Desktop Freebie & Card-a-day finale!

Good afternoon! I am feeling really happy and positive today :) Made some changes yesterday to my schedule and feeling a little less pressure already knowing that my load will be lighter than ever shortly, though I'll be busy studying for my fitness exams again then though, lol!

First up today I wanted to share this desktop freebie, it is afterall almost July and new month means we switch out the desktops for something seasonal I think don't you? July's desktop is available in my digital stores at: Di Hickman Designs, Scrapwow and soon to be at 3Scrapateers (if I get busy and get uploading!)

The desktop is made with my latest digital kit, released today called "Let Freedom Ring". It's a kit designed with patriotic pages in mind. The kit is loaded with 5 patterned papers, and coordinating solids, with 10 different embellishments (including word art, buttons, glitter borders, ribbons, frames and journaling spots) to make many patriotic pages celebrating 4th July or simply flying the flag! Though a few of the elements are American themed, the papers and majority of the embellishments could be used for any Red, White and Blue pages! On sale for just $2.50 thru July, available at Di Hickman Designs, Scrapwow and soon at 3Scrapateers!

And it's the final day of Make a Card a Day Month! Wow this month FLEW by! I waited till this afternoon to update so I could post yesterdays and today's card so that I can concentrate on July's new sketches tomorrow! Totally loved doing a card a day, but it did make me realize that a layout a day as a goal is a little optimistic! Definitely not something I am going to attempt in the upcoming months but hopefully one day!

I used yesterday's sketch to make this card using some Imagination Project papers, prima flower, and miscellaneous ribbon and buttons in my stash. I think I need to make more blank cards as this came together really quickly and could be used for ANY occassion!

Today's sketch is this one below. I love it for the scallops and the fact that it could work rotated, flipped and any size! So versatile!

I decided to keep to my theme of using scraps on my scraptable and used more Imagination Project. This time I paired it with a Queen & Co flower, Bazzil big brad and some misc ribbon. Not quite as I planned but I like it. I photographed it this way up but I like it rotated 90 degrees too!

So tomorrow is back to normal blogging, and it's a Wednesday so it's new card sketch day! I can't wait to share what the girls have been working on, but first I gotta get busy and get some designing done! See you in July!

Di

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Card a day - day weekend recap

Well I didn't get online hardly at all over the weekend, so here is a bit of a weekend recap! Friday I went out with some girlfriends for lunch and had a long chat, fun as always! Friday night was a night in with a few beers followed by a full days training at my Red Cross CPR/AED & First Aid course. Long Saturday it was too, watching training DVDs, doing the practical and then the exams. Good news is that I passed and my certificates should arrive soon! Yay! Saturday night we went out for a meal to celebrate and then chilled out at home. Sunday was a busy day! We went out and bought a BBQ! Neither of us has owned a BBQ before so that was fun. We did a trial run as we're thinking of a Summer Pool Party in a week or two with a small group of friends, should be fun! Of course the afternoon meant Pool time and I got some gardening done! Sunday evening we went out to eat with friends :) Phew, I swear I hardly stopped!

I did manage to get a card done for "make a card a day" in June on both Saturday and Sunday but didn't manage to get pics or update the blog so doing that now! Here is my card for Saturday's Sketch:

Again used IP papers, ohom rub-ons and some prima flowers finish it off nicely I think! Satuday I used a nice and simple sketch for Sunday cos I knew I was going to be busy again:

Again the card uses the IP papers and ohom rub-ons with some offray ribbon and JoAnns acrylic to finish it off. Simple yet effective!

Today I'll be using this sketch to make a card, hopefully, cos it's already gone 6pm and I am only just updating the blog! Seriously behind schedule today!

I can hardly believe the month is nearly over! I set out this month to do less work, and ended up doing more than normal... something wrong there? lol! I have changed focus so much this month so hardly surprising I feel like I am floundering a little. I have LOTS to do over the next week or so, need to get busy!

See you tomorrow for Monday and Tuesdays sketches/cards as tomorrow is the final day in the card a day challenge! Time flies!


Di

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Dance Diva

Going girly this week for a layout with the ballet papers and stamps! This layout features my Nancy's daughter Bella! Isn't she a cutie? Love her to bits. Anyway I pulled the papers and colors from the photo's. I printed the title onto the white cardstock using my computer then added the stamped image afterwards.

Boxer Scrapbooks Supplies: on your toes papers, Ballet Stamps; White mini brads

This layout was published in the May issue of Scrapstreet Magazine but I had to share with our blog readers! Those ballet stamps are so versatile, and the music score does a great job of providing lines for journaling!

Enjoy the weekend!

Di

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Card a day - day 27

Welcome back to "make a card a day" in June! As I mentioned yesterday today is a busy day so I scheduled this blog post yesterday as I am out all day at a CPR/First Aid course. The day will be LONG as it runs from 8am - 6pm and that's the longest I've been in a class environment in a very long time! Hope we get plenty of breaks or that the instructor is funny cos I see myself falling asleep otherwise! Doesn't help that the course will be just a few dozen feet away from the pool at the community center, and the weather is forecast for the high 80's! I'd much rather be at home by the pool chilling out than in a stuffy classroom. Ah well, it's all for the future & my training, keep reminding myself that! Here is the card I whipped up with yesterdays sketch, was short on time so I kept it super simple.

Desperately hoping I get chance to get a card done Saturday with this sketch. If I get chance I'll try and cut out the paper then just assemble it later in the day. Kinda cheating a little but it's gonna be tight timewise!

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!

Di

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Card a day - day 26

Busy busy busy, that's me over the next day or so! Today I had a long lunch with girlfriends, and I've been trying to schedule some time in the afternoons for some swim/sun time. Had the first swim of the season in the pool yesterday, it was lovely. Trying to get some sun on my legs too as they are whiter than white and a stark contrast to my arms which see sun regularly. Got a bit of a 'farmers tan' going on! The weekend is shaping up to be a busy one too! Here is my card for "make a card a day" in June using yesterday's sketch!

Supplies: Papers: IP; Rub-on: ohom; Ribbon: Offray

Gonna be a tight squeeze to get a card done today and tomorrow but I am hoping to eek out 10 minutes or so to whip up a quick card. Here is the sketch I hope to be using today :)

Hoping to get tomorrows blog post prepped later tonight as I will be out most the day tomorrow on a CPR/First aid course. If not I'll pop in Sunday to update :)

Di

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Card a day - day 25

Well it's already the 25th June! I am so behind in everything I wanted to achieve this month. But I guess making the life altering decision to get back into fitness kinda blew the lid off everything didn't it? So much to learn and take in again. Lots of research I am behind on, and lots of options to consider for the future. I definitely feel like I made the right decision headed back into fitness but I feel like there are still some decisions left to make. Do I continue with the teams I have? Have I cut enough to warrant all the time fitness is going to take? Where do I see designing fitting in with my fitness career? Do I think I can do both? Lots of questions, and not many forthcoming answers! lol!

So, back to "make a card a day" in June! I cannot tell you how much fun I am having working with these sketches! They really make card making SOOOOOO easy! Plus I am using up old product and making some cards for a great cause so it's all good! Here is my card with yesterday's sketch.


Used all stash on this one. Some Imagination Project papers, ohom rub-ons and ribbon and my sizzix die cut machine! That thing gets the cobwebs blown off it occassionally! lol. The sketch I'll be using today is below:




Di

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Card a day - day 24

Welcome back to "make a card a day" in June! Back on track with posting so should be good to post daily from now on :) Here is the card I made with yesterdays sketch

Supplies: Cardstock: DCWV; Paper: Imagination Project; Rub-on: one heart... one mind; Brad: Queen & Co

Using up the Imagination Project papers still that I started using over the weekend. Today I'll be using this sketch to make cards with:

The running is coming along ok. Since I hit the 6 mile goal I set for myself I took it down a notch and will be reassessing my goals. Not sure I want to run for distance right now. Probably going to work on speed drills and weights. Need to change things up a little bit so I don't plateau with my fitness. Plus running for an hour is really boring, lol!

See you tomorrow!

Di

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Card catch-up post... again

Wow, well I think that was a first! I can't remember the last time I didn't post on the blog for a whole weekend! Sorry to bail on you but Bob was off for a long weekend and we just spent some quality time together :) Back to reality today though, lol. Thought I'd catch up on the cards you missed over the weekend :-

Whew what a wrap up! As you can tell I used all the same product for these cards, some old Imagination Project papers I have in my stash and vowed to use this month. Loving these older papers. Don't get me wrong I LOVE new product but I like using older product more. Which is a good job cos I have a lot of it :) This is the sketch I will be creating with today.

Oh, the great news is I found my camera battery charger! Yay! Promise to update more often this week :)

Di

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Card catch-up post... 1,2... 3

Firstly I want to mention that I have a new Card DiAGRAM set out, this is set #8 and this set features all cards in 6x4" AND 5.5"x4.25" sizes. You get both for the same low price! And right now it's on introductory sale at my Di Hickman Designs and Scrapwow stores. You'll probably see some of these later again this month as I use them for cards :)

Secondly lets have a card-a-day catch-up shall we? I haven't found my camera battery charger yet but I DID find my spare battery. No idea still where the charger is though, however the spare battery did have some juice in it so I could at least take pics of the cards I've done lately :) So here are the cards/sketches for 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th June!

Supplies: Papers & Brads: HOTP; Cardstock: DCWV; Rub-on: Scrapease; Bling: MAMBI; Flowers: Queen & Co; Ink: ATB

Supplies: Papers: HOTP; Rub-on: one heart... one mind; Flower: Sizzix die cut from foam; Button: Sewing supplies;

Supplies: Papers: HOTP, DCWV; Cardstock: DCWV; Rub-on: one heart... one mind; Flower: Prima; Ink: ATB; Photo Corner: MM; Epoxy: Target;

Supplies: Papers & Cardstock: DCWV; Flower: Heidi Swapp; Button: MM; Wire

Phew! Glad to have those caught up. Here is the sketch I'll be using today to make a card or two :)

Thirdly, it has to happen. I cannot find my camera battery charger, my clipboard, and a variety of other things I need. The scraproom is a mess! Seriously!!! I vow that this weekend I will tackle said room and gain some order

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Thrifting, with pics :)

I mentioned that on the 16th I took the day off and went shopping. Now my idea of shopping is thrift store shopping. I like looking through the racks and finding treasure. I already mentioned my suit which I LOVE and I should mention that my favorite pair of pants EVER came from a thrift store and were just $4. I LOVE thrift store shopping, cheap, green and you can get some great items!

So I was going to get the tripod out and do a little fashion show then saw my camera battery was dead :( but then I remembered... camera phone! So, though the pics are blurry you can get the general idea right?

First up is an Abercrombie & Fitch Tee, paired with a denim skirt. I think you'll agree it looks pretty spiffy right? Whole outfit = $1.98! yep 99c a piece! Love a bargain! The tee is tighter than I usually like but I think I've been used to wearing baggier stuff since losing weight, need to show off the flat stomach again ;) I worked damn hard to lose the fat on the mid section, still a way to go for the 6 pack, but getting there!

Another Ab & F tee, plus a pair of swim shorts. Again both items 99c. Incase you are wondering the Tee reads "I may not be perfect, but parts of me are awesome!". How freaking cool is that? Love it! Even if it didn't fit I'd have still bought it! I also like how the wording fits on the boob area, the smaller font under the boob gives the impression of depth and makes it look like I have bigger boobs than I do. At least in the pic anyway!

Olive green Tee with tan corduroy skirt, again both items 99c. Love this outfit. Paired them up together and they work great. The skirt isn't too heavy either which corduroy sometimes tend to be. I see me wearing this a lot! Plus if I could clone this tee I would, fits so nice and great color!

Two most expensive items I bought were this sweater (100% lambswool from Next) and denim skirt. Love the skirt ($5) but hoping the sweater ($3) will soften in the wash as it's scratchy. either that or I am allergic which is quite possible. Now I know you're thinking "but it's summer!" but I figure put it aside for winter whilst I could get the bargain. Gotta think ahead people!

Another 99c pair of swim shorts paired with a classic wardrobe staple of a v-neck black vest top. I won't be wearing these together but you get the idea right? lol! Oh and the top was 99c too. Ignore the little blue price tag on the shorts :)

Now I've never bought shoes from the thrift store before because well I did't think it's sanitary and I never even thought they'd have my size (6 1/2 - 7) but this trip I found two pairs of slip ons that worked great with the stuff I'd bought recently. These fit with the dress and skirts I bought.

These go with the denim skirts above.

Both pairs were $1.98 each! Even if I wear them a few times each I got my 2 bucks worth right? The reason I changed my mind was after reading someone's blog and them saying that shoes are something we have the heebie jeebies about yet think nothing of going bowling and wearing shoes 100's of people have worn before us! I figure these have seen one pair of feet before me, and I sprayed them with a cleaner thing just incase (like they do at bowling alleys I guess). They fit great, just need to have a lesson in walking in heels lol! If you see another post in the future about me breaking my legs/neck/body part you know why!!!

So all in all good shopping day! I also bought 3 tops and 3 pairs of shorts from Ross. If you don't have a Ross where you are I'd describe it as a thrift store/yard sale with new items. Again you gotta LOOK to find bargains but they are there to be had. I got Wilson shorts for $5.99 a pair, so I am all set for summer with shorts. I do need some more tees to go with them though, or an idea of how to alter the ones I have to make them smaller.

Next thrifting trip: 24th June, why? Cos Goodwill are having a 50% off sale! :)

So go thrifting, yard sales, car boot sales whatever, rescue some stuff from the landfill, get bargains and get kitted out with a new wardrobe!

Di

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