I Totally Returned It...

My new fancy schmany camera that is.

It was just too much camera for me.  

It became the source of tremendous anxiety because I had spent so much money on something I didn't know how to use...and my photos were terrible...it was just too overwhelming.  

I feel I need to slowly work my way up to that type of camera.  Learn a bit more.  Work with an in-between type camera for a while.  

Soooooooooo...I returned it and got THIS!

I feel SO much better now.  

I love this camera!  

I can learn on it and it takes fabulous photos and well, it was half the price of the other and it just functions more at my skill level.

Hooray.

 

Nikon Coolpix P100

White Space

I am a big fan of white space.
Absolutely love it in my design work.
It just makes things look so clean and modern, sophisticated and fresh...
However, I seem to be totally late in the game with regards to utilizing white space on scrapbook pages.
Where have I been??!
It's so my new favorite style.
Here are a few more layouts I did using my new found favorite technique. 

supply credits: Shabby Princess Plentiful Kit and Echo Park Abundance Kit

Busy Busy

This has been such a busy week.  

I've totally been slacking on the posts. 

I've been playing with my new camera, doing some design work, and well, being a little social butterfly :)

I'll be back in a day or so once things have calmed down a bit...

I have to rush off now to put together my Halloween costume for work tomorrow...

yup...there's a contest.  

I'm so not a fan of dressing up in costume, but the kiddos love it when the teachers dress up, sooooooo I'm gonna do it.  

Talk soon!

A Few of My Favorite Fonts...

I am currently on the search for new totally fabulous fonts to add to my collection of faves.  I have tons of fonts...like TONS...but I can't seem to get enough!!

Since I have fonts on the brain, I thought I'd share a little sampling of my faves with you...perhaps you'd like to add some great go-to fonts to your collection...

1. Century Gothic is of course a standard option that comes with most applications, but it is totally one of my faves

2. Honey Script is adorable.  Just a fun, light-hearted grily script.

3. Decker is a great sans serif...similar to Century Gothic, but has a bit of character to it.

4. Texas Hero is one of my all time favorite old fashioned script fonts.

5. Blackjack is a fun script with some funk and attitude. Love it.

6. Masterplan is an awesome grungy font...it's all caps just so you know, but it's rad.

7. Riesling is classy and sophisticated and kinda cutesy.

Fancy Schmancy

Guess who bought her fancy schmancy new camera today???!!

Yeah, that would be me ;)

And yep, that's it pictured above.

I'm so totally in looooooooooove.

Hugs

Sometimes you just need a hug. 

Giraffes included.

This image reminds me of my very favorite tee over at Threadless.  I think it's the cutest ever.

There's just nothing like a really good hug.

And apparently super cute giraffes giving hugs...I love it.

image credits: The Guardian and Threadless

Always Sunshine

I made this desktop wallpaper yesterday.  It's been super cloudy and sprinkly here so I needed a pick-me-up.  I've now placed it on all my computers as well as my family's too!  Ha ha.  I love looking at my creations...I'm such a dork.

You can download it HERE if you want a little pick-me-up too!

 And again, it was created at 1920 x 1080 but you can totally resize it if you need too :)

Just the Girls

Ok we'll add a few boys in there too...

I don't usually do single photo layouts, but I've been experimenting with the idea as of late. Here are a few single photo layouts I came up with using some inspiration I got from the creative team over at Jessica Sprague...I love how they came out!

supply credits: Crystal Wilkerson, ErikaMade, Butterflies and Bluebells, September Blue, Sweet Shoppe Designs...and me! 

Have You.......

...downloaded the latest update for Firefox??  OMG.  The most updated Firefox allows you to completely personalize your browser window with "Personas" or skins to decorate the top gray part of your browser.  LOVE IT.  I am all about personalizing my online experience.  I use gmail and have totally personalized all my email accounts with the themes they offer...and now, this new opportunity to add some jazz to my browser is too much!  So excited.  Ok here are some of my faves...there are over 35,000 options in various categories...I have found that I like the "Firefox" category best because I think the little Firefox guy is super cute and cool...

 Rainbow Fox

Firefox B

Firefox 2x Vision

Firefox Alpha

 So, as I was composing this, it was brought to my attention that these persona things are not in fact, new.  Hmmmm...how could I have not known about them until now?!  Well, they are new to me, so there ya go :)

More Scrappings

Last year the fam spent an evening at The Grove.  We went Christmas shopping, ate dinner at a delicious Greek restaurant (pita bread to die for), saw a movie...and even a few movie stars!  Was a very fun night indeed. 

Here are some shots from the night all digi scrapped up :)

In the top layout I used Butterflies and Bluebells Autumn Song Kit (I am on the Creative Team for B and B...too fun!) and the second layout has a few random brushes and a tag from I am not sure where...yikes!  I'll find out so I can credit it properly...

It's super rainy today so if you are out and about, be safe!
xo

If I Had Unlimited Funds for Shopping...

I would buy all of these.

images from CharlesDavid.com

Skinny Jeans for your Field Notes

I adore Field Notes.  They are pretty much the most amazing little notebooks.  Ever.  They are small with rounded corners, a grid paper interior, and even a handy dandy ruler.  On the back flap is a list of 30 practical applications for these little guys... perhaps you might need a place to jot down inspired ramblings, shoddy sketches, escape routes??  Good stuff.

Well since Field Notes are so treasured by those that own them, there are now "Pants for your Field Notes"!  Little skinny jeans for your little notebooks...to protect them fashionably ;)  Love it.

image credits: Field Notes

Hit or Miss

I love Coach. 

This is a well known fact.  

And I have always supported every creative decision Coach has made...

yes, I let that sequined backpack phase slip on by without criticism, but I truly thought that was some random once in a life time slip of aesthetic prowess.

However...

today...

oh today I stumbled upon their latest shoe line.  Several designs are lovely, just totally fabulous...however, I nearly choked when I saw these.

I cannot...

simply canNOT, 

support the purple plaid flats with enormous bows.  

And I am totally a bow person.  

Love 'em.  

On everything.  

But these shoes leave an icky taste in my mouth.  

Now their boots on the other hand...NICE.  I like 'em.

What do you think??

image credits: Coach.com

I Heart Desktop Wallpaper

Yes.

I do.

Very much.

Changing your desktop is kinda like rearranging the furniture in your living room...sometimes you just gotta switch things up for a bit...get a new look...keep things fresh.  Swapping out my wallpaper gives my eyes something new and lovely to look at..sometimes they have uplifting quotes or inspiring photography or silly jokes that make me laugh.  I have quite the collection of wallpapers I've either made or downloaded from the web...Smashing Magazine and Pixel Girl have great ones.

Well, today I decided to make one for the fall season that we, here in sunny So. Cal. are so not experiencing.  Thought if I put it up on my computer it would help send autumnal vibes out into the universe.  I thought I'd share this desktop wallpaper with YOU.  You can download it HERE for your personal use.  Enjoy!

My Autumn Desktop Wallpaper

p.s. I forgot to mention that I created this using the dimensions of my own desktop which are 1920 x  1080 so perhaps if yours is different, you can resize it?? :D

Digi-Scraptastic!

Sooooooo...I have some super fantastic news! 

I just became a Creative Team member for the loveliest of ladies!  Catherine Wood, of Butterflies and Bluebells, is a beautiful digital designer and well, just a beautiful person.

She sells her digital scrapbooking kits over at the Digital Design Den, and as one of her creative team members I will be using her kits to create layouts that demonstrate the many ways her papers and elements can be used to share your memories.  I am excited about it :)

Being on this team will allow me to build up my own design skill set and...well...my confidence too...so I can eventually follow in Catherine's footsteps and sell my own digital scrapping kits one day. Yay!  :)

Here are two layouts I made using Catherine's kits: 

The first is using Butterflies and Bluebells Whisper of Rose kit and the second was made using Butterflies and Bluebells Country Cottage kit.  I think they look quite nice ;)

Sometimes...

we just need a little cute in our day.

image credits: ihasahotdog

p.s. truly these photos drive me INSANE due to the poor grammar (see my thoughts on poor grammar here) but now and then, once in a while, there is just a really cute photo :)

Party Invites cont...

Ok so a few days ago I posted the potential invite ideas for my niece and nephew's second birthday party...

I wasn't super jazzed about my design work.

I don't think I was totally "in the zone," if you will.

Although I did love the turtles I drew, not gonna lie.

I have since come up with a few more potentials...

they are a bit more sophisticated you could say...

more simplistic...

I love playing with fonts and allowing the typography of a design be the center of attention.  

Here's what I came up with...

Ok, so they look kinda funny on here because they are placed on white backgrounds the size of a card...so just pretend you can see the white card on which they would be printed :)

Owlies...

are so darn cute.

image credits: 1. YumiYumi  2. One Reverie  3. Vivikas  4.  Hush Mouse

It's the Teacher In Me...

I'll admit it.  

I'm a Grammar Nazi.  Big time.

The sounds of double negatives and subject/verb dis-agreements absolutely make me cringe; I wince at the sight of punctuation placed outside a pair of quotations marks and the misuse of homophones such as your and you're; and I actually enjoy reading books dedicated to grammar and punctuation rules.  

Yeah.  

I'm that girl.

I thoroughly enjoy editing papers.  I edit my blog posts again and again to make sure all grammar rules are followed.  And well...I often find myself editing the random blog post I may read while hopping around the interwebs...omg.

With that being said, I therefore found this list, entitled Typographic Sins, incredibly fascinating. 

Do you understand the difference between the em dash, en dash, and hyphen??  Do you take care of your widows and orphans??  Well I most certainly hope so ;)

Yay or Nay??

My twin niece and nephew are turning 2 years old next month.  

I can't believe it.

Time just goes by so fast.

I remember when they were so tiny and just fit in the palm of my hand...now they are busy busy busy, racing around all over the place and talking up a storm.  

They are so fun.  

I love them bunches.  

Well, in honor of the twinzies' big day, we are having a totally fabulous party.

I've started working on the invite.

I'm thinking I wasn't totally in the creative zone when I started, but here's what I've got so far...

I'm not sure if they are cute or not...what do you think??  

Not gonna lie, I think the turtles are amazing...ha ha!  

But as for the rest of the invites...

hmmmm...I'm still deciding whether they are juuuuuuuust right or not...

TGIF

Enjoy your weekend.

image credits: Freya