Blame It On The Cross Stitch

Oh dear, I haven't blogged or scrapped for ages - and it's all because of a clearout last month. I found a cross stitch kit that I've been working on from time to time over the past twelve years(!!) and decided that I just had to finish it - so everything else got cast aside. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy cross stitch and have really got the bug again now.

So, at last I've finished it - 12 years worth of work - darah -----

Now I just need to decide what to do with it now it's completed.

I've also started another piece - yes I really have got the bug at the moment. As you can see below I've got a bit more work to do on this before it will be done (ten years??).

Heart Frames Freebie

Last chance for hearts before Valentine's Day, so I thought I'd make some Heart Frames as a freebie. There are two gold frames, two silver and one .... ah, well the last one's a surprise and you'll have to download it to find out what it is, but hopefully it will make you smile! You can find my freebie at the bottom of this post.

Now, onto my weekly top ten list. These are my very favourite freebies from the past week and I'd like to say a huge thank you to all the designers. Some are on short term freebie download, so don't delay if you like them too.

http://digitreats.typepad.com/creativeteam/2008/02/jump-abc-kit--.html

http://girls-are-rockin-for-nina.blogspot.com/2008/02/what-you-can-do-with-ninas-designs.html

http://justpassinthru.wordpress.com/2008/02/09/purple-paper-clips/ http://miradesigns.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html#2154748559888481664



http://ledigidechoukette.blogspot.com/2008/02/pack-10-papiers.html
http://zeitfuermich.blogspot.com/2008/02/flowerpaper-als-kleines-freebie.html

http://lgperspectives.blogspot.com/2008/02/large-new-paper-pack.html
http://petitesymphonie.free.fr/creations/freebies.html

http://karaperriendesigns.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-freebie.html
http://digiscraphawra.blogspot.com/2008/02/fancy-valentine-freebie.html

Heart Frames Freebie

And lastly, here is my freebie for today. Do please leave a comment if you download - especially if you like the surprise (but don't give it away)!!

You can download it here.

Heart Brads Freebie

Goodness, where has the time gone. No time to catch up in December as I was having a huge panic about not being ready for Christmas, then I guess it took all of January to recover!! I must try a bit harder to keep up now.

Below, I have included my ten favourite freebies for this week. Thanks to everyone who created them - I love them all and hope you will too. One or two are on short term freebie download, so if you like them grab them quick before they disappear. I've also included a new freebie from me for your Valentine's Day scrapping. The set comprises five silver-edged Heart Brads, all with plaid designing just to look a little different. As usual, if you download them, I'd appreciate a comment left here.

So, first of all, here are the 'Best Of The Week' winners:

http://3gboom.blogspot.com/

http://atodds.blogspot.com/2008/01/liquid-metals-in-moody-reds.html

http://digitizedcreations.blogspot.com/2008/01/freebie-and-new-releases.html

http://elisasbits.blogspot.com/2008/01/fairylicious-and-serious-note.html

http://nbk-nicnic.blogspot.com/2008/01/yeah.html

http://verunablog.webgarden.cz/homepage-2/frame-denim-stars.html

http://passionfraisinette.blogspot.com/

http://fmscraps.blogspot.com/2008/01/freebie_29.html

http://lisa-2006-lisa.blogspot.com/2008/02/animal-friends.html

http://scrapdoll.canalblog.com/archives/kit_freebie_en_commun/index.html

And finally my freebie for today, Heart Brad Elements - remember to add some drop shadows when you use them. You can download it here.

My Favourite Freebies

Time for my favourite freebies again. I have hunted through literally hundreds of freebies this week and these are the 10 freebies I have most appreciated (and which are still available to download - it's a shame some people make their freebies only available for a day or two). I hope you like them too.

http://sita77.blogspot.com/2007/11/tak-mm-takov-dilema-jestli-sthnout-pr.html

http://www.sleepeydesigns.co.uk/autumnspice.html

http://digiscrapneka.blogspot.com/2007/11/cenov-minikit.html
http://scrapstewsue.blogspot.com/2007/11/freebie-wire-snowflake-frame-pink-topaz.html

http://lynns-scrap-attic.blogspot.com/2007/11/new-kit-and-freebee-for-you.html

http://sjwrightcreations.blogspot.com/2007/11/purple-rain-paper-pack-1.html

http://adeyeo.blogspot.com/2007/11/some-butterflies-flowers-overlay-for.html

http://derekmdesign.blogspot.com/2007/12/on-night-in-bethlehem-mega.html

http://www.happy-scrap.com/categorie-10118035.html
http://catstation.net/scrappycats/blog/?p=205

FunTime

A new dimension to my blog from today - I've opened a BlogShop!

No, please don't think I've given up on freebies already - certainly not. But it costs a lot to buy commercial use resources, so ... I will make digiscrapping kits, some free, some not in the hope that you lovely scrappers will buy from this store, so that I can afford to buy more commercial resources and make more freebies!!

Today I've got my first store kit complete with a matching freebie of course - I hope you like them. Look out too at the weekend for my Weekly Top Ten Freebies review - if you only download a few scrapping supplies a week, these are the ones to get.

Today's kit is called FunTime.

First the papers:

and two sets of elements:

In all you get

• 8 papers


• 6 frames


• 3 journalling balloons


• 5 butterflies


• 3 flowers


• 4 paperclips


• 4 ricrac ribbons


• 4 corners


• and 3 tags.

The price of the complete Funtime kit is £1.50

I also have a matching freebie for you, Funtime Extra. If you buy the kit, don't forget to download the freebie too.

You can download FunTime Extra here.

My Favourite Freebies

Here are my Favourite Freebies for this week. Thank you to everyone who has been so generous with these postings - it wasn't until I started designing digiscrapping kits that I realised just how time consuming it can be.

http://pamleforsdesigns.blogspot.com/2007/11/two-free-holiday-paper-packs.html

http://www.myscrapworks.com/mswdigi/?p=200

http://toutunscrap.blogspot.com/2007/11/rose-tendre.html

http://www.scrap-shop.fr/infos.php?lang=1&info=117

http://www.pbrickscrap.blogspot.com/

http://noctismediusdesigns.blogspot.com/2007/11/be-thankful-freebie.html

http://scrappybluestones.blogspot.com/2007/11/bollywood-kit-once-again.html

http://sugarinkstudio.blogspot.com/2007/11/gift-of-love-first-kit-for-sale-sampler.html

http://bonscrapatitdesigns.blogspot.com/2007/11/happy-fantabulous-freebie-friday-yall_23.html#links

http://www.kleopatra-scrap.de/freebie_engl.htm

Midnight Again

Here's the Midnight kit in action. I love the template, an (unfortunately now expired) freebie from Scrap Andrea - thanks for this Andrea it's a great template.

The layout is called 'Catriona's Party'.

Midnight

I meant to post this a few days ago, but I've just been too busy this week - so at last I'm back. The theme tonight is Midnight, so here are a few greeting cards on that theme. The cards can be personalised inside and out, so it's a perfect way to get a totally individual card that I guarantee you will be delighted with!



The first is Mangrove and Moon - not quite midnight, but it's just beautiful and I love the colours in this card.

Now onto deepest night with Moonlit Seranade:

And finally, here's one of my favourite cards. It's called Nightfall, is really unusual and just perfect for any friend who always wears black!

You can see all of the cards in much more detail at the
www.CardsAtYourFingertips.co.uk website. Just click on any of the images above.

This brings me to tonight's digiscrapping freebie 'Midnight'. If you like it, please leave me a comment. If you download it, how about making a little donation to the BBC's Children In Need Appeal. If lots of us just give a little, many, many children's lives can be made better. You can find out about Children In Need at the BBC Children In Need website at http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/.

And you can download Midnight here.

Silver Frames

I have used Photoshop for a long time as a photographer, and used to think I was quite an advanced user - that was before I discovered DigiScrapping. Now I'm finding a whole new set of tools that I never even realised existed - and have opened my eyes to brushes, patterns, custom shapes and layer styles. I feel like a kid with a new toy!! The great thing is, just as in the digi scrapping world, there are many, many freebies out there to help with Photoshop designing. Tutorials abound and there are some wonderful sites offering free brushes and layer styles. You'll see I've started a Top Ten Design Resources Sites list - not quite got to ten yet, but if you know of any others worth adding, please do let me know.

With my last freebie, I included a little silver frame. I so much enjoyed making it, that I've made a whole freebie set of silver frames today. There are four frames included and a background paper to show them off.

I've now realised that I shouldn't be including drop shadows in my designs. If you are new to digiscrapping, please do remember to add these in though to suit you layout. The elements do look so much better with some shadowing included, but by doing it this way, you get to choose the depth of shadow and what colour the shadow will be (a darker shade of your background paper is usually better than the standard black).

You can download the kit here.

Please leave some comments if you download. Half the fun is getting some feedback!

The Lilac Tree

Thank you to everyone who sent me nice comments on my first blog entry. Very sad, I know, but it's been exciting watching how many hits the site has had and how many people have downloaded my scrapbooking freebie!

Today, I'm feeling in a purple, glittery mood :-) so I've added some examples of purpley (is that a word?) cards below. You can still get a 25% discount at http://www.cardsatyourfingertips.co.uk/. Just enter the coupon code SFSCRAPS at the checkout and your discount will be applied. This will only be available until 4th November.

All of the cards at Cards At Your Fingertips can be personalised at no extra cost. You can choose the greeting on the front of the card and any message you would like printed inside.

And now for my purpley freebie - The Lilac Tree. I've included a few glitter papers and a very expensive silver frame (well, it would be if it was real!). I hope you enjoy this download. It's for personal use only and I would love to see any layouts you create using any part of the kit.

You can download it here

Hello - my first ever blog entry - I wonder if anyone will actually read it!!

I'm going to use this blog partly to showcase my web site www.CardsAtYourFingertips.co.uk/. You'll find some fabulous greeting cards there and each one can be personalised with your own greeting on the front and your message inside too. I do hope you'll pop over and take a look! You can see some examples on the slide show at the side.

We've also just launched our new Christmas Card section - so if you're looking for great value, original, personalised cards, Cards At Your Fingertips is the place to go. There are some examples below. If you like the cards, now's the time to purchase early for Christmas - and to celebrate my first ever blogging entry I'd like to offer a special 25% discount on all cards. Simply enter the coupon code SFSCRAPS at the checkout and your discount will be applied. This will only be available for 1 week, until 4th November.

Okay, I know, the blog's titled SF Scraps so where's the scrapbooking??

I've only recently discovered digital scrapbooking and I just can't get enough of it. I've downloaded so many freebie papers and kits that my computer is now bursting at the seams. I'd like to say a huge public thank you to Susan from Raspberry Road Designs. Her daily download designs are absolutely inspirational. I can't guarantee to have a digital scrapbooking freebie ready for you every day like she does, but I'll try my best to make it as often as possible.

So here's the first, it's called Arctic Blue and you can download it here.

It's for personal use only and I'd be delighted to see, and include on the blog, any layouts you make using this little kit. All comments will be most welcome.