How to Use a Watermark

The reason that I use a watermark is because, about a year ago, I saw one of my creations on someone's blog. And they had not given me credit for the project. They just lifted my photo from somewhere (probably my blog) and placed the photo on their blog. Since I am a bit vain about my work, I created a watermark to identify my work. However, since I am a bit Photoshop challenged, it was boring. So, I purchased the one above from Karen Giron. Here, I've set the watermark that Karen made for me in a cranberry background so you can see it. It's really pretty! Karen does a great job, for only $2!

A few folks have asked me how to get the watermark onto their photos. Karen does give out directions with her watermarks, but for some reason I cannot understand, the directions did NOT work properly for me. Here is how I do it in Photoshop Elements 6.0.

1. Open your photo, edit it, size it, etc. just as you normally do. Then, select VIEW, FIT ON SCREEN (or you can use a view that works for you, it does not really matter).

2. Select FILE, PLACE. Locate your Watermark, and double click on the filename.

3. Your watermark will appear in the middle of your photo, if your watermark is white, like mine, you may only be able to see the sizing box, and not the actual image until you drag it over a dark part of your photo.

4. Use the size handles to make your watermark the size you need, and move it to where you want to place it on your photo. You can see on the photo below that I placed my mark on the lower left corner of my photo.

Here is an enlarged view (Sorry for the fuzzy quality).

I hope this works for you! If not, let me know, or contact Karen. One of us should be able to help you! It is also a good idea to have watermarks in various colors...say brown or gray, etc. So far, I've just use the white ones. But at $2 a pop...who knows...

375 Cards - Day 275

The 365 Cards challenge for today is to use lots of red and green on your card. I used the quilted snowman image from KLM Digital Designs. (I think it's a snowlady, not a snowman...) I colored her with markers, glitter pens, glaze pens, and colored pencils. She's really adorable!

I decided to make the image the whole card, so I printed it pretty large (to fit on an A2 card). But after I was finished coloring, it seemed to need something. So I found a brass embossing template in my stash (and my light box!) and embossed snowflakes all around her. (Way old school!)

She has lots of red and green, so that works for the challenge! You cannot see the sparkle, but it's there.

I've really been enjoying all the coloring lately. It's something I used to do a lot of, but got away from in past years. I'm rediscovering my inner coloring diva. If only Santa would bring me a big ole set of Copics...

I'm trying to figure out how to make my images work for the rest of the challenges this week...

Our Creative Corner Sketches

I found a new sketch site, Our Creative Corner, and it's "friend," the Stamps and Smiles blog, a week or so ago. I really love the challenges they have, and the DT work is AMAZING. Well, OCC is having a DT Call, and I wanted to toss my hat in the ring, so I've been making cards for some of the November sketches. And loving every second of it! One of my cards even made card of the week over there last week!

There are two sketches up right now. They are pretty much the same sketch. But I did two different cards. For the SASSC42 sketch, I made this card.

I used some great Daisy D's printed paper. I almost did not cut into it as I only had one sheet of it, and alas you cannot get more! But I pulled up my big girl pants and used it! And you can't even see much of it! Sheesh!

I then embossed a piece of tan DCWV cardstock with the Cuttlebug Allegro EF. I sanded the paper to reveal the white core and make the music stand out. The super cute mittens were cut out of red felt with a Sizzix die. I've had this die for ages. I used a bit of the printed paper for the top of the mittens, then added the candy stripe ribbon.

The greeting stamp is Papertrey Ink (from the 2009 holiday tags set). I added some glitter to the pine cone, but it does not show up well in the photo. The snowflake buttons were in my stash. I probably got them at Joann Fabrics or Michael's. This is not a perfect match for the sketch, but close enough. (Right?! I am really tired of following all the rules!)

The next card follows the OCC sketch that was posted November 28th. I think that OCC has been using the SAS sketches, but now are going to be doing their own...something like that is my understanding. Anyway, I did both sketches, because I am silly that way! Besides I had TWO ideas!

I made a 5x5 card out of the lime green cardstock (in real life the green of the ornaments is a perfect match, but in the photo...not so much). The hot pink (magenta?) background paper is Stampin' Up. I have a ton of this, and have never used it! I know! I am a terrible hoarder! The ribbon is SU also. And yes, I have tons of it! I must have planned to make a bunch of cards at one point and never did...hmmmm.

These great shaker box ornaments are Recollections. I tied them onto the card with some silver cord. This was a happy find. I was digging into my Christmas embellie bin and...there they were! I love the hot pink and green. And remembered this paper, and the rest is history!

My vacation is now over. I only hope I can keep up my mojo when we start back to homeschool tomorrow!

ETA: Do you see my cool new watermark?! I just purchased it for the grand price of $2 from Karen Giron! Karen does a sketch challenge on her blog, which is how I found her. She's a fantastic card maker, and her watermarks are ADORABLE. Since I could not get my son to make me one, I purchased one from Karen!

Check Me Out!

This cutie card has been popular!

This super cute image is a free digi stamp from Simple Doodles. He won Top Three Scoops at Pile it On and Top Three at Practical Scrappers this week. How cool is that! I feel like Sally Field! "You love me! You really love me!" I know! I am such a dork. Dh said I should start winning things that pay out better...like the lottery or the poker jack pot. The only thing is, I don't gamble. I told him winning bragging rights was just the same in scrappy circles! HA!

A Big Thank You....

I want to send out a big thank you to everyone who reads and/or follows my blog. I have been getting some lovely comments recently, as well as some down right hilarious ones! And I want to take the time to thank everyone who stops by! I created this blog as a way to teach and inspire others, as well as to have a venue to make friends and enjoy my paper crafting obsession! So THANKS folks! For visiting and making time to comment! I treasure EVERY comment! And I treasure every friend I have made through this crazy hobby!

Now, enough mushy stuff! On to the card! Today I have the 365 Cards Sketchy Sunday card. (Day 274). We have a sponsor this week! KLM Digital Designs! They have some very cute digital stamps. Each DT member got two stamps to play with for the week. For today I used the Christmas wreath stamp.

I made a 5.5 inch square card today. This is my favorite size to work with. I guess it's the same shape as a scrapbook page, only a smaller canvas, so I can feel like I'm scrapbooking without worrying about those pesky photos! I used some ScrapWorks printed paper (from last season) and embossed with my new Cuttlebug holly ribbons folder. This is one of the new 5x7 folders.

I printed the digi image on my Epson photo printer and then colored it with Stampin' Up markers. I added some glitter pen to the berries and the Christmas balls. I've been reading a lot of tutorials on how to color and shade images. I do not have any Copics, nor am I likely to get any, so I am trying to learn better ways of using my markers and pencils so I can fake like I am a superstar at coloring! My 9 year old son told me I did a great job on this one. So, there ya go! He said he "loved the shading and the sparkle".

I then used my nesties label dies to cut out the image and a mat. I love these dies, but do wish they had more sizes so that you could have a thinner border. I tied some floss to these great Buttons Galore red buttons. They are sort of sparkly.

In honor of my friend Melody, I also decorated the INSIDE of my card. I never do this, but Melody does every card and she's an amazing card maker, so I wanted to be like her! She's just made two fabbie DT spots, so go check out her blog!

I really enjoyed working with the KLM stamps and will have cards all week. They are also having a DT Call until December 8th, so if you think you can color, go check that out.

Rainy Day Projects

You know how the song says, "It never rains in southern California"? Well...it doesn't rain often, and when it does people act like it's a blizzard. And I guess it is...in a way. It rained today. I mean, it really rained! All day long. Which is pretty rare, especially this time of year. So, I spent the day making stuff. Here are a few things for you to see. (I know, two posts in one day...scary!)

This first project is for the Stamps and Smiles Project Tuesday challenge. They said we were to make a post-it note holder. Well, since I don't follow directions well, I made this note pad holder instead.

This little dude is 8x2.5 inches or so. It holds the new Papertrey Ink notepads. I used some of the cute robot paper (Bella Blvd) from my last Apron Strings Designs kit. I know some folks make these by cutting a 8x5 note pad in half (places like Office Max or Staples can cut them for you). But I used the one that I purchased from PTI.

The stamp is from the PTI Just a Note stamp set.

I also made a flap for the inside and decorated that (I think somewhere on the PTI website there is a template for making these). This was my prototype since I plan to make some of these for gifts for my scrappy pals. (wink)

The next card is for Simple Doodles. Trish gave the guest DT and regular DT this snowflake digi stamp to play with.

I colored the image with blue marker, then added star dust Stickles. After 100 years it got dry! So I made it into a card. I used the CPC sketch #32. The printed paper is Rusty Pickle from a few years ago.

I used a Kaiser Kraft pearl for the center, and stamped a mini SU greeting on a piece of scrap paper. This is one of those times I wish I could use the sewing machine. This card would look great with some stitching. I swear I need to take a sewing class at Joann Fabrics just to learn how to use a machine to stitch on my cards!

And because we don't get snow here, but rather about 355 days of sun, here is another Simple Doodles image. This sun was a free digi stamp that Trish posted a few days ago.

I colored the sun with colored pencil. The paper is all My Mind's Eye. I really wanted to do a circle card, so got out my Creative Memories cutting system. I do have the Spellbinders circles, but I wanted the card base to be larger, so had to get into the CM circle system. See, there IS a reason why I have all this junk! You never know when you may need one thing or another!

I hope you enjoyed my rainy day projects! Check back tomorrow. You never know what you'll see here!

365 Cards - Day 273

I hope y'all noticed that I made a card every day this week for 365 Cards! I love when I have time to play along all week. We have a very cool sponsor next week, so I plan to play every day (best laid plans...).

The challenge for Day 273 is Pretty Pattern - Damask. I have tons of damask print paper...but I found this ultra cool Bazzill at my LSS early in the month! It is black textured Bazzill, but has a damask pattern printed in shiny ink. I hated to cut it up, as I only purchased ONE sheet. (I know, I know! I'll get over it!)

I made a 5x7 card. This is not a size I make very often, but I wanted to get as much of that pattern as I could. I also did not want to cover it up, so I just used these small elements (Graphic 45). Very simple. (The ribbon is really a cream color. Not sure why it photographed as white! Trick of the light, I guess.)

365 Cards - Day 272

I spent the day making cards. I must have cleaned up my mess 20 times, just to get out more stuff and make a new mess! Here is my card for 365 Cards - Day 272 - Crossing the Line. For this challenge we were supposed to make sure we had things "hanging off" three sides of the card. I drew myself a quick sketch to make sure I could get things to hang off the edges without making the card look odd. And this is what I came up with.

I think it turned out awesome, if I do say so myself. I was not too sure of the color combo, but really wanted to use my new Cosmo Cricket Jolly By Golly paper. The larger red panel is embossed with the Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder. I then rubbed a light layer of white ink over the embossing.

For the smaller teal panel, I used a Fiskars border punch for the scallops. I stamped the deer image with white ink, then embossed it with white powder. I found that stamp in a $1 bin last year and had never used it!

I still needed something to hang off one more side, so I cut three circles from Cosmo Cricket paper, distressed them, then stacked them with a button and placed them at the top edge of the card.

The card base is an A2 size, but it will fit into a larger envelope without bending anything. I like all the layers.

I have one more card to show you. I used the CropStop November sketch for this one.

I embossed the gold paper (SU) with a Cuttlebug border folder from the pop culture border set. This is a new "toy" and I really think the set is very useful.

I cut a scallop circle from some red cardstock, then I hand cut the Santa face from a sheet of printed paper. I am not sure the manufacturer. I got it at my LSS a few years ago and it did not have any marking on it as to who makes it. It was a collage sheet of vintage Christmas images. I snagged 2 sheets, but never used them! (Big shocker!)

The greeting as part of a stamp that I got at Walmart. I used a marker to color just the section I wanted to stamp.

And lookit! My snowman card made Top Three at Practical Scrappers!! Hope you come back tomorrow to see more cards.

CropStop Friday - Christmas Countdown

It's Friday again, and time for another Friday CropStop embossing project. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. And I hope that those of you out shopping the sales today get some good deals! I am staying home. There is not a sale in the world that can make me venture out on Black Friday! Unless someone is giving way Nestabilities or cardstock or something!

I already shopped at CropStop, so have some new goodies to play with! I am using the new Cuttlebug 5x7 Christmas Countdown folder for my card today. This is the first time I've tried the new size.

I embossed some Kraft cardstock (SU) with the folder, then I rubbed the raised image with white Colorbox Chalk ink. I then buffed it, to rub off most of the ink and give the paper a soft flocked look. It almost looks like velvet paper!

I attached my embossed panel to a white panel, and then tied on some candy cane striped ribbon. I then attached both panels to a red card (A2 size) made from cranberry Bazzill.

I stamped the penguin image (Walmart brand) with black ink and colored it with SU markers. I over stamped the snow globe with a postage cancel stamp (studio G).

I made the fake postage stamp from a studio G stamp and some red cardstock that I trimmed with deco scissors. I am so happy I did not listen to "friends" and get rid of these scissors! I still use them from time to time. Better to have them and not need them, than to need them and NOT have them. (That's what my dad always said, and I believe it!)

I hope you are busy making YOUR Christmas cards...I have about 10-15 made and about 60 to go! I need to pick ONE style and just crank them out!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope all of my American bloggy friends are getting to eat lots of turkey and stuffing today! I know I am! I hope to have a nice, quiet day with my husband and kids, and plan to eat until I can't move off the couch! I also hope everyone is able to count at least ONE blessing today. I have so much to be thankful for!

So I am happy that 365 Cards Day 271 Challenge is to make a Thanksgiving inspired card. I will give this card to my wonderful husband. I am so thankful that he not only provides for us, is a great father, and a wonderful husband, but that he's my friend. And he supports my crazy craft habit! And only teases me a little bit!

I made the card from DCWV white-core cardstock, so that I could emboss and sand it. I embossed with the Cuttlebug pumpkin folder. The strip of printed paper is Melissa Francis. The greeting is Inkadinkado, stamped with a Kaleidacolor stamp pad.

Since I like to be an overachiever sometimes, this card is also for the following challenges:

Crazy for Challenges (C4C12): Sketch
Stampin' Sisters in Christ - Thanksgiving

ETA: This card also matches the Color Challenge for Our Creative Corner.

After I photographed this, I thought I may like to add a few buttons...but then decided that I'd keep it a bit simple. I did grunge it up, since dh likes to laugh at me for "crapping up perfectly good cards."

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have an amazing weekend, and enjoy your Black Friday shopping. I REFUSE to leave my house on Black Friday...so I will be playing in my studio and not spending any money...unless it's online shopping....shhhhhh!

Rose, This One is For You!

When I read the challenge for today (Day 270) at 365 Cards, my first thought was, "Oh, poor Pam! She's lost her ever lovin' mind!" My second thought was, "Oh thank the good Lord above that today is NOT my challenge day!" The challenge for today is: using embellishments, make a face on your cards. No stamped images with a face or anything like that. You have to...build a face! My third thought was, "Pam IS having her kids make up the challenges! First thumbprint art, now...smiley faces?!"

Well, after I got over myself and gave it a few days to roll around in my head (lucky for me the DT gets the whole week of challenges ahead of time!), I finally hit on an idea. I am actually stealing an idea that my pal Rose used on a pumpkin card she sent to me in October. She also used the theme "there is one in every crowd" for her pumpkins. So....right back atcha, Rose!

I found this orphan 6x6 cream card with a black panel on it...not sure WHAT I had it for, poor thing was just sitting there...empty...so I just added the Dreamstreet printed paper and some ribbon and made a new card. The image is a freebie from Simple Doodles. I printed it onto white paper, then colored it with markers and added some Stickles for the snowflakes and the snow on the post.

For the face, I used some black "gems" and a pearl. I drew on his eyebrows.

I printed the sentiment out on the computer, then embossed it with the Cuttlebug snowflake folder, and smudged it with some ink. Then I cut it out with a Nestie die. I cut some of the Dreamstreet paper with a scallop Nestie to mat the sentiment. The buttons are Papertrey Ink, tied with some DMC floss.

So, there, Pam! I did it! Even on my "day off"!

MOSD Christmas Countdown

It's the 25th of the month and that means it's time for my Midnight Oil Scrapbook Designs project! Today, I have a Christmas Countdown Wall Hanging to show you. The wall hanging is made from the acrylic cover of a MOSD Big Boy album, which is 6x12. (If you click on the photos you can see a larger image.)

I made this so that you can use the numbers for an Advent calendar, as a Christmas countdown, or simply to show each date in December! The left number set has zero through 3 and the right set has zero through 9. But you could make them in any combo you like. (I used the MOSD Cute Petite mini album for the numbers. This little album measures 2x2.) I covered each square with red Bazzill, and then edged them with white paint. I used MOSD Stick-On numbers for each small square, and hung the number squares from the acrylic panel with MOSD clear binding rings.

I then painted the edges of the Big Boy cover with white acrylic paint (Ranger paint dabber). Next, I cut a piece of Dream Street printed paper to 5.5x11.5 to use for the background. I decorated the background with more Dream Street and K&Company papers, MOSD letter Stick-Ons (in white, to spell "December"), and a calendar printed from the computer.

I used the Dahlia Spellbinders dies to cut the flower accent and some EK Success snow flake punches to add some snowflake accents. The border is punched with the Martha Stewart doily punch. There is also some bling scattered about in the form of rhinestones.

That yummy ribbon is Stampin' Up. You get a ton of ribbon on the rolls so it's a GREAT value! Once I had the whole background assembled, I attached it to the clear acrylic cover, then punched holes into the acrylic and added white eyelets. I did that so I could hang my numbers and my ribbon. It just gives the project a finished look. I used the Crop-a-Dile to punch through the acrylic cover and the chipboard squares.

You can make these wall hangings in any color scheme or style. They make a fantastic accent for a wall in your home or in your office at work. I hope you have fun visiting me today!

Happy News!

Before I show you my card for today, I have some great news! If you follow my blog, or visit with any regularity, you know that I've been on the Apron Strings Designs CT for 2009. I did my last kit for them in October. Well....(drum roll please), Lori has asked me to become a 2010 Sous Chef! So I'll be staying on the team, except for 2010 I'll be on the Card Kit DT instead of working with the page kits. I can't wait to get started. I'll be doing a card kit every other month for 2010!

I do hope, if you've not checked out the ASD kits (and store) that you will stop by. There is also a blog! You may be seeing more of me on the ASD blog in the New Year. Plus, Lori has some other things up her sleeve that I hope to be part of...so...you heard it here first!!

My card today works for 5, yep, 5 challenges! They are listed below. I've not done a multi-challenge card in a long time, so wanted to give it a try. I used K&Company paper and a digital stamp from Simple Doodles (where I'll be guest designing for December).

This card is full of sparkle! The paper has glitter on it, plus I used a glitter acrylic snowflake, and some glitter rub-on snowflakes! I'm not sure what made me go for this quilted look, except that the sketch from SSSC had lots of strips. But I kinda like it!

Challenges:

Sweet Sunday Sketch #45: use the sketch

365 Cards Day 269: Use knots (I have one pink knot)

Pile it On #25: Use Rub-ons (I have 4 rub-on snowflakes)

Christian Paper Crafts Color Monday #32: Tempting Passion, use the colors tempting turquoise, pink passion, and green galore (I did not use SU colors, but I did use pink, green, and turquoise)

Simple Doodles: use one of their digi stamps and metal (I used the tall hat snowman and a metal sentiment by K&Company)

ETA: Christine told me this is also good for a challenge at Practical Scrappers! They asked for stitching...fake or real. LOL So that's SIX challenges!

That's it. Only one card today. I'll be back tomorrow with my MOSD November project. It's a good one, if I do say so myself, so don't miss it!

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of Christmas!

I just read on Tim's blog that he's doing the 12 Tags of Christmas again this year! And giving a way a lot of prizes. Plus if you make a tag for every day, he will be doing extra prizes for those folks! I now wish I'd purchased the Christmas stamps at the Carson stamp show instead of the Paris ones. LOL I hope I can find the time to play every day! I look at his 2007 and 2008 tags all the time to get ideas and review techniques! Those are posted on his blog, in the sidebar. Plus there are lots of videos so you can learn some techniques. (Yes, I am a big fan of Tim's work and have been following him since the old days before he got so famous! LOL)

Here are a couple of tags and a card that I made in the Tim Holtz style. You've probably seen them before, but I wanted to post them again to get you in the grunge mood! Let's play along with Tim and get all inky!