Friday, January 27, 2012

A return to the Catwalk!!! Introducing La Belle Époque


Today at CatScrap, the Winter Catwalk was unveiled. It's one of four times a year, when the CatScrap designers strut their stuff on the catwalk. We all share a colour palette and then create to our heart's delight. The theme doesn't matter as long as the colours are the same. Then, our lovely customers (hopefully, that is you!) can use the various kits all together without worrying about if they match.

My kit is called La Belle Époque. It is filled with nostalgia, vintage-y goodness, with a Parisian flair. I went to Paris on my honeymoon so this was like strolling down memory lane.

Here is what the kit looks like. Accompanying it is a layout I did using it along with some other Catwalk kits, and gorgeous layouts from the CatScrap creative team. Thank you ladies!!!





Layouts from the talented CatScrap creative team (a couple use more than just my kit but all materials are from the Catwalk):



















Have a 
WONDERFUL
Weekend!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Happy January!!!

It seems a little late to wish everyone a Happy New Year! It just draws one's attention to my lack of blogging. Oops, I just pointed it out. What can I say, I'm honest. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I don't know when to keep my mouth closed. I just keep talking. You know what I mean?

Life is outta control! In fact, as I sit her pondering my life, I was oblivious to the fact that I am wearing a children's toy stethoscope around my neck. I didn't even notice my daughter put it there. She announced moments ago that she was a Doctor of a nurse and two cats. Somewhere after that I got lost in thought. Now my husband is going to take the kids to the kitchen for their snack of peaches which I have left on the counter. My "me" time begins... from now until storytime... so I'd better type quickly.

My husband got me an iPod Touch for Christmas. I love it but we had both wrongly expected the camera to be high-resolution. Very disappointing! However, it hasn't stopped me from my photo taking obsession. Well, maybe obsession is too strong of a word. I have some great apps and I love getting to know them better. We're becoming fast friends.

Even though my photos' quality is cruddy at best, I still love to take photos of everything and anything. Most photos involve my children playing, or what I'm cooking in my kitchen. Why? Well, that's mostly what happens around here during the day. So, don't go looking for my photos if you're looking for excitement! Unless megablocks and soup are your thing.

I want to take part in Project Life but it's a little beyond me at the moment. I might start it in a month or two when I have some page protectors, and feel more settled with my calendar. In the meantime, I still document my life. How?

I use my iPhone camera (or the Camera+ app) and take a photo. Then I use the Phonto app to write a caption on my photo (I don't always do this but it is pretty addictive). Then I import it into the Instagram app where I add an eye pleasing filter and upload to Instagram. I usually email it to myself and post on facebook and/or twitter (or I plan to at some point). Finally, I upload it to my Photo365 app. This is a handy dandy little tool. I add a photo to each day and at the end of the year I have a captured moment for my 366 (this is a leap year) days! So far I'm actually using it. Easy Peasy, lemon squeezy!



Deadlines. I've got lots of deadlines. I've been rather stressed lately as I navigate this career path I've chosen. I'm having trouble being a mother and staying awake long enough to be anything else. Yet, I am really passionate about design so I will find a way to get everything done. I will!!!

Trips. I'm taking one very soon... flying solo. It is really exciting but I'm anxious about leaving my little ones. I went away for a weekend once with my husband when my daughter was 14 months old. My parents babysat. I was away from my daughter for a couple days when my son was born. I haven't been away from them since. I will be away for three nights/four days! I'm sure it will all be fine but I have mixed feelings about it anyway. Of course, I would be lying if I didn't say I am excited to have some time just for myself.

Weight. This is the year I'm going to get rid of the extra weight I put on with having children. I'm determined I'm going to wear my old jeans again. I have no wish to run a marathon, or become skinny. Just wanna wear my regular ole jeans.

Projects. I have oodles of them. This year I want to actually get some of them done. I want to paint the front door; fix and paint our kitchen table and chairs; maybe paint and accessorize our first floor bathroom; put up more photos and wall art; create some wall art; and try some crafts I've been too intimidated to try before.

Print. I did it! I ordered ALL my scrapbook 12x12 layouts from Persnickety Prints. I've been meaning to do this for over a year. I am so excited to see them! I won't tell you how many there are... it is a lot. I'll have to let you know how they turned out. I did some research last year and determined PP would be the best place to try out. Since then I've heard only wonderful things, and then a coupon came across my desktop and I knew it was time.

Catwalk. For those of you familiar with CatScrap, where I sell my digital designs, you have probably experienced a Catwalk or two. Every season, the CatScrap designers pick a colour palette and create coordinating kits. The theme can differ greatly but the colours match. Last night I made a layout using product from four designers and everything matches! Stay tuned for Friday's post where I reveal my kit, and the layout I made.

That's all for now! My next post: Catwalk. The post after that... probably about Nancie Rowe Janitz. Why? Well, why not? :)

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

A Snowy Day


I woke up to a winter wonderland this morning. Much better than the dreary rain we had yesterday. It was rather timely as I released my Snowy Day paper pack and Snowy Day alpha today.

Here is the Snowy Day Alpha inspired by my love of storybooks.



Here is the Snowy Day Paper Pack. Why buttons you might ask? Snowmen. They belong on snowmen (or women). :)



I haven't much else to say. I'm very sleepy lately. I'm trying to enjoy the season with my family, finish up some projects, and scrapbook about the holidays. Hopefully I don't fall asleep first! Be sure to read my other blog (see link above) to see my holiday layouts and other musings.

Happy December!


Friday, November 4, 2011

Have a very MERRY Digital Scrapbooking Day!

Digital Scrapbooking Day (DSD) has special significance for me. Can you guess what it is? Probably not. In May, on iNSD (International Scrapbook Day) MellyBird Designs made its debut. Digital Scrapbook Day (Nov. 5) is the six month anniversary of my business. I wonder where the next six months will take me? Thank you for joining me on this adventure!



Today I am releasing my newest collection (or part of it anyway) called MERRIMENT. I am really excited about it as I put my heart and soul into creating it. I love the Holiday season and all the nostalgia that comes with it. It's a bit early to start celebrating but I thought DSD was the perfect time to schedule its release.

There are four patterned paper packs: Holly Jolly, Believe, Jingle and Countdown. They are offered on their own or in a bundle. I'm also releasing a pack of solid coloured papers. As for elements, I've decided to release them as add-on pieces over the course of the next month or so. For DSD, I'm releasing date labels, girl stickers, and epoxy tabs.


Holly Jolly Papers

Believe Papers

Jingle Papers

Countdown Papers

Solid Papers

Date Labels

Girl Stickers

Epoxy Tabs

The Patterned Paper Bundle

What is going on at CatScrap for DSD? Glad you asked! We're having a 30% store-wide sale, a QP blog hop, a free with $10 purchase collab and daily Facebook freebies! More freebies if you get our newsletter. Check it out!



Thanks for reading!!! Enjoy your Digital Scrapbook Day! :)

Monday, October 24, 2011

Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet... Ok, just the first part.

With falling leaves and cooling breezes, it is apparent Halloween is almost upon us. I'm surprised to see how few houses are decorated for Halloween this year. When I first moved to my neighbourhood I was surprised by the enthusiasm my neighbours have for Halloween decorations. My experience has been that people only put up the occasional spooky lawn accessories, and light their pumpkins on Halloween Day. Not so here... weeks in advance people line their porches with up to a dozen pumpkins. Skeletons hang from trees, scarecrows peek out from gardens, and other creepy things I try to ignore stare at me from nicely manicured lawns. I love Halloween but I don't like to be scared. I'm not a fan of gore. This year, aside from the occasional hanging skeleton I've only seen a lot of pumpkins. I think maybe the unusually warm weather is to blame for the delay. Which reminds me, I need to go buy a pumpkin.

I've created my own little tribute to the holiday. It is called Trick or Treat. Yes, I went all out with my creative titling. I made a digital kit, a separate alpha, a separate set of alpha tags, and if you're subscribed to the CatScrap newsletter, you'll have access to a coordinating freebie AND a printable hybrid project!
Digital Kit
The Digital Kit (baby not included)

Papers
The Papers

Alpha Tags
These tags... it wasn't easy finding a spooky word for each letter of the alphabet.
The alpha tags are NOT included in the Digital Kit.

Alpha
The alpha is not included in the Digital Kit.
Layout by Melanie
Here is the layout I made with the kit... and the CatScrap Newsletter freebie.
Have you subscribed to my newsletter? You'll receive exclusive coupons to my products. Are you a fan on Facebook? Soon I'll be adding an exclusive Facebook freebie for my fans.

Have a great day and a spooktacular Happy Halloween!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Don't forget to check out the CatScrap Blog Hop!

The CatScrap Fall Catwalk Blog Hop starts tomorrow (Friday, Oct. 14). My other blog is hosting not one but TWO quick page freebies designed by members of our talented creative team. Please wander over to my personal blog to pick them up!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Edythe Loves Nyal and So Do I!

Today is the release of CatScrap's Fall 2011 Catwalk where all the designers show off their latest creations. I released two paper kits as part of the Edythe Loves Nyal collection. The papers aren't exactly your ordinary patterned papers. They're a little bit retro, a little bit vintage, and a wee bit eclectic. The first kit is called Grandma's Closet. The colours and patterns are a tribute to my Grandma. Yes, a growing theme in my designs. The second kit entitled Grandpa's Basement is a tribute to my Grandpa. There is a theme of cribbage and licorice allsorts in the patterns.

And you guessed it... their names are Edythe and Nyal.