Christmas has come and gone...Had a wonderful day at my sister's house for the gift exchange. The best part was having my grandson with me for the day. I don't get to see him very often since he's going to school in AR, but he's home for Christmas break and he went with us to the family gathering. We had a great time of eating, visiting, playing board games and opening presents. It was pretty cool having all three great grandkids together for the first time. My grandson is 19; one sister's grandson is 7; the other sister's grandson is 6 months. A wide range of ages!! My mom would have loved to spend the time with these boys - her only great grandchildren.

Over the past few weeks I was so busy with Christmas preparations that I didn't spend much time on my scrapping and even less on my blog. Had lots of shopping, baking and researching to do. Now it's New Year's Eve with the start of a new year just a few hours away. I'm not making resolutions - never seem to be able to keep them so no need making them!  :)

However, now I plan to commit more time to my scrapping design. I have so many ideas that I don't know where to start. I hope to create freebies on a regular basis for my blog and my FB page. I want to do another collab with my Dezines2Amaze buddies and hopefully expand to other groups.

I had to skip the January Pixel Scrapper blog train since I was so busy with the holiday preparations; but we have another great one coming up in February and I do plan to join in!! We're voting on the colors this week. As soon as the decision is made I'll update you on the colors to expect in the next train.

Here's wishing you all a Happy New Year and good health in the coming year for you and your families.

Linda

Looks like we're in for a COLD winter in the northeast TX area! We had temps in the 20s and 30s for the past three days. Friday I woke up about 6:45 to no electricity. At least the house was pretty warm and as the day went on it didn't cool down too much until around 4:00. I had ordered pizza for lunch so I could have something hot - no electricity, no stove! With no TV or computer we drug out some games to play to pass the time. By 4:30 we decided we had to get out of the house and find a warm place to be...So after spending about 20 minutes digging my car out from under the ice my son and I went to Lowe's to find flashlights and, hopefully, a battery powered heater. No heater there. Went to Academy - they were closing so nothing there. Ended up at WalMart...they were sold out of the battery powered heaters, no ice scrapers or de-icer. We ended up getting a couple of battery powered lanterns so we could at least have lights in our rooms and tarps to cover the car.

I had been checking the progress of the power restoration all day and still at 6:00 it was unknown when we'd get power; but they did have an estimate of  7:00 pm. We got what we needed at WalMart and headed for Dairy Queen for steak finger baskets - another hot meal!! By the time we finally got home just a little after 7:00 we had electricity - yeaaaa. We unloaded everything; spent about 15-20 minutes getting a new tarp over the car. We got inside, got warm, then the electricity went out - AGAIN - TWICE!! I called and reported the outage - again. But it only stayed out a few seconds both times and has not gone out since.

Today the house is all warm and toasty, no ice on the car, plenty on the ground and in my beautiful trees which are bent over to the ground. But I have electricity; my stove works; my heater works; my electric blanket works!!

Now I'm ready to start my Christmas projects...

Don't forget to grab my part of the Pixel Scrapper blog train, Winter Wonderland, below and click on the link to find all the contributors and their parts of the train.

Happy Holidays,
Linda

At last count we had almost 50 contributors!! What a great train this is - lots of gorgeous kits!! Be sure to check it out...HERE

My part of the train is here...download link is below preview.

Download here

You just came from Misplaced Mermaid

Your next stop is Creative Bloom

I'm off to start my January blog train contribution now. It's going to be spectacular!!! Put it on your calendar and hop on board.

Just a few more days until the December "Winter Wonderland" train takes off! Lots of gorgeous kits being offered Dec. 1. Be sure to grab a ride at Pixel Scrapper.

Right now I'm getting ready for Thanksgiving! Lots of good eats in my future.  :)

It's finally getting to be winter here...of course in Texas that may not mean much. It could be in the 30s one day and 70s the next. The forecast is for 30s-40s all week, but we'll see. I saw snow forecast for Monday then bright sunshine two days later. Hope the rain clears up at least. Nothing puts a damper on Thanksgiving Day than rain and/or drizzle. If anything is drizzling, I want it to be gravy on my turkey and dressing!!!

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.
Linda

OK, I've been a little busy...but wait until you see all the great things coming!! The Pixel Scrapper December Blog Train is about to leave the station. Once again we have close to 40 designers creating some gorgeous kits with the Winter Wonderland theme. With traditional and non-traditional Christmas colors it promises to be one of the best trains yet.

Here's my part:

DOWNLOAD HERE

You'll be able to pick it up here on Dec. 1. Be sure to check back - I'll repost so it will be easy to find - then follow the blog list to get all the other parts of the kit. I'll be creating some add-ons for this one; but you better get them free while you can. After Dec. 31 it will all go in  my store.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, and Christmas not far off, I need to get busy with my holiday baking! I love to bake for Christmas and give everyone cookies and candies. This year I plan to add a couple of  non-sweet goodies to the mix, and try to personalize each gift rather than give everyone the same things. We'll see how that turns out...depends on my time!!

Happy Holidays,

Linda

I can't believe it's been over a week since I wrote anything!! Well, I guess I can - I've had to work three days this week so that leaves very little time for scrapping. I come home after dealing with little kids all day and I only want to fall into my chair and do nothing! But I'm getting my second wind and have a ton of things to get done - December blog train for Pixel Scrapper, challenges for goDigital Scrapbooking; working on heritage pages for Christmas gifts. Time's running short. On top of that I entered the Supreme Team Contest 16 at goDigital Scrapbooking which requires a lot of work, but is a lot of fun. [BTW, if you try the link to GDS and it gives you an error, try again later. We're moving to a new server and there will be outages off and on until it's finished.]

I had to drop out of the Survivor challenge - just not enough time - and abandon my "Layout a Day" since I had so much on my plate. But I'm hard at work getting elements created for the Winter Wonderland Blog Train at Pixel Scrapper and searching for a color palette and theme for the next collab for Dezines2Amaze. We had so much fun doing the first one that we decided we have to do another. We're collecting ideas right now in preparation for something after the first of the year.

If you enjoy progressive scraps, check out Digital Scrapbooking Studio on Nov. 10. This month's scrap begins that day. Just go to the forums and look for the challenges. goDigital has one going also and it's not too late to jump in. Again, just go to the forums and find the challenges.

I'm headed off to create a couple of freebies for you, so check back in a day or two to see what's here!

Happy scrapping,
Linda

Now that the November train is underway I'm working on the December train and about to start a new collaboration with my designer buddies at Dezines2Amaze. Be sure to check out the great kits in our stores!! The new collab, Fall Fiesta, is there! You don't want to miss it!!

We're talking about a second collab for after the first of the year...can't wait to see what we come up with. In the meantime, hop on board the Vintage blog train and keep an eye out for the December train, Winter Wonderland.  The colors are awesome - a non-traditional Christmas palette. I'll have a preview of my part to show you soon.

If you are wanting to pick up some of my freebies, do it soon. I'll be putting many of them in my store in the next couple of weeks. Have to make room for more freebies and don't want these to get lost in the blog, never to be seen again. :)

Happy Scrapping,
LadyBug aka Linda

GOOD NEWS!! The Fall Fiesta Collab is in the store! Check it out...bright colors, lots of fun...great for scrapping parties, celebrations, special events, and just about anything else. We have freebies as well. Click on the preview to get to the store, then on the freebie previews to snag those.  By the way - the collab is on sale through the month of November, so grab it before the price goes up!!

Here are the previews of our freebies:

Scroll down to Oct. 17 post for my part of the blog train. Then click HERE to return to the list.

I just completed my first template pack!! It was a lot of fun and much easier than I thought it would be. I hope you enjoy them. Get them free now before I put them in my store. Just click on the link below. Please leave some love when you grab them. :)

Download here

Pixel Scrapper November Blog Train - Vintage - is going live November 1. Scroll down for my part. Here's a little freebie for you to get started. Click here

"Giving Thanks" is my latest mini! It's a freebie I created for a challenge at Pixel Scrapper and offer here for all my fans. I hope you enjoy it. Just click on the link to download at 4shared.com.

Download here

Don't forget to catch the November Blog Train, Vintage, at Pixel Scrapper!! It leaves the station on November 1 and will run all month. If some of the parts aren't posted check back later. Remember some of the designers live in other parts of the world and they may not be on the same time as the US.

I've been thinking about Christmas kits - colors - themes - ideas for elements. We're getting ready to do a holiday kit for the December blog train at Pixel Scrapper and trying to decide on which direction to go. I'd love to do a vintage Christmas which would probably fit in with whatever palette we decide to use. Here are some of my color ideas:

I like all three! Maybe I'll create a few little mini kits using each palette. And maybe I'll end up biting off more than I can chew!!  

Stay tuned for updates. In the meantime, don't forget to hop on the November train. It promises to be another huge FREEBIE with gorgeous kits and extremely talented designers.

All Aboard!!! November 1 the Pixel Scrapper Blog Train will be pulling out of the station. This month our theme is Vintage so you'll see kits from all eras. We have 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's [for some people those are vintage. For me - they're memories!!] We even have kits from earlier times. I created a mini all about Grandma's Attic focusing on turn-of-the century items. Eventually I'll develop it into a full kit; but for now it's a mini on the blog train. Here's a preview:

Download here

Click HERE to return to the blog train master list.

The link will be live Nov 1. Be sure to check back and grab the kit and don't forget to follow the blog train. Once again we have lots of designers contributing and absolutely gorgeous kits!

I'm working on a freebie to coordinate with this kit and a few other surprises are in the works. 

Interesting things are going on around the scrapbooking world. Pixel Scrapper is hosting Scrapbook Survivor patterned after the TV show. I signed up...maybe a crazy thing to do with all I have going on, but what do I have to lose? It sounds like a lot of fun and there are great prizes. Finding time to do the challenges isn't too difficult so far, but chatting with other participants to create alliances has proven to be a bit challenging. Have to find some time to really focus on that or it's goodbye LadyBug!!

Dezines2amaze is about to release a collaboration - my first! I can't wait to point you in that direction. It's called "Fall Fiesta" and has lots of bright colors and interesting elements. More info will be posted about the when, where, and who as soon as it's ready for release.

Until then,

Happy Scrapping

I got my mini kit finished and up at Pixel Scrapper! It was so much fun and quite challenging for me. I tend to create large kits and this one was restricted to a minimum number of elements and papers...whoa! I may have to go back and make an add-on for it!  Here's a preview

Click here to d/l it.

I'm about to see just how much I can stretch myself...I signed up for a contest that offers the opportunity to join the Creative Team at goDigitalscrapbooking. I guess I might as well just jump in with all four feet! :)

Wish me luck,
Linda

Fall weather didn't last very long around here. It was wonderfully cool at night with temps in the fifties, but now it's back up to the seventies and still fairly warm during the day. I'm so ready for cold weather. I love to drink hot apple cider or hot cocoa while I watch my favorite TV shows. Winter - where are you??

I just discovered a quick little fall dessert - Pumpkin Pie Tarts. It is so simple to make and yummy. Roll out pastry dough to about 1/4 inch and cut with round cookie cutter. The recipe called for a pumpkin cutter, but I didn't have one, so I just used a biscuit cutter. Mix up 1/2 c. pumpkin puree [not pumpkin pie filling] with 3 T. brown sugar and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice. I added a little sprinkle of cloves to give it an extra punch. Drop about 1-2 T mixture in center of one round, moisten around edges with water and top with second round. Press down to seal. Continue until all round are used. Spread top with a little melted butter and pop into oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. If you use a pumpkin cutter, cut out eyes and mouth with a sharp pointed knife to resemble jack-o-lanterns.

Back to scrapping: I just finished another challenge layout and posted it at goDigital Scrapbooking. I love the challenges here because almost every contest earns a portion of a mega kit. By the time all the challenges are completed you have one huge gorgeous new kit - FREE!

Now I'm ready to start a mini-kit for Pixel Scrapper and my part of the November blog train, also at PS, while I'm working on mini-kits for Digital Scrapbook Studio and goDigital Scrapbooking for challenges. Busy little bee here!! But if I wasn't scrapping/designing I'd have to be cleaning house. :)

I signed up for the Layout a Day contest at Pixel Scrapper, but with all the other stuff I have going on, I'm not sure I'll get that done. Sure want to give it a try though.

Will be back with previews of my latest kits and hopefully a freebie for you!

Linda

It's finally completed!! My new kit, Haunted, is available in the store [Dezines2Amaze]. I had so much fun creating all the parts and tried to make enough variety that there's something for everyone. Now I don't have any creepy crawlies in it - I hate spiders!! But I do have ghosts and mummies, jack-o-lanterns and bats, a haunted house and so much more! Here's a glimpse at the elements. Be sure to check out the papers and word art too. Both files are included in the kit.

So with the fall weather finally here I'm beginning to think oranges, browns, yellows, reds - fall colors. Pixel Scrapper has a fall blog train planned for November. It's a vintage theme. I'm jumping on board that train!! I have so many ideas that I don't know where to start! It's scheduled to leave the station on November 1. As soon as I get my part completed I'll post a little section of it here. 

In case you haven't collected all the parts of the October train - Thankful - be sure to stop by and grab it!! We had 45 designers provide some really gorgeous kits with the amazing color palette, all free! Don't miss out - it ends Oct. 31. Just follow the links in the thread.

My next project [besides all the challenges I'm entering] is a Scrapbooking Survivor. I have no idea how that will go, but GingerScraps is hosting its annual Survivor game. From what they tell me it's just like the TV show from the challenges to the immunity to the tribal council and eliminations. If you're interested you can sign up here until Oct. 11 by 11:59 pm. The game starts Oct. 15 and winner will be announced Nov. 25.  

Time to get back to work. I'm more than a little behind trying to make a layout a day, several challenges, and work on my part of the November train. If only I didn't have to sleep or eat...

Hugs,

Linda 

My Facebook Page

One more day until the PixelScrapper Blog Train leaves the station. All aboard!!! We're already starting on the November train...wow! How times does fly.

I'm also working on a collaboration with my store mates from Dezines2Amaze. It's called Fall Fiesta and has the most amazing color palette. Be watching for an announcement. In the meantime, here's a sneak peek:

Tonight my son and I went to Red Lobster and had shrimp tacos. Yummm! As I sat there looking at my tacos I saw a color palette! Oh, I'm a hopeless case. But the colors were so inviting [as was the shrimp] and all I could think about was "what kind of kit can I make with those colors?" 

Tomorrow starts a new challenge month at my favorite scrapping sites so I need to get everything wrapped up on the kits I'm creating so I'll be free to join in. Just don't have enough hours in the day - so much of it wasted by sleeping. If I didn't have to eat and sleep I could get a lot more done...and then, of course, there's the housework. But that's another story...

Have a great day and happy scrapping!

Linda

Exciting news!! The PixelScrapper October Blog Train "Thankful" is about to leave the station. Head on over to PixelScrapper October 1 to hitch a ride and collect all the gorgeous parts. Just follow the links in the post. My part will be posted here, as well as in the post, when we leave the station; but here's a look at what I have.

Download here

I've been really busy the past few days working on my new kit. It's coming along, but I think I have too much going on! I just signed up for a challenge at PixelScrapper which will keep me pretty busy. Think I'll be able to do a "layout a day"??? At least I set my goal at 20 - a little more practical. After all, I am working on a family history project for Christmas so this will keep me focused - I hope!

AND, I have challenges starting at two of my favorite scrapbooking sites in a little over a week. Trying to meet those challenges, create my kits, writing on my blog, and a little housework on the side keeps me hopping. Still have to get something on my FB page!!! Once I figure out how to get the apps on there for fans, I'll be posting freebies. At least I'm not bored...

I have another kit in my store at Dezines2Amaze - Waterlily. After a visit to the Dallas Arboretum I fell in love with the Dale Chihuly's glass waterlily sculpture in one of the ponds. I took that flower and used it as an inspiration. The kit has a definitely Asian look and feel, but the parts can be used with many other themes. I hope you like it. Just click on the link to get to the store.

Waterlily

Here it is two days later and I'm just now finding time to sit and type awhile. Spent the day in an autism classroom as a substitute teacher. I've been with this class several times and the kids are just delightful. As a retired resource teacher I've had a few kids with autism, but not as severe as these so it was quite a change for me. But getting to know these kiddos and to work with them has been a wonderful experience.

September is almost gone; October is right around the corner. I love the slight crispness in the air late at night and early in the morning even though it's still hot during the day...this is Texas, after all. But with the fall weather comes the fall holidays - Halloween and Thanksgiving - along with football games, harvest festivals, and all things autumn. I love the fall colors - oranges, browns, yellows, reds with a hint of green still hanging around. I plan an autumn kit soon. Right now I'm finishing up a Halloween kit that I'll put in my store soon.
However, sometime in the next week I'll put a freebie up here for you to grab - maybe more than one.

In the meantime check out my Garden Fresh kit. Here's a preview of it...great for spring or summer layouts.

See you next time,

Linda

Welcome to LadyBug Designs! Here you'll find stories and inspiration, scrapbooking hints and tips, links to great finds, and of course freebies! Hopefully I'll be able to post daily, but if real life gets in the way it may not be that often. As I find great buys or particularly interesting kits, I'll post a link to them along with a little bit about the designer/website. You'll also find ideas for layouts, suggestions for scrapping and maybe some color palettes to consider.

One thing I especially enjoy are the challenges offered on the various digital scrapbooking web sites. I'll try to keep you updated on the ones I really like, where to find them and what the prizes are for each one so you can pick and choose the ones you want to enter. Remember, there are many more on each of the websites - these will just be the ones I really enjoy. Please feel free to post ones you find.

One site you need to be sure to check out is dezines2amaze [see link on right] where I have a store. I'm fairly new there so I don't have a lot of product yet, but am in the process of adding more. The other designers have a lot of great items to snag so check out their stores.

Since this is my first post I'll tell you a little about myself. I started scrapbooking about 10 years ago, but quickly discovered it was quite costly having to buy the papers and elements that could be used only one time...and if I messed up - well, it was money down the drain! Plus it took quite a bit of time to get everything measured and cut by hand...after all, I was still teaching at the time with not so much free time. I discovered digital scrapbooking quite by accident about six years ago and figured out I could create beautiful pages in a fraction of the time without having to purchase more paper and supplies - just reuse what I had in a different way, and if I messed up - no biggie, delete it and start over. Then print it if you want a hard copy. My life changed overnight!! I became a true digital scrapaholic. The past few months I've moved into designing/creating my own elements and papers - a whole different world!

I'm now retired from teaching so I have plenty of free time. With years of photographs just waiting to be scrapped, and MANY years of genealogical research to journal, my days and nights are filled with more than grading papers and preparing lesson plans!

I am a mother of two - one grown son who lives with me and one who went to be with the Lord in 1996. I have one grandson who is the apple of my eye. His mom remarried after my son died and he gained a step sister who is as much my granddaughter as possible. His mom and step dad have a darling little girl who is my third grandchild. I also have fur babies: a standard poodle, toy poodle, and four cats. Yep, we have a menagerie at my house.

I'll close today's post with an invitation to post your thoughts and links to digital scrapbooking sites and/or challenges, kits you like, or even your layouts you want to display. Just be sure to add a link to the kit you used so we can go snag it if we like what we see.