life. photos. scrapbooking.

Digi Layouts & Freebie Templates!

So last weekend whilst on our trek to Western PA for the Easter Holiday... I did some digi scrappin in the car on my still-alive-and-kickin' early 2000's model MacBook.

God bless that machine. It has a big fat dent on the outside... and still loves me.

I tossed some photos on an external drive and set to work. My process was this... 

1. Assess the No. of photos I wanted to incorporate.

2. Use a notebook/pen in the car to sketch out a rough design.

3. Begin building the layout starting with re-creating the sketch from the notebook into a Photoshop Document (PSD).

4. Adapt the basic design as needed, while adding the actual elements.

 

Here are a few of the results ::

8.5 x 11 Layout

Using this PSD based on my notebook sketch as a base.

DOWNLOAD THIS TEMPLATE HERE

Here's another example ::

12 x 12 Layout

And I started with this PSD I created from my notebook sketch...

DOWNLOAD THIS TEMPLATE HERE

 

And another :)

12 x 12 Layout

With this as my startup template...

DOWNLOAD THIS TEMPLATE HERE

I also put together this two page 8.5 x 11 spread but did not create a freebie download for this one...

Left Side

Right Side

You'll notice that the finished designs were adapted somewhat from the original sketches... That's just part of the creative process, I guess.

So I uploaded these to a new printer - PERSNICKETY PRINTS... because my beloved ScrapbookPictures.com is now out of business (sniff).

I submitted the order on Friday at like 4pm...  and by 5:30 - I got an email that my package had already been printed and shipped.

Well zip-a-dee-do-da!

I'm interested in seeing the quality of the prints. From the reading I did on their website - they use nice quality paper and offer pro finishes. Sounded super legit to me.

And - their 12x12's are only $1.99 - as opposed to $4 or $5 from some other reputable labs. I think I ordered 12 layouts (a few were two sided spreads)... 8 - 8.5 x 11's and 4 - 12x12's.... and the shipping was a flat $5.

I'm pleased so far.

I'll let cha know how they turn out.

Hope you guys had an excellent weekend!~

xo

TOMS + Essie

I totally love TOMS. I own several pair myself - and have purchased pairs for both of my littles. Comfy - understated - classic. 

Even more, I love their mission. I love that one guy had an idea, was relentless, saw his idea become reality, and as a result has affected millions of people. It's an awesome story... and it's still being told.

I read a week or so ago that TOMS had paired with Essie brand nail polish for their DAY WITHOUT SHOES campaign. Essie developed a special color called "Barefoot In Blue" just for the event, which raises awareness for the TOMS One For One mission.

Well - a couple clicks later I found myself on a special Facebook page - and so naturally, "I LIKED"

Yesterday - a package was in my mailbox.... for free baby.

Don't know about you - but my feet will be bare and my toes blue on April 10th.

How about you?

xo

 

Giveaway for YOU!

Hey guys.

Things have escalated to a near ridiculous level of crazy around here with Clark being gone... WE MISS YOU!!! Come home soon daddy!!!!

All I can say is... thank God for Mimi's... Mine is certainly getting me through. She's borrowing Clark's cape at the moment and saving us all from our own brand of insanity.

Thanks for comin' Mom. Love ya.

 

So - instead of a thought provoking post about life.... I'm just gonna give away some stuff instead.

Cool?

Cool.

 

And since this guy is the new kid on the block... I thought I'd give a 5x10 mounted print away to one of you!

To ENTER :: leave a comment below. But not just ANY comment...

I wanna know something - what is your favorite kind of cereal?

I'll go first.

My current favorite is Cascadian Farm Organic Granola (fruit and nut) with Stonyfield farm Low-Fat Vanilla Yogurt on top (instead of milk) - and some kind of fresh fruit added in just for kicks.

 

How's THAT for a super girly - put an umbrella in my bowl kinda breakfast... eh?

Though - my old standby has to be plain ol' Raisin Bran. Keeps me regular. What can I say...

What's yours?

I'll leave the contest open until late Wednesday night and pick the winner for Thursday's post.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Two For Two :: And a Freebie

Ok - so I'm staying on track with my one layout per week commitment in getting the baby girl caught up on monthlies...

Numero Dos.

(Note* : I did not take any Spanish in high school - so I have no idea what I just said. A guess, folks.)

Ok - on with the show.

_{LAYOUT SUPPLIES: Adobe Photoshop CS5, Solid Cardstocks, Patterned Papers, Ribbon and Epoxy Brad : Audacious Designs/Paislee Press: A New Leaf Kit, Month Tag: Katie Pertiet, Pinned Ribbon Tab: Katie Pertiet, Rub On Clock: Art Warehouse, Fonts: Courier, Pea Amy Rica Script, No. 2 Clipping Mask is Engravers Font}

I lifted this design from a layout I saw on Ali's blog awhile back... here.

Digital scrapbooking is really the only way I'm getting by with this... no clean up is HUGE for me right now. And - it's just plain faster.

I loved this design so much I started by making a quick template - just the broad strokes. No embellishments... just clipping masks and overlays.

And - because I'm hopelessly devoted to all of you - I've made it a freebie download. CLICK HERE for the PSD.

And who the heck doesn't love FREE?

Have a great weekend!

Thankful Thought No. 1 :: Pegher Style

I'm immensely thankful for the blessing of 5 heartbeats under my roof.

I'm thankful for the hugs and kisses that I routinely get (and ask for!!!).

I'm thankful I can recognize and participate in the kind of unconditional love in my daily life that only comes to me through God himself.

I know that it's a FACT that the better Christian I am, the better mommy, wife, daughter, sister, friend, businesswoman, and artist I can be, and I'm thankful that I "get" that concept.

I'm so thankful that when the kids are driving me batty, I can look at it as an opportunity for God to refine me. Patience, child. And - yes, by child, I mean ME.

So many blessings - enjoy them. Be humbled by them. Rejoice in them.

On the heels of Mother's Day, I thought I'd partake in an occasional series that Ali Edwards has begun and invited her readers to join in on.

A photo and a few thoughts. We'll see how they begin to accumulate. I'm thinking they may just end up in a small 4x6 Kolo album... Photos on the front... and maybe thoughts on the back with the date... ?

Ali has created these nifty 4x6 photo overlays along with a rounded corner photo mask that you can very simply and easily pop a photo in Photoshop or Elements.

To join in on the fun - click here to begin downloading your set of the overlays.

And a belated Happy Mother's Day to all. Hope you were pampered just a bit yesterday!

 

 

My font for you!

Awhile back I submitted a handwriting sample to this website...

They get lots of submissions - and if you are lucky - they will turn your sample into a font.

Yesterday an email came to my inbox that my "Roxygirl" font had been chosen & created.

Woot!

Excited to see how it looked, I opened a quick Photoshop document...

I was listening to Sara Bareilles at the time...

To download the font for yourself click HERE

Have a great weekend and a Happy Mother's Day to all!

A Nice Touch & Freebie Download

I finished my Christmas cards yesterday. They'll go out in today's mail.

Having two kids at home now and actually being able to check something off my list feels pretty good. Let's face it, getting a shower once a day... checking THAT off my list, feels pretty good.

I always design my own cards every year. Some kind of Photoshop layout... and I have them printed HERE.

This year is no different.

I always begin by scouring the internet for design inspiration. This year, thanks to an ad in Martha Stewart Living Magazine, I was introduced to a fabulous company called Minted.

I was in L-O-V-E with all of their designs, their fabulous paper, and especially these neat-O address labels that they offer as an add-on product.

Nevertheless, we are a family on a budget and we send out about 100 cards - so I figured I'd have to put on my crafty hat and make some of my own. They are too darn cute.

So I did. I created a quick 8.5x11" Photoshop Document. On one end was the same little "Christmas tag line" that appears on the cards inside and our return address on the other. I printed them out and sliced them up with my Fiskars paper trimmer then wrapped them around the envelopes. Voila.

See? They wrap from the back to the front on one side. The return address appearing just where it should.

And... because you know I love ya, I thought I'd make the layered Photoshop file available to you as a freebie download.

Download BlankEnvelopeLabels

xo

 

This Boy (in layout form)

My intention yesterday wasn't only to amuse you with random photos of Macho and his silly antics.

It was to record these stats and facts and photos as part of my memory keeping system. My blog is just one of many locations where I write these things down... so they can be incorporated into layouts of one kind or another at a later time.

Well.... I couldn't wait. He's just too darn cute.

So yesterday, I created this two page (8.5 x 11) digital layout to accommodate all the photos and text in a neat and organized format:

_{LAYOUT SUPPLIES: Adobe Photoshop CS5, Michele Martin Manchester Solids White Paper, Katie Pertiet I Look Up Tags, Fonts: Uptown & PMN Caecilia}

Here they are individually.

Left side (I like how there's a strip of photos here as well as the other side. It unifies the two sheets by having the photos "jump the gutter.")

 

And the right side - ALL photos - but again - unifying element here is the common margins throughout the collage.

The design is all very simple and straightforward. There's a title, and a numbered list of statements all of which can be read.. "This boy... etc." And then each photo in the collage includes a number which corresponds to the statement.

Because this is a very text and photo laden spread - digital was definitely the way to go. I'll give you two good reasons why...

First, printing all of these photos out and adhering them to an actual piece of cardstock would probably cost me twice the $$ in HP printer ink as it would to have them printed online. I use ScrapbookPictures.com for all my digital layouts although there are many good labs out there. An 8.5x11 in the Pro Matte is like $2.50. WELL worth it.

And secondly, creating the darn thing digitally meant that not only could I have all these photos fit into the space I wanted them to - but I could easily give them a nice clean common margin - and resize each photo to the proper proportions - cropping them where I wanted with the greatest of ease using the handy masking abilities that only a program like Photoshop/Elements can offer. 

This type of layout - you just gotta go digi for.

And because I love you all SOOOOO much... I decided to make the it a downloadable freebie template.

I know, I know - love you too.

 

Click Here to download both sides. It is a PSD so you should have no problem with it whether you are working in the full Photoshop or in Elements.

Enjoy!

Two Digital Brushes For You

Last week sometime I was working on something crafty... I can't remember exactly what - but I began obsessing (how odd for me) about having a digital brush of the word "inspired." I planned to use it on the project/layout I was working on - and a regular ol' font outta my vast expansive library wasn't gonna cut it.

I really wanted something a' la Ali Edwards, so I ran over to Designer Digitals and I swear I searched through every word art brush in her collection to no avail. When I obsess... I obsess.

So I said to myself - alright sister - how hard can this be? Just take out a nice pen - start doodling on a piece of white paper and when you have something that looks halfway decent - scan it into photoshop and save it as a png. Right?

Well - I'm no expert - but here's what I got. 

Then I thought - ok, not bad... how about if I try one of those block type thingys... And this is what I came up with...

And because, as the Pioneer Woman says, I love ya more n' my luggage - I thought I'd make them free for you to download and use to your heart's desire!

INSPIRED.png 

INSPIRED BLOCK.png

P.S. A big happy birthday to my little brother John! He turns 30 today. Welcome to middle age my friend! Hope you loved your Ka-Ka shirt. (it's an inside joke). Here he is livin' it up at my wedding a few years back. Even at 30 he'll still get carded with that baby face. But don't let it fool ya. He can pour a gin and soda that will make your hair stand on end.

You still shavin' off those three whiskers you got or what?