Archive for the ‘Thursday Tidbits’ Category
Thursday Tidbit: Don’t Say CHEESE!
Say CHEESE!!! You’ve heard it all your life. If you’re like me, you’ve probably said it yourself a thousand and one times. It’s because the word “cheese” naturally turns up the corners of your mouth into a “smile”. However, more often than not-it’s a fake smile. I don’t like fake smiles. I want real smiles! What I do now when I want a natural look from my children is tell them not to smile. Sometimes I’ll do it in a sing-song voice and repeat it over and over until they smile at me for real, and then SNAP! Take the picture. Sometimes I tell them not to smile, and they won’t smile (Yay! They actually listened!!!) and I’ll take the picture. Sometimes moody pictures are good. I want to remember my children in every way they were. Not just fake smiles.
CHEESE!!!
DON’T SMILE!
Thursday’s Tidbit: Angle is Everything
Hello! Cammi here to bring you Thursday’s Tip: Angle is Everything.
When taking a picture of a child, it is (generally) best to shoot from there angle. Squat down so you are level with them, lay on the floor so you can see them from their angle. Often times, when you are shooting down on your child, their head-which is closest to the camera- becomes distorted, giving them a bobble head look. If you are shooting them straight on, you will get a more natural look.
In this example, I was standing above the little girl, and shooting down at her. Can you see the “Bobble Head” look? Her head looks much larger than the rest of her body.
In this Example, I’ve taken the picture on her level. No more “Bobble Head!”
Of course, rules are always made to be broken, and there are instances when it would be better to shoot down instead of across!
Thursday tidbits: Eliminating clutter in photo compositions
Hi! Today I’m going to post a super short and sweet tip for photo compositions. When taking a photo, think about what it is you want to photograph. Choose the subject and eliminate the distractions surrounding it. You can do this as you are taking the picture, or in an editing software program after the fact. By eliminating the clutter/distractions, you are able to focus more on your subject.
Here is a photo of my daughter at Christmas. To her left and right are her siblings arms, and there’s a lot of tree.
Now here’s the picture again, with the clutter cropped out. Now you’re able to focus on my daughter and her toy without the distractions, and you still can see the pretty lights behind her.
I would love to see some before and after pictures of anyone willing to share!
Tags: composition, tidbits, tutorial
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: Creating a Bracket Booklet
Hi, there! This is Melissa T. bringing you your weekly Thursday Tidbit. But, before I start with our weekly FREEBIE and tutorial, I would like to thank Ambie for covering for me last week. I had a lovely time at Latin convention (you might not know that I am a Latin teacher) and got to see many friends who feel like family. Sometimes, we have to take a step back and thank those who help have our back when we are too busy for hobbies.
Now, for our real treat, today I am going to share a lovely FREEBIE that comes to us from MyMemories. I hate shameless plugs, but today I am full of them. All of the new MyMemories bi-weekly free downloads are compatible with the MyMemories Software. To download my favorite freebie, please go to http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_3. This lovely free bracket book template comes
with 5 digital papers, 9 page elements, 7 quick pages, and a partridge in a pear tree. If you do not have the MyMemories Suite V3, I invite you to use the codes to the right to get $10 off the price of the software and $10 to spend in the store. For those of you who would like a chance to win a free copy of the software, head over to my blogsite www.missasmuse.blogspot.com where I will be giving away a free copy plus $10 to spend in the MyMemories Store in honor of my birthday this month. (Please excuse the 2nd shameless plug.)
The Bracket Book is a very cute idea! After designing the pages to your desire, it is easy to create a gift-worthy book of your favorite pics for the price of an ink cartridge for your printer and a ream of cardstock. For this week’s tutorial, I have used the kit “In My Pocket”, a Missy’s Bits collaborative with Barbara Ryan. You can find this kit in the m MyMemories Store at http://www.mymemories.com/store/display_product_page?id=BRDS-CP-1203-12816.
“In My Pocket”
Let’ begin our tutorial:
1. Download the freebie into you MyMemories Software.
2. Open MyMemories Suite V3 and click on “Create Album From Designer Template.”
3. Find your project labelled “BracketBook_Summer1207_STM3.”
4. Select the pages which you wish to incorporate into your book. When all is finished, you should have 3 double-sided pages for your book.
5. If you want to design your own pages, right click on the white template to lock it into place. This will allow you to import whatever papers
or embellishments and word art that you wish to use on your Bracket Book.
6. Design your pages as you desire taking care to make sure that the white template is on the very top of all the pages.
7. Select the printer option on your software and set your margins as small as possible on your printer to get the best sized book as possible.
8. Print each page on cardstock.
9. Gather all of the supplies you need including printed pages, hole-puncher, scissors, pencil, ruler, ribbon or jump-rings.
10. Cut out each page of the template along the guide lines and glue them in the order that you wish them to appear in the book.
11. Allign the cut pages.
12. Using the ruler, mark where you want to punch your holes for your ribbon or jump rings.
13. Punch two holes into the pages at the same spot on each page.
14. Use your jump-rings or ribbon to bind the booklet. Remember that the looser you tie the ribbons, the easier it will be to flip the pages.
15. Give the gift to someone special or keep as a small token for yourself.
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!
Thursday Tidbits: How to Plant an Herb Garden
Hi, there everyone! This is Melissa T. bringing you your weekly Thursday Tidbit. It has been almost 100 degrees each day for the past week here in North Carolina, and I must say that it isn’t pretty…especially when you don’t have air conditioning in your car. In my quest to stay cool, I have ventured indoors, and while sitting in the quietude of my bedroom instead of playing in the sun, I have put on a few extra pounds. At least that is what the lovely little chart that my doctor showed me today said. The thing is, that I love food. I love to cook. And nothing seems better than grilled fruit with fresh herbs from my now heat-stricken herb garden.
This is the perfect time of year for growing your own herb garden, and you don’t need a lot of space in which to do it. I take up about 6 square feet on my front porch for my plethora of goodies. There are two things which you need to do before planting an edible paradise: 1- decide where you would like to place your herbs (afternoon sun is usually best) and 2- decide which herbs your family will use on a regular basis. I see no reason why one should take up valuable porch space/deck space for herbs that serve no purpose. For that reason alone, this year I nixed lavender. Also, you will want to start with a few herbs and add a few more each year until you are at a comfortable size for your palate and pocketbook. At this point in the year, you will want to buy already sprouted herbs that are about 4″ to 8″ tall.
Supplies you will need for a patio edible garden:
Plastic pots that are big enough for the amount of herbs you are growing (I recommend 3 separate pots: 1- for basil which will grow tall until the first frost 2- for mint which will grow like a weed and choke out other plants and 3- one large pot for all of your other herbs either in windowbox form or large, circular, and deep.)
herbs of your choosing (I grow basil, mint, curly parsley, Italian flat-leaf parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. As you can see, we like Mediterranean food.)
gardening gloves
5-8 lbs. potting soil with or without fertilizer depending on whether you want an organic garden
trowel
watering can
To Build a Patio Edible Garden:
1. Decide which herbs you wish to grow.
2. Purchase already sprouted herbs as desired ($2-$4 is average for a good-sized plant).
3. Remove plants one at a time and place them in designated pots. Remember to keep your basil and mint in their own pots. Almost all other herbs can be grouped together.
4. Place potting soil in each pot taking care to cover all of the roots and the bottom inch or so of the plant itself. Fill in all of the space surrounding the plant and root system.
5. Water your plants from the top to set the potting soil. After setting, you will want to water the bottom of the plant so that the roots will get enough water. Even the cheapest of pots at Wal-Mart or Lowes Home Improvement Center will have a whole near the bottom of the pot to insert your water.
6. Water your herbs daily to ensure optimal growth. Pick herbs from the top of the plant since they will get larger first then block the sun from the other plants.
7. Research recipes containing your herbs at www.freshherbs.com or a similar site. I have found that this site is written by farmers and it offers a wide range of advice and recipes.
8. Combine fresh herbs with the fresh produce you grab weekly from your CSA, farmer’s market. or local farmer. This may take a little more research to find, but it is well worth the price for the value. Plus, you can incorporate this trip into your weekly errands and the kids will enjoy tasting all of the fresh goodies and seeing from where their food actually comes.
9. Enjoy your fresh herbs until the first frost. If planted in pots (as I do), you will need to repeat this process again next year.
Websites for fresh herbs recipes:
http://www.wholeliving.com/136698/fresh-herb-recipes/@center/136760/seasonal-foods
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/
http://homecooking.about.com/od/allherbrecipes/Herb_Recipes.htm
http://www.myrecipes.com/t/vegetables/fresh-herbs/
Having an Edible Garden is a project your family will enjoy all summer long, from planning to planting, cooking to eating! Remember to make a memory today and be sure to have a camera on hand to capture it. Happy Gardening!
Thursday Tidbits: Watermelon Popsicles
Happy Day-after-the-4th-of-July to all of you out there in scrapbooking land. This is Melissa T. bringing you your weekly Thursday Tidbit. Now, being that it is the day after the anniversary of the founding of our blessed nation, I am sure that you have your arms filled with scrumptious leftovers. Now, if there is one thing that this vegetarian has learned to do, then it is to take a bunch of produce and turn it into something your tastebuds will love. Being that this national holiday falls mid-week, I can forsee lots of moms with lots of screaming kids trying to cram down one more hotdog before naptime. Why not use this “down time” as a way to make a little special treat for both you and the kiddos? Watermelon popsicles are now an afternoon snack or an after-dinner treat! Either way, it is after the nap. I suggest making this concoction in two batches: one for the kids and a “special” one for the grown-ups.
Now after last year’s fiasco with trying to make homemade popsicles, I have to give you this forewarning: buy the popsicles that come individually in a stand instead of those that you simply pour the ingredients into, stick in a stick, and hope that they actually freeze and come out in solid form. Hence, the individual pops where each kid can be in charge of pulling off the mold and shoving it into a sink of warm water. Last month, I scored actual “bomb pop” molds at Michael’s in the clearance aisle for $1.50 for a 4-count. You can find similar ones on www.amazon.com. Spring for the good ones. Then, head over to Kohl’s and pick up a popsicle “cookbook” under Kohl’s Cares for a plethora of pops for all occasions.
Now for the recipe:
Watermelon Popsicles
1. Take the leftover watermelon from the Fourth of July and scrape out the seeds.
2. Pulse 7 cups of the now seedless watermelon chunks, 1/2 cup sugar, and the juice of 1 lemon in a food processor until smooth.
3. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds and allow to freeze for no less than 8 hours.
4. Remove the popsicles from the freezer and allow to thaw for approximately 10 minutes before serving.
Remember to make a memory today, and keep a camera on hand to capture it!
Thursday Tidbits: Purse Cards
Hi, there, scrapbookers and crafters! This is Melissa T., once again after a two week hiatus, bringing you your weekly Thursday Tidbit. This week I am bringing you a tutorial offered by MyMemories on making purse cards. I can see many uses for these extremely cute cards: women’s birthday cards, baby showers, birth announcements, or even Sweet 16 party favors. However, I encourage you to play around with the templates first before printing of scads of invitations that look crooked or are not folded correctly. The template that you will see of mine is WRONG!!! However, sometimes it is better to see how something should not look as opposed to how it will look so that you will not make the same mistakes.
For the MyMemories Software compatible template, simply click on the link and download it into your program. http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_3
I adjusted the template to use Sweet Neapolitan by Missy’s Bits which may be found at her MyMemories Store.
If you do not have the MyMemories Software, I encourage you to use either of the coupon codes to the right to get $10 off the price of the highest ranked digital scrapbooking software in the United States.
Now for the tutorial:
1. Download the template in the style necessary for your computer and software and install it on your computer.
2. Open MyMemories Suite on your computer and click on “Create Album From Designer Template” and find the project.
3. If you choose to use the template exactly as it is, print out the provided template on cardstock.
4. Cut out the templates, and glue the front of page 1 to the back of page 2.
5. Decorate with embellishments of your chosing and select a coordinating ribbon to attach to the inside top of the card as a purse handle.
6. If you wish to customize your template with backgrounds and embellishments and words of your choosing you will first want to right click on the white guide and lock it in place to keep
it from moving while you are working. Before printing, make sure that this is the top layer of your project.
7. Select the type of background paper you wish to use and insert it into the template. Then delete the paper already in the template. I found it easiest to move the paper down a little before double clicking on it to delete the object.
8. Use the desired kit to add embellishments as you see fit. However, be certain that all embellishments on Page 1 are ABOVE the TOP FOLD LINE and UPSIDE DOWN. If not, when you fold the card, the embellishments will be covered by the top flap.
9. If writing on the front of the card, turn the tags and words upside down below the 2nd fold line. If writing on the inside of the card (Page 2), write the words right-side-up between the fold lines. If you treat the inside and outside the
same way, the writing will appear upside-down as mine is in the picture.
10. Print out the first page on cardstock and flip the page to print on the 2nd page on the back of the 1st. If you glue two pages of cardstock together, the folds become too thick and the card will not close properly (see mine for an example of this.)
11. Cut out the card and fold each line toward the inside of the card.
12. Add ribbon, sequins, buttons, etc. to make a one-of-a-kind card for someone special.
Hopefully, you will learn from my mistakes and be certain that your craft looks more presentable than mine. Remember that few things ever turn out right the first time, and be patient with yourself if you choose to make these cards. They are very cute and will elicit Oooooo’s and Ahhhhhhh’s from all recipients.
Gather all of your supplies before assembling your purse card including scissors, glue, a ruler or bone folder, print outs, and ribbon.
Cut out each page of the purse card if using 2 pages before gluing the front of the card to the back.
Fold your card inward along the dotted lines and affix a braided ribbon handle to the card with glue or rubber cement.
Remember to write the message right-side-up when designing your card or it will look like this. And as always, lots of love sent from the ladies at www.scrappingartistry.com.
Be sure to make a memory today and have a camera on hand to capture it!
Thursday Tidbits: Repurposing Jewelry to Make New Glam – Pearl Hair Pins
Hi, there, all of you readers in blogland! This is Melissa T. bringing you another Thursday Tidbit. I don’t know how life is with all of you, but here in North Carolina, school is out for the summer, the temperature is 80+ degrees, and that means summer is here! Nothing says “summer” more to me than lemonade, seersucker dresses, and the smell of midnight jasmine. But I am sure that harkens back to the days when I lived in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina. Now, I have to find new sights and scents that remind me of the season I love the most.
Just last month, I was reminiscing with my grandma on days of old, and we just happened to end up in her jewelry box. Jewelry boxes hold more than just treasures; they hold memories. And for our purposes today, they hold pieces of broken, unwanted, long-forgotten goodies. Once my grandma watched me obsessing over her broken strand of costume pearls, she pushed them in my direction and told me that I would enjoy them more than she would now. Pearls just aren’t her “thing” since she got her ears pierced 10 years ago. I immediately thought of restringing the pearls, creating a “new” fashionable necklace that would go with my seersucker dress. However, lovely that may seem, I have a pearl necklace, earrings, and bracelets for just such occasion. What I need for the summer is a little bit of “lagniappe,” (pronounced lan-yap) a Cajun word meaning “a little something extra.” So what I have for you today is a relatively modern piece of repurposed glam: pearl hair clips.
So, if you are interested in making a lovely piece of hair-flair for less than a trip to McDonald’s, then simply follow these steps.
Materials needed:
pearls – repurposed or purchased at a local craft store for $1
2 bobby pins or similar clips
Hot glue gun and glue
wax paper
acetone nail polish remover
paper towels
lemonade
Instructions:
1. Rub each pearl gently with acetone nail polish remover in order to extricate any glue that may be found on repurposed pearls. If you have bought them, skip this step.
2. Insert a thin strip of wax paper into each hair clip separating the front from the back.
3. Using a low-heat glue gun, apply a thin layer of hot glue to the outside of the bobby pins.
4. Line the pearls in a row directly onto the hot glue and press firmly. Hold for 30 seconds then allow to cool.
5. Wear your new glam with a stylish bob and seersucker dress.
6. Drink lemonade, and reminisce (since that is what I will be doing!).
Remember to make a memory today and keep a camera on hand to capture it!
