Hi everyone!  This is Lindsay here with my very first Shabby Shoppe blog post ever!  And not only is it my very first Shoppe blog post, it is my first blogging experience too!  And if that wasn’t pressure enough – wait for it – this is also my very first attempt at a hybrid project!  Whoa!  But good news – this little project was so quick and easy, even a first timer like me had no problems with it!  So here’s today’s project – the Gratitude Journal!

Before I had kids I used to love journaling.  Now if I have a spare moment, there are more productive things I can be doing.  But I do miss spending that time writing and processing my thoughts, and I always enjoyed going back and rereading the things I wrote and remembering the things that had happened.  Now, I love Pinterest, and recently, during one of my spare moments I was (productively) perusing the site for some scrapbook inspiration.  I stumbled upon a cute little gratitude journal and I loved the idea behind it – every night before you go to bed, write down one thing you are thankful for or one good thing that happened during that day.  I thought it was awesome – and perfect for people who don’t have much time for journaling!  I decided I could surely make one for myself, and I did!  (Actually, they were so fast and fun, I made three!)

So, here are the quick and easy steps to make a gratitude journal (or three) of your very own!

First, gather your supplies.  I found these cute little journals at Michael’s craft store for a dollar a piece!  You also need some spray adhesive, your fabulous stash of digital scrapbook supplies from the Shabby Shoppe, scissors, and if you want, some cute stickers or other embellishments to add some 3-D flair to your journal!

Second, measure your journals.  Mine were 5×7, and one was 5×5.  In your scrapbboking software, create layouts for the front and the back of your journal.  Since my journal covers were very thin, I didn’t need to cover the edges, so the image size I created was exactly the size of the journal covers.  If you have edges that you need to cover by wrapping paper around, account for those measurements when creating your layouts.  The other thing I did was to make a thin strip for the spine of my journals.  This way I could cover the edges of my new paper covers, and add some extra pattern to my design.  I made my spine strip 1.5 inches wide - but yours obviously will depend on the size of journal you are working on!

Third, print out your designs and carefully cut them out.  Spray a thin layer of spray adhesive to the back cover of your journal first, and position your printed layout over it.  Do the same for the front, and finally, spray the strip of paper for along the journal’s spine and position it along the spine, pressing to seal.

Finally, add any fun 3-D embellishments you want!

There you have it!  With Thanksgiving right around the corner, what a perfect time to get in the habit of practicing an attitude of gratitude!  These would be so fun to put at everyone’s place at the Thanksgiving table as a little gift, or a quick, (cheap!) and easy handmade Christmas present to begin working on for the holiday season!  I hope you give these little journals a try, and if you do, I’d LOVE to see your creations in the Shoppe Gallery!

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out my little project today – I’m so grateful that you did!!!  I hope you all have a great weekend and we’ll see you back here on Monday, when Casharina will announce the next LOTW!

LindsayHybrid Projects, Uncategorized 13 Comments

HELLO :o) SP here today…for the OCTOBER project SCRAP 2012 check-in!  Did i really just type OCTOBER?!  lol!  That means that we are halfway through November now, right?!  How, oh how, can that be?!  As my mom would say…“I dunno, it just is what it is” lol! I guess so :o)  But ‘what it is’ is nuts! Thanksgiving will be here in no time…and while I am completely UNprepared for it (don’t even get me started on Christmas, lol)…I am at least up-to-date on my project SCRAP layouts, LOLOL!  There’s a little consolation for me, right?! Hey, it actually is a really good thing – because NORMALLY, i would be behind on both scrapping AND holidays – so I’m actually ahead of the game here, lolol!  And while I can’t help you guys with your Thanksgiving and holiday plans (trust me, you wouldn’t want my help anyway)…I can TRY to help keep you on track with your 2012 scrapping!

Sooooo, how are we all doing?!  I know that I am up-to-date with my monthly pages…but still need to add some two-page spreads here and there to cover other events and memories :o)  I told myself i would do those monthly…and for some, i have – but not all! There, I admitted it…I feel better now :o)  I mean, they WILL get done in time – it will just be a race-to-the-finish, as per usual, lol!  Hopefully you guys have kept up with the ‘extras’ better than me :o) And, if you have no extra pages to add…then hopefully you are current with your layouts!

Let’s check out our October layouts :o)  If you missed them – NO WORRIES…you can download them HERE!  They are wonderful, and so easy to scrap with!  Our October was all over the place, lol!  We enjoyed a lot of family time together…lots of sports and outdoor fun…games, school and plenty more! I also had to say goodbye to my wonderful old PC, which completely died on me…and have been trying to get used to my new mac since then (which I’m loving…but hey – the transition hasn’t been pleasant, lol)! So, my pages just loosely reflect all of these things, along with the journaling :o)

Now, Amber’s adorable pages really illustrate October for me :o) These layouts have it all – and I LOOOOVE them!  Perfect photos and papers and elements – and just the right mix of everything! Really, totally adore these (no doubt you will, too)!

Awwww, Kim’s pages are just scrapping perfection, too!  So many moments and memories captured – both in photos and journaling! And the big photo of mommy with her little sweeties – LOVE it :o)  Of course, the ‘blank’ boxes at the bottom are PERFECT here…to balance out the design…such a great touch :o)

Like the rest of our layouts here (well, except mine, lol) – Rosy’s gorgeous pages totally embrace Fall and October as well! Such rich colors and photos…all perfectly embellished!  And, I always enjoy seeing how Rosy customizes and personalizes the templates to work with her photos and style!  Awesome :o)

Please remember that there are always MORE beautiful layouts to enjoy in the project SCRAP 2012 gallery - take a peek and get inspired!

Before I go, here is a quick little glance at November’s templates!  Kylie will be sharing them with you guys next Thursday :o)

That does it for me today :o) As always, I LOVE our project SCRAP group and hope to hear how you guys are all doing!  Do not miss the blog tomorrow…as new Shabby Artist Lindsay is scheduled to inspire us with a hybrid project…can’t wait :o)

Until next time…have a LOVELY day/night :o)  XOXO — SP

Shabby Princessproject Scrap 2012, Uncategorized 4 Comments

Hello Shabby Shoppe readers!  It’s Rosy here and it’s time to talk photography!

For me, this is a time of the year where my enthusiasm for photography tends to wane a bit.  The brilliant colors of fall are mostly over, it’s wet, rainy, and cold outside which forces all of our activities indoors and indoor photography is hard to get right!

I’m going to tell you right at the beginning here that I’m a bit nervous about sharing this post with you, because the reason that I’ve been searching for ways to improve my indoor photos is because they really need it!  I don’t have tons of good examples to show you, although I would have lots of examples of icky indoor photos, but I’m sure you all don’t want to see that!

So let’s start by looking at one of the biggest challenges…

::: Lighting :::

The number one challenge of indoor photography is getting enough light.  I should know, because my house does not have good lighting!

1. use windows and doors

You want to use natural lighting for photographs whenever possible, so be aware of where the light is coming from.  Use your windows or even open the door (if it’s not too cold)!  Having your subject facing the light can make for some beautiful catchlights in the eyes!

2. plan ahead

Planning what part of your everyday life that you want to capture in photos can be helpful.  If you’re planning a fun activity for your family that you know you want to photograph, gently guide them to a well lit area to do it in!  (for example: If I want a photo of Isaac painting, the next time he wants to paint, I’ll set up his supplies on the side of the table where he will be facing the light.)

If you want a photo of your cooking or other project, don’t wait until evening to make it!

3. bump up the ISO

Indoor photography will almost always require using higher ISO settings.  A higher ISO will make your camera’s image sensor more sensitive to light which is helpful in low lighting.  The danger in setting ISO too high is getting grain in your photo, so finding a balance is important.

4. diffuse your flash

If you aren’t able to get a properly exposed, clear photo by simply changing the settings on your camera, the situation may call for flash.  I usually avoid using flash if at all possible, because of the harsh lighting it gives, but if you are able to bounce or soften that light, it can work very well.  If you only have a pop up flash like I do, don’t despair!  You can make that work too.

Here’s an experiment that I did, using a piece of white cardstock propped in front of the flash to diffuse it.

Even with my ISO set to 3200, f stop at 2.8 and 1/50 second shutter speed, the photo was underexposed and beginning to look a bit grainy without flash.  Using my pop up flash created washed out colors and harsh shadows, but when I diffused the flash by holding my paper in front of it I got much softer and even lighting!   I was amazed at what a difference it made!

::: Cluttered backgrounds :::

Another challenge facing indoor photography is that there is often a lot going on in the background. I think that context to a photo is a good thing, but seeing all the dirty dishes and strewn toys can distract from the subject of the photo!

1. clean up :)

Here’s where you can use your photography hobby to motivate your housework!  When you look through your viewfinder, remember to notice what is in the backdrop and whether there are distracting object that can easily be remove.

2. zoom in

Cropping your photo closer to the subject can cut out distracting elements.

3. find a different angle

Often simply moving to another position will totally change what you see behind your subject.

In this photo, the background has a lot going on, when I stood on a chair and zoomed in just a bit, I got a much more neutral background, placing the focus squarely on Isaac and Sammy, the way I wanted it.

4. Photoshop it

Sometimes there will be a simple little something in the background that is easily removed in post processing with the clone tool in Photoshop.   I’ve also been known to change the color of a bright object in the background to help it blend in better!  While this is not my first choice of fixes, I don’t think you have to feel guilty about doing it, if it makes you happier with your photo.

::: Color :::

With the variety of lighting that we find indoors, weird coloring is often an issue.  If you see that your color is funky, play with your camera’s white balance.  Often, one of the white balance presets will improve your color.  Some DSLR cameras allow you to manually change the Kelvin color value.  See Beckie’s post for more details on that.

I hope that these tips can be helpful and that you’ve been inspired with me to improve your indoor photography!  Thanks for reading along and feel free to leave me your own tips in the comments.

SP will be here tomorrow with a Project Scrap check-in!

RosyPhotography, Uncategorized 10 Comments

Hey Guys :o)  SP here today with a  QUICK-ish post to let ya know about all of our ‘new stuff’! Before I go on though…if you aren’t on our newsletter list – you will definitely want to check it out HERE, as it is FULL of inspiration, information, photos and more :o)  But, keep in mind that it is about 10megs…so it will take a little while to load!  The link I just shared is to VIEW the newsletter online – if you would rather download the zip file of the pdf – CLICK HERE :o)

So, first and foremost…super excited to say that we just started our second site-wide SALE of the year :o)  We only offer these twice a year (once around the Shoppe’s birthday which is May-ish, lol…and once toward the end of the year/holiday season)…and here we are!

Next…I just had to tell you that we just added a bunch of BRAND NEW PRODUCTS to the shoppe!  We have been so super busy here and hope you like all of the goodies :o) The Shabby Artists have really rocked the inspiration – which you can see in the NEWSLETTER and in the product pages (and of course, the gallery)!

And, finally (and perhaps, best of all, lol) – we have a FREE GIFT with all $10 purchases :o)  Our Fa La La brag book is beyond adorable…and right now – only available as a free with purchase item (you will be able to purchase it individually after November 21st, for $4.95).

I think that will do it for me today :o) I do so sincerely hope you guys enjoy all of our new products, the sale, the gift with $10 purchase…and the newsletter!  We are now looking forward to some time off during the holiday season…to spend with family and friends!  So, while this will be our FINAL new product release of 2012…we are so excited to get right back to it in January, 2013…already so many kit and product ideas rolling around in my tired head, LOL! Thanks EVERYONE…XOXO — SP :o)

Shabby PrincessShoppe News, Uncategorized 2 Comments

Greetings Digi Scrappers!  Emily here for my first ever Shabby Princess blog post!  What a thrill!  I hope you are having a marvelous Monday!  I would love to make it more marvelous by announcing our latest Layout of the Week winner!  It was pure joy to browse through the gallery this past week looking at everyone’s layout treasures!  Pure bliss…that is until I had to choose just one to feature! LOL!  Well, here it goes…Join me in honoring rache77 and her gorgeous layout, Happiness is…

Her beautiful layout is stunning in its simplicity, but I honestly get lost looking at all the perfectly placed layers!  I am so proud of her for trying out Lego’s stamping technique and for doing such a gorgeous job bringing it to life in this layout.  The photograph is expertly framed by the wonderful paper layers, the brushed background and the dynamite stitching!  I get giddy looking at each small detail, from the stapled hearts to the font choices for her title. LOVE!  Share some love by commenting below on this stellar layout!

Congratulations rache77 on being chosen for LOTW!  Please check your email (don’t forget to check your spam folder) for your $10 Shabby Shoppe gift card.  Happy Shoppe-ing!!

Thanks again to everyone who uploaded to the gallery this week.  You made my first post here…

So. Much. Fun!!

BE SURE to check back tomorrow when Shabby Princess shares some new goodies!

EmilyLayout of the Week, Uncategorized 8 Comments