I'm SO excited...

Just 5 more followers and we get to do the final draw for a free Digi Stamp!  YAY!  :)

I have a question for all of you and I am sure the answers will be different across the board.

1. What program(s) do you use for editing digital stamps?
The answer will help me answer questions for people who are just getting into digital stamping.  I personally use Photoshop, but of course this is not what most use, to my knowledge.  I recently had a nice lady who told me she uses Microsoft Powerpoint - which I found shocking as I thought it was just for slide shows (this just shows you how long it has been since I used this program - probably 20 years now).  I actually had to You Tube it to see if you could crop a picture, and was a little surprised to see that it does. I figured it might, but wasn't certain.  You learn something new everyday folks!  Hehehe!  Another lady said she uses Microsoft Office Word - which is also shocking as it does not support PNGs (at least my 2007 version doesn't).  I knew you could add images and resize, so it MUST have a crop tool somewhere.  It took me a few minutes to find the crop tool - and I'm not going to lie - I was surprised that it had a crop tool as I have only used the program for typing letters or asset lists for work. Now I'd really be shocked if someone were to tell me that your NEWER version of Microsoft Office Word supports PNGs.  I want to be able to provide my customers with the proper customer support they deserve by educating myself on the programs that YOU, the customers use.  Thanking you in advanced!  :)

UPDATE:  One of my wonderful blog followers informed me today (April 30th) that Microsoft Word does support PNGs. Well, I had to figure this out b/c when  I go file > Open, it doesn't show my PNGs. *HEAD SCRATCH* This is how I open files from other programs. It wasn't long before I noticed you had to go to Insert > Picture. Wow! I also discovered you can drag and drop the images.  I think I already knew this, but assumed it didn't work for pngs. Please note - this doesn't keep it a PNG. It turns it into a jpeg - no more transparent background when I drag it into Photoshop from Word. I suppose if you're using Word to open images for your projects, you wouldn't really need a PNG, but it works just fine for cropping, and resizing.  Mystery solved!  Thanks "Aunty Sue"!   :)

2. Do you find PNGs a pain in the buttocks?
This was all I was selling in my shop, and have recently spent days converting everything over to both PNGs and JPGs for my customers.  I have just recently started to send both.  I know most of you use the PNGs fine, but there are some crafty ladies who have trouble with this format and I usually convert for them upon request no problem.  Why do you think they are unable to use these files?  I often second guess myself for using pngs as my main file format, to me they are the best. What are your thoughts?

REDONKULOUS DESIGNS' RANDOM TIP

Redonkulous tip #1:  Did you know that every time you save a JPG image it deteriorates the quality?  Probably not enough to notice in your digi stamps, but this is why I provide my customers with PNGs for digis and clipart.  PNGs are "non-lossy" files, meaning it will not degrade the image quality.  They are also awesome if you want to paint digitally because the white surrounding the black line-work or image are transparent!  So ladies and gents, don't be afraid to get crafty digitally!  It's fun...AND there's an UNDO button for mistakes...and for people like me who make a lot of them.  Hehehe!

There, I hope you have learnt something new today too.  :)  Hope you all had a super fun and crafty weekend!  Back to the drawing board for me!

Tis' the Season for Spring, and Karate Chopping!

It was a late night for me last night as I was burning the mid-night oil for the company I work for.   I have a major deadline this morning, but it's nothing toothpicks under the eyelids won't fix - ahahahaha!  Wait, why am I laughing at this...I must be delusional!  Well, at least I am not too tired to announce that it is DT DAY!!!  YAY!  You know the drill, so start hopping...

Start at Just Wordz and carry onto the links below:

SHARON:

http://craftyscot.blogspot.co.uk/

TRACY

http://tracystreasures-tracy.blogspot.ca/

KATE

http://www.scrapperscreativecorner.blogspot.ca/

So my poor son has no luck!  This weekend he was sick with pink eye and a double ear infection, which needed medication from the doctors!  Boy oh boy what a month it has been, and he is usually a healthy little guy with barely a sniffle!  At least he spent some quality time with his Dad.  Although both Jim and I were burnt out from the late night cries all week, the ear infections and pink eye were not going to slow this monkey down; he showed Daddy how to fix a bike!  At 2 years old (3 in a month), he sure knows a lot about fixing things...and yes, he puts his Dad to shame!  I'm not sure where he picked it up, but he sure is a natural.  Now, if he could only fix our van!  It sounds like it is going to die soon!  Hopefully May will be better than April. 

On a positive note, as most of you already know, my son has a new care provider and she almost seems too good to be true.  It's only been 4 days with her and we have already received crafts, a cake they made  together, and a little calendar for upcoming events - (today is wear your Sens Jersey Day). I'm crossing my fingers, as I may have to reserve her for when it comes time for me to go back to work from maternity leave for baby number 2.  I know, I know, this is over a year away, but August is approaching fast and our new addition will be here. * GULP *  For some reason this little rascal in my belly has been nothing but trouble - rolling around at 11:00 at night until 1AM and up at 5:00AM!!!  Let's hope this is not a preview of things to come.  This baby is a party animal-L0L! 

Oh yes, before I forget, I managed to finish a karate digital stamp for a boy, and a spring themed digi that is universal - but I mostly had Mother's Day on the brain when I threw the Floral one together.  Not only does it come with a blank version for your own creativity, it comes with a variety of sentiments already placed on the image as an added bonus.  From Happy Mother's Day to Get well Soon - I tried to think of everything for this digital image!

Cheers to the Spring, our moms, and our families!!! Now lets bring on the summer, I have margaritas to drink! (non alcoholic of course).  :)

New Digital Stamp & DT DAY!!!

What a crazy 2 weeks!!!  We are FINALLY set up with a new care provider, and yesterday was Kolby's first day.  He came home so happy and excited to tell us what he did during the day.  We have noticed a huge difference in terms of daily activities and the overall excitement.  Last night Kolby told me he wanted to go to her house again tomorrow and I didn't even bring up the topic!  My husband and I exchanged big smiles when Kolby mentioned it.  Crossing my fingers that he still feels the same way after a few weeks, as they say it can take 3 to 4 weeks for children to get used to a new change in providers.  My husband and I couldn't be more happy right now!  Things happen for a reason, and as hard as these few weeks have been on us, it is clearly obvious this was a blessing in disguise.

As you all know, it is DT Day!  So Stretch those fingers and crack your knuckles because it is time to hop from blog to blog!  If you have already come from the Just Wordz blog and saw the sneak peeks, then you can continue forward and check out the Design Team's Redonkulous creations at the links below.  This week we have...

Stacey

http://lefthandedblonde.blogspot.ca/

Shell 

http://craftyshell.blogspot.ca/

Debs

http://www.debsatfrecklesplace.blogspot.ca/

 

THIS IS LONG OVERDUE...

I managed to create a new Digi Stamp through all of the commotion over the past two weeks.  She will go up for sale tonight  (Estern Standard Time). So be sure to check my Etsy Shop tonight or tomorrow morning (depending on your time zone)!



Design Team Day is here again!

Before we get down to business, I just want to thank everyone for their kind words for what we are going through this month.  It is really hard to think that anyone would deliberately hurt our child, and we won't really know for sure what happened.  A lot of tears have been shed over the past week, and we are still awaiting more feedback from Child Protective Services with their final comments.  All we know is my son is not going back to the same care provider due to the stresses it has had on our family, and the doctor's report, saying it looks like ear pulling and trauma to the head and neck.  I miss Kolby so much (he is with his grandparents until we find a new provider).  We have done several interviews and will have several more to go through tonight and the rest of the week.  Busy busy busy, is an understatement.  On a good note, we met a really nice lady last night with better credentials, police check on her and her husband and she has CPR training.  She seems like she has a good head on her shoulders and has cared for children before.  Of course she is more pricey than our last provider, but since the incident, it is hard to put a price tag on your child's safety.  We'll just have to tough it out for four months until I go on maternity leave.  Hoping things start to get easier over the next few weeks.  I am 75% done my new digi stamp.  Should have her done by the weekend if things around here ease up a bit.  I can't wait to post her - it's killing me!  :)

So as you all know it is design team day! Go to Just Wordz to begin the blog hopping! Check out the sneak peeks and see what Kim has been up to.

 If you have already stopped by Kim's blog, you can also see what the Teamies have done by clicking the links below.  This is their first round to show off my digital stamps!  I can't wait to see them all myself!  :)

SHARON:

http://craftyscot.blogspot.co.uk/

TRACY

http://tracystreasures-tracy.blogspot.ca/

KATE

http://www.scrapperscreativecorner.blogspot.ca/

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!  I ate WAY too much junk...but I think the baby enjoyed it!  There was lots of flipping going on in that belly of mine!  LOL!

WHOOT WHOOT! DT DAY!!!

Want to see what our Design Team did for their first round with my high quality digi stamps?!?!?
Go to Just Wordz and start blog hopping there.  Show the girls some LOOOOVE and leave a comment!!! 

MY APOLOGIES

Yes, a bit late getting this out today.  We are experiencing a family emergency that is eventually going to work itself out!  It is going to be crazy over the next few weeks.  Its been a parent's worse experience.  Lets just say, we have to find a new care provider for my son - pretty serious stuff!  It has been quite a nightmare!  Thankfully my son is fine, but has a badly bruised ear.  He has been staying at my parent's house this week, and then off to my husband's parent's the following week, and then who knows after that.  All this hassle while we try to find a safe environment for him to stay at during the day while we work.  We are hoping to find something soon, b/c I don't think I can stand another week without him.  It is an eerie feeling not having him around when we get home from work - but hearing his voice on the phone is so wonderful!  We miss him so much!  It really sucks not having family near by so that we can see him. *sob*

Final Design Team Member

Yay!  I am excited to announce our final DT Member Shell.  Shell has a beautiful collection of cards she has created where every creation looks like a masterpiece.  I love the details and embellishments, and am looking forward to seeing one of my digital stamps all done up! 

SHELL

My name is Shell, I have been making cards for about 5 years now, I love stamping and colouring and since discovering digi's I haven't looked back...I am happiest when I have my pens in my hand.
I live on the Wirral in the uk with my partner Kev, we have 2 boys and 1 gorjuss Granddaughter who's nearly 2 and wraps her Nanny & Granddad round her little finger ha ha .

Welcome to the team Shell!  If you want to take a peak at Shell's masterpieces, click HERE.