-
2008 Flickr Layouts
-
Digital Scrapbooking Blogs
African House Snakes
Matthew loves animals! The love for it started way back when he was a toddler. He would even watch the Animal Planet and National Geographic on TV! He would be glad to know that he can now read all about snakes on the web too!> The African House Snake source is being managed by Jack Spirko and is all about, as the site implies, African house snakes and colubirds. Matthew wanted to have a snake as pet! He surely would love to read about the species and its subspecies. It is all clearly written on the site. And for breed lovers, there is breeding advice that can help you. I looked at the site and was surprised to learn that the text was simply written coupled with a picture of the house snake. I like the Cape House Snake - it looks cute!
Paper Inspired.
This is a lift for SSD’s Paper2DigiChallenge. This week we are lifting lharrison’s gallery and I was drawn to her Focused layout. I always draw so much inspiration from paper layouts!
Everything from Shawna Clingerman and Lauren Grier’s Starbrite Kit– a must have if you have boys!
Journaling:
We seemed to have hit the terrible twos at the wrong age. Difficult is another way to describe it. Mood swings, terrible tantrums, physical outbursts of anger. I would like to think that this is just another phase for you. You are in first grade, have many needs and demand attention in a different level. Then there is your sister, who is also being a toddler. Sibling rivalry perhaps? Your way of getting us to notice you? I really do not know. All I know is that beneath the terrible phase we are in, I still love you…..
and you are still my baby
The DASHMAT
My Dad is using a Revo Adventure as his transportation in Cavite. It not ours. A family friend so graciously offered to let my Dad use it for his needs. That family friend has a lot of cars, most of them even have a Dashmat on it! It even has their monograms on it. Dashmats can be personalized and you can get one at CarCoverGuys.com. They offer very competitive prices on the Dashmat, LeBra, and Wolf Car Cover Products. If you want to take good care of your car and would want it to bear your name and be personalized, you can get it from them! They sell factory direct custom car floor mats,
car front end covers, motorcycle covers and specialty merchandize including NFL and NCAA logo Floor Mats and Spare Tire Covers. I just tried ordering a DashMat and it allows you to personalize it by entering the car model, year and if you have airbags on it. If I was still single, Id want DashMat in pink! But I doubt my husband will let me! Wait, we need to have a car first! HA!
An AAM Layout.
AAM - All About Me 
I have to be honest here. I am one of those people who loves doing layouts about themselves. I dunno, maybe it is therapy for me. Maybe it is a drive for me to pour myself into pages, so that someday, when Im old and too “KJ” for my kids and they stop treating me like their friends, they have the chance to understand me, how I love them so much and that I only want what is best for them.
So there, an AAM layout…it doesnt come so often because I hate how I look these days, LOL.
Search Engine Optimization
I have been blogging since 2003 and have just found that I can earn from it this year. By then, most of my blogs were over three years old and had good page rank, steady visitors, unique page visits. However, I still wanted to learn more how to further optimize my site. That is how I learned about search engine optimization. It still baffles me, but I stick to trusted web sites that can help me understand it more, like AllinAnchor.com. The write of this blog has written a post saying SEO is easy and I just had to agree with what he said. It can be expensive but nothing pays more than a quality link than a paid link. Search engine optimization helps you get indexed in search engines, possibly even include you in the top 10 results and that’s what most companies strive for. Even blogs would want that for more exposure. Who doesn’t use search engines to find what they are looking for in the web, right? The site also discusses traffic building, which for me is a bit complicated, but definitely a worthy investment of time to get your sites have higher page ranks. You can even get indexed if you are a new site! This blog is no more than a year old and has been showing good progress in terms of Alexa and page hits. I intend to keep it that way so I have bookmarked the web site for further help!
SSD Cookie Decorating 101 with Juliebee70
Im a little late with the challenge this week, but I made sure to make the template really FAB for you guys! This week, our template is based from one of the gorgeous layouts of our former host for this challenge, Julie Billingsley!! I chose to base our template with her “Hello, I am…” layout. I love how she incorporated multi-photos in her layout with shapes (notice the circles and buttons!). Dont forget to take a peek at her inspiring gallery!
For the new gals, a little recap- In this challenge we’ll be providing you with some monster inspiration from a talented layout artist in the community and turning one of their pages into a fabulous template (sugar cookie) for you to enjoy! Then it’s up to you to decorate your cookie with your best baking skills and return to Cookie Decorating Challenge Gallery to post your finished products!
Here’s my version of her very nice cookie!:
DiscoverSD.com
If ever you are a fan of football, in particular the San Diego Chargers, you can find San Diego Chargers pictures at DiscoverSD.com. If you have pictures of them and are a budding photographer, you can even submit your pictures to them. You might be interested. Contact them!
London
I have always been intrigued by the life you can lead in London. The daughter of a famous celebrity in our country went there to study and now, after graduating, she made a documentary about her life in London. They went and filmed her university, her favorite bookstores, the London bars she went to. You can also see all the places she has been to by going to this web site - www.trustedplaces.com. You will know where to eat and drink in London. It has undergone recent web site changes so navigating the site is a breeze now.
Wildfires in Southern California
My heart goes out to the affected families in Southern California. I have been reading the news and seeing pictures online and I cannot even begin to imagine how hard it can be for them. I imagine plastic surgery in San Diego, CA is on a halt too, most people go there to get “refined”. Most of the designer store owners are based in California and how I wish their homes will be spared and everything will go back to normal soon. For now, I’ll definitely be including them in my prayers.
Kay Miller Goodies!
You can find all her good stuff in the shoppe! Here are just a sampling of her work, and my layouts to go with them.
**All images open up in a new browser with a bigger file.
A page from me using her Autumn Angel Kit:
The Curl Plan
Ok, last time I measured my hair is now 7inches long from the shoulder. It’s layered so I still have a part of my hair a little shorter. I have been planning for a long time to have it digitally permed. I’m not the type to comb my hair every now and then and as of the moment, having short hair is not an option for me. So, surprise surpise, T&J is offering a flat rate for digital perming, and I’m seriously thinking of getting it done by then. If ever I go bald, Ill get myself a San Francisco hair restoration and sue them! Kidding, of course ;). Ill post pictures once it is done.
SSD Babe Call
The calls have ended and the invites will most probably be sent out tomorrow - I hope so!! We cant wait to get the ball rolling in time for our big November release!!!
Inking Oneself.
Have you ever considered getting a tattoo? I have to be honest here and tell that I haven’t even considered it EVER. I just don’t see myself permanently inked for life. Maybe if it’s going to be a henna tattoo or a temporary one I can consider. For me, I cringe at the thought of me in my old age, complete with wrinkled and sagging skin with a tattoo! I don’t think my grandkids will find me call. Thankfully, Edil doesn’t like to get tattoos either or else I think we will be fighting all the time!
Pub’ed!
..at last
A layout of mine was recently picked for publication for an article in Digital Artist Magazine (DAM) - about Typography. It is a favorite of mine so Im pretty happy it got picked. You can pick up a copy here.
Credits: Let’s see:
Everything by Jen Wilson!
except for the felt swirlies and jellie hearts - Michelle Coleman’s All You Need Is Love.
Fonts: Marydale, 499810, FG Astrid, CK Taliatype, CK Evie, CK Leisurely, PunchLabel Regular, Platique, Print Error and something else I forgot to list down
This was for a challenge for Jen Wilson’s reJENerate contest!
Spirit of Christmas?
Let’s talk about money here for a bit. I am thinking about it because as you know, with the holiday season coming, parents need money - for gifts, for holiday food, for parties, etc. Will a loan work for you? Are you willing to apply for one just so you can have money for Christmas and then slave away for next year paying it off? I think that would be impractical considering how high the increase of applications of unsecured loans the banks have been receiving these days. I’d rather have a simple celebration without debt than a grand one when I dont even know if I can pay for it next year. Besides, I think these types of loans are more appropriate for homeowner loans.
Font Sale!
SSD SugarFree Challenge - Used To Be
Time for another SugarFree Challenge at the Sweet Shoppe!
For this week, our prompt will be “USED TO BE”. Scrap about anything that first comes to your mind when you think I/It/We/She/He USED TO BE. It can be your kids growing up and not needing you as much, friendships that have grown apart, personal battles, relationships with other people…many many possibilities.
For this week, I chose to scrap about my current health status. My Dad is diabetic (and so is my grandmother) and with the way Im going, I fear and think it is somewhere around my future too. The layout may seem a little dark but I guess that is how I really feel inside when I think about it.
It really explores my fears about my weight and my fear of not being able to lose it and having to be forced to undergo Orlando cosmetic surgery once to get all of it done, LOL. Of course, I am kidding but sometimes I really do get depressed.
I used ScrapKitchen Design’s amazing Ichabod’s Ride for this and I havent even touched the most amazing pieces - the wrought iron gate and the picture holders - love this kit!! The papers are amazing!
Upload your LO to our and post a link back here so you can get some ! Remember, using a New Release from the earns you an extra point!
Idea Books.
Got myself these books:
And I am having a blast reading them! Individual reviews coming soon!
FPD- Second Spring Collaboration
I got this HUGE and FAB collab for free! I got lucky when Corina did a random drawing for a giveaway and I was one of the lucky three who got a free kit :). You can get the kit here. I cannot wait to play with it!
SSD Challenge - Cookie Decorating 101
Im now hosting the Cookie Decorating Challenge over at SSD! I hope you join me this week!
Cookie Decorating #18 this week! Julie has let me take over the challenge from now on and I’m super excited to be bringing you new cookie templates to decorate! I love templates (and scraplifting) so I’m so happy to playing along with you guys on this challenge.
I am honored to have all the other SugarBabes as my team mates and I continually look up to them for inspiration. So I thought it best to choose a layout from each of their galleries for us to base our cookie template with. This week I’ve chosen to highlight one of the Babes’ gallery - Cindy Schneider.Make sure to browse through her gallery for some serious eye candy! And here is the layout we are going to base our cookie from -her Simply Beautiful layout.
I love how Cindy used so many papers on this layout and yet still made it look cohesive and well-put together. If it was left to me, I’d be using one solid paper and a patterned paper on most of my layouts 
I love how Cindy clusters her elements too - I distinctively remembering gasping when I saw this layout of hers - and now she has graciously agreed for us to use it as template! So you know what to do!
For the new gals, a little recap- In this challenge we’ll be providing you with some monster inspiration from a talented layout artist in the community and turning one of their pages into a fabulous template (sugar cookie) for you to enjoy! Then it’s up to you to decorate your cookie with your best baking skills and return to Cookie Decorating Challenge Galleryto post your finished products!
Of course, I wouldn’t be able to resist to play along, aren’t I? Here is my take on the challenge!
I used the awesome SSD collab kit “For Laura” - this has got to be the best SSD collab yet! Make sure you pick it up as all proceeds go to Laura Wolff and her family. Earlier this month the Wolff family was devastated when a fire tore through their home and took with it all of their worldly possessions. For the remainder of 2007, For Laura will be available here at Sweet Shoppe Designs and 100% of the profits from the sale of this gorgeous kit will be deposited into the family’s paypal account every two weeks.
That’s it for me! Don’t forget to post your layouts in our gallery and feel free to link us up here as well. You’ll receive a point for completing this challenge towards February’s total which can win you some sweet stuff from the shoppe! Here’s all the information on the Sweet Rewards Program.
You can find the download links here.
-
Today Is:
-
-
Creative Teams
