1/1/09 HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!!!

It is officially the new year! And even though this post will show up as Jan. 2nd, I still haven't gone to sleep/bed yet from Jan. 1st! So to me that still counts as the 1st. :)

Anyway...

The reason I've been up late is because I've been playing with the idea of doing a photo-a-day for 365 days project. I know. Quite daunting, isn't it? Although I'm quite keen on the idea, I think I had better start out small and make my way up slowly with a photo-a-day for a week sort of project. Then on up to a photo-a-day for a month and so on. That way I won't be setting myself up for disappointment, don't you think?

So...just to cover my bases I went down and took a quick photo for the day.

And even though it is now the end of the day, and already into the next, I officially DID take the shot when it was still technically, Jan. 1st 2009, Mountain Standard Time. (So there.) Do you want to see them? Each day? Or a week at a time? (The latter actually sounds a bit better to me, for then I'll have the time to make sure they're not simply the SOOC (shot out of camera), or bare bones of a pic, so to speak. Love that Photoshop!)

After which I promptly loaded the pic into my computer.

That's when things started becoming time consuming. Browsing through my old photos I found some fab ones of a drive we took up the canyon (just for me~ as it is a *must*... for my birthdays), and the leaves were changing colors. I'll have to tweak a few of them first in photoshop (only to make the amazing colors pop, of course. Although some of them could do quite well on their own, actually.)

But first, I'd like to share with you the *most* time consuming project of the evening (or night-time really): My Son (he's such a good sport at posing for me, sweet boy) These are of last summer when I was taking Candace Stringham's photography class called Oh Shoot! And thought I'd share with you what I ended up with through some tweaking in Photoshop. Enjoy!




Actions Used: Boost, Soft & Faded, and Quick Edge Burn from Pioneer Woman, Set 1

And, of course, this is the natural progression which took place during the photo shoot. What is it with boys and bugs?

Where To Start With Digital Scrapbooking

I have to tell you that I'm really having a lot of fun getting all caught up on my blogging. The only thing wrong with that it that I might not be posting for a couple of days afterwards. So please be sure to scroll down and see all I've posted today. There's a TON of freebies I've found for you and you won't want to miss out on them.

So here's the thing~ I know some of you have been wanting to know where to begin when it comes to digital scrapbooking. Well, here's what I wish I did. Jessica Sprague has *a bunch* of classes going on her site. It used to be, and still is this way for some classes, that you had to know the register date and stay up late to hurry and sign up for the class you wanted to get into, before it fill up within the first 10 minutes!

Although NOW~ the beginners class, called Up & Running With Photoshop, is now completely video tutorials, and thus now purchasable for downloading, right then and there. They are self-paced classes, which means that if you don't quite *get* something, you need not worry about falling behind the rest of the class! I *love* the idea of it, and am contemplating taking the $45.00 class, simply to see if I missed anything and so that I can then tell you from first-hand experience what the class is like.

What I *can* tell you from first-hand experience is that when I started out on my journey of digital scrapbooking, I started using *only* Jessica's magazine, Computer Tricks for Scrapbookers, put out by Creating Keepsakes.

And I got pretty far! I'll admit that I also used my husband's knowledge of Photoshop as well, but really, he didn't know how to apply it all to scrapbooking... So off I went, digi-scrapping with just me and Jessica!

But now there's this class! Someone to show you step-by-step with the newest versions of Photoshop and Photoshop Elements! Yeah! So read up on this, and see if it's for you!

P.S. Jessica now has a second volume of her afore mentioned mag available for purchase; Computer Tricks for Scrapbookers 2

Here's what Jessica has to say:

START YOUR PHOTOSHOP JOURNEY TODAY!

Chances are, you've been collecting digital photos for a few years. If you have ever wanted to do something special with those truly special photos you have, learning Photoshop or Photoshop Elements is the answer.

I love Photoshop Elements because it's a great balance between ease-of-use and the power to get things done and have a great time. BUT there's a learning curve involved (as you might have discovered if you've ever opened the program and tried to do anything with it).

That's why I started this class. Up & Running with Photoshop will take you on the first steps of a great adventure in learning skills that will benefit you for the rest of your life. In this four-lesson, video-based course, You'll learn all the basic tools and how to use them to manipulate the materials of the digital scrapbooking craft: digital patterned paper, brushes, embellishments, and type.

You'll leave class with the ability to make gorgeous pages you can print and slip into albums, embellish with traditional supplies, or print in bound photo books.

Up & Running with Photoshop is a four-lesson, video-based, SELF-PACED course just for beginning digital scrapbookers. This class is JAM-PACKED with information, inspiration, free goodies, and VIDEO lessons that put me right there beside you as you begin your Photoshop journey.

Let's summarize some of the features of our class:

• I'll walk you through four video layouts, and show you how to use Photoshop's basic tools and functions along the way. Each video lesson is between 35 and 60 minutes long, and is divided into bite-size, do-able tasks that will have you improving your skills in no time!
• My step-by-step video lessons let you see and hear the techniques, at an easy-to-understand pace, with techniques that build on one another. You can stop, rewind, and restart the videos as many times as you need to.
• You'll get a downloadable digital kit that contains everything you need to be successful in your class, including all the page backgrounds, embellishments, patterned papers, ribbon, brushes, and more!
• You'll receive four bonus assignments with extra free downloads to further hone your skills.
• We'll also discuss additional bonus material about topics of interest to every digital scrapbooker, including organization, fonts, your computer, and photography.
• You can register at ANY TIME, no need to wait for a class date!
• If you have questions during your class, our warm and friendly community on the General message board is ready and eager to help!
• You'll get INSTANT ACCESS to the entire course.
• All of the videos you'll see will be available forever from your course home page at JessicaSprague.com. No expiration, EVER

For a Course Overview or to purchase this class, view it here.

The Store is Officially Open!

GingerScraps.net is now the Official Store/Community for Ginger! (gingerscraps.blogspot.com) She's up and running, and there's a LOT going on over there. There's fun games to participate in on the forums as well as Challenges, and Speed Scraps.

But what we ALL like to hear is that *magic* word: FREEBIES

Am I right?

She's offering two of her personal kits and this word kit for FREE downloading here.

And...she's set up a thread on the forums here where anyone can post links to their own blogs/sites where they offer FREEBIES as well!

Now. She's also offering $5 Gift Cert's for the 20th, 40th, 60th, 80th & 100th Registered Users on the Forums. So be sure to just register (which is also free) under the Forums link for your chance to win.

Want another fun FREEBIE?

Okay...She's got one more offer that's pretty fun~

From last night at midnight til Sunday night (I think until midnight as well), whoever has the highest number of posts on the forums gets her *Entire Store* for FREE!

Now, lets face it, she only has 9 kits/products for SALE, but you have to remember that she only just opened too. And when you win, you have a week to download everything. Plenty of time! But hopefully long enough for her put up new products, yeah?!

One last thing.
If you still haven't done so, click here (for Macs) to download a free 30-day trial version of Photoshop Elements 6.

And for PC Windows Users?
Keep an eye on the Adobe Site for the release of PSE 7, along with it's Free Trial (not out yet!!!)

All so you can use all your fun freebies that you've been downloading!

Have fun, until next time!