Category Archives: Freebies

New Freebie – “Vintage Garden” – 2 QP’s

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Greetings from my little slice of the web.  There are some wicked spammers that come with WP!  At first I was really flattered that the comments said all this nice stuff about my writing and the info I offered.  But, after about three of these, I got it.  Boo!  Hiss!  LOL  For that reason, and that one alone, I have to approve all comments.  I appreciate your understanding!

Speaking of spam, has anyone else noticed how far down hill MediaFire has become?  Geez!  Whenever I download anything from another person’s files, I get tons of pop-ups, even with my Blocker.  Then, the other day, I got a warning message that several files of mine were in violation of copyright code.  Poppycock!  The files they mention have been suspended.  I responded to them that I needed to know which images, in particular, they were claiming, since the files were multi-image files.  I haven’t heard anything more.  Come to find out, I am not the only one who got a warning like that.  Hmmm…  What form of pleasure can anyone possibly gain from claiming a violation and suspending my files?  I dunno, but, I am in the process of moving all my files and switching the links, as well.  There are other sites that don’t cause so much guff!

Mondays are often so difficult.  This one brings what feels like a cold coming on.  My head feels rotten!  Maybe it is!  LOL  My neck is killing me!  The glands are swollen.  So, I am just gonna post the first two(2) parts, the QP’s, with a promise to come back this week with the features.

It just occurred to me that, with everything else, I don’t know how to host the files myself.  LOL  I have the FTP, or whatever it is, FileZilla.  I just need to go at it.  Until then, though, I am hosting them at Minus.

Click on my preview to go to Minus to download.  Then, if you have not visited her blog, yet, click on Miss Edna’s preview to go to her blog for her two parts.

Parts 1 and 2

Miss Edna’s Preview(Blog)

Aren’t her QP’s beautiful!?  What can I say – I adore flowers!  LOL

Until next time…

Smile Pretty!  Somebody loves you!

Hugs,

Su

New Blog – Finally! Freebies and Links

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Hiya!  I made it!  Welcome to my new blog!  This one is mine!  LOL  I am using the WP plug-in, but, the hosting is done right here.  No more going to Minus or Box!  I am new to this concept, so, be patient with me, as you have already done.  I appreciate it!  Be sure to check out Hosting Bonanza if you would like to have your own site!  My friend, J, did all the set up for me and I couldn’t be more pleased!  I still need to transfer over my ‘resource’ pages, but, I will.  Every one of my posts from both, Blogger and WordPress, have been added to this blog, so, this one is complete!

I have lots for you today.  First off, I have been promising you some new links for good things.  I have some for you!  If you love pretty and colourful patterns, check out InkBite.  Here is quite the selection!  Here is just one of these gorgeous designs:

See what I mean?  It’s a nice site, so, do give it a click!

Next up is Animus.  There, you will find some of everything – design-wise, anyway.  At first look, it seemed that there was not that much content.  Then, when I clicked on the menu items, patterns, then, floral, in particular, it took me to a page like this:

Each of the circle previews can be clicked to see a larger preview and to download.  You can see the list of patterns offered.  It is about the same for brushes, fonts, even clip-art.  Go give it a whirl!  I think you’ll like!

This next site is one on DeviantArt, The Strawberry Tree.  This site is aimed at providing stock images for manipulations.  It has some great images!  If you do any kind of art or image-manipulating, this one is a jewel!  I’ll let you check it out.  Do follow any TOU’s, of course.

This one, e-Scape and Scrap, is for scrapping.  I had never seen it before!  There is a great selection of designers here!  I don’t know what it is about this site, but, I loved everything!  LOL  That doesn’t happen often, either.  I picked just one of the offered freebies to show you, but, there is a lot more!

See?  Check it out!

The last link today is SDWHaven.  This site is a design-oriented website which leans towards illustration.  It has been around a while.  There are some wonderful brushes, patterns, styles, etc, here.  Here is just one brush preview:

The offerings are good quality!  Give it a try, too!

Alrighty, then!  Those should keep ya busy for a little while.  Onward!

Did You Know…?

that in some versions of Photoshop, you can change the brush size and the opacity by holding down the ‘Alt’ key, then, clicking and dragging the mouse?  Click and drag right and left to change the size, up and down to change the opacity.  I know this feature is available in CS5 and CS6. I am not sure about PS Elements.  It won’t hurt to try if you have another version!  I like it as it keep my hands on the keyboard around the area where I do the most key-strokes – the lower left-hand corner of the keyboard.  To me, that is nice!  LOL   I hope someone can find this useful!

Keystroke Shortcut

For our keystroke shortcut of the week, let’s use all of our fingers!  LOL  By depressing all three modifier keys, ‘Alt’, ‘Shift’ and ‘Ctrl’, then, ‘E’, while on the top-most layer of your layers panel, it will create and place a composite image of every layer on top of them all.  This is best explained with an image.  Say you have several layers created.  You don’t want to merge them or flatten them as you may have to make some changes.  However, you really want to add an effect to the finished design.  This is where this shortcut comes in handy.  I threw together an image to illustrate this:

Looking at the Layers Palette, we see the layers we have:

Now, I want to clip a texture to the entire image, but, I don’t want to merge.  So, I hold down all three modifiers and click ‘E’.  You must be on the top-most layer to do this and get the entire image.  If you only have one layer, for some reason, you can just add a new layer, select it, then apply this feature.  There just has to be more than one layer and you have to be on the the top layer.  If there is a layer you don’t want included, just turn it off!  Easy-peasy!  Here is the Layers Palette after applying this step:

Now, I can go ahead and do whatever I want to the image and the layers aren’t affected.  It is a bit of a trick clicking on all three keys plus the ‘E’, but, it is worth it.  I use this almost every time I am on Photoshop.  I find lots of reasons I want various layers combined, yet still separate.

So, that is a gonna do it for this post!  I have a surprise for you!  Call it a ‘Welcome Gift’ if you like, but, I have some element sheets I forgot to give you from ‘Summer Fun’.  Oops! Click on each image for larger sizes, then, right-click and save!

Citrus Slices

Summer Signs

Tropical Fruits

Whew!  LOL  I hope you have found something useful here today!  I am so excited to have all of my blog together in one place!  Woo-hoo!  LOL

I am out of here!  There is another afternoon thunderstorm brewing.  I have to turn off everything.  I’m not replacing all that stuff again!  Cha-ching!(Sound of cash register)  So, until next time,

Smile Pretty!

Hugs,

Su

Final Parts “Summer Fun” Freebie

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  I’m having one of those days, ya’ll, so, I am just going to post the freebie for you.

Here are the last parts for the monthly freebie, “Summer Fun”.  Click on the first preview, the elements, for Part 5 and the second preview, the papers, for Part 6.  Then, if you haven’t been to Miss Edna’s Place for her parts, click on her preview to go to her blog.

Part 5

Part 6

Miss Edna’s Place

I promise I will return real soon!  Until then,

myspace comments
Hugs,

Su

Two New Parts Posted Now for “Summer Fun” Freebie!

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Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Your patience will, hopefully, be rewarded!  I got my motherboard replaced by this wonderful friend, my PC guy, DirtyBegger.  He practically dropped what he was doing AND even allowed me to partial-pay for the repairs until ‘pay day’.  LOL  He is so good to me.  DB, I sure appreciate it!

DirtyBegger, for your information, has just started his own web-hosting service, well, with a fellow web dude.  They offer some extremely reasonable packages and are uber-dedicated to their work.  Their site is where I am moving to, as soon as all the mini-crisis’ lighten up!  LOL   If you are in the market for a plan, take a look at what they offer. I believe you will see they are quite comparable.  With two dudes’ heads, full of knowledge, I think they are going to be an asset to the web-design community!  The website is

HostingBonanza.com

After you click the above link to go there, at the bottom of the page, on the right side, there is a box that tells you whether they are online or not.  One of them usually is!  That is wonderful, I think!  You don’t have to jump through hoops to ask questions or comment, no waiting for someone to get back with you in most instances.  Someone is ready and available if you present them with any issues, should they arise.  It’s like walking up to a ‘window’ and having someone there to help you!  I like that!

(Disclaimer:  I received no compensation for this comment.  I have that much faith in these guys.)

I’m not going to bother ya’ll with any drivel today.  I have found some really great links for ya’ll!  But, I kinda pulled an all-nighter to get this kit out, so, they can wait.  Once I get some snooze-time, I will return and I’ll be more  sociable.  LOL

You all know the routine.  Miss Edna, she is such a doll.  She and I have been creating these kits since, at least, January 2011.  I know it is longer – the Fall of 2010(?), perhaps – I  just didn’t want to spend a bunch of time looking for dates.  LOL  We’ve been delayed before due to me and she is always so sweet about it, waiting patiently to post her parts with mine so that we continue in the same fashion, or, as close to a routine as possible.  I know she understands, as do you folks.  Some situations are just not within our control!  It is a really super feeling to know that she is so understanding!  Bless you, Edna!  I luvs ya!

Here are my two previews.  Click on the ‘elements’ for Part 3 and the ‘papers’ for part 4.  Each of the two files will contain an assortment of the elements and papers, though.  I know you folks have already been to Miss Edna’s.  But, just in case, her preview(s) are just beneath mine.  Click on them and it will take you to her blog for her two parts.

Part 3

Part 4

Miss Edna’s Previews/Blog Link

What follows is a little rant about the pc fiasco.  LOL  You don’t have to read on unless you just want to.

That little fiasco last week, with the lightening striking so close to my house, was just an inconvenient pile of crap!  LOL  It just took time.  Waiting for the Provider’s service call took a day, ordering the part, then, three or four days for shipping, and, finally, the actual repairs, another day.  Also, it takes time to set back up, getting everything up and running again.  It wasn’t a rebuild, so, the programs didn’t have to be re-installed.  However, the majority of them required a renewal of the ‘authorization’, so, that took time.  Photoshop, naturally, had to be re-authorized.   They are suspicious, little boogars!  I was only using a copy before.  Now, I own CS6 outright – thanks to my pc guy, DirtyBegger.  Still, even with everything back up and running, there are ‘things’ happening that are weird.  LOL  I’ve had some strange messages/alerts pop up.  (Things have been rather sluggish, too.  Shhhhh!  It might hear!)  I had some programs show up that I had forgotten completely.  In a way, it’s kind of like a surprise!  You never know what to expect!  LOL  It’s all good, though.  Crap happened, everything was fried, it got fixed or replaced and, wallah, I am back in ‘business’, a little worse for wear.  We always manage, eh?  Think about it.  We always have what we need, when we need it.  It may not be just what we wanted or even when we wanted it.  But, I can guarantee you, we have always gotten what we ‘need’.  That thought really comforts me.  To say I am ‘blessed’ after the past few months’ events, would seem foolish, if not for the fact that, hey, I survived!  I am alive, relatively healthy and in good spirits.  Who could ask for anything more?  LOL

Real quick, if any of you are members at PSD Tuts website, http://psd.tutsplus.com/, make sure you get over there and download as much of their Premium content as you can stuff on your hard drive.  They were hacked about a month ago, with members’ log-in/ password info being the target.  Members’ personal info was breached, so, it really angered and shook the community.  This site practically preaches internet safety.  A lot of long-time members left and/or, at least, gave them hell!  Though they took immediate steps to stop the breach and safeguard further invasion, the damage was done.  Anyone whose log-in info was in any way similar to that of their PayPal’s info, were especially urged to take preventative measures.  The admin involved claimed their responsibility and, as a consolation, ALL existing members, whether active or not, will be allowed free access until early September.  It is for approximately two months.  If you have ever registered at PSD Tuts, get on over there and start downloading!  You don’t have to do anything except log in.  Be warned, too, that, when you go to log in, you will automatically have to reset your password.  They ‘cancelled’ all previous log-in info for obvious reasons.  Your account is still there, it just needs to be updated.  When you try to log-in, you’ll see what to do.  It took all of 2 minutes – if that!

Folks, I am getting ga-ga from lack of sleep.  I so wanted to get this kit ready!  And, now, it is.  I am happy.  I sure hope you all are happy, too!

Until the next time….

So, put on your best smiles, ya’ll!

Hugs,

Su

New Freebie: “Summer Fun”

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Ah, a glorious morning here in sunny Florida!  There is something about mornings.  The birds are singing a chorus to welcome in the new day.  Dew is slowly dissipating from the grass, as the sun slowly rises.  In a few hours, old ‘Sol’ will be glaring down upon us as it bakes the earth beneath our feet.  But, up til then, everything feels so fresh and new.  Yeah!  Right!  About the only thing new about the day is getting to sleep in.  LOL  On weekends, the children are early risers, so, there is no lazing around beneath the sheets.  But, come Monday, when everyone returns to school or work, it’s quiet and peaceful.  I love this time!  I stayed in bed a mite too long this morning.  ‘Cause, now it is after noon. Sorry about that.

Things are still in the works for my website.  I know.  I know.  Anyone else would have theirs up and running by now.  The dude who handles all my PC stuff is working on it.  Some years back he was certified in Microsoft.  Obviously, things have changed.  So, he is in school now.   He and a classmate are getting this web-business up and running.  They only really lack experience.  So, I am not in any hurry just so it gives my friend time to go through and figure things out, set them up, whatever.  I figure my site is as good a place as any for him to play around with.  I know he will do me right.  He is good about that.  So, all I can tell you is that later this week he is coming over to get me tuned in and all that jazz.  Perhaps, by weeks end, the new site will be up.

As it’s late, I will go ahead and give you the new freebie and save my gab for another day. This month’s theme is “Summer Fun”.  I think the soft, pastel colors will appeal to many.  Today, Miss Edna and I give you the QP’s.  Then, for the next two Mondays, we will give you the kit parts for you to create your own layouts.  You end up with a total of twelve(12) parts between Miss Edna’s parts and mine.  So, without further adieu, here are Parts 1 and 2, together.  Click on the preview to go to Minus to download.  Then, if you haven’t been to Miss Edna’s Place yet, click on her preview to go to her blog for her two parts.

Parts 1 and 2

Miss Edna’s Place

And, that will do it!  I hope you enjoy!

Until next time,

Smile Graphic #13

Smile | Forward this Picture

Hugs!

Su