Diane Turpin Designs

LIEBSTER BLOG

2012-01-26T08:34:00.002-06:00

One of my dear DSP Designer friends, Jeanet, from across the pond in Denmark gave me this award. Jeanet is a super talented designer and an most thoughtful gal. She and I served on the creative team - DET at DSP together. One day when I meet her in real life, she will explain to me how to say her name. Yes, there was much discussion about this in a thread at DSP and I've decided her name is impossible to say in "Southern" English so I am content for now to butcher it in my mind. Visit her blog here and also check out her awesomeness at DSP. Now, about the award......drum roll please....

This award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers, in the hopes that it will bring many new friends/followers.
Leibster is German and means 'dearest' or 'beloved' but it can also mean 'favorite'. The idea of the Leibster award is to bring attention to blogs with less than 200 followers. So, in the spirit of good fun I am passing this award on to five other bloggers. Please stop by and visit them.

The Rules are:
1. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Reveal your five picks for the award and let them know.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the blog share-other bloggers.
5. Finally and the best rule of all..........have fun and spread the love!

Here are my picks in totally random order

Katt's Scribbles
A Meek Perspective
Sugar Bean Bakers
Everything Erica
Jill's Digi Delites

Protests...

2012-01-18T11:40:00.000-06:00

I've been somewhat intrigued by the "protests" being waged around the country. Being born too young to remember the great protests of the 60's, this is a fairly new phenomenon for me. Up until now, most protests were waged by radical factions that I supposed were filled with over zealous supporters of lost causes. My first real experience of meaningful protest came a few years ago, when in Tennessee, our legislature proposed a state-wide income tax. Here in Nashville, cars drove by the capital all day and night honking their horns in protest while crowds filled the public areas around the capital with loud vocal groups protesting such a tax in our state. Eventually, the legislation was dropped and we continue our income tax free statehood. An amendment to our state constitution was added requiring a state wide vote before such legislation could ever be enacted again. A successful protest in my opinion.

Today, there is another protest going on. One against federal legislation against internet companies. There are two bills - SOPA and PIPA. Sounds like a mexican dessert, doesn't it... Anyway, as you troll the web today, you will notice google's name blacked out and the complete shut-down of Wikipedia. Al Gore's Internet (sorry, I couldn't check that fact on Wikipedia) was meant to be an open free transference of information. The great information highway as it was once dubbed. But as with any highway, since the beginning of roads as we know them, there will always be highwaymen. Highwaymen...men like the infamous Dick Turpin of England (no relation) who stole so much from so many only to slip away through the forest and get lost among the trees. Today's highwaymen are much more sophisticated. They have left the asphalt jungle and headed for the information hightway. Piracy of music, movies, artwork and other creative works has become a major underworld business. And while our asphalt roads have jurisdictions, those lines are blurred on the information highway. Global communication is now possible in mere nanoseconds. Information that once took air transportation to cross the ocean can now be sent in a practically timeless manner. So the question becomes, "How do we regulate this new world?" As the great democratic nation we are, we propose legislation that will "nip it in the bud" as Barney Fife would say. We have devised two complicated bills full of legislation that will penalize everyone at the cost of free speech, commerce and undocumented encyclopedias.

"Why do I care?" you ask. Well, because I kind of enjoy my little Etsy store. I enjoy creating things and since my house is bursting at the seams, I enjoy sharing them and selling them to other people. Am I going to make a fortune at this? No. But this new legislation opens the door to have entire websites shut down because one portion of that site is in violation of this law. There is no recourse, appeal process - only 5 days to comply.

So, how does that effect you? Well, think long and hard before you upload that picture of your cute little tikes to Shutterfly. While you only want 4 mugs to give to the grandparents, that cute t-shirt of Tinkerbell your tike is wearing is infringing on Disney's copyright. You could shut down Shutterfly with one single order. Or what about our beloved Facebook? Could it be shut down by someone uploading their Paris vacation pics and specifically a photo of the Eiffel tower lit at night? Yes, it could. The entirety of Facebook is at stake here.

Yep, it's stupid. Most laws are when they are first proposed by short sighted people with no vision beyond to the end of their nose. While I totally understand that there are piracy issues that need to be dealt with, I think it is time to protest rash thinking in our legislative bodies. It's time to put some thought into our broad sweeping actions before we act. Where's Andy Taylor when we need him?

But don't take my word for it. Use the internet in the way it was intended. Go out their and search for the information that will enlighten you. Find out what your congressman is doing and share your opinions with him or her. Maybe even join a protest if you are so inclined. I promise not to call you radical.

Brrr....Burlap!

2012-01-15T20:36:00.000-06:00

I always try to use all the leftover bits and pieces when I craft, so naturally, I am constantly finding new ways to use all those leftovers. Here are two new items that I've added to my Etsy store that are part of that constant drive to use everything up!

Both are available by clicking here.

2012-01-09T08:39:00.000-06:00

Two years later....Two little boys...Praise God!

This is a video of our youth minister and his wife, Chris and Bekah Gannon that was used at a youth ministry conference last week. Chris and Bekah had a very difficult pregnancy of twin boys and this is their story of that journey. It reminds me to count my blessings every day. Thanks to the Gannons for being an inspiration to our family and for sharing their lives with us.

Gannon Story from Joseph Mankin on Vimeo.

Holiday Happiness!

2011-12-09T08:02:00.001-06:00

Well, It's Time for Another Post...

It's the Christmas Season and I have been hard at work in my Etsy shop making stockings and tree skirts to don the homes of Santa hopefuls. I have had the pleasure of meeting lots of new people and sharing my creations with them. Here is a picture from Melissa who did an awesome job decorating her mantle!

If you haven't popped into my store, you can do so by clicking here. I have added some new "buntings." If you adore the shabby chic look, you might want to check them out. Buntings or banners, as they are also called, are great ways to set a mood with a single word. You can string them on your mantle, a cupboard, bookshelf or between two posts. I did two for Christmas and one for all year long. Here are the photos. I look forward to adding to them as the year progresses.

All three of the buntings are extensions of my stockings and tree skirts. I try to use as much of the fabric scraps as possible so that very little goes to waste. "Waste not, Want not" as the old saying goes.

Hoping you and your family have a joyous Christmas!

2011-09-02T11:52:00.001-05:00

Northside annual barbecue Saturday, September 24 5:30 PM in the gym $8 per plate kids under 12 eat free.

Diane Turpin

Jeanet Almhøj: 3 Reasons why you should try out for the DET

2011-08-26T12:47:00.001-05:00

Since I'm too lazy right now to do my own post, I'll send you over to Jeanet's blog. She has a lovely post about the most fabulous Creative Team in the digiscrap world! I am pleased to have served on the Digital Elite Team for three terms, with my current term ending next month. I love DSP and all the designers there are wonderful! If you are ready to take your digiscrapping to the next level, sign up for the elimination style contest and put on your leather skin! This contest is not for the faint of heart!

Jeanet Almhøj: 3 Reasons why you should try out for the DET: ¨ The deadline for signing up for the next DET contest at Digital Scrapbook Place is getting close now and I know that a lot of members hav...

Photoshop Tips

2011-06-15T12:32:00.003-05:00

Most of you know that Photoshop is my friend. I love Photoshop! It is truly an extension of the art of photography. I love taking my photos making them pop! Adding drama that grabs your attention. Friends often ask me how I do it and it's hard to explain. There are tons of little tips and tricks that I have picked up along the way from more advanced users. As most of you know, Digital Scrapbook Place is my home on the net for all things scrappy, including great tutorials on using PS. Recently, I have found a great new website via Facebook - PSD TUTS+. They have tons of free tutorials for Photoshop and most are videos so you can be mesmerized by the wonderfulness of all things PS! They have a great collection of tutorials called Photoshop Basix by Adobe Certified Expert and Instructor Martin Perhiniak. If you want to broaden your skills, checkout these tutorials. They are shown in PSCS5 but I think most are adaptable to older versions, such as the PSCS3 that I use. Several will translate over to the later versions of Elements too!

Here are a few scrapbooking layouts from our beach vacation last week. Hope you enjoy them and YES, those sunrise pictures were "enhanced" just a tiny bit. Layer masks were involved...and some opacity changes...multiplied layers...oh...such fun!

This week on the DET

2011-04-08T08:23:00.009-05:00

It is so much fun being back on the DET at my favorite online home, Digital Scrapbook Place. I have made several layouts this week and I will share them with you in a moment.

First, congrats to my friend and DET alumni, Jeanet Almhøj. Jeanet and I served together on DET 8. She is such an inspiring scrapper and I am so excited that she is now designing for DSP. Check out her store items here and her fabulous layout gallery here.

Now, to the layouts!

My sweet niece Lauren and her fiance, Jonathan as he popped the question at Disney World.

Credits:
Minty Fresh Page Kit by Christine Gundersen

I have been waiting on a gold and blue cheer kit and the Sports CD has it! Yeah! I love the sparkly elements! It was perfect for my daughter’s squad photo.

Credits:
Lets Go Cheer Page Kit (Scraps of Fun: Sports CD) by Carole Hardin

This year I am "attempting" to do a layout each week that will record our year. So far, I'm miserably behind. I love the blue hues in this fabulous kit and I'll be using it again for my P52 layouts.

Credits:
Tranquil Tones Page Kit by Lauren Bavin

Teal blue is one of my favorite colors. It reminds me of the white sand and gorgeous ocean water off the coast of Florida. Lauren’s kit, Contemporary Tones was the perfect fit for some beach sunrise photos.

Credits:
Contemporary Tones Page Kit by Lauren Bavin

The minute I saw CarolAnn’s Urban Station Value Collection, I was in love! I love the grungy, heart of the city feel it has. Earlier this week during a power outage I snapped some photos using a cross-section filter on my camera to make the candlelight sparkle. The photos and the old world accents in this kit were a perfect combination.

Notes:
I enlarged the overlay and the two lightest background papers to use the lightest portions of these papers. I placed the brick paper (60 % opacity) over the light plaster paper and blended them together. I also flipped the Grungy Dots and used them in the corner behind my title. I lowered their opacity as to not compete with the title. The rest of the elements were used as is from the kit.

Journaling:
Storms rolled through Nashville today and we lost our electricity for about 7 hours. Savannah and I stopped for fast food on the way home, from a couple of places that still had power. We ate dinner and watched the sun sink behind the horizon. We lit the candles and grabbed the Uno Tippo game. We played for a while, but it is hard to tell the difference between the blue cards and the green cards by candlelight. We bored of the card game and decided to tackle folding the laundry. We laughed that we hoped the socks matched. After that I settled into check my email on my Blackberry and Savannah played a few games on her iPhone. Savannah had enough battery on her laptop to charge her iPhone when it ran low. And that was how technology met candlelight!

Credits:
Urban Station Value Collection by CarolAnn Gray

I Love You Man by Marcee Duggar is an awesome kit for all the guys in your life. These are the guys in my life: hubby, 2 grandsons and a SIL. I paired it with Love To Overlap Quick Click template by Carole Harden.

Notes:
I used the template as is. The only changes I made was to add a screen overlay at 100% to the Red Decay paper. It was a little darker than I wanted and the screen complimented the orange in my photo! Everything else is just layered and grouped.

Journaling:
Ron, Brady, Brooks and Walt riding the range at Latimer.
12.2010

Credits:
I Love You Man Value Collection by Marcee Duggar
Love To Overlap QC by Carole Harden

April Club Digital is Here!

2011-03-31T08:22:00.002-05:00

Each month, DSP creates a gorgeous collaboration of digital scrapbooking supplies called "Club Digital." It's a subscription that comes to your e-mailbox every month. Here is a layout I created with one of the kits, Forever Now. It's fresh and funky and I loved the little touches of orange that complimented this recent photo of my daughter, Savannah.

I use Adobe Photoshop CS3. I have had it for several years and it is like an old friend to me. One of my favorite "extras" that I use with my program is AV Collector. I know that PS has the same ability built in, but I have been using Collector for a long time and it too, is an old friend. When I start a new layout I do three things.

I open all the backgrounds and elements in Photoshop that I want to use in my Scrapbooking page. I usually add everything from an entire kit, and sometimes a few other bits and pieces from other kits.
I open all the photos that I want to use in the layout.
Lastly, I create a new blank scrapbooking page and run the AV Collector script. The script "collects" all the things I have open and places them in the active window, which in this case is the new scrapbooking page. Each element or background is on a separate layer and they are all named with the file name.
Actually, there are 4 things I do! I save my new page and then "Close All" open windows. This closes everything, including my new scrapbook page. After all is closed, I reopen my page (using the Recent Documents) and am ready to start scrapping with only one window open!

AV Collector is a free script and works in all versions of PS. It does not work in PS Elements. For PSE I have to manually drag each item into my layout.

Digital Elite Team at Digital Scrapbook Place

2011-03-31T08:14:00.002-05:00

Every 6 months a new creative team is chosen at Digital Scrapbook Place. As most of you know, DSP is my home away from home. I served 2 terms on the Digital Elite Team (DET) in the past and was fortunate enough to be chose again. I love getting to sample kits from all the talented DSP Designers and help them promote their products. I'll be posting my layouts here along with some tips on how I made the layouts. I hope you'll join me on this journey!

Love Blooms Scrapbooking Kit!!!

2011-02-10T09:16:00.003-06:00

It has been a long time since I designed a kit, so I am proud to show you this one! It is my submission for SNL over at my favorite home away from home, Digital Scrapbook Place! I am looking forward to using it soon!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T20:00:00.003-06:00

I suppose it's about time I did my annual blog post! LOL! At least that is what it seems like! Last year was a year of trials. First the May flood and then I broke my leg and had surgery on my ankle in August. We are blessed with wonderful family and friends that helped during both "adventures."

My Etsy store had been doing well, especially during the holidays. I hope to add some new items soon. I have been blessed again with successful items that where overly popular during the holidays. Hopefully now, I can concentrate on some new endeavors.

Savannah continues to blossom as a young lady. Her interests continue to revolve around music. She made both the Mid State Chorus and Band this year.

Ron is still building a Boy Scout Camp. His website, chronicles the progress at camp. He enjoys it immensely and gets completely frustrated all at the same time. If you are ever in our area, we would love to show you the camp. It's truly a beautiful piece of God's handiwork.

March - Spring is near!

2010-03-08T11:28:00.003-06:00

Well, it has been almost a month since my last post. We have been a busy family and somehow, that has all been good.

The Etsy store is plugging along well. I don't expect it to accomplish great things so soon, but growth is coming along nicely. If you haven't been to my Etsy store, check it out on the right sidebar.

Scrapbooking...where to begin. After leaving the DET I have really struggled with scrapping. I haven't had any desire to even open Photoshop until recently. Last month I created a some digi papers and this month...drum roll please...I created a layout! After easing back into scrapping, I finished a layout and uploaded it last night to DSP. It is made from elements available in the Scraps of Style - Storybook Fantasies CD. I had taken the photo a couple of years ago for an online portrait photography class and had never used it. All the night time elements on the CD just reminded me of the photo and a sweet dreamy girl I love.

More Scrapbooking Goodies!

2010-02-11T12:11:00.006-06:00

I have been digitally creating paper! I have a yummy new turquoise and chocolate paper pack. I have been trying to better my grunge techniques and also I have been trying out some new paper pattern creations. I hope you like them.

I also have created two birth announcement cards for my Etsy store. They are a bit boyish and are created from my latest two paper packs. I will be working on some more girly cards this weekend.

Where does time go?

2010-02-06T10:18:00.007-06:00

Where does it go? It seems like there is never enough time and I want to do more than it seems I have time to do. At least that is my reason for not posting again for almost a month! I've been busy crafting and scrapping so I have a couple of new things to share with you.

First, check out the new pendants in my Etsy store. They are the popular glass tile pendants and I am featuring some of my photos in them. You can also send me your photo and I'll gladly make a custom pendant for you.

Also, I've been creating some digital scrapbooking kits and even did a couple of layouts last night with my new kit. I really like the color combinations and I have to thank the girls at DSP in Saturday Night Live forum for that. SNL is a group of scrappers who are practicing their digitizing. We are challenged to create a mega kit with the same color combination each month. Everyone who creates at least 4 items and submits them to the group, gets all the other submitted kits free. It's like one huge mega kit! Tons of Fun!

Here are my two layouts. I hope you like them! And who knows? The kit might end up in my Etsy store one day!

Still Crafting

2010-01-18T21:46:00.003-06:00

I have been crafting again! Savannah was gone over the weekend on a Ski Retreat with our church youth group. Ron headed off to the mountains! I crafted! It was a great weekend!

I'll show you a new Valentine Card tonight. I have racked my brains (again) trying to remember my Photoshop Pen Tool lessons that the very talented Lisa Carter taught me a few years ago. "I know how to do this," I kept telling myself. I mean, I worked with Illustrator on a daily basis for two years...it should be stuck in the grey matter of my brain somewhere. But, still it took me all night to accomplish what should have taken 2 minutes. Why? Because one little button on my screen was clicked that shouldn't have been clicked and THAT nearly drove me to insanity. So, here it is!

This is available in my Etsy store in two formats. First, you can get in as a high resolution jpeg in either a 4x6 or 5x7 format. Great for sending to your photo processor for the perfect card. Or, you can get it in a PDF file set up to print 8 little trading card size Valentines. Perfect to print at home and then trim, hole punch and attach a ribbon. The great part on both of these is that I will take your photo, crop it, touch it up, recolor it - whatever needs to be done - and send you back the perfect little card.

Later, I'll show you a new tote bag I made this weekend too. It's a prototype for a tote I've been mulling over in my brain. It's not perfect yet, but pretty close...

Valentines...but it is still January!!!

2010-01-08T16:52:00.005-06:00

I hate jumping the gun on holidays. I like to savor each one as it comes. And with Christmas over it's time to look forward to Valentine's Day. I've added four cards in my Etsy shop that I will personalize for you and then you can have them printed at your local photo printer. You can choose either 5x7 or 4x6 and all the text is customizable. I will also edit your photo - brighten it, change it to black and white or sepia - whatever you need.

Happy 2010!

2010-01-07T18:54:00.003-06:00

Ok, so I'm a few days late but late is on time for me! LOL! Hope you are enjoying your start to the new year. I have had a snow day with Savannah today. Schools were closed today and I was able to stay home. Slept in late and played around with some different items.

I posted some goodies in my Etsy Store - Go check them out! I played with our puppy and got a kick out of watching her lick snow off our deck. Tonight, I plan to curl up in the recliner and watch the BCS Football game.

I received a huge compliment today. Last year I took some family portraits at our church to publish in our directory. I've done this twice now and have always been pleased with my results. Usually, when folks ask for copies of their prints I send them to the photo lab downtown. However, one of the ladies at church asked me for another copy and I didn't want to make a trip downtown for one photo, so I decided to use a "corner drug store" to process my one 5x7. I've used them before and they do a nice job. Well, this afternoon I got a call from them asking for the photographers copyright release since the photo looked professionally done. I kinda snickered and told him that I was the photographer. I had to explain myself but it was quite nice to be considered a professional photographer by someone else...not related to me...or a good friend...

Holiday Rush!

2009-11-30T08:12:00.006-06:00

Every year I wait until the last minute to start thinking about Christmas. I hate to do Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving, it just seems to early. I have my list ready and will be hitting the stores soon, although some of my presents this year will be handmade. I like making things for family and friends. It makes the giving seem so much more special and thoughtful. I hope you have your holiday season underway!

My Etsy store has been plugging a long very well and I have been busy filling a few orders! Yeah! Here are a couple of photos of my latest additions to the store. You can click the photos to get more info.

Christmas Tree Skirt!
These have been flying out the door! I have already received orders for three of them.

Christmas Stocking!
This is my first stocking. I plan on doing a few more later this week.

A Cutie Pie and a Delicious Soup!

2009-11-03T17:31:00.006-06:00

First, let me show off my darling granddaughter sporting the pumpkin knit hat I have in my store. It is great for those fall photo shoots or a day out in the park. Click on the photo to take you to the store.

Second, most of you who know me well, know that I am not a cook. But from time to time, I try to do better and cook a meal or two. Today I have prepared a wonderful crock pot chowder. If you are a fan of Chunky's Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder, then you should try this recipe. I found it on the web here, but I'll repost the recipe for you as well. My only comments about the prep are that you should dice you potatoes pretty small. Mine were not completely done in the six hour time frame. They took another hour to get edible. I used frozen carrots that were sliced instead of diced and they worked fine. It think it would not have crusted on the sides if I had been home to stir it but even the crusty bits were good!

Crock Pot Chicken Chowder Recipe

½ cup chopped carrots
1 cup skim milk
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 potato, peeled and cubed
½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
2, 15 oz. cans creamed corn
¼ cup dried potato flakes
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients except dried potato flakes and cheese in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until potatoes are tender and chicken thoroughly cooked. Add potato flakes and stir well to combine.

What's in store?

2009-11-02T13:14:00.004-06:00

A couple of posts ago, I told you that I had opened an Etsy store. Well, I have dusted off a lot of old items and have posted them in my store. I have added my current note cards and a few other odds and ends. I still have one more set of Christmas cards to add before I launch off into a new direction. I am thinking about dusting off the old paint brushes and making a few ornaments to sell for Christmas. Ideas are always welcome. I seem to have gone into a scrapbooking lull and am having a hard time doing anything creative in that line. Here are a few photos from what's available in the store.

I'm in Print!

2009-10-09T16:00:00.006-05:00

It's my first layout to be published in a magazine and I am SOOOOO excited. If you subscribe to Somerset Memories, turn to page 138 and I'm on the bottom half of the page. Well, not me personally, but my layout of my Great Great Grandmother, Tempe Potts Spriggs. In case you haven't seen the layout, here it is!

It's a huge honor for me to be published. Submitting to scrapbooking magazines was one of my "duties" while on the Digital Elite Team at Digital Scrapbook Place. I loved submitting my layouts, but this has been my only acceptance. I don't set out to create a layout for a magazine. I still focus on creating pages for me and my family. For me, scrapbooking is all about preserving memories and sharing my photos. But a little recognition is OK too! Thanks for sharing my joy!

Etsy Store

2009-10-08T17:00:00.005-05:00

Well, I have been thinking about opening an Etsy store for almost a year. Now I have finally done it! For those of you who haven't found Etsy, it's a marketplace on the web for handcrafted or vintage items. I have one item in my store at the moment, but will be adding more over the next few days. If you have ideas or suggestions of items for my store, by all means, give me a shout out! Right now I'm going to start off with some photo note cards and prints. But I hope to add some digi-scrap kits in the near future. Here is the link to my store: Di Turpin Designs

It's About Time for Another Post!

2009-10-02T13:16:00.003-05:00

So, it has been 3 months since my last post! I warned at the beginning that I would probably not be good at keeping this up! Yesterday was my first day as a DET Alumni. I have served on the creative team for Digital Scrapbook Place for a year and am actually welcoming the break. I hope to be able to focus more on this blog, creating layouts for me and maybe even creating some digital scrapbooking kits! Thanks to DSP for their support and for allowing me to promote their products. They are an awesome group of designers and I am privileged to work with them. Here is my final layout, thanking them for the great fun I had and a few more that I finished this week as well.

Featured in Memory Makers eInspiration Newsletter

2009-07-01T11:49:00.005-05:00

I am so excited! My layout, Love It, Live It is featured today in Memory Makers eInspiration newsletter! It is my first layout to be featured in this newsletter. I have been featured layout of the day and even made the weekly email that highlights the week's featured layouts. But to me, this is a huge honor! Here's the layout and you can link to Memory Makers by clicking this post's title. This digital scrapbooking kit was created by DSP's designer apprentice, Heidi Kuester. I love the kit and have used it three times already. If you would like to see the kit, follow the link below to my layout and there is a link to the kit in DSP's store.

Love It, Live It

Busy...Busy...Busy...

2009-06-22T09:52:00.007-05:00

Who isn't busy these days? I seem to always be jumping from one task to the next. Whether it is work or doing something with Savannah or scrapbooking for me, there always seems to be more things to do than time to do them in. Somethings make you stop and slow down...things like grandbabies. I have a new granddaughter and we are thrilled...of course! Here are some scrapbooking layouts (of course) of our new arrival.

Besides, photos of sweet Macey, I have also been scrapping a few other things...

BTW, Savannah corrected me - the chorus won first place in their division! I guess I when I saw the red trophy and thought second place. Anyway, we are super proud of them! This layout was also featured as a Memory Makers Idea Page last week on their website.

And a nature layout. I love doing these, especially since Savannah is getting tire of me taking photos of her all the time.

This layout was also featured on Lauren Bavin's blog as one of her "Picks of the Pack." Here's the link to her blog post about it. Mom and dad have another family of bluebirds in the same birdhouse this year. Maybe I'll try to get some more photos next week when I'm there for a few days.

Lastly, I updated my background with freebie blogwear from Suzanne C Walker at DSP. Here's the link if you want to snag it for your own blog. It is free, but you have to be a member at DSP, which is also FREE. Gotta love free! Oh, and there is a link to Nicole's blog for instructions on customizing your blog too...if you need that help!

2009-06-18T14:55:00.001-05:00

Just checking out what will happen when I write a bit more than 140 characters. I'm always curious as to how things work so this is just another scientific experiment.

2009-06-18T14:52:00.001-05:00

Well, I am getting into this century with twitter, facebook and now ping.fm. Before long I'll be plastered all over the web!

Famous Scapbooker - Did you know that...

2009-05-13T08:54:00.001-05:00

Mark Twain was a lifelong creator and keeper of scrapbooks. He took them with him everywhere and filled them with souvenirs, pictures, and articles about his books and performances. But in time, he grew tired of the lost glue, rock-hard paste, and the swearing that resulted from the standard scrapbook process. So, he came up with the idea of printing thin strips of glue on the pages to make updates neat and easy to do. In 1872, he patented his “self-pasting” scrapbook, and by 1901, at least 57 different types of his albums were available. It would be his only invention that ever made money.

Here's a link to PBS's interactive webpage about Twain's invention!

I'm BACK!!!

2009-05-13T08:49:00.002-05:00

Well, to say the least, life took over and I have been super busy. Savannah did Winterguard which began the last of February and went for a month. Between that and everyday school stuff, she has been super busy. April and May brought along field trips and concerts. Now we are finally slowing down a bit before we gear up for summer.

Scrapping has been great! I have made lots of layouts, some of which I'll post a little later. I was fortunate enough to be selected for the new term of Digital Elite Team as DigitalScrapbookPlace.com. It is so great to be on the team again and I love working with the wondeful designers at DSP!

Gotta run, but I'll be back later to post some layouts!

Thumbs Down … Thumbs Up

2009-02-12T10:47:00.000-06:00

Oh, I just have to share this with all my digi-scrapping buddies. The gals over at DSP created this Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down List of DigiScrapping vs. Paper Scrapping. It just cracks me up and whats more, it is exactly all the reasons for why I scrapbook digitally!

Thumbs Down … Thumbs Up

My Layout Is Idea Page of the Day at Memory Makers

2009-01-31T12:02:00.006-06:00

Yeah, I did it again! My layout, Seasons of Love, is MM's Idea Page of the Day today! This was created for a challenge at DSP - the Monthly Lyrical Challenge. We had to use the words from the song, "Season of Love" in a layout. I was lucky in that Savannah had a snow day and was feeling a bit bored. She agreed to let me take some photos of her that didn't include her tongue sticking out!

Here's the layout in case you miss it on Memory Makers.

If you like the design, keep your eyes peeled for a freebie template coming soon!

DSP Top 100 Gallery Views!

2009-01-29T09:39:00.002-06:00

Digital Scrapbook Place (DSP) came out with the Top 100 Gallery views list and I made it 3 times! Yeah! I was actually shocked that I made it three times. I have several layouts with lots of views but there are some really awesome scrappers at DSP, a lot who are so very talented. Here are the links to my layouts if you'd like to see them up close!

#26 - Forever
#43 - Watermelon and Fireworks
#73 - Brooks Laughing

Photo Tip and Another Freebie

2009-01-22T08:03:00.007-06:00

I have had a busy week! It has been almost 6 days since my last post. Over the weekend my daughter had her first Winterguard competition. I had never been to a guard competition so this was a first for me as well. I took some photos and will be creating layouts with them in the near future. Taking photos inside a gym is always a challenge. The lighting in gyms is good enough to play and watch basketball but it was not meant for photography. Even though it is a well lit area, a gym does not offer enough natural light for fast shutter speeds. If you can adjust the settings on your camera, I would suggest using Shutter Priority mode. For my photos, I set a shutter speed of 125 and let the camera choose the aperture setting. Luckily, I have a lens with really low aperture settings so this worked great for me. I was able to get some stop action photos of the flags and rifles in mid air during tosses and spins. Some of the photos were blurred but for the most part, I was happy with my first attempt. I'll try to upload those layouts this weekend maybe.

Now getting to the important stuff - the freebie! Yes, this is a mini element kit of 4 elements at 200 dpi. You get a heart frame from chipboard and corrugated paper, a fuzzy yarn heart, a jewel brad and a ribbon with the same brads. They of course coordinate with the paper pack and the word art that I have already upload to this blog. Check the "Layout" link below to find them. I hope you enjoy them and send me a link if you use them and upload them to the web. I would love to show off your work on my blog! And remember, more comments = more freebies!

Box of Chocolates Element Pack
Password: Freebs

Scrappers Block and a Freebie!

2009-01-16T22:26:00.005-06:00

I've been sick some this week and it has totally blown my desire to scrap. I've tried to do a few pages and I actually completed one, but most of what I have done has just been ho hum! So, I've been trying to get back in the groove by visiting my favorite designers and going through their galleries. Hopefully after a good night's rest I'll be able to pull it all back together. If you have any extra scrapping muses, be sure and send them my way!

Here is the word art freebies that I promised last week from my Box of Chocolates Mini Kit. I love the candy bar look of the Chocoholic design. "Step Away from the Chocolate" is a phrase that my daughter and I share when we are down to the last Hershey's kiss! I hope you enjoy them and let me know if you use them in a layout. I'd love to get feed back from you! If you like the papers in the preveiw - check out the freebies link. You might get lucky!

Box of Chocolate Word Art Freebie
Password: freebs (sorry I forgot this on the original post)

Memory Makers Idea Page Feature TODAY!

2009-01-12T01:30:00.001-06:00

Yeah, my layout Serenity will be featured today (January 12th) on the Memory Makers Idea Page Feature. I just love it when something I created gets recognized as "good" by someone outside my family and friends. The opinions of family and friends really count the most, but it is a good feeling every now and then to get "outside" validation. If you want to check out all the details, you can follow this link to may layout on DSP or just scroll down the blog page.

The Key to Happiness

2009-01-10T10:51:00.006-06:00

I'm posting another one of my DSP layouts. This one is created using a groupie. Bet you thought groupies were only for rock bands. Not so! In digi scrapping, groupies are a grouping of elements that are already put together for you. You just simply add a photo and plop it on a lovely background, add a few finishing touches and you're done! I just love them because I still have control over the design of my layout but it saves me tons of time. Here is the link to my DSP Gallery. Skip over and look around. If you've never been to Digital Scrapbook Place, it is truly a wonderful community. There are tutorials and freebies to download, active forums where your questions will always be answered and lots of fun folks to hang out with. Boy, now I'm sounding like a commercial!

Credits: Butterflies *N* Blues Groupies Set 2 by Kim Liddiard and Blissful Berry Page Kit also by Kim Liddiard both available at DSP.

Digital Scrapbooking Freebies!

2009-01-08T18:51:00.009-06:00

Everybody loves a freebie and I’m no exception! I love to get something free, especially free scrapbooking designs. I have been dabbling a bit in digital design and have decided to give a few of my creations away. I hope you enjoy them. For now, all my designs will be at 200 dpi and my backgrounds will be 12x12 inches or 2400x2400 pixels. In the future I may change to 300 dpi. My first freebie is a backpack of 5 background papers centered on my favorite treat – chocolate!!! Come back in a week or so and pick up the word art that goes with these papers. Who knows, maybe I’ll create a few more elements and then you’ll have a whole kit! If you use my papers in a page, send me a link! I’d love to see how you use them.

Link: Box of Chocolates Background Papers

Password: freebs

Here’s a layout I created using my kit.

Updated Look for 2009

2009-01-02T10:02:00.008-06:00

I have updated the look of my blog...as you may have noticed. Thanks to Nicole Young for her tutorial and templates that allowed me to accomplish this. You can got to Nicoles's blog for the instructions and templates if you are interested in getting a similar look. I still need to work on my header but it is definitely a start for now.

Here's a new layout to start off 2009 and surprise! It's about me! Click here to go to my gallery on DSP and see the larger version.

Featured Layout on Memory Makers!

2008-12-05T14:46:00.001-06:00

My layout "First Snowfall" will be the featured layout in their Idea Gallery on December 7th! I just love it when they pick my layouts to be featured. It is the second one that I've have featured.

First Snowfall

2008-12-01T22:37:00.005-06:00

Well, technically, we had some flurries about a week ago, but today was the first snow you could actually see in Nashville. It flurried on and off for most of the day but the ground was too warm for accumulation. But, lucky Ron was working at the new camp property, Latimer Scout Reservation, and he had "measurable" snow. It coated the ground there and he sent us pictures which I promptly scrapped!

I'm a terrible blogger! But I'm a much better Scrapper!

2008-11-21T22:18:00.006-06:00

OK, so I'm not good at doing anything on a regular schedule and this is yet another proof! However, since I have a few minutes I thought I'd update my blog.

In October I became a member of Digital Scrapbook Place's creative team - Digital Elite Team. I am so honored to be scrapping for some of the best designers on the web! Here are a few of my most recent layouts. I hope to post them here on a more regular basis!

You can view my entire gallery at www.diturpin.digitalscrapbookplace.com

Tri-State Crop

2008-04-29T15:41:00.005-05:00

I just got back from a "Laptop Crop." For those of you not familiar with digital scrapbooking, a Laptop Crop is where digi-scrapers go to scrap with friends. This crop was hosted by my favorite website, Digital Scrapbook Place. I finally got to meet some of my online friends in person! We had a great time playing games, eating snacks and even doing a layout or two. I'm looking forward to attending another crop soon! Oh, and here is one of my layouts from the crop!

This is the Harriet Beecher Stowe house in Washington, KY (our crop was next door in Maysville). I drove through this lovely historical community Saturday morning before the crop. I want to revisit it with Savannah because she has a huge interest in the Underground Railroad and I think she would enjoy it. Thanks to designer, Elizabeth Weaver (back row by me) for the digital scrapbooking kit I used in this LO. She gave us lovely freebies for attending the crop. And also to Tina Chambers for the word art.

By the way, Savannah thinks its cool that my "digi-friends" are now "real" friends. Well, I think it's kinda cool too!

First Things First

2008-04-23T13:40:00.000-05:00

This is my first post, and as such, I'm just trying to figure out walking through this new world of blogging! Well, it's new to me...not the rest of cyberspace. I figure that if my mother has a blog, so should I! And since she figured it out on her own (no offense, Mom) I figure I can do the same. So, if you want to, check back for photos and musings and other stuff that I'll have to create to fill this space.