Finished a week on a little high

With redundancy looming (a casualty of an economic down turn), BB has to start all over again and we've decided for him to go out on his own. We have been looking forward to this day all week for Brian as he would be picking up his new van, although at a cost of us losing our family car last week. We had only just cleaned and photographed it last Monday on Labour Day & listed on TradeMe that same day, then sold 2 days later. I didn't even get a chance to take my team mates to interclub in it! Never mind - needs must, at least BB is now on the road , next we'll have to organise sign writing for his van. We've come up with Prime Glass, it has a good feel to it don't you think? Strong and to the point!

My scrapping mojo is somewhat slow at the moment so just a QP, but don't these two look CUTE!

Credits : QP by merepoule kit BIRDY TREE, It's my party alpha, Marydale font

It's late

It's late & I'm finishing a double page Layout that has taken me 2 weeks to complete, but it's done! It has been a crap day weather wise, extremely windy and wet, yet BB and I managed to get a few things tidied and taken to the tip. Had a great session with the girls at the squash club and we all played better and harder than normal, hopefully it has paid of the next time we come up against our next and final opponents. We'll see.

Credits: SimplyYin template #71, sorry have misplaced papers & alpha credits :(

Happy Halloween to y'all!

Not too much of a big thing here in NZ, but if Steve & Jade were here I'm sure we'd have a big party like last year. Speaking of the happy couple they are now back in San Diego for their wedding on Halloween, good luck you guys - have a HaUnTiNgLy good time!

So in keeping with the Halloween theme, here is my 1st CT layout for SgD using current products available at ScrapbooksGoneDigital.

This layout was created using the following SgD Club Products:
SgD Photoshop Layer Template # T0026 SgD Halloween Elements SgD Halloween Overlay

I'm on the SgD Creative Team

How exciting is this, I applied and got accepted to a CT call at ScrapbooksGoneDigital! I'm really enjoying this community as they are so GIMP friendly, so it was only natural to sign up there. It's early days so am already having my thinking cap on for my monthly requirements, so watch this space.

It's Labour Day here in NZ, but my poor hubby was out working till late afternoon. So had a nice day out with CJ visiting my Mum. Hope you had a fab day yourselves too.

CJs birthday photos finally GIMPed

Another week has passed since CJs birthday and I finally got around to scrapping these surprise photos of him. He's not to happy about them, but as I pointed out, the focus of the lo is not on his surprise faces - though the expression is priceless! As a SgD deadline was looming (today) and I had expressed an interest, I killed 2 birdies & scrapped the photos for the challenge. I feel like I'm loosing my digiscrap mojo, things are slowly moving in my hubby's new business and I am helping him out a lot. So only leaves stolen moments here and there, like right now in bed with laptop on my lap ;)

Credits: KHartley StinkerGreen Alpha (recoloured), Coralee Evans Wild button, Nicolina GonnaBeARockStar papers, LDD VintageRetroDreams paper

GIMP Digiscrapping Tutorial - "Creating a Sticker WordArt in Gimp"

Are you ready to give this next tut a go? Well, this is my version of creating a simple WordArt anyway...



Create a text layer for each WordArt line.
In this example I have "Cherish" & "every moment" using 2 layers and different font for each.
Select Elliptical select Tool (E) and with "Cherish" text layer selected, create an elliptical selection larger than "Cherish" text.


























Create New Transparent layer below "Cherish" text layer, and fill with White Background colour.















Select "every moment" text layer, do Alpha to Selection, Select > Grow & grow selection by 14 px.

























Create New Transparent layer below "every moment" text layer, and fill with White Background colour (Ctrl+.).


























Now move your 2 newly created white filled layers together below the text layers and Merge down together.

We will now try and create a slight sticker lifting/curling using the Gradient tool to mimick shadowing.

• Select last merged layer, do Alpha to Selection, select Free Select Tool (F) with Intersect Mode selected, and click selection points around the area where you want to have your gradient shadow & finish by clicking your first selection point to end the selection.
• With Blend Tool selected (L), this will fill your selection with a gradient colour, pick a grey Foreground colour, Blend Mode = Normal, Opacity to your liking, Gradient set to FG to BG, shape = Linear.
• Click & drag your mouse at an angle where you want the curling shadow to go from grey to white.

Repeat above bullet point instructions where curling shadow is required.
































Finish by applying layer shadow.

From In my Digi GIMP world

Happy 12th birthday CJ

Oh the surprise on your face was priceless yesterday after school when you received your presents a day earlier. Well, there was no point in leaving it till Thursday with early morning school routine and you going to your Dad's in the evening. We hid your present at Lynn's these last few weeks after BB spotted this bike for you for sale. Your Dad and grandparents got your helmet and with the 2 dirt bikes now you guys can ride together. We quized you later what you thought you were getting for your birthday and said a trampoline as BB had mowed the lawns in Corey's area, so it was great to see you had no idea at all that a dirt bike was coming. A quick change later & BB showed you the ropes across the road from us and away you went. You handled the bike very well and stayed on when you did your 1st wheelie and managed to stay on! Not the case when later you picked up too much speed going up hill and not keeping your weight forward, but you did the right thing and jumped clear of the bike. As BB put it, these bikes are made for off road and spills! Your cousin Hamish dropped by on way home from school as he spotted us along the road. He too has a dirt bike so I can only imagine the fun you'll have together later on when you get better.

Won't be long now when you get the hang of the clutch and can kick start the bike yourself, well there is always the weekend now for practising...

Piñata dramas

I finally got started on CJ's birthday piñata on my day off on Friday. The day started of well with CJ & I of early to the shops to buy the goodies. Several shops later, we made it home to start a productive afternoon. CJ picked a big smiley face as the theme while searching numerous images until he spotted the perfect looking face, then he set off to blow me the balloon while I got onto making the flour paste. That was until I said to blow it bigger due to small size & then it popped! Darn cheap crap, turned out to be small balloons. So had to dash of to the shops again for better ones, grumble - grumble….

Got back, this time with helium quality big balloons and with DS's help the paper mache-ing finally started mid-afternoon. From memory, I think we got 2 layers done that day.

Saturday proofed to be such a stunner of a day, got another layer done before BB and I went of to the Hutt to pick up free tickets to 'Abba Mania' from sister in-law's place and yummy curry lunch while out. We got back and I applied layer 4 and thought to speed up the process, would leave the piñata in the car to dry out while it was parked in the sun. I toddled of to help BB with the grass clippings, checked 2 times for dryness and thought to leave it a little bit longer. 10 Minutes passed and I checked up on piñata, by which time it had badly EXPLODED with 3 major rips. I could have cried! In the heat of the car, the balloon under the multiple layers had expanded until the paper mache could no longer resist the pressure. GREAT! Don't really have time to start all over again, so did the last choc & lollies shop, filled the badly ripped piñata with all the goodies and taped up as best as I could the rips and continued paper mache-ing. It doesn't look to bad now. A few more layers and I'll be finished, ready for painting. What a drama...

GIMP Digiscrapping Tutorial - "Lets Grunge some Title Text in Gimp"

There are endless amount of grunge brushes available, just do a google search on "Photoshop free grunge brushes", use the following site http://hawksmont.com/blog/gimp-how-to-add-brushes/ to help you with installing/adding Photoshop/GIMP brushes in GIMP. It has been a lifesaver for me in the past.

So here we go, this is what my tutorial is all about... Please leave a comment to let me know what you think.


Type your title in a wide font, I choose Braggadocio.
Select Eraser tool, from Brush selector pick a grungy type brush, set Opacity <= 80, Set Scale to a size so that the brush you use looks smaller than the font.


















Ensure your title layer is selected, click & drag your mouse over the text and see the title getting 'grunged'.
































Continue erasing/grunging all letters of your title.
Change your Foreground colour of your choice, select Alpha to Selection, and fill with ForeGround colour (Ctrl+,), Select None (Shift+Ctrl+A).
And you are done.

























Credits: Automnal Sweetness QP by Choukette

GIMP 2.6.0 is Here!

Yip, am late back from squash & too hyped up to find my pillow. We had a home game and I had a good win. Brian reckons I am too serious on court, that might be so but if I concentrate and block everything out I tend to do much better. That might come across as serious, I just leave the socializing till afterwards. It was a 2-2 draw, team Northern just won by a winning game, never mind girls - still a good effort.

Found out a couple of days ago that there was a new version out of gimp. So thought to bite the bullet and go all the way from 2.4.2 to 2.6.0 and it has been smooth sailing so far. Have had no probs with installing my old brushes and it looks it still recognizes my stash of scripts, so fingers crossed I took the leap of faith and went with something very basic a QP with just some added text and a play with brushes. I haven't as yet caught up with all the latest release notes but it sure looks a beauty so far. Find the release notes here http://gimp.org/release-notes/gimp-2.6.html and the latest download here http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html. Thanks Nikkiana...

Credits: Automnal Sweetness QP by Choukette

I won a kit - Yippee

How cool is this, I entered my "Are we there yet?" layout see my Another squash weekend has started post in a Travel challenge at ScrapbooksGoneDigital and found out today I had won. I got my confirmation email from Vanessa this morning, many thanx Scrapness. So far I have managed to download the 1st part of the kit, unfortunately our download speed is veeeeeeeeeeeery sloooooooooooooow! So will have to pick my times I think, never mind. Should be fun pulling out last year's Halloween party photos, and create using my winnings. No Halloween party this year as Steve and Jade are getting married back in San Diego on Halloween, how cool is that!

Credits: Huge Halloween kit at ScrapbooksGoneDigital

Mo GIMPed in pink

Just completed my very own girlie page and just love how the shades of pinks have turned out. I got my hands on a whole stack of baby & childhood photos from Mum's a few weekends ago and have been busily creating lo for my up coming 40th next year - moan groan. I won't be publishing them all here, so if you are curious you'll just have to come and celebrate with me ;)! So far have done 4 so am really motoring along and it is sure neat to share those old pics with BB & CJ.

Credits: Bouille Template8, Inspired Papers & Elements by Ami Collofello at PixelGypsyDesigns, SoftPlum feather by Fryske, Glassy Alpha by K Aagard at http://digidelights.blogspot.com

GIMP Digiscrapping Tutorial - "How to use Photo Masks in Gimp"

Here is another instalment of a Gimp Digiscrapping tutorial covering the usage of photo masks. This question was posted at ScrapbooksGoneDigital, so have created some screenshots with instructions.

Open your GIMP scrap layout:

From Blogger Pictures

Next open your Mask .png file in a separate window, keeping your GIMP scrap layout also open:

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

See my In training post for the finished LO.

Happy Gimp photo masking everyone

Credits: photomask freebie by Kristin Skjæringrud at http://www.scrapwithtemplates.com/

Another squash weekend has started

This week it is our senior club champs, and BB had his 1st game tonight. But I was sure that he told me a few nights ago that I was Thursday and he was Friday. So I took my gear down just in case, but it wasn't required as all the ladies games are all starting on Friday night. The ladies draw is a bit dissapointing with only 5 entries, but oh well I'll should have a good second match. As per usual, I have Gemz for my first match, maybe she'll go easy on me, but probably not! BB didn't have a win, but he won the first game. We didn't stay late at all at the club as we were expecting Kim & Stacey to arrive with Tess who is staying this weekend as the Grieve's will be away, K's present to G. We have hyped up Corey without trying to give away Tess' name. Both dogs will get a good workout entertaining each other this way - hehe.

Wanted to scrap these road trip photos from last year for a travel challenge I'll enter at ScrapbooksGoneDigital. Not so much a destination layout, but I do like how this one has turned out. Including the blended photo of me driving the Mazda.

Credits: LDD VintageDreams-Retro papers & alpha, Date-Bit by Misty Cato, doodle by Fryske, Elegant WordArt by Bethany

No, no, NO - ski weekend photos lost, BUGGER!

I have tried and tried, but the ski photos that were sitting on Brian's camera for some reason can't download. It keeps wanting to reformat the card in either re-play or shoot mode. Had some nice shots when we were on the slopes and inside the Snowflake cafe while sipping our hot chocolates. So only have these cafe scene ones while lunching with the Wins in Ohakune.

Correction: Lynn spotted a spelling mistake on my coffee prayer on lo1, so have corrected and re-uploaded. Thanks Lynn for spotting and letting me know.

Credits: LDD VintageDreams-Retro papers & elements, Vicki's A work in progress AcrylicAlpha, Template14 by Jillian Zwick of J.Z. Designs, flower, brad * chickenwire "Believe In" by Fryske.

Screenshots for GIMP create pencil lined (Highpass) tutorial post

Here are screenshots for my previous post...

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

From Blogger Pictures

From Butt-kins Web Pages

Credits: Little Dreamer Designs "VintageDreams Retro" paper

GIMP Digiscrapping Tutorial - "Create pencil lined like drawing in Gimp"

The following is a pretty cool technique to use on your photos and Scrapness over at ScrapbooksGoneDigital asked me how I did this, so here are the instructions.

Start with just a single photo and perform the following instructions:
* duplicate photo layer - apply the following to the copy of photo
* Colors > Invert
* Image > Mode > Grayscale
* set the blending to colour dodge (don't worry if your layer goes all white, the next instruction will reveal all )
* Filter > Blur > Gaussian blur - about 50 radius setting
* Image > mode > RGB and merge layer with 1st original photo layer
* now add just merged photo to your layout page and set blending to overlay (I used multiple) Happy scrapping

Credits: Meadow kit by Rainbow, heart messystamper by Misty Mareda, chicken wire, tied bow "Believe in" kit by Fryske, dymo font

This is {Me} too

Feeling a bit shattered today, but can't put my finger on the cause. Will try and have an early night tonight and see if that makes a difference. BB and I are having an early dinner out with his family tonight, my suggestion as we didn't get a chance to see them on Sunday, so a night off cooking mid-week is a bit of a treat.

Have just completed this lo for a challenge over at ScrapbooksGoneDigital I am currently participating in called "Introduce yourself Challenge" and was looking for an appropriate photo of moi, when I came across this action shot. I am rather pleased the way it turned out and have included some minimal facts about myself.

Credits: Optimism Template, dotted paper & alpha "Love in Paris" by Kristin Aagard at http://www.digidelights.blogspot.com
UrbanJungle paper & elements by Coralee Evans aka MzCora