NEW Direction

Ok, so I just can't stay away from the blog.  I have decided to change the direction of this blog, and I will be posting my photography on this blog.  I am excited to step up my game, and I think posting some of my photos will encourage me to do that.  Please feel free to comment on the photos, as feedback will make me better!  I also plan to "play" with PhotoShop effects and all to give some interesting photos.  Here is my first go, nothing spectacular, but a fun effect.

Moving

You all knew this day was coming where I would be saying goodbye to my blog, but this is not goodbye; it's just a moving sign. I am loving designing way more than card or scrapbook page creation, so you can see all of my designs at my store - Can You Digi It? If it's the dry humor you crave, I post frequently on the Store Blog, so check that out for your Michelle humor fix. Most of my digital products start as freebies, so you may just want to check that out. You can also sign up for the newsletter to get the scoop on latest designs from all the artists.

Keeping up two blogs and a store was just too much, since I'm still working full time. Yes, I'm nuts! This was a very hard decision because I love my blog, but I've been a horrible blogger here, so it was time to let it go. I'm not going to shut it down, and who knows, maybe someday I'll come back. Thank you all for your wonderful comments, and I'll see you on the Store Blog.

Happy Thursday!

Happy Thursday, all!!! I swear I haven't been avoiding you.  Here are a few updates as penance for my silence...
1. I have been creating, and don't look now, but there are FREEBIES in the store for you.  I said don't look now... they'll be free until the end of the month, so you can finish what I have to say.
2. I haven't been creating much, because I have been designing.  I am LOVING designing!
3. About 80% of my house got painted two weeks ago, and I will NEVER do that again!!! We had to basically move out of the house to let them work. We had to pack up everything - it was a NIGHTMARE!
4. Last night, I said packed house be damned, I will create something!  And here it is...

This is for today's Ways to Use It challenge where Cathy is asking us to use complementary colors. Here is today's color lesson, which is just easier with a picture...

I chose blue-green and red-orange for my colors, although my red is a little too red, but it'll do doggie, it'll do! I had to use the NEW Authentique papers, of course!  Ok, I'm done, go grab your FREEBIES!

Sweet Somethings (Technique Tuesday) PowderPuff Chalk Ink (QuickQuotes) Glory Paper Pad (Authentique) Die-Namics - Royal Rolled Rose (My Favorite Things) Bubbles & Honeycomb Embossing Folder (Sizzix) Lucky 7 Spools (The Twinery) Decorative Brad Set (EchoPark) Imperial Pearls (Zva Creative)

InLinkz.com

My Punta Cana Book

I got my printed scrapbook in the mail Friday, and I'm BEYOND excited! I had bought a Groupon a while ago, and just never printed anything.  Most of the papers and brushes and such came with the class materials.  I highly recommend classes at Jessica Sprague! Here is the entire book for you... Enjoy!  You can click on a photo to enlarge it.
Front Cover -

Page 1 is an individual page, then the rest of the pages are 2-page spreads.

And finally, here's the back cover...

Holy Scrap!

This past couple of weeks, I have been banging out the scrapbooking classes in preparation for the digital design class that started yesterday.

Here is a two-page spread I did about the fabulous parrots that were at the resort.  They totally stole the show - I wanted to go see them EVERY day, and I did :)  I used Green Goddess Creations' Poppy Paradise paper pack (say that 3 times fast!) because it perfectly matched today's new challenge on the C.Y.D.I? Blog - Secret Garden.

Here's another page I made that was posted last week on the store blog:

This is the cover for my book.  I used Green Goddess Creations' Paws Up paper pack. Of course there HAD to be something puppy in the book!  You wouldn't even have known if I didn't tell you, though, because those folded card stock pages are SO versatile.  I also used a paper that I designed that I'm calling Water paper.  I just wrote out the theme for my first kit, and it's water, of course, so there will be more to come with this theme.  The rest of the elements I either made as part of the class, or they came with the course materials.
And here is the back cover done with the same papers:

I hope you play along with this week's secret garden challenge.

Let's Color!

It's Thursday, so it's a new Ways to Use It challenge day.  Today, Steph has challenged us to color.  Such a simple thing, but I realized I haven't been doing a lot of that lately, so this was actually kind-of tough.  The Easter Owl from ReviDevi's Retro Holiday Hoot set fixed that for me.

I chose to make the owl fairly large (my FAVORITE thing about digi stamps - I can choose what size they are!).  The background is StripedElephant's Sherbet paper cut with a rounded tag framelit.  The tag is outlined with Pumpkin Smooch, but it's tough to see on the photo.  I put the Owl in an Oval Frame to spice it up a bit, and then added my "bow" - a Giant Rhinestone (oh how I love these things!!!) + Beautiful Dreamer trim.  And last, but not least, I added googlie eyes!  {The look kind-of creepy in this photo - sorry about that!}
I hope you'll play along with our WTUI challenge this week!