New Template Series: First Up is the Washington DC Template Freebie

It's finally here (for those of you who started this whole ball of wax with my State Template Series) the Major Cities of the World Template Series!!! The first installment in this series , as promised, is the Washington, DC Template.

Here are a few facts and guidelines when working with this particular set of templates:

1. This series is a little more difficult to design because I don't have the luxury of using state or country outlines for journaling boxes or frames.

2. Some of these elements will be from pictures and therefore you may not be able to color them just with the paint bucket (or fill) tool. When I have a photo to "color" I sometimes add a pattern instead of a solid color OR in Paint Shop Pro I go to effects>texture >sulpture> then pick a pattern and get the result I want. See the example from my Italy Template.

3. I am trying my best to highlight the template with things that people would recognize from the city I am showcasing. I can't put everything in a city on a single template. I also do not mean to sterotype or do anything politically incorrect. Not everyone will be happy with my designs. Please realize that I am doing the best I can and I do it because I enjoy making stuff for people to use. If it gets to the point where too many people are complaining about the templates, I'll stop making them. It won't be fun anymore. (Sorry, some of you know why I am saying this...)

4. Some elements, like Abe in this template, are overlays and aren't especially meant to be colored completely (unless you want to.) Just leaving it the color it is will show up on a solid background as a very striking (yet somewhat lighter...hence the overlay) finish to your template. However, you can do whatever you like with good 'ol Abe.

Have a blast scrapping all your travels with this new series of templates! I can't wait to see the layouts!

Your Layouts!

Here are more of my State Template Series layouts from Deborah at Misfit Princess! Thanks so much for sharing your work. These keep looking better and better with each set!

Freebie: Graduation Template

Well, tomorrow is the day that the new Cities of the World Template Series begins. Thanks for your patience while I offered other kinds of kits and templates that I had been designing.

Look for Washington, DC as the first city in the new series. It was actually requested in the State Template Series, but it isn't a state and I didn't want to get involved in that argument. So, I put it at the top of the cities list.

Remember, the last day to request a city for the new series is Sunay, June 1. This is to help me have a cut off point in the series so it doesn't drag on forever.

Today I offer the Graduation Template. I have to admit it didn't turn out exactly like I had planned, but I thought it was ok enough to offer to you guys. Hey, its free. If you don't like it, don't download it. Right?! LOL

This is the thrid in my graduation series. Please show your pride in your graduate by posting your layouts here. Then email a link to the grad and they will be able to see your tribute!

Graduation Kit Add On Freebie

Today I am posting the Graduation Kit Add On. It contains, among other things, a graduation themed alphabet. I know some of you can't get enough alphabets!

Use this kit with my other post, the Graduation Kit.

I have included enough papers and elements that you can use the kits to scrap previous graduations like I did for my son's high school pictures from 2005.

School is almost out so you better download these kits while you have time. Once graduation actually gets here you are going to be too busy to do much of anything. You won't want to forget about this great package!

Another State Template Series Companion

Kyra at With a Russian/Dutch Heart has a Georgia kit available for download. This will go great with my Georgia state template from the State Template Series collection.

Graduation Kit Freebie

Here is a collection, the Graduation Kit, to help you celebrate the accomplishments of your graduate. Look for the Graduation Kit Add On tomorrow and the Graduation Template on Friday.Remember, the new Major Cities f the World Template Series begins on Saturday.

Circle Template Freebie

Here is a more traditional type template than the ones in my State Template Series and my Countries of the World Template Series.

This is the Circle Template. I used some pictures from our trip to Key West for my layout.

I have already designed the first 8 templates in the new Major Cities of the World Template Series. There are 41 templates requested so far.

I am going to keep taking requests for this new series until Sunday, June 1st. So make sure you let me know what you want by then.

Disney Cruise Information

My fiance' and I are pondering taking a Disney Cruise and we were wondering if anyone had any tips or secrets that would help us find the best rates.
Here are the details:

We would be leaving out of Orlando so we wouldn't need airfare.

My fiance, Jeff, is a member of AARP and AAA.

It's just us two: no children.

Jeff wants to go to Castaway Cay where the Flying Dutchman from the movie Pirates of the Carribean is anchored. However we have been on other cruises to Nassau and I really don't want to go THERE again but it seems that is the only ship that goes to Castaway Cay. Does anyone know anything about that?

Please send your comments and infromation straight to my email so that I can keep them all in one place while we plan this trip.

We'd also appreciate any advice or recomendations for what we should or shouldn't do while on a Disney Cruise. What are "must sees" and what are "never minds?"

Thanks in advance for all your help!!!

Reminder: USA Templates

Just a reminder on Memorial Day about my State Template Series and my United States of America Template from the Countries of the World Template Series.

Freebie: Memorial Day Template

Today is a day that America sets aside to remember and honor those in the military who died in service to their country.

Having been a military dependant for over 12 years, I certainly understand what a huge task it is to defend this country.

Thank you so much for all who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice.

My Memorial Day Template was designed to be used however you see fit. It can honor a fallen loved one, or in my case celebrate what others have died to provide me and my family...freedom and a secure way of life.

I have been blessed to not know of anyone in my family (back to the Civil War...on both sides of my family) who has died in service to their country. Therefore I did not use my layout to create a memorial.

I used a photo of my grandparents at the beach in North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend when I was a kid.

So no mater how you use this template, think of the familes of those who have given their all for this country so that we can do what we darn well please whenever we feel like it.

That is the greatest gift of all.

Explaination

Some of you may be wondering exactly what my new widget, "End of Indentured Servitude" means. You may recall me mentioning on several occasions that I have had weekends of Pilates training. Well, the gym I work at was kind enough to give us these trainings (about $1600 worth) for free. The catch is that we owe them 1 year of service from the date of the last workshop.

This widget gives me a countdown until the deadline has been met. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching Pilates. It's just that I feel a tab bit "stiffled' knowing I owe them a year of my life.

This widget is a way for me to playfully keep track of the time I owe them. Look for the widget in my sidebar under my email link.

You Requested It: NBA World Champions Template Freebie

When Jasia wrote a thank you email about my Stanley Cup Template, she asked me to design a NBA template as well.

I decided to take a template that I already had designed, the Final Four Template, and re-do it to fit the NBA finals that are now in progress.

The result is the NBA World Champions Template. I hope this will do, Jasia. : )

Come back on Monday for my Memorial Day Template! Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

I Made A Boo Boo: Child's Play Frames Freebie

Geez, I guess you guys would like the frames that go with the Child's Play kit. Might have been a good idea to include them in that zip, huh?

Thanks to makeyesup for pointing out that the Child's Play download only had the papers in it. So here are the Child's Play Frames as a seperate download.

Sorry.

Child's Play Add On Freebie

It looks like my freebie form yesterday, Child's Play is a big hit! I'm glad you guys like it! Here is the Child's Play Add On to go with it.

The add on has 4 puzzle papers and 4 "hand" shapes for either journaling, framing or just decoration.

I used one of my all time favorite pictures of my son for the layout for this add on. He was such a handsome little man!

Of course, at almost 21, he still is!

Hint: don't forget you can reverse the hands and make right hand prints as well. Notice I used one of the frames from the Child's Play kit on this layout.

Child's Play Freebie

This brightly colored Child's Play freebie consists of 4 papers and 4 coordinating frames. Tomorrow the Child's Play Add On will have 4 more papers and 4 "hand" journaing shapes.

This isn't a huge kit, but it is very bright and a lot of fun to work with.

Don't forget to check out the Major Cities of the World Template Series that statrts at the end of the month. So far I have 39 requests!

Your Layouts!

More layouts of my

State Template Series

from Deborah over at Misfit Princess.

Indiana Jones Rocks!

We just got back from seeing the movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It was really good!
We had borrowed the DVD versions of the other 3 Indiana Jones movies (we actually own them on VHS) and watched them all in a row so we would be caught up and remember the little things.

I wasn't a huge Indie fan "back in the day," but I certainly do appreciate the movies now. I really liked this new movie and recommend it to everyone.

Stanley Cup Template Freebie

This morning I'm offering a freebie you can use to celebrate your NHL team's trip to the Stanley Cup finals! If you are like me, you may have to go back a couple of years, but that's ok!

I love the Carolina Huricanes, and especially their captain Rod Brind'Amour. They won the Stanley Cup in 2006! (That's actually THE picture of Rod Brind'Amour holding the Stanley Cup from that year in the template outline.)

In 2002 when the Hurricanes were in the Stanley Cup finals my fiance' and I were working at the RBC Center in Raleigh. It was an awesome experience! The Stanley Cup finals is like the Super Bowl of hockey so anybody who was anybody was there.

We met famous hockey players like Ray Bourque. (If you know hockey, then you know who Ray Bourque is!) I was working the suites at the RBC Center and met some of the rock group Three Doors Down, who were in one of my suites. I also met the singer Five For Fighting, John Ondrasik. There were politicians, like Elizabeth Dole in the suite too.

Working at the RBC was great becaue when Wayne Gretzky bought part ownership in the Phoenix Coyotes NHL team, the Carolina Hurricanes were playing the Coyotes that night in Raleigh. The Great One, as Mr. Gretzky is known in the hockey world, was traveling with his new team and was at the game that night!

It gave me goose bumps when they held a little impromptu ceremony at the beginning of the game. Imagine the Queen of England or a President of the US just happening to be in your neighborhood. It was THAT exciting!

Mr. Gretzky is THE best hockey player of all time, holding such a lead on most of the league's records that it will be YEARS before anyone can catch up to him!

Here is the Stanley Cup Template. I'm sorry to say I can't pull for the Detroit Red Wings because they are the team that beat my team in 2002! Besides, I don't think they need any of my support! They are doing fine on their own!

My fiance' is from Pittsburgh, so he is all about the Pittsburgh Penguins. They are running on a huge head of steam and could end up winning the whole thing. It should be an exciting series.

Kristi Yamaguchi Did It!!!

Kristi was crowned ABC's Dancing With the Stars champion last night! The fans' votes were just as important asthe judges' votes in determining who would be the winner.

After four consecutive male winners on "Dancing With the Stars," it was finally ladies' night. Kristi Yamaguchi was named the new "Dancing" champ on the show's season finale, becoming the first woman to win the ABC dance-off since its inaugural season. The figure skater came into the final contest Tuesday with a perfect score and bested fan favorites Jason Taylor and Cristian de la Fuente
to claim the mirrorball trophy.

"This is definitely for all those women out there to continue to be strong," she said after the show, hoisting the prize above her head~AP News

Way to go Kristi for hanging in there and bringing one home for all the Carolina Hurricnes fans. This is our Stanley Cup this year!!!!

Freebie: Amish Collection Add On

Here is the Amish Collection Add On I promised yesterday. If you missed the Amish Collection, you can get it now.

If you are waiting for the Major Cities of the World Template Series to begin, give me a couple of more days to offer some other types of downloads. I anticipate that new series will begin around the end of this month.

Look for the Stanley Cup Template tomorrow. It is the Red Wings versus the Penguins. It should be a good series.

Non-Scrapping NASCAR Fans Welcome

This post is for those of you who find your way here through NASCAR related links and who aren't digital (or paper) scrapbookers. You guys are welcome here too!

Although I do talk about NASCAR on my site and I do provide links to NASCAR news and information, what I bet you don't know is that you don't have to be a digital scrapper to download my NASCAR stuff!

Most of my elements and papers are either in .png or .jpg format. In other words, they are simple pictures! Please feel free to use my designs on your desktops or anywhere else you might use a picture, like on your Infield Parking blog! Just please don't act like they are something you designed yourself. A mention of my blog or just my name would be the correct thing.

You don't have to know how to use Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop for most of my designs (the templates are the exception.) The files come zipped and when you unzip them you have regular photo files to work with.

It is not my intention to steal anything copyrighted by NASCAR or any of the drivers. I do not SELL any of these for any kind of monetary gain. I am just trying to help NASCAR fans show their love of the sport and their favorite drivers.If NASCAR or any driver were to ask me to stop, I would.

So check out my label cloud on the sidebar and look for NASCAR related posts. Look under NASCAR, the name of a specific speedway or look under Dale Jr or Dale Earnhardt.

Although Junior is my favorite driver, I do offer other drivers' stuff occasionally. Mostly though, I offer generic racing themed suff. Check it out!

Amish Collection Freebie

What I have for you today is an Amish themed kit that includes a lot of textured pieces. I love the 3-D look of digital scrapbooking and I try to incorporate as many types of textured and dimential things as I can.

I once read on a designer's blog that she never used drop shadow on her designs. You could add them if you wanted them.

I use a lot of the tools in both Paint Shop Pro and Photoshop. Part of the reason is that I know some of you do not know how to unilize those features. To each their own I guess. Personally, I enjoy seeing the element literally pop off the page!

So here is today's Amish Collection. As is always the case, come back tomorrow for the add on to this kit.

This kit is mostly blues and browns and is a little different than what I usually do. Let me know what you think!

I am experimenting all the time , usually while I am watching NASCAR races. I get a lot of my NASCAR themed ideas at that time! LOL

Interstate Road Signs Freebie

As I was doing the research for these signs, I discovered that some interstate signs have the state name on them and some do not. In order to make things go smoother, I just put the names on each sign. I4 in Florida is an example of a sign that does not usually have the word Florida on it. Well, mine does. There are 2 reasons for this:First off, I wanted to make sure that the states that DID have the state name were labeled with the name of the state it was going through. As you can see from the collection, some interstates run through a lot of states. And some, like I4, only run thru 1 state.

The other reason is it can actually serve as a little bit of journaling to have the state name there because when you do your layout it says where the photo was taken just by using the interstate sign. Maybe you don't want writing on your layout. Here is just enough to get the point across without breaking up the flow of your design.

These signs will go great with my State Template Series. There are 93 numbered interstate signs and 5 directional signs (north, south, east, west and an arrow) in the Interstate Road Sign set. Enjoy scrapping all your travels!

Oh, by the way, notice that Aklaska doesn't have any traditional interstates so that is why it is not represented with any signs. Hawaii has interstates, but only on Ohau and they are numbered differently than the signs in other mainland states.

More NASCAR Freebies!

This is the first day without a Countries of the World Template from that series. I hope to take your mind off that loss (lol) by offering another NASCAR download.

Here is the More NASCAR Word Art and Elements. This kit focuses on Lowe's Mortorspeedway and the All Star Race. However, someone asked for a Kansas Speedway logo and so that is included here (since the Kansas race isn't until September and I didn't want them to wait have to wait that long!)

Don't forget my other NASCAR downloads: the NASCAR Collection, the NASCAR Collection Add On, Talladega Word Art and the Daytona template.

Gotta run...Pilates traning this weekend and I'm late! LOL

A Favor Please

I have a huge favor to ask of you guys. I have just been promoted at work and I am now in charge of the entire group exercise program at the location I work. (I am the Pilates manager there as well.)

Here's what I need...

We offer a type of class called Fitness Plus. These classes are things that are normaly not on the standard group exercise schedule. For example, we offer a bridal party bootcamp where the entire party (bride, bridesmaids, goom and best man, etc) participates in a series of classes that will prepare them for their wedding photos!

Running on Empty by Debbie Mum available at pccrafter.com
These classes can be a one time thing or a series of classes. Members are asked to pay a small fee (in addition to their membership fees) which ranges from $5 to whatever a series of classes might be worth.

I NEED IDEAS!!! Please send me ideas for classes that you might like to take at a gym that aren't already on the schedule. Think outside the box. Be creative. Or steal an idea from a gym you go to!!!! I need to come up with some fresh new suggestions.

We already offer salsa dancing, Zumba, belly dancing , kickboxing and abs. Those are standard classes already on our schedule.

I have prided myself on the fact that I have offered you guys 1 free download everyday (but Christmas Day) since November of last year. I do it for free and I love doing it. I don't ask for money for my designs.

Now, I'm asking for something in return. Your ideas can really help me make a good impression coming into this new responsibility at work. I would really appreciate your help!

Thanks in advance for your help!