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LOVED reading about all your traditions and favorites this week. There is so much to look forward to, and scrapbook, at this time of year.
The winner is...
Congrats Jennifer! Email me at anna_aspnes at yahoo dot com.
NewART is now available in the store.
The new improved AnnaNews will be dispatched soon.
Have a great weekend.
There are 3 new and very cool looking classes being revealed at Get It Scrapped right now. You might have noticed the changes in the sidebar earlier in the week as I have updated the some of the images to reflect these changes.
I want to spend a little time today introducing you to the teachers and what you will learn in each of their classes.
Blending and Beyond by Jana Morton
I'm super-excited about this class! Blending is afterall one of the core techniques to my own work and it's the reason I quickly transitioned from being a new paper scrapbooker to a digital artist almost 9 years ago.
In this six week class, Jana will show you how to easily elevate your pages from traditional layouts to beautiful digital FotoART. There are a total of 6 lessons in which you'll be able to observe Jana's entire creative process from start to finish for a creating each of her 6 layouts. She will demonstrate 3 of her signature techniques, to include blending, what she refers as *spilling over* and extractions. Each technique will be repeated once, so you'll get to see the same technique twice in two different layouts, through a series of live webinar and pre-recorded videos.
Here is a never before seen excerpt from one of the Blending and Beyond videos:
You can learn more about this class, read what people are saying about Jana's work and sign up here.
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Exposure by Katrina Kennedy
Katrina's passion is capturing every day ordinary moments, and not only does she know her way around a camera, she also has the knack of being able to teach you how to use one in a very clear and concise manner. She has helped thousands of students get the most out of their camera's through her classes and on-line workshops. She is also founder and owner of Capture Your 365 which promotes the value of taking a photo a day.
Exposure is also a 6 week workshop in which you'll learn how to get to grips with manual mode, adopt a better understanding of light and fully grasp the art of exposure, from correct to creative. Katrina will teach you how to take beautiful photos in every situtation, both typical every day and in challenging lighting conditions. Lessons are delivered in both pre-recorded video and written .pdf format.
Learn everything about Katrina's rocking class and sign up here.
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MacGyver's Project Remix by Amy Kingsford
Amy Kingsford's new class is paper-based but appeals to me because it "is about looking at what you have in front of you in new and creative ways. It’s about combining your skills, on-hand supplies and new tools and techniques to make dynamic layouts and projects." This think-outside-the-box approach is my kind of class. I like to stretch my mind once in a while, view other possibilities and achieve the extra-ordinary from the ordinary. I kind of think of myself as a Macgyver but with a digital approach.
While this class is primarily intended for the paper or hybrid scrapbooker, I see the think-outside-the-box approach as having possible applications to the digital scrapbooker in the following ways:
Please note that these are my personal opinions and observations on the class based on my own MacGyver tendencies. You can get the low-down on the actual class content here.
I'm really loving the new Fall line-up at Get It Scrapped this year, which offers some super opportunities to hone your scrapbooking and photography skills, and all from the comfort of you own home. As a reader of my blog you can use the coupon code 10%OFFVIAANNA to take an additional 10% off any item in the store through Friday October 7, 2011.
AWESOME.
Major Halloween party planning has got me in wicked spirits this week.
We love Halloween around here. It probably our favorite celebration of the year.
There are 10 NewProducts coming to the store tomorow, a new Fall-themed AnnaSampler, one $1.00 Artsy Layered Template as well as another limited edition AnnaRelease.
A new much-beefier AnnaNews will be send to subscribers on Saturday, to include my full product release, an exclusive tutorial, inspiration and resources.
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*Please note that this GiveAway is now closed*
I'm giving an ArtPlay Palette Wicked to one lucky reader. Leave me a comment telling me about your favorite celebration of the year and what traditions surround it. I'll draw a random winner on Friday 30 September at 5pm MST.
I love this time of year in Colorado. It's my favorite season. Something about those blue skies, cooler temperatures and vibrant color just make me want to be outside.
I haven't really ventured outside my office much in the last few weeks but I did this morning. I wandered around the the yard and took a few photos of the amazing light and colors in total harmony.
I also played a little in the vegetable patch gathering the latest abundance of home grown veggies. I came in with 7 zucchini, 8 delicata squash, 3 butternut squash and another tub-full of yellow pear tomatoes, as well as about 12 lemon cucumbers to add to the 8 already in our refrigerator. The garden has done well.
If that wasn't enough outdoor activity, I decided to soak up even more sunshine by going for a run. I signed up for the Las Vegas Rock N Roll Marathon at the beginning of the year but inflammation in my knees halted my training in the early Spring and kept me in the pool. Slowly easing back into the running to see how I do. I won't be running any marathons this year but hoping that my running days are not over just yet.
Lesson for today, is that I definitely need to get out more.
This afternoon, I re-read all the comments in this post which inspired me to create this Free WordART overlay. It includes many of the favorites mentioned in your comments.
You can download this overlay here. Thanks for the inspiration :)
Thanks for all the participation. You totally have me in the mood for Autumn :)
Due to the number of comments, I have decided to give away 2 ArtPlay Palettes this week.
One has been randomly chosen:
The other I have selected because I love her words. They have stayed with me for most of the day and I needed an opportunity to share them with you.
Congrats Karen and Krysta! Please email me at anna_aspnes at yahoo dot com.
The NewART is now available in the store, which includes 8 new digital products, one 50 cent steal and the opportunity to purchase my entire release at a hefty discount for a limited time.
AnnaNews will be going out in the wee hours of the morning showcasing the latest releases. Now that I'm beginning to find my groove I'm looking forward to adding some bonus content for my AnnaNews subscribers in the coming weeks.
I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. Eric will be arriving home soon from his TDY (Temporary Duty) and we're looking forward to some family time. Luke also has a soccer game, Ella appears to have a little cold, Eric and I have a party to go to, and I also want to squeeze in a run or two.
A little sleep would be nice too.
8 New products coming to the store tomorrow, a new AnnaSampler, a 50 cent item as well as another limited edition AnnaRelease 23 Sep 2011, which will be available for one week only.
Here are a few favorites as we cruise into Fall:
Coordinating fabric solids:
Sign up for AnnaNews to hear about latest introductions, releases and updates.
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*Please note that this GiveAway is now closed*
I'm giving an ArtPlay Palette + Fabric Solids to one lucky reader. Leave me a comment telling me what you love most about Fall. I'll draw a random winner on Friday 23 September at 5pm MST.
Congrats Ronnie! Email me and I'll get you in touch with Lain.
Digital Supplies | Artsy Layered Template No. 31, ArtPlay Palette Scholarly (stained paper), Family WordTransers No. 1, FabricTextures No. 1, Family WordART No. 1, Abstract FotoBlendz No. 6
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What are FotoBlendz?
FotoBlendz are clipping masks enabling the artsy blending of photos into layouts by using the clipping mask function in Photoshop, Elements and Paint Shop Pro.
The basic technique for using clipping masks is as follows:
I used the Abstract FotoBlendz No. 6 clipping masks to perform 3 other techniques using clipping masks on a layout created with Artsy Layered Template No. 31.
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Technique 1 | Create a Border/Matte
Place a FotoBlendz clipping mask behind a focal image or prominant area of a layout, essentially framing that particular element which causes the eye to be drawn to it.
I created my page using my new Artsy Layered Template No. 31 making just a few minor adjustments.
A comparison of the page with and without clipping masks used as borders/mats:
Before
The clipping masks were positioned in a bold color behind a photo and the title to create emphasis and provide constrast.
I personally like to create brushes from the FotoBlendz masks when working with them for purposes other than standard clipping.
Alternatively, you can open a FotoBlendz file into your workspace, drag the mask onto your layout and position according to preference using the Move tool from the Tools Palette.
Adryane used the same technique with a more subtle color to produce a similar effect. This technique is a great way to ground an element on a page and provide a solid area of color to a patterned background.
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Technique 2 | Create Texture
Use the same brush to stamp on a new layer and apply a blending mode to that layer. You can experiment with both the color of the stamped FotoBlendz and the different blending modes.
I like to apply texture on areas of solid color, such as the the solid black area in my photo, to create interest.
Kerry applied blending modes to her conventionally clipped images in the following layout. She clipped the same photo to 2 different masks and applied 2 different blending modes.
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Technique 3 | Create a Journaling Block
Use a FotoBlendz mask to provide solid color and separation for a title or to house your journaling.
If you're like me, you might not always leave enough room for your journaling and so this little technique comes in really handy, and often. Notice how the white masks provide the perfect primer for both my journaling and my title.
Donna has performed her own rendition of this technique by using masks in different colors.
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Three different techniques with an infinite number of outcomes. Please post your layouts in the AnnaGallery. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
Abstract FotoBlendz No. 6 and Artsy Layered Template No. 31 are currently on sale for a limited time here.
Download my free Instructions for Use eBook for more information on using my digital products.
Check out the NEW AnnaLift Challenge for this week.
Digital Supplies | ArtPlay Palette Scholarly Solids (background), WoodShop Frames No. 1, SkribbleBlooms No. 1, AnnaSampler No. 1 (FotoGlow), Painted FotoBlendz No. 3, Abstract FotoBlendz No. 6, FabricTextures No. 1, ArtPlay Palette Scholarly (smiley, transfer, ornate label, graph/line paper brushes), ScholarlyStamped No. 1 (*Neat Work* and *Improving* brushes), Stitched by Anna White No. 10.
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I spent most of Saturday morning with Ella as she tested for her Blue belt. These testings typically begin at 8.00am and run through to about noon, and occur every 2 months with a new belt every 4 months. She's certainly making her way up the ranks and I have to say her commitment and *toughness* has impressed me. She is the smallest and the youngest among the high belts yet she's held her own on many occasion against a feisty boy teen. I love that she has a goal in mind and she's focussed on attaining that goal, especially as focus is not a trait that comes naturally to her.
It was also pretty cool to watch her only a month after surgery. She's bounced back amazingly quickly and even surprised her teacher by asking for the thicker wooden boards for her snap kick break. It's her favorite part of martial arts and she aced it of course. I watch her train twice a week every week and it's often hard to see her progress until I observe her in the testing environment. She's come a really LONG way in the last 2 years in this art and I have to admit she looks really GOOD in Blue.
I enjoyed playing with some of my new products yesterday. It's the first time I have created since I moved the store. It was good to get back to my passion and just tell one story from right now. I consider one story or one layout better than none at all.
