He is my best gift from God. He is my greatest treasure. He is my home. (Uhm… along with our five home-lets 
).
From me and “my home” (and Adele) to you and yours – may today be filled with abundant love and laughter in a very special way!
Whenever I’m alone with you
You make me feel like I am home again …
Whatever words I say
I will always love you
Happy Valentine’s Day, my sweeties!
When you think of regrets–that is, if you have any–what is the first thing that comes to mind? Love (unrequited, lost, or still unknown)? Words (spoken or left unspoken)? Decisions (made hastily or not made early enough or not made at all)?
In case you’re wondering why I’m suddenly wondering about this, you can put the blame on WordPress’s Photo Challenge for the Week (I say this tongue in cheek, of course 
).
The theme, no surprises here, is Regret… and I have to admit it was kind of difficult to think of a way to interpret regret visually (especially since I don’t really make a habit of whipping out my camera and capturing someone caught in a moment of remorse… it somehow feels too invasive, if you know what I mean).
Also, I must confess to a certain discomfort with clicking the shutter and freezing a moment loaded with sorrow (for doesn’t regret always bring sorrow along in its wake?). While I do think that most, if not all, of us have had at least one regret, huge or miniscule, in this life, I also personally believe that these pangs of grief must be long in wisdom and short in memory. In other words (yes, the very ones which I often use to counsel my sons), learn the lesson that pain brings in its wake then move on. Perhaps that’s a natural offshoot of my firm belief that negativity and wallowing in gloom are a waste of energy.
Which, I hope, explains my interpretation of this week’s challenge:
And here’s a song (from the new, proudly Filipino-made musical: The Ateneo-La Salle Rivalry) that demonstrates how it is possible to go through regret and pain and still come out of it full of hope and optimism.
PS. I just saw Mamma Mia with the hubs and our two older boys yesterday, and we enjoyed it a lot (was especially thrilled when the stage actress performing the role of Donna said “Mabuhay, Manila!” during the encore <heehee> ). Next on the “Want to Watch” list is this musical for which the song above was written and composed.
For my friends who are not from this side of the world, Ateneo (de Manila) and La Salle are two of the all-boys schools that are institutions almost as old as the mountains and seas of this country. I don’t know too many people who cannot claim a connection to either one of the schools, often even both, either from generations past or present. To wit: my dad studied at the Ateneo for grade school and high school then went to De La Salle for university. My brothers went to La Salle for grade school and high school. Two of my sisters went to Ateneo for university. My husband (and his brothers) went to the Ateneo. My two older sons are Ateneans. I have a niece at the Ateneo university and another niece at De La Salle. And that’s just family… the list goes on and on. See what I mean? Haha!
So the Ateneo-La Salle connection is truly something that many in my country can relate to. I certainly can and am thinking that seeing this musical is very much a “must.” After watching “The Making of Rivalry” my interest in seeing the musical grew even greater! Here it is:
Have a happy week ahead filled with loads of happiness, wonderful music, and absolutely no regrets!
It’s that kind of day. The kind that makes you want to slap your palm on your forehead. The kind that makes you think, “How could I have fallen for that… again?” The kind that magnifies the volume of that incessant chant in your ear that goes, “Silly, silly you. Silly, silly you. Silly, silly you.”
I keep saying Yes when I should say No. I keep giving in when I shouldn’t. I keep giving my all when I’ve had that gift handed back in my face without a backward glance.
It’s that kind of moment. When you know you shouldn’t have. When you tell yourself, “We’ve been down this alley before; what were you thinking?” When you know that you’ve been taken for a ride yet again, but have no one to blame but yourself for getting into that rocking boat with your own two feet.
I wonder why I bother. I wonder why, even with a history of the absence of gratitude, I set aside perfectly legitimate reasons for not helping out and yet again expend time, effort and sacrifice to do “just this one last favor, please?” I wonder where I can buy the courage to just put two letters together to form one word: N. O.
It’s that kind of sudden realization. The dawn of insight tearing its way through the hazy gloom. The emergence of sunlight pushing its rays through thinning grey clouds. The relief of that first gulp of breath after having flailed under water for a minute more than you thought you would.
I realize it’s okay. That it’s never a mistake to keep giving, even when it seems your gift isn’t valued. That you may feel like a real schmuck and a total dodo for doing a perfect imitation of a doormat, but at the end of the day, you are better for having given than for not having given at all. And that what has been often said before is really true: what doesn’t break you will only make you stronger.
It’s that kind of freedom. The kind that makes you lift your chin up and break out the biggest smile you can muster. The kind that brings back the bounce in your step. The kind that brings you quiet comfort in the knowledge that you aren’t less for having given more.
Oh yes. No. You aren’t less for having given more.
NOTE:
I must confess to vacillating quite a bit before hitting the Publish button on this post, because this is a far cry from usual posts that I make. I am (and take pride in being) a voraciously cheerful person, always ready to spread sunshine and hugs and feel-good vibes wherever I go. This post isn’t that kind of sunshine-y usual post. But it’s where I am right now, right where the Just Write challenge HERE has found me. And I figured, hey, real life doesn’t get more real than this: there are a kajillion ups in my life and I am grateful for all of them, but yes, I do have some downs too (thank heavens, not too many of those) – and I am just as grateful for them. Because, really, without the black, where can one get perspective for seeing the white? Right?
So here’s today’s version of Real Life, my friends. I hope it sits well with you, even if it isn’t the “usual serving” on my blog plate.
To find out more about Just Write, which is a fabulous way to get your thoughts written out in the right here and right now, go visit The Extraordinary Ordinary here.
In 1991, much of the world was not aware of the existence of Mt. Pinatubo. I’m guessing that, and much of my guess is based on the fact that even I didn’t know of its existence before then… and I’m probably closer to it than much of the world.
After June 1991, the world couldn’t help but get acquainted with this heretofore-unknown volcano, who made its existence known in quite a nasty in-your-face kind of way. The effects of its eruption were felt worldwide, with ashfall that not only darkened our skies and covered the windshields of our cars like thick muddy snow but also reached as far as the neighboring countries of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia.
Because Typhoon Yunya decided to wreak havoc at the same time, lahar flows were copious. Lahar, an Indonesian word that describes volcanic mudflows or debris flows, has the consistency, viscosity and approximately the same density of concrete: fluid when moving, then solid when stopped. (Thank you, Wikipedia). Successive rains that are so common in these islands did nothing to alleviate the massive lahar problems (think mudflow-floods, houses buried to the rooftops, destruction of agriculture and once-green lands suddenly grey and dismal as far as the eye could see).
But the Filipino takes pride in being hopeful, in standing straight, undaunted by whatever trials and misfortunes are thrown our way (and that, often accomplished with jokes and smiles, however incongruous they may seem to be). Little wonder then that my people eventually found a way to create stuff made of lahar – bathing “stones,” decorative figurines, export-quality photo frames, even a PC-casing according to a google search.
Now isn’t that just a beautiful demonstration of how hope can bring good out of disaster?
While driving through lahar-ravaged lands, I happened to spot a tiny patch of grass sprouting from what used to be just sprawling acres of grey sandy land. Ah, yes, hope springs eternal… literally.
Which brings us to my contribution to the WordPress Photo of the Week Challenge, with the theme HOPE :
And because children are always symbols of the beauty of hope, here’s a little child-inspired music to fill your day with happy hope!
because they flutter and
they fall
halfway before they jerk back open again
these lids
that not even two cups of caffeine
black, no sugar, no creamer
can keep up
it would be a terrible waste
of daylight
an embarrassing insult
to the tick and tock of the clock
and a delicious but costly indulgence
one i can hardly afford
if i should rest my head a while
and allow these droopy lids some respite
when the boy is watching cartoon network
and might need me to check out how cool
that exploding banana is
when his brothers are about to arrive home
with the day’s load of homework
and oh there’s the appointment for the three of them
in a little bit
with the eye doctor
the eye doctor!
maybe i should ask him
for some magic tricks
or at the very least, a couple of toothpicks
to do the job
of keeping these eyelids
wide
o p e n.
NOTE:
While gallivanting about the net’s highways and byways, I happened to stumble on this post on Muted Palette, which then led me to this post on The Extraordinary Ordinary (hello, i love that someone else puts those two words together!), both of which called out to the sleepy writing-muse in me. I figured it was time she woke up. So here’s my first Just Write post. (Seriously. Like I needed more things on my plate, right? haha.)
Thanks for suffering through this indulgence of mine. Care to join me and Just Write? HERE is how it works.
Twelve for twenty-twelve.
Twelve plans for the new year.
Do you have plans? Resolutions? Dreams you want to turn into reality this year? Why don’t we share? I’ll tell you yours and you tell me mine, and that way we can keep a friendly eye on each other (perhaps even whisper a gentle reminder in each other’s ear in case either of us comes in danger of flaking off on one or two). Sounds good?
I’ll start. Here are my 12 for 2012:
1. Prioritize prayer.
Too often, too many things fill up the day, like different ties clamped onto my body pulling me in this and that direction… and all of these things I have to do every single day matter not one bit, and all of those points on the To-Do List will not be as successful as they could be, if I don’t stop to spend some time in conversation with Him who gave me my life. This fact is not easy to remember, especially on the busiest of days: I know that by experience. It is a struggle. But a sweet one, and one that I want to apply all my energy to, because He comes first, after all.
2. Send a newsletter every month.
Just because I love ya and would love to keep in touch with you more often. And maybe pester you in your inbox. 
Nah, seriously. I would love to be able to share more, and I see my newsletter as a way of achieving that goal… with the side benefit of staying in touch with updates that might not find themselves into a blogpost. Also, I love learning a new thing everyday, so it was a total thrill to learn how to create sign-up forms and set up a whole newsletter system! Took me more than 24 hours — close to 48, actually — to set the whole thing up, but it was an awesome experience learning it!
And so do check out the right sidebar, right over there –> and DO sign up! You know you want to…
Or if you visit my Facebook page HERE, you’ll find it on the left sidebar too.
Now why would you want me popping into your inbox? Uhm… cos you love me? Seriously, though, I’m planning to hop by perhaps once a month (unless there are more delish things to share after I’ve sent the monthly newsletter). I’m really excited about this, because not only do I get to bore you with my random thoughts (mwahaha), but I also now have the perfect way to share more goodies with you!
Here’s what you can expect from my newsletters (in case you find yourself wondering “Should I or shouldn’t I?”) – the latest news on the homefront (think: be the first to find out about sales and freebies and events!), my newest creations and products, news about classes (exciting ones that I would highly recommend as well any classes that I might be coming up with this year ), perhaps a few samples of my photographic adventures, quite possibly some random thoughts, and while we’re at it, why not throw in some special subscriber coupons and freebies as well? *Squeal!*
3. Release freebies through my Facebook page.
Remember that Facebook page I talked about? Well, I’m presently working on setting up the systems that will allow me to give exclusive freebies to liv.edesigns Facebook fans (or, in Facebook lingo, those that “Like” my page).
The work that I’ve been doing on this behind the scenes constitutes part of all the Geekifying-Liv Adventures that I’ve been enjoying since the new year started. (If you sign up for the newsletter, you’ll be among the first to know, too, if and when the freebies are out on my Facebook page! How’s that for incentive? >tee hee<)
4. Put up a new product in my shop every week.
I sometimes suspect that I have Designers ADHD – and no, there’s no such thing in real life . I just invented it as an excuse for all the half-finished projects that I have in my work folders on my computer. Plus all my projects-to-be that are still sketches in multiple notebooks and boxes and artwork that needs to find its way onto my scanner… that kind of thing. Sooo I need to actually get them off the physical (or mental) plane and onto the digital drawing board and then into my shop. Every week. For all the 52 weeks of this year.
Keeping my fingers crossed (and toes… and eyes thrown in, for good measure) that I make it!
5. Create one layout every month.
I looked back on the layouts I created for 2011 and discovered that these weren’t even enough to complete an album (whereas I could easily fill 16 pages of an album with one of Jessica’s three-week classes in the past). Maybe part of it is taking more photos (I completed Project 365, yay!), maybe part of it is having my three youngest kids in school (and therefore I’m a driver-mama in the mornings and tutoring-mama in the afternoons till evenings), maybe part of it is taking on parent-projects from the said schools, and maybe part of it is growing old and losing the ability to exist on 3-hours of sleep night after night on a regular basis.
But I do feel the need to scrap more, even if it needs to be a “quickie” kind of thing. Just because there are all these stories that need to be told, not just in photos, not just in words, but in a pretty triple combination of words+photos+art.
6. CreART.
By this I mean I want to stretch my boundaries, artwise. Learn something new. Get my hands dirty with paint and glue and stuff. (Or find a way to do it digitally! ). Experiment with something, even if it’s just sewing paper or painting a frame or putting together a miniature chair.
Another thing I really want to get into: create an Art Journal. (More on that soon! )
7. Do Project 365+
Last year was my first attempt to take a photo a day for each day of the year. And I am so thrilled to say that I actually did it!
This year, I’m attempting to do it again because it’s a fab way to document life as it happens (even if you may not have the time to scrap a page about it, at least you’ve frozen the moment in a photo that you can always go back to). Also, since practice makes perfect, I truly believe it does wonders in helping one constantly develop one’s photographic skills. And beyond that, the biggest reason why I love Project 365, is this: it forces you to look at everyday, ordinary moments and see the beauty, the miracle, the joyful wonder that might not immediately be visible on the surface.
(I am also considering trying my hand at the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge, where you choose a photo to interpret their theme for the week. Read more about it HERE).
8. Use my Bind-It-All.
I confess. I’ve had this for hmmm, three years? And I’ve never used it. Geesh. I can be hopeless that way.
So this year, I plan to actually use it instead of looking at it on my shelf and promising “One day, BIA, you and I are going to be good friends.” That day must come this year.
9. Maintain serenity.
In the midst of attempting to put all these plans into action, I would like to be peaceful. Calm. Serene… whether the day is just like any other day or the world is spinning madly and I’m doing all I can to hold tight.
A very wise person once said “Be like the duck: all calm on the surface but paddling like hell under the water.”
Yep, I want to be a duck. I mean, not literally, but… you know what I mean. (And somehow I’m pretty sure that if I stick to Plan #1, I won’t have much trouble sticking to this one ).
10. Send a family newsletter at least bimonthly.
Because life today is such that we find that the people we love very dearly and the folks we grew up with are living in different areas all over the world. And life can get so busy that sometimes months pass without any of us managing to sit down and trade news and hugs with family and our closest of friends. So this year I want to consciously make time for that. Time to remind my brother and sister and aunt and uncle, who all happen to live in different parts of the globe, all oceans away from me, that I miss them and I love them and I think they’re precious.
11. Blog three times a week.
Because I love you! And I love spending time with you on my blogporch!
‘Nuff said.
12. Cook something special once a month. Or maybe cook up a new class.
Who knows what surprises the year holds in store, right? Wink wink.
Phew! Whattalist! Thank you for reading through that! And as your reward for sticking it out till the end, I have some super-fab news for you! Do you love templates? If you do, you’re in luck, honey!
… are yours for the taking! Fifty of them. I’ve got to be kidding, right? Nope. Fifty free awesome templates from the JessicaSprague.com Admin and Creative Team are just waiting for you to grab them, if you don’t have them yet.
Just in case you’re not a regular on our Spraground (in which case I would say to you, Aww, come on! You’re missing half of your life by not joining us there! ), these 50 templates were given out as freebies over the course of more-or-less fifty “Template Tuesdays” in 2011.
The last Template Tuesday was done on the 26th of December last year (sounds so far off, can you believe that’s just 2 weeks ago?) and guess who made the last of templates?
Here’s Template Tuesday #50, by yours truly…
… and if you click on the image above, it will bring you to the page where you can download it (along with #49 which was created by our Creative Team Member, my friend Chrissy Guido).
You can use the template any way you want to (for your personal use, of course) since it’s a layered file (you can move things around if you wish, clip more than 1 photo to the masks, etc)… and as a special bonus I threw in a 12×12 textured background paper . Sweet!
Here’s what I created with my template:
To download the rest of the Template Tuesdays, you can read my dear friend Kari’s instructions and get the links on the page where you grab my template…
Or you can download the latest templates HERE (Templates Nos. 28 to 48)
and HERE (Templates Nos. 21-27)…
and the earlier templates HERE (Templates Nos. 1-26) .
(So sorry for having to give you all these separate links, but they ended up in separate areas since these were first given on our Digi Lovely Blog and then moved to our homepage blog at JessicaSprague.com).
And if the prospect of getting FIFTY FREE templates isn’t enough to make you squeal, here’s a little more interesting info: if you download these templates and create with them, and then upload those creations in our Template Tuesday Gallery HERE, you get not only a kajillion awesome layouts created by YOU (plus get those marvelous photos and memories documented, finally! ), but if you upload 10 layouts created with 10 different templates from the Template Tuesday collection, you also get the chance to win a $5-coupon to use at our JessicaSprague.com shop (so you can buy those yummies you’ve had your eye on for the past weeks).
Seriously, does that not just ROCK? (I have to insert here that I totally {heart} the JessicaSprague.com Admin and Designers and Creative Team! I’m pretty sure you will too, and when you see the awesome templates they’ve created you’ll love them even more!).
Here’s the only catch: Since Template Tuesday has been around all of 2011 (the last one ran last Dec. 26th), you only have till the end of this month (January 2012) to download those template babies as well as to upload your layouts with them to be eligible for the coupon. And if you end up being so busy these days that you can’t create 10 layouts, then you can still hoard those amazin’ templates and create with them later on! Just don’t forget to grab them before the end of this month, okay?
Voila! All good things must come to an end (you still awake? ) so now it’s time for my little Tell-Me Bunny’s last postscript:
Okay, your turn: What are your plans for 2012?
But wait! Before you hit that comment button and tell me what your plans are (are we embarking on some journeys that are the same? I’m excited to know!), don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter.
And… that’s it, folks! See you real soon!
(((hugs)))
Hey hey hey, ho ho ho, happy new year, my dear friends!
Remember last year I promised to be back with surprises? Well, since Twenty-Twelve began 4 days ago, I have been working hard on the initial setting up of all that good schtuff planned for you–stuff that will unfold throughout the next 366 days of this new year. I am so excited! 
So I hope you’ll take the time to come around and sit on my blogporch throughout the year so you don’t miss out on goodies!
In fact, why don’t we start it right now?
Beginning 2012, we will be having Wonderful Wednesdays at the “awesome-est” place in the world, JessicaSprague.com! Every Wednesday, we’ll be giving out super-special deals for you to grab within 24 hours. Is that wonderful or is that wonderful?
To begin the first Wonderful Wednesday, I have put up not just one but two of my favorite products for you to grab at 50%-off if you don’t have them yet! (And yes, I realize this is coming a bit late in the day 
, but you do have until 12:00 midnight – so give or take about 4 hours more?)
First off, we have my EZ-PZ Template #07 – I {Heart} MoMA at 50%-off:
(Click on the image below to get to this half-priced baby!)
PS. My EZ-PZ template collection come with all that you need to create a page in a jiffy – and all those little extras can be used for other pages that you make in the future too (we’re talking background papers, masks, embellishments, type paths, that sorta thing, cos I love packing my products with stuff that will make you smile ).
And secondly, I’ve put this wonderful stamped date brush and rub-on set from my liv.edesigns Needs + Wants Collection. At 50%-off too, here’s It’s a Date!
With days, months, and years from 2000 to 2012, in both rub-ons and brushes (.png format and .abr format), this is definitely a must-have that you’ll reach for again and again! And at 50%-off, that’s a total steal! (Click on the image above if you want to grab it for your stash).
Oh, and if you’d like to check out the rest of the Wonderful Wednesday items that my amazingly-talented co-designers at JessicaSprague.com are offering this Wednesday, click on the image below.
Now let me not take any more of your time so you can go check out these goodies! Say, aren’t great deals such an awesome way to start the new year?
Happy 2012, dear friends! Enjoy!
On this most wonderful, most magical, most holy of nights, I wish you, my dear friends, the very best of the holiday season and the most blessed of new years!
Isang dalaga’y maglilihi, batang lalaki ang sanggol
At tatawagin siyang Emmanuel, Emmanuel!
(Kahuluga’y Nasa atin ang Diyos).
Magalak! Isinilang ang Poon! Sa sabsaban siya’y nakahimlay.
Nagpahayag ang mga anghel: Luwalhati sa Diyos!
And for my friends across the oceans, here’s the translation of the song:
Behold, a Virgin shall be with Child and shall bring forth a Son
And they shall call His name Emmanuel, Emmanuel.
(In other words, God With Us). ~Matthew 1:23
Rejoice, the Savior has been born! In a manger the Christ Child is lain.
All the angels throughout proclaim: Glory to God!
PS. I will be spending the rest of these last days of this year in the bosom of my favorite blessings in the world (my hubby and my 5 boys) and our families. I will see you after the first day of 2012 with the promise of lots of happy surprises for you throughout the new year!
Have a wonderful time bonding with those you hold dear, and may the coming year be filled with even more love and laughter for you and yours!
Well hello… it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I hope you’ll forgive my sudden drop from the face of the earth, but I’ve been on an adventure (one whose departure date I learned of only 3 days in advance, hence my inability to leave word that I wouldn’t be around for a bit).
And what an adventure it was. Amazing. Awesome.
From the very first day, a few hours after take-off, I knew exactly what this adventure would be all about: The Struggle for Silence, Solitude, and Serenity.
And yes, though I had no previous inkling that I might have needed to engage in this particular battle, it became apparent to me soon enough that it was one fight I needed to wage and that now was the best time to do it. Too long I had been chasing speeding trains (and you know how noisy, crowded and stressful real trains can be; my proverbial ones were just as bad). Too long I had been wading through a cacophony of voices, deadlines, everyday duties and responsibilities. Too long I had allowed myself to get caught up in all the myriad little things that make up that bigger thing called “Real Life” (when in fact all those little things can be dealt with easily if you just have the 3 S’s. But somehow I lost sight of that secret, and so my life had been for far too long one insanely noisy circus).
No wonder then that it had been quite a struggle to stay serene and calm and peaceful (I admit it, I had been struggling in a major way. Have you ever woken up in the morning feeling like you have 30 seconds to hit the ground running? Like you’re panting with your tongue hanging out even if you’ve barely taken off? Like your train just sped past you and you’ll have to grab that sandwich and chomp on it as you run furiously trying to catch up? Yeah. That was kinda what my mornings were like not too long ago).
And you know, when you’re constantly running and there’s noise all around and your hair’s flying all over your face, it’s just a hop, a skip and a jump away from turning into a bunch of nerves, flustered, impatient, and easily agitated. I felt like I was getting to that place real quickly, and I knew that when I did get to that point, it would make others like me less, and it would make me like me less.
So I changed direction, with the ticket provided at short notice for me by my wonderful friend J, and arrived at Station STOP.
And I stopped. Got off. Changed directions and went a different way.
And embarked on a retreat. Literally. A three-day spiritual journey in which the first order of the day was to find silence and solitude, and finding those (in prayer), perhaps discover serenity too.
And I’m oh so glad and oh so grateful to have been granted the grace to find all three with Him, who holds us in the palm of His hands and calls us to Him when He knows we need it most.
He says, “Hey, come to Me and rest a while. Just be with Me completely, totally, fully… and I’ll take care of everything else. You can count on Me always.” And if we hear His call and answer it, it’s just totally astounding how much He gives in return for the “little” that we offer to Him, as long as that “little” that we offer is our everything.
And so I am back, fresh and refreshed, and ready to take on the world’s trains. And even if they rush at the speed of light on some days, I know I’ll be okay, as long as I remember to keep moments of silence, solitude and serenity in my daily life. (And because we’re friends, you’ll remind me when I’m in danger of forgetting, right? ).
Aaaaand it’s good to be back with you! What about you? How have you been these past days? Drop me a line because I’ve missed you so! And I promise I’ll be back on my blogporch regularly once more.
Big big (((hugs))) to you!
Stock photos by dolar, 13dede, and criswatk at sxc.hu: Many thanks!
Because today is Digital Scrapbooking Day! And all over the world wide web, there are amazing sales going on, blogtrains running at full speed, and loads of giveaways being handed out, and… well, I just couldn’t resist the temptation to join the celebration and come up with a little goodie to add to your digital stash!
Inspired by my love for grids and large focal photos and by my belief that less is more, here’s what I’ve prepared for you:
HAPPY DIGITAL SCRAPBOOKING DAY, DARLINGS!
ETA: So sorry, link has expired.
Here’s a little layout that I made real quick to show my digi-goodie in use :
My Little Piano Man
It’s called Simply Stylish, and it’s purposely designed to be basic and minimalist (yes, less is more indeed!) so that your words and your photos speak out from the silent white space. But if piling on embellishments rocks your boat, then you can definitely add on the goodies from your stash as well! This works really great that way too.
To download, click RIGHT HERE (ETA: Link has expired) or on the product preview above (the first image, yes; not my piano man ), and you’ll find yourself in my shop at JessicaSprague.com where you can grab this sweet baby. Make sure you download it before 12 midnight Pacific time, Sunday, because after that the links will be disabled and the Template Pack will move into my shop’s shelves.
As with all the shops I’ve been to, you may have to register (if you don’t have an account yet) before you can download but it takes less than a minute and it’s absolutely free!
While you’re there, you might want to have a look around and say hello to the peeps in the forum and check out our Spraground Challenge, which my dear friend Linda is leading this week (she and I take turns managing the challenges, along with our darling Kari, who takes care of hybrid challenges every 4th Friday). Our challenges are open to everyone – newbies, cruisers, and advanced scrappers alike and we would all be so thrilled if you would come and join us! (After all, at JessicaSprague.com, we take our “Grow Your Skills” motto to heart, and you know what they say about practice making perfect, right? At our Spraground, you could safely restate that as “Playing makes perfect” ).
Feel right at home as you stroll along: a more friendly, warmer, more welcoming community than this I have never ever found on the web, I tell ya. You can be sure everyone on the Spraground will be running to you with open arms to welcome you into our growing family and to help you out with even the simplest, smallest question (There’s only one rule on the Spraground, and it’s this: There is no such thing as a stupid question. So ask away if you need anything, even directions to the nearest swing that you can sit on, and maybe you’ll find you want to paint your name on it too! )
But FIRST STOP has to be right on the homepage, where you’ll find the awesome giveaways from me and my designer-sistas at JessicaSprague.com! Here’s my contribution to the giveaway loot:
Grab the chance to win liv.edesigns Click Mini Kit this weekend!
You can click on my Click Mini Kit image above and it will take you right to our JessicaSprague.com Homepage!
I love me some eye-candy, don’t you? Here are some awesome layouts from our creative team ladies using my Click Mini Kit!
Layout by Lauren
Layout by Smitha
Layout by Nicole
Layout by Carol
Layout by Mindy
Layout by Linn
Layout by Meg
Layout by Miki
Oh and wait! There’s more! I have prepared a special DSD coupon for you to use in my shop, if you happen to find anything there that catches your fancy!
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO USE THE COUPON CODE IN MY SHOP!
It’s good for the entire Digital Scrapbooking Weekend… and a day so just make sure you use it between today, Saturday, until right before midnight Pacific time on Monday, November 7th, when it expires.
I would love it, too, if you would take a couple of minutes to leave a comment or a hug (go on, hit that Comment button below, you know you wanna ). And if you’d love to share with me some suggestions for a particular theme for a kit or element pack that you’d love to see in my shop, I’m totally open to hearing your requests… who knows, perhaps you’ll find it on my shop shelves some time in the future (and if you happen to be the stimulus that made my creative muse dance, then I promise I’ll send you the kit or pack for free! ).
Voila! And with all these goodies, I wish you a super-duper thrilling Digital Scrapbooking Day weekend! May your arms be filled with goodies and may your digital delights overflow!
Big, warm hugs to you all!
Oh what a thrill! Another thing to cross off my never-ending perpetually-accumulating To-Do List! I’ve always wanted to give my little blog-porch a facelift but somehow never had the time to get down to that business. Finally, after spending the past two days fiddling around and figuring out (thank you, google and WordPress Support Archives) [...]
I love living on these islands in the Pacific, I truly do. I love that we have great beaches (love, even, that I can mention “beaches” in its plural form, and that reaching them does not necessarily involve a plane ride). I love that the two seasons–wet and dry–don’t require drastic wardrobe rotations. I love [...]
I will, at the risk of revealing certain factors that may make it possible for you to guess my age group, admit to being a child of the Seventies, and loving every moment of it. A decade like no other before or after it (yet), the 70s espoused the wild and carefree spirit that the [...]
|
