Ivy Scraps 2011 Designer Contest Winners

WooooooHooooooo! And a BIG Congratulations to the Top 10!!!!!

I would like to say that every one of the contestants are winners!!!  They completed the weeks challenges and grew so much with each passing week.  I hope they will continue to learn and grow in their designing journey.

Ivy Scraps Design Contest Winners

We are so very pleased and excited to announce the winners of the 2011 Ivy Scraps Designer Contest.

HisKid Kreations aka Cheri ~~ 1st Place: Bamboo Pen & Touch tablet & Ivy Scraps Store

OsDesign aka Orsi ~~ 2nd Place: Scrapper's Guide Premium Membership 4 months & Ivy Scraps Store

Brown Eyed Susan aka Mendy ~~ 3rd Place: AV BROS Page Curl Pro 2.2 Value $49.95

December Daydream aka Beth ~~ 4th Place: All Ivy Scraps Mega Kits from 2009 to Current $100 Value

Moments In Time Scraps aka Jenni ~~ 5th Place: Scrapbooks to Share Gift Certificate 15 prints $30 Value

Diane’s Designs Diane/camperchow ~~ 6th Place: AV BROS Puzzle Pro 3.1 Value $49.95

Lovin Life Gurl aka Denise ~~ 7th Place: Designs by Gloria Val Verde Gift Certificate $25 Value

Scrappy Sab’s Designs aka Sabrina ~~ 8th Place: Waite For The Moment Designs Gift Certificate $25 Value

Lizard Dau Designs aka Liz ~~ 9th Place: Ivy Scraps Designs Gift Certificate $25 Value

Jessica’s Sweet Nothings aka Donna ~~ 10th Place: A Blinkie Package by Carmen aka Lightning Bug Creations

This contest was a LOT of work, but also a lot of fun. I learned a whole lot about what I hope we can do better next year! But the best part was getting to know all the contestants and seeing what they came up with each week. I'm going to miss all the excitement. However, I will be grateful to have a little bit more time to scrap and design. Whew!!!! I think we actually pulled this off fairly well! Thanks to the wonderful Design Team at Ivy Scraps: Meegan, Jan, Gloria and Carmen!!!!!!!! 

Birdsong Mini Kit

I had 4 grandkids, ranging in age from 5 months to 14 years, stay over last night. Took them home at noon today, but I kinda feel like I just ran a marathon!?! Somehow, I managed to get this finished up today. Yay! I made the birdies first and this was one of those projects that was just screaming at me to get it finished. So much fun!!! This is for the Color Challenge at TheStudio hosted by Monika Designs. I love the colors she picks because they are sooooo different from what I would choose on my own. It's really made me stretch out of my comfort zone as far as colors. Thanks so much, Monika!!! Birdsong Mini includes 6 papers and 12 elements. All items have been checked for missing and stray pixels. Items are 300ppi in .jpeg and .png formats. Shadows are for preview only.

 Now available in my Ivy Scraps Store HERE

**Freebie** CU Brush Set and Paper

Made this up for the Mar 2011 Shapes Challenge at Ivy Scraps. The abstract shape was provided by Designs by Gloria. Thanks sweetie!!! I used the shape to make a brushed paper that co-ordinates with our Spring Is In Mega kit available in the store now for just $3.00. I included a set of .abr brushes for Photoshop. One is the abstract shape that was used to make the paper. The rest are just for fun. They are larger and better quality than the default brushes I have in PS CS5. I was surprised to discover that the square default brush doesn't enlarge very well, and isn't truly square???  So, I made a set of the ones I use most often and included them with the abstract shape. The solid circle brush can be used to create a Bokeh effect by using various shades of gray and adjusting scatter and opacity settings. Paper and brushes are re-sized for preview. Shadow on paper is for preview only. Hope you have fun playing!!!

 

Download HERE

**Freebie** CU OK Laptop Frame and Element

Just a quick but fun freebie today. I made these for my avi and siggy a while back. A couple of people said they liked them, so thought I'd share. Hope you have a little fun playing with them! Shadows on preview only, element re-sized for preview.

Download HERE

March Challenges At Ivy Scraps

There's been so much fun and excitement the last couple weeks with the Designer Contest. Week Two entries are available HERE. WoooHooo! Such fabulous work from all the contestants again this week.

My March 2011 Color Challenge is up. Would love to have you join us HERE and share a layout or create a mini kit to share. Color Challenges are a wonderful way for Scrappers interested in Designing to get some practice and maybe get some recognition!!
This is the color palette this month

This is the FREEBIE mini kit that you get for participating

The March 2011 Newspaper Challenge can be found HERE. This month's inspirations comes from the Comics Section of the newspaper. There are links to free PS comic and sketch effect actions. I can't wait to see what our scrappers come up with this month!!!

Here is my FAV comic/sketch technique. I love it because even though it takes a little extra time, there are no extra filters or actions required. Best of all, the results can be very, very cool!!!

Comic/Sketch Effect Technique for Photoshop

Desaturate photo (cntrl+shift+u) or use a black and white filter on it. Adjust the levels and any other editing that may need to be done.

Duplicate the layer. Try never to work on the original layer.

Filter>Sketch>Photocopy Raise the detail setting till you get enough detail and a good outline of your subject(s) in the photo.

Erase any unwanted parts of the photo or you can extract the subject(s)

Use the magic wand tool to select the white areas of the photo. Click on Select>Similar (cntl+shift+m) Delete or you can use the eraser tool.

On layers beneath, use the airbrush tool and carefully paint back in color. You can use the original photo layer to select the colors. I would increase the saturation of the colors for a more comic like effect. Use a large soft low opacity brush. Use a separate layer for each color or area that you paint. Try to paint each area with one brush stroke. Clean up any overspray and merge.
You can also try a different brush, the watercolor brush gives a nice effect.

First Week Of Fabulous Freebies

Whew! What a crazy, busy and FUN week. The kits are all up in the gallery HERE and the poll for voting for your favorite is HERE. You will have to register at Ivy Scraps to participate. I am still so amazed and inspired by the creativity of our contestants. The theme was Daddy and Me with a fabulous color palette.
Be sure you stop by to check it out and be please leave a little love and encouragement for our awesome contestants! WoooooHooooo! Week Two's assignment will be posted on Monday and we will be off and running for another exciting week.

Happy Valentine's Day

WoooooHooooo! Our Designer Contest is starting today! Be sure to stop by Ivy Scraps and check out all the creativity flowing in our forum and gallery. First batch of contest entries should be up in the gallery by Friday.

Lighthearted Mini Kit

I made this for the color challenge at the Studio hosted by Monika of Monika's Designs. Thanks for the color palette Monika!! It took me awhile staring at the colors to find my mojo. LOL! Once I thought of the name "Lighthearted" it just came together really quick. I love the heart tree and the heart bfly. Hope you like them too!!!

Now available at Ivy Scraps

New Kit - Devilish - On Sale 50% Off

My newest kit, Devilish, is on sale at Ivy Scraps till the end of this month. This is a full size scrap kit with 20 papers and 46 elements. Perfect for scrapping all the little devils in your life! All my mini kits are also on sale for 50% off till the end of February. Lots of great deals, hope you stop by!

All items created at 300 ppi and saved in .png or .jpg formats. Some items resized for preview. Shadows for preview only except for slight shadows on clustered or layered elements/papers.  All items quality checked by me for stray and missing pixels.

Sponsors For Ivy Scraps Designer Contest

Join in on the fun! Sign ups are going on NOW in the forum HERE.

And a word from our Sponsors.............

                         

                                                                             

                          

                                            

                   

                                  

                                       

                                                                       

Freebie CU Butterfly

I made this pretty butterfly element to share. I used colors from my Color Challenge so that it coordinates with the free mini kit Eye Luv U. The shape was provided by Gloria Val Verde in her Ivy Shapes Challenge this month at Ivy Scraps. Thanks Gloria!

Download HERE

February Challenges At Ivy Scraps

The challenges I host at Ivy Scraps are ready to go up for February! Yay! A few are already up so make sure you swing by and check them out asap.

Color Challenge Palette

Mini Kit Freebie for Participating.

Newspaper Challenge

Hope to see you in the challenge forum HERE. Thanks!

Freebies *CU* Two Preview Templates

I made these for the upcoming Designer Contest at Ivy Scraps. These are for a mini kit but can be customized for more or less papers. Check out all the contest details in the forum HERE.
I want to help get our contestants off to a good start and make this contest as fun and worry free as possible. And I am hoping to encourage more to join us by posting them here. We already have a great group gathering and it's still early! Yay! Don't miss out on all the fun, learning and camaraderie.........

Preview Template 1 can be downloaded HERE

Click on the zip file icon to start the download.

Preview Template 2 can be downloaded HERE

Click on the zip file icon to start the download.

These are pretty basic templates. Clip papers to the template pieces and cluster or scatter your elements across the middle or around the edges. All the layers in the PSD file are labled. Change the text and font and eazy peazy done with your preview. Each download includes a layered PSD file with custom shadows and a folder of .png files for those who might need them. Please feel free to switch them up as you please. Credit in your TOU would be greatly appreciated. Hope you find these useful!!!!!

Snow Kissed Mini Kit

It was so fun today playing with snow.....as it is a balmy 80 degrees here in the desert southwest. LOL!!! It is awfully nice here in the winter time, but hope to be outta here before summer. Done with the heat for the rest of our lives, we hope!

Here is my mini for the January 2011 Color Challenge at the Studio. It is hosted by Monika of Monika Designs. It includes 6 papers and 12 element, all a little Snow Kissed! Enjoy.

Now avaliable at Ivy Scraps

Freebie Heart Dangle Border

Made this pretty heart dangle border for the Ivy Shapes Challenge at Ivy Scraps. The shape was provided by Gloria Val Verde, the host of this month's challenge. Thanks Gloria!!! This was fun! Hope you find a use for it, like maybe for a Valentine's Day Card for someone special :>

Download HERE.

Just click on the zip file icon to start the download - No waititng!!!

Designer Contest At Ivy Scraps Starts February 14th

Details and Sign Ups in the Forum HERE

Freebie Quick Page Set

Here are a couple quick pages from my latest kit Southwest Evening. Hoping that some fellow southwesterners or at least lovers of the southwest may have some fun with them!

Download 1

Download 2

Just click on the zip file icon to download

January 2011 Color Challenge At Ivy Scraps

Brand new color challenge is up at Ivy Scraps. I have had so much fun hosting this challenge the last few months! Can't believe how much I dreaded it at first LOL!

Here is this month's color palette

And this is the Freebie mini kit I created for the participants

Just join me in the challenge forum HERE

Use the mini kit or colors from the palette to create a layout to post in the gallery. Or create a mini kit of your own to share. It's a wonderful way to get started designing! If you're not sure how to start, just visit me in the forum. I am almost always around to answer any questions and am more than happy to help out a fellow scrapper or dabbling designer!!! 

Happy New Year

Best wishes to all for the New Year. I hope you have fun and stay safe tonight!!! This last year did not start too well for me but it sure ended well. One of the best things to happen this year was finding my digi-scrap family at Ivy Scraps. This site has truly become my scrapping home the last few months. I am so proud to be part of our fabulous design team! I have made the most wonderful friends and it feels like I've been hanging out there forever lol!!! Hosting the monthly color challenge has been more fun than I could ever have imagined. I LOVE that our forum is full of laughter and encouragement. And our gallery always has the most wonderful and creative layouts with more comments than I've ever seen in an on-line gallery.

I have decided that for 2011, I will stay designing exclusively at Ivy Scraps. It's very tempting......wanting to apply to other stores. But I've decided to put 100% of my time and effort into helping Ivy Scraps grow and keeping it the friendly digi-scrap home that it is. I haven't been this excited about what the New Year will bring for many years. Please stay tuned for many more Fabulous Freebies and New Products. I really hope to see you in the forums and gallery at Ivy Scraps!!!

New Kit - Southwest Evening

This was a labor of love inspired by the colors and textures of the Southwest. It's mix of realistic, copper and hand painted elements along with textured and artistically blended and painted background papers make it a must have kit for all lovers of the southwest. It is also great for heritage and masculine pages. I hope you enjoy this companion to my Southwest Morning kit.
Includes 20 papers and 48 elements.
Southwest Evening Full Scrapkit available exclusively at Ivy Scraps. Click on link to visit my store.
 

 
Regularly priced at $5.00 but will be on sale for 50% off from January 1st through January 15th. Thanks!