My contribution to the Fun Friday Challenge group this week is a bit of digi collage. I have Paint Shop Pro and am teaching myself how to use it, so this was a good opportunity to put in some practice time with the program.
All graphic elements were previously purchased at Digitals and the postcard image is from the Collage Images group at Flickr.
This is one of many beautiful pieces of jewelry you can find at Eclectic Anthology.
Actually, this is the one I want, so hands off. ;)
I'm currently following 111 of my favorite blogs! How do I have the time, what with a full time job, kids, grandkids, hobbies, classes, etc.?
Google Reader, my current favorite online tool. You simply need to have a Google account, and if you're already a Blogspot blogger, you already have a Google account. It's your sign-in id name for Blogger.
Then, whenever you come across a blog you'd like to keep updated on, you simply open up your Google Reader, hit the "add subscription" button and as long as that blog allows its' feeds to be broadcast (which all bloggers should!), your Reader will "subscribe" to that blog's all new posts.
So, all your blog links will be in one place and have all current updates. No more link lists or individually entering URLs to visit your fave blogs. You simply go to your Reader page and can quickly catch up on any new posts your favorites have added.
You'd be suprised how quickly and easily you can keep up-to-date with a number of blogs this way! And, as I did today, you can add the widget that I did on the right --> that provides links for all your favorite blog subscriptions without having to input them one by one!
* I forgot an important point! Google Reader will also begin to recommend blogs to subscribe to based on your current subscriptions, so you can discover new ones, yay!
Thanks to Gail of Shabby Cottage Studio, I have a new blog banner and new shop banner!
I would highly recommend working with Gail. She makes the process painless!
I used a vintage hat pin, postcard from 1911 and vintage vocabulary card along with getting into old scrapbook paper and sticker stash, so nothing new purchased for this piece at all!
Oh, I take that back! I did buy that little flourish stamp yesterday on a little fun trip to Joann's. They were having 40% off sale on all stamps.
I also bought 6 sheets of a distressed blue damask paper that I will be lining my hutch with and a beautiful rose print I will be lining the back of one of my bookcases with. I'll be backing the other case I use in the family room with this Cavallini & Co. paper.
I'm in love with blue right now and will be bringing the color into my front room as an accent color, so I bought a spray paint to paint a now black shelf and will be eventually recovering some pillows with a light blue toile. I'll, of course, take pictures of all this when I actually start these little projects.
Anyway, this collage piece is part of that "bringing blue into the front room" project and I'll display this collage in that room.
I am absolutely loving the challenge group, it gives me a theme to focus my thoughts on and a deadline to get something done...it also seems to be sparking all sorts of creativity and ideas for my home decorating projects, so I've been carrying around a little notebook to write these things down as they pop into my head. If only there was more time to spend doing all these things! Once again, I wish that sleep was not necessary!
My blog was accepted and added to the Delightful Blogs directory today. Yay!
You can help me out by going to the directory and rating my blog here. I'd appreciate it!
I'm going to yell here...just to get it out, 'kay?
Here we go...
I AM SICK TO DEATH OF THE WORD "BLING"!
It's played out, people. Overdone. Ran into the ground. Enough already.
Now, I am not the purveyor of cool, by any means. And I am completely in understanding of those of you who use the word in a I-know-this-is-goofy-as-heck-so-that's-why-I-use-it way. I use the words "groovy" and "wow" and "smooches" and call everyone "homeboy" and "homegirl" in that same manner. In a sort've ironic way.
But it is everywhere. Everywhere.
Who ever knew that so many women had so much in common with Southern-style rappers?
Okay. Just had to say that. You do what you must.
I'll just be over here trying to get L'il Wayne outta my head.
"Every time I come around yo city,
Bling, bling."
