Thanksgiving with digital...

I greet you with an attitude of gratitude. Lots of creative adventures around here as we prepare for the oncoming holidays.

Today Miss Betty mailed me some of her creativity—what a joy. I got a handmade card and an adorable magnetic note pad. I hope to scan, but I don’t have time at the moment. Thanks!

I’ve been wrapping gifts for folks I won’t see again before Christmas. I just love getting those ready early. I did finish my “special project” for gifts, but I’m still not spilling the beans about it since the recipients will be reading before it’s time to open.

Photos are of more digital projects I’ve had fun putting together:
Left layout is of my brother's family at Christmas last year and the layout on the right is from our wedding in August. Sir Henry's brother, sister, and daughter are featured. The ditial tools on these layouts came from Prima digital, Spellbinders, and Designer Digital. I love combining different items digitally just like I do in the studio.

If I started counting my blessings now, I could not finish in this lifetime. I am so grateful and wish you an abundant holiday full of uncountable blessings.

My first grandson page

I wonder how old fashioned my digital layouts will look by the time my grandson grows to be a man? Regardless of their appearance, I just want him to feel the love that pours into every element.

My feelings about digital scrapping are mixed. I’m exploring them in a series of articles I’m working on now. At the moment, I’m just trying to keep a sense of wonder and a sense of humor about it all. Like many things, the more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know.

Digital is defiantly right for certain situations. In the case of this layout, I had access to photos sent online and I didn’t have the right paper or ink quantity to begin the hybrid process. Plus, I wanted to finish this in an hour or two for posting and emailing to family.

As with any scrap process I don’t want to spend days completing—I worked from a sketch. Technically, it was a digital layout posted to the gallery of Designer Digitals. The majority of my digital downloads come from Designer Digitals http://www.designerdigitals.com/ -- they are just the easiest for me to use from the vast array of choices out there. I think I discovered them initially by referral from the amazing Jodi Kennedy of Pink Tomato/Creative Caffeine fame. http://pinktomatos.blogspot.com/

The background paper on this layout came from the first (and possibly only) Digital Die Cut Fusion set by Spellbinders. www.spellbinders.usa

I had a great weekend full of wonderful people, adventures, and ideas. I’ve tried to make notes and hope to post more soon. I’ve finished the majority of our wedding guestbook which was designed in scrapbook format. I really do like it. That was my project for the fun crop I attended on Saturday. There’s nothing better than paper, adhesive, and friends….

My primary efforts for the next month will be holiday gifts and cards. My plan at the moment will be a similar gift for everyone so I can’t write much about them yet. Maybe I’ll figure out some code words….grin. For now I wish you moments of joy.

Now Back to Regularly Scheduled Programing

Well, almost back....I'm a GRANDMA! My 24-year-old step-daughter and her husband had a baby boy November 30th. Plus I'm best friends with a married woman! My precious Nanette got married on Saturday November 1.

That's the personal stuff. Now here's the related art stuff. The gold card above is one that I created using a Tim Holtz stamp for the new family.Also used Wizard and flower die plus Technique Tuesday swirl stamps. I sent one of the Autumn birds with a pre-birth gift box that included sock monkey socks which just cracked me up. The autumn birds are cut on the Wizard using one of the newer big Sizzex dies.

For the wedding gift we gave a gift card nestled in a cool black and white print box purchased from Micheals for a dollar. It was wrapped with a 2 inch paper ribbon and garnished with a big Prima flower plus an Elvis die cut and Wizard cut tag. Sorry I forgot to photograph it....sigh

I'm going to a crop on Saturday so I hope to post wedding and more honeymoon pages after that. In the meantime, enjoy the moments. There's nothing sweeter than hugging your best friend who's newly married and your new (just home from the hospital) grandson in the same weekend.