So here’s a peek inside what my afternoon looked like. Working intuitively doesn’t always end well, but this piece has potential so I’ll continue working with it and film part 2 and post it at a later date. I hope it inspires you to get your playthings out and experiment a little!

I love to get your questions, comments and feedback! Leave them in the comments section here: Mixed media fabric paper – part 1

If you’re not familiar with Zazzle it’s is a print-on-demand service where you can design and purchase a product from scratch using your own design, or purchase products from designers with established stores.

I have a fully set-up online store called “Affirmation Art” where you can now purchase my photo art designs on things like buttons …

… or pillows …

… or coffee mugs …

… or an endless variety of other products from bags to posters to homeware. You just gotta love the technology that allows you to do this!

So go check out my store here on Zazzle, or here on my own website.

I currently have a variety of products available using seven new photo art designs, with more designs in the works so bookmark the site and check back often. Here’s the designs currently available …

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I love to get your questions, comments and feedback! Leave them in the comments section here: Be Zazzled … by “Affirmation Art”

Every month I make a vision card as a way to set my direction and general focus for the month. I’ve found that having a monthly “vision” helps me to stay on track with what I hope to achieve during the month. My vision card for this month is “Focus”, something I badly need to invite back into my life.

I have to admit it’s been a bumpy ride these last few months and when life is in transition it’s easy to get lost or caught up in the emotions and all the changes that are happening. It often feels like you’re being swept along with no control over what’s happening or the outcome. At some point though comes the realization that this is also a choice we make; we can allow life to overwhelm us or we can start to take back a little control.

I’m not that much into controlling things, however I do like to have some direction. Sort of like steering a sailboat – you may not know where the wind is coming from, but you can skillfully manoeuvre the sails to get where you’re going. I’ve found that the best way to do this is to learn how to focus.

Learning to focus is a skill much like any other and is the one and only thing that will ever get you to where you want to be. Without focus, you are just wandering aimlessly.

My first step toward gaining focus is always to quiet the mind. Once all the noise and chatter of the world around is quieted down, it’s easier to recognize and separate the distractions from what’s really important. It’s the important stuff you need to focus on.

I’ve spoken before about how I work with focus and you can read about my two-step method here.

So what is my focus this month?

I guess it’s ok to give you just a little preview.

One of my big dreams this year is to take some of my digital designs like this …

… and turn them into something like this …

Don’t you just love the way that modern technology allows you to do this?

More news about this in the coming week.

PS – the image on this vision card is printed on a dryer sheet – one of my favorite fabrics for printing on. If you’re new to printing on fabric, you can get started quickly and easily with my downloadable tutorial – Exploring Printing on Fabric. You can find it here in the store.

I love to get your questions, comments and feedback! Leave them in the comments section here: Learning to focus

Using an easy step-by-step interactive pdf tutorial with full size photos that detail each step, you will

• explore how to use various settings to create stunning and creative kaleidoscope designs in seconds using a free Photoshop Elements filter plugin
• learn how to save an image to use as a pattern and then use that pattern to make seamless tiled backgrounds using kaleidoscope designs
• discover how to take your kaleidoscope designs to the next level using blending modes
• learn the basics of how to make a kaleidoscope image manually without the need for a plugin

Included in your download

• a 15 page interactive pdf tutorial with step-by-step instructions and full-size step-by-step photos
• a photo library of six images that are guaranteeed to give you stunning results.

Download now!

Note This tutorial is presented using Photoshop Elements Version 6 however the steps will be the same or similar in all versions of Photoshop Elements.

When working with the tutorials, you should have a basic knowledge of Photoshop Elements such as how to open and save files, as well as how to use the main menu and the tools. If something isn’t explained clearly in the tutorial, use the Help section of Photoshop Elements for additional clarification.

Visit the store for full details.

I love to get your questions, comments and feedback! Leave them in the comments section here: New in the Store: Exploring Photoshop Elements and Kaleidoscope Designs – Downloadable Tutorial

I love to get your questions, comments and feedback! Leave them in the comments section here: Gratitude