Happy Saturday, Beckie here!!

I’m writing this LOTW post from the great white north!  Technically, since I live in the South, almost the entire continent is north, LOL!  But this time I’m REALLY north – as in Canada!  Toronto specifically – and I have to say – it’s SO FUN!  Such a gorgeous city, filled with rich cultures and so much to see and do!  Saturday is our MAJOR sight seeing day and I can’t wait to get out there with my camera!!  I hope to have many new photos to play with and scrap!! Such a nice break from the already HOT temperatures back home, too :o)  Anyhow, time to get to business selecting this week’s Layout of the Week, eh? 

WOW, what a week at the Shoppe!!  I am SO IMPRESSED with all the incredible layouts in the gallery!  All I can say is, you guys are ROCKING those challenges!  I check in every day to see all the new inspiration posted there by all of you, and I’m never disappointed.  So it will come as no surprise when I say, yet again – how HARD it was to pick this week’s LOTW.  In the end I selected… Alex’s Smile by leiahs!

I love this layout for so many reasons!!  First of all, who CAN get enough of that sweet smile??  Such engaging, happy photos!  And it seems like we can’t get enough of GIGGLE BOX lately either, right?  LOL!  I really love the shadows here, the deeper shadows that give the leaves depth and the simple shadows that work perfectly for the paper elements.  The group of alternating paper/photo circles is wonderful.  Throw in that great big, catchy title…and you’ve got this week’s winner!!

Congrats to you leiahs!!  A $10 gift card to the Shabby Shoppe has been emailed to you :o)

And that wraps it up for us this week!  We’re going to take off Sunday and Monday (in recognition of Memorial Day here in the states!), so we’ll be back on Tuesday with Product Spotlight.   VERY soon you’ll see our new Pre-Team members popping up here around the blog, so stay tuned!

BeckieLayout of the Week, Uncategorized 7 Comments

Yay – it’s Friday :o)  And for me (it’s SP lol) – that means FOOD FRIDAY here at the blog!  I’ll be honest with you – I had planned to do a very different food post today, but need to wait on permissions before I can share it with you – so, today – we are going with something super simple and that EVERYONE seems to love!  PIZZA!  Pizza is a staple in our house lol!  We have it at least a couple of times a week.  We used to rely on frozen pizza or delivery – but making your own is sooooo much better, and not to mention healthier since you can control the ingredients :o)  So, I thought I’d share our ‘famous’ (lol) garden pizza recipe…a 6×4 garden pizza recipe card, and some tips and variations along the way!

I know that in the past…making ‘home-made’ pizza just sounded toooo difficult.  And, I guess if you were making your own pizza dough/crust – it might be (well, it would be for me anyway lol).  But, when you take some pre-made items and combine them with delicious and healthy fresh vegetables – it is sooooo simple!  It is literally faster than delivery :o)  Don’t get me wrong – there are times when delivery just works…you’ve had a long day, you’re tired and don’t want to stand in the kitchen…or you’re simply out of ingredients lol, etc.  But, when you can, why not make something ‘custom’ and oh so good?!

I want to first mention a few ideas and tips before we get started!  First…summer is almost here and it is that wonderful time of year when we seem to enjoy grilling and being outdoors so much.  So, do not limit yourself to cooking your pizza in the oven – try it on the GRILL instead!  Or, if you are hosting a party, why not make it a pizza party?  We buy both the ‘personal’ size pizza crusts as well as the large.  But, the personal sizes lend themselves so well to letting everyone build their own custom pizzas!  So, set up a ‘toppings’ bar with all of the ingredients and let everyone have fun creating their perfect pizza (especially great for the kids)! 

And, while our version is a GARDEN pizza, of course you could add all kinds of meat toppings (pepperoni, italian sausage, hamburger, canadian bacon, etc.).  You could also have fun adding pineapple – or make a dessert pizza instead!  That is the wonderful thing about pizza – the options are endless!

So, let’s get to the recipe (dont’ miss the free recipe card download below) and then I’ll add a few more ideas/tips :o)

INGREDIENTS

(keep in mind that many of these are optional)

pre-made pizza crust
pizza sauce (marinara or pasta)
crushed red peppers
garlic (optional)
basil
rosemary (optional)
mozzarella cheese
monterey jack cheese
romano cheese
tomatoes
onions
bell peppers
mushrooms
feta cheese
fresh parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and then it is as simple as ‘building’ your pizza!  Start with your pizza crust and then add sauce (any kind of marinara or pasta sauce – whatever is your favorite!).  Now add your crushed peppers if you like them (we find that adding them to the sauce layer helps them to become part of the pizza instead of sprinkling them on top). If you love garlic (optional), add it now (adding it to the sauce layer will keep it from burning).  Combine the mozzarella, monterey jack and romano cheeses and add your herbs to the mixture (basil and rosemary – as much as you like).  Add the cheese mixture to your pizza.  Now it’s time to stack the tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and mushrooms (all are optional).  Last, sprinkle some fresh grated parmesan cheese and feta cheese  (save some for a garnish, too).  Bake for 10-20 minutes (depending on the size of your pizza and how crispyyou want it – you might have to go a little longer – just keep an eye on it and take it out when YOU think it is perfect).  Before serving, sprinkle with fresh parmesan and feta, and garnish with basil leaves. ENJOY!

———————————————-

When it comes to the crust – OF COURSE you can make your own…but we really like the BOBOLI brand pizza crusts (they even have wheat if you can find it).  There are many brands and options, so just experiment and find what you like best :o)  Before spreading the sauce, you CAN drizzle some fresh and good olive oil over the crust if you like :o)  When it comes to SAUCE…this is TOTALLY personal preference!  We all like something different – some prefer chunky, some smooth – some like spicy, others don’t…then there are flavors like garlic and herb, etc.  Generally, whatever you like on your pasta and spaghetti will probably be pretty great on your pizza, too!  Personally – we love NEWMAN’S OWN MARINARA SAUCE :o)  Now, if you REALLY want to splurge (i’m talking price AND calories/fat here lol) – you can use a delicious, creamy (and rich) tomato basil soup as your sauce.  We LOVE La Madeleine’s tomato basil soup – but do not eat it very often simply because it is sooooo rich lol!  We can find the jars at our local grocery store…but the restaurant will sell them, too!  Again, this is just a fun little idea!  We discovered it one time when we got everything ready to make pizzas and then realized we were out of sauce!  I saw the soup jar sitting on the shelf and though, hey – why not?!  lol!  It was YUMMY lol :o)  almost TOOOOOO yummy!

Now, on to the toppings – again, these are pretty much all optional and can vary by your personal tastes and preferences!  We sprinkle our crushed red peppers and fresh garlic directly on the sauce layer.  This keeps the garlic from burning, and really ‘melds’ the peppers to the sauce so they are not so harsh (as they can sometimes be when you sprinkle them on top at the end).  When it comes to cheeses and herbs – we find it easiest to combine all of these (mozzarella, monterey jack and romano cheeses, and basil/rosemary).  I know that monterey jack cheese is not something you usually see on pizza, lol – but we have found that it adds a great ‘bite’…AND…it gets a little ‘brown’ in the oven, which also adds great flavor!  You can add as much or as little basil (and rosemary) as you like.  But, I suggest adding at least a little as it really adds to the overall flavor  of the pizza :o)  For the veggies…we pretty much add whatever we have (although I will NOT eat mushrooms lol..so those only go on half of the pizza, hubby loves them).  Simply cut and slice everything to the desired size and stack on the cheese layer.  Of course, you could also add olives or anchovies (sorry, we just do not eat either…so they got left off the list lolol)!  Finally, we add just a little feta and fresh parmesan cheese (not the kind in the can :o)) on top.  You can also drizzle the pizza with a little olive oil, and then pop it in the oven.  NOTE:  we place our pizza directly on the center rack (we place a sheet of foil on the rack underneath to catch any cheese, etc. that might slide off while cooking/melting) and end up with a perfectly crisp crust!  You could also use a pizza stone (if you have one), or again – go for the GRILL!  The cooking time really depends on how you like your pizza!  If you want a softer crust – keep an eye on it and take it out when it’s perfect for you.  If you like a crispy crust, you’ll need to leave it in a bit longer :o)

When the pizza is perfect, simply sprinkle on a little more parmesan and feta (if you like it) and garnish with basil leaves :o)  THAT’S it!  I know it probably sounds like a long process…but our pizzas are done (start to finish) in about 30 minutes.  Not bad for a yummy and fresh dinner, full of great veggies (and that the kids love, too…granted you might need to leave off the onions, etc. depending on what they will eat – our little man pretty much does sauce, cheese and tomatoes lol)!  You can even go with low-fat/part skim cheeses if you like…but, we go ahead and splurge on the cheese since everything else is pretty healthy!  So, I hope you will give this recipe a try – it is great for family game/movie night…or just a fun dinner that the kids can help with (they love ‘decorating’ the pizzas)!  HAVE FUN :o)

Here is the recipe card…it is 6×4″ – just print it out and add it to your recipe box!

Thanks for stopping by today!  For all of you in the States…have a WONDERFUL and SAFE Memorial Day weekend!  We’ll be back tomorrow for the LOTW post…and then will see you again on Tuesday :o)

Shabby PrincessFood Stuff, Free (not desktops), Uncategorized 8 Comments

happy Thursday…SP here!  Today I will be sharing two things with you lol!  1)  Our new shabby artists and 2) A new FREE desktop (June)!  YAY :o)

So, first things first – I have the pleasure of announcing our new Shabby Artist pre-team members and couldn’t be happier!  I must first say that this has been a most wonderful and arduous process and experience!  We were truly overwhelmed with applications and talent.  Beckie and I literally had to create a spreadsheet in order to organize the data and our thoughts.  As always with something like this, as excited as you are about welcoming new members, it is not easy to say no to others.  So, I just want to say again that this truly was NOT an easy decision…we thought long and hard about each and every applicant and in the end, really wished that we could ask everyone to join us lol!  THANK YOU AGAIN to ALL who applied and expressed interest!  No doubt there will be more openings in the future, so we invite everyone to apply again at that point :o)

OK…I really AM going to make the announcement now lolol!  So, without further ado – here are our FABULOUS new Shabby Artist Pre-Team members (I am SO excited to welcome these ladies)!

This is really just a quick introduction to the new team members…there will be lots more info on our Shabby Shoppe website soon :o)  During this process, we also invited a couple of scrappers to be on our post-release creative team and I look forward to introducing you to them soon as well!  We really feel like we have added some truly special and super talented ladies to our already awesome team :o)  Each of these ladies brings something unique and fun to the Shoppe!  I am just getting to know everyone myself, and I hope you will join me in welcoming the new girls.  Soon, they will all be posting here on the blog!

Kylie brings her contagious and adorable personality along with a zeal for digi scrapping!  She is somewhat new to ‘gallery’ life and posting online…but I have a feeling that when she starts filling her gallery, you will be truly inspired :o)  Trish is an amazing layout designer – her pages just blow me away…as do her photos!  I just know that you will find her layouts both inspiring and just plain fun to look at (she is a genius with elements).  Anna has a wonderful style to her pages and she fills them with fun and sweet photos of her kids and grandkids – you will love them!  Karen has a very relatable style, very simple but still with lots of detail and ummph (is that a word? lol)!  Her layouts are all striking and they just draw you in!  Denise brings with her a lot of digi scrapping experience along with a great style…and a talent for hybrid projects – we love that!  And finally, Lu…she is a total sweetheart with a gorgeous family…beautiful layouts and a talent for all things design.  No doubt you will be inspired by both her pages and her personality :o)

Whew, that is everyone in a tiny little nutshell lol!  Again, we will be adding all of these new ladies to the Shoppe’s shabby artist page soon (just have to get all of the info together and make it all pretty lol)!  Then, you will really be able to ‘meet’ the girls and get to know them (and their styles) better!

And now…on to our new FREE dekstop…

I hope you enjoy this June desktop – I really had alot of fun working on it!  Kathy totally inspired me with her GIGGLE BOX product spotlight post…and I knew I had to use the kit for the June desktop!  Don’t forget that the GIGGLE BOX collection is on sale for $5.21 until Tuesday (when we will spotlight a different product)!  Please note that the text/journaling is on my example only – yours will be blank (except for the dates).

to download the 1024×768 version – CLICK HERE

to download the 1280×800 version – CLICK HERE

That’s it for today :o)  If you didn’t stop by yesterday…be sure to see Beckie’s A W E S O M E  ‘focus on photos’ post below!  And, stop back by tomorrow for a new and yummy recipe :o)  Have a good one!

Shabby PrincessFree Desktops, Shoppe News, Uncategorized 27 Comments

Hello, Beckie here :o)  One year ago, I had a 5-year old dSLR (digital SLR) that had never been taken off AUTO mode.  I thought that “photography stuff ” was too complicated and technical for a busy working mom like me to ever learn.  Sound familiar?  Let me tell you…I WAS WRONG.

Here’s a revelation:  as digital scrapbookers, we’re already pretty darn technical.  Photography isn’t harder – it’s just different!  You know that “deer in headlights” look you get when you try to explain  digital scrapbooking to someone?  How hard it is to explain what  a “digital scrapbook kit” is?  There are some critical fundamentals of photography that you need to understand, and much like digital scrapbooking, you need to invest in the proper equipment.  Once you learn the foundation – I promise you – a whole new world opens up.

So are you ready to get started? YOU CAN DO IT!!  here we go!

Photography – BASICS

Remember in my last post when I mentioned that photography was all about using and capturing LIGHT? ok – that’s critical.  Everything you do with your camera and your equipment is about getting the correct amount of light to your camera’s sensor  to capture the image you want.  This is called exposure. The goal is proper exposure.  Too much light?  Overexposed – all white and not much detail in the images.  Not enough light? Underexposed – all dark and not much detail in the image.

dSLR cameras have what is called a meter.  The idea is to get this meter to read 0 (right in the center of the line you see displayed in the view finder).  I have a Canon, and for me, if the meter reads to the left of 0 it means I need more light.  If the meter reads to the right of 0 it means I have too much light.  Note: I believe that meters on Nikon cameras read the opposite direction, so please be sure to check your camera’s manual to be sure!

I had the opportunity to attend a seminar taught by Kirk Tuck where he used an analogy that  TOTALLY made sense to me.   Think of a bucket, and that in order to achieve a properly exposed photo you need to fill that bucket with water using a hose.  The three settings you control on your camera that let you create the perfect hose, regardless of the “size” of the bucket (amount of light required):

• Aperture:  how wide is the hose?  is it a garden hose? or a fire hose?
• Shutter Speed:  How long should the water be left on? Measured as fractions of a second. Your camera only displays the denominator, i.e., 250 for a shutter speed of 1/250
• ISO:  what is the water pressure? values between 100-1600 (some cameras can be extended all the way up to 12000!)

With that analogy, the trick is to start understanding what the proper bucket is for each situation, which in turn helps you understand the right hose for the job.  What is critical to understand is that there are always MANY WAYS to fill the bucket!  you could use a fat hose for a short amount of time, or a skinny hose for an extended period of time.  The end result is still the same: a bucket filled with water.  This is what makes photography so intimidating and even a tiny bit frustrating in the beginning, but so thrilling and limitless once you grasp the concepts!

Now is a good time to mention that, due to lighting conditions and often limited light,  indoor photography is a bit more challenging without the proper equipment.  For almost a year I’ve been practicing outdoors, where I could learn to use a very short list of equipment well.  So we’re going to focus on these situations first.

Now back to our bucket, hose, and water analogy…

Sunny Day = TINY BUCKET.

Ample available light means that information and light are just flying right at your camera’s sensor without any extra help from you.  You’ll end up with settings that actually serve to reduce the amount of light hitting the sensor so your photo isn’t overexposed.

Tiny bucket tells us:

• ISO:  you want a low ISO (low water pressure) because you don’t need any help from water pressure here.  Start with ISO100.  Note: increasing ISO often increases the “noise”, or grainy appearance in a photo.  So you want to use the lowest ISO setting necessary to obtain proper exposure.  Higher end cameras handle ISO values of up to 1000 or even 1600 very well, but some cameras start to introduce noise into an image with settings between 400-800.

Now you need to determine subject matter priority.  If you’re like me – and chasing kids – you want a FAST shutter speed to minimize blur caused by motion so that the kids are as in focus as possible!  If you’re taking pictures of the flowers in your garden, motion isn’t a problem, so really, shutter speed isn’t a huge concern.  You might care more to capture one gorgeous rose in focus with the other plants artfully blurred in the background.  In this situation, you want a LOW aperture number (F-stop).  And ready for this..

Once you know which one you WANT to control based on the subject matter, the camera meter  TELLS you how to set the other one to achieve a properly exposed photo!

And here is where that “multiple ways to fill the bucket” comes in.  Even with a tiny bucket you can decide if you want a fat hose or a skinny hose, or to have the water run for a long time or just a short while.  This is where its important to think about the specific situation, or subject matter priority.

Subject matter (running children) tells us:  SHUTTER SPEED is the priority.  But you need to be aware of the proper boundaries for aperture, too.

• FAST shutter speed: absolutely never below 250 for moving kids, speeds of 1000+ are common when shooting outdoors.  Higher numbers means the hose will be turned off very quickly.
• Aperture (F-stop) boundary:  LOW aperture numbers (f1.4 – f2) are very difficult to focus.  For moving subjects, you probably want the aperture set at F8 or above until you’ve practiced using various focus modes (definitely not covered in this post, LOL!).  The higher the number, the skinnier the hose.

Subject matter (still objects) tells us: APERTURE is the priority,  as this will determine how much of the image is “in focus”.

• Aperture: If you want one single rose, set to F2 or F3.  If you want the entire rose bush, set to F5 or F6.  If you want everything you see with your eyes to be in focus in the photo, set to the highest F number you can.
• Shutter speed: Matters very little here, unless its windy.  If the flower is moving around, this is just like a moving kid – and you need a faster shutter speed.  If it’s not windy – just set the aperture as you want it and adjust the Shutter speed as necessary to get the meter to read 0.

let’s do one more…

Cloudy, overcast, or dark = big bucket.

We need to use settings that will help the camera receive sufficient light to capture a photo that is properly exposed and not underexposed (too dark).

Big bucket tells us:

• ISO: Set your ISO up higher, which gives you better pressure and helps you fill the bucket.  An overcast day, or later in the evening when the direct sunlight is all gone, start out with ISO between 200-320.  This also works for very shady locations.  The idea is to set ISO just high enough to let you have the range of shutter speed and aperture that you need based on your subject matter priority.

Subject matter priority still applies!  Everything we covered above regarding Shutter speed and aperture is still applicable to these situations – the key is learning to set ISO high enough to achieve the shutter or aperture values you desire.  With the proper ISO setting, you can use the same shutter speed and aperture values as in the first example.  At some point the required ISO will be so high that the noise may become too much of an obstacle in the photo, which means you need to find a different spot with more light (remember all that stuff we discussed about finding light last time?).  You’ll want to take pictures with various ISO settings on your camera to determine how high you’re willing to go on ISO. I’ve printed quality pictures up to ISO800 and I’m learning to trust ISO1000 :o).  A lot of phographers will tell you to learn to “embrace the noise”,  meaning – a little bit of noise is a tradeoff you should be willing to accept for a properly exposed, crisply focused photo!

Some examples!

A higher shutter speed allowed me to “freeze” the motion of the bubbling water. I could have DEFINITELY even taken shutter speed higher for different (better??) results.  This is where its fun to play! I took this photo at a nearby garden center when we were picking out flowers for the yard!

I included this photo because it’s a great example of how you can easily go up to ISO 800 with MINIMAL noise! I zoomed WAY in (way past 100%) in the closeup included, and you can still barely see the noise.  So don’t be afraid to increase your ISO!  This photo was taken in my house in a poorly lit area and you’d never know it.  One note:  The shutter speed is WAY too low on this.  There wasn’t opportunity to make the hose bigger (a lower f number) because focus is tough below 2.5, so I SHOULD have gone ahead and set the ISO to 1000.  I would have been able to get the shutter speed up to 125 (which is the best that can be expected in a low-light indoor situation!).  Luckily it still came out pretty good (I already scrapped it, LOL!).

I LOVE this photo.  PERFECTLY illustrates what a low aperture lets you achieve.  That artistic blur is called “bokeh”, (rhymes with mocha).  See how small the plane is that’s actually in focus?  This is why it is VERY hard to use lower aperture settings like this and achieve good results with people.  In this case, I knew the ball wasn’t going to move on me!  I still took 5-6 shots to make sure I had a good one.

I wanted to include a portrait!  My daughter is a willing model, so I was comfortable using the lower aperture setting.  This was in our backyard in the shade – I had ISO up to 320 so I could keep the shutter speed high for the series of photos I was taking of the kids.  (my son is NOT a willing model and I was also taking pics of him, LOL!)

So what does AUTO mode mean?

Auto mode means you’re virtually guaranteed a properly exposed photo every time, but you have NO control over the settings your camera uses to achieve the proper exposure.  In many cases this works fine, but you can’t ensure that the shutter speed is high enough for a running child, or achieve the cool blurry background (called bokeh) that is possible with lower aperture values (f4 and below).

Taking it off AUTO

Did you know that there’s actually a way to take your camera off AUTO without going to full MANUAL?  Look at the settings dial on your camera…on Canon dSLR you’ll see “AV” and “TV” in the list. (Nikon cameras have this to but I don’t know what they are called, sorry!)

This is a way to tell the camera you want to control ONE of the variables, while allowing it to automatically set the other.

AV = Aperture Value (also called Aperture Priority mode).  YOU set the f-stop you want, the camera automatically sets the shutter speed.

TV = Time Value (also called Shutter Priority mode).  YOU set the shutter speed you want, the camera automatically sets the aperture.

So…your mission…pick an evening where you do nothing with your camera but PLAY.  No pressure to have good photos, just taking pictures purely for the purpose of learning.  Play around with these new camera modes, or even with FULL MANUAL  mode (“M” on the dial)  if you feel like it!

I practice every week.  I love trying out new settings, or playing around with new situations to see what works to capture a great photo.  Sunsets, sunrise, full sun, cloudy skies – each one of these situations presents a different set of challenges!

EQUIPMENT

I want to say FIRST and FOREMOST – that the photographer makes the pictures, NOT the camera.   More/better/newer equipment just makes it easier sometimes!

Both Nikon and Canon both have a very loyal following.  I happen to be a Canon girl myself, largely because  Canon entry level dSLRs are affordable and produce exceptional results.  The newest Canon, the Rebel T2i, is something you should look at if you’re in the market for a dSLR.  I’ve seen nothing but rave reviews about the capabilities of the T2i for the price ($899 US).  Be aware that once you buy a dSLR and decide to start buying new lenses, it is difficult to switch brands as the lenses are not interchangeable between the two brands, so do your research first!

LENSES… Most dSLR cameras come with a “kit lens” that has a variable focal length and a range of aperture values.  The t2i kit comes with an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6.  What does all this mean? Well, some of it we’ll save for a later post – but the 18-55 indicates that it is a WONDERFUL all-purpose lens (for getting up close on subjects as well as getting lots of people in at one time).  The down side to a kit lens is the limited aperture.

You can learn to shoot in full manual mode with a kit lens! So don’t be held back waiting for something better before you start trying to improve your skills!  But having a “better” lens does make it a little easier to achieve those WOW shots :o)

Once you’ve played around with your camera and you want to start taking those truly gorgeous shots with bokeh (the blurred background) – you should consider investing in a 50mm lens.  Both Canon and Nikon have a 50mm 1.8 that sells for right around $100.   (note:  the focal length is fixed at 50mm, and the 1.8 represents the LOWEST aperture possible).  There’s also a 50mm 1.4, but runs several hundred more.

Here’s what’s in my bag:

• Canon 7d
• Canon 50mm 1.8 lens
• Sigma 30mm 1.4 lens
• Speedlite 580EX II (gift from my hubby, still learning how to use it!)
• lens cleaning cloth
• lens cleaning brush
• spare 16gb CF (Compact Flash) memory card (and another IN my camera)
• lipgloss (never leave home without it!)

A little note:  I kept my super old Canon EOS Rebel (the very first one!) until just three months ago; I was at the point where I used my camera EVERY SINGLE DAY for many months before I decided to make the investment in a new camera.  The biggest justification for me was “burst speed”, or the number of pictures that can be taken in rapid succession.  I do lots of sports pics for the family and this was an important feature for me.

OK – that’s a TON of information for one post!  I just can’t stress enough – you NEED TO PRACTICE!  try out one of the semi-manual or even full manual modes, keep the pictures, then come back and look at them on your computer to see what worked and what didn’t!  If you want to read more, I recommend either (or both, LOL! of these two books):

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson

Digital SLR Cameras and Photography for Dummies by David D. Busch

I hope I’ve helped de-mystify photography for you just a bit, and maybe even encouraged you to read and practice a bit more!  If you have questions or comments please share below!!

Happy clicking…and scrapping!

BeckiePhotography, Uncategorized 21 Comments

Good Morning, Kathy here :)  I absolutely ADORE color.  It makes me happy. From pink and green, to orange, yellow and blue, I love all shades and tones.  If it’s fun and vibrant that you’re after, look no further than the cheery colors and light-hearted style of the Giggle Box Collection.

When I started working with Giggle Box again recently for my Hybrid Recipe Box, I just knew that I would feature it as my Product Spotlight pick.  There is something about the fabulous colors and the whimsical nature of the elements and papers that always puts a smile on my face. 

As part of the PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT…the GIGGLE BOX coordinated kit is on SALE for only $5.21 for one week only!  Take a peek at what some of our amazingly talented Shabby Artists have created with this FAB kit.

As I mentioned in my last post, GIGGLE BOX was the first new release from SP after I became a Shabby Artist last year, and this was my first LO.  It was during a difficult time when our newborn son, Lawson (yes, both Beckie and I have sons named Lawson, lol) was sick in the hospital.  This LO documents our time with him there and our JOY to bring him home.

The bold colors of GIGGLE BOX matched perfectly with the colors that I chose for Lawson’s baby quilt.  These are some of my favorite pictures of him with his quilt, perfectly showcasing those super kissable “schmooshie lips”.

Another amazing LO of SP’s little man.  His smile is contagious, and apparently, he is quite the HAMster, making everyone smile and laugh.

 Beckie’s LO of her kiddos sharing a rare sweet moment together, highlights the versatility of this collection.

Andrea’s beautiful LO of her precious little boys.

Katie’s GIGGLE BOX layout, just LOOK at the smile on that sweet face!!!

Some more inspiration from the Shoppe Gallery.

If this is your first look at GIGGLE BOX, please go take advantage of the savings this week while it is featured in our PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT.  I hope we have inspired y’all to use this FABULOUS kit, please post your LO’s and projects in the Shoppe Gallery.  Until next time, have fun scrapping!

KathyProduct Spotlight, Uncategorized 6 Comments