Cathy Zielske's Blog

Weekday Giveaway: 3 seats to the Phone Photography Project

2013-06-18T07:57:12-05:00

THE GIVEAWAY: Three (3) blog readers will win a spot in The Phone Photography Project from Big Picture Classes.

ABOUT THE CLASS: This class offers 32 days of Android + iPhone photo challenges, daily inspiration, and app reviews. In this month-long workshop, you'll learn to take better photos with the camera you always have with you as you document your summer adventures—with help from 32 incredible instructors. On top of daily smartphone photography challenges, you'll also enjoy:

dozens of tips and tricks from the pros for taking better photos with your mobile-phone camera
60+ photography app reviews for iPhone and Android, so you know which are worth your time and money*
dozens of project ideas for getting photos off your device and into your world
interaction with 32 experienced iPhoneographers and Androidographers, and hundreds of fellow students in a private classroom and on Instagram
giveaways, contests, discounts, bonus downloads, and fun fun fun!

Learn more by clicking here. This class runs July 1st through August 1st. The cost is $49.

TO ENTER: Tell me this: do you take pictures with your phone? Good luck! The drawing will close Wednesday at Noon.

We'll be in class waiting for you on July 1st!

Hybrid Scrapbook Layout: When I Think of You

2013-06-17T05:00:00-05:00

Last week's conversation on digital/hybrid/traditional pages made me want to make a good old fashioned hybrid layout. I've been putting so much of my memory keeping energy into Project Life and the class that I am teaching that I haven't really made pages that I love for the sake of scrapbooking.

So on Friday, I made not one, but two layouts. I know. I'm outta control people. Seriously.

The layouts are both called "When I Think of You" and they list 10 things I think of when I think of a) Aidan and b) Cole. I'm so happy with the results.

Aren't the wee icons cute? And they printed so nicely on my HP Photosmart 8750.

I started out designing these layouts as digital files. Then right as I was about to say, "Okay, we're good!" I thought, why not just turn off the photo layers, print the rest of the content onto my favorite Bazzill cardstock, and then print the photos separately, trim and adhere? And that's what I did.

Even when I make digital pages, I like keep to keep them very simple. I created my own digital papers so I could scrapbook with the types of simple geometrics that I love. I printed the pages using my best photo settings onto white cardstock, and voila, rich lovely colors and crisp type. Here's a look at each page in digital form.

I may still send these out for prints, just to see them side-by-side with their hybrid counterparts. Then again, I may not.

It's so easy to take a digital template, make the page, then simply turn off your photo layers and print the rest of the page out.

Here's a little tip on printing the photos: You drag both the photo and its layer mask to a new 6 x 4 document (I did this because I have a huge stack of 6 x 4 photo paper). Then you click on the mask layer and add a 1 px outline to the outside. This gives you a perfect trim line around your photo, which is really nice if any of the areas of your photo are light. Send your file to print as a 4 x 6. Do not use borderless options. Same goes for your full page layout file. No borderless options. Then everything prints copacetic.

Simply trim and adhere your photos. The benefit of this hybrid approach? You get a bit more real life texture than a straight digital print, and you get to cut and paste just enough to satisfy your crafting needs, but not enough to pull your hair out.

Ahhhh. Good scrapbooking days, indeed.

Technical note: I used Totally Rad's Rad Lab plug in on all of the photos so they'd have a slightly similar tone. If you are on the fence about Totally Rad, they've got great videos on their site that walk you through how it all works. My favorite photo tool ever.

This template is available in both 8.5 x 11 and 12 x 12 formats and is part of my Story Guide template series, layouts designed to get you thinking and writing through easy-to-follow prompt-based journaling.

New to working with layered templates? I have a step-by-step video tutorial + a free template to practice on. Click here for more information?

Note: The templates use a free font, PT Sans, for the journaling. I changed mine to Interstate Light and Bold.

SUPPLIES:

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The winner of the seat in Ali Edwards' Hello Story class is…

2013-06-16T21:38:59-05:00

Kelly, congrats! Email me at czdesign@comcast.net and I'll get you set up for Ali's class.

FOR MORE INFO OR TO SIGN UP: click on the following link, Hello Story. Class begins July 8.

New product releases

2013-06-15T05:00:00-05:00

A few new products in the store this weekend.

Layered Template No. 114 is a simple, 8.5 x 11 page designed to document six shots from life right now.

Scallop Stamps Summer.

Text Ribbons No. 02.

And these two templates are ones I'm loving. Part of my Story Guide template series, this is a simple concept that asks you to consider a subject and then simply list ten things you think about them. I made one for Cole and one for Aidan yesterday, and I'll be sharing the results Monday on my blog.

Story Guide No. 6a.

Story Guide No. 6b.

Have a great weekend.

A special online fundraising event to benefit Oklahoma tornado relief

2013-06-14T16:23:28-05:00

Beginning Saturday at 6 a.m. EST, you can join in an all-day online crop to help benefit the victims of the recent Oklahoma tornadoes. Organized by Cheeky Chics Scrapbooking in Florida, this online event costs $15 (although you can donate more) and that fee goes 100% to tornado relief via United Way Oklahoma.

You will need to click on the Donate Oklahoma Tornado fund to register. You will then be contacted via email to confirm your registration, then you can join their member forum where the online crop is being hosted on Saturday.

ABOUT THE CROP: A scrapbooking challenge will be issued every hour on the hour from 8 a.m. EST through 6 p.m. (or maybe later), plus challenges from some big names in the scrapbooking arena. You'll have a full week to complete the challenges you pick. There are tons of chances to win some really great prizes.

A special drawing will be held for a big prize from the first fifty people to donate. Just click on the Paypal button on the top right that says Oklahoma Tornado Fund and give from your heart.

CLICK HERE to visit the blog and click on the Pay Pal link in the upper left to sign up.

I'm donating any 5 of your choice of my products from the CZ Design Digital collection, plus my challenge includes a printable PDF layout.

Hope you can join in the fun! It's for a great cause and who knows, you may even score some scrapbooking goodies. You'll defintely score some inspiration.

Sponsor Giveaway: Hello Story with Ali Edwards

2013-06-14T05:00:00-05:00

THE GIVEAWAY: Today I'm super excited to give away a seat to Ali Edwards' upcoming 4Experts workshop at Big Picture Classes, Hello Story.

If you know anything about Ali, you know that a) she's awesome, and b) she's cool and c) she's uber creative. I should also add that Ali never does anything half-assed. When it comes to classes and creative work, she's all in.

CLASS OVERVIEW: What's your story? This summer, say hello to a dozen fun strategies for sharing more of your words, and more of yourself, on your scrapbook pages.

In her new 12-week workshop, Hello Story, Ali Edwards will introduce you to 12 storytelling techniques—never-before-seen in her prior journaling workshops—that will bring creativity and clarity to both your writing and your page designs. Every week, you get to sit over Ali's shoulder and watch her transform her story ideas into timeless, authentic, story-rich scrapbook pages.

Through dozens of in-depth videos that cover storytelling and design ideas as well as 36+ exclusive layout examples from Ali (12" x 12" and 8 1/2" x 11" layouts, plus Project Life inserts), Hello Story will inspire you to take action and give you the tools you need to tell your own stories with confidence.

Are you ready to discover (or rediscover) the fun that comes from the interplay of design and words? By the end of class, you may even enjoy the writing process just as much as you love taking photos and playing with paint and paper!

Want a sneek peek into her process? Stacy Julian offers up a look at what's coming in Ali's class:

TO ENTER: Leave me a comment and finish this sentence: This year, my most favorite story I've scrapbooked was…

I will choose one winner on Sunday evening. Good luck, and by all means, check out more info on Hello Story. Good luck!

This giveaway is now closed. Check back to see if you're a winner.

Project Life, Week Twenty-Three

2013-06-13T09:19:39-05:00

OBSERVATIONS: Another week is on the books, and this week was the week that a big whopping order of printed Project Life pages showed up (see this post from yesterday for a lively discussion of digital/hybrid/traditional memory keeping.)

Once again, my iPhone provided all of the photos you see in this week's spread. If it weren't for the fact that my phone bill is ridiculous every month, I'd say the $199 you pay for an iPhone is so, so worth it for the camera—and its convenience—alone. I think my DSLR is feeling sorely neglected right now. (Have you read about the upcoming Phone Photography Workshop at Big Picture Classes? If not and you like your phone and your apps, check it out! Class starts in just a few weeks.)

Here are my pages from last week.

I'm probably going to get in trouble for sharing the photo of Cole Photoshopped onto the body of Jon Snow from Game of Thrones, but I honestly couldn't help myself. With all the sickness that's been floating around our house for the past three weeks, it truly has been a Game of Throats. And besides, if you can't have fun with Photoshop, what's the point?

Last week marked the end of the school year for both kids, and now we are in their first full joint summer vacation. (If you missed my free "School's Out" card download, click here to snag it.)

It also marked getting the yearbooks back from the printer. Aidan and her team did such a great job this year, and we all learned a lot in the process. My role was simply as their production artist, and I absolutely loved doing it. We found that cover art for a buck online. (Their school mascot is a heron.) This summer, she and I are going to do some serious advance planning for the 2013/14 book. It's also a great way for an introvert like me to volunteer my time to help my kids' school. As long as I don't have to be in a large group of people, I'm golden.

And that wraps up my pages from Week Twenty-Three.

SUPPLIES:

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So, how are you liking digital Project Life, Cathy?

2013-06-12T08:46:12-05:00

Good question.

I have been asking this since I started making digital Project Life pages beginning in Week 17. And the answer?

So far, so good. But I'm torn.

Let me start by saying this: I adore the ease of which I can build pages (and share them here on my blog) when working the digital process. I love not having to print everything out at home. I love not having to cut and trim every card and photo. I love how simple it is to change my mind on what type of layout I'll do this week, or how quickly I can swap out cards and photos. I love the seamlessness of saving the files, uploading them to the print service, and then getting a package a few days later. Those are the good parts.

That said, I kind of miss the printing everything at home and cutting and trimming of every card and photo. I miss putting everything into the page pockets. I miss the tangible aspects of scrapbooking.

Right now, my album is hybrid through Week 16, and digital to present day. I really am enjoying this change up, but one thing I am realizing is this: so much of my life's work has revolved around computers and part of what I loved about the hybrid process was being able to cut something. To glue something. To make something on a table, with my hands.

And yet when my package arrived yesterday with four week's worth of Project Life pages, I was all, "This is so cool." So there's that.

And who knows… next year, I may even switch to the 8.5 x 11 format.

I will say it's a work in progress. I know many of you who are digital scrapbookers left the paper process and never looked back. I'd love to hear perspectives today. If you started out as a paper scrapbooker and made the leap, why? Did you miss anything? Paper scrapbookers, would you ever consider digital aspects, or hybrid aspects? Or what about those of you who never touched a piece of patterned paper ever? Digital from the get go?

In the end, it's all about saving stories so really, it's great either way and any way in between. If you have a few minutes today, tell me what you do and what motivates your approach.

Geeking out

2013-06-11T05:00:00-05:00

Did anyone happen to catch the Apple World Wide Developers Conference Keynote yesterday? (If the answer is 'no' and you need to see what you missed, click here.)

The announcement that Apple is finally delivering a new Mac Pro was big news in my book. I've been using Mac towers for years now, and my current Mac Pro is starting to show its age. Lots of reboots and buggy things and sloggy performance make me itchy for a new system.

Then there's the new OS coming later this year: Mavericks.

And if that doesn't look cool enough, iOS 7 is also on the way.

Seriously. It's almost too much geekiness to take in one sitting.

I think it will be interesting to see the web chatter unfold. Do people love the new iOS7? Do they hate it? I know that flat design is all the rage right now. I personally think it's interesting and fresh.

But more than that, I'm just really excited about technology right now. I am really curious to see how they'll be pricing those new Mac Pros. I've had my eye on a tricked out iMac, but now I may have to wait and see what shakes out.

So, Mac users, are you feeling the geek love? Or is it just another day at Apple?

Free School's Out Card Download for Project Life

2013-06-10T05:00:00-05:00

It's official: school is out and summer is at hand.

Granted, we've had freakishly cool, gray, Seattle-like weather here in the Upper Midwest so it doesn't really feel like summer. You will get zero complaints from this Pacific Northwestern bred, perimenopausal girl. I say temps in the sixties are sexy.

This marks the first summer that Coleman has off in full. Both kids attended year-round school programs from Pre-K to 6th Grade, and this is a summer I've been anticipating for a few years now.

I don't have to wake anyone up today.

Okay, that's not completely true. Aidan starts her summer nanny job today (her second year with the same family), and she will have to arrive there at 8:30 a.m. sharp. No worries. Her job site? Right next door. How's that for ease of commute?

Cole, on any given day, will likely sleep until Noon, which means my work mornings will not seem all that different from those during the school year. I am worried, however, that the wake up time will creep and that soon enough, my son will be living like a Lost Boy, rising only at dusk. As long as he doesn't start to feast on human blood, I figure it's all part of being a male teen, right? Right.

That said, I designed a simple 3 x 4 card to celebrate the end of school. In the package, you'll find a layered PSD (so you can change out all of the colors), a PNG (to print as is, and these colors match the Seafoam Edition of Project Life), or a printable PDF.

Download CZ_SchoolsOut

Here's to summer!

Speaking of summer…

The Phone Photography Project kicks off in about three weeks at Big Picture Classes. Register for the introductory price of $39 until June 12th, when the price goes up to $49. This class offers 32 days of photo challenges, inspiration and app reviews. I contributed a fun digital template designed to take six of your favorite phone photos and feature them in a framed project. Click on the image below for more information and to register.