Happy New Year!

Wow, I cannot believe that another year has passed! This year has brought many great things to me and my family. One of the best things was finding Missy Bits and Sugar Moon Designs. A friend sent me to their shops and introduced me to the world of Digital Scrapbooking. It has been almost a full year since I have joined their team and I am thankful for them. Scrapping is my destressor!

So today, while I don’t have a freebie I do want to recap on some of the amazing freebies offered over the last year! We have had some great ones! Also I want you to tell me are your favorite freebies? and what would you like to see more of in the new year?

One of my favorites were these bookmarks!

Another one of my faves was the Tic Tac Toe that our Member Shanna made!

Another were these awesome Templates!

And here is a Valentines day themed QP using Missy Bits Kit Chocolate Valentine Found HERE

Enjoy! What were some of your favorites from the last year?

Friday New Releases – ON SALE!

NEW RELEASES FROM SUGAR MOON DESIGNS 

CHICKEN DOODLE SOUP

Has your household been hit by the cold and flu bug yet? Ours has, but on the upside, it gave me the inspiration for this sweet kit, Chicken Doodle Soup! I’ve packed this kit with lots of warmth, and cozy comfort for all your not-feeling-too-good layouts, maybe a short hospital stay, or a case of chicken pox. This lovely kit is sure to make everyone feel a LOT better!  Buy two and call me in the morning! hahaha

(Luckily, it’s on sale at all the Sugar Moon Shops!!)

With Love Studio |  MyMemories | Divine Digital

Sock It To Me Monkey

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NEW RELEASES FROM MISSY’S BITS 

All Grungy Brushes 3

 This is a fun set of brushes made to give your layouts or hybrid projects a bit of a messy feel. All Grungy 3 is another set of my “go-to” collection of grunge brushes.  This set includes 6 grungy brushes in .abr format for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.  Also included are the PNG files for non photoshop users.  Each brush was created, scanned and extracted by me.  PNG files are 300ppi.

With Love Studio | MyMemories

GET ALL THESE NEW RELEASES FOR 20 – 30%  OFF THIS WEEKEND!

Tags: digital scrapbook kits, digital scrapbooking, missy's bits, new releases, sugar moon designs

Upcoming Events!!! Don’t Miss Out!

There’s lots going on this weekend for Missy’s Bits and Sugar Moon Designs! 

First, stop by With Love Studio.net and join in the FUN! We’ll be having sales, challenges, freebies and MORE!!!

Also, Sugar Moon has something new for you – coming Friday! Here’s a little sneak peek . . . can you guess what it is? Stop by With Love Studio or Divine Digital and find out!

Thursday Tidbit: Creating a Facebook Timeline Header

Hi, there, fellow scrapbookers! This is Melissa T. bringing you the weekly Thursday Tidbit. This week we will be discussing how to make Facebook Timelines. You know, I hated this whole timeline business when Facebook started it, but just knowing that  I can use my scrapbooking skills (and materials) to customize my entire page made it all the better. For this week’s tutorial, I will be demonstrating how to create a Facebook Timeline Header using the MyMemories Digital Scrapbooking Software Suite. If you haven’t purchased your copy of the number one digital scrapbooking software, then simply look to the right of this blog to find your code for $10 off the software and $10 to spend in the store. Or better yet, head over to my blogsite http://missasmuse.blogspot.com to enter my software giveaway before August 19th.

For this Facebook Timeline Header, I have used Sugar Moon’s Kit called “Peaceful Dreams.” You may find this kit at her MyMemories Store or at her Divine Digital Store under the title “Autumn Sky.”

Now, let’s get started with this week’s tutorial:How to Make a Facebook Header with MyMemories Suite.

1. Open your MyMemories Suite Software and Create a new album.
2. Choose “Design Your Own.”
3. Choose the “Custom Size” tab in the middle of the screen.
4. For a Facebook Header, set the size to 860 x 300 pixels.
5. Add whatever content you want, including papers, text, pictures, and/or embellishments.
6. When you are finished, click on “Share Album” in the far right column and select “Export.”
7. In the Export Wizard, make sure that the image type is jpeg and the image size is the size you chose for your header. You need to select the Large size for the resolution of the image, or the design will not fit into the Facebook Timeline Header. Click Finish.
8. Now open your Facebook Timeline in your browser.
9. Click on “Change Cover,” then choose “Upload Photo.”
10. Select your header file from the folder where you stored it.
11. Your header should now fit nicely into the available Facebook space.

That is all for this week. Remember to make a memory today, and keep a camera on hand to capture it!

Thursday Tidbit: Making a CD Envelope

Hello, again, all of you avid readers of www.scrappingartistry.com! This is Melissa T. bringing you the weekly Thursday Tidbit. This week we have a customizable hybrid freebie from www.mymemories.com in the form of a CD envelope. Now, I have had my hand at hybrids, and I must say that the new freebies from MyMemories are pretty clever. You can download the freebie directly into your MyMemories program, open the template, and customize the freebie with any papers or embellishments that you have in your collection. If you do not own the MyMemories Software, I highly recommend purchasing it. Look to the right of this post for a $10 coupon. For this template, I have used Sugar Moon’s Kit entitled “Smitten,” which can be found at her Divine Digital store.

"Smitten" by Sugar Moon Designs

So, without further delay, I will begin with the tutorial.

1. Download the template at http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_1 into your MyMemories Software.

2. Open the MyMemories Software and choose Create Album from Designer Template.

3. Find you project Labeled CD-Envelope-Summer1207-01 and select a title for your new project.

4. Select any page you choose to begin your project.

5. First, right-click on the white guide to lock it into place. You may then choose to alter the template (look under the Decorations heading for all of the downloaded papers, elements, and alphabet) or delete every object and start from scratch with papers, elements, and alphabets as you choose.

6. Save the template.

7. Click on the File tab and select a page to print on cardstock.

8. Gather all of the supplies you need to make the CD Envelope including scissors, ruler, and rubber cement.

9. Take the printed envelope and fold on all fold lines. There should be a total of 4 folds.

10. Cut along the outside edges using scissors.

11. Fold the 2 side flaps in towards the middle and apply glue along the side edges of the back piece. 12. Push the back piece up to adhere the sides and the back together. This will form your envelope.

13. Fill with a mini CD full of music or pictures, give to a friend, and watch their eyes light up with joy.  ( After making this project, I learned that the envelope is too small for a regular sized CD.)

Remember to make a memory today, and keep a camera on hand to capture it!

Happy Independence Day!

Happy 4th Of July!

With Love Studio is hosting a Scagenger hunt today!

Hope everyone has lots of fun stuffed planned! Make sure to drink lots of water and stay cool! We had our fireworks last night out on the lake it was beautiful! My challenge for you this week is to make sure to capture those moments from your 4th of July Celebrations and create a layout using this template.

 Sugar Moon and Missy’s bits have some great 4th of July themed kits you can use to create your layouts. Sugar moon had the Kit Stars and Stripes availiable at Divine Digital and Missy has All American Holiday at Mymemories for FREE today!

Here is my page made with a kit Sugar Moon has coming out later this week at With Love Studio! This kit will be part of the monthly lovely Colors.

DOWNLOAD

Tuesday Treasure~ 4th of July Cupcake Toppers

Happy Tuesday Scrappers! I hope you had a great Father’s Day weekend with your families celebrating those wonderful fathers out there! I know my family did!

The 4th of July is right around the corner trying to sneak up on us! I can’t believe how close it is already! So today I have some Cupcake Toppers to share with you. I was browsing Pinterest as usualy looking for some party ideas for my sons upcoming birthday… His party is next Saturday.. and I am so far behind on planning! lol… But I found these…

and these

And these of course sparked my idea for 4th of July cupcake toppers. The directions I typed up and added with your download does say to use toothpicks but for better support you could use lollipop sticks. These can be found at walmart or your local craft store. I myself don’t have any images of these printed out and put together but the images above should give you a good idea of what they are supposed to look like. I thought you could also use these for cheese squares or pieces of fruit as well, to do this you should follow the directions using the toothpick.

You can also find the kit Stars and Stripes which I used for the cupcake holders HERE at Divine Digital.

Happy Scrappin’ hope you enjoy these

Link has expired, thank you

Thursday Tidbits: Creating a Summer “Bucket List”

Ever since the movie came out several years ago with the same name, people have been creating "Bucket Lists" of all kinds. Usually, a "Bucket List" is a list of things you want to do before you kick the proverbial bucket. So, for now, we will create a list of things we want to accomplish before the end of summer. This is a great project for families or individuals, for those who are keeping a 52 week digital scrapbook or those who are simply keeping a journal of all the things they wish to accomplish, or for anyone wishing to add a little bit of spice and excitement between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox. I suggest actually writing down a list and crossing each item off as you do them. This gives a visual account of all your actions and encourages you to finish the list in entirety. Keep it in your journal, on your blogsite, or even in your purse or on the fridge. Just make sube that it is in a place that you will see often enough to remind you that summer is a great time to accomplish goals, not just to sip fruity drinks by the pool.

So, how is one to make a "Summer Bucket List" for a family. Here is a short and sweet answer to the question:

1. Brainstorm on a sheet of paper things you would like to accomplish over the summer with your family. Have one of the younger members of your family be the "secretary" and have everyone suggest things that they would like to do. When brainstorming, you do not eliminate any of the answers. Try to come up with about 100 things you want to do as a family. You may want to consult your city's or state visitors' enter website for family friendly events in your area.

2. Cross out the items on the list that are out of your summer budget or are simply impractical. This might include things like "going skydiving" or "taking a trip to Antartica." I promise that some kids will have suggestions like these. Gently explain that those goals are too big for this summer, but are great goals to have on their personal "Bucket List" and that you only have about 60 days between the times when school lets out and begins again. Do not discourage creativity, imagination, and big dreams.

3. In your family meeting, agree upon at least 50 items you wish to accomplish over the summer. Make sure you include fun activites as well as academic ones. This might include "finish a summer reading list for school," "visit the library for storytime," or "take a trip to the local science center." The goal here is to remind the family that just because school is out for the summer, learning does not stop and learning can be fun.

4. Have an adult type up the completed list and print it off the computer, and post the list in a visible place.

5. Each day, have a child pick out one activity that they would like to accomplish during the day. Complete the task and cross it off the list for all to see.

Remember to make your list achievable. There is nothing more disappointing than creating a list that is unrealistic and unable to attain. Here are a few simple ideas
that you may wish to include in order to get the ball rolling in the right direction.

1. Make homemade popsicles.
2. Built an indoor fort.
3. Catch lightning bugs.
4. Take a picnic to the park.
5. Decorate a pair of flip flops.
6. Tie-dye a T-shirt.
7. Plant a small butterfly garden.
8. Eat a funnel cake.
9. Visit the zoo.
10. Have a watermelon seed spitting contest.
11. Go fishing.
12. Read a fiction novel.
13. Build a tree-swing.
14. Watch a matinee at the movie theater.
15. Visit the neighborhood pool.
16. Color the sidewalk with chalk.
17. Create a puzzle.
18. Go on a bike ride.
19. Make cookies.
20. Pick berries at a farm.

For those moms who would like to space out events according to free time or pay days, you may wish to create a summer calendar with a different activity for each day. You may do this on your physical home calendar, your computer or phone, or even in your scrapbooking software. I would suggest doing this if you are a Type A personality like myself. This gives you time in advance to prepare that picnic, buy supplies for art projects, or get discount theme park tickets. There are definitely times when planning ahead is better than being spontaneous. Only you know what is best for you, your family, and your schedule.

For those of you who are taking vacations or are making a scrapbook for the year, you might want to make a page for your scrapbook that simply includes your "Summer Bucket List." This will make a great addition to any memory book. This week, I have created a sample of a scrapbook page with a "Beach Trip Bucket List" using the kit Sand Dollar from Sugar Moon Designs. You may find this kit at Divine Digital.

When creating your “Summer Bucket List” page, be sure to include pictures of you or your family doing activities from the list to make the page more memorable. I also suggest checking off the activities instead of using a strike-out font. Strike-outs make the list a little more difficult to read, and the goal is to show what you accomplished instead of what you did not.

And as always, make a memory today and be sure to have a camera on hand to capture it!>

Memorial Day QP

Hello everyone, sorry for the delay on todays post. We had some issues with our server and were down for a bit. Thankfully we are back up and running and I can offer you todays freebie! In honor of Memorial Day yesterday I wanted to offer you all a QP I made using Sugarmoon Designs kit Stars and Stripes. I love all of the great elements she has included in this kit and it is perfect to scrap your memories from Memorial Day or the 4th of July.

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend and once again thank you to active and inactive military men and women who are protecting our country and to their families as well!

Here is a Layout I made using the QP I have for you all today

Click the image to download

Thursday Tidbits: Making Matchbox Shrines

Hi there, all of you readers in blog land! This is Melissa T. here with your weekly Thursday Tidbit.  Although May is National Scrapbooking Month, I have dedicated my portion of the www.scrappingartistry.com blog to what we in the digital scrapbooking world refer to as “hybrid projects.” If you have been following our blog over the past month, you know that digital scrapbooking kits with all of its goodies can be used for making things other than just scrapbook pages. So far we have covered file folders, cookie treat boxes, and Random Acts of Art Kindness Postcards. This week we will be learning how to make matchbox shrines using GIMP 2.0 (free shareware) and any “Outside Content” that you may have saved to your computer or external hard drive.

I love making matchbox shrines. They take a lot of time and effort, but anything worth having usually does. Matchbox shrines are simply artistic renditions of matchboxes which can be filled with anything that is the size of the matchbox. I prefer to use the small size which fits 32 matches instead of the larger size boxes. I like the feeling you get when you are able to hold a beautiful, multi-functional piece of art in the palm of your hand. It is almost like having your own personal treasure box. And, who doesn’t need matches from time to time? If you Google ”matchbox shrine templates”, you should find PDFs for both sizes. I am including one for the 32 count small matchbox in the blog today and have prepared a small template for your enjoyment.

Matchbox Template

Urban Chic Matchbox Shrine Template

Before we start with the tutorial, I would like to iterate that you may choose anything you wish to decorate your shrine.
If you don’t want to take the time to create a digital one, then simply print out the pattern on cardstock, glue images to both sides of the inside drawer and the top side of the outside wrapper, cut, glue, embellish, and allow it to dry.  The only limits are the boundaries of your imagination! In the past, I have used beads, ribbon, digital images, photos, and even magazine cut-outs to create my matchbox shrines. Just choose a theme and let your muse guide you (as with all artistic
endeavors)!

This week, I have used the design pack from Missy’s Bits entitled “Urban Chic” to design a beautifully feminine matchbox. However, I always flip the inside drawer (it is easier to decorate in GIMP 2.0 this way), so I suggest printing out the template on printer paper before wasting a full sheet of cardstock. This will allow you to have a template of where to cut and glue considering I have covered over the shaded and dotted lines with digital paper.

Now, for the project at hand:

1. Download the Matchbox Shrine PDF and save to a file on your computer. (I have a folder just for art templates on mine, so that I always know where to find my goodies. If you are interested in more hybrid templates, check out Mirkwood Designs online.)
2. Open GIMP 2.0.
3. Select File and then Open from the dropdown menu. This will allow you to import your matchbox template directly into GIMP.
4. Starting with the ouside wrapper for the matchbox, choose a digital paper that you would like to show off. This will be the OUTSIDE of your shrine which everyone can see, so make sure that it really pops. Click on File then Open to select the paper from where you have your “Outside Content” saved. Select your paper and double click. Now, the paper will open in a new window. I suggest shrinking the paper to about the size of 350 X 350 pixels to start.
5. Copy the newly shrunk piece of digital paper (right click, edit, then copy) and paste it onto the matchbox template (right click, edit, paste).
6. Using the shrink button on the left hand side of the screen, adjust your paper to fit the outside wrapper. In order to delineate where to fold the matchbox, I have alternated the colors of paper. This takes longer, but it gives a clean, crisp look to the outside of your matchbox. If you wish to do the same, simply follow steps 4 to 6 again. To alternate papers, I suggest adjusting the size of one paper, then right click, copy, and paste the same paper. Click on the Move button to drag the paper to the new position.
7. Add embellishments by selecting File and Open from the dropdown menu. Shrink accordingly, and move the embellishment to the position you desire.
8. Repeat step 7 as many times as necessary until you have achieved the desired look for the outside of your matchbox.
9. Now, we can tackle the Inside drawer of the template. Choose the paper you wish to fill the middle, then click file and open from the dropdown menu.  Shrink the paper in the new window, copy, and paste onto the template. Adjust your paper to the correct height and width before beginning to tackle the rest of the inside drawer.
10. Choose a paper which you would like to fill the outside walls of the drawer. Repeat step 4, and then adjust the size to fit the MIDDLE (Gray) portion of the matchbox drawer. Once in place, copy, paste, and move to the opposite side of the drawer.
11. Copy, paste, and move the newly sized paper to the top of the template. Rotate the image to 90 degrees, then shrink it to fit the top side of the drawer. Once the top is in place, copy, paste, and move the paper to the bottom to the template (make sure that it is in the Middle gray box so that the matchbox drawer is uniform all of the way around it).
12. To fill the inside flaps of the drawer, continue with steps 10-11 in the outside white boxes that are remaining.
13. You will now want to fill the inside tabs with color. Click on the Fill button that looks like a paintcan tipping over. Select the color that best matches the inside paper of your matchbox and click on the four remaining empty sections.
14. Now you can begin to place the embellishments for the outside of the inner drawer. Repeat step 7 until you get the desired effect for your shrine.
15. Using a small pair of scissors, cut out the template along the black lines. Using a bone folder or a ruler, fold the template on the dotted lines (or every place where the paper changes). Glue the gray areas of the template and fold the template edges to form a rectangular wrapper and the sides of the inside of the drawer.  Press firmly and allow to dry.
16. Once completely dried, insert the drawer into the wrapper. Fill with matches, safety pins, a mini sewing kit, or even small candies. Remember that the inside is where you will find your treasure, whether it be tangible or artistic in nature.

Now, you have completed your matchbox shrine and can begin using it as a functional piece of art.

You may find the kit used in this template at Missy’s MyMemories Shop or at Divine Digital, entitled “Lipstick Jungle” and “Urban Chic” respectively.

Print your Matchbox Shrine on card stock before cutting, folding, and gluing your hybrid project.

Cut along the solid lines of the inside drawer and the outer wrapper before folding.

Using a ruler or a bone folder, fold along the dotted lines and glue accordingly.

This is what your finished matchbox will look like!!

If you have any other suggestions for hybrid art projects which you would like to see showcased on www.scrappingartistry.com, please leave a comment and a link to a template and I will do my best to accommodate your requests. Thank you for joining us daily and I hope that you have enjoyed our hybrid art projects as much as I have had making them. And as always, make a memory today, and make sure that you have a camera on hand to capture it!