Category Archives: Products Available

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Celebrate Spring! With my Newest Digital Clip Art Kit

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Easter, baby, clip art, digital kit, lamb, sheep, flowersToday was one of those really, really fun days that a designer experiences sometimes.  I started creating this kit with one idea in mind and then after painting the sheep it took on a life of its own! 

Originally planned as purely an Easter/Spring kit, I began to see that it dancing lambs, jesus, lambs, shepherd, cross, Easter digital clip art kithad possibilities as a wonderful baby kit too.  The warm, bright pastel colors and tulips made me look out my window and long for spring!  It was especially fun considering that the art which became the basis of this kit was created a couple of years ago and had an entirely different and color palette at the time! 

Have you ever seen sheep jumping?  They spring up into the air literally "jumping for joy!"  An artist friend of mine has sheep and told me all about it.  My sheep are dancing, leaping and resting.  I’ve added a cross into the kit to make it very workable for Easter cards, bookmarks, Sunday School clip art and scrapbooking.

dancing sheep, tulip, daisies, daisy, shabby chic, scrapbook, scrapbooking, digital scrapbooking, baby, EasterThere will also be a paper pack that I will release along with this kit  as well as a Tag ‘n Word Art set to match.  I’ll show you previews of these kits over the next few days as I get them completed.

I’m working hard to get extra kits completed so that when I am on my cruise to the Bahamas there will still be kits coming out in the store.  I hopy you’ll enjoy these!

THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY: 2 Sam 6:14-15  David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
NIV

PRAYER:  Lord, sometimes I have you pictured as a stoic, ominous God who looks down from heaven waiting for me to "mess" something up.  When King David thought of you, he was so overjoyed with your goodness and mercy that he tucked his robes up, kicked up his heels and danced with all his might!

Help me to enjoy you so much that my heart’s response is to dance about with excitement thinking about how much you love me and how good you are.  Help me to throw a little bit of my quiet caution to the wind and delight myself in you without holding back!  Restore unto me the joy of my salvation.  AMEN

 

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“Winged Jewels” Collection, with Hummingbirds, Butterflies & Dragonflies

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butterflies, hummingbirds, dragonflies, digital clip art, scrapbook, scrapbooking, hybrid scrapbookingis coming next week.  This beautiful collage-oriented collection is full of "Wnged Jewels" which is my nick name for all the beautiful flying creatures God has blessed us with.  This digital clip art kit will be perfect for spring and summer usages.  The original art on which it is based is a very large intensely layered collage (the file itself is over 1GB!) that I have pulled pieces out of to create wonderfully fresh and unusual art pieces and papers.

hummingbird, butterfly, dragonfly, scrapbook, scrapbooking, digital scrapbooking, hybrid scrapbooking kitI will show you two of the previews today and two tomorrow.  There will also be a paper pack of 13 coordinating papers that will be released along with this set.  I’ll show you those papers over the weekend when the set is finished.

THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY: Ps 20:6-7 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.  Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.  NIV

PRAYER:  Lord, sometimes when I’m in needing of "saving" from a difficult or dangerous situation, it’s hard to trust that you not only hear my cry, but that you reach down with the saving power of your right hand!  You’re not so busy "running the universe" that you have no time to pay attention to the needs of the most insignificant of your children. 

Sometimes I would like to see some "horses and chariots" running to my rescue rather than having to trust in the God who cannot be seen.  But I remind myself you have the strength, power and most of all a loving, caring heart that always desires the best for my life.  I remember as well that your knowledge of what is best for me is very different from my limited understanding of what I want to be best for me.  I submit to your plans, Lord,  for have learned through life that  they are always ultimately good.  AMEN

Crafting, Holidays, New Releases, Products Available, Uncategorized

Want to Make Your Own Christmas Gift Basket? Here’s a Digital Clip Art Set That Can Help

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Christmas Presents, gift basket digital clip art kit, holly, poinsettiaI get all those wonderful Holiday Gift Catalogs from the awesome Gift basket companies like Harry & David.  Their presentations are incredible, but so are their prices!!!  So I created this kit so to help you make your own little gift basket for the people on your list that you just don’t quite know what to buy for or for your hairdresser or others for whom a small "Thank You" would be just right.

This kit will be the freebie that I give away to some lucky reader tomorrow in my twice monthly Blog Comments Contest.  All you have to do is post a comment on my blog anywhere between the 1st and the 15th and this kit could be yours!  For the rest, it will be available next week at The Daisie Company Store for $4.48 (plus 20% off until Christmas Day)

dimensional bow top box, holly and holly berry design, clip art kitUsing the Holly Berry Christmas 1 & 2 art sets, this is a classic Red, Green and Gold Christmas that is both elegant and fun.  It contains a bow top box, a cocoa packet, a tea bag cover, book mark and assorted gift tags.  Add your cocoa packets, spiced holiday tea, some peppermint sticks and Christmas Hersey’s Kisses and tuck in some of the free recipe cards that I have available elsewhere on this blog and you have an instant gift! 

I like to make up 2 or 3 sets like this and have them pre-labeled with blank labels just in case someone drops by that I didn’t expect to give me a gift.  I store them away in a closet and can pull them out in a jiffy!

Today is my "Get all of Christmas wrapped and all the cards sent" day!  So I’m off to brew my coffee and fuel up for a looong day!  Meryy Christmas to you all!

THE CHRISTMAS STORY: Luke 2:35-40
The Prophecy of Anna

36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old. She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years. 37 She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem.

39 When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom beyond his years, and God placed his special favor upon him. NLT

This concludes the Christmas story in Luke, next I’ll go to the gospel of Matthew which tells a few different details.

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Natural Christmas Clip Art Kit by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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Natural Christmas Clip Art Kit This is likely to be my last Christmas Art Kit of this season, there may be a few more Christmas Product Kits such as stationery kits or gift baskets, but this is the last of the art that’s even close to being prepared 🙂

From the time I was a little girl, we often went to the mountains in the winter.  The crisp fragrance of Incense Cedars and the rich earthy smells of the California Redwoods mixed with the classic pine fragrance bring back so many wonderful memories for me.  All of these rich, wonderful elements of nature were my inspiration for this art work.

If you’re like me and love a natural, earthy Christmas, pine boughs, pine cones, holly, holly berries Christmas clip artthen I saved the best for last for you!  This is an elegant country feeling set with antiqued parchment and deep Christmas Reds and greens.  I spent hours painting detailed pine cones and boughs, berries, birds and amaryllis arrangements. 

One of the things I planned in this set was that it could be used both as effectively for Christmas and for year ’round uses with it’s natural foresty feel.  There is a wide Christmas poinsettia wreath, holly berry, holly, Christmas tagsvariety of all the elements necessary to create anything from Christmas Cards and gift tags to scrapbook pages, brag books and recipe or note cards.  This set will be available for $5.98 in the Daisie Company store on Friday, Dec. 14, 2007.

I’m (like you) going to be working a lot this week to get my Christmas gifts ready to ship, so things will be rather light in the store.  I can’t tell you what I’m making as gifts (since I do have friends and family that read my blog!)  But I’m having so much fun doing it. 

Making gifts for Christmas is a tradition in our household and I hope it is (or will be) in yours.  I have always treasured the special things that my girls have made for me and many of them grace my china cabinet or jewelry chest.  Remember that you don’t have to participate in the commercialization of Christmas, you can choose to make it a heartfelt, joyful celebration of the Love of God that came down from heaven to be with us and the love of a brand new family that also was born that night. 

THE CHRISTMAS STORY: Luke 2:13-20
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
NIV

Crafting, Holidays, Products Available, recipes and recipe cards

Make Your Own Gingerbread Cottage For Christmas

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If you’re not at all cooking inclined, or simply don’t have the time to make your own Gingerbread Cottage this year, the picture shows my Gingerbread Cottage Christmas Gift Box or Table Decoration.  It retails for $5.98 and is available for download by clicking on its picture.  It’s a complete digital art kit that you simply print, cut and glue to create this intricate looking cottage, but is so easy a child can do it with help.  You can also use it’s pieces to make card board templates to create an actual Gingerbread cottage. 

To do so, print all of the pieces but only one of each.  Cut them out cutting off the tabs (you’ll use your icing to glue the pieces instead).  Cut off the roof edging from the roof top, making it a separate piece.  From there you’ll glue the pieces onto cardboard and cut them out.  Using these cardboard templates, you simply trace and cut.  You can cut out the window openings if you wish and line them with colored cellophane when baked or drop clear colored candies into the openings when you bake the dough.

I ffound a few great sites in my search today for making real Gingerbread for Gingerbread Cottages or Gingerbread Houses and I thought I would share them with you!  Gingerbread house or Gingerbread Cottage KitOne of my all-time favorite magazines is Cottage Living.  They have a great site with links to several other sites.  You can find it at: (link in all caps here: ) COTTAGE LIVING

Another of the magazines that I subscribe to is Better Homes and Gardens, here’s their contibution to the fairy tale cottage industry!  (link in all caps here: ) BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS 

If making an entire Gingerbread Cottage is too dauting a task for you, try making a Gingerbread Cottage cookie ornament instead!  Here’s my simple instructions for you:

  1. Draw your cottage or cottages onto cardboard.  You can freehand draw or search on line for coloring book images that will work.  Also, if you own my Gingerbread Cottages Clip Art sets, you could print one out to the size you would like, glue it on the cardboard and use its shape to make your cookies.  Using the back end of a marker or other pen as a guide, lightly trace a circle to cut a hole for hanging the ornament by.  I like to place my hole’s center about 1/2" from the top of the cookie leaving about as much cookie at the top, as the opening size is wide for strength. 
  2. Prepare the Gingerbread man dough as seen in the post below (make sure you download the Free Gingerbread Man Cookie Recipe Card).  Mark your hole by tracing with a toothpick, gently cut through the dough and remove.
  3. Using candies and (link in all caps here: ) ROYAL ICING  decorate each cottage differently.
  4. Let dry thoroughly and then add your message on the back if you’re good with the icing bag.  "From the Roberts Family 2007" or a nice Christmas saying would be great.

If you’re not even sure where your oven is in your kitchen or how to turn it on, your backu plan just might be my Gingerbread Cottage Box and Centerpiece kit!  If you can print a file on your computer and use a pair of scissors to cut a straight line you can do it!  Decorate it with glitter, candies or jewels and you have an extra special gift box or a centerpiece for your hall table or dinner buffet!

THE CHRISTMAS STORY: Luke 2:8-12
That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don’t be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior–yes, the Messiah, the Lord–has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!"   NLT

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Carbonite, A Tremendous Answer For Backing Up Your Graphics, Automatically!!

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I have over 1,000 GB of art on my computer.  Backing up that much art is an insane proposition.  Until now, off-site backup services for that amount of storage were just too expensive.  But I have recently discovered a service that is totally reasonable, totally secure and most importantly totally automatic so I can’t forget to do my backups!!!   

I’ve researched it carefully.  They have received high commedations from quite a few sources I trust including "Small Business Computing" and "IT world".   Here’s a great article from the Seattle Times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003724588_btsoho28.html that describes its function very well.

I first heard about the service on Rush Limbaugh’s program, and whether or not you agree with his politics, he’s extremely careful in researching any company that will advertise on his show.  After my research I have signed up with the company and I recommend it to my readers if it fits your needs as well.  To make it easy for you, I have installed a link to Carbonite on the right hand side of my blog. 

First here’s just some of the questions I had about this service: 

1.  Is it secure?  They double encrypt your information and have intensive security in place so that no one from their company can have access to the servers without fingerprint verification.

2.  How hard will it be to do and will it slow down my computer while it’s backing up?  I’m in the middle of my first backup.  Quite frankly with as much as I have to store it could take a month to upload, most people will only take a few days.  It took me 10 minutes at the most to get started and I’m leaving my computer on 24/7 to make it go as quickly as possible.  However, if I have to turn it off it will simply pick up where it left off.  If you don’t have that much information, an external hard drive might just be enough, but I recommend you have more than one (they can fail).

3.  Is it affordable?  At $49.95 a year for any amount of information that’s less than $5 per month.  A 500 GB hard drive runs around $120 and can easily fail.  Also,having almost lost my home in the San Diego Wildfires of 2003, I realize the importance of an OFF-SITE-BACKUP!  If your house burns down with your backups in it you’re in trouble. Fire proof safes fail more than they work.   DVDs and CDs do not last forever.  The deteriorate over time, more quickly than first thought.  Hard drives crash.  Computers get fried due to power surges.  There are a lot of threats out there and your graphics kits are expensive.  If you lose them, you can lose a lot of money and face a lot of frustration trying to reacquire what you had.

4.  How easy is it to do a restore or transfer to a new computer?  From reading the tutorials it’s extremely easy especially compared to loading disk after disk after disk on a new computer.

5.  Oops!  I accidentally deleted an entire folder off of my computer, can I get it back?  Have you ever done this?  I have and it was horrid!!!  This back up service keeps your deleted files for 30 days so if you realize you shouldn’t have deleted your file you can retrieve and restore it.  WOW!

6.  Do I have to remember to do a backup?  Nope!  This program works non-stop in the background and once your first backup is done it backs you up continually.  If you’re naturally organized and computer savvy there are a lot of effective ways to do this without a service like Carbonite.  But if you’re not you need to consider the small cost up front versus the huge cost if there’s a failure.

If you are like me and have several hard drives attached to your computer that has too much data to back up to a single source, you know it’s hard to do a full computer backup without buying a very expensive piece of equipment.  Also, a single backup source for a professional in any capacity is dangerous, having your information stored in more than one place in more than one form can make a big difference in a disaster. This type of a service might be overkill for many of you, but can make a lot of sense for people like us.

THE CHRISTMAS STORY: Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!"

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 "Don’t be frightened, Mary," the angel told her, "for God has decided to bless you! 31 You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!"

34 Mary asked the angel, "But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin."

35 The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s already in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God."

38 Mary responded, "I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." And then the angel left. NLT

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Additional Preview of “Penguins at Play” Clip Art Set

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(UPDATE:  This kit is now available for $5.98 at the Daisie Store.  Just click on the picture to go there)  I want to say a GIANT thank you to those who left me such great ideas to work on.  All I need now is a clone to sit down and paint them all!!!!  Alas, like you, I never have enough hours in my days to do all that is on my heart or in my mind.

Penguin clip art previewThis is the final preview for "Penguins at Play."  There is a circular border that can be used to create altered paint cans or a fun cake plate liner.  One of these years I’ll have to attempt a paint can set!  It’s been on my list for a while but I never quite get to it !

My husband breaks camp today and heads home after three weeks in the Big Bear Lake area at the Slide and Grass Valley fires.  He met a couple of really special people that are likely to become lifelong friends, one of which lost their own home in the fire (his second home burned to the ground in 7 years!!!!)   We visited him at the camp this weekend and it is quite amazing the "instant city" that is built over night when these events occur. 

I guess I’ll want to clean my house to welcome him home LOL!!!  No more 12 hour days creating kits for Daisie for a while!!!

THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:  2 Peter 1:5-9  For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.  NIV

COMMENT:  This is one of those verses that reminds me that it is a process to grow in my faith.  It isnt magic or instant, but requires effort and practice.  It also encourages me to think I can add these characteristics little by little, day by day and I will become productive and effective!

Holidays, New Releases, Products Available, Scrapbooking

A New Winter Fun Art Kit “Penguins at Play” Clip Art by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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Penguin clip art preview(UPDATE:This kit is now available in the Daisie Store for $5.98.  Click on the first picture to go to the store)  I spent last week painting these whimsical, fun, playful penguins for next week’s art kit release.  They were such fun to do and I’m really looking forward to making a wide variety of three dimensional gift tags with them.  Have you seen the wonderful sets you can find at Costco or Sam’s Club?  They’re beautiful,  but are always a little smooshed and squished when they finally get all the way from the orient to my house.

I love using those kits to festive up my packages, but it also seems like they’re never quite the right color or subject to go with my paper.  Well, this year I’m going to be making my own and because I needed to make some for my family, the rest of you can have a little fun as well 🙂

I’m thinking about buying some simple paper in the colors I want and then actually cutting out and gluing on some of my penguins and snowmen with some jewels and glitter so the entire package becomes a beautiful and coordinated presentation.

penguin clip artEver since I saw the movie "The March of the Penguins" I have fallen in love with these wonderful creatures.  They are so dedicated to their young and endure so much to give them a healthy start in life!  Also, growing up in San Diego, Sea World has a fabulous exhibit called "The Penguin Encounter" so we got to watch them frolic and play by the hour when we went to the park each year.

If you have any suggestions of what other activites you’d like to see penguins in, leave me a comment you guys always have such fun and great ideas.  I’ll have another preview tomorrow of the last part of this kit and maybe a preview of a freebie kit that I’ll make out of it for a Friday Freebie at Daisie Company.

THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:  Titus 3:3-8   At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.  But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,  he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,  whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,  so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.  This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.   NIV

 

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Memory Mixer Software Review by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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One of the most progressive and interesting people I met and spent a good deal of time with at the Memory Trends show last month, was Kerry Hill, owner of the "Lasting Impressions " scrapbooking company.  We met at a social event that kicked off the show and then interacted quite a bit during the show itself.  She graciously allowed me hang around her booth and look over her shoulder as she presented the Memory Mixer Software demonstration to Scrapbook store owners.  She also provided a demo copy of the program for me to give a thorough test drive of so that I could give you my honest and educated opinion on its functionality.

After an extensive review, I believe that Lasting Impressions "Memory Mixers" software is especially suited for many of my digital crafting readers that would like to start scrapbooking.  So many of you buy digital art, but have been somewhat intimidated by how to use it to scrapbook your family memories effectively.  This product might be the answer to making that step a reality.  If you’re already experienced with software such as Photoshop, Microsoft’s Digital Image Pro or PSP, you won’t likely need this software, but if you’re a beginner this might be a great place to start.  Your Christmas list might even be handled amazingly easily and inexpensively if you make the initial investment to purchase this program.

I asked my 21 year old daughter, Jacqui to download "Memory Mixers" and without any instruction or prior graphics experience, see if she could figure it out on her own.  In Jacqui’s exact words this program is , "The easiest thing in the world to use!!!!"   I felt if she could easily find her way around the program, so could any of you.  Her experience confirmed that it has an extremely intuitive interface, yet has very powerful capabilities.  She didn’t just like it SHE LOVED IT!

Within one hour she had created an entire album that consisted of 6 pages — not bad for just getting started in scrapbooking her life!  Her favorite features were that it leads you easily through step-by-step creation of not only a page, but a style that you can apply to your entire album if you wish so that it has a cohesive, sophisticated feel.  For example, she created a standard drop shadow that will be added to every picture she imports into her album no matter what page it is on.  She also loved that you can likewise create "mats" of specific colors and sizes that will be applied to each picture.  Moving items around on the page was as simple as dragging them and adjusting their size.  The organization of the graphics that come with the program is very easy to figure out and might be a great example for many of you in setting up your own digital art files (a constant source of frustration to many of you 🙂 ) 

For those of you "graphics collectors" who have oodles of existing digital art collections, you’ll love the fact that you can access and use them through "Memory Mixers," so you are not limited to their provided content.  "Memory Mixers" also sells additional content on their web site and you can create a calendar or a book in this program and then have them create a beautiful quality, hard bound copy.   I saw many examples of their finished books and they are of exquisite quality and yet very fairly priced as well.

The software provides pre-existing scrapbook layout templates that you can use to create great layouts with no design skills required.  Also, if resizing your photos, cropping, and changing their shapes has been intimidating to you, it is easily accomplished with Memory Mixers.  For instance if you have a standard sized photo that is horizontal, it takes two seconds to crop it to an oval, a circle, square or zoom in on only a face.  The changes are non-destructive and can be modified just as quickly should you change your mind. 

This software retails for $79.95, and there is quite a bit of graphic content contained in it, so you are paying for the art and the software to start.  They also offer add on graphics for $35.  You can purchase their software online at http://www.memorymixer.com/ or at many major software outlets such as Office Depot. 

While this isn’t the least expensive software available to create digital creations off of, it is the easiest to use specifically for scrapbooking that I have seen.  I believe it likely that you won’t purchase it and then have it sit unused on your computer because the learning curve is too steep! I love the quality of everything this company produces and can highly, highly recommend any product that they offer. 

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Peony Cottage Quilt Digital Art in Gift Bag & Cards by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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For those of you not familiar with The Daisie Company’s Message Board, there are several games during the course of the month where you can win free digital clip art gifts.  One of those game is a Bingo game that begins at the start of each month.  This coming month, I will be supplying the prizes for the game and there will be three of them.  If you don’t play the game, these same kits will be available in the store, the beginning of November.

I created these Peony Cottage Quilts as a test for a potential fabric line (not yet licensed if any fabric companies are interest )  They turned out so cute that I’ve since developed a few sets of stationery goods based upon them.  I plan to create an entire art set in both the blue color way and the pink color way once I have the time to create again.  Right now I have 3 major licensing projects in the air at once so there isn’t a lot of "play" time to be had!

If you go to http://www.daisiecompany.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20021  you can find out all the details.  Have fun!!!

THE PROVERB OF THE DAY:  Proverbs 25:4-7  Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith;  remove the wicked from the king’s resence,
and his throne will be established through righteousness. Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among great men;  it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here," than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.  NIV

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Memory Trends Scrapbooking Show Opens This Morning! by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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Well… the show opened this morning and I’ve already found two products that I’m going to feature when I get the time to really blog in detail.  One is a beautiful spray on product that tints and pearlizes any product (paper, wood, plastic, and metal).  It makes a card or tag or paper that you’ve printed out have an elegant amazing finish that looks entirely professionally done.

Also, I found a hand scoring system for those of you that do greeting cards and other scored items frequently.  It creates the exact same type of score that Hallmark uses on their cards so you can create zig zag folded greeting cards that really lay flat and will stand up on a table… just AWESOME!!!

Well… I’m on the public email system at the show (internet woes at every turn this trip!!!) so I can ‘t stay on long.  Hopefully I’ll get on again later today and perhaps even get the links up for one of the products I’ve seen.  Keep checking in!

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More Previews for “Windows on Christmas” Digital Clip Art Kit by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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(UPDATE: This kit is now available for $6.48 at the Daisie store.  Just click on the first picture to go to the store.)  These are the three remaining product shots from the "Windows on Christmas" collection that will be in the DAISIE COMPANY store next week. 

Here you can see the windows without their illustrations behind them and one window with a beautiful swag and crystals hanging inside of it, framing the view of the classic English Christmas tree inside.

The papers shown behind the windows are Chrismas fruits taken from the fruit topiary to make creating a Christmas card or tags super easy!

The second product shot shows a couple of Christmas trees, one featuring fruit and the other assorted ornaments.  Also included is a separate set of presents on a tree skirt with a toy train running around it that you can use on any of my trees (or any tree you might have).  There are also packages that are separate and a jewelled Poinsettia wreath..

And finally there is a Christmas card front, a santa star ornament and a couple of additional papers.  This kit is really, really easy to use… virtually every element combines to work seamlessly together.  It will also combine extremely well with my earlier "Holly Berry Christmas" kits 1 and 2 and their paper pack.  Several of the elements are isolated in this kit that were in a complete illustration in the earlier sets.

I hope you’re starting to think about the gifts you’re going to make for those you love this coming Christmas… I sure am!!!

 THE PROVERB OF THE DAY:  Prov 15:10-11  Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die. Death and Destruction lie open
before the LORD — how much more the hearts of men!  NIV

A word of explanation here, how often does disobedience lead to death, destruction or terrible tragedy?  Think of drunk driving, a drug overdose or a rebellious choice to run away from home and into tragic circumstances.  God’s heart is like any good parent’s, He longs for good things for His children, but allows them the free will to go their own way if they insist on taking the road to destruction.  Any rule He has made is for our own protection and blessing, just as a good parent doesn’t allow a child to touch a burning stove.  This proverb is a warning given in the negative for greater impact, but you could easily turn it around into a positive instruction like this:  "Blessings await those that delight in pleasing the Lord and following His commands, she who delights in His instructions will avoid much sorrow.  Blessings and honor lie open before the Lord — how much more the hearts of man!"

Holidays, New Releases, Products Available

Windows on Christmas Digital Clip Art Kit Previews by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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Windows on Christmas Preview 1(UPDATE: Now available for $6.48 at Daisie.  Just click on the first picture to go to the store)  My newest kit, "Windows on Christmas" will be in the DAISIE COMPANY store next week.  I’ll show two of the previews today and 3 tomorrow.

My inspiration for this kit was being a little girl looking at the beautiful Christmas trees lit and in our neighbor’s windows or looking out a window watching the snow fall.  There’s something magical about how windows frame our view of the world and the holiday!

This kit has four images that can be used as the front of your Christmas cards as well as quite a few Christmas trees, a poinsettia wreath, presents and the windows you see come with images behind them and empty for your to use with your own image.

Windows on Christmas Preview 2Imagine a Christmas card with the window on the front cover with its panes cut out and the interior of the card peeking through!  I’m excited to see what you can make out of this kit and enter into my "Creating a Special Christmas Contest" at THE DAISIE COMPANY.  Rules and information on this contest can be found here:http://www.daisiecompany.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21136

 I’ll have more previews tomorrow and then will be gone until Thursday night.  Remember, tomorrow is the first half of the month contest ending date, so all you have to do to enter is post your comments on the 1st to the 15th of the month.  The prize will be a set of my Peony Cottage Quilt gift bags, so good luck!

THE PROVERB OF THE DAY: Prov 14:7-9  Stay away from a foolish man,
for you will not find knowledge on his lips. The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.  NIV
 

Products Available, recipes and recipe cards

Brownlow Easel Recipe Books Now Available! by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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Chocolate Cook Book by Audrey JeanneI created a series of four Easel Cookbooks for Brownlow earlier this year and they’re finally available!  I created all of the art for the books and Lesha Henderson compiled the recipes.  Each picture is a link to the website, just click on the picture and it will take you to "Laura’s Cottage" where you can read more or purchase the cook books.

Each book has a vinyl coated, protected cover that opens up to become an easel so that they stand on the counter as you’re working with them.  Each recipe card is in a plastic sleeve so it is protected as well.  There are 24 recipe cards and 24 beautiful coordinated blank recipe cards.

Recipe Book Preview, DessertsIf you click on the pictures, they will take you to an online retailer that you can purchase from should you wish to.  You may also find these books at specialty gift shops around the country. 

The recipes in these books are so incredibly scrumptious sounding… maybe I’ll have to break out the mixing bowls after my next deadline is complete?! 

Southern Cooking Cook Book PreviewWhen I think of Southern cooking, my mouth begins to water!  I remember my first road trip through the south when I was 12 years old (and skinny enough to eat all the fried chicken I wanted!)  The Favorite Southern Recipes starts out with Cheese Grits Casserole, Breakfast Pie and OF COURSE SOUTHERN BISCUITS!!!  There’s nothing that says "Friendship and hospitality" like a great southern-inspired meal prepared by loving hands and a warm heart.

Quick and Easy Cookbook PreviewThe Favorite Quik and Easy Recipes might be the perfect gift for a new bride or a college student who will be living in their first apartment.  The art in it is a mix of a retro feel with contemporary swirls (it’s some of my favorite!!)

THE PROVERB OF THE DAY:  Prov 6:6-8  Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!  It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
NIV

Holidays, New Releases, Products Available

A Cup of Christmas Tea Inspired Clip Art by Audrey Jeanne Roberts

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(UPDATE:  This kit is now avaiable at Daisie for $6.48.  Just click on this link to go to the store.  )I received my first tea pot and tea cups as a gift from my dear "Nanny."  She introduced me to the delights of tea and the sparkling beauty of her china tea cup collection.

When I was just 10 years old, she took us to the Princess Hotel in Victoria British Colombia.  I remember how the polished silver sparkled in the candle light. ladies were elegantly dressed and I carefully watched everything that my grandmother did to make sure I did it too.  It was so fun to hold my pinky finger, just so!

Christmas Clip Art Preview 2My newest clip art set "Victorian Rose Christmas 1"  has lots of tea inspired art, swagged borders, pine boughs and elegant coordinated papers.  There are delightful tea cup charms and an elegantly jeweled "ornament hanger" that can be used to "hang" a frame, charm or tea cup ornament on a scrapbook page, Christmas card or craft. 

I hope that you’ll enjoy working with the Victorian wallpaper inspired background papers on your crafts or projects.  There are four of them included in this kit. 

I can’t believe how close Christmas is getting!!!  I received some product samples from one of my favorite manufacturers today, Brownlow Gifts.  http://www.brownlowgift.com/catalog/product_detail.php/pid=1406~subid=59/index.html

Tomorrow I’ll tell you about the goodies I created with and for them. I’m so excited about how I plan to use these for Christmas gifts for those I love.  There’s something really special about a gift that has been made by hand inspired by the love we hold in our hearts.

I hope you’ll make many of your Christmas gifts this year and bless those you love in a very special way!