No, I haven’t fallen off the earth…

Saturday, 17 May 2014 / LivE / Leave a comment

I’ve just been caught up in that roller-coaster ride called Real Life. You know what it’s like when you’re whizzing past on the fastest ride and you’re just trying not to get blown away with the wind, right? (If you don’t know what that’s like, come sit with me and tell me your secret. 😀 ).

But I’m back, and I’m home, and boy does it feel good to be back on this porch with you!

New Shop!

Lots of things have remained the same (yes, I’m still ever grateful to be blessed with so much, top of which is my awesome hubby and our now-a-bit-older sons, and everything else that makes up that roller coaster ride) and there are lots of things too that have changed. For example, we now have a new shop (which is the sister-site to JessicaSprague.com) so if you’re looking for more liv.edesigns digital deliciousness, that’s where you’ll find it now! 😉

It’s called SnapClickSupply.com, and you’re absolutely welcome to check it out if you haven’t passed by yet.

The world’s best place to shop for all your digital, photo-editing, and blogging supplies!

* Click on the image above to check out my shop *

New Product!

Another new thing: my newest product is now up in my shop and it’s 25% off all weekend!

A little note about my T+Mini Collection: this is probably one of my all-time favorite products to design (and use too!), because it’s a combination of a pre-made fully-layered template (there’s the T) and a goody-filled mini kit (and there’s the +Mini). It’s perfect for all-time use, both for days when we wish we had more time to spend documenting our precious moments before they slip away and yet find that the day is indeed slipping away (hello, template!)… and for those days when we actually do have the time to start from scratch and build up a page from a blank slate (hello, mini kit!).

The template is fully-layered and fully-adjustable, which means that it comes with everything you need to scrap on the go: just add your photos to the photo masks, type in your journaling, and bam! It’s done! OR you could add or take away from the template according to your whim… it’s really friendly and will do whatever you want.

The mini kit that comes with it is always chock-filled with goodies, complete with papers and elements that coordinate perfectly. You can use them on the template itself, and you can also use them separately on other layouts that you make… thereby building your goody-stash with wonderful additions!

My newest product belongs to the T+Mini collection, and it’s the 11th in the series.

liv.edesigns T+Mini Vol. 11-Story Circles

Here’s the layout that I made with it, celebrating thirty years of friendship with one of my besties!

I used the template as it was, and just added a few more circle cut-outs from the mini kit as well as punched confetti to complete the whole thing.

New A+wesome Creative Team!

I also have been blessed with the most awesome ladies on my creative team this year! They’re super ladies, absolute darlings, and genius artists, every single one of them. I am truly honored to have them on my team and love them to little bits and pieces.

Check out the awesome eye-candy they’ve created with my T+Mini!

I love the soft, gentle feel of Miki’s beautiful layout!

This awesome layout was created by Miki Krueger.

Reneé’s layout is so touching and so heartwarming, don’t you think so?

This awesome layout was created by Reneé Dezember.

Jana’s layout is super-fun and happy, perfect for the documenting fun times at the happiest place on Earth!

This awesome layout was created by Jana Holden.

Can anyone resist sighing, hand on heart, when looking at Lisa’s darling mother’s day layout?

This awesome layout was created by Lisa Breuer.

Summer opted to use the circle stitches alone, and I think it’s an awesome way to bring attention to her lovely photo!

This awesome layout was created by Summer Christiansen.

Margje is having a lovely time vacationing, and she came up with this superb layout while on vacation… how awesome is that?

This awesome layout was created by Margje van Arnhem.

And Chrissy documented this awesome moment in her son’s life with this beautiful layout (I love how it shows how the mini kit can be used to fit personal style choices!)

This awesome layout was created by Chrissy Guido.

New Awesome… Coupon!

Speaking of new stuff, I have something new especially for you!

I think weekends are awesome, and I thought it would be wonderful to give a little more “awesome” this weekend! To celebrate my newest product in our shiny new shop, I have a special coupon for 5% MORE off T+Mini Vol. 11 !

New products debut at SnapClickSupply each Friday, and for the entire weekend all those new products are on sale for 25% off. With this new coupon, you get a chance to add 5% MORE off, so that you get a total of 30% off! How awesome is that, right?

You can find the coupon code on my liv.edesigns Facebook page RIGHT HERE. It’s the most recent post on my timeline, and don’t worry, you don’t have to do anything else but visit in order to get the coupon code. Of course, if you’d like to click the LIKE button to like my liv.edesigns page as you grab the coupon, I wouldn’t stop you at all (I’d probably throw my arms around you and give you the biggest squeeze ever. 😀

Voila! That’s it for now… and thank you for checking me out despite my loooong absence from my porch. Have I ever told you how incredible I think you are? ❤

Necessity and Invention

Tuesday, 20 November 2012 / LivE / 1 Comment

“Necessity is the mother of invention,” so the proverb goes. (And by the way, did you know that the original author of this wise saying hasn’t been established yet?)

Well, in my line of work, I have to confess that I get excited by needs. And one fine day, I stumbled upon an urgent need of a very good friend of mine, Linda, who also happens to do a great job of creating layouts, designing, putting together wonderful table settings, taking stunning photographs, and… well, I digress. But yeah, she’s an amazing jack-of-all-trades, and she needed templates to put together a wedding album for friends (she took the photos, of course). And she needed it quick.

And just like that, my creative muse went on a thrill ride and this product is what is now sitting on my shelf, thanks to the inspiration from Linda.

My Foto Focus album templates are a huge collection of 26 fully-editable layered 12×12 templates for a complete album, including front and back covers. All templates come complete with a deliciously-textured paper to provide the perfect background to make your photos shine forth, as well as editable drop-shadows, photo masks, outline frames, and optional text paths. The design is deliberately kept clean and simple so that your photos and stories take center stage. The templates are so versatile that you can mix and match pages if you need more than a 24-page album, and you can even pull in your own papers and digital stash if that’s what rocks your boat!

Let’s have some amazing eye-candy, why don’t we?

Let’s start off with some stunning pages from Linda’s wedding album!

Adorable, right? When photos paint a thousand words, who needs more of the written stuff? (The text paths on the templates are optional, so here Linda has done away with text and simply lets her photos speak for themselves).

Here is a truly heart-warming and moving 2-page layout created by Chrissy. I love how it celebrates the generous spirit of her entire family in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

This wonderful layout by Lisa demonstrates how each template from the album also does a great job for single-page layouts!

On this awesome layout, Barbara does a marvelous job of taking the template and adding her own personal touch (and embellishments) to it!

Remember this wonderful Halloween layout by Rachael from some posts back? I love how the template she used totally puts the Focus on her marvelous Foto! 😉

Did I mention that this entire 26-template album set is on sale at 25% off till midnight Pacific time? Go grab it (click on the image of the product above, or click right HERE ) and you’ll never have any lonely photos suffering in the innards of your hard drives. Bring out those marvelous stories and lay them out with the help of these templates and watch with joy as your family and friends oooh and aaah over wonderful shots and equally wonderful memories!

Have an amazing first day of the week, my dear friends! I’ll see you soon! xoxo

The Joy of Playing

Tuesday, 13 November 2012 / LivE / Leave a comment

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.” Why, indeed, it is, Mr. Ralph Waldo Emerson. I quite agree with you.

I love playing with my kids, I love playing with my light and shadows on my camera, I love playing with Photoshop, and I love that in my line of work the lines that divide work and play are often blurred, making one spill over into the other and back again.

My latest product on my shelf, and the very first of my Digital Tools collection, is something that I think you’re going to have a load of fun playing with!

Creasers Vol.1 lets you bring the awesome folded and creased look to your papers (and more) in an instant and with absolutely no fuss: all you have to do is drag one, two, three or more of these digital creasers onto your paper (try photos too! :)) and change the blending mode to soft light, play with layer opacity, and voila! You have a wonderful creased version of your paper while still keeping the original flat version in your stash. What a way to play and increase your stash’s capabilities too! Cool, huh?

Did I mention that these debut at 25% off the regular price till midnight (Pacific time Monday)? Go grab ’em HERE if you like playing digitally!

Here are some amazing products of my super-artistic creative team friends as they played with Creasers!

This stunning work of art was created by Miki:

Miki also used my Joy of Childhood Paper Pack and Bubbling Over Stamps & Brush Set on her awesome layout above.

This wonderful layout of Summer just thrills with that amazing 70s vibe:

Summer also used my Circle of Life Frames on her layout above.

Rachael’s super-cute Halloween layout is right below:

Rachael also used my Brownbagger Paper Pack on her lovely layout above.

Linda used the creasers on the little journaling square beside that lovely photo of her darling:

Linda also used my Splatters Vol.1 Brushes and my This and That – Textured Stickers on her layout above.

This artistic, textured delight was created by Debra:

And last but certainly not, never, the least is Mindy’s lovely fall layout:

I have to mention here that I am particularly thrilled with the way Mindy used a whole arsenal of my products to create her awesome totally unified layout above. Aside from Creasers Vol.1, she also used my Brownbagger Paper Pack, Bubbling Over Stamps & Brush Set, Click Elements, Falling for You Leaves, Freedom Is Good Solids Paper Pack, Washi All About-Blush Tapes (recolored), Needs+Wants: Alpha Stampede, Needs+Wants: Stitchies Vol.1 – The Crayon Box Collection, and Needs+Wants: It’s a Date (Date Stamps).

Voila! Have a wonderful week and may it be filled with enormous opportunities to play!

BOOtiful!

Tuesday, 30 October 2012 / LivE / 2 Comments

It’s been incredibly busy these past weeks/months! In my part of the world, an insane flurry of activity is synonymous with the arrival of the “-ber” months (a play of words that refers to SeptemBER, OctoBER and so on as well as the “BRRRR” sounds that one makes along with the arrival of the colder season). We are a people who are really BIG on family (and let me tell ya, those family ties extend all the way to the sister of the best friend of the wife of your brother-in-law… well, you get the picture, and a pretty good idea of how huge and numerous the reunions and parties can be throughout the season).

So I’m incredibly sorry for being quite absent from here. Lots of activity going on in that thing called Real Life (and I have to confess I haven’t even begun checking that ol’ Christmas list, alack!). But I do have exciting news to bring to you today!

I haven’t made a kit in quite some time, and I am so excited to let you know about this newest one! I created the BOOtiful Kit to celebrate the beauty and magic of the colors of Fall as well as the fun of the season’s events (Halloween for the kiddos, Thanksgiving, the great big Pumpkin Patch, and just about any event that’s worth of documenting these coming months).

The BOOtiful Solid Papers and Patterned Papers are debuting today (and until midnight Eastern of October 29th Monday, they will be selling at 25% off). The BOOtiful Elements will be available beginning next Monday, Nov. 5th along with the entire BOOtiful Kit (solid papers, patterned papers, and elements all in one big bundle).

Here’s are the BOOtiful Solid Papers:

(Click on the image to get them at 25% off today till midnight, EST)

And here’s a full view of the solid papers:

Here are the BOOtiful Patterned Papers:

(Click on the image to get them at 25% off today till midnight, EST)

And here’s a full view of the patterned papers:

Here’s the BOOtiful Element Pack (Available only next Monday, November 5th)

And here’s a view of the entire BOOtiful Kit (also available only next Monday, November 5th).

The Yummiest, Most Wonderful Eye Candy!

from some of my uber-favorite peeps in the world:

This awesome layout was created by Miki:

Doesn’t this gorgeous layout just make you fall completely in love with Fall?

Miki used The BOOtiful Solid Papers on her beautiful layout above, as well as my Loopies Vol. 1 – Flutterby Brush Set, Bubbling Over Stamps & Brush Set, Splatters Vol. 1 and Splatters Vol. 3 and the challenge template that I gave for free over at JessicaSprague.com a week or two ago (another incentive for you to join the Spraground challenges!).

This awesome layout was created by Jana:

This super-fun delish layout of Jana just makes me want to stuff myself with candy corn!

Jana used both The BOOtiful Solids and Patterned Paper packs on her layout above.

This awesome layout was created by Jana too:

Don’t you just LOVE the gorgeous photos and the butterflies, and how everything comes together so perfectly on this layout?

Jana used both The BOOtiful Solids and Patterned Papers on her layout above, as well as my Loopies Vol.1 – Flutterby Brush Set, my Snippets Word Pack, my Tape It Up-Krafty Tapes, and the same challenge template that Miki used above!

This awesome layout was created by Margje:

I can’t stop looking at the beautiful photo of Margje’s kitty and how those eyes just totally mesmerize! I love how Margje’s layout demonstrates how versatile the BOOtiful Kit is… you can use it not just for Halloween, not just for Fall, but really, for anything at all! (Ooh, that rhymes! teehee)

Margje used my entire BOOtiful Kit here… the Elements along with the Patterned Papers.

Ahh. All that delicious eye candy has me sitting her smiling so contentedly, just like the cat that got the mouse and the milk and the fish. 😀 They are just so beautiful, no? 🙂

Have a wonderful, amazing, fun-filled Halloween and I’ll see you soon!

Eye Candy on a Wonderful Wednesday

Thursday, 18 October 2012 / LivE / Leave a comment

Have you ever had month after busy month of never-ending to-do lists and deadlines and demands-of-life to attend to? If you have, then you probably know exactly how I’m feeling (bedraggled and beat up, lol) and will hopefully forgive me for being woefully lacking in making an appearance here lately.

During times like this, I find that it’s always such a wonderful comfort to sit back and feast my eyes on beauty and awesomeness, so I decided that today’s post will be all about amazing Eye Candy done by some of my most favorite peeps in the entire world (and they’re the some of the best creative artists ever too!)

And because it’s a Wonderful Wednesday today, that also means that I’ve got two products on sale at my shop till midnight Pacific time today (so you’ve got about 14+ hours to grab these in case you don’t have them in your stash yet and you find yourself needing and wanting them. ;)).

Grab for just a Buck! Maskerade Photo Masks

{ Click on the image above to grab this at half the price today! }

Did I mention that I just LOVE the preview above because it has the beautiful face of my gorgeous friend Tori? 🙂

And now, for our delicious eye-candy, brought to you by the awesome JessicaSprague.com Creative Team!

This awesome layout was created by Heather:

This awesome layout was created by Jenn M:

This awesome layout was created by Joanne:

This awesome layout was created by Amy:

This awesome layout was created by Nic:

This awesome layout was created by Monica:

This awesome layout was created by Reeta:

This awesome layout was created by Jenn M too!

This awesome 2-page layout was created by Bren:

This awesome layout was created by Miki:

This awesome layout was also created by Reeta:

This awesome layout was created by Lisa:

Yet another awesome layout created by Reeta:

This awesome layout was created by Chris:

This awesome layout was created by Heather using the Maskerade tape strip:

This awesome layout was created by Jenn M using the Maskerade tape strip:

Are you swooning with all that creative artistry and beauty yet? 🙂

Go 50-off with Proud to Be Square – The Basics

The Proud to Be Square Template Pack Collection has everything you need to create your album in a flash!

This Basics Pack coordinates perfectly with other sets in the collection, allowing you to create either sets of mini albums or one great big album! You can even use each template to create individual layouts. So versatile, this collection gives you so much freedom and variety to work with. Among the multitude of options for use: Either use the 12×12 textured paper that comes with the pack or replace with your own favorite papers. Clip your photos and type in your text. Leave it simple and clean or add on the embellishments, whichever suits your style!

{ Click on the image above to grab this at half the price today! }

And now to continue the eye candy treats!

Here’s a sample of an album created with the Proud to Be Square Template Collection:

Here’s a sample of an album created with the Proud to Be Square – Basics Pack:

The album cover:

The title page:

An inside page (I used this for the “Dedication” area of the album):

Another inside page of the album:

And here’s an awesome layout created by Linda with Proud to Be Square – The Basics:

Ahhh yes, now that I’ve had my eye-candy fix for the day, I am feeling all revved up to get back to that miles-long to-do list! Hope you’re having an awesome amazing week filled with beauty and wonder! I’ll see you soon. (((hugs)))

Swirdles and Arrows

Thursday, 27 September 2012Thursday, 27 September 2012 / LivE / Leave a comment

Hey there, my sweet friends! I am jumping off the rushing bus called Real Life to quickly wave a reminder in the air that it’s a Wonderful Wednesday (till about 3 hours from now when midnight comes, Pacific Time), and that means you can still grab these two items that are on sale in my shop today!

live.designs Swirdles Stamps and Brush Set

Add the perfect finishing touch to your lovely creations with this pack of 17 extra-large swirly doodle stamps and brushes!

{Click on the image to grab them at my shop}

liv.edesigns Points of View Vol. 1 – Arrows

Point the way to the best parts of your layouts with this mega-pack of 48 arrow rub-ons in bold and pencil-thin versions, in both black and white rub-ons that are easy to recolor and in two complete brush sets that you can stamp in any color you wish!

{Click on the image to grab them at my shop}

And here is just a little sampling of the awesome layouts created with these two products by the awesome JessicaSprague.com creative team!

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* Layouts created by the JessicaSprague.com Creative Team: Monica, Meg, Sarah, Jana, Lauren, Erica, Erin S, Jenn M, Joanne A, Lisa C, Margje, Miki, and I inserted one by me in there too :D.

Click HERE to see more awesome layouts!

Have a wonderful Wednesday, folks! And if any of you happen to find where the extra 24-hours-to-a-day are hiding, do share with me! 😀

Lovin’ the Fall

Tuesday, 25 September 2012Tuesday, 25 September 2012 / LivE / Leave a comment

The season, that is. I love the rich earthy colors, love the dance of falling leaves, love the cool breezes that leave whispered secrets in their wake.

And the season is the inspiration behind my newest product on my shop’s shelves: Falling for You!

Now you can bring the splendor and glory of fall to your layouts and creations with this pack of 36 real leaves, lovingly and oh-so-carefully scanned and extracted so that all the delicious texture and detail is preserved. You’ll have loads of fun creating with these… and then watching your friends as they reach out and try to touch the leaves to see if they are indeed real!

{Click on the image above to grab it at my shop}

Oh, and did I mention that these are going at 25% off till midnight tonight (Eastern Standard time)? Go grab ’em if you want ’em (and you know you do ;)).

And here are some super-awesome layouts created by the most amazing artists of the JessicaSprague.com Creative Team!

Falling for Miki’s Layout:

Miki also used my The Joy of Childhood Paper Pack, Loopies Vol.1 – Flutterby Rub-Ons & Brush Set, and Needs + Wants: Eyelets Galore 01 on her layout above.

Falling for Amy’s Layout:

Amy also used my Paint Swashes Vol. 2 on her layout above.

Falling for Antonia’s Layout:

Antonia also used my Livin’ It Up Mini Kit, Livin’ It Up Paper Pack, and Paint Swashes Vol. 4 on her layout above.

Hope you have an awesome day with lots of things to fall in love with today, my dear friends! 🙂

Two more hours…

Thursday, 20 September 2012Thursday, 20 September 2012 / LivE / Leave a comment

That’s right. Two more hours to take advantage of these Wonderful Wednesday deals! (Yep, am getting right straight to the point to make the most of your time >teehee< 😆 ).

Just a Buck

One-Buck Wednesday brings you this today for… just a buck! (I crack myself up).

{Click on the image above to grab this at my shop for half the price till midnight Pacific time today!}

square one – (noun) the situation in which you begin an endeavor and to which you return when all else fails.

My Square One collection contains mini-kits that you will turn to time and time again whenever you need to get your scrapping mojo going. Each set in the collection comes complete with everything you need to create quickly and differently (perfect so you can use and reuse the items, combining them with the rest of your goodies in your digi-stash).

Square 1 No. 1 – Dream Big is the first in this collection, and it’s particularly special because you get an overflowing serving of goodies: there are two 12×12 highly-textured, distressed papers with just a touch of grunge and 13 elements, including crumpled foil stars, stitches, doodled stars, glitter trails, and painted chipboard circle embellies, with and without shadows for your ease of use. Get creative with the tons of variations you can do with the elements! (Hang stars from the stitches, pile up the circle embellies, scatter glitter trails where you wish—the world of creativity is yours to explore!)

To give you an idea of how wonderful and versatile this mini-kit is, here are some awesome layouts by the JessicaSprague.com magical artists:

Layout by Becky

Other liv.edesigns items used by Becky on her layout above are: Washi All About Tapes – Lilac, Mask Me Photo Masks, Winter Breeze Paper Pack 1, Heart Puffies, Line Art Rub-Ons & Brushes, Loop-D-Loop Labels, and Squiggle Borders. Awesome! 😀

Layout by Miki:

Miki also used my Afternoon Stroll Paper Pack on her layout above.

Layout by Heather:

Layout by Miki:

Miki also used my Softly, Gently – Solid Papers on her layout above.

Layout by Erin U:

Erin also used my Loop-D-Loop Labels on her layout above.

Layout by Miki:

Miki also used my Hush Labels from my liv.esimply collection on her layout above.

Layout by Joan:

Layout by Heather:

Other liv.edesigns products used by Heather on her layout above: Warm Wuv, Soft Hugs – The Elements, Softly, Gently – The Kit Elements, and Alpha Clips.

Layout by Erica:

Other liv.edesigns products used by Erica on her layout above are my Swirdles Stamps & Brush Set and Windsong Paper Pack.

Layout by Miki:

Miki also used these liv.edesigns products on her layout above: I Sing for Spring! – The Kit and Winter Breeze Paper Pack 2.

Layout by Jana:

Jana also used my Winter Breeze Alpha on her layout above.

Layout by Joanne:

Joanne also used my Tabby Tabs and Sketched Framers on her layout above.

Layout by Margje:

Margje also used these liv.edesigns products on her layout above: GrungeaRound Vol.1 Masks & Brushes, Livin’ It Up Paper Pack, Whispers of Spring Paper Pack, I Sing for Spring! Kit, and Alpha Clips. Wonderful!

Layout by Heather:

Heather also used my Warm Wuv, Soft Hugs Kit and my Softly, Gently – The Kit Elements on her layout above.

Layout by Miki:

Miki also used my I Sing for Spring! Kit and Winter Breeze Kit on her layout above.

Layout by Joan:

Layout by Miki:

Miki also used these other liv.edesigns products on her layout: Joy of Childhood Paper Pack, Joy of Childhood – Kiddos, Warm Wuv, Soft Hugs – The Elements, A Whole Lotta Love Rub-Ons & Brush Set, Sketched Framers, Paint Swashes Vol. 3, Snippets Word Pack – Rub-Ons & Brushes, and I Heart Doodles 2. WOW, right?

Half-Price!

And because Wednesdays are truly Wonderful, I’ve got this paper pack going at half-price till midnight Pacific time today:

Here’s a view of what each paper looks like:

{Click on any of the two images above to grab these at half-price till midnight Pacific time today!}

This paper pack contains ten deliciously-textured 12×12 solid and patterned papers. Each and every one of them echoes the soft, gentle colors of nature and the quiet comfort of spring awakening. And, take note! Even if they’re spring-inspired, they do a fantabulous job all year round (imagine those whites and blues on winter layouts, or the greens and blues on summer-y layouts… you get my drift ;)). These should be the perfect complement to your fabulous creations, guaranteed to make your projects shine!

And again, some awesome layouts by the absolutely-awesome JessicaSprague.com Creative Team, to show you these papers at work:

First off: Margje’s Layout

… and if it looks familiar to you, that’s because it was just featured above: a great way to show how different items from different packs and kits can be combined! (Scroll up to see the other liv.edesigns products that were used on this layout).

Layout by Emily:

Emily also used these liv.edesigns products on her layout above: Click! – The Elements, I Heart Doodles Rub-Ons & Brush Set, and Needs + Wants: Stitchies Vol.2 {Spring Garden Collection}.

Layout by Miki:

Layout by Lisa B:

Lisa also used my Paint Swashes Vol. 2 and Nature’s Canvas Paper Pack on her layout above.

Layout by Carol:

Carol also used my I Sing for Spring! Kit, Afternoon Stroll Paper Pack and Alpha Clips on her layout above.

Layout by Lisa C:

Lisa also used my EZ-PZ Template 08 – And Then, Needs+Wants: Stitchies Vol.2 {Spring Garden Collection}, and Maskerade {Photo Masks} on her layout above.

Layout by Lisa B:

Lisa also used these liv.edesigns products on her layout above: Paint Swashes Vol. 2, Brownbagger Paper Pack, Needs + Wants: Stitchies Vol. 2 {Spring Garden Collection}, and Circle of Life Template {Fit 2 a T Vol. 1}.

Layout by Carol:

Carol also used my Softly, Gently – The Kit Elements on her layout above.

Layout by Miki:

Miki also splashed color on her lovely, lively layout above with my paint swashes collection: Paint Swashes Vol. 1, Paint Swashes Vol. 2, and Paint Swashes Vol. 3 !

And a little surprise: I’m featuring two layouts done by our wonderful ladies at the Spraground who used my Whispers of Spring Paper Pack! Thank you, dear robyn47au and linny6, for your awesome work!

Layout by Linny6:

Layout by robyn47au:

Have an amazin’, awesome, wonderful Wednesday!!!

All You Need Is Love

Tuesday, 21 August 2012 / LivE / Leave a comment

… because what makes the world go round is… love, actually.

And maybe some heartfuls of love too? (Shameless plug, forgive me :P)

New in my shop today… and 25% off till midnight Eastern (with a few more hours left to grab, if you want :)):

Perfect for adding heArtfuls of love to your creations, this pack of rub-ons & stamps has 30 hand-doodled hearts in full color, and in stamped, slightly-distressed, and painted-with-texture versions.

And you knew I couldn’t leave you with a couple of LOVEly layouts, right?

This super-sweet one, by Emily, with a beautiful, touching tribute to the love of her life:

Emily also used these other liv.edesigns products on her beautiful layout above: Joy of Childhood Paper Pack, Loopies Vol. 2 – LoopyLove (Rub-Ons & Brushes), and EZ-PZ Template 10 – The Story of Two.

I just love “back-photos” and photos of silver-haired lovers holding hands, and so it’s no surprise that I think this layout by Jen F is absolutely poignant and heartwarming:

Jen also used these liv.edesigns products on her layout above: Brownbagger Paper Pack Vol. 2 and Needs + Wants: Eyelets Galore Vol.1 .

And may today be filled with LOVEly moments for you, my friends! xoxox

Back in the Zone

Saturday, 18 August 2012 / LivE / 1 Comment

After what feels like centuries of not scrapping a layout, I stole a bit of time today to create one for the JessicaSprague.com Weekly Challenges (which I head along with my good friend Linda). I must say: it feels great to be back in the scrapping zone!

The basic requirement of this week’s challenge, Shades Of… , was to create a monochromatic layout. A monochromatic image or work has shades of limited colors or hues, usually one particular color and all its shades and tints (lighter or darker versions of it). I think monochromatic images hold a particular appeal because in them, light and darkness, highlights and shadows, and color tones (both shades and tints) work together to communicate a particular mood and emotion.

It’s been rainy for the past weeks, and two weeks ago in particular were pretty gloomy, what with the floods caused by “the storm that wasn’t even a storm.” It was on one particular afternoon during that week that my boys at home and I indulged in the perfect comfort food, designed to brighten hearts and tummies with a bit of edible sunshine. The photo that I shot of our mid-afternoon snack (before it got gobbled up) just begged to be the subject of this challenge, and so here’s what I came up with: