Well a lot has happened in the last couple of weeks!    Totally not in the direction I was expecting but I guess that is what life is like.    Sometimes you are travelling down a road and suddenly a detour comes up and you have no choice but to take it.

So what is my detour?    Well I have made the extremely hard decision to leave the Sweet Shoppe.    I honestly thought I would be selling there until I was an old and wrinkly designer (older and more wrinkled than I am now lol).    The shoppe is amazing, the designers talented and inspiring and the community… well it IS the best!     I have been so lucky to have been able to play there.

As I mentioned previously in one of my newsletters, one of my family members is going through bit of a rough patch at the moment.    The stress of trying to help them and design on a regular basis was continually mounting until it came to the point two weeks ago where I just could not cope.    I was so emotional about both things that in the end I was not dealing with either the way I should be.    One thing became obvious…I needed to sort out the work/life balance.

I have decided that I am going to take a little detour.      I am taking a side step…I will be working from my blog.    I will be selling my products from here, continuing my free templates, journal prompts and anything else that I think you would like.     While selling from my blog isn’t the best option, working to my own schedule is.   I’m looking forward to creating lots of great content for you and also some super cool things for you to play with.

My last day at the Sweet Shoppe will be the 15^th of November so if there is anything from the Store make sure you grab it while it is on sale.     All items will be 40% off.    I will be repackaging some of these items for my blog but I can guarantee they won’t be this cheap!

Click here to visit my store!

I know this move may come as bit of a surprise…but I am trying to look at the  positives.    Not only do I get to focus on my family but also I am looking forward to continuing to serve you.    The best of both worlds!     So as my blog will be my little home for now I would love for you to pop in and say hi, leave a comment, ask a question, share a layout

 Anyway this is not goodbye…just a little detour so I hope you will join me for the ride!

Looking forward to chatting with you soon!

Fee x

P.S.   Don’t forget…grab my products on sale – 40% off!

Ever heard…

“He/she looked at me?”

And the reply…

“Well he/she was looking at me!”

If you have children in your home, you have more than likely heard something similar.    While I don’t enjoy this tit for tat squabbling the whole argument is quite hilarious.

So they are looking at you?     What is that going to do?   Do they have super hero powers and have laser beams shooting from their eyeballs?    Is this ‘looking’ physically harming you?

The children will look at me as if I have said the silliest thing on the planet and then say…”Muuuuuuum!     Buuuuuuuut, they WERE still looking at me”

Alright…they were.   Let’s move on.    Let’s put the laser beam eyeballs back in the holsters and eat your toast.

I came across this layout today by Lori J and I had to giggle when she mentioned a similar story in her journaling.

{Layout by LoriJ}

Lori captures the everyday perfectly.    She shares tales of her children squabbling, the many hours spent in the car and even shows that she is someone that has her camera handy in situations like this (a true scrapbooker!)    It gives a great insight into their lives and the perspective of the photo, puts you as the viewer right into the situation.    I think that is amazing.    Imagine when her children or grandchildren look at this layout in years to come and can visualise what their mother saw.    What a gift!

Actually, this brings me to the topic of perspective.

“We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.”  ~Anaïs Nin

How are you looking at things around you?

Have you tried looking at your environment from a different perspective?

Have you tried looking at an experience from a different perspective?

As scrappers, we often scrap from our point of view.    That is what comes naturally and is usually the easiest road to take.     We relate the story as we observe it.

But as you know…someone else may view the exact same experience in a completely different way.

Take the ‘they are looking at me’ game played by the children.    It may make no sense to me…but to them…this is World War 3 and the battle of the eyes has begun.

I could create two layouts about the same story using different perspectives.    My layout would probably include my feelings, my frustrations at the bickering and the seemingly silliness of the whole display.    To my children…there maybe many underlying reasons why this eye fight began.    Ask a few questions and I may find out that Cameron had flicked a boogie at his sister and then she gave him the stare down…and then he stared at her…and she stared at him…etc.   Entirely different and probably a whole lot more amusing than my story.

Now let’s look at perspective when it comes to your photography.    I loved Lori’s photo.    She could have just turned around and taken a picture of the kids in the back seat of her car…but she used a different perspective and the results were fabulous.    Think outside the box.    Try something new in terms of how you set up a photo.   It doesn’t have to be anything highly technical…it could be as simple as getting down to a child’s eye level and snapping away.

Imagine if you were to create a layout of a crawling baby’s perspective.     Feet, chair legs, toys on the floor, long grass, kitchen cupboard handles.      Sounds funny to think about doing a layout like that…maybe a bit silly but it highlights how you could really play with different perspectives with both your photographs and how your baby sees the world.

Or how your dog views the world.

{Create by Fee Jardine}

Have a play with perspective and you might create something fabulous!

Happy creating!

Fee x

PS.   So have you created a layout using a completely different perspective either in your story or your photography?    Please share in the comments.

What do you love?

Is there something that you can’t do without?

Why do you love it?

What is special about it?

Do you remember the first time you got it/experienced it/saw it?

Could you go without it?

What would life be like…without it?

{Credits: Remember When digital scrapbooking kit by Fee Jardine}

I love…Iced Coffee.    Can’t get enough of the stuff.    Breakfast, lunchtime…in the evening.

  Sometimes more.

It wasn’t always this way…in days gone by…life was Iced Coffee free.    The occasional cup of tea, water and a couple of Coca Colas during the day was all I needed.  I liked Iced Coffee and had it occasionally but it was pretty much a rarity…a special treat.   Oh how life was simple in terms of quenching my thirst.

Then everything changed.

I bought a 600ml carton of Iced Coffee from the supermarket to have with my lunch.    Geez it was it nice.    It was summer, and it was icy cold and delicious.     It was so nice that I thought it would be a perfect little treat to have each week.

So once a week I would get my iced coffee for lunch…and things were good…for a while.

Slowly I was developing the taste for the sweet nectar.    I started buying two cartons a week…then 3…then…finally upgrading to the 3 litre carton.    3 litres…that should be enough…right?

It would have been…if I were just drinking it myself.    But at this point…I had recruited my husband…and he was also drinking the Iced Coffee.

It was a slippery slope.   We were out of control.

We were drinking ridiculous amounts of Iced Coffee.    The more we bought, the more we drank.    I was going out of my way to go to the shops to restock the Iced Coffee.   The Husband would stop at the shops on the way home from work.    We couldn’t go without it and we wouldn’t.

And another problem was developing.   My waistline was growing in proportion to the amount of iced coffee that I drank.    Hello, Miss Muffin top…my new best friend.   Who would have thought that drinking a litre and half a day of full cream milk filled with sugar would do that???

There was only one path we could take.

Make my own Iced Coffee, using low fat milk and limited sugar.    Gosh you didn’t think I was going to say give it up did you?     That thought gives me shivers…definitely not ready to go down the Iced Coffee-less road yet.

So now, I make my own.    We still drink a lot, me especially but it is kinder on my waistline and my purse.    And, the best thing is that it tastes even better than the bought stuff.   Well I think so anyway…and I know my Iced Coffee

FEE’S ICED COFFEE RECIPE

Note: My iced coffee recipe is similar to how I make a hot coffee, except the milk/water ratios are reversed.

Using a large glass add -

1 teaspoon Mocona Medium Roast Coffee

2 teaspoons sugar

Dash of boiling water to dissolve coffee and sugar

Fill remainder of glass with icy cold milk.    Either drink or chill.

*****

If you would like share what you love…post a comment below.

Hope this prompt helps inspire you.

Happy Creating!

Fee x

 Happy Saturday!

I have nearly finished my Saturday…its evening in Australia, the day is done, the sleep in had, and looking forward to Sunday.    Actually we are pretty lucky this weekend.    It is a pupil free day on Monday so another day to relax…gotta love that!

Anyhoo, my new kit Remember When is now in the Sweet Shoppe Store.    If you saw it in the Newsletter and thought you might like to play with it…now is the time to grab it…20% OFF!

The kit previews are clickable and will take you straight to the store.

 Click here to purchase

 Click here to purchase

And the kit in action…

Thankyou so much for stopping by!

Happy creating!

Fee x

Wahoo!

I would like to introduce…

Miss Template Number 6.

Hailing from one of the Eastern States of Australia she is fine looking page, featuring 4 photos, clustered elements and lots of space to journal your little heart out.   She loves to dance, enjoys the company of avid scrapbookers and would love to join you on your next scrapping adventure.

Sketchpad 6

And a layout using the template…featuring our new puppy Cookie.     Look at that little face…isn’t she a cutie.    The other two aren’t too bad either

{Credit: Remember When by Fee Jardine Available 15 October 2011}

As a newsletter subscriber you will automatically receive the printable project page and layered template in the newsletter which is being sent out shortly.    If you have not yet subscribed to the newsletter…fill out the form in the sidebar today so that you receive the above template. You will also receive your complimentary Sketchpad1 project and mini digital scrapbook kit.

 If you liked this post tweet it, share it, spread the love!

And most importantly share links to your layouts below so we can return the love to you and get inspired!

Happy creating

Fee x

Have you used any of the FREE Sketchpad Templates to create a layout?

Would you like to share them?

It would be amazing to see what you have created.    To see if and how you have tweaked the template and made it your own.    Even if you only used the template to kick start your imagination and the layout looks nothing like the template…share it!

I’d love to have some inspiration pages on the blog…to share layouts that scrappers like you have created.

Hmmmmm…do I hear a little voice?    A little voice saying…

“I don’t know about sharing….I would but…”

How about we ignore the but for today?     Pack those hesitations away and share.    Imagine if you could inspire someone.    Wouldn’t that be wonderful.     Yes it would

Okay…so…leave a comment below with you link to your layout, the template that you used as inspiration and if I have your permission to post your layout on my blog (I will not post any that do not state that permission is granted).

Happy Creating!

Fee x

A couple of nights ago my 4 year old son Dan, was sick.    Around 1.30 am I heard a little voice saying…I’m scared.

Mr Husband was away with work so I told Dan to come and hop into my bed.    I do love his cuddles.

He shuffled in, sucking his thumb, climbed up onto the bed and when I went to cuddle him, he was shivering.    Maybe he WAS really scared of something and not just trying to sleep in the ‘big cloud bed’.   Maybe he had a bad dream, maybe he was cold.    So I cuddled him…and he continued to shiver.    He was shivering for what seemed like ages until finally we both fell asleep.

Not long after, I awoke to a little trembling voice saying…”Mummy I’m going to spew”.    On auto pilot (as a mum does in the middle of the night), I scooped him up and raced into the bathroom.    The poor little poppet wasn’t well.    He had a temperature, he was vomiting and he “really wasn’t well” (his words).

Around 4.30am he finally fell into a deep sleep.    I couldn’t sleep…the fear of a projectile vomit attack while sleeping was too great.    No spew in the mouth for me, thanks!

So as he lay sleeping, I stroked his hair and held his little hand.   He looked so cute and so little.    He had his favourite blanky (named Ganky), and he was sucking his thumb.    Doing the things that made him feel better.     I had put a face washer on his forehead to cool him down (just like my mum did for me), which he said was “very nice, thankyou Mummy….boys like that”.    How funny is that…he is sick, probably a tad delirious and he is still remembering to thank his mummy.

{Credit: Lauren Grier – The Ocean in your Eyes}

Journaling reads:

“Dan was sick today with a temp & upset stomach.   He spent the day on the couch with his ganky & crochet blanket.  It reminded me of when I was sick as a child. On the couch with my crochet blanket, a glass of lemonade & a couple salada biscuits for my sick tummy.   No Lemonade for Dan today though…even if we had some he wouldn’t like the bubbles.   And no salada’s-despite the upset tummy,he still had to have his Nutella sandwich.”

Even in the messy, spewy world of sick kids…there can be the sweetest thoughts and moments.    Of course…they don’t usually occur when you are cleaning out the spew bucket and stripping a bed of messy bedding.     They come at that quiet time, when you are stroking your child’s hair, holding their hand, wishing that your little baby (no matter the age) wasn’t hurting or sad or sick.    Pick off the spew and you could have something beautiful to write about.    Gosh, isn’t that a visual image for you lol!

Each week I will be sharing a story prompt with you…a little kickstart for your scrapbooking.   Today’s story idea follows on from above.

How do you comfort your child when they are sick or sad?

What makes them feel better?    Share you feelings and their reactions.

Do you have a feel good remedy for sad little ones?

In comforting your children, do you remember being comforted as a child by your parents/caregiver?

What do you remember?

Is there anything that you do as a parent with your children that your parents did with you?

*****

I’d love to hear your story…do you have a Lemonade and Salada’s story?      Post a comment below.

Thanks so much for popping by…I really appreciate you taking the time to visit!

Happy Creating!

Fee x

Do you remember the first time that you discovered Digital Scrapbooking?    Do you still remember your first layout?

I was going through some old layouts the other day and came across this double page spread which was my first ever digital creation.    This baby is practically a fossil.    It was created back in early 2005…so maybe not quite prehistoric in digital scrapbooking terms but definitely Middle Ages

I still remember the exact week I discovered digital scrapbooking.     Might have something to do with the fact that it was a week before I had my second child Cameron.

I was hot (the summer weather was sticking around), HEAVILY pregnant (thankyou Mr 10 lb, 3oz baby), maybe a teensy bit cranky and freaking out because I wasn’t up to date with my paper scrapbooking.    Let’s put that one down to crazy hormonal nesting instincts    I know it doesn’t really matter but heck do you really want to argue with a sweaty hormonal 6’1” woman carrying a baby the size of a small toddler?     I needed to scrapbook and that was that!

I thought that it might be helpful to plan some layouts on the computer.    So, I opened up Photoshop, which up until that point was something that was pretty much just an icon on my desktop.    I had no clue how to use the program but I fumbled around a bit until I had the above layout.     Note my very cool stitching and digital tags.    They look a bit lame now…but I can still remember how freaking proud of them I was.     It was ‘just’ like paper scrapping but better…no…not just better…but amazingly better.    No mess!

That got me thinking…I wonder if other people created scrapbooking layouts on the computer.

Started up google and…

Hot diggity dog…people DO make layouts on the computer…and there are papers and elements that you can buy, and forums and people creating free stuff…and this is just the most amazing thing in the world…and I want to make my own stuff…and I’m going to do soooooo much scrapbooking…and heck I am having a baby…I can’t be getting all obsessed with this…I’m going to be crazy busy with a new babe…I shouldn’t be complicating things.    More freaking out

Well two things happened.     Sweet Cameron was born and I did become obsessed with digital scrapbooking.     Cameron was the perfect baby.     He was a great sleeper and allowed Mummy to play in digital scrapbooking world when he was catching some zzzzzz’s.

I do have bit of a giggle when I go back through my layouts…because for each one…I can remember thinking that IT was the best layout ever!    This happens with my digital scrapbook kits too.     Aaaaah…I am fickle…I just love em and leave them.     Next please

Anyway…thought I would share some of my layouts through the years…so that you can either…

A.        Have a laugh at my early and decidedly dodgy digital elements and papers

B.         Laugh with me…because we were both there in the Digital Middle Ages

C.        Or maybe if you are new digital scrapbooker…realise that EVERYONE has started at the same point as you – the beginning.

2002 – Found a photo of a paper layout I did around 2002 so threw that in for kicks…

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

So bit of a journey…and one that will continue.    Lots more scrapping to come

Would you be game…to share your first layout?    Or maybe your story on how you discovered digital scrapbooking.     Share in the comments.

Happy creating!

Fee x

I am so glad today has come!    I have been busting to share this latest template with you

The idea for this template first came to me while I was waiting for an appointment.   I always carry my trusty little journal with me (just in case a moment of inspiration hits) so I started sketching…and before I knew it…I had 20 sketches done.   It’s funny how, you can be sitting in the most mundane environment and you come up with a bucket load of ideas.     Guess that shows that inspiration can strike in funny places so you better make sure you have something to sketch your ideas on

Anyway…here is Sketchpad 5, a 3 photo layout.

And here is sample layout.

{Credits: A Nice Place to Be by Fee Jardine}

Current newsletter subscribers…check your inbox for your newsletter and download link.

New readers can sign up to receive the weekly newsletter, Sketchpad 5, future templates and also a FREE mini kit HERE!

Thank you so much for popping by and if there is anything you want me to help you with, or if you want to share a layout…leave a comment.

Happy Creating!

Fee x

Hmmmm…this is a bit awkward.    

I don’t actually have a photography studio.

Heck I barely have an office, let alone light boxes, backgrounds, lighting, reflectors for photography.  

But I thought there might be one or two people who maybe are in the same boat so I thought I would share how I improvise…

how you can use a simple point and shoot camera, some nice natural lighting and some basic photography actions to jazz up your photographs.

This morning I took a photo of a ring that I wanted to talk about in my blog post at Sweet Shoppe Designs so I will share my process for taking and editing that photo.

Alrighty…first up…lets talk location.    Where are you going to take your photos?

Like a mentioned I don’t really have an office or studio…I work in our living room.    I have a little wonky Ikea desk (and when I say wonky, I MEAN wonky!   One of the wheels is thiiiiiiiiiis close to coming off.    What can I say…I like to live on the edge lol!), a chair, a small Ikea set of shelves and a wall that houses my corkboard and calender.    

 It just so happens that where I work is right next to a huge window so lots of natural light and with sheer curtains which nicely difuses the light.

My little shelf is right next to this window also.    Once I remove the bits and pieces on top (and probably a nice amount of dust) and I have a nice white background with filtered light which is perfect for taking close up photos.    Good lighting is essential for good photographs.    You don’t want it too bright or you have too much contrast, not enough and you lose detail.

Have you got a little spot near a window that you could use?

Now I would like to say that I had some complex way of positioning my ring for the photograph but I just plonked it down on the top of the shelves, adjusted the position until I was happy and took some snaps using my point and shoot camera, a Canon Ixus 100IS (Auto Mode, using no flash).    Easy peasy!     I took 5 five photographs and this is the one that I chose to edit.

Okay so not too bad…but we need to do some tweaking.

Using Photoshop I adjusted the levels.

Before…

After…

As you can see in this image…I have moved the little pointers in the input level until they are more in line with the hilly black graph.    Play around until you get the result that makes you happy.

 So next step for me is to use an action.     If you love to tweak your own photos from scratch…I’m in awe.    I used to tweak my own photos until I realised that some people know a whole lot more than me when it comes to photo tweaking and have created actions that can create far better results than I ever could…so I hung up my tweaking belt and embraced some actions by Annie Manning at Paint the Moon.     That girl has it totally going on.    The actions that I have used in editing these photos were included in the The Essentials and Miracle Makeover Action Sets

The first action I used was the Super Sharp action which, as the title suggests sharpens the image.

Next up…cropped the photo in nice and tight.     And then used the dodge tool to remove some of the shadows in the right hand side of the photo.

Oooooh…getting better…I like where this is going!

And then the final step…lets call it the oomph step.     I applied another action called Brighten and Lighten and kapow!     Brilliant!

All done with a point and shoot camera, natural lighting and some great actions.     Sure it probably is not perfect, and may even need more tweaking but it took me a measley 10 minutes to take the picture and edit.    That is fabulous.     You don’t have to have ALL the latest gadgets or spend a lot of money to create photographs that you love.      Sometimes all you need are a couple of basic things and good lighting to create photos that you will love.

What tools do you use when taking and editing photographs?    Share below in the comments.

Happy creating!

Fee x