Guess Who's Gone Digital with SBP's Newest Challenge?!

Hello, lovely crafters!  It's time again for a new challenge at SBP Challenge blog. The theme is TAGS and the sky's the limit. You can create a tag, or create with tags! You can ink them, paint them, fold them, create a tag-shaped card, alter a tag, use tags on layouts, altered art, mixed media canvas...well, you get the picture!
Our guest sponsor this month is Lisa from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles, and with her help and the help of my daughter-in-law, I have been brought into the 21st century with digital crafting! I had not yet jumped onto the digital bandwagon. 
First, I had to purchase Photoshop, which I finally did last Christmas by using a couple Amazon gift cards. But every stinking time I tried to do anything in it, I was left with disappointment, frustration and anger. I knew nothing about layers, and couldn't figure out how to get them, how to have fun with them, and how to put everything together. There were no You Tube videos out there on my Elements 12. Finally, I had my daughter-in-law over and we were able to mix it up and save things. I am still a newbie, and I need to practice and experiment every day, but I am finally having fun. And to prove it, here's my very first ALL DIGITAL layout, using elements from Lisa's fabulous Tag Grab Bag 1 Cotton Candy Collection. I used Flower 6 from the Floral Accessories, Button 2 from General Accessories, "With Love" from Sentiments, and of course Tag 11 from Patterned Tags to qualify my layout for the challenge. I made them into a continuous border. Once I got the arrangement finished, I popped in a photo and added text.

Okay, while I am over the top with my layout, I know that it is very basic and could use some tweaking, but the last time I created with Lisa's digis, I printed them up and fussy cut out everything on my project. And you can still do that!! That's what's great with digis--you can create with them no matter your tech level!!Meanwhile, this is it (nudge)--TAG< YOU"RE IT!!  Your turn to create or craft with a TAG for some awesome prizes. The challenge rules have changed so best read up on them before you link up.And as always, happy crafting!

Christmas in July

I have a very good start on my Christmas cards for December, and I owe it all to the DigiStamps4Joy Progressive Christmas Card Challenge and this month's Christmas in July challenge over at SBP Challenge Blog.
Today used FREEBIES (don't you love freebies?!). My image, called "Irresistable Bling"  was given to me by DS4J just for joining in their progressive challenge last month! You get a free image each month you link up your card with them using their last image given out.
My paper is another free giveaway from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles offered as incentive to create for the SBP challenge. DDD is this month's sponsor and she's giving away some great digital papers, sentiments and embellishments to FOUR lucky participants!
So after I printed out the paper and created my card base, I printed out my image and colored it with Copics. Aren't those mischievious cats cute?! My sentiment is vellum from Daisy D's and I used some leftover rub-ons to frame the words, then colored in just the holly berries to coordinate with the colors in my tree as well as the baker's twine I used to embellish my card.
Want to get a headstart with your Christmas cards? Join in the SBP Christmas in July challenge through July 14 for some great prizes! Don't forget to check out the DS4J progressive Christmas card challenge, too!

It's Christmas in July at SBP Challenge Blog

Get ready because it's Christmas in July at Your Scrapbook Place challenge blog. Don't let the name fool you! Cards, layouts, altered art, canvas, decor--the sky's the limit, peeps!! Get out your reds and greens and candy canes and jingle bells. Set your iPod to your Christmas playlist and let's get crafty!
This two-week-long challenge is sponsored by Decosse's Dynamite Doodles:

 

Lisa has generously donated the following prizes to up to FOUR lucky people:

• One random participant will receive the full mini kit.
• One random person who leaves a comment will receive both paper sets (patterned and textured).
• One random follower of the blog who leaves a comment will receive the word art set.
• One random player who uses the following FREEBIE digital paper (Click here for the link) from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles will receive three embellishment sets (frames, ribbons/lace, brads)

I got to play with CANDY CANES digi paper and the MERRY CHRISTMAS digi sentiment from Lisa. I absolutely adore all the digi papers in her Christmas Paper Set. Of course, I had to add some bling, and the snowman comes from a Christmas pin that was just too heavy to wear.