My sister just got a new puggle puppy and named her Jalapeno. What a hilarious name don't you think. She brought her over for a play date with my dogs in our newly fenced in backyard. Jalapeno or Hallie for short looks so tiny compared to my dogs. The three of them had a great time playing. It was so cute!

I thought I would start a weekly post about freebies I have found online.  This may include free kits, downloads, brushes, templates, photoshop tools, etc. As I continue to digital scrapbook and edit photos, I wanted to share the sites I have been finding free downloads from. Eventually, I'd like to design my own digital designs, sell them and also post freebies on here for others. Enjoy!

This week I found some awesome grungy backgrounds at the following site.

I used these grungy backgrounds to create some of my own papers. Check them out.

Have a great weekend!

For Lesson 2 of Digi in Deep on JessicaSprague.com, I learned many new things including:

• Re-color multiple patterned papers using an adjustment layer
• Create your own patterned paper with a custom brush
• Save a brush using the Preset Manager
• Create masks using custom shapes and alphabets
• Create a smooth gradient transition between two photos
• Add zig-zag stitching for a handmade look
• Create a photo overlay with a custom brush
• Add a custom drop-shadow to a journaling card to pop it off the page

The layout I created is adorable... pictures of Miley when she was just 7 weeks old and one of her at almost a year old. I love my furbaby!

Credits:
* SP Lima background papers: From Monoblendz Paperie - Lima paper pack by Anna   Aspnes
* Rounded corner square die cut: from Border Templates pack by Katie Pertiet
* Striped patterned paper: from Bohemian Garden kit by Mindy Terasawa
* Dirty Journaler Label: from Dirty Journalers set by Katie Pertiet
* Grunged Up Photo Block: from Grunged Up Photo Blocks No. 2 set by Katie Pertiet
* Staples by Katie Pertiet

I also made the following layout. I originally was trying to do Assignment 2b for Digi in Deep but the tasks that were required just didn't fit this layout as I started working on it. I wanted it to be more classy and simple because it's a picture of my sisters and I at my wedding. So it's more of an elegant occasion. I think it turned out really well despite missing the tasks for the Assignment.

Credits:
All from scrapbookgraphics.com - Karen Artistic Digitals - Spirit of Tradition 2009

I made a few changes yesterday to my blog background. I chose a new template from weebly and then created my header picture in Photoshop. I wanted it to represent my photography and cake decorating. I also used one of my favorite pictures of myself from the wedding. I wanted to add something about my digital scrapbooking hobby but hadn't figured out anything that would look good. So I think this works for now. Hope you like it!

I made an Easter Basket Cake yesterday for our Easter Dinner at work. It was a big hit. I baked a vanilla cake and made buttercream icing that I colored yellow. I used the basket weave tip to create a yellow basket weave around the cake. I didn't have the grass tip so I used tip 2 to create grass on top of the cake similar to that of an Easter basket. Then I filled the top with candy...peeps, jelly beans, peanut m & m's, etc. Then I made the handle out of floral wire and wrapped fondant around it and sealed it with vanilla. I then tied a ribbon around the basket to add a little pizazz. I let it dry over night and stuck it into the cake right before showing it. Everyone thought it was pretty neat. Pictures are below.