Lots of Buzz, and TWO freebies!

Hey everyone!

I hope you are off to a great start with the new year. I know I have been busier than a one legged man in a butt kickin contest.

I have been enjoying some family time, hubby has had a major chunk of time off work with the holidays and he finally goes back tomorrow. I can't wait for the excitement to finally die down lol. I do love to have him home, but I love to have him go to work too. It sure changes up the routine when he is home. It's really hard to find time to scrap lol.

But, I have been designing still. In fact, I have been working on a few really different projects in addition to the Live in Color collection I am still focusing on.

One>>> A very good friend of mine, Trish, has been wanting to start up her own web site offering a really cool thing to digital scrapbookers. She created a site, http://www.digiscrapdiscounts.com/ is the url. The site is a place for designers like me, or maybe you, to post ads in a gallery. The idea is that if we all post our sales ads, discounts, specials, coupons, etc. there, a digital scrapbooker could go look at the ads all at once, kinda like browsing a newspaper for coupons. I think it is a great idea. I subscribe to a lot of yahoo lists, but I really like the idea of going and seeing all the actual ads in one place. I am a visual person, so seeing the ads makes a difference for me.

So as part of her starting that site, I have been working with her to also offer a gift on her site that gives scrapbookers a taste of my designs for free. This is the result:

You wanna go get it for free? Just go to Digiscrap Discounts and click on Gifts.

Now a shout out to my fellow designer friends: She's giving away 100 memberships for free to designers. You can share your ads for free. All you have to do is go to the site, Click on View the Ads, and sign up for the gallery and send her an email on her site to let her know you are a designer wanting to share ads. It's free. It's advertising. And we all need some more of that.

Two>>> Acrylics. Oh I love Acrylics. I love taking a acrylic element and adding it at the last minute to a layout lol. I love using them for neutral elements on just about any layout. I love that I can combine them with any kit under the sun. I love that I can put them on top of a picture and still see the picture through them. OK you get the point.

I set out to make a set of amazing acrylic elements. I wanted it to be big and I wanted it to be one that had enough elements that I could use them on several layouts and not duplicate. I wanted frames, I wanted pretty much a dream element pack lol. So, I set out to make a bunch. And I ended up with over 50. And more to come.

Here's Acrylic Madness, a set of new acrylic elements that I created. What do ya think? Want a sample? You got it! Download the sample shown below here.

And on a final note: I purchased a new domain name today. My blog will be moving soon. I will let you know where, but please be advised, I am planning some big things. You can still find me at My Scrap Shop, of course.

The Color Green, freebie, and new products

While working on the Live in Color series, I am gathering lots of color todbits to share. I have been focusing on Green the past few days.

The color green is associated with nature, peace, and money.

Green is often used in decorating for its calming effect. For example, guests waiting to appear on television programs often wait in a “green room” to relax.

Green is thought to relieve stress and help heal. Those who have a green work environment experience fewer stomachaches.

Dark green is associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy.
Yellow-green can indicate sickness, cowardice, discord, and jealousy.
Aqua is associated with emotional healing and protection.
Olive green is the traditional color of peace.

The color green for me is also associated with olives, as in the olives in my favorite drink, the classic martini.

As part of my Live in Color series, I am creating several booster packs in the various colors and combinations of them. Today I want to show you the new Green package I made in honor of the almighty Martini. And you can get this free Martini paper here at MSS. It's absolutely free, I promise. Just go grab it and use it if you are a martini fan like me!

New Products in my store at MSS:

New Challenges and Prizes at MSS:

A new round of challenges started at MSS yesterday. You can get some gorgeous kits just for particpating in some of our fun challenges, like the template challenge. Click here to get a good look at our prizes.

New Designers at MSS

Did you know we have new designers at MSS? Come see what they brought to our scrap tables and welcome them aboard!

Sales at MSS:

• A little bird tells me that you can save 75% off of Sir Scrapalot's designs. That's HUGE. He has some awesome kits, great doodles, fantastic CU. You can't go wrong at that price.
• EAL is having a grand opening sale, come check out a new designer at MSS and save 30%
• Pillowgirl, that's me, has her whole store at 40% for the holidays. Happy New Year, it's almost all over!
  

Sources:

About.com

Color Wheel Pro

Live in Color

I recently started reading a lot about color theory, our emotions and how they are affected by color, and so on. It's really always been an interest to me, the psychology of colors. I think as an artist, there is often a reason I choose the colors I do. I also think as scrapbookers, we choose certain colors on some of our layouts because they convey an emotion too.

Anyhow, all this Color Theory thinking inspired me to create a series called Live in Color. This collection is made up of 16 colors (plus the occasional white or black) and I will be creating several smaller kits and sets of elements or papers in this series.

Just this week, I released 6 packs of Live in Color products. Over the next while, you will see many more as I have several projects started in this color scheme. I also plan to share some Color Theory with you here on my blog, so you might see how colors impact you from day to day too :)

I hope you enjoy the project. If you don't, you will still find my normal stuff on the blog too.

Here's a link to the whole line of Live in Color products that I am offering at MSS exclusively. And watch the blog, there's a freebie coming out shortly that ties into this whole series.

New Releases, on sale 50% off still!

Today we went to meet with a new attorney. I am not going to dwell too much on these thoughts, but the reason I bring this up is becasue it leads up to this... We got so much snow in the past 2 days that we got stuck on the side of the road like 3 times trying to get to the attorney's office and back home, and literally had to have my mom's hubby tow our car out of the driveway with a chain on his Rodeo. Maia was in the backseat and man, what a hectic thing to do with a frantic kid thinking we are going to be stuck in the show forever!

The snow was beautiful but I am sure glad that at the end of the day we have a nice comfortable place to warm up, get dry clothes on, and enjoy time together as "shut in's" due to the nasty cold and wet outside.

I just added a few new products to the store at myscrapshop.com. MSS is still having a Christmas sale so they are 50% off for that sale, so you get new products at a heckuva price.

With January approaching, one of my projects on the "table" is a calendar. I set out to make a bracket book calendar too as I know someone I want to gift one to. I personally have a penchant for the Basic Grey bracket chipbaord album. I really love the "sensual curve" of it, and the size is great. So I made some calendar templates and brushes and thought I would share the idea and products with other scrappers and designers. You can get it here at MSS.

I also just wrapped up a big pack of journal templates. I love the look of a scallop, I love prelined journals, and I love being able to really customize them... so this set has a little of those "ingredients" mixed right in. I threw in a little grunge here and there to add a spot of "me" to them. They are available at MSS here.

I have a freebie almost done but will post it tomorrow as I have a really big announcement to make tomorrow too.

Wow, I'm Impressed.

OK I have to admit, I am turning into a printables fan. Big time. I think homemade printables can really add a touch of class and a little bit of "thoughtful" to things nowadays... I guess I should show you what made me think on this...

Valerian, a member of MSS's CT, posted on her blog about a project she just did using my new Christmas kit, Be Merry. Now I am not only thinking of course that it's an awesome kit, but wow,w hat a cute project she just did that will add a touch of class to simple giftgiving this year.

Go check it out for yourself at http://artisticleanings.blogspot.com/2008/11/be-merry.html

Good MORNING.

Oh what a beautiful morrrrning. Oh what a beautiful dayyyy.

I just want you all to know I got up at 4 AM and here I am blogging away. I'm addicted. Not to blogging, but to just plain the whole shebang lately. I have been designing like mad. I have been playing like mad.

What's going on for you???

With the holidays fast approaching, new projects and exciting activities are going on everywhere. I am currently involved in 2 collaborations, plus developing a few side projects. I can't wait to show them to you, but I have to wait to show them to you, get my drift?

The hubby and I went to KMart and did a layaway for Christmas last night. Everything was for Maia, and she will have a decent Christmas even though mommy isn't working as long as we get that sucker out in time lol. I love to layaway Christmas, especially with us living in a small apartment. There's nowhere in this place to hide gifts, that's for sure! This is the first year Maia has really grasped the concept of Santa, gifts, and that Christmas is coming. She knew about Christmas last year but didn't sit and anticipate it all month in November. Maia tells me every day what she has on her Christmas list lol. I won't lie, my kid is extremely toy motivated. She's 5. I am letting her have this year be her year to just enjoy the heck out of presents, and "Me me me". Next year, we will start doing something a little more meaningful lol. Every kid should get the whole big BAM on Christmas morning at least once. Now, I say this with discretion and should clarify... no animals were harmed in the creation of this Christmas.

I posted part 2 of an inspirational series on the MSS Blog today. If you are into inspirational scrapping and "digging deep" this series might be a good one for you. It's kinda... scrap therapy lol.

OK back to the designing board. I got lots to do to prep for the great Christmas of 2008 here on my blog and at MSS hehe.

One last important note: I am rotating the 50 cent items this week in my store at MSS. If you want any of the 50 cent items that are there right now, you might wanna snag them today. You can see them in the Fab 50s section at the store here.

Wow what a WEEKEND!

It's 12:20 in the morning, and when I wake up it will be Monday, but right now in my mind it is still Sunday.

It's been one heckuva weekend. We are celebrating MSS's first birthday and man, what a whirlwind of love and support and hugs and cupcakes we are getting!

To be honest, there are moments in every designer, website owner, store owner, and even scrapbookers' lives when they sit down and really wonder, "Should I keep going?" I would be foolish to pretend that those moments never come to mind for me. Luckily, I am doing something I love, working with people I am honored to work with, and I am meeting wonderful people who I never would have met before without MSS. I am designing, losing sleep over it, and still enjoying the thrill that an artist gets every time they get done with their next "masterpiece"- these are some huge blessings for me.

I am enabling other folks like me to create, whether it be a layout or to even create kits and be designers too. I like to think that each day someone in this world finds something to like about me or my creations. That's pretty dang neat.

My focus in the next short while is on taking my dream to another level. I always loved to inspire greatness even in small bits. I love sharing inspiration, I love teaching when I can, and I love watching someone else's accomplishment. It's like watching the sun rise... it starts out small, and then with time, patience, and confidence, it explodes into the sky. (Yes, it's late, and I am feelin a little poetic)

I've still got new designs and products going into the store, don't worry... but I also have some new projects that you might enjoy.

1. I just started a new series on the MSS blog. It's an inspirational series that you might follow along with to take your scrapbooking to a new dimension. I'll add a little to it every day or two until it's time to inspire some other way. So if you miss me here, you might pop by there.

2. I'm developing a plan to work with a few budding designers. You might see some more collabs, some more chats, some more tutorials and advice on the blog and forums at MSS too. I'm really wanting to create something where I make a dent in the world. I do believe in one person's ability to do more than change the world that they live in, but to also change the world that others live in. And cheeseball me, I think it can be done through scrapbooking lol. If you have a talent, it's a blessing, and a blessing should be shared, right?

3. I am still designing. Personal Use is even more fun than normal at Christmas time, but when I design Commercial Use I enable more designers to do personal use... so you'll see some of both.

4. MSS is always growing. We will be doing some more growing soon, with new features and a new gallery with more functionality. We are expanding the types of products we offer and trying to give you more for your money, and more fun with your scraps. You'll see more printables, more project kits, and some great tools too.

Anyhow, to fiish off this long post, I do want to take one second and show off the product I added to the store today. We're on our way to Christmas, and it'll be here before we know it. I love Christmas CU tools because I can really save time in the hustle of this time of year.

Here's some really great clip art. There are 20 doodles and you get each in PNG and JPG format. I love the country crafty appeal of these graphics. It's titled "Christmas Cookies #1" and you can click here to see them in the store.

I've Gotta Share

Happy Thursday to you!

It's a big big big week for me this week, and hopefully a good one for you! MSS turns ONE YEAR OLD this weekend on Saturday. I can't believe time has gone by so quickly. Plus, with the holidays coming up, I am feeling all new inspiration and lovin' the late nights hehe.

I've got a lot to show you, and then I will tell you a little more details as I go.

I love the holidays. If you know my track record, you know that during the holidays I really kick my designing into high gear. I think Christmas time is one of the most scrappable times of the year and I try to make it fun and easy for anyone I know by offering some great kits and freebies all through the season. To start off, I have just added a few new things to my store at My Scrap Shop.

The Be Merry kit is my first Christmas kit of the year. It matches my Be kit, which I released in the store in October. You could literally put the two kits together and have one humongous kit. In Be Merry, I use a lot of worn and shabbier papers, some gorgeous felt, a little glitter and glitz, and I feel it really captures the spirit of Christmas in my home. We do everything simple but with a touch of "excess" when it comes to Christmas. So yes, it's a great time for glitter hehe.

I couldn't resist saving some of my favorite pieces of the kit as layered element templates for you. This Piece on Earth set includes a Angel, Tree, and Stocking for you to make your own. You can add paper, color, style, etc. to really personalize these.
A 50 cent special! the Tea Party set is part of the Be series, and includes a little Tea pot and cup, plus a shade tree to sip it under. It also includes a few papers for you to scrap with that have the grungy, worn, torn, and folded look to them. This item is 50 cents at MSS for one week only.

OK I have more to share but am thinking I ought to split it into another post to keep things straight. Plus, my coffee cup is empty! I will be back with more to show and probably a freebie to boot!

In case you are reading this before my next post though, I want to remind you to come chat with us tonight at 9 PM Eastern, 8 PM Central, 7 PM Mountain, 6 PM Pacific... at http://www.myscrapshop.com/chat. It's a big night tonight!

Free CU layout template, life, updates, and more.

OK I realize it has been such a long week and then some, and I have been remiss on my blogging. What can I say? Life is hectic as a new SAHM! I got more done when I worked full time, it seems. Now I am home with Maia and it is all too tempting to spend the day on the couch lounging with her, or playing light brite. Or using the playdoh. I am a sucker for my 4 year old, she can distract me better than anyone I know.

To make it up to you, I have a really fun layout template, AND I decided to make it free, and commercial use. You can use this to do your CT layouts for another designer, you can use it to do previews of your products, you can use this to make layouts for your S4H clients, you can use this as inspiration for your blog layout, you can have it laminated and throw it like a frisbee. Just USE it and use it well :) The only thing you can't do with it is give it to a friend in its original form, or resell the actual template. So, what you ought to do is tell your friend to come here and get it, it's gonna be here for a while.

Download this template here on 4shared.

I would love to see what you use this template for. I know I love to use templates when I am looking for a little guidance on a layout. It's also important to note, tis is a layered PSD file so you can move things around, rotate them, reshape them, cut part of it out, change the phtos around, add journals, add a title, throw a few flowers in there, add a ribbon, screw the scallops if you like straight lines, etc. This should be a tool, not a RULE.

Now, what else have I been up to? I have been working on one helluva kit for our challenges that are going to start tomorrow at MSS. I would show it to you but I am sworn to secrecy. It's huge, it's versatile, it's got a little boy, a little girl, a little grown up, a little young, a little mod, a little traditional, and it's got a whole lotta soul. So to see what I have been creating, check out the forums at MSS tomorrow when we post the new challenges. You can win it before you can buy it, and I do love that with challenges, everyone who plays gets to win.

I also have the last few days of my retirement sale going on, this weekend is your very last chance to get 65% over 60 of my products. I am doing a major inventory overhaul. Over half of these products are Commercial Use. Products like 88 overlays for less than $6, my Designer Tools 101 (101 different designer tools) for less than $6. It's a pretty big deal, but I am trying to keep my good name as the queen of good deals, so if you like that about me, go grab your cart and come visit my store lol.

Now with all this going on, I bet you didn't know that I have been working on some new stuff for DSD as well. And that we have weekly chats at myscrapshop.com/chat. Last night we had a chat and it was a lot of fun. I love seeing Sir Scrapalot try to keep a straight face when I pick on him in the chatroom. He hosted a game of MSS Trivia last night, just for fun, and it was a good time. I love that with our goodie bags, everyone walks away with a smile on their face.

Thank you to all of you who visit me and read these longwinded posts. I am playing catch up for a long spell of playing with Maia instead of blogging, but you know I would never stop blogging, designing, scrapping, and playing...

Until next time...

Pillow

Am I crazy?

I don't think I'm crazy, I just appreciate a good deal. So I decided it's time for me to give one of those big big deals.

And well, here's another really good deal at My Scrap Shop too! (I tell you, there's something in the water at MSS, we all like to save money)

I am excited for a date I have with my mom tomorrow. We are going to the "Girl's Night Out" at Heartland Paper. My mom doesn't scrap but she just doesn't know how. I imagine if she tried scrapbooking, she would need to build an add-on to the house though to fit it once she got started. Know anyone else who is like that?

I have been having a hard time "believing" that I am not working and not planning to return to the job I had for 3 years. It's still a lot to take on "mentally". It's like I wake up in the morning and think I need to get ready and hurry to work... only to remember during my first cup of coffee that I don't do that anymore. The hubby suggestss that I take a night time part time job, and spend the time during the day with Maia. I am still trying to convince him that if I do that, it will be like having two jobs. I have a whole different respect for women who manage to keep their carpets vacuumed and their dishes clean, let alone the ones who seem to have spotless homes with kids in the house.

But, right at this very moment... if I look over my right shoulder, I am seeing the view of Miss Maia all snuggled up in a blanket on the couch, wrapped up like a little burrito, with nothing out of the blanket but her cute little head. She is taking her long anticipated nap, and I am finally here to send out a note hehe. This is my dream job. The pay sucks, the overtime is horrible, I have a college degree and am totally under-appreciated... but DANG I love the benefits and the perks. I am paid in hugs and kisses to be Maia's Personal Assistant in life lol.

Life Happening Around Me AND a gift at the end :)

So it has been ab out a week since I quit the job as a bill collector. I am loving being home with Maia, but it is sure a lot of work to keep up with her.

As I type, she is hosting a tea party with her 2 pnies, the white alligator, and a oversized cow. They are sipping tea (which she substitutes curled ribbon in the tea cups) and having a Totino's snack pizza. She just isn't into crumpets lol.

I have been a much better wife this week. Dinner has been served hot off the oven instead of out of carryout bags. The laundry isn't just John's job anymore. I even went so far as to print out some homeschooling things for kindergarten and start playing school with Maia. I'm bound and determined to teach her to read and write before the schools have to lol. We live in a predominantly spanish neighborhood and I really like the idea of her mastering English first. I don't speak Spanish so when she runs around speaking in Spanish I get frazzled. Yes, it's good to be bilingual, but dang it, she's winning all the arguments by default.

I have been designing an add-on to my new kit Magical Moment. I will post the add-on later today, but I really felt like just blogging a little personal stuff to get my day going.

Now on to MSS News...
Gosh it's a whirlwind!
I just got the new header design from SKrapper Digitals for the MSS site. It will be going up on the site soon. I want to say t his though. WOW, sherah, you are amazing. I know why you are one of my favorite designers, and this header is incredible. I can't wait to do the overhaul that is coming so soon.

Weekly Chats on Thursday Nights: PUT ME ON YOUR CALENDAR OR MISS OUT ON INCREDIBLE FREE GIFTS. Thursday nights at 9 PM Eastern at http://www.myscrapshop.com/chat

Now, In case you don't get the MSS Newsletter, you need to know about this...
I have a coupon for $2 to spend at my store. That's right, a free $2. You can buy whatever you want that I designed. Sweeeeet!

Just go to http://myscrapshop.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=1 and find a product you likem add it to your cart, then proceed to checkout. During Checkout, you need to enter this coupon code...

Code is: PILLOW42
remember to enter it all in capitals. Also, it only works on my products and is only valid until the 3rd, so shop fast!

$2 Sale! Home updates... etc...

As we transition from Summer to Fall, I find it is a good time to start cleaning out the cobwebs in my shop, and preparing for a whole new line of winter products to come! You know how I love to design for Christmas and the wintertime if you have known me for long.

This might be your last chance to buy some of my spring/summer goodies. So I put most of my products, including my CU, on sale for $2 or less. Please stop by and make sure you don't miss out on any of my current products you have been eyeballin' because they might be out of stock very soon!

Out with the old, In with the New, they say!


Now on the homefront...

No news is good news I suppose! I have been hanging out with Maia this week and really enjoying getting to know her again. How quickly the kid changes! She's really into art and painting now, and loves to write her name. She feels so big. Her favorite song is Pocket Full of Sunshine, and she will sing it just about anytime and anywhere. I think she reminds me a lot of my childhood. I loved music and art too.


I am still not used to my husband asking me to "make sure to do some laundry" and cook him dinner, etc. I am giong to become more domesticated soon, I promise!


I have been mostly trying to teach Maia about picking up after herself and to not need me to be right up next to her all the time. I think being in daycare is good for socialization, but she doesn't learn how to play independently there. It has been a challenge to get my chores done and keep her entertained.


Oh, I forgot to mention something. We have a new collab kit at MSS. It's a tribute to our dear Site Manager, Trish. She had a knee surgery last week and found out right beforehand that it was going to cost her over $5000 out of pocket after her insurance. That's INSANE to me. But I know it still happens to people, and even with all the advancements in healthcare and medicine, they can really cause people to be bankrupt. So to help Trish cover some of her costs, we made the collab. The Design Team at MSS as well as severl members of our Elements Team all pulled together and made this HUMONGOUS kit. (There are 19 downloads so please be prepared for a big kit!)

And I have a FREEBIE for you! Just a little gift, 4 papers and 2 embellished frames. Hope you enjoy them.

Get the freebie here on 4shared.

I love a little Monkey

So I quit my job, and NOW I finally have time to scrap! I got so excited to scrap that I stayed up til midnight last night working with some of the kits available at My Scrap Shop.

This kit immediately caught my eye. My little girl is such a little "monkey" so this was such the perfect kit to work with.

It's "Funky Monkey" by Sir Scrapalot. I love how he does those graphic fun patterned papers. I don't see it around much, except on sites that show trends in patterns these days. He really is right on the spot with these.

Here's a layout of Maia with her best friend. I left a spot to hand journal. They were at Jungle Jims and man, they had a great time! Don't they look like happy little monkey girls?
And here is a layout using a photo of Maia monkeying around in the fountain at Lagoon (our local amusement park.)
Both layouts use exclusively the products from Funky Monkey by Sir Scrapalot. He has two little girls of his own, so a lot of times I find his kits to really work for my little girl photos.

He's a great friend, and a fantastic designer. I have known him for what feels like forever. Before he did much designing, right when he started blogging even. I am blessed!

Anyhow, thanks for letting me use your kit, Aaron. Everyone else, if you love it, you can get it here in his store.

A Note to My Boss

I did it. I quit my job for reals, as in, no "Leave of Absence", no more vacation, no more PTO, no more timeclock, no more write-ups, no more customers yelling at me to grow some morals, no more nuffin. No more listening to how enough is never enough, and you can't get blood from a turnip. (Remember, I was a bill collector.)

No more running out to lunch and eating in the car on the way back hoping to beat 30 minutes when the closest fast food restaurant is 20 minutes away.

No more listening to Maia cry that she doesn't want to go to day care today, she just wants to stay home and play.

No more, "What's for dinner?" as I walk in the door to my husband who can't cook to save his life. Only so I can snap back, "I dunno, I didn't run over any animals on the way home, what's in the freezer, oh heck, order pizza!" No more of that!

Now how do I tell my mom that her daughter has no job, but has a smile on her face? Maybe she will read this blog.

Encore!!

Get 45% off at this special Encore event. I'm out to save you some money, seriously ;)Click on the ad above to go to my store.

Now an update on life...

I bought a new couch, a new desk, a new chair, and a set of nesting "trunks" today. So it meant overhauling the entire living room of our apartment.

You should understand, this was a big first for me. Every couch I have ever owned was a hand me down or a gift, and the futon we were sitting on was 10 years old. I have always been too chicken to go spend any money on a living room that I actually would want to "live" in. Don't ask me why. But now that I have 93 inches of beautiful microfiber to relax on, I might never get off it again. I am trying to figure out how to get my desk in front of it hehe.

The desk was a downsize in a big way. I bought a tiny workstation and got rid of a clunky beat up particle board desk I have been using for years. It was originally my husband's. Then we gave it to my mom. Then I eventually somehow ended up using it. Again, a hand me down. Again, about 10 years old. And it was falling apart on me. So now I have a little modern looking workstation with no room for clutter, and I am minimizing. But, the nice microfiber "ergonomic" chair makes up for it. I don't care what kind of desk I have, as long as I get this ubercomfy chair.

So anyway, my day was a busy one. I will take pictures and post them. Maybe tomorrow. For now, I am going to go spread myself across that 93 inches of microfiber and enjoy a movie before bedtime. Nothing like a hard day of moving furniture to make the furniture feel even more appealing.

Just a Me Update

So I was a lucky winner this month. I won a Jury Summons for the Federal Court. That means that every day this week, I get to call in and pray they don't actually need me to appear.

Call me crazy, but I am not fond of the idea of jury duty. I mean, don't get me wrong, I know it is my civic duty, and I should be honored to get the chance... but it's the middle of summer, it's hot, I am on a diet, and I am in no mood to be in a courtroom trying to fight off hunger and sweating to death.

So every day I have to call in to the recorded message and listen to the instructions to find out if I am a lucky BIG winner. They do it by "Reporting Number", and my reporting number is getting dreadfully close in the running. I might get the extreme pleasure of being on a jury. Maybe they will sequester me for the entire Labor Day weekend. Maybe I will be buying a laptop really fast so I have something to play with during the down time.

I wonder if they would be offended if I asked to take photos for my scrapbook.

Chat Tonight

I'll be in the MSS Chatroom tonight at 9 PM MTN, or 11 PM Eastern.... with lots of freebies for you. Time for a little late night chatting, about anything that comes up.

Come visit me there: http://www.myscrapshop.com/chat/

Freebie, sales, new products, etc

It's a Daily Download Freebie. The Sassy Mini Kit elow is available for one day only at My Scrap Shop, here. Yup, it's a Pillowgirl Creation hehe.

For those of you who look here for updates on my new products... I released the BIGGEST thing I have ever made this week. Designer Tools 101 is full of 40 overlays and 61 element templates or png's for you to recolor. It's everything I have for Designing that was not in a CU Stash. These have never been released before, so you don't have to worry you are getting duplicates. And so far, it is getting rave reviews! If you like a really good deal on BIG things, go here to get this.

I also had a request to bundle my products so you can save a few more pennies. OK Dollars. So here is a preview of my first bundled CU product, available in the store at MSS.

Now, my ENTIRE store is on sale right now to boot. So, if you are looking to save a ton of pennies, it's time to stop by :)

I've been revealed!

OK I will admit it. Every time I make a grab bag, I wonder, "Is it going to get slammed by people on the infamous smack blogs?" and my days are filled with a slight edge of dread looming in the background. Seriously, lots of designers have simply quit making grab bags thanks to those blogs, they are just plain ruthless. I know, there is a place for honesty and some people can handle that kind of pressure, but for others, it is just plain ugly and not at all a pleasant experience.


Well, I found a new blog that reveals grab bags, for those of you who like to see what is in the bag before you spend your hard earned money on it. It's called Strictly Reveal. It's a newer blog, and is run by a designer who just wants to reveal them, no drama, no ugly. Well, unless you don't like what's in the bag, then it might seem ugly. But no unmoderated comments. No critiquing. Just revealing. I am not saying I am chicken, but I am saying I like this approach. You can go look at what is in a bag, including the TOU, and then YOU decide if it is worth your money, no gang of anonymous strangers gets to tell you how to think of it.


So why do I mention this?


I gave her permission to reveal my stashes. Included #9, which just hit the store yesterday.


So if you want to see what's in the bag before you buy it, click here for her reveal. If you like the element of surprise, then hop over to MSS for my best CU Stash yet.

Words of Wisdom

They played this on the radio a lot back when it was made, but I don't hear it that often now. I ran across the lyrics/words to it tonight and thought it appropo to share it on the blog. It's a long one, but a good one.

Wear Sunscreen
Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97:
Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.
I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth.
Oh, never mind.
You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded.
But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.
You are not as fat as you imagine.
Don't worry about the future.
Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing every day that scares you.
Sing.
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts.
Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss.
Don't waste your time on jealousy.
Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind.
The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.
Remember compliments you receive.
Forget the insults.
If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters.
Throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life.
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives.
Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees.
You'll miss them when they're gone.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't.
Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't .
Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either.
Your choices are half chance.
So are everybody else's.
Enjoy your body.
Use it every way you can.
Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it.
It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your livingroom.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do not read beauty magazines.
They will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents.
You never know when they'll be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings.
They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.
Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise.
Politicians will philander.
You, too, will get old.
And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don't expect anyone else to support you.
Maybe you have a trust fund.
Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse.
But you never know when either one might run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia.
Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.

My birthday is in 2 hours. This was a nice thing to reflect on.