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House Party

We're introducing a new feature at Design House Digitals this month: the DHD House Party! On the first of each month, the designers will release new kits, all based on the same color palette and general theme. The idea is to offer you, our fans, a variety of products that can be mixed and matched -- and the prices are great too!

Here's what I've got available for June's theme, One Fine Day. (All previews are clickable).

How about some eye candy? Here are a handful of layouts from our talented DHD Decorators!

 

new releases: alphas, templates, & even a kit

My shop is stocked up again this week, with four more releases: an alphabet called Fadeout, two templates, and a kit whose color palette just makes me happy. Remember, everything is 30% off for the first 24 hours, so if you want something, grab it at a discount if you can. (All products are linked to the shop, so just click on a preview to follow the link).

Here's a layout from Celeste using the Three Envelopes template:

Here's one from Mandi using the Four Squares template:

 In the Moment is the perfect kit for scrapping Instagram photos, if you ask me. It's got a fun little mix of a lot of things that I love, plus that color palette that I keep thinking about (is it possible to have a crush on a color palette?) Here's a look at the preview, plus a couple of layouts from our DHD Decorators.

from Rachel:

 from Jennifer:

from Arielle: 





 

books: how I rate them

I've been making it through a lot of books here recently, thanks to some recent requests from Netgalley and a couple of trips to the public library. There's a big pile of new releases that I'm really looking forward to this summer, so reading is at the top of my "spare time" list (but then again, when is it not?)

I thought I'd spend a little time talking about the rating system I use. I've been using Goodreads to keep track of and rate the books I read since 2007 (I can't believe it's been that long), so naturally I use their 5 star rating. However, my ratings go a little further than just those little phrases they use to explain each one.

A 5-star rating is one that I give to a book that I absolutely ADORE. One that I fall in love with from the very first page and then feel sad when it's over and I have to leave that world. These aren't always technically or stylistically perfect books; they sometimes have flaws, but the story and the characters and the writing combine to keep me completely immersed in their world during the entire time I'm reading. Sometimes these are genre books, and sometimes they are literary fiction. Some are adult novels, some are YA fiction, some are children's books. That doesn't matter, though -- a good story is a good story.

A 4-star book is a good book. It's a book that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to someone else. In many ways, 4-star books are a lot like 5-star books (sometimes, 4-star books are technically or stylistically BETTER than 5-star books) -- the one thing they are missing is that elusive magic that makes me really CONNECT with a book. 4-star books are books that I enjoyed fully.

A 3-star book is an okay book. It's one that I enjoyed reading, for the most part, but there's usually something about it that just doesn't sit right with me -- I have complaints about the author's style or about the world they've created. Those things aren't huge issues, in that they don't make me consider not finishing a book. In fact, they usually won't keep me from recommending a book, but they do warrant a comment when I'm reviewing the book.

A 2-star book is an okay book with some pretty big issues in terms of character or world-building or plot or author's style. This usually ends up being a book whose premise I find interesting (on the book jacket or in a review blurb) but the author really fails to deliver the goods. It's a book that I'll finish but only because I've already invested some time in it and I might as well complete it. I usually won't recommend a book with this rating, or at least not without a warning.

Books with 1-star ratings are just yuck. Most of the time there are major issues with the content and the style, and I usually just skim through them. There are very few books that I don't finish -- it's just a quirk I have, that no matter how bad a book is, I still have to finish it. I think it's because there have been times when a book takes longer than 50 pages to really grab me and keep me reading. Most of the time I know when a book is going to get a 1-star rating early on, but I still feel the need to know what happens, even if I don't particularly care. It's weird, I know. 

this week's Dollar Deal: Alphabits

I've got a simple alpha up for sale for $1.00 in the shop today through Thursday. It's called Alphabits, and you get not one but two grungy, cardboard, stencil alphas for the price of one. One has a cardboard backing with the traced letters on top, and the other consists of cardboard squares with punched out stencil letters. There are also three paint swatches and two sets of stitches for accent. So what are you waiting for? Head over to the shop to grab them while the price is so low!

new release: the Iconic line

I finally sat down and finished up my Iconic product line; I've had the idea for these papers and elements in mind for months now. I started off a while back with the Iconic Banners, and then added the Iconic Ledgers to the line. Now, I've finally completed the series with the Iconic Elements, Patterned Papers, and Journaling Cards (vol.1 and vol.2).

You can purchase the papers and elements separately (just click on the previews above), or you can buy them as a full digital kit.

The same holds true for the Iconic journaling cards -- you can buy each set separately, or you can buy them together at a discounted price.

Let's finish things off with a look at what our talented DHD Decorators did with these products!

from Celeste:

from Anna: 

 from Christy:

from Arielle:


 

new release: new $Dollar Deal$

I've added another set of journaling cards to the shop, and they are just $1.00 through Thursday. These are BUILD YOUR OWN: JOURNALING CARDS, and they give you the freedom to combine base cards, frame overlays, and journaling lines to create just the perfect journaling card for your Project Life or other needs. They come in two sizes: 4x6 and 3x4, with plain, grid, and notebook papers in rounded and rectangle formats. The arrow frames come in vertical and horizontal orientations -- striped and plain -- just like the journaling lines, which are also available in dotted, straight, and handdrawn styles. I've also included the days of the week and a few little phrases to add to the arrows, if you'd like. The result is a really flexible product that I hope you'll love as much as I do.

book review: The Girl in the Clockwork Collar (The Steampunk Chronicles #2)

Kady Cross (4 stars)
summary from Goodreads: "In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous. 

Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves. 

One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens."

MY THOUGHTS: I've read all three of Cross's novels (well, two novels and a prequel/short story) in this series, and I think they've been a lot of fun. On the technical side of things, I think Cross's style is just average -- she's not a flowery writer, but her prose doesn't stand out much, either. Sometimes an author can really grab you with a spare style, but that's not the case here. Cross writes serviceable prose, clear enough to set the scene and make her point -- and that's about it. Character development is pretty basic; obviously more time is devoted to Finley's perspective, though we spend a good bit of time in Griffin's head too. Both of these viewpoints work in favor of the romance (though I'm a little disappointed that we don't have Jack Dandy in this book to liven things up a bit). 

This book featured a number of things I've come to expect from steampunk, as well as a bonus: Nikola Tesla, who is one of my very favorite historic characters to show up in steampunk/alternate history novels. The New York setting is a great touch, though I wish the author had spent a little more time really describing the setting.

If I had to make one complaint about this book, it would be this: the pacing was really weak, particularly when it came to the climax of the book. The big "showdown" at the end took all of three pages to happen, and the scenes cut to each other too quickly. I felt like there was a lot that was left out and it all just felt so anti-climactic, especially after a buildup of almost 300 pages. There's one big plot point that's just left flapping loosely as well -- of course, I have my suspicions about what is going on, but obviously I'll have to wait until book #3 to see if I'm right.

Still, this is a fast, fun read -- almost like a chicklit version of steampunk.

layout share

Just a quick post -- I couldn't help but share this beautiful layout that DHD Decorator Katherine  made with my Ahoy Love! kit. PERFECT!!! Turns out that Kat's layout has been picked up for publication in an Australian scrapbooking magazine -- CONGRATULATIONS!

Here's one made by our newest Decorator, Rachel. I love the simple grid design -- it's a great way to show off a variety of patterns. The blocked initials are a perfect touch, too!

new releases: Ahoy Love!

I've got three new items available in the shop today. Don't forget that my Family Rules kit is still on sale (through today only) for just $1.00, so if you haven't grabbed it, make sure you do before it reverts back to full price. I've created a matching set of tags to go along with it; they make great page accents, and they'd be perfect for hybrid cards or other projects too!

My friend Celeste, who is an amazing member of our DHD Decorator team, put together this gorgeous layout using the Family Rules kit, tags, and my Banners Galore template. She's taking a family photo once a month, and I love that she was able to scrap May's photo with this kit.

My newest kit was inspired by a recent article in a home decorating magazine: it highlighted the colors navy, red, and pink (along with a couple of neutrals) and combined ocean images with a romantic theme. As soon as I saw it, I knew I needed to turn those ideas into a kit, and so Ahoy Love! was born.

Here's another gorgeous layout from Celeste:

scrapping sports photos

Cass has just finished track season, and high school soccer starts conditioning in just a couple of weeks. It's also time for her to start training for cross-country season by logging as many miles as she can over the summer. Cami's competitive soccer team has a final tournament this summer, then they're off for a bit before beginning summer practices to prepare for the fall season. 

Around here, sports are just a daily part of life. Both of the girls are active in a variety of sports, which means that we spend a lot of time on the track, the course, the soccer pitch. It also means that I end up with lots and lots of photos from these events. The problem is that after a while, the pictures all tend to look the same. 

So what do you do with hundreds of pictures of your kids running, or kicking a soccer ball, or batting at home plate, or shooting a layup?

The biggest tip I can offer is this: Don't even attempt to scrap them all. There's nothing that can squash your creativity faster than lots of pictures of the same thing. Instead, pull out the best photos -- the ones that capture great shots, fun moments, or other memories that you want to remember, and forget about the rest. (To be honest, I delete the rest of mine, but if you want to keep them, you can easily have them printed and just load them into a traditional photo album).

Here are some options for different types of pages that I've made it a habit to scrap during our sports seasons.

A SEASON OVERVIEW: 2010 Season
Every sport that my kids participate in have some type of season-ending celebration, whether it's a school banquet or a party at the local pizza place. I like to combine those pictures with a copy of the game schedule for the season, including wins and losses, as well as any other stats that might be appropriate (for cross-country, that includes times, team results, locations, distances, and more). Pages like this, for both team and individual sports, are a great way to show growth over a period of time, and they help to capture the little details that might otherwise get lost. 

 

TOURNAMENTS AND POST-SEASON COMPETITION: I Love To Run
Whenever my girls compete in tournaments or regional and state events, I create a layout to capture the special nature of that event. After all, not every athlete gets to participate at regionals or state, so this is something I want to commemorate. 

 

A REFLECTION ON THE SEASON'S GROWTH: XC 5K
Each sport and each season brings with it a new set of obstacles. I make it a habit of creating a layout, written TO my girls, talking about these challenges and how they handled them. These layouts are a reminder of the hard work and dedication they've put in each season, and they serve as encouragement and praise. Sports aren't always about the good times, and these pages help to remember that even when it's really hard, it's worth it to keep fighting.

 

CAPTURE THE ACTION: Trackstar
I use burst mode a lot when I'm shooting sports pictures, and I loved the progression of these track shots, so I try to make sure that I scrap at least one page that focuses on the girls in action.

 

EMPHASIZE A "BIG" GAME: Run Like You Mean It
Every athlete has that star moment -- the race where he finishes in the top 10, the game where she scores the winning goal. I think that moments like these deserve their own layouts. 

 

If you've captured the pages above, here are some other techniques you might want to try, if you are looking for alternatives to the typical sports page. Some offer topic ideas, while others focus on photography or design techniques.

GIVE YOUR KIDS A VOICE: Just for Kicks
Cami had to write an article for class at school about her greatest achievement, and she wrote about making the competitive soccer team for her age group. I thought it would work perfectly with these photos from her fall season. Plus, using the article here meant that I could toss the typed copy -- one less set of papers to have to file and keep.

 

CELEBRATE FRIENDSHIPS: Run Like Girls
Some of the best friends my daughters have made have been through their sports teams. I try to create a least one page each year featuring these same friends, so that we can look back and see how much they've grown and changed over the years. Even though these pictures are just a couple of years old, Cass and her friends always giggle at how "little" they looked her. (Elementary soccer pictures get even more giggles!)

 

INCLUDE THE WHOLE TEAM: Calloway XC
I end up with pictures of more than just my daughters (I really enjoy shooting sports, and I know that the other parents appreciate getting pictures of their kids, just like I love it when they share their photos with me!) Creating a grid layout like this is an easy way to include everyone. 

 

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE COACH: Meet the Lakers
Coaches play a key role in guiding and developing players, and capturing a couple of shots of them for your scrapbook pages is a great way to remember this. Whether you've got a photo of your coach in action or a posed shot, make sure it makes it onto one of your layouts.

 

INCLUDE AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS: Coaches' Award
Trophies, certificates, medals, plaques -- awards should definitely find a place in your scrapbooks. Provide some background on what the award means, and include any other details about it. One of the things I like to do is record the audio from awards presentations and include a key quote or two from the coach. It's really nice to get their words on the page as well.

 

INCLUDE CAMPS AND PRACTICES: Futskilz AllStar
If you've got pictures from camp or practice, create a page with them. It's another way to document all the hard work that goes into preparing for a great season.

 

COMBINE ACTION SHOTS WITH POSED PHOTOS: Soccer Rockets
If you purchased a team and/or individual photos from a professional photographer, you can choose to scrap those separately, or you can combine them with action shots on one layout. Again, this is a great way to get an overview of the entire season. 

INCLUDE MULTIPLE PHOTOS WITH PHOTOSHOP TECHNIQUES: Genuine You
This layout is a combination of a couple I've mentioned in this post -- the reflection layout and the action photos layout. The journaling talks about  how hard this year was to transition to the varisty level after years of competing on the middle school level. For the photo, I merged 5 different action photos (taken with the camera on burst mode) of Cass. I also converted the background to black and white and kept the photo subject in color.

 

  USE PHOTO EXTRACTIONS AND TEXT TECHNIQUES: JV Soccer
I think extracted sports photos look awesome, especially against a white background with graphic text elements. In this instance, I played off the double C in soccer, because my daughter plays for Calloway County -- so I colored those two letters in red. 
CREATE A PHOTO COLLAGE: JV Soccer
There are lots of great templates that will allow you to combine multiple photos from a season into one simple layout. Even better, something like this could be framed and given as a coach's gift or presented to other members of the team.

 

CREATE TWO-PAGE LAYOUTS: Alumni Games
One of the easiest ways to scrap all those sports photos is to use two-page layouts. If you aren't comfortable creating two-pagers, use a template.