the aged, but he still gets around pretty well. But if no one wants him, I'd rather take him to a vet and pay to put him to sleep than have him killed at the ASPCA (if they'd even take him). That seems to be about the only option left for us. I hope it isn't. He would be a good companion for some old curmudgeon. But I had to come here a post about it. While I'm not a real pet person, I absolutely won't throw an animal out on the street to fend for itself because I can't take it. I won't leave it fastened up in the house when we vacate. I won't be cruel to an animal. There are people who will do that, just go off and leave them or throw them out to try and fend for themselves. It's horrible. I'd much rather quietly end it's life by injection if there is no other options but the cruel ones.

TOU that plays the "Guess my file type" game

2011-07-22T17:04:00.000-07:00

You know, I'm tired today. After a quick, 2 day, round trip to find a place to live, my husband and I are both tired. So I haven't done much today, but decided to check on some of the blog trains. Found a cute one and downloaded the ones I liked. Everything looks good, but there was one problem. Can you spot the trouble in this screen grab of the TOUs? I've blurred all the names for privacy sake.

This is the case of the unknown TOU file type. What kind of file is ____________TOU? (And don't you know, the "thanks and credits.rtf" file is from the same designer with the mystery tou.) I had to solve this mystery, which BTW, is not unique. I've gotten such files before, or else saved in some format I had to look up in order to find a program that would open it. I decided to try Microsoft Word Viewer. What I got with that program was this:

I can't read gibberish, so obviously this was not any kind of Word doc. It certainly wasn't a text doc, nor an rtf like her "thanks and credits" file. A few more efforts and I tried opening it in the browser. Ahhh, finally success. It turned out to be a PDF. Now this wondering mind wants to know how this tou could have been saved and added to the download folder without the filetype. Accidental erasure? Her software saves without adding the filetype? I don't know, but now that the mystery is solved for me, this wondering mind would like to know what other downloaders are doing with that tou? Tossing it? Like I did before I decided I was curious enough to see if I could find what it said? My fellow designers (current and future) if you want your customers to follow your tou, please make sure we can easily open it on any computer. Thank you.

Now that I have that off my mind, I have had trouble plenty with getting the download link to my latest Design Factor freebie correct. It didn't help that I was out of town with no internet connection for two days, which must have frustrated a number of people. Even my first attempt at correcting it failed. Too tired. And we have to leave again on Monday as DH begins his new job on Tuesday. Then it's back home once more to load up a truck and move to our new home. I shouldn't be complaining though. It's definitely been the working of God that this job opened up. We will be closer to our daughter and I do want to spend more time with her. It's a brand new city we've never lived in before or even visited, but I'm not too old to learn new things.

Here is the preview of the Challege #5 freebie. It's a set of elements. I have made some papers to go along, but I'm too tired right now to get them up. I'll get them up sometime next week if not sooner. You can download the elements at Digi Scrap Connect.

Moving Day Approacheth

2011-07-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

We are going to be moving, probably by the end of the month. Fortunately, I have pared down so much stuff in the last few years, I don't have a lot of packing to do. I don't relish packing what I do have to pack, but it has to be done. I'm still in the Design Factor Race, and will stick with it as long as I can. Then I have to pull in the bins and boxes and sort and fill. Fortunately I had gone through so much stuff when Mom died in January, sorting, throwing away, disposing of the things I didn't need or want. I also hung onto empty boxes and bins. We're moving because my husband was offered a job that we totally didn't expect. God is so good. We had settled in our minds that we were probably stuck here, then the job offer came. The move will put us closer to our daughter, so maybe I'll get to see her more often. Anyway, I didn't get the mini from last week posted her on the blog, but it is still available. I'll be taking down week one tonight. That means weeks 2, 3, and 4 will still be available. Here is week 3 preview.

Here is the week 4 preview. A little bit of Christmas in July.

Download link removed for My Heart Remembers

Download Christmas Lights here

Got Hattatude?

2011-07-01T06:37:00.000-07:00

Brand new in the store today and 35% for the first week. This is a fun kit that was fun to do. Maybe because I love the colors, maybe because I in that age bracket. LOL. You don't have to belong to the society to use this kit especially if you love hats, boas, red, purple, and kazoos. Have fun with it.

Blog Train for Digiscrap Forum

2011-07-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

This is one busy month. But, boy, are you guys the winners. With blog trains, and the Design Factor minis, you will be getting quite a few freebies from me. If you find you like my minis, I hope you'll visit my store at Moo Two Designs and purchase a kit. It would be much appreciated.

Now here is your blog train freebie. You probably arrived here from Eyeinspire. Your next stop will be Pardon the Mess. You can find the starting point at Digiscrap Forum. To get my part click on the preview to download or click HERE. If you should have trouble downloading, please leave a comment so I can fix it. Thanks.

New New New in the store plus week 2 of the Design Factor

2011-06-29T15:02:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a long post because I have new kits and CU in the store, plus the next kit for the Design Factor. Plus news that we are moving for DH has a new job and that makes me happy because we will be closer to our daughter.

I've never done a patriotic kit before, but I have one now. America's Independence Day is only a few days away, and you'll want to scrap your holiday photos.

I also have 2 new CU packs. The first is a set of overlays.

Love smilies? Do you ever want them for your kits or your layouts? Now you can. The are layered PSD and PSP.

I'm still in the race and have completed week 2. I'm not sure how moving will affect the rest of the race, but I'll keep going as long as I can. Link for download has been removed. To collect the other entry kits, visit Digi Scrap Connect.

The Race Is On!

2011-06-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

The Design Factor Race that is. Week one required a mini kit with a summer theme. Well, what else is there about summer but storms and heat and humidity, sometimes all on the same day? LOL. Can you tell I live in the South? My mini is Forecast: Summer! with 6 papers and 24 elements for summer weather related scrap pages. Sorry it's no longer available.

Design Factor

2011-06-19T18:40:00.001-07:00

I've entered the Design Factor at Digi Scrap Connect which started today. It's not a contest but a race. It's means a mini kit this week whenever I get mine done. I'm not sure what the following weeks will have, but you can check out the forum at Digi Scrap Connect.

Cooling Down at Last

2011-06-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

After two weeks of temps in the 90's it has finally cooled down a bit. It was cool enough yesterday to turn off the AC and open windows. We just need more rain. But not as much as Arizona. I have a friend who lives near Santa Fe, NM, and they tell me the smoke from the fire is bad there. This has been the year of the back to back disaster. According to Matthew chapter 24, this is just the beginning of sorrows. So fasten your seatbelts, and hang on, because it is only going to get worse. There is only one way out, and that is trusting in Jesus Christ. I know a lot of people don't even believe in Him, a lot of others say they believe, but they don't really trust in Him. I've tried the do-it-yourself method of taking care of myself, and found that it didn't work. If I want real peace of mind, then I have to surrender everything to the Creator God.

I have released a new kit in the store, and rereleased two older kits.

Got a New Attitude has the feel of cut out cardboard elements in pretty pastels. Walking On Sunshine is a favorite of mine, because I love the bright colors and summer feel of the kit. I've worked on the quality control. If you buy the kit, you will receive the bragbook free in the download.

Finally, I have completely reworked Days of My Life, a hybrid kit for scrapping about daily life. It includes printables to help you organize yourself.

All are available in my Moo Two Store.

You've probably noticed that I have few if any layouts for my kits. I no longer have a CT (creative team). I may use one again sometime, but for now, my kits will have to stand by the previews and the layouts you find my designer gallery at Moo Two Designs.Thanks to all who are taking my newsletter freebie poll.
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Circular Logic

2011-06-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not using it right now, at least I don't think so. But if you want to know what it means (hint: freebie) check out my Facebook fanpage.

If I still have your attention (freebie? doubtful. LOL) I talked to my daughter last night. I was reminded that there is a family (sort of) connection with Joplin, MO, where the tornado struck a couple of weeks ago. My SIL was born and raised there though he and my daughter don't live there. But his brother does. My DD turned on the news that Sunday night, saw the news about the tornado and called her husband and told him to call his brother. Fortunately, he reached him and he was OK. A week ago, DD and SIL drove up to Joplin. She said the pictures are bad enough, but it's horrible to see it in person.

I followed someone else's link to an article written by an ER doc who was on duty in the St. John's Regional Medical Center when the tornado hit. What happened inside the hospital during the Joplin, MO, tornado. It's both heartbreaking and heartwarming. If you're squeamish you might want to skip some details. I know that people call these storms "an act of God" but God isn't a killer who wantonly takes life. But if you bring up that God has an enemy that does these thing, well many people just don't believe that there is a devil, who is called Satan. The Bible calls him the adversary. But the Bible also says that his time to hurt and destroy will come to an end and that it will be soon. That's the day I'm looking forward to. There'll be no more tornadoes, no earthquakes or tsunamis. Nothing, says God, to hurt or destroy in His holy mountain.

If you're still with me, a number of designers have been contributing to a collaboration kit for the victims of the tornadoes in AL and MO and the floods this spring. I'll post more when it becomes available. It seems like such a small thing for me to do and I wish that I could be closer to actually help out, but I have contributed to the kit, and plan to purchase it when it is put on sale. I hope you will also be willing to purchase it. The money will got to the Red Cross.

I've added a poll to the side bar. I hope you'll take a moment to tell me what kind of freebies you like in a newsletter. You can mark more than one. I'm not sure why but that information is in very light print and I don't see any way to make it darker.

Thanks to my hubbie

2011-06-01T07:07:00.000-07:00

He gave me what he had been suffering with for several weeks. Coughing, tiredness (general malaise in medical terms), just not feeling well. Fortunately, it has not gone to my chest. But it seems to take so long to get over it. I'm able to function, and I am thanking God that I have not had any sinus congestion and the antihistamines work. I'm sure a lot of it is really allergies. So enough about me.

This month, during the first two weeks of June, I am the featured designer at Moo Two Designs. Of course, that means a sale. Everything in my store is 25% off for the next two weeks. If you get the Moo Two newsletter, you will also find a freebie, a sampler from my brand new kit released today. Do you ever wonder what inspires a kit? For me it can be a color palette, or an element. It might be some idea or need I have. In the case of Silver Moon, my new kit, it was a paper. I like to take my photos, especially those that really aren't very good, and run them through filters. I especially like to use Filter Forge since there are so many different filters available and I can make my own. I was running a photo through multiple filters, one after the other, and one really stood out. Using my color picker, I made a color swatch, and immediately the idea and name of silver moon came to mind. As you can see there are lots of silvery blue shades that just called for a moon and stars and lots of glowing elements. I hope you will like it. Preview is linked to the store.

Monkeys are Riding the Blog Train

2011-06-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Lots of monkeys. All kinds of monkeys. If you have a little monkey or had one, you will have one fantastic kit to scrap your little monkey with when you collect all the pieces of the blog train. Now, I didn't really think of monkeys as animals but as monkey bars. When my son was little he was a monkey, even climbing the walls, literally! He'd get in the narrow hallway, put one had and one foot on one wall, the other on the other wall, and climb. Unfortunately, I never got a photo of him, but I do have the memories. Well, if I did get a photo, I lost it in the flood we went through years ago, so I can't remember for sure if I did nor not. So much for my jabber,.

You came here from <a href="http://www.sugarscraps.com" target="new">Sugar Kissed Designs</a> and from here you will be going to <a href="http://www.designsbyamandah.com" target="new">Lollipop Designs</a>. If you get lost, go back to the train station at the Blog Train Blog. Now for what you came for, the freebie.

Sorry, it's gone now.

I wonder if....

2011-05-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

I wonder if it ever occurs to those who write about photography and digiscrap that not everyone has lots of money or credit to buy the latest and greatest, be it software or equipment? I was just reading over an article on photography, and the beginning premise of the article is that the reader owns an SLR camera. Well, I don't. Actually I have a few digital cameras and only bought one of them. The rest came from my mother. She'd buy one and if she didn't like it, guess who got it? She also gave me a new one for Christmas last year. They pretty good cameras, and I get some very good photos. But why do those who write these articles not take into consideration that many of us don't own and can't afford one of the more expensive cameras. I can tell you that right now I don't have that kind of money. Maybe $700.00 isn't a lot to some people, but that much will come close to taking care of the needs of my husband and myself for a month. Credit? No thanks. I don't want it. It's only trouble in the end. We paid off our credit a few years ago and decided not to incur more. When things are tough, we aren't worrying about making a credit card payment with an every increasing interest rate.

The same kind of mindset applies to many of the articles and tutorials for digiscrap. It seems to be a widespread assumption that everyone is using Photoshop, or at least Photoshop Elements. Well, those who either have the $600-1000 necessary to acquire the software (depending on what package they get and will be less if they are upgrading) or don't mind adding to their credit debt to get it aren't the only ones who digiscrap, or for that matter, design. Many years ago when PS first came out, it came bundled with a printer I bought. I played around in it. but there were no digital cameras, I had no scanner, so I never pursued upgrading the program. I'm not sorry. I have used Paint Shop Pro for as many years, and enjoy using it. Along the way I also learned vector graphics and acquired vector programs, including Corel Draw. I didn't like it. Never upgraded it either. Now I use Serif Draw, and also have Arts and Letters, but use it very little now. I've already decided I will not be upgrading it again.

It would be thoughtful if those who write articles and tutorials would remember those who don't use expensive software and equipment. Give pointers and tips that everyone can use. At least Cassel has her Scrapbook Campus that is PSP oriented.

OK, griped enough. Now on to the weather. Which is cold Brrrr! This is the South. It's colder today than the normal lows for this time of year. It's hot one week and we need AC, the next week it's cold and we need heat. Then it repeats. I fear what summer will be like. Will it be like this all summer or will it suddenly get incredibly hot? At least, we are actually having spring. That is a good thing.

I'm working slowing again. I'll get very productive for a few weeks and churn out several kits, then I'll slow down for awhile. So I've mostly been working on new overlays and elements to use in my kits, plus some new things I will release when I get one of those round tuits. I also use some of my time to extract items I've scanned or photographed. I always have a stash on hand that needs extracting. Which reminds me…

My mom hung onto all kinds of things. After she died, I had to go through all that stuff, and found a treasure trove of old papers, some more than one hundred years old, including recipes. Of course, it is quite fragile and I had to handle it with care, but I scanned and scanned and scanned it all into the computer. I am working on extracting it. There were letters from my uncles who were in the service in WWII who were writing home. There were receipts for bills paid. Membership cards besides the recipes. I actually enjoyed reading through a lot of it. I'm not a collector, so after awhile, I will offer the papers to my kids, and if they don't want them, I'll dispose of them. But they are all digitized now.

Have you signed up for my newsletter? I may not be regular with the newsletter, but I try not to send it out without a goody in it for my subscribers. And don't forget my fan page. I'm trying to post to it once a week and add previews for my new kits there.

It's Been One of Those Weeks

2011-05-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

You know the kind. You run, run, run, and yet it seems little gets accomplished. I've been on the move all week. It started Monday when I went to get my TN driver's license. I've lived in several different states, but this state has to have the most inefficient system of them all. It took me nearly two hours to get through, and most of that was standing in line waiting, then waiting some more. But I finally got it done.

Tuesday it was off to the Council on Aging to see about finding work. (Yes, I qualify, age wise.) Frankly, I think I pretty much wasted my time and theirs. Their funding has been cut way back in the new budget. So that will impact how many older Americans they can help. But then I was told I have no goal as far was what kind of job I want. Actually, I do have goals. The problem is my goal doesn't match what they offer. So I'm not in the system. I think I'll be keeping my day job, designing at the computer. One good thing did come of it. I need to know spreadsheets, so I finally googled "basic spreadsheet" and found the info I have needed to at least begin doing simple spreadsheets. All the software I've ever used has been self taught, to spreadsheets will be no exception.

The last part of Got A New Attitude is up, and the papers will come down soon. This time you get the alpha. Full upper and lower plus numbers and punctuation. If you've been collecting the parts, I'm glad you found me. It doesn't appear that any of the freebie sites have. Don't forget that my store is still on sale through this Sunday (closed Saturday). If you want to save more look for my ad in a previous post and get the coupon that will save you an additional 35%.

Woops! Forgot to set the next part of the kit

2011-05-10T06:11:00.000-07:00

But it's set now. Had a lot on my mind yesterday and just plain forgot. You can get it now and the first part will stay up for a while longer.

Free Gift and iNSD Sale

2011-05-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

Just letting you know that my sale is in full swing at Moo Two Designs. And I have a special gift for you for stopping by my store. A brand new, never before released kit, Got A New Attitude. But you'll have to hurry to get it. There are only 250 available and when it's gone, it's going on sale. Oh, and you will have to pick up each piece through this week. Starting now, you can get the elements then sometime on Monday night I'll put the papers up and on Tuesday, the elements come down. The papers will be up until Thursday morning but the alpha will go up on Wednesday night. Oh, you want to see what the kit I'm giving away looks lik?. Of course, you do! So here it is.

Watch This Blog!

2011-05-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

iNSD is coming! iNSD is coming! With a big sale and a free gift just for you.

So keep an eye on this blog. Sunday you will find out more. The sale includes all my products priced over $1.50. All PU, S4H, and CU items.

New Kit for a Brand New Series

2011-04-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

Classy Side of Me is the first kit that introduces a new series of kits called Another Side of Me. Probably all of us have referred to ourselves by that phrase in conversation at some time in our lives. It tells people that they don't really know all about us. We all have several sides to our personalities. Each "Side of Me" kit will focus on a different aspect of personality and character. All are designed for you, the scrapper, to begin a scrapbook about yourself, telling your life story in your words. They will emphasize journaling about each side of who you are and what makes you the way you are, the things that have shaped and molded you. The elements and papers are designed to assist you in the process of telling your story. This is about leaving a legacy for those who come after you. This first kit is about the side of you that loves elegance, beauty, sparkle, bling, all things lovely, but with a hint of the down-to-earth. The colors are rich, with a bit of pastel. There are gems and glittery sparkly elements. This kit is awaiting your touch to begin the journaling and photos that tell about the classy side of you.

In this kit you will find 86 elements including:

8 buttons, 3 brads, 1 banner, 3 bows, ribbons, frames, flowers, 3 gems, 2 lace butterflies,2 bead strands, 1 bead scatter, 1 fern, 1 floral cluster, 4 flourishes, 7 flowers, 1 floral vine, 3 frames, 2 glass beads, 1 gold border, 2 jeweled edges, 4 journal mats, 6 journal tags, 1 lace mat, 2 leaves, 1 paperclip, 8 ribbons, 2 laces, 1 staple, 3 glitter stars, 6 wordarts, 1 bird note, 3 tags, 14 papers. No 2 items are exactly alike, no recolors.

I also have a set of clusters, a set of stacked papers, and a set of templates.

The templates are journaling only templates for you to write to your hearts content and not have to use photos. This package has 6 layered templates in PSD, PSP, and PNG formats as well as 12x12 and 8.5x11 sizes.

You may purchase all these in a bundle and save a bundle.

Reviving my newsletter

2011-04-29T06:33:00.000-07:00

I am reviving my newsletter beginning next week. This week I sent out just a plain letter to those on my mailing list telling them why I hadn't sent one in awhile, and my designer name change. I've also reinstalled my newsletter signup here on my blog. I'm getting ready for NSD week and already have a few things ready. Those who get my newsletter will get something extra. So sign up now.

Scavenger Hunt Tomorrow at Moo Two.

2011-04-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

Woops! Forgot to blog

2011-04-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

I get so busy in PSP and working on kits, then remembering I'd better get some housework done, that I forget to blog. I have the case of Michelle Lavin, owner of Digital Scrap Ink, on my mind. I first heard of her and her store in a topic at DST, asking for prayer for her and her family. A later post in that topic links to a news story that tells the tragic story of a young wife and mother who is terminally ill. CJD is incurable. There is no treatment of any kind as it is a prion disease also know as spongiform encephalopathy. (In cattle it's called mad cow disease.) Now her family is losing her. She has a husband and two young sons who will soon be motherless. It's a tragic situation no matter how you look at it. One thing I have realized from reading her story is to make sure that my family has access to all the information they need to take care of my business should I be unable to do so. None of Michelle's family has the passwords to her computer and cannot take care of her business. Passwords are supposed to be secret, but you should have a copy of them stashed away somewhere and keep it up-to-date. And make sure that one trusted person knows where that copy is.

I'm working on several new kits and reworking a few more. Some of my old kits have me rolling my eyes they are so bad quality wise. Some of the I've scaled back to little more that the original palette and maybe a few elements an papers. One kit I've changed the palette, will remake some of the elements and papers, make new stuff, and reuse the name. I don't think I ever sold one copy of the original anyway. And now I realize that NSD or DSD is coming in a couple of weeks. It is always on a Saturday (Sabbath) so my store won't be open, but the rest of the week, I'm going to work on something for everyone. Stay tuned.

Two PB accounts but not two Twitters

2011-04-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

I may have two PB accounts, but apparently not two Twitter accounts. It looks like they have deleted my older account. I don't really mind, but had to find out how to set up my FB fanpage to the new Twitter. I finally got it done.

I went to the National Council on Aging on Monday to sign up for help in finding a job. (Yes, I am that old.) I told them the last time I signed up it was months before someone called me back. At that time, I was busy taking care of mom, but I did try to call back and couldn't get the person I needed, so I didn't call back. Well, on Monday they told me I'd hear in two or three days. I'm still waiting. It looks like I'm on my own to find some kind of job I will enjoy and will be able to do. But I can tell you that when you haven't worked for a company in years (I've had other employment with a friend) it is not easy to gather up one's courage and go job hunting. Especially in the USA where age discrimination is practiced. It's difficult for me to be on my feet for a lot of hours and I'd rather avoid any job that would have me doing that. But I guess when the rubber hits the road, I may have to take what I can get. Digiscrap designing I love, but it doesn't pay well at all.

Having 2 PB accounts helps

2011-04-13T08:00:00.001-07:00

I found that I can access my second PB account, so I uploaded my blinkies to that account and updated my sidebar except for two blinkies. The previews and such in my posts will just have to wait until PB finishes their "short" maintenance.

Short Maintenance? Hummpf!

2011-04-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

Photobucket has made a wreck of my blog today, thanks to their "short" maintenance. Sorry it looks so awful, but hopefully it will soon return to normal and I won't have to go around resetting graphics all over the place. I'm glad I didn't have plans to release a new kit today.

My answer to a comment left by Joanne of Joanne's Digital Designs

2011-04-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

Last evening JoanneM of Joanne's digital designs left a comment on my Major Scrapola blog (which I've now closed as all the posts from there are on this blog, therefore her comment won't be visible here). She was commenting in regard to a post I made about her use of some trademarked/copyrighted materials for some of her scripts. (the post in question) I have written a reply to her and am posting it here. Joanne's comments are in this color.

“Tirza, I find it interesting that you post something about me, but yet you keep my CU license on your blog. If you're so against me, why do you keep my license posted.”

I keep the license posted because I paid for it, and I still use your products. There are very few good script writers and I have always considered you to be among the best. I do not say that to flatter, but as truth. There are very few script writers that I purchase from as I've gotten some really crappy scripts in the past. I am quite picky about who I buy from.

“I had those threads removed as they were ruining my reputation. And, if you don't have the whole story, you shouldn't post anything about it. Don't act like those women weren't malicious, because they were.”

Joanne, I fear that you are the one who was ruining your reputation. When a designer uses trademarked and/or copyrighted materials without permission, it is not the one who points that misuse out that is committing the ruin. The attitude you carry in such a situation very often determines what others think of you. I don’t know “those women” who you say are malicious nor do I know why you consider them malicious. They are not familiar to me as I don’t have any dealings with them either socially or professionally.

I value freedom of speech. Would you have been happier for me to post had I gone around tracking down the “whole story”? and then posting everything I was told? The very idea is repugnant to me. I saw and read enough to see that you were using trademarked/copyrighted material as the basis of your script designs so closely they were virtual copies of the original. That was the story.That's what I posted.

“There are designers out there who use the actual pictures, but does anyone bash them, nope, just me.”

I was taught that being an adult means taking responsibility for one’s own actions, rather than casting about to see how we can justify our own wrongs and poor judgment. It’s an unfortunate trait when an adult sees themselves as a victim without acknowledging that they were in the wrong, saying I’m sorry, and then correcting the problem. What does it matter that there are other designers out there using “actual pictures”? Does that excuse your use of them for any purpose? Not at all. Neither you nor I are responsible for the choices they make; we are responsible only for the choices we individually make. You are not the only designer who has been called down for using material that isn’t public domain. One designer, Laurie, was called on the carpet for using Disney items in her kits. She didn’t attack those who pointed that out but rather apologized, changed her kits, and improved her reputation is so doing. She gained respect for her willingness to acknowledge the wrong and change it. You have not improved your reputuation by your actions but rather painted a picture of yourself as being unwilling to accept your errors and to willingly correct them. Is that really the picture you want others to have of you? Someone who is too proud to say, I was wrong and I’ll change because I want to do what is right? Others would respect you as a person much more if you had come into DST and said, I have made a mistake. Thank you for pointing it out. I will make changes. That you were apparently unwilling to do. Your design and scripting abilities are top notch. Your reputation can be too if you're willing to take the correct attitude.

“The items that they spoke about in those threads were redone, and are fine now.

I fixed them to stop the bad mouthing about me, but apparently it hasn't reached your blog yet.”

It is most sad that the only reason you saw fit to redo the offending scripts was to “stop the badmouthing”. I would hope you would do it because it is the correct thing to do and you want your work and reputation to be above reproach. As for reaching my blog, I guess it has been reached it now.

“I would appreciate it grately [sic] if you would either remove this post, or update it. How would you feel if you created something that took you hours to make and then everyone pick it apart and call you names - not too good I bet.”

I’ve been called names. I've been yelled at. I've been belittled and mocked. I’ve had my stuff picked apart; ripped to shreds (certainly not all digital). It isn’t a pleasant experience, but I learned (and still do) from it. They are teaching moments during which I can learn more about how I can improve and do better. Even if the person offering the criticism is doing so in a less than kind manner, I don’t have to return like for like. I can rise about their pettiness. I can be an adult.

I will make an update, but not the post you left the comment on. You see, you left your comment on a very short post I had made about my mother’s death in January. I don’t intend to change that post at all. Oh, I know what post you are referring to, and as I stated, I will see that there is an update made. I will do that in the manner I deem best.

“People need to think of the damage they do to others before they perpetuate slander about them.”

If I wanted to slander you, why would I have posted this paragraph in my post (the post you want me to update or delete):

What saddened me most, was Joanne's attitude when confronted with the misuse of others' works. She goes on the attack of those she says are attacking her. But no one was attacking her, only pointing out that she needs to show proof that she has permission to use the items in question if she has permission. Please, Joanne, no one wants to see you stop designing. You are a talented woman. But please keep it legitimate. It's not easy to face ourselves in the mirror and admit that we have done something wrong, but if you will do what Laurie did, and admit it, then change your scripts, it [will] go so much better for you.

I believe I have adequately address all the points in your comment. I checked your store and see that you have removed the offending scripts. I'm glad that you decided that it was best to do so for whatever reason you made that choice.We are never too old to learn, Joanne, or the change for the better. I trust that you are willing to keep growing and improving as a person as well as a designer.

Stormy Weather

2011-04-06T19:31:00.000-07:00

I live in that part of the country that was hit by the major storms that ripped through the south on Monday. Our power went out at 2:30 pm and came back on at 10:30. I am very thankful because it was going into the 30's Monday night and we are all electric. We were preparing for a very cold night if the power didn't come back on. What was out the longest was the internet. We didn't get that back until the morning. But I got a lot done on my computer. I cleaned out some old files, caught up with my organizing, and have been doing some designing. I decided not to enter the designer contest at theStudio, though I'm playing along on my own. I've wanted to redo a wedding kit I made for my daughter's wedding photos, so I'm working on that.

Do you love a great challenge?

2011-04-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

I hope you do and I've got some great ones going on at Moo Two this month. One is brand new; a challenge I've wanted to do for myself, so you know I'm actively involved in it. I've name it Scrapping My Life Story. (Yes, that's a link to the challenge.) And here is what this challenge is all about.

Everyone has a story to tell, but sometimes scrappers forget to tell theirs while they’re scrapping about everyone else. When is the last time you actually did a page about you? Just you? Not some party you went to, not some family gathering, not about how cute or sweet or ingenious your kids are, not the birthday bash for your husband or the anniversary party for your parents, but about you? How much will your grandchildren and great grandchildren know about you when they go through your scrapbooks? Do you get so busy taking photos at every event and non-event that you have pics of everyone but you? As much as I don’t like seeing my unlovely mug in photos, I do hand my camera to someone else sometimes and get a photo of me. I want to remember that I was there too, and not just behind the camera. I want those who come along to understand that I was a person with a life and I lived it to the full.

It’s been awhile, hasn’t it, since you actually did a page about your life as you live it, right? Well, we are going to remedy that starting now. The pages you do in this challenge are going to be about your life as you live it. You will be writing down your thoughts, your views of life, your beliefs, and what they mean to you. Oh, we’re not going to leave out the parties and family gatherings and holidays or your kids. Not at all, but you are going to be encouraged to look at them through your own eyes, and scrap about them from your perspective, not what you want some future viewer of your scrapped pages to know. This is going to be the story of your life as you remember it.

I hope you are ready to begin. You may use any kits and as many kits as you want that fit the page you are working on. Sometimes I may suggest that you use certain colors or elements, but the decision is entirely yours. You will be doing a lot of journaling. If English is not your native language, feel free to journal in the language you are most comfortable with. Many of the pages you will make will be photo optional as journaling will be the most important part of the page. Sometimes you may use a lot of pictures for as the saying goes, a picture says a thousand words.

This challenge will run bi-weekly. Every two weeks I will post the next page's requirements. Anyone can join in at anytime and start a page. You will upload your pages to the gallery for us to comment on. But if you have made a page that you feel is too sensitive for others to see, I suggest that you mask the section that you don’t want us to see or read, and blur it (a blur of about 10 is usually enough). This will protect your privacy and still let us see your layout in the gallery.

You may work in whatever size you want— 12x12; 8x8, 8½x11, 11x8½, even 7x5, though that is quite small for journaling. Each page in your book needs to be the same size. Whatever size you start with, you should stay with.

What kinds of things will you be scrapping about? We’ll begin with a title page and a short biography of you. We will scrap about where we come from, our ancestors (as much as we know or care about), our parents, and our childhood. Depending on our ages, we will move through our life story, but not necessarily in order. We'll be making side trips to scrap about our beliefs, our education, our work, things we like, things we don’t like and that annoy, even disturb us; foods we like and maybe even a favorite song or poem. We’ll scrap about our families and our friends for no matter what your age or marital status, you have some family and friends. This is where you will find the first challenge. Please do come and join us, make some new friends and scrap about yourself for a change.

I'm still doing the Chuck Wagon Recipe Challenge, but this month I've stirred up a new pot of stew. Turned the challenge on its head. I've given out a recipe for you to follow, but if you want to know what that recipe is (it requires no cooking) you'll need to check the forum to find out and join in the fun.

Remember, every challenge you complete gets you a discount for a purchase at Moo Two Designs.

50% off sale at Moo Two for a few more days.

2011-03-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

My store at Moo Two is 50% off for a few more days as the big Birthday Party for Miss Moo continues through the is week. Please hurry over and join in the fun and challenges and load up your shopping cart.

Big Fourth Birthday Celebration at Moo Two Designs!

2011-03-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

It's going to be a big week at Moo Two Designs beginning this Thursday. Look at all the fun things in store for you and great prizes too. It's all happening in the Moo Two Designs Forum.

That includes my store! When I quit designing to take care of my mother in her final days, I retired nearly everything. So I am back with new kits, a few redone (I mean they are so redone, they are new kits!) and lots of CU overlays with more new products coming soon.

Studio Linda Renee is now open for business plus a freebie

2011-03-17T19:04:00.000-07:00

I have opened my store at Moo Two Designs just in time for the big birthday bash. That means a sale next week of 50% off. I had already decided that I was going to go with lower prices on my kits. I don't plan to have one that will cost over $5.00 and very few will be that much. They will have to be a whopper of a kit to cost that much. Most will be around $4.00. Some less. My CU prices will stay about the same. Of course, I never had a lot of CU, but I do have quite a few packs of overlays up now. I like making overlays.

I'm slowly getting back to normal. We still don't know if hubby will get the job he interviewed for last week. Things will be in a bit of limbo here until then.

One of my new kits has been in the works for a long time, but I just couldn't seem to pull it together. Well, until SandEz Creationz posted the March Paint the Barn challenge at Moo Two Designs (that's a color challenge in case you didn't know). The color palette was just right and she wanted it to be a masculine. So I set to work and the kit just came together and bigger and bigger and bigger. You can see from the previews how big it is. Oh, it's very masculine. My son is a long hauler, a truck driver. Not the job his father and I envisioned for him, but it was his choice. I've wanted to do a trucker kit for all the pics I have of him in and with his truck. Now I have it. Yea! Now I know that a purely trucker kit won't be a big draw, so I threw lots of non-trucking but manly elements in the kit as well. It's a great kit for the hard working guy who gets his hands dirty. Now I just have to get busy scrapping those photos! Hey, you can get the kit here!

Oh, yes. Your freebie is an addon to Roll On!

Download here

Moo Two Designs Is Having A Birthday!!!

2011-03-15T11:48:00.000-07:00

Miss Moo is 4 years old

Come on over and join in the fun and games in the forum.

Lots to do, fun to be had. Prizes Galore!!

2011-03-10T07:25:00.000-08:00

DH was gone overnight to a job interview. It is the first time in several years that I have been alone at night. Not since mom was sick a few years ago and DH was on assignment have I been by myself. Need I say I didn't sleep too well? He'll be back today.

New Blog, New Design Name, Same Store

2011-03-08T11:47:00.001-08:00

Yea! I am going to be reopening my store at Moo Two Designs in the very near future. M2 is the first store that I've really felt at home in. While I was out of selling for the last couple of months, I had to give some serious thought as to whether I wanted to continue. Design is something I truly love, and will continue to do in foreseeable future. I really wanted to pick up and use my own name, and drop Tirza. And Major Scrapola. Now I'll be Studio Linda Renee. I like it much better. It's more me. It's who I am. Now how do I go about getting my name changed at the forums I frequent? Guess I'll have to ask.

Welcome to my new home and my new name.

The Shape of Things

2011-03-02T19:07:00.000-08:00

Today I finished the major sorting. I wasn't sure that we could empty the story unit in a month, but we did. Thank the Lord, He helped us get the job done. Mom's things are pretty much gone except what I chose to keep, which wasn't much. I sent about 9 boxes of things to my sister, gave a few things to my kids, and gave the rest to the community services center for their thrift store. With the loaded boxes and bins we took in, they were well supplied for February. I know that the money they earn from the things goes to a good cause as the center helps a lot of people in need. I called and talked to the library about her collection of genealogical books and sent them down there. I didn't want to throw them away (some had been quite expensive) and none of the family was interested in them. Plus I wasn't going to pay to ship all those books to anyone even through media mail!

I realize a lot of people would not be able to deal with a deceased loved one's things quickly, but I had to. We had to get the storage unit empty as we can't keep paying the fees. I've also been thinning my own things down. I don't want to hang onto all the baggage anymore. I looked at this way, if all that stuff had been sitting in a storage unit for 15 months, and I hadn't used it, did I really need it? Well, certainly not a lot of it. I kept most of my sewing stuff. I kept it in storage because there was just no room to set up my machine and sew. I have to use the bed to cut out fabric. I wanted to sew, and I needed to, but couldn't. Now I can after I get things a little more straightened up.

Or maybe not. Hubby has an interview for a job next week in another state several hours away. If he gets the job we'll be moving, so I'll still have to wait to get sewing. That's another good reason to downsize, though. Moving is a real chore, and it gets harder as we get older and I can tell you I'm well on the back side of spring chicken. The less stuff we have to move, the easier it is. We have minimal stuff now. A little bit of furniture, a few appliances, boxes of books we are keeping, clothes, kitchen stuff, and some other personal effects. About enough to fill a rental truck.

One thing we kept of mom's was her cat. He's used to us anyway, and he's too old to find a new home, so we are stuck with him. I'm no longer a cat fancier, but I can put up with him. He sleeps most of the time anyway. I just don't like it when he decides to sleep in the chair I want to sin in. He's been a little ansy lately with all the soring and moving bins and boxes in and out. Plus I rearranged the living room. So I understand that his world is upside down at the moment.

Enough about life, now on to the digiscrap world. I've been searching for some more vector illustrations, brushes and fonts today, freebies of course for commercial use. I found several I like and can use in my kit for the Paint the Barn challenge at Moo Two, but as usual, TOUs almost non existent. So many of these designers don't even put any information on their own websites regarding how their designs can be used. And a good number of them are professional designers! I suppose they think that everyone who downloads their designs only want's them for personal use. Never make such an assumption. Some, though, like Obsidian Dawn, do state their terms. Font makers are as bad or even worse. Many of them don't even have websites and TOU's are as rare as hen's teeth. On top of that, you have to beware of the sites that are offering freebies and are actually pirated from someone else. I ran into that today. Fortunately, I found the original designer's website and quickly found that the freebie wasn't free at all. Into the recycle bin along with the "I have no idea if it's commercial use" designs as well. Sigh.

I like to look through the freebie scrap sites to see what is being offered. Sometimes there are some great kits for free, especially when there is a design contest going on. Stuff to Scrap just finished theirs, and Scrap Matters has one currently going on. Brownie Scraps has something going on on their Facebook page, but there'll be no freebie links offered. So forget that one. There are some blog trains as well that are good. The LDS blogtrain is specific to their religion, but sometimes the theme offers a lot of papers and elements that are good for regular scrapping. Other times it is just too specific for anyone but a Mormon. Then there are the daily downloads. Ugh! I quickly grew to dislike them soon after discovering them. For get to go to the blog/site for a day or two, and you've lost part of the kit. No, thanks. I know some really like them; I don't. I always pass them by. One of my favorite places to pick up a great mega kit is the color challenges. DSO has a popular one. If there are enough participants in the challenge, the entire kit can be quite large. I always collect them, then separate everything into folders. Elements, papers, previews and TOU, alphas, and extras like templates. Now I just need to scrap more.

I've ranted enough. Time to look at what's good and interesting. Moo Two Designs will be celebrating their 3rd anniversary at the end of the month. There will be lots of challenges in the forum, and great prizes. In the meantime, there are the regular challenges. I'm doing the Chuck Wagon Recipe Challenge again this month, and we are having a party. Check it out and take part. I'd love to see what you come up with.

I'm thinking about going back to selling but I'm just not sure. If I'm going to sell then I need to actually sell enough to make it worth while, and I'm not very entrepreneurial. Advertising is not something I'm good at. I read at DST, and I know that there are a few "top" designers who have the scrappers panting after them to get their latest kit. That has never been me, and unlikely to be. I don't know how they got there. What is it that makes all those scrappers drool over their creations? Why are some stores considered to be great stores, while others are out on the fringes? From what I've seen it isn't necessarily because the designers are any better or the products any better. Some time back, I did a buy my store of a "top" designer who also owns a huge store. I have been quite disappointed in her products and have dumped them. Her cu products were just low quality. I won't even consider buying her stuff now because of it.

It gets very discouraging, even when you try to build a following in this business. If you don't have the whatever it is that pushes you to the top of the heap quickly, you can be sure that you probably won't make it. They say it takes about a year. I gave it over two. Maybe it's because I just won't be run of the mill. I don't want to do what everyone else is doing. Example: the rolled paper flowers are now the rage. They're popping up in lots of kits. I like them, but I have not purchased any, because I don't like to follow the pack. I probably have too much sameness with everyone else now. I think my imagination just goes on hiatus when I need it. When my mother got sick, I had to step down. Then she died and there has been all the details and business of the estate that one must take care of (even if there is no "estate"). I have sat down at the computer and made a couple of freebie kits just to keep myself sane and to take a break. But am I ready to go back to selling? I don't know. I enjoy designing but I need to sell if I am selling or just keep giving away freebies. Everyone likes the freebies. So expect another one this month.

New Freebie Kit "Memorial"

2011-02-21T10:02:00.000-08:00

I've finished my contribution for the 2/2011 Paint the Barn Challenge at Moo Two Designs. have designed and named it in honor of my late mom. I wanted a kit that I could use to scrap my memories and photos of her with. There are so few kits for memorializing a loved one. I have scrapped 3 pages with the kit so far. The second layout below was made for the template challenge at Moo Two Designs. I hope you will find the kit useful. Also have 2 quickpages for you as well. Links are at the end of the post for those who grab and run (He he, I know, I find myself doing it too).

Download:
Kit is gone now
Memorial quick pages

2011-02-21T07:53:00.000-08:00

I have so much going 'round in my head, I hardly know where to start this post. I've stayed away from blogging for awhile as I have so much to do, and it seems take effort to write a post. I am also a private person and don't want to write a lot about personal things. Last week was busy as I was preparing for my mother's memorial service. We held it on Sabbath (Saturday) afternoon after church. It went well. There were more people in attendance that I had thought would be. I set up flowers and photos and a scrapbook at the front of the church. I went through mom's scrapbooks and chose pages she had done and put them into one binder. Mom didn't like to use traditional scrapbook binders, but rather 3 ring binders. It made it easy to pick the pages, assemble them into order, then add them to the binder.

Now that the memorial is over, death certificates sent to those that must have them to close her accounts, I can get back to the business of sorting and clearing out the storage unit. I still have so much to do. I've sent about 9 boxes of stuff to my sister. I like the flat rate boxes, but I wish they'd make some bigger ones.

I'm slowly getting back into the scrapping, both designing some freebies, and actually scrapping pages. Whether I return to selling is still doubtful. I just don't have the heart to try and make a go of it. It's one thing for people to like you stuff, it's quite another for them to pay for it. I wasn't selling well but was spending more than I was taking in. That says it was time to get out. Now it is just a great hobby. So you all benefit when I give a freebie.

I no longer have access to the designers' section of DST, but can read the rest of the forum. However, it isn't quite as interesting as it used to be. Someone had begun a topic there a couple of months ago about designers who use copyrighted/trademarked items and designs in their kits. It didn't get much response until someone pointed out the Joanne of Joanne's Digital Designs copies from other works for some of her pspscripts. She sees nothing wrong with it as she says she draws them and changes them. However, the changes are minimal. Things such as bows that she does so well, are generic. But not so with Charming Tails (which I knew nothing about as I am not a collector) are copyrighted/trademarked and cannot be used without explicit permission. I have always liked her scripts, but have mostly bows. Because I don't know the source of bears scripts, I have deleted them and will not use them, but plan to continue using the bows.

What saddened me most, was Joanne's attitude when confronted with the misuse of others' works. She goes on the attack of those she says are attacking her. But no one was attacking her, only pointing out that she needs to show proof that she has permission to use the items in question if she has permission. Please, Joanne, no one wants to see you stop designing. You are a talented woman. But please keep it legitimate. It's not easy to face ourselves in the mirror and admit that we have done something wrong, but if you will do what Laurie did, and admit it, then change your scripts, it go so much better for you.

I'm more upset with DST's reaction because they removed the topic. There is a covert attitude there of we can't expose any wrongdoing in the digiscrap community. You can't name names, you can't expose any pirates copyright/trademark infringers even when there is incontrovertible proof that they are. If you start a topic at DST with a name and/or a link, they will be removed from your post. You must them PM everyone who wants the information. If the piracy is proven, then the pirate needs to be exposed. But therein lies a problem. No one can come up with a solution that is problem free. There are blogs out there (called smack blogs I think) that trash designers without proof that they are pirating. It can ruin the reputation of decent, legitimate designers if they are wrongly accused.

OK, so much for my ruminations. I have things to do today, including uploading my kit for the Moo Two Paint the Barn challenge. I'm going to try to get it posted today, but I have been making some layouts with it, so I may add a another thing or two to it.

Dealing with loss

2011-02-08T06:58:00.000-08:00

My mother died early on Monday morning, January 31, in hospice. She went quietly and peacefully. I have so much to do that I haven't been on her much and probably won't be for awhile. You can read more about it here.

Color Challenges

2011-01-25T08:59:00.000-08:00

I've been working on some color challenges this month. A little bit here and a little bit there between trips to the hospital and taking care of everything that needs to be taken care of.

Mom had her breathing tube pulled yesterday and she improved some. This is turning into an emotional roller coaster ride. She's dying one day, rallying the next, bad a day or two later. I don't know what is going to happen. I am just in a waiting pattern.

Here is the preview for the color challenge at theStudio. Download link is below the preview.

gone now

The next mini is for the cc at Brownie Scraps, appropriately named Mood Swing, considering the roller coaster I'm on.

Gone now

My Mother is Dying

2011-01-23T20:48:00.000-08:00

Today I had to make some painful decisions. A call from mom's doctor confirmed that she is not improving, but rather the reverse. She is very weak, her body is wracked with infections, and her system is breaking down. The powerful antibiotics are not working. She is on the vent and can no longer sustain breathing on her own. So today I made the decision to discontinue treatment. No more antibiotics, no bagging her, no CPR. She will be kept comfortable with pain medication, she'll remain on the vent, they will continue her tube feedings and IV. She was so swollen, her hands were puffed up like balloons and her legs were larger than I've ever seen them. They had reduced the sedative enough that she would respond when she was spoken to. My husband and I stayed awhile. I told her that I love her, that Jesus loves her, and they will keep her comfortable. She could barely nod her head in response.

I didn't think letting go would be so difficult. I have expected her to not make it through this, but I didn't expect the pain and grief that would come. Mom and I have had our struggles and some awful disagreements. We've been at loggerheads over issues that we disagreed on. But I am very thankful that the last week she was home was a good one. We never fought over anything. There was kindness and caring.

When they put her on the vent last Thursday, I knew from my nursing background that it was highly unlikely that she would ever come off. At her age and with her poor physical condition, it was almost a certainty she would not, and now I know she won't. I won't pull the vent, because I don't want her to die that way, unable to get a breath. I also was adamant the she continue to receive food and fluids. Starvation is a horrible way to die. I don't want mom to linger in a painful state, but I also don't want her to die a lingering death by denying her basic necessities.

I have started to clean up around the house and go through her things and sort. Not dispose of them, but to sort them. That, too, is painful. But I won't have the luxury of time to wait for weeks or months have she is gone to begin the process of disposing of her belongings. I suppose some will think me crass for doing so, but keeping busy night now is better therapy than sitting by the phone waiting for the inevitable phone call from the hospital.

Update on my mother.

2011-01-21T14:14:00.000-08:00

First, thanks to all who have left kind comments and wishes for my mother.

I got a call from her doctor yesterday afternoon telling me that she is in serious condition, with some awful infections. We drove down to the hospital in the snowstorm and I was able to talk with the doctor. Why do they always try to sound so upbeat? I have a nursing background and therefore some understanding of her condition and it isn't good. Now it's just wait and see.

A piece of advice for those who have older parents. Make sure they have a will and a living will. Do your best to get them to prepare for the care of their remains when they die. They need a burial/cremation plan of some kind. And at least one child needs to have durable power of attorney at least for health care. I have that for my mother and I may have to exercise it. Only time will tell.

Finally, getting a freebie up for you.

2011-01-17T09:19:00.000-08:00

I decided to do the Paint the Barn Challenge at Moo Two Designs. I had gotten the mini kit finished before mom's emergency surgery last week, but had no time to get it up. I had started a heritage kit quite some time ago, but never finished it. The colors were so close to the palette for the challenge, that I was able to use the unfinished kit to make the mini. No more 4shared. I find I am avoiding almost all files that are on 4shared. They had increased the number of cookies they are inserting and the wait times have become outrages. Even clearing cookies and cache does not always shorten the time. Anyway, here's the preview.

gone now

Update on my mother.

2011-01-14T06:37:00.000-08:00

I have posted about my mom on my other blog here. She had emergency surgery yesterday, and we are now in a waiting mode, not knowing how things will come out. I wanted to get some freebies up, but I'm too stressed at this time to do that.

2011-01-11T18:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I had to call the squad to take mom to ER. She was admitted to the hospital again. I wasn't able to find out much at the hospital today, except they want to run some more tests. At 81, I can see her failing.

Going out with a whimper

2011-01-06T13:30:00.000-08:00

Well, it's not with a bang so it must be a whimper. It seems that I am proving that things don't always go as they are supposed to go. Oh, the seasoned designers said, it takes about two years to really get your sales up. Really? I've now proven them wrong. My sales for December were about the worst they've ever been. I've sunk more money into the designing business than I've ever made. But that isn't the major reason I chose to step down. No, something else was the deciding factor.

My mom got sick before Christmas with a sinus infection. At least that's what it seemed to be, so we went ahead and left for our daughter's home 9 hours away. A friend and my son would look in on mom while we were gone. The day after we left, she was admitted to the hospital with asthmatic bronchitis. Actually, I was relieved she was in the hospital rather than home. She would be better cared for there. This past Monday, she finally came home, a week after we got home. Still weak, still sick, and with more medications than she went in with. She is now on insulin 3-4 times a day which means doing finger sticks and blood glucose monitoring. Guess who has to do them? At least I have a nursing background to fall back on. Still, I dreaded it, but I am getting it done. My mother is stressful enough to be around (she's lived with us for over 5 years) but these new changes meant more than I could handle, so something had to give. The only thing that could go was the digital scrapbook business. I love designing and making kits, but the business end of it had become just too much. I realized that I had come to the end and the heart was just gone out for continuing to try and sell my designs.

My stores at Faith Sisters and Moo Two Designs are now 65% off. FS will be closing on January 16, and MT will close the end of the month. If you like my designs, this is your last chance to get them, and at a great price. Come February, they will be gone.

The sale includes my newest kit, one I made to scrap my memories and write my story. I love the colors and I included lots of journaling elements.

I've been making layouts with the kit, but I especially like this one which was really the inspiration for the kit. This was my best childhood friend.

This is the journaling on this layout.

Best Friends
Every child has memories of a best friend, a childhood playmate. My
best friend was Patty. She lived with her grandparents and 2 older
sisters in a house whose back yard bordered our side yard. We played
endlessly together. We would pull out our dolls and clothes and play
for hours. One year, we both received the same kind of doll for
Christmas. Patty Play Dolls were 3 feet tall, and wore a child’s size
3 clothes. As you can imagine, those dolls were nearly as big as we
were, but we loved them and played by the hour with them.

We loved Paul Shannon’s Adventure Time which came over the cable
from Pittsburgh. West Virginia with its mountains meant poor TV
reception, so cable was the only way to received good reception. Yes,
cable TV has been around a very long time. Pittsburgh was one of the
stations cable received and Adventure Time was a whole hour of
cartoons for kids every afternoon. At 4:00 we marched in to watch on
the Hyre’s TV (we didn’t have one at our house). When the hour was
over we marched out, and Patty’s sisters came in to watch American
Bandstand with Dick Clark.

Patty’s parents were divorced as were mine. Though her father had
custody of them, he was a career military man and single, so he left
the girls with his parents. But that all changed one day when he
remarried. With a new wife he could take the girls to live with him.
To my sorrow Patty was leaving. Patty and I were the same age, with
birthdays not quite a month apart. Our other friends, twins Margaret
and Paula, had their birthday between Patty’s and mine. There were
4 of us who were all the same age within days of each other. We were
10 years old when we learned that the girls were leaving with their
father to go to Germany for 3 years. We cherished the days we had
left together spending the night at each other’s homes, playing
together, but the day came all too soon when they left.

I’ve never forgotten that day. We said our goodbys and I walked
slowly home around the corner. On the way I was thinking for the first
time about the future. I was calculating in my mind. We would be 13
when they came back, teenagers. For the first time I realized that I
was growing up, growing older. Childhood would not last forever. I
was leaving one epoch for another. I was leaving my childhood
behind, and at some level I understood that that day.

The years went by. I became a teenager. I’d kept in touch with Patty
by letters but I didn’t know exactly when they were returning state
side. When they did, I was in the hospital recovering from surgery.
We spent only a few minutes visiting. Then she was gone. I haven’t
seen her since. We stayed in touch for a few more years, but as we
grew older, the correspondence lapsed and I lost track of her. A
couple of years ago I was given information of her father’s passing
which included her married name, but I when I searched for her I
found too many Pat Botello’s on the internet and have no idea which
one, if any, would be the Patty I’m looking for. I’d love to get in
touch with her again. It’s been nearly a half century since the day she
left for Germany, 50 years of a lifetime of growing up, marrying,
raising a family, growing older. Does she remember me? Would she
want to renew friendship with a childhood friend? I can’t answer
those questions, but I will always treasure the memories of my
childhood best friend.

I'll continue this blog because I will still be giving away freebies from time to time. And who knows what else. So check back sometimes. You never know what you may find.

It's time for the Blog Train

2010-12-31T21:59:00.000-08:00

This train's theme is Grandma's Quilt. You probably came here from Luv Ewe Designs. And you've come here to get my part. So here it is. You can click on the preview to download.

Gone now

Your next stop on the Blog Train is Digilicious Designs. If you get lost you can go to the Blog Train Blog.

Added on January 3: Just a note to thank all those who left a comment letting me know that the link in the Blog Train Blog to my blog is incorrect. I have notified the designer who runs that blog about the problem. Hopefully she will soon make the correction. Update: the link has been fixed.

Looks like my blog missed Christmas

2010-12-28T11:14:00.000-08:00

The blog may have, but I didn't. It's been quite a holiday though. We went to our daughter's for Christmas. The day after we left, my mother was admitted to the hospital. Then my husband got a sinus infection. And I'm tired. But we still had an enjoyable time. We went up to Branson MS and looked around a bit, then spend the afternoon and evening at Silver Dollar City, a theme park in the Ozarks. Not where I expected to be in the freezing cold, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. More lights than I've even seen at Christmas. Parades, a musical rendition of Dicken's A Christmas Carol, and a living Nativity which was definitely not politically correct and was truly wonderful. We bought a few things in the shops and just enjoyed the whole experience.

We are home now. I am going down to the hospital in a little while to see mom, and find out what I can about her condition. I've talked to her on the phone, but she still sounds very congested.

A very belated Merry Christmas to you (not late if you celebrate January 6) and especially a Happy New Year.

Yea! I'm featured at TDS!

2010-12-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

I'm delighted to announce that I'm the featured designer at The Daily Scrapper for the next two weeks. That means a freebie kit for you. You can get it here

New kits and challenges

2010-12-02T17:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas time is coming, and that mean cookies, right? Do you have a favorite cookie recipe that you want to share? I hope so and I hope you will join me at Moo Two Designs for a Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange. I even have a kit for you to use, and during the month of December you can pick it up for 70% off the regular price. This kit, Christmas Cookies, is exclusive to Moo Two. And it has everything you need to scrap all about your Christmas baking.

I have been reworking a number of my older kits. I have been reworking, remaking, upgrading, and updating them to meet quality standards and bring them current. When I redo a kit, I add "Remix" on the preview. One of the kits I've redone is a Christmas kit, A Very Plaid Christmas. It is available at Faith Sisters and Moo Two Designs. I love the kit when I first did it, but now it is so much better with new and better elements.

Finally, I have an exclusive kit at Faith Sisters, Christmas Carols. This kit is done is neutral shades with the look of glass in the elements. It features scenes from the Bible story of the nativity plus music instruments for you to scrap about you favorite Christmas carols or other Christmas photos .

Last I have a freebie for you. I decided to experiment with a monochromatic kit awhile back to see what it would look like. Well, I liked it, but left it sitting on my computer for some time. Now I've decided to give it away. It's a funky little kit in a wonderful red orange, so if you're a lover of orange, this is the kit for you. Or you can mix the elements with other kits you have when you need something red orange. You can click on the preview to download or click here.

Post Script: Would you like to save on my kits? Then I have a coupon for you. Purchase $10 worth of my products at Faith Sisters, and get $3 off. Use this code at the checkout: tirza_holiday_84 This coupon is only good at Faith Sisters and is valid until January 5, 2011.

Happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday Sale

2010-11-25T08:44:00.000-08:00

Oh, it's that time of the year again. Tomorrow I will not be out and about unless I absolutely have to be. I'm not fond of jostling for parking spaces and standing in long, long lines at the check out. But I will be having a week long sale at Faith Sisters. Moo Two Designs is having a store wide sale.

You will notice I have added this at the bottom of my ad: Store hours: Sunday thru Friday. Closed Saturday. Those who have read this (and my former) blog for awhile will remember that I am a Christian and I keep the seventy day Sabbath. I have finally been convicted that I need to close my stores on Friday at sunset and reopen them on Saturday just after sunset (central time). If you visit my stores during those hours you will find only a graphic explaining that my store is closed but will reopen at a certain time and I have not left. This is an important step for me to take, and have the approval of my store owners.

I have to say a word of appreciation for the owners and admin in the stores I'm in. They are understanding and easy to work with. Thank you Karma, Donna, and Vanessa.

Have you signed up for my newsletter yet? If you haven't you've missed a freebie and a coupon. And I'm having fun putting it together. Sign up in the sidebar.

I uploaded new and remixed kits to the stores this week.

Blue Moon is a Remix. I released the original over a year ago, but while doing QC on it, realized that it just need redone. I removed less than the best elements and papers, made new elements and brought it up-to-date. Available at Faith Sisters and Moo Two Designs.

Got a teenage male in your life? This is a great kit just for teen boys. Available at Faith Sisters and Moo Two Designs

It started as a contest kit months ago, but it's now bigger and better. Available at Faith Sisters and Moo Two Designs

Sentimental Journey is a bit heritage, elegant, vintage kit, a remix of an older kit. It's now much better and prettier than the original. It has received the Quality seal at Moo Two Designs. Also available at Faith Sisters.

And here's a sneak peek at what is coming next week in my stores. Think holidays.

Remixed kits and collab sales

2010-11-17T13:10:00.000-08:00

I want to encourage you to visit my stores at Moo Two Designs and Faith Sisters. I'm adding new products and older products as well. I am reworking a number of kits as I want them to meet high quality standards. It's been appalling to me to see how many jaggies I've had and some other problems. Some of my older kits will now have "Remix" on them because I've had to make substantial changes to them. I found papers and elements that just weren't up to a high standard of quality and I removed them, replacing them with other elements and papers. In some cases, I've had so many papers, I've simply cut the number down. I've been removing recolored elements and papers from my kits. You will find that the quality of my work is improving but I'll keep strive to do better.

Among the kits I'm redoing are a couple of Christmas kits that I made my first year of selling. I removed them soon after Christmas and they've been gone almost 2 years. Now I am redoing them to resell. They will be better and fresher. I loved the kits which is why I decided to remake them. They too will carry the "Remix" label.

I sent out my first newsletter this week to everyone who had signed up. I included a couple of Christmas cards as a freebie. My future newsletters will have freebies, coupons, sales announcements, and maybe even a tut once in awhile. If you haven't signed up, you can do it in the sidebar. My Facebook page is looking for new fans, too.

I have a challenge going up on the Faith Sisters blog tomorrow. Stop by and check it out. My Chuck Wagon challenge is still going on in the forum at Moo Two Designs. Come December the forum challenges there will be all about the holidays. And I can tell you the collabs in both shops will be fabulous. And the sales. I'll post more about that later. Meanwhile the Loving Spoonfuls collab kit is on sale at Moo Two Designs. If you are making recipe books for Christmas this year, this is the kit to have.

95 papers, elements, blank recipe cards,
recipes from our designer's kitchens, decorative labels and
a massive cookbook ready for printing.
A wonderful gift for someone you love.

~~Original Price: $20.00~~

On Special at $6.00
(That is 65% off)

Added Discount available for the first 10 customers

Enter this coupon code : BuyMeNow
and receive an extra $1.00 off the purchase price

Massive Collab Sale

Miss Moo has got "Christmas Fever"

She is having a massive Collab Retirement Sale

Stats November 15th

10 PU Collabs ~ Only $25.00
10 CU Collabs ~ Only $35.00

Fantastic value, so if you're looking to build your stash of scrapping goodies,
then cash in before they're gone forever!

Do you like challenges? Scrapping Challenges?

2010-10-31T22:00:00.000-07:00

If you do, make your way over to Moo Two Designs for the Chuck Wagon Recipe Challenge. You don't need to cook to take part in the challenge. You just need to find a recipe and scrap it. What recipe? Look at the challenge and find out. And have fun with it.

This one is lovely with an oriental theme. Before I post the links, I want to say a big Thank You to those who leave a comment of appreciation when they downloads my freebies. They are very much appreciated by me. If you'd like to receive my newsletter (just getting it started) please click on the button in the side column and sign up. My blog and Facebook are looking for some more fans as well. LOL.

Now for the freebie you came for. You probably came here from Anelia's blog. From here you will go to Dylabell's blog. If you get lost you can always go to the Blog Train Blog and find your way again.

I'm giving you two download options. Expired.

Grand Central Here!

2010-10-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have so many blog trains for the next few weeks, it's going to seem like Grand Central Station here. But that's great for me. I hope while you're hear you'll click on the button in the sidebar and sign up for my newsletter.

First will be the blog train for Faith Sisters. November is the month we count our blessings and give thanks for all of them. Of, course, we should do that every day, but many don't. At least we have the month of November and Thanksgiving Day to help them remember. The blog train is called Blessings For You.

Sorry you missed it.

Be sure to check out the designer quick pages now in the shop at Faith Sisters, just $1.00 each. I have two QPs in the store. Clicking on the previews will take you to the store.

Christmas Long Ago

2010-10-24T21:20:00.000-07:00

I love this kit, just about as much as I love Christmas. Our second challenge for the Moo Two Design Contest was to create a vintage Christmas kit. No mini kit for me. This had to be a full blown kit. And it is. Do you remember the Christmases of your childhood? Or perhaps you have photos of past generation family Christmases that you want to honor? I love Christmas and I designed this kit for you to scrap those precious Christmas memories of the past. Whether they are your memories or perhaps those of a parent or grandparent, you will find elements and papers that will take you back in time to an earlier day when Christmas was about nativity and glass balls on the tree that was decorated with rows of glass beads. Those are the Christmases I remember and many others do too. Candles soft glow, a train under the tree, the smell of pine, the angel that adorned the tree top, these are the elements that you will find in this kit of Christmas memories. The kit has 12 unique papers plus one recolored, 40 unique elements and 1 alpha. Just click on the preview to purchase this lovely kit.

It's Official

2010-10-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

I have joined Moo Two as a designer. I will be uploading this week. I will also be doing a Grand Opening at Faith Sisters very soon.

Laid Back Week

2010-10-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

This week, I just laid off the designing. I did a little bit, worked on a few papers, did some needed sorting, busied myself with a few vectors, but just couldn't get a kit done. I guess after a month and a half of contests, I needed a break.

I spent most of Thursday watching the live feed on the miners being freed in Chile. It was a thrill seeing them being brought out of the mine alive and well. What a miracle that they made it out of there alive after more than 2 months imprisoned 2000+ feet under a mountain. Unfortunately a few of their secrets didn't remain secret. Seems that some of them have wives and a woman or two on the side. How is it that men who call themselves Christian see nothing wrong with adultery? The Bible says, "Be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23). I'm afraid it did. I'm still glad they all made it out safely, along with the rescuers. That was a brave man who climbed into that capsule and took the first ride down. He was also the last man out.

Next week, I will package up my finished kits and start uploading them. I do have some finished. This week I just looked at what I was working on and didn't like much of any of it. Next week, I may change my mind. I still have some kits to redo and upload, so will work on that. And Christmas is coming. I love Christmas and have one kit already done. I made it for the Moo Two contest and it was free then, but I'm going to put it in my store along with the other kits I made. I may tweak them a bit maybe enlarging the smaller ones some. I've also got some ideas for some more Christmas kits, but having trouble with a Thanksgiving/fall kit. Maybe I'll just abandon the idea for one this year and move on other kits. I'm already thinking Valentines.

I have closed my store at Ahhh Scrap. I'm actually sad to leave there, but felt that it was time to move on. Now look for my grand opening sale at Faith Sisters, and some more news soon.

Winners announced at Moo Two

2010-10-11T15:52:00.000-07:00

And no, I was not the winner, nor did I expect to be. I came in in third place. That's a whole lot better that what I did at theStudio. I'm happy to be there. More importantly, I finished the whole contst, I learned a lot, and have four kits to put in my store. I do want to say congratulations to the other winners:
1st Place: Designs By Angel (C08310)
2nd Place: Rosemade Designs (A59399)
3rd Place: Tirza for Major Scrapola (B51103)
4th Place: AJ's Random Scraps (C77930)

I left my name in because it has the number I went by during the contest. I liked the size of the contest. I just wish that everyone who entered had been able to finish it. Sadly, several had to drop out along the way. I'm already missing the Monday morning challenges. Now I have to challenge myself and work to get a kit done in a short time. During a challenge, you don't have a lot of time to sit and ponder over what you should put in or leave out. You have to push through and get it done. I need to keep to that ethic, though maybe not quit as rigidly. Plus add in the advertising I need to do. And work on getting a new CT. Need to get that started.

Contests over, and Faith Sisters store open

2010-10-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

Oh, I guess it's time I blogged this blog again, eh? LOL. Contests are all over, at least the design part. At Moo Two we will now wait until the winners are announced on Monday and identities will be revealed. Don't even know what the winners get except a place in the Moo Two store. Good enough.

I've opened my store at Faith Sisters but have not done a Grand Opening Sale yet, since I wanted to wait until I had officially closed my store at AS. With all the contests over (for now anyway) I need to get back to designing kits for sale and a freebie now and then. I still enjoy doing the blog trains so you'll see those freebies here from time to time. With the winter holidays coming up, that will probably increase.

A big thank you to the stores who took the time to sponsor the contests and put the time and effort into them. I've learned a few things a long the way, even as I grumbled about QC. That is still rather frustrating for me at times. What I wish for is a standardization of what is quality and what is not. Right now it all seems to be whatever is in the eye of the beholder. Some have seen jaggies where I can see none. I just don't know what they are seeing. KWIM? Well, if you're a designer in a store that QC's, you know. lol I wonder if the scrappers are quite as particular about a single pixel bulging out of an elements as some of the qc cops are? I am working on it though. But it does get close to being a head banging experience sometimes, wondering if they are going to call something a jaggie or not.

Today is my husband's birthday and I haven't thought of what to do for him. He worked last night, so he's sleeping now. He's worked the night shift for so many years he's used to it, but statistically, it is bad for one's health. Some people who work the graveyard shift hardly ever see the sun. That alone is unhealthy. The best way to get vitamin D is from sunlight. Night shift workers also have higher rates of diabetes and heart disease. It's even worse on those who work swing shift. They're on days for a few weeks then switch to nights.

I'm happy to be at Faith Sisters. As anyone who has taken time to read this blog, and my previous one knows, I am a woman who believes in God as the Creator and sustainer of all things. I believe that I am a sinner saved by grace through faith in Jesus' death on the cross. I believe that He is coming again, soon, to take His faithful people to heaven. I know by experience that there is no peace to be found anywhere except in Jesus. I tried living without God, and had no peace. Being at Faith Sisters means that I can be open about my faith in the store, the forum, the gallery, and in the kits I design. And they don't allow Halloween and goth style kits there. No skulls. Yeah! I know they're popular in some quarters, but not for me. Come look for me at Faith Sisters. I've taken time to QC my kits before uploading them there and have made a few changes in some of them for the better. I may rework some of my older kits into new ones. The longer I'm in this business, the worse my first kits look! Well, we'll see what happens.

One down, one still going

2010-09-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

For me at least. The second chance winner was chosen yesterday at theStudio, and it wasn't me. Actually, I'm quite relieved. After making a bit of a fool of myself, I wouldn't have felt right about winning. So I'm glad I didn't. The winner is a new designer using the name Tigconn. I've downloaded some of her stuff, and she is going to be a good designer. The digidesign academy should help her along tremendously. Since that finishes that contest for me, I am really moving on this time. Somehow I wonder if God has been trying to tell me something and I've been just too stubborn to listen. Why would I have entered the same contest three years in a row, and each time I've not made it past the first round? The first year I made it to the second round, but never got my next round entry uploaded because a hurricane knocked out our power for nine days. The next two years, I've simply not made it past the first round on the votes. So anyway I look at it, I don't think I'm supposed to be at Digidesign Studio. The contestants are now down to 20, and if you like quickpages with mini kits, you'll want to head over there and download this week as that is their challenge this week.

First week is finished at MooTwo Designs and the next challenge isn't up until tomorrow. There are fewer (a lot fewer!) contestants there and it is a lot of fun and not so anxious especially since everyone goes through to the end.

BTW, no more hidden identities at theStudio. Since I had made elements to go with my papers from the second round, I plan to put some finishing touches on the kit and put it up in my store. Same for the Harvest kit. So I've taken down the links to mine and deleted them from the file server.

I've been working on kits to upload to Faith Sisters for the last few days. I may not like being QC'd but it is necessary. I found I have some problems I didn't know I had. So I am going over each kit as I get it ready to upload. I've had to change some elements, even redraw and remake some of them. One thing I've learned, if I am working on an element that has several parts, I do each part on a separate layer, the save the layered file in native format. In my case pspimage. It's a huge time saver when you have to redo. You have the basics to work with. So to all the QC cops—you may not be well liked, but you are necessary. Now if you'd standardize what is quality.....

Am I coming or am I going????

2010-09-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

When it's contest month, I get to where I don't know if I'm coming or going. But everything is done for this week and uploaded. So I can relax a bit until next week. This is my last week in the contest at DSS. Since I was in the Second Chance, this is the last week for them and the challenge this week has nothing to download. I'm thinking it may be just as well I'm not going on there, as I'm going to be busy at MooTwo. Everyone there is going through until the end of the contest. Those with the highest points will be the winners there. I've linked MooTwo to the gallery so you can go over there and download kits. Because we all have secret identities, I won't tell you which kit is mine.

I'm joining Faith Sisters Store, a Christian Scrap store with a forum and a gallery. I am definitely looking forward to getting in there. I'll be working with other Christian ladies. No worries there about skulls, goth, or Halloween. I'll get you more information later, like my opening date. With things moving as fast as they are, I'm hoping I can make the start date I've set. I'm also going to need more CT, so look for a CT call from me. If you're reading this, and are interested, my email addy is in my sidebar, so send me a email. I'll consider everyone who applies, new or experienced.

I can praise God that my husband is getting some work. Nothing full time yet, but every little bit helps.

Eating Crow and Humble Pie

2010-09-07T08:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was such a difficult day for me, but today I seem to be over the hump. I've been dealing with some family issues that have caused me a lot of anguish and despair, but by God's grace, I am rising above it. I want to thank those two ladies who left me such encouraging comments yesterday. You helped me so much, more than you know. I went back to DSS last evening and humbly asked if I could continue in the second chance contest, and was told, very warmly, that of course I could. So, yes, I am movin' on, but not quite the way I thought yesterday. God is good.

About that freebie, you'll just have to wait awhile. I'll get it up when this contest is over.

Movin' On

2010-09-06T06:58:00.000-07:00

Remember the old Stevie Wonder song, A Place In the Sun?

"A Place In The Sun"

Like a long lonely stream
I keep runnin' towards a dream
Movin' on, movin' on
Like a branch on a tree
I keep reachin' to be free
Movin' on, movin' on

'Cause there's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run
There's a place in the sun
And before my life is done
Got to find me a place in the sun

Like an old dusty road
I get weary from the load
Movin' on, movin' on
Like this tired troubled earth
I've been rollin' since my birth
Movin' on, movin' on

There's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run
There's a place in the sun
And before my life is done
Got to find me a place in the sun

You know when times are bad
And you're feeling sad
I want you to always remember

Yes, there's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run
There's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run
There's a place in the sun
Where there's hope for ev'ryone...

That's my theme for today. I was quite sure that I would be out after the first round at DSS, and so I am. Even yesterday when I saw how few votes I had, I made my decision to move on. I always wanted to be on the design team there, but now I know that it isn't going to happen. After three attempts in the designer contest, I have said adieu and am movin' on. I have decided not to continue to participate further in the contestants' forum or take part in the second chance contest. I don't have the heart for it. It's highly unlikely that even there I would achieve what I wanted. I certainly wish the best to those who are moving on. I don't know yet where I'll end up. I'm still in the contest at Moo Two, but it remains to be seen how that will turn out.

Please forgive me for venting just a little bit. I'm disappointed. Even though the contestants were all given secret identities, the judging was still done by those who are members of the forum there. And they voted for what they saw and liked. Fair enough. My entry just didn't have the appeal that some of the others had. But some of those entries I downloaded and found wonky shadowing, jaggies, disproportionate sizing in elements and some other problems. I guess I am disappointed that the judging was done my sight, not by skill. This is a fickle business. What looks good is what appeals. I just found it interesting that after I uploaded my entry on Friday morning (since as a Seventh-day Adventist, I wouldn't upload it on Saturday when the deadline closed at 3pm), that many of the entries after that had a grain theme like mine. Was that a coincidence? I don't know. I leave it at that.

Right now I want to add a bit more to the mini I made and then I'll post it here on the blog. Maybe y'all will like it. I don't have the heart to make a bigger kit to try to sell.

Time for the Blog Train

2010-08-31T22:00:00.000-07:00

This month's theme is Fall Carnival. You probably got here from MagsGraphics: MagsGraphics Digital Scrappin' Blog.Your next stop will be Scraps by Mara.If you need to find the beginning of the train, you will find it on the The Blog Train Blog. Now here is my part. Sorry it's gone now.

Almost forgot…

2010-08-31T12:46:00.000-07:00

that I had started a mini kit for the DSS color challenge. I was looking in the forum there today and thought, well, the colors were so pretty, too bad… wait a minute. I started a kit, now where is it? I finished it as it only needed a couple of items and here it is. Hope you like it. Click on the preview to download. Like I said, September is going to freebie central on this blog. Thank will be five weeks of contest entries (if I last that long). Expired

New Kit and A Sale

2010-08-22T18:03:00.000-07:00

I have a new kit in the store, Cardboard Jungle. This is a gruny, fun kit for boys and girls and everyone else.

I have put 7 kits on sale for just $2.00 each Monday through Friday.

A big thank you to all who buy. My husband is among those who are looking for work, and everything I earn is helping with household expenses.

Designer Survivor Week 3 Reward Challenge

2010-08-15T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hello, Designer Survivors

Your reward challenge this week is to make clustered elements. You can choose either a frame cluster, a tag cluster or a border cluster. Each team must make at least 3 clusters: 1 each of a frame, a tag, and a border cluster.

Your cluster must contain the following items:

1 or more flowers (you may use flowers from last week's reward challenge)
1 ribbon, rickrack, or string (you may use more than one)
2 or more leaves
1 or more doodles and/or swirls and/or flourishes. One doodle must be hand drawn with a pen, pencil, or paintbrush tool. (or if you prefer to draw by hand and scan, that's OK) You may finish however you wish as long as it adheres to the rules of the contest.
5 or more additional elements such as staples, beads, buttons, bow, sequins, etc. to complete the cluster

It must be done in the color palette that matches the kit that was completed for the first challenge. You must use at least two items from the first week's challenge kit that you contributed to, and 1 from your part of the second week's challenge (the cu challenge) to complete your cluster for this reward challenge. You may recolor as necessary.

At least one item in the cluster must be something that was not required for a weekly or reward challenge.

For a frame cluster you must use a frame that is not less than 1200x1500px and 300dpi. If it is a paper frame, it must be textured cardstock. The frame may be vertical or horizonal. Round, oval, or square frames are OK. If you use more than 1 frame for your cluster the frames can be a bit smaller.

For a border cluster you must use paper, ribbon, lace, branch or similar item that is no less than 3500x250px and 300dpi for the base and if paper, it must be textured cardstock. The border can be either vertical or horizontal.

For the tag cluster, the tag must be at least 1000x800px and 300dpi. If you use 2 or more tags, they can be smaller.

The frame, tag, and the border base can have the look of worn, torn, ragged, vintage, wood, fabric, metal, acrylic, natural materials, (such as a branch or vine), rope, hand drawn, or some combination of these.

The required elements must be at least 50% visible. For example, if you tuck the leaves under the flower, at least half the leaves should be visible. They should not be covered up to the point they are barely visible.

Remember to add shadows to the layers to give the appearance of depth. Do not put a shadow on the completed cluster.

When you have completed your cluster, merge into a png file, make a preview (a team preview is OK), zip the file (don't forget your TOU), upload to file sharing, and post with download link in the gallery. The deadline is Wednesday at Noon EDT and that the polls will be posted shortly after.

I'm sure you want to see what the winning team will receive. The reward contains 1 rope, 1 bling layered in PSP and PSD formats, 1 glass bead, 1 hook, 1 journal tag, 1 rickrack, 1 oval bead, 1 buckle, 2 buttons, 1 extracted flower, 1 frame template, 1 metal label holder, 1 row stitches, 1 sky overlay, 1 corrugated cardboard overlay, 1 dotty overlay, 1 metallic heart

My first layouts for Cindy Ritter.

2010-08-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

I finally decided that I really need to scrap, and I really ought to take on a CT so when Cindy Ritter made a CT call, I applied. I've used Cindy's CU products in the past, so I was somewhat familiar with her style. She has released 2 new kits and I've made a LO for each one. The first kit is Reach 4 the Stars available at DigiDesign Resort. I also used her muslin overlays in this LO.

This LO is from her mini kit, School Time Fun. It was fun to work with as I really like color, especially bright colors.

Some great kits at Designer Survivor Today

2010-08-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

I've been looking at and downloading the great kits designed by the survivor teams at Brownie Scraps. They've done some great work, and you can get all the kits free. You can find them in the Brownie Scraps gallery. You may have to join to get them if you don't already belong. And get them soon, as they can take down the links on Monday. At the time I am writing this, there are only 4 kits posted, but there should be a total of 10 sometime today.

Just Touching Base

2010-08-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

Don't have much to say today. I am keeping up with the Brownie Scraps' Designer Survivor. I am hosting one of the reward challenges here week after next. I've already got the basics planned, but I'm watching to see what I may need to add or take away. And I have the reward all ready. I think the winners will like it and find it useful.

Off onto an entirely different subject. I started another blog called Narcissisa's Daughters to blog about my life as the daughter of a narcissistic mother. It's not a hateful blog or a rant. That is not the attitude that I want, even though it is difficult to deal with her. I believe that God's grace is greater than anythings she can say or do, and why should I be filled with the same kind of attitudes I see in her? They've messed up her life, why should I let them mess up mine?

Speaking of blogs, I am going to be taking down my former scrap blog, Tirza's Treasures. There are no freebies left on it, and while some of the information is good, most everything is dated. So I'll be taking it down. Need to get those previews off of Photobucket anyway.

Made a few decisions this week: I will not be entering the Designer Contest at Digital Scrapbooking Studio this year. It's still tempting, but I don't feel I'm really up to it, and I have a few other things I working on. I joined my first CT, this one for Cindy Ritter. I've been using Cindy's products since I first got started in digiscrap. It is a privilege to be able to be on her team. I've felt the need to expand my horizons a little bit and I need to get back to scrapping more. I've never gotten a book done for my son, but did my daughter's years ago, in paper. Son's will be all digital. So now I'm working on that. I have to scan in all the baby-child-teen photos, but my Canoscan is a great tool for doing that. I hope if you are reading this, you'll take the time to become a fan on my Facebook fan page. Link is to the right in the sidebar. And thanks to all who do.

Designer Survivor Is In Full Swing

2010-07-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

They've gotten started on the contest and if you love templates, you will be happily downloading for awhile. Their first challenge was to design a template. You can find them in the Brownie Scraps Gallery with the download information. I've already grabbed the ones I like!

The Entitlement Generation

2010-07-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

I am sounding off today about something that I see is growing in our "civilized" society—the entitlement mind set. In psychological terms, it's called narcissism. A full blown narcissist is not someone pleasant to live with or work with. A few years ago I was eating in a restaurant that was playing rock music. Now I quit listening to rock when I returned to the Lord years ago. I cannot reconcile my worship of God with that kind of music, but this is all beside the point. I do my best to ignore the music when I'm in a place where it is playing. But that day one song came on that just made my mouth drop open. Unfortunately, the primary phrase of the song is stuck in my mind, but it is descriptive of the entitlement mind set. That phrase was "I'm so sexy." It wasn't about someone else being sexy, but about self being sexy. That brings to mind another song from years ago that was written in jest by Mac Davis — "Oh, Lord, it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way." (You can read lyrics here.) This is the attitude of a narcissist, someone who believes that they can do no wrong, and they are entitled to whatever they desire. It's taken years for me to realize that I grew up with a narcissistic parent. Realizing that has explained a lot of things from my childhood to the present. But my post today is not about that aspect of narcissism.

Narcissism is named for a Roman mythological character who was so vain and proud he spurned others attempts to love him. For that he was cursed to fall in love with his own reflection. While out hunting, he saw his reflection is a pool of water and fell in love with it. According to psychologists, we all need a little bit of narcissism. I wouldn't call it that, rather we need self respect. Some people go far beyond a healthy self respect. They have a self-righteous attitude. They do not believe themselves to be wrong about anything, they are knowledgeable about everything and know more than you do. You can't tell them anything they don't already know. They want all the attention for themselves. No one should stand in their way if they want something and woe to those who do. So how does all this tie into scrapbooking?

An incident that happened this week. I'll give no details as it happened over the internet. Designer A had asked Designer B in a particular store (where the Designer A does not sell) how she would feel if she used her design to make another product for sale. Designer B refused after discussing it with her store's other designers. It was stated that this was a unique new design and it wasn't right to ask to use it as the designer had plans to sell variations of the product. Designer A then turned to a forum seeking advice without naming the product, the designer, or the store. There was no way to figure out who and what she was referring to. For her efforts, she was treated in a rude manner by other designers from Designer B's store and then the store owner put her opinions into the topic making some rude comments and rash judgments. I usually stay out of the nasty topics, but this time I wrote a post that it is OK to state facts, but not judge another's motives, which the store owner had done.

Up until the store owner spoke up, no one outside that store and Designer A even knew what the particular product was or even had a clue who the designer was or her store. Well, given a few clues, it was soon evident what the product was and of course, who the designer was. It took only a short while longer before another designer, unrelated to any of the others by store, pointed out that the design was not new, and where it was located. In fact, there was a tutorial on the site explaining exactly how to make the product for yourself. Designer B's fellow store designers got quiet. The store owner made a post about checking with her designer and bowed out. It was now quite evident that this wasn't a unique product, and anyone with ability to follow a tut could do it themselves.

Fast forward a couple of days which brings me to the point of this soapbox diatribe. The store owner's post was edited by a moderator removing the rude comments which made the owner very unhappy. She had already said that Designer A wasn't owed any apologies for the rude things that had been said about her. She didn't even acknowledge that they had been rude. She came back into the forum; edited out all her posts because a mod had edited that one post. Now that is entitlement or narcissistic behavior. I am not calling her a narcissist, only saying that is the behavior she exhibited. I don't know the woman, had never even seen any postings of hers anywhere before that I am aware of. But those few posts said much to me about her at that moment in time.

Because of her actions and those of designers in her store, I seriously doubt that I will ever shop there again. Apparently I am not alone. Truth be told, I've dealt with other store owners who were in the same category (but none associated with my current store—they've been great! Which is why I've stayed in that store.). One of those in particular used the designer's emails to send out advertisements about an entirely separate business she was into. Then got upset when I posted about it quite some time after I left that store. (FYI, she no longer owns that store and I don't know if she is still in the digiscrap business.) It took me a long time to go back to that store and purchase anything. Even now, I have no desire to go there, even with a new owner. It just shows how our attitudes and how we treat people can affect long term how they will deal with us. Fortunately for Designer B's store owner, all of this took place in a private forum so most digiscrappers will have no idea of how she acted. And since I have no desire to harm her business, I refuse to give any indication of what store I am referring to.

What about this entitlement attitude? It is prevalent among the young generation. Here's what Dictionary.com says:

Main Entry:	Entitlement Generation
Part of Speech:	n
Definition:	the group born between 1979 and 1994 who believe they are owed certain rights and benefits without further justification
Example:	The entitlement generation expects higher salaries, flexible work hours, and ample time off.
Usage:	slang

So many have been raised with everything or the belief that they should have whatever they want because it is their right. There is a fearful unwillingness to accept blame for any wrong, and guilt is something you don't admit. Not every young person it that way, and there are members of older generations who have the same attitude.

Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, says that the Entitlement Generation includes virtually everyone born after 1970. According to Twenge, this generation has been raised on a daily regimen of praise and flattery from their baby boomer parents and from teachers who embraced a self-esteem-boosting curriculum that included activities such as the Magic Circle game. Never heard of it? In this game, one child a day is given a badge that says "I'm great." The other children then take turns praising the "great" child. These compliments are written up and given to the child who is encouraged to believe them as true. At the University of South Alabama, psychology professor Joshua Foster has done research using a standardized test called the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI). The NPI asks subjects to rate the accuracy of various narcissistic statements, such as "I can live my life any way I want to" and "If I ruled the world, it would be a better place." Foster has given this personality test to a range of demographic groups around the world, and no group has scored higher than the American teenager. Narcissism also appears to be reaching new highs, even within the Entitlement Generation, among American college students. Another national study involving the NPI, conducted by Twenge, shows that 24 percent of college students in 2006 showed elevated levels of narcissism compared to15 percent in the early 1990’s. [Narcissism versus healthy self-esteem: How do we know the difference?]

It's no surprise what is happening and that it also affects the business of digiscrap. We humans don't need to be so full of ourselves. The Bible says that we are all as grass that is here to day and gone tomorrow. Our only hope is faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and the willingness to admit that we are sinners. God has promised to forgive and cleanse. Selfishness is a part of human nature, but with God's help, we can be like Jesus who lived for others with no sense of entitlement. If anyone could have been expected to have such an attitude, wouldn't it have been the Creator? Yet He became one with us, even dying for us. I'm not entitled to anything but death, but because He lives I have been promised the gift of life everlasting. Now that's something to be happy about.

I'm Releasing Two New Kits in Time for My Big Sale Tomorrow

2010-07-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

Not one but two brand new kits and just in time for my big anniversary sale tomorrow. They're on sale today and for the rest of the month, too.

WooHoo! Redisgned my blog

2010-07-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

I get a little tired of looking at the design after awhile, so I change it. This time I used my kit, A Matter of Time, to redesign my blog. I like it. The colors are soft, and everything is still readable.

New Kit Walking On Sunshine

2010-07-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

I have bright, summery new kit in the store, Walking On Sunshine. And like all the other products in my store, it is on sale the entire month of July.

Getting around the long waits at 4shared

2010-07-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize until yesterday that 4shared is giving longer wait times (several minutess or 300+seconds) the more you download unless you have a paid account. You can shorten that if you are willing to remove their cookies. Go into your cookies and remove these cookies:
4shared.com
all those that begin with dc followed by 3 numbers and 4shared, i.e., "dc122.4shared.com"

If you will remove these every few downloads, it will keep your wait times down.

Picnic In the ParK

2010-06-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

It's Blog Train Time. And time for a picnic cause it's summer—well, in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway. Have fun taking those picnic photos and scrapping them with this mega kit. You probably got here from Brandi Beaver' blog, Sometimes I Scrap Something. Your next stop is at Candle Works Scraps. And if you get lost, you can go back to the Blog Train Station and find your next stop. Expired

Blossoms 'n Beads

2010-06-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

I'm out of town for the weekend. The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is holding their quinquennial session this week in Atlanta and I am going for the weekend. It will be the first time for me, and since it is so close, and since my DIL is going, and since her sister, who lives in Atlanta, has space for me to stay, I'm going. I'm so thankful I get to go. I just prayed and left it in God's hands if He wanted me to go, He would open the way, and He did. DH is working and won't be able to attend until the last weekend. But I am thankful he has work. Since the economy crashed, work assignments have been hard to come by, and a permanent placement is even harder to find. He is in the sleep field with a lot of years of experience. He was one of the first few hundred people to take and pass his boards. That translates into top of the payscale, which many cash strapped hospitals aren't so willing to pay these days. But God has always provided. We haven't been without a roof over our heads, food in our stomachs, or a vehicle to drive. God is good.

I have a new kit, Blossoms 'n Beads. You can do lovely layouts with this kit, and if you're in a hurry, you can get the album of 8 quickpages.

I'm late, I'm late, I'm late

2010-06-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

But not so late I can't post about new products in the store, right? I've got new kits, and some new CU, too!

First, a very masculine kit, It's A Guy Thing. Maybe a common term but it's a great kit.

How about some overlays? I have a third set of Painted Grunge, which are digitally hand painted. I also have a set of flower overlays made from photos I have taken.

All previews are linked to the store. Kit no longer available at Ahhh Scrap

My Rant for the Day

2010-06-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

Or gripe day, whatever you want to call it. Actually, I've had this sitting on my clipboard (I use Clipmate [this is not a paid endorsement]) for several weeks, just adding to it as something came up. So here goes; these are my gripes about all things digiscrap, but mostly stores.

In stores, I look at the cu items first, but some stores have no cu category even though they sell some cu products. They just mix it in with everything else. I'm not willing, most of the time, to wade through 350 items to see if they have an item I want. Please, use subcategories. When you don't I'll almost always go shopping elsewhere.

I went in one store and found no cu category, so I looked in elements. Uhhh, 36 pages of elements!?!?!? Who's going to wade through all 36 pages? Why aren't the items separated into subcategories such as ribbons, flowers, etc? Why isn't there a cu category? Do you really think shoppers are going to go through all those pages? Well, maybe some would. In the right mood, even I might, but it would be very infrequent.

Yet other stores have a cu category into which they throw everything that is cu and sometimes things that aren't. Oh, boy. who's going to wade through multiple pages trying to find what they want?

Grab Bags and CU Mix with some things that leave you staring at the object wondering what it is and what it's for? I feel like Charlie Brown sometimes Aaaaarrrrrrgh! I know, I bought the thing, but I've usually gotten the bag or mix for one or two items that was in it. I seldom buy a grab bag that isn't revealed. I don't like getting stuck with a bunch of actions, styles, and shapes for PS that I can't use. Sometimes I think designers just grab whatever is taking up room on their HD and throw it in the bag and offer it for sale. OTOH, I have gotten some great bags and mixes.

Speaking of those mixes and gragbags, where are you getting your stuff? I've wondered sometimes as I look at it where it came from. Your photographs, or someone elses? If it isn't your photo extracted, did you have the right to use it? I mean the legal right. Right now, there seems to be so much cu stuff out there, that I think some designers are just throwing whatever they find together, calling it a mix, and hope that it will sell, even if one would be hard pressed to know how to use most of the items in the product.

Then there is the PSP category. Designers and store owners, if you don't know what PSP is, then ask, please! PSP is Paint Shop Pro by Corel (formerly from Jasc). I have gone to the PSP category in a number of stores, and it is either empty (why is there an active category if there is nothing in it?) or the products in it have nothing to do with PSP. I've found PS actions which cannot be used in PSP, I've seen all kinds of elements, and even kits. Don't store owners check to see that the products are in the proper categories? Or at least instruct their designers as to what kinds of products go in what categories?

There are some stores that I will seldom go to because of these kinds of disjointed setups. I don't want to waste my time wading through hundreds of products trying to find the ones I am looking for. I don't want to go to a particular category expecting to find a particular product only to find any and everything but. It's not pleasant to look in a particular category and find anything but what should be there. I've left stores in disgust. It seems that some store owners are not watching their stores very well or are not teaching their designers what is appropriate for what category or both. And designers, if you aren't sure what a category is for, don't assume that your product will be OK in there. Ask what it is first. Imagine yourself shopping in a (brick and mortar) store for a dress, and when you get to the dress section, you find toasters and mops with food mixed in with the dress racks. How long will you shop there? Now think about a digi store. You are looking for a ribbon. You go to the bows and ribbon category and you find kits, overlays, PS actions, all mixed in. Will you continue shopping there or go to a store where things are more orderly?

A completely different kind of gripe are the stores with the teeny tiny thumbnail previews. Not every scrapper and designer has 20-20 vision. I won't strain trying to see what those thumgnails are. I just move on. It's not nearly as bad if they have a hover over enlargement. At least then I can see what the product actually is.

Stores that use light type on a light background that I have to strain to read. It's even worse if the type is small. Have you store owners looked at your store and/or your blog. Yeah, this applies to blogs as well. If I can't read it without have to select (block) the text, I'm shopping somewhere else.

How about layout templates that don't state how you can use them, like PU or CU, etc.? I won't buy them unless they tell me how I can use them. Or should I just assume that they are OK for cu use then buy and use them? Mark you products, designers, so everyone knows how it can be used. If not on the preview, at least in the description.

Gearing products to just one software program. I understand styles are Photoshop specific. But brushes and shapes can be saved as png files for those who don't use PS, and a lot of people don't. For that matter, styles can be saved as seamless tiles, which some designers do. At nearly $800, I can't get PS. I appreciate Microferk who did a huge package of glitter styles, then made glitter tiles for those who can't use styles. Flergs also does tiles. Thanks, ladies. I buy their packages because I can use them.

The mishmash of TOUs that abound in the digiscrap world in particular for cu products. Some of them are written in a manner that is difficult to understand. Some are so bloated with dos and don'ts that it doesn't seem worth it to even use the items. Then there are those who say "no freebies" Even if I really like their stuff, I usually don't buy it because I like to offer a freebie made from the kits I design.

Then there are the products that come with multiple TOUs. How do I know which one applies? There are TOUs that don't give the designer's name, or any contact information but are just listed ans "commercial tou." Well, who are you? What products and what designer is the TOU for? Gimmie a break! If I buy your products, think about what it may be like if I don't use that product for 3 months. When I decide to use it, I'm left scratching my head because of the lousy TOU.

OK, I'm stepping off my soapbox now. Rant over. Have a great day.

I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted

2010-05-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

But it has. Oh dear, I keep meaning to post more often, but with twitter, a facebook fanpage that is also neglected, and designing, it's a good thing I don't work outside the home. I have been thinking about volunteering, though. I tried once, and the woman who trains the volunteers was already gone. I haven't been back yet. Awful of me.

I am planning to put together the collaboration kit for Nashville this weekend and have it up in the store on June 1. The contributions I've gotten so far and really, really good. It's going to be a great kit and all the proceeds will go to local chapter of the Salvation Army.

I've been following several topics at DST for the past few days. One in particular is about people who are afraid to apply for CT positions. You coulda surprised me. I thought they were all flocking to the "big name" designers and just overlooking little-known me. I've had some great girls on my team, but right now, I'm down to two, I think. One of those who is no longer on my team is now my ad person. I need a few more ladies, but I hate to do a CT call, and not for the reasons one designer gave. She doesn't like to send out the "sorry, not this time" letters. I don't get enough responses to a call to turn anybody down. I don't even get many lookers. I've been thinking all this time that they see my name, go "I don't know her" and then move on to the next call without ever looking at mine. Maybe there are some who are simply afraid to apply so they don't even look. Maybe I should make a call for all those newbies who want to be on CT but are afraid to apply. I wonder if that would draw a few in?

I'm now looking around to see if there are some forums and galleries where I can make myself known. I know it's touchy in store forums for designers with a different store to post especially with information about her own designs. In fact, that is probably a big no-no. You can't come into another store's forum and take customers away from that store. Ahhh Scrap doesn't have a forum up right now, but I know Kelly is seriously looking at it and a better gallery. Speaking of which—

I uploaded some layouts to the gallery at AS. I don't know how anyone will see them though. They aren't listed under my designer gallery. I guess you can find them under my personal gallery. It's a Coppermine gallery and most stores use Photopost which is pretty easy to get around in and use. No blame being leveled here against anyone. Coppermine is supposed to be good. It might help if they included a help file for new users but I couldn't find any such thing.

I'm signing off for now. I'll try not to make it so long between posts next time.

Oh, boy, did I take a wallow in self-pity

2010-05-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

A big apology to those who read my previous post and rolled their eyes. I can't blame you if you did. Actually, I've had several offers to contribute to the collab. I just need to learn to not get down about things and wait. I believe the kit will be a good one.

I feel for those digiscrap store owners whose stores have been down for more than two days now because of issues with their webhost. I know almost nothing about servers except they are necessary for the internet and intranets to operate. Hopefully, the problems will be fixed soon, and the stores will be back up online.

I'm finally getting into this twitter thing a little better. I get something up on my Facebook fanpage from time to time, but frankly, I'm no fan of Facebook. It seems there is something in the news nearly everyday about some breach of privacy by something they have changed. I keep logged out now as I don't want all those connections made to places I visit. If it wasn't for the fanpage, I'd probably just take down my page, but it seems to have become a necessary evil in this networking age.

We ran into a fellow church member in the store this afternoon. He was one of those who had some flood damage. They are recovering, but it is exhausting physically and emotionally. I remember that it took a long time for us to get over it. I had to stop and think for years if I had a certain item of if it was gone with the flood. Eventually life returns to a state of normalcy, though.

Hey, if you use Paint Shop Pro, I am getting some seamless patterns (tiles) ready to go into my store. There will be different kinds. And these will be limited cu4cu. Actually, they can be used by any program that uses seamless tiles. Look for some new painted grunge overlays and a new kit before the end of the month. Oh, and you only have until the weekend to download the Mommy Day QPs then they will be gone.

I Want to Help Nasville recover from the flood. Would you be willing to help?

2010-05-09T16:09:00.000-07:00

Ohhh, I'd better not go there. I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself today. But I will recover. My husband did take me out for dinner along with our son and his wife. Nice to be taken out on Mother's Day. Nashville is recovering, but slowly. The restaurant where we went to eat had such a small number of people for a Sunday afternoon especially as it's Mother's Day. But it is near the now closed for repairs Opryland Hotel.

I've decided that I want to do a charity kit for Nashville's recovery with the proceeds to go to The Salvation Army. When we were flooded out a dozen years ago, it was the Salvation Army and the Red Cross who helped us out along with some church groups. I've always been grateful for the help we received. We were more fortunate than many as we were renting, so all we had to do was salvage what belongings we could and find another place to live. Those who have mortgages can't do that. It's going to be difficult for them.

In church yesterday we learned that several fellow church members had flood damage, including our pastor. While their house was spared their garage and storage building were not. Another family had greater damage. Now I want to give back in some way to help those who need it now. I've posted at DST, but so far a few lookers and no offers to contribute to a kit. That's one reason I'm feeling a little deja vu, the feeling that if you are a nobody designer, nobody is who listens to you. I know it's Sunday, which is always a slow day at DST. I'll wait to see what tomorrow brings. If no one wants to contribute, I guess I'll do the kit myself. My store at Ahhh Scrap will host the kit, and Kelly, the owner, suggested it should be a kit with a country music theme. Of course! Nashville is Music City. So the kit is named after a well-known, much recorded country-gospel song, Will the Circle Be Unbroken. No, that's not the title, the kit title is Unbroken Circle. If you aren't familiar with the song, or if you'd just like to hear it, you can watch a video of it here.

If you're a designer (established in a store or not) who happens across this topic and you would like to contribute a couple of papers and elements to the kit, email me at tirzastreasures at live dot com. It's just that those who are "big name" designers and stores seem to have no difficulty is lining people up for their projects, but lesser known designers and small stores seem to have a lot of difficulty doing so. I have nothing against those who are "big name" as they've worked to get where they are. It's just the fickle human nature with some distrust of the unknown thrown in.

BTW, here is a the swatch for the kit.

Music City Under Water

2010-05-06T19:55:00.000-07:00

At least a lot of it was. I reside in middle Tennessee and watched the rain this past weekend and it poured out of the sky. When it finally ended on Sunday evening, more than 13 inches had fallen in 2 days. I live about 1000 feet from the Cumberland River with a golf course between my residence and the river. By Monday morning the golf course was completely under water and was threatening the area where we live. We are thankful to God that it didn't get into any of the homes. With quite a few elderly people living in this neighborhood, it would have been difficult to get everyone out. Tuesday I went down to Old Hickory dam to see what it was like. While you can no longer go out on the dam, I had been there in past years and I remember how high the water was on the lake side of the lock and how low it was on the river side. Tuesday it looked like the water the water on the river side was as high as I had ever seen it on the lake side. The gates were wide open, something no one I know had ever seen, and the water was gushing through.

There is a walking trail down there but it was flooded as the river rose. What I saw was logs, trees, and all kinds of debris that had been washed up by the flood. We couldn't even drive down, but had to walk in. We are among the fortunate ones. A number of people have lost their lives in this flood and some are still missing. Thousands have lost their homes and everything they own. Most of them had no flood insurance because they lived where it had never flooded in recorded history. The US Army Corps of Engineers have called it a 1000 year flood. Maybe I should explain what that means. Geologically, land is rated by flood plains. Some low lying areas are 5 year, or maybe 20 year, some may be 50 year and on up. It is rated by how often it floods on average. In a 5 year flood plain, it floods once every 5 years on average. If you're going to live in a 5 year flood plain, you'd better have very good flood insurance and a house built on stilts. But if you live in a 1000 year flood plain (who knows when the last flood occurred?) it is very unlikely that you will go through a flood. So no insurance.

The river has gone down now, leaving large patches of mud and debris behind. The clean up is enormous and costly. The famous Opryland Hotel and complex was flooded with up to 10 feet of water. They had to do an emergency evacuation on Sunday night to get out the 1500 guests and 500 staff. The Opry Mills shopping mall also went under water as did the Opry House. All will be closed for months for repairs. Meanwhile, the show must go on but in the Opry's former home, the Ryman Auditorium. And of course, the bars and saloons are open. I'm not a drinker and view drinking with a very dim eye, so it wouldn't have bothered me if they had had to shut down for months. Alas, that didn't happen.

Life will return to normal for those who didn't lose anything. It will take months, if not years to recover for those who did suffer loss. I know from experience as we suffered the effects of a flood in Ohio in 1998. I still remember having to go through and sort and separate and throw out and clean up. I went to the laudromat 3 times and filled all the huge washers each time with all our clothes, linens and anything that might be salvaged by washing. I used a lot of bleach. In the end, I lost a few things that were stained, but most things cleaned fine. I refused to toss out my appliances. We put them in storage for a few weeks while we found a place to live. When we started them up, they ran. They had been able to dry out completely and even the TV worked. The washer needed some repair but worked for another couple of years as it was not new. But the dryer was only 3 months old. It finally gave out the beginning of this year. The freezer was still working when I gave it away last year. So, yes, I do know what so many are going through, and I feel for them.

What A Week!

2010-04-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

I've designed and designed and … finally uploaded into the store. Wait till you see all the new products I have for you. Plus a freebie plus a sale still progress and NSD this weekend, and…

Oh, yeah, how my week was. I took a few breaks to plant a few flowers including a Knockout Rose. I love roses and these roses are resistant to almost everything. Plus they bloom all summer. They don't have any smell, but that's the trade off.

Monday I went shopping at the mall. Being back in TN I've avoided the nearby mall like it was plague infested. I was there once at Christmas and it was packed (of course!) but it was mostly teens. It looked like 90% of the stores are dedicated to teens, tweens, and the very young, something I am decades removed from. LOL. So Monday I decided I'd go again while all those millenials, or whatever they call them, were in school. Well, imagine my shock when I drove into the parking lot a little after 10 and …, nope, it wasn't full o kids! They're in school, remember? The parking lot was empty! Except for a about a dozen cars, there was no one there. Whee! Shopping easy. I hit the clearance racks in all the department stores and got some really good bargains. I love Alfred Dunner clothes, and picked up 2 sweaters and 1 top for a small fraction of the original price. I found a Jones New York jacket, regular price $159 for (drum roll please) $19.99! I got a number of other sweaters and tops to add to my winter clothes for next year, plus a few summer items. I'm no fashionista; I wear classic style clothes until I get tired of them or they are too worn or stained. In either case, that years for me.

Tomorrow, I relax and rest. It is the day of rest according to the Bible. So while everyone is out NSDing all over the web, I will go to church, then go for a walk somewhere with my hubby and a camera or two. A walk in nature is always refreshing. It gets me away from the distractions of daily life, from the noise of city living, from the troubles that are always ready to pop up at any time and cause problems. Come apart and rest awhile, Jesus told His disciples. And so we all should come apart on the Sabbath day and rest awhile.

Expired