Roberta T Designs

2011-12-11T12:05:00.000-08:00

This is the kit I'm working on:

Freebie!!

2011-11-26T22:26:00.000-08:00

Get your Christmas Around the World blog freebie here. A really cute christmasy baking kit for all your baking memories.

Baking Memories

Return to WORLDWIDE CHRISTMAS SCRAPBOOKING FREEBIES

for more freebies.

Christmas Kits at iScrapbook!

2011-11-26T21:55:00.000-08:00

I have three Christmas kits at my store at iScrapbook! I can't believe it. The last one is almost finished actually and should be up soon. Visit me at

http://www.iscrapbook.com/store/roberta_taron.html

Here are two of the previews:

Silent Starry Night

Favorite things.

I will link the titles when they are up.

Hope you like them!!

Here are some kits from last year as well

Angels Sang

Old-Fashioned Christmas

Merry and Bright

Snowflakes

July already!!!

2011-07-02T16:59:00.000-07:00

I have many new kits up on my site at iScrapbook . I would love you to go have a look. Here's a preview of my latest kit, Woodland Walk.

and a beautiful pair of Quickpages to go with it.

London Cabs

2011-01-01T12:48:00.000-08:00

I was just watching a Miss Marple show and she was riding in a cab, and I remembered riding in London cabs.

Theresa and I took cabs all over London. We would take the train from Maidenhead where she lived, and spend a day in London. Their is something special about a London cab. The drivers are a much higher class than the cabbies here. They are polite and helpful. The cabs are very clean inside and out. Inside, small benches face each other with lots of space in between. The windows are nice and big for sight-seeing. The cabs are always black, and seem like mini-limos.

I would look out at the starkly white buildings, with their black wrought iron balconies, at Buckingham Palace, with its gold adornments, and St. James Park all along on the opposite side, a beautiful long stretch of green-scape. I remember shooting down Oxford Street past the best designer shops in the world, Harrod's Dept store and tiny ethnic cafes.

One day Theresa, Susan and I went to a top London hairdresser. The streets got narrower and narrower as we searched for the place. It was in a very high-density, well-used part of the city, the buildings thick with layers of paint that you could tell covered a multitude of sins. We thought we were in the wrong place. We went up a narrow dark stairway, and found a huge loft space and the salon. The hairdressers were so haughty, and the cuts we got were nothing special. So much for top London hairdressers! They cost a bundle too.

Black and white

2010-12-27T19:14:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to improve my black and white photos in Photoshop. Learning about gradient maps and other adjustment layers to get clearer photos.

This one of Gabe surrounded by his presents I quite like.

This one of Mark and Wallace I used some textures on as well and put a little caption for fun.

...and a Merry Christmas to all

2010-12-24T06:45:00.000-08:00

Wow it's been 9 days since I posted. Been a little busy, baking cheese straws, butter tarts for Theresa's Christmas Eve get-together, some babysitting, wrapping presents, decorating, well you all know what I've been doing because you've been doing the same thing.

Watched a great Jamie Oliver Christmas special and learned a few more tips about cooking and carving your turkey. He puts vegetables and garlic under the turkey while it roasts, then for the gravy he mashes it all together and lets it cook while he does everything else. Then sieves it and adds the stock. Sounds like more flavor to me. Then to carve he takes everything off the bones with a few well-placed cuts, then slices it cross ways very neatly. That way everyone gets the crispy outside and the tender inside. I remember watching the Two Fat ladies and learning to pour boiling water over the raw skin, that really makes the skin crispy. As you can tell, I love the turkey.
Just going to go make our traditional family Christmas bread for Christmas brunch now. I love Christmas Eve!

May all of you have a blessed Christmas.

Gabe!!!

2010-12-15T11:07:00.000-08:00

He cannot take a bad photo! I can do any manipulation and get a fantastic result on every photo I've taken of him. Here I used an action right
out of the box.

and here's the same photo, cropped and some more playing.

Freebie

2010-12-14T10:33:00.001-08:00

Here's a Winter Alpha to use on your layouts this season.

Enjoy!
Snow Alpha

I love The Coffee Shop blog!!!

2010-12-14T09:29:00.000-08:00

The best actions anywhere are available here! I've had a ton of fun playing with them. There is also a flickr group to join to ask questions and post your own photos. Here are a couple that I've done with the actions there

So go to and see for yourself!

My Christmas kits at iScrapbook

2010-12-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

In the store now..............

Coming soon - Angels Sang.

Christmas Blog Train Freebies Start today!!

2010-11-30T16:05:00.000-08:00

Here is my contribution to the blog train. I hope you like it!

Click on the photo or here DOWNLOAD NOW

Return to the list here by clicking on the CATW button here --------------------->>>

Wedding shoot!

2010-11-28T09:17:00.000-08:00

When one of my favorite tenants told me she was getting married, I asked if I could come and take photos of her getting ready. They ended up inviting me to it, and what a day! I loved every minute of it, took about 300 photos, and I hope I got some good ones. I have been frustrated with my camera lately, it's like the settings wonk up on me and I don't know why.

But what a wonderful wedding it was. There was real affection shown by all, and I, a stranger to all, was so beautifully included. And here's one of the lovely bride and groom.

My CATW blog freebie

2010-11-23T15:52:00.001-08:00

On Dec. 1 this freebie will be available here on my website, plus you can access the complete blog train from here with TONS of christmas freebie kits.

Freebies!!!

2010-11-22T15:33:00.000-08:00

Christmas Around the World
Blog Train Dec 1, 2010

I am participating in a Christmas Blog train on Dutchsparky's/Antoinette's Christmas Around the World blog. There will be lots of freebies for everyone. Get your shopping hat on, but these are all free so you don't have to bring any money!!!

Hope to see you on December 1st. Drop by, I'll have spiced apple cider simmering, and a crackling fire to get you in the mood.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Bread Pudding

2010-11-21T20:38:00.000-08:00

What a busy day I've had. Photoshopping, chatting, phoning, baking, napping lol.
I made my White Chocolate Raspberry Bread Pudding and it was very successful.

I combined data from a very rich recipe and a plain one, so here it is.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Bread Pudding

13 x 9 pan; 350 degrees

7 slices day old white bread (to 'stale' it, bake at 350 for 10 minutes)
Cut into ~1 1/2 " squares and put into pan

~ 1 cup raspberries
Dot over bread

1 cup whipping cream
1 cup milk
Bring almost to a boil (do NOT boil)

In the meantime
Beat 4 eggs, 1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl
Chop 4 oz White Chocolate fine
When cream is ready, pour slowly into egg mixture, whisking steadily.
Add the chocolate, and whisk until melted.

Pour gently over the bread and raspberries. Press the bread gently with a spoon, let sit for half an hour and press gently a few times.

Place your pudding pan into a larger pan, put boiling water about halfway up the sides.

Bake at 350 degrees. After about half an hour, I took the water pan out, and baked for about 20 min more. Pudding should be puffed up. Test with a clean knife.

Enjoy.

All's well that ends well

2010-11-17T19:45:00.000-08:00

Carpet is ripped out, laminate is down, thank goodness that's over with. Another tenant came down today and says she has fleas in her carpet. I am definitely starting to feel like Job. Plagues, floods and pestilence!!!

The continuing carpet saga

2010-11-12T22:49:00.000-08:00

So today, after having someone on the third floor come and ask me what the smell was, I decided to call one of the owners. After much discussion and back and forthing they are going to replace the flooring. The tenants who used to keep their windows open all the time have the place shut up tighter than a ... well, you get the drift. What's up with that?
I told them they should go visit someone until it's done, because I'm worried about their 1 year old baby breathing those horrible fumes. They took my advice and left. The windows are open now and the smell has pretty much gone from the hallway.
Well, they're happy. They're getting a new floor!

More great textures

2010-11-11T07:27:00.000-08:00

As you can tell I love textures. I have too many, but not really! I found this site and it's got very good textures of just about anything you would want. I've only gotten to about page 6 and there are 44 pages of them! you've gotta see them.

http://lostandtaken.com/

The stinky carpet saga

2010-11-10T08:54:00.000-08:00

So, at a civilized hour, I liased with my trusted handyguy Al, and he came and fixed the plumbing. The carpet was absolutely soaked, and the tenants had this tiny cleaner they'd borrowed from someone. We have a very good one that has good suction, so I was going to do the job. Al said don't be crazy this is a huge job, I'll start and we'll try to get Ray to come and finish. Ray is persona incommunicado since Mo went to India so he never got back to me. I called my faithful cleaners who are always there for me bless them, and Ron said he'd come but only if he could have cash because they were going to Rupert later. I said anything! and he came over. Two and a half hours of suction later, he was done. I breathed a sigh of relief. After two calls with one of the owners, wherein I informed him that the carpet guy told me it would start to smell and nothing would take the smell out, he decided to just leave it for now. Yup, as usual, I'm left to deal with it all.

So today, when I came in out of the fresh air, I can already smell dead bodies. That's what it starting to smell like and it's only been two days. Now I have to try to get Ray again and see if lots of deodorizer and cleaner will take out the smell. Right. Oh yes, I'm sure that will work. And Ray's not answering his phone, Al's too busy, the steam cleaner needs fixing and Ron's in Rupert.

My wonderful job

2010-11-08T14:37:00.000-08:00

I have resisted blogging about my job because I don't want to relive it here. In fact, I always thought I would write but don't because I don't want to go back to what I would inevitabley write about. (if you understand that you get a prize).

Aaaanyhow, at ~3:00 a.m. I awoke to the sound of the upstairs tenants fighting yet again. As usual, he was picking away at her about something. One time it was that she didn't do enough for his birthday, another time she was not doing something he wanted. This morning it was where were you? He was pacing around and getting louder and she must have told him to be quiet, and he just went bam bam bam with his foot. Yelled a bit more, and then did it again. I just laid there listening. I've given up trying to do anything. When I did, it just meant they both turned the hostility on me. If I call the police, then they always find something to say to me too, or else, they leave and the fight resumes. So I just got up and started my day at 3:30. They escalated, slamming doors, running down and up the stairs, so I thought I might as well go up and make sure nothing drastic had happened. He came out of the door and said just go ahead and call the police. He had a bit of blood on his lip so I knew what was up.

"Oh yeah." I said. "You want me to call the police so you can tell them she assaulted you and they'll take her off to jail again hey? You make me sick." And I turned and went back down to my apartment.

Last month she came to my door begging me to let her into her apartment. She told me he had kicked her out. I told her he couldn't kick her out. She was the tenant of record and she paid the rent. It was her apartment.

"No," she said, "I'm not allowed into the apartment. I hit him two weeks ago, and he called the police. They charged me with assault and I am not allowed to go back to the apartment. If I do, they'll take my boy away from me and I'll go to jail."

"What?" I said. "Are you kidding me? That little weasel charged you with assault? And those cops threatened you?"

He had 'let' her come back about three days before the rent was due, she'd paid the rent, bought a bunch of groceries and then he picked a fight and kicked her out. So I helped her pack up the groceries and things for her and her son, and drove her to her brother's house. I told her I'd tell him that he had to leave, it was her apartment and he had no rights there. So I did and she came back. Of course she let him come back and now we are caught up to this morning. Later I went to talk to her and saw a pair of sneakers half way down the hall. I knocked on her door, asked if they were hers, she said yes. Then, when I tried to talk about what had happened in the night, she said that she wasn't home last night and she didn't know what I was talking about.

Then at four thirty (honestly, I swear this is true, and not unusual either), I got a phone call. The tenant beside me said his pipe under the bathroom sink had broken and water had been spraying onto the floor. I went over and there was an inch and a half of water throughout the apartment's carpeted floor. They expected me to fix it right then. At 4:30 in the morning.

Maybe I'll continue the story tomorrow. Then again, maybe I won't.

A Quote for the day

2010-11-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

From "agnes and the hit man" a book by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer -

"It's His Fault You're Fat"

Heartache often drives us to consume things we wouldn't otherwise, such as an entire pint of Caramel Pecan Perfection high-fat ice cream, covered in ganache, the crack cocaine of frozen dairy. Twelve hundred calories per pint, six hundred eighty of which are fat calories, but it only dulls the pain for the moment, there's that carb fog while you're standing at the sink shoving it in your face, and then it's over and you feel...used. Like a cheap pickup the Dove people seduced and abandoned in your kitchen, leaving you with sticky hands and an empty cup and a still-broken heart, except now you're mad at Dove, too.

I love that ice cream.

Fun fun fun

2010-11-05T20:46:00.001-07:00

I love this photo of Gabe, but it's very blue and out of focus.

So I played around with my new textures and got this

I love the richness of the colors and the grunginess.

Of course, the textures I used were from Kim Klassen

A New Day

2010-11-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, just a report on the e-book I bought yesterday. It is glorious, but a caveat - you have to buy the textures separately and they are not cheap. When you order the complete kit the textures you get are very small, not sufficient for a 12 x 12 paper at all. But the good news is, once you buy her textures they are CU. Bonus!

I signed up for Antoinette's blog for a Christmas Freebie hunt. So be ready to come here for mine!
http://dschristmasaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/

Shoot I foget how to make the button a link!!

Have a great day.

edit - I remembered lol.

Check out this site!!!!

2010-11-03T20:25:00.000-07:00

Kim is an amazing designer. She makes her own textures that are second to none. Her site is gorgeous, and she has an e-book with everything you need to create some gorgeous layouts. Check her out!

2010-03-17T21:54:00.001-07:00

Love this! cool site.

Our daily compromise is written in your signed armistice. by InTheDaylight. featuring J Crew tops

Seanie...Seanie....Seanie

2010-03-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

We had Sean's birthday party tonite. What a sweet boy he is. He was so appreciative of his presents and all the time he was coughing and blowing his nose. He's got another darn virus and his breathing is scary again. He spent three days in the hospital last fall and we worry about him. But he sure had fun tonite. He grabbed all the balloons his Mom got and was jumping around with them and getting them tangled on his arm. Kieran gave him his R2D2 robot and he played with it gleefully. Hope he has a good night tonight.

Mom...

2010-03-09T09:27:00.000-08:00

When I was young, unbeknownst to me, my mom's euphemism for sanitary napkins was 'cornflakes'. In those days, neighbors often borrowed things from each other. One morning mom asked me to go to the neighbors up the hill and ask if she could borrow a couple of cornflakes. When I asked for that, she laughed and said, "She must want more than that. Here, I'll give you at least a cupful, and tell her she's welcome to more."
When I returned and handed mom the cornflakes, much to my puzzlement, she burst out laughing. She got a lot of mileage out of that story.

Ummm let's see

2010-03-08T13:48:00.000-08:00

Well, I am officially sick and tired of scrapbooking and designing. Maybe it's only for a week, but I've really been wanting to just write stuff. I've always put it on myself that it has to be Writing, Authoring but now I just want to write whatever I feel like.

The funniest story (to me) is what happened here in my slummit court apartments a couple of weeks ago. One of the tenants decided to have a party, without my knowledge of course. I heard some noise when I went by at about 10:00 p.m., so I told the tenant underneath him to call me if the noise bothered him, and to call no matter how late it was. I don't understand why people wait through hours of being kept awake until they finally call when they can't take it anymore. But that's what he did, so at 3:00 a.m. he called me about it.

I am so tired of listening to lies, excuses and expletives that I decided to just call the police. I have to stay awake until the police, come to let them in, so once that happened, I was wide awake.

About half an hour later I heard people talking outside my apartment. One of the tenants next to me had been at the party and was trying to move it to his apartment! I went out and cut through the haze of alcohol and earnest cross talk and told them in no uncertain terms that the guests had to leave right now. They promised they would and disappeared into their apartment. Just as I was going to go back into my place I heard something on the stairs. I went around the corner and there, coming down the stairs was the tenant who had held the party. He was carrying a huge box of beer and trying to walk quietly. I took one look at him and instinctively shook my finger at him and said, "You get right back up those stairs and go into your apartment and don't come out again!" He looked at me uncertainly and sulkily, turned around and went back up the stairs.

Finally a boy's kit!

2010-02-26T23:16:00.000-08:00

With three grandsons that I constantly take photos of you would think I would have designed a kit before this! This was so fun to make!

Some new kits at iScrapbook

2010-01-19T20:58:00.000-08:00

Valentine kit

2010-01-19T20:28:00.000-08:00

Christmas Joy kit at iScrapbook.com

2009-12-07T14:51:00.000-08:00

Here is the new kit just up at iScrapbook.com called "Christmas Joy".

I had so much fun making this kit!

it includes this gorgeous Christmas ball Alpha.

DET Bootcampers!

2009-11-25T11:31:00.000-08:00

Baroque Pagekit

Maria, the leader for DET Bootcamp, asked me to donate a kit. It was a perfect opportunity for me as I'd designed this kit but was not sure if it was okay even though I loved it. So the Bootcampers are going to use it, and hopefully give me some tips to make it more user friendly. So what I'm going to do (shhh, it's a secret) is design a bonus for them using the cc's they give me. So here's hoping everyone will give me an idea or two.

Just for Fun

2009-11-12T21:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I babysat the grands for an hour. They absolutely wore me out!! When I got home I made this photo with caption for Theresa

Earth alpha

2009-11-12T11:30:00.000-08:00

This is so cool. A guy in Europe created this alpha from google earth photos. Here is the alpha

and here is the link if you want to download it.
http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1250975&page=all

Arrrggghhh!

2009-11-11T15:34:00.000-08:00

I have tried all day to get a blog background to fit and no luck!!! If anyone knows specific size to fit, please let me know!

2009-11-10T19:39:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Now in store - Gramma's Kitchen page kit

2009-11-04T20:32:00.001-08:00

It's in the store now. For some reason I just love this kit. I love the soft colors and the patterns. I think it's reminiscent of my auntie's kitchen.

My Genealogy Page kit

2009-10-22T16:39:00.001-07:00

Here is my newest kit available at iScrapbook. It has everything you need to create Family Tree pages for your scrapbook. Two examples are included with the kit. When I started doing family trees, I really wasn't sure how to do them, so hopefully the examples will help.

Here are the examples:

This one is for my grandsons

And this one is for me

Grandboys!!!

2009-10-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

GABRIEL

Nothing makes me happier than 'my boys'. The other day we were kibbitzing around and talking about nicknames. I told them that I always liked the nickname Bobby. Gabriel disappeared and later brought me out this card

He had earlier collected rocks and was selling them for a penny each (or more if I wanted to and two were 'special' so more for them. He packaged them up for me in this pink paper:

How could I help but absolutely adore him!!!

new kit coming

2009-10-18T12:36:00.001-07:00

New news

2009-10-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

As of today, I have left Heritage Scrap, so none of the links will work. I'm very sad to leave, I love Heritage Scrapping and the style of the store, but I really haven't been doing that well there, so I decided best to shut down my store. Many of my kits will be available in the coming weeks at iScrapbook, where I am doing very well, or you can message me and I can get them to you. Thanks to my faithful customers! Your support has meant so much to me.

2009-09-17T18:32:00.001-07:00

So this kit is finished (sorry Jill, I didn't get your suggestion soon enough) but oak oval frame coming up, great idea! It is up at Heritage Scrap

Golden Autumn Page kit

This one is available at iScrapbook

Working....working

2009-09-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peak at the kit I'm working on now. I haven't decided where I'll sell it yet. If you want to see a certain element in the kit just let me know. I'd love your thoughts!

Autumn Indeed

2009-09-13T11:32:00.001-07:00

I will link this one as soon as it is up in the store

New Kit at iScrapbook

2009-09-13T11:30:00.001-07:00

Great Class!!

2009-09-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a new class online and learning all sorts of things. The bonus is we make altered art in the process. If you follow me you know I love altered art so this is opening up a whole new genre for me. I love what I've done so far.

New blog look thanks to Cute n Cool Stuff blog

2009-08-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

This blog is great. Lots of altered art looking backgrounds and a few headers. A treat to look at her site. I so appreciate when people give away their beautiful art for anyone to use. She also give very easy peasy instructions for using her things in your blog! It makes me want to design one of my own bg but no time right now.

Check her out here

http://blo64rt.blogspot.com/

Roses...roses Page kit

2009-07-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

Roses...roses Page kit just released!

Canada Day kit

2009-06-27T16:28:00.000-07:00

In my opionion, and any of you who know me know I'm opinionated, we Canadians should be so proud of our country. In the digi-scrapping world there are so many many Fourth of July kits and very few Canada Day kits!

So I've designed one for us. This is the preview and it's available at Heritage Scrap

and here's a layout I made

Here's the url
http://www.heritagescrap.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=110_135&products_id=873

Newest kits at Heritage Scrap

2009-06-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

Freebie alert!!!

2009-06-16T08:19:00.000-07:00

I finally put the freebie up for the following tutorial. It is an altered art quickpage. Enjoy!!!

http://www.4shared.com/file/112140698/7de39f48/rtaron_instant_altered_art_quickpage.html?digifree

Altered Art tutorial

2009-06-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

I thought I would write a simple tutorial to get you started on your own altered art. I am NO expert, but hope some of my methods will help you.

What is Altered Art?

Altered art is a style. It is unique and artistic, and each creator of a piece of altered art has their own individual style. But like any art, there are certain common denominators. I will try to outline them here for anyone who doesn’t “get it”.

The best way to understand altered art is to look at examples. Two of my favourite websites are:

http://thevintagemoth.blogspot.com/

http://www.mind-wideopen.blogspot.com/

As you scroll through these blogs you will get some fabulous ideas, and some tools as well. Altered artists are a very generous bunch!

If you want to begin creating something of your own, as I did, you might find it difficult to know where to start. I’ve found for myself that you need three basic layers to create some digital altered art. All the materials I’m using are from my own kits, available at http://www.heritagescrap.com

Please leave me a comment. I like to know if someone has visited me!!

First layer: Digitally ‘tear’ three or four different backgrounds and place them on your layout. You don’t need to be careful here because most of this will be covered and blended by the end.

Second layer: The next layer of this project I placed some text on.

Third layer: I took a fourth background – this one -

and placed it. Then I checked different effects for it and found color dodge at 50% opacity looked the best. Altered art is ALL about playing around with your stuff! Here is what it looked like as the next layer.

Fourth layer: Add some photos, stamps etc. that you like. Use your own photos, especially your heritage photos if you want a truly personal piece of art. Remember, mine is very simple because it is meant to be added to. Yours can be as complex as you want!

Fifth layer: Time to play with your brushes! I use a lot of different texture brushes that I’ve picked up. There are so many many free brushes, and I’m an addict at downloading them!!! I love www.deviantart.com !!! You’ll find so many goodies there. So here is a copy of my brushed layer

You may find that you want some of your pieces shifted behind or in front of a layer.

And here is the finished product.

Since these are made as instant art for customers to add to, they are much simpler than the altered art projects you will find at the websites and blogs. I also created a co-ordinating frame for personalizing my paper with a personal photo

I hope this helps you get started. I would love it if you sent me a link to your art!!

Instant Altered Art no.1

2009-06-07T20:37:00.000-07:00

It has been so gorgeous and hot here. We've spent a lot of time at the lake, so I feel like I've had a summer holiday already. The river is very high and there is fear of a flood. The next few days will tell the tale. If it doesn't rain, I don't think it will flood. here's hoping.

I always wanted to make an altered art kit so decided to make some 'ready made' backgrounds and frames. It's a real challenge to do altered art and I'm really happy that I actually did these.

This is one of the layouts I've made

June Bride

2009-05-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

June Bride Word Art Kit

and a layout done with this kit

A Man's World

2009-05-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Up and running again.

2009-05-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

After a few tears and pulled hair and a trip to my computer guy everything works again. I now have an EHD and DVD backup plus my computer's backup as well so things should be okay hopefully. One never knows though does one? I've made a few more kits but haven't taken the time to put them up here yet.

Choked!

2009-05-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

I'm very choked right now. My 6 mo old computer kept crashing and it's now at the computer guy getting wiped and re loaded. That means I'll lose a bunch of stuff that I can't save etc etc. I hate when this happens!!! Passwords to find, etc etc. you know the drill. I fought with my computer all last week and finally had to give up. Choked. Going through withdrawal. I'm using my old computer (couldn't not be hooked up!) but it just isn't the same.

It's pouring rain today. We've had a good long run of glorious weather so I can't really complain. My little garden is growing well. Just the early stuff is in of course. But I'm looking forward to this gardening season because for the first time I have a plot at the Community Garden so I'm doing vegetables.

long time...

2009-05-06T13:59:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I wrote here. I'm sort of sick of being on the computer. I guess because it's spring.
Anyway, I should post my recent kits at Heritage Scrap. If you click on the store icon you can find my kits there.

Another new kit at Heritage Scrap

2009-04-14T09:16:00.001-07:00

Blossom Time Page Kit at Heritage Scrap

This is my new Mega Kit. It just grew and grew until I had to stop!! It's inspired by the soft pretty colors of spring in an apple orchard.

New!! Green Spring Page Kit

2009-04-08T15:08:00.000-07:00

I've got a new kit up in iScrapbook. I absolutely love the colors! The kit was a joy to make. It's not green here yet. It'll probably be another month before things green up here! :-(
But I've started some seedlings in anticipation. The scarlet runner beans are so big already I had to stake them! I have a crazy setup in my bedroom with two lamps with those energy saving flourescent bulbs and it works great fyi!

Anyway, here's my new kit. Hope you like it!

And here's a page I did of my buddy Shelley at Terrace Anti-Poverty where I volunteer twice a week.

Fab Fifties Page Kit - New at Heritage Scrap

2009-04-05T14:11:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed creating this kit. After all, I was an impressionable adolescent - the age that absorbs everything!

Fab Fifties Page kit

New Freebies!!

2009-03-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

I finally got some freebies up at Heritage Scrap. They should be in the store shortly. There are three that I made from three kits that I have for sale there. I hope you enjoy them.

You can get all these here at Heritage Scrap.

2009-03-25T23:21:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been quite a while since I updated this. I have made 3 more kits since then. I have to post them and post some freebies. In fact, I have to MAKE some freebies!! Yikes, I can't catch up!!!

New at Heritage Scrap

2009-03-10T22:09:00.000-07:00

Now available at Heritage Scrap, a kit for those photos of the thirties. It was a time of hard work and living close to home and doing as much as possible for yourself. Sort of how we are going to have to do more and more in the present day. It has rough old hinges, grungy papers, old machinery and some chicken elements. An old book cover that is excellent for creating a stack of papers. A really great kit to work with.

New kit at Digital Arts-Cafe

2009-03-04T20:09:00.000-08:00

This is my new kit Pink Crush at Digital Arts-Cafe. It is loaded with elements, but I'm especially fond of that flower. I've been striving to get a flower to look like this for a long time. The smaller flower is like a hoya flower which my mom used to grow. I have Hoya plants but they never bloom. Now why is this underlined???

Pink Crush Quick Page

2009-03-03T06:27:00.000-08:00

Freebie
Yay, another kit in Digital Arts-Cafe. Ultra pretty. Hope you like it. Here's a preview of the FREEBIE quick page there if you want it.

Heritage Scrap Newsletter

2009-02-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

A couple of my kits are featured in the Heritage Scrap Newsletter. Just click on the title and it will take you to the newsletter.
This is all so rewarding for me. It's a lot of work to start in a store, but all worth it when you see it up!!!

Final New Store!

2009-02-24T08:34:00.000-08:00

Heritage Scrap

I am thrilled to be a part of Heritage Scrap. Their site is gorgeous, go have a look. For anyone who likes to scrap heritage photos, some of their kits are must-haves. I've put some kits in the store and am so excited to become part of their community.

In a store!!!

2009-02-19T07:25:00.000-08:00

Finally, finally I am in a store! Only 2 of my kits there so far but it was a huge job to get them in. So much complicated software to conquer, I felt like a knight being challenged by walls preventing me from getting to my quest. It's cool to see them in a store though. I really miss just scrapping and hanging in my dsp site but hopefully I'll have more time when I get all my dragons conquered.

Just click on the Digital Arts-Cafe icon to the right and it will take you right to my store!

Digital Arts Cafe Blog Train Freebie!!

2009-02-15T22:46:00.001-08:00

Spring Sprung Freebie

4 papers
2 flowers
1 dragonfly
1 frame
1 frame overlay
2 edge overlays
1 stamp trail

Don't forget to leave some love. Enjoy!!

2009-02-15T22:22:00.001-08:00

For the rest of the freebies, follow the train.......

Melo - http://www.digitalarts-cafe.com/blog/
rhondogg - http://tea4twophotos.blogspot.com/
mels_world1 - http://mels-world1.blogspot.com/
terimayo - http://www.teristhingomyjigs.blogspot.com/
ScrappyShannon - http://scrappyshannon.blogspot.com/
KayJay - http://kayjaysdays.blogspot.com/
Rachael – http://memoryscraps.wordpress.com/
Darhena Design - http://darhena.blogspot.com/
A-liya - http://a-liya.blogspot.com/
Brandi - http://brandibeaver.blogspot.com/
karyn - http://designsbykaryn.blogspot.com/
arnydia - http://mis-myscraps.blogspot.com/
Adelina - http://adelinascrap.blogspot.com/
Dinphy - http://dinphy.blogspot.com/
clikpic - http://scrappyluv.blogspot.com/
outlawcat - http://outlawwomenscrapbookemporium.cn/blog/
ljd2007 - http://lindajd.blogspot.com/
wornoutmumoftwo - http://funwithdigiscrap.blogspot.com/
Auntie Social - http://www.auntiesc.blogspot.com/
lilysky - http://lilyskydigiscrap.blogspot.com/
jlynn - http://scrapsandsparklz.blogspot.com/
Roberta T - http://ratascrap.blogspot.com/
LeahO_74 - http://leaho74.blogspot.com/
luv2scrap82 - http://purelypixels.blogspot.com/
cynthiab - http://cynthiab-learningscrapbooking.blogspot.com/
Pebbles-J - http://pebblesdesigns.blogspot.com/

I'm now designing for these two sites.

2009-02-10T21:58:00.000-08:00





I am so excited to finally be officially designing for
the above sites!!  It may take about a week
before the kits are actually in the store.
The future is looking bright indeed!!

A Slide and Information about my kits

2009-02-02T14:56:00.000-08:00

These are current kits available at the store sites above. Just click on the blinkies to go to them.

??????

2009-01-31T13:09:00.000-08:00

I am so confused. Every time I come here to say where I'll be designing something stops me. I am beginning to think I should look around a bit more before I make a commitment to a site, since they want me to sign for 6 months. I dunno. I'm flummoxed. Discombobulated. At a loss. So still no announcement. I think I'll just go get a freebie and post it here for anyone who happens to stray here.

Also, I am so frustrated with this blog!!!! Every time I try to do something I am stymied. There, there's another word to describe it! Anyway, I was going to make my own layout but don't have the time. Oh well, off to do the freebie thing.

2009-01-11T09:24:00.000-08:00

Whew, I did it! I made a 300 pp1 kit with 6 backgrounds and 16 elements! What a lot of stuff in one kit! It's good though, it really pushes me. I hope to be selling soon on a site so I'm re-doing some of my kits, improving them, expanding them. It's a lot easier to do than create from scratch. Much of the trial and error is already done, so it's a matter of more skill than creativity.
If you have ANY suggestions or comments, please leave them!!! Thanks.

2009-01-08T15:02:00.000-08:00

Well, this is a layout I did recently. Love Suz's kits. I had some rather great news this morning. An email from another design site. It just made me so happy. Hopefully I'll get some definite news soon.

Still sick today and so sick of being sick. this is one of those things that just hangs on forever. And it's just beautiful outside and I want to take some photos but it's just not gonna happen. Oh, well. I'm really enjoying making my year in review album. You forget what you did but going through a month's photos brings it all back. It's a great way to appreciate what the past year held.

2009-01-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

Well for some reason this ding dang thang won't let me change my profile pic so I'll just u/l this layout I made yesterday for a challenge at http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/ DSP. It's so hard for me to scrap myself, but I like this pic.

Okay, it's not me, their image upload mustn't be working. See what I mean???

A bit about me.

2008-12-30T15:45:00.000-08:00

I decided to do the blog prompt from my website, DSP. Tell you a bit about myself. I'm retired now, but I've done many different things. I guess you could say I was a rolling stone for the last half of my life. I worked at a huge variety of jobs, home care, housework, receptionist, accounting. Before that I was a stay at home which I loved. We lived for the most part off of our 5 acre parcel of land. Kept chickens and a variety of other fowl, had a huge garden, fruit trees, berries. Husband brought home a moose and fish every year. It was a full life, and I learned a bit about a lot of things.
Now I'm a mad scrapper. That's practically all I do. Everything else I do in my 'spare time'.
I live in the north-west corner of BC, Canada. The mountains and lakes here are gorgeous, and I'm always trying to capture their beauty.
I have 5 children and 7 grandchildren. Only one daughter and 3 grands live in the same town.

2008-12-28T13:10:00.001-08:00

2008-12-23T09:12:00.000-08:00

Of course it's super super busy right now. I'm still working so hard trying to improve my designing skills. Like my mom used to say, I'm like a dog with a bone sometimes. Hopefully it will pay off in better skills.
The weather here is so beautiful. Unusually clear and no snow but very very cold. I loved the full moon this month. Charlotte got some gorgeous photos so I made a layout with one. This is from her backyard! She has the most gorgeous view in the world as far as I'm concerned.

Credits: digitalscrapbookplace.com Somethin-Somethin Kit by Suzanne C. Walker

2008-12-16T13:35:00.000-08:00

By Brother in law passed away this past week. I remember the first time I saw him, I was about 10. He loved the 'cowboy' thing, played guitar and sang. He had the most beautiful blue eyes, and was very quiet. He was a faller most of his life, working in the really big virgin timber. He was very ill about 9 years ago and has never been the same since. In his passing, it is like He is his old self again, singing the cowboy songs and playing his guitar for God and all those relatives that are there with him.

2008-12-14T08:45:00.000-08:00

I did a Christmas kit for fun so I'm giving it away here!!!! I am starting a list of freebies on the right. This is the first.

2008-12-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

Here are the two kits I uploaded for the designer contest this round. I want to do layouts with them but I'm already deep into the next round, and it's a huge challenge for me. Modern and trendy is HARD!!!

2008-11-29T10:19:00.000-08:00

2008-11-29T10:00:00.000-08:00

I finished my kit for the next challenge. I need to do a second Addon Pack. The kit I'm calling Dad's Wartime and the Add on will be Mom's wartime. That way they can be very different using the same color palette. My part-time job didn't last long. I had told the boss that I could only work short shifts about 3 times a week. He promptly wanted me to work 5 days a week with increasingly long shifts. I told him I couldn't manage that so that was it. Fini! I was relieved. The pace was murderously fast and he still expected more. Oh well, I didn't really want to sell lottery tickets and pot paraphernalia for a living anyway. I had no idea that was even legal, let alone sold in a mall in my town!!

2008-11-25T16:02:00.000-08:00

So this is what I finished today. The kit is my second one for the Designer finder contest at dsp. We had to make a layout with the kit, so I made this of my favorite niece. Making a layout sure makes you realize what you have to do better. But wow, how I love love designing.

Good news today. I got a job that is exactly what I wanted. Just a little part time job with short shifts. Not a money maker, but a bit of extra income. Yay.

I spoke to a photographer today. It was really informative. He takes fabulous photos of the mountains around here and I was asking him how he does it. He says I don't need a long lens. I dunno though. His lens cost $1500 quite a few years ago but he couldn't remember what its stats are????

Designing...designing

2008-11-25T15:59:00.001-08:00

Blogging

2008-11-24T07:30:00.000-08:00

I never thought I'd do a blog because it seemed like too much work. But I'll try to kind of journal some things here. Today I'm starting on Round 4 in the designer digital contest at . I thought I knew exactly what I was going to do but now, I'm rethinking. Should it be predominantly dark as planned, or should it be lighter. Hmm. I don't know. We'll see I guess. This is my kit for Round 1.

2008-11-23T19:01:00.000-08:00

Woo hoo, I finally did it!!!!!

2008-11-23T12:27:00.001-08:00

Welcome to my blog!! I will try to update this today with some photos/layouts.

2008-11-22T15:45:00.000-08:00

Well, I can't figure out how to get a sidebar, but eventually I hope to.

It's this easy???

2008-11-22T13:44:00.000-08:00

You mean that's all there is to starting a blog??? Coolio. And now I can take my time decorating. Gotta love that!