'My Memories' - first try :)

My first review of 'My Memories' digital scrapbooking suite.

Eeekk - this is going to be addictive I fear, it's just so much fun and so simple! I have literally been playing with the 'All about the Funk' template for half an hour and this has come out.... Yep they are my photos throughout but they just get so simply slotted in to page which already has gorgeous textured paper and really sweet embellishments. I have control of size and rotation and which ones sit in the front and whether they have borders and what colour they are, oh lordy I could go on and on....

It doesn't even need a tutorial, you learn as you go and through playing around. It truly is 'playing' as well; I was lost for that half hour and giddy with the possibilities.

Digital scrapbooking is perfect for me; no mess, no cutting things up and buying different papers in various colours, no glue (yay!!) and the embellishments aren't distorting the pages that follow (nor do they cost as much). I think this may become a really fun way of sharing memories and making the experience more fun for my friends to sit through my yabbering on and on.........

So first try - next time I'll go a bit more extravagant ;)

Don't forget that I am giving a copy of this software away in a week and a half. Plus there is a fabulous money of offer at the side of my blog just by using my special coupon code! Happy days

Money off and a Giveaway!!!

Hey there lovelies :)

So..... I was given the 'My Memories Suite Scrapbook software v3' to download and review :) Happy days I love digital scrapbooking and scrapbooking in general but as you probably guessed (going by my super tardy art journal updates) I'm never very good at it so here comes my rescue!
I am going to give it about 2 weeks of happy playing time and then I shall review the software and let you know what I think (I already love the shop site, there isn't much like that in the shops here in N. Ireland and such good prices as well).

Now you simply must stay tuned as not only have I been given a money off special for all my lovely readers ~
* a 'Share the Memories' code that = a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software that I have just recieved
and
* a $10 coupon for the My Memories store!

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PLUS ~ I have a FREE download of the same software I have just received to give to 1 lucky reader :) Eeekk!! http://www.mymemories.com/

Tell all your friends about my code! xxx

A Year in the Life of an Art Journal ~ #10 and #11

Please Note: I did do #10 which was:
* The Prompt: If I were an Open Book
ie: if you could be any character, from any of your favorite books, who would you be, and why?
* The Stuff: Book page background
* The Technique: update Picassa and use the Pencil Sketch to create a "sketch" self portrait of yourself. Then print it onto your book page background. Use this artwork as your inspiration.

I did like my fun pencil sketch, you can't see any of my wrinkles when it is a sketch, haha....

But I hate my overall piece, it's utterly crappy and very embarassing I think so no, you aren't getting to see it, in fact no one has seen it and that is the way it's staying. I did it when on holiday with very limited resources, though I really did try to take everything I could want with me, but ummmm, I think we ought to just forget about it...so onto the next prompt, which I loved.....

Number 11!!! yay,
* THE PROMPT: Summer time
* THE STUFF: Photos or lists of things you do to enjoy the summer... or clues in your life that let you know it's summer...
* THE TECHNIQUE: Use watercolour paints and a straw to splatter paint on your page.

 

Pretty much everything I could think of that I love about Summer has been stuffed, somewhat artfully I hope onto these 2 pages. I used cut outs from magazines, stickers, a cute stamp of a little girl and her cake, stamps of  flowers and butterflies (which I do love but am afraid off), a wooden button from a friend, sparkly beads and washi tape.

 

My favourite thing is the phrase 'we do hate cold cockles' hahahaha.

 

Hugs and love and the next one is almost finished so I'll be back soon (for a change) xxx

A Year in the Life of an Art Journal ~ Prompt #9

Please don't forget to check out the other entries, here.

Challenge #9

*THE PROMPT: Adventure  ie: family or personal adventures or journeys, road trips etc.
*THE STUFF: Maps  ie: old maps, atlas pages, etc
* THE TECHNIQUE: transparencies  ie: any kind of clear overlay either professionally printed or printed or drawn yourself

So I went all technical and graphic artisty :) And by that I mean I found a super cool website that puts your words into clouds and shapes, fun, fun, fun. It's incredibly easy ~ I won't even lie but I hope you agree that it's effective and qualifies as a map of Ireland :)

I decided to take the personal route and used words that make me think of how my life with my best friend/hubby has been an adventure. We have been together since we were 18 and have experienced a lot of good times and hard lessons that many our age probably haven't had to go through.

I honestly think that we all forget what an adventure everyday life is.

A Year in the Life of an Art Journal ~ Prompt #8

I'm getting there, getting caught up with myself and the good people at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal!
This particular prompt is from back in May, the first of 2 from the month *blush* Here are the other responses to the idea.

Challenge #8

*THE PROMPT: Bloom Where You're Planted
*THE STUFF: Scrapbooking flower embelishments ie: prima flowers, stickers
*THE TECHNIQUE: paint/stamp/stain the flowers

This was the first time I had done a painting using only acrylics since school and I rather like just how very bold, how strong the colours are. I would need to spend a very long time working with them to get the texture right and blending my colours seems daunting but I tried and that's the point :)

To me the phrase we were given made me think of how we all are born into the world with a lot of baggage already; where, who too, what sex, how healthy... As we grow up we each get chances to find out who we really are and not what society confers upon us. I say embrace your differences and revel in them, don't just quietly live and conform ~ be bold make your own decisions and create a place where you stand out and can be proud.

A Year in the Life of an Art Journal ~ Prompt #7 - Nature

I have been a seriously BAD art journalist and I slap my own wrists so please don't be angry with me, I am annoyed enough for the both of us :( The last time I posted a prompt was the start of April! Oh for shame. This, prompt #6, comes from the lovely Glenda and was started in April and put to one side only to be totally forgotten about, I have no other excuses.... please do click the link to see the other cool participants' work.

Challenge #7

* THE PROMPT: Nature is a Wondrous Thing
* THE STUFF: Don't quote me on it  ie: use a quote or quotes
* THE TECHNIQUE: Gesso & stencils  ie: try something different and use Gesso on your stencils for texture!

So , I have no idea what Gesso is but I could see from Glenda's work that involved the paint not sticking to the areas where is was; being super clever (and having seen this recently on Pinterest, lol) I knew that white crayon had a very similiar effect, though without the raised texture.

I used this technique then and drew swirls, tendrels which I could put flowers on and hearts - why not. Then I used a gorgeous big sticker I had been sent by a penpal about a year ago and selected a nature quote that tied in.

As a stencil I used a Beech tree leaf and drew around it. It looked nice but I decided to give the page more texture, thus I went over the lines with silver 3D paint.

My painting is deliberately messy as recently I have been struggling with the knowledge that we have no control over nature. In our alloment this year things just haven't been going as well as usual.

A Year in the Life of an Art Journal - Prompt #6 ~ Details

Challenge #6
* THE PROMPT: Details  ie: The little things, take some photos of some of the little details in your day that make you smile.
* THE STUFF: Macro Photos/Inchies   ie: Take some photos and use small prints of them on your page. (or clip some from a magazine)
* THE TECHNIQUE: Grid Scrapping   ie: Use the images in 1in. squares and create a grid of the little things.

I am really trying to catch up with myself and weird as it may sound, I did this prompt after the one I will will be posting up Tomorrow! Crazy.......

I decided to go simple with this one even though, ironically, it is all about details :) Well I like simplicity and so this sums up the things that make me smile.
1 - Tidiness :) The grid idea is lovely and so neat.
2 - My bedroom wallpaper, thank goodness we have almost got that room finished!
3 - My little photography hobby/business which is where all the tiny prints are from.
4 - The things written at the bottom (though, grrrr, my lovely fountain pen doesn't write on my wallpaper).

Hugs and welcome back to the blog!