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I've scrapped all of my school pics already but don't have a small version to post. But I do have these 2 layouts about one of the elementary schools in town. It was torn down in 2010 and they let people go through it before that happened. My dad and his companion happened to be in town that weekend so we went through it. It had memories for me as I attended the school. It had memories for Martha as well since she taught there. In fact, that was where she met my mom and how the 2 couples became friends all those years ago.

Love is in the Air. Pink title is Billgates with layer styles: Emboss; green title is Arial with 3D Effects: inner bevel; background paper I made from a tile I developed from a CF item that I worked with; the 2 flower items in the bottom corners are a watercolor from CF. The silhoutte I got from someplace several years ago and they are in a flower frame which was a Cassel freebie several years ago. The exploded hearts cutout was the requirement for Lab 12 Mod 9. I also did one of dolphins but haven't used it in a layout and I may practice this on some other cutouts later. Seashells didn't work so that is why the dolphins - i used layer styles on them - inner bevel.

I was thinking about my H.S. yearbook when I remembered a former classmate had sent me a copy of our sixth grade graduation pic. I used a whole bunch of elements from DS/PS. The font is Sketchzone. Now you have to guess which one is me!

I have a nephew who is turning 60! It's much harder to make a layout for a male! And he's colour-blind, so I kept it simple. I made most of it and I INTERLACED the ribbon, but forgot to add the shadow! Always something. The background texture & ribbon are from elsewhere.

When I saw this prompt about school, I thought oh-oh, not many pix available. I have spent my life avoiding being in front of the camera; hence there are not that many pix around, especially in those days when no one was carrying a camera around 24/7. We didn't have such a thing as Grade 8 graduation; I think I missed high school graduation (after Grade 13), and I also passed on both university ceremonies too. I was a pretty good student overall (it was expected at home). I was also into sports, but very traditional ones such as basketball and volleyball, track, etc. We didn't have a pool or tennis courts, or archery and fencing. You need to know that the village where I grew up was small, as well as the schools there. The peak population of the high school was about 200 students, but we put out some great teams over the years and brought home lots of trophies and other awards. So I finally found a photo (from the newspaper back then which is not great quality) of me in sports. I am No. 22 in the back row. Our school colours were green & white. The high school was torn down 🤔 in 1980.

I have a scrapping friend on another forum that has a librarian husband. She mentioned in a thread about Kindles/ebooks that an ebook has a limited number of "uses" both for the number of people using it at one time and the overall number of times it can be used. Once it reaches its limit, it is taken out of circulation and usually replaced. I get the email newsletters from BookBub and BookGorilla daily. Some of those free books have gotten me interested in new to me authors. My favorite genre these days is cozy mysteries and I've found lots of good authors thru those newsletters. I also love authors that write series books and a lot of cozy mysteries are series. Win for me!

Your progress through the Labs is inspiring to see. Love these cutouts.

Early 70s.

I agree that making a layout for a man is more challenging. You nailed it!

Julie it is so nice to be able to document the history of your village and old photos are a big part of it and make it more "real" for those who read the stories. My husband has been doing this for the small village he grew up in. A village of about 600 people and there were 4 bakeries, a grocery store, 2 elementary schools, 2 churches, a butcher, a bus service and later a garage with a petrol station. Now there live ca 1200 people and there is nothing , not even a bus!

This topic certainly was a trip down memory lane! It is a long time ago that I thought about my schoolyears. Surprisingly I have no memories at all about kindergarten, no photos to trigger my memory, no! Elementary however is different story. At the time I was 6 there still was a great shortish of schoolbuildings in Rotterdam in the after match of WWII and a gigantic babyboom. We lived in an area where a new school just opened its doors and it was a huge building at least for that time. It had 2 floors with grades 1,2 and 3 on the first floor and 4,5 and 6 on the second. Each grade had 2 or 3 classes with over 40 children! I was a tall and shy girl and was always placed on the backrow. I was a good student and hardly noticed by the teachers, which was fine by me! Because the school was offering after school music lessons my parents enrolled me in the course. We learned the music notations, about rhythm, instruments, practiced singing etc. The first instrument that everybody had to learn to play was a flute (recorder). I have very fond memories of those music years. When I was looking on Maps I found out, to my utmost surprise, that the building still existed and it still is a school! The only difference on the outside is that in my days there weren't sunshades. For my layout I used Carole's music sheet freebie and a stitch brush. The font is 212 music, the music staff and notes are by Janet Scott, the mask by Jessica Dunn, the flute from the internet and the metronome is a picture tube. I made the 2 wooden brads with woodburning effect.

I wonder if Book Bub is available in Canada? I won't buy books unless the price is reasonable. Thirty dollars for a book I will read in 2-3 days just isn't worth it to me. I also get really annoyed when I'm informed I'm No. 137 on one copy! Why don't they offer more than one if the book is popular? I belong to several libraries as well so the selections are usually pretty good.

Look what was waiting for me when I got home a while ago! And guess what I'll be doing this evening? So exciting.

@Donna Sillia In the same vein, you might try Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead, which is also about Appalachia. It is quite inspiring and won the Pulitzer last year.

My local library is a member of the Ramapo/Catskill Library System which has 50 participating libraries in the Hudson Valley. I've done Libby but get annoyed with the wait for an e-book! I can't understand why a download would be limited. I usually use Book Bub which markets low-priced e-books. The most expensive is around $5.00 or less. I saw Carole's softcover priced at $40 whereas the Kindle I bought was $9.99. There's usually a dramatic difference between paper and digital. My Kindle collection is running to nearly 1000 books and I'm so glad I don't have to shelve them at home! Most cost less than $5.00 each. I shop the bargain bins! '

It's great to come here and see all these amazing layouts and techniques. I love browsing through the threads and being inspired by everybody's work. I never get tired of it! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Corrie wrote: "Today I was at the optician's and after almost 5 month of eyedrops treatment my sight has improved and is no longer the 65% it was. It is a big relieve!" I am so happy to hear this, Corrie! 💟 ....................................................................................... Susan, I am like you, working on a layout to practice the tutorials from Lab11-Module 11, but it is so slow. It took forever to decide on a background paper. I tried creating a texture, but I wouldn't say I liked the result. Then, I went through all my kits, trying to find something suitable. I think I have it now, so now going to the tutorials. The only difference is that I haven't ordered my book yet; it will probably be only next month. I could have ordered the Kindle, but in this case, I'd rather have the paperback.

I have several novels going at the same time: the main one on my Kindle and then I also buy Chirp audiobooks for when I'm in the car and use the Kindle app on my iPhone when I need to wait for something away from home. The only thing I could never do was read while a passenger in the car - it makes me carsick!

More like, crazy out of control....if that's what "down pat" means. 😄

You got those loopy frames down pat! Nice.

I think those blend modes are very often big savers of a layout that otherwise doesn't work. I use them so often.

Lab 7-2 Loopy Frame Scratched paper Grunge Edge 2 More practice with Vectors on the Loopy Frame. The Scratched Paper was really enjoyable. It was hard to get a nice Grunge Edge so I kept making layers and then changing the opacities of the layers and then used a blend mode and ended up happier with it than i expected. I used the Vector Tube script and added a rope to the loopy frame. And I used preset shapes;the Callout bubble and an arrow, which I used twice. The photo isn't great as was an overcast and windy day and i was weeding the garden and saw this funny business going on and grabbed my camera. Not sure why they did use the the hotel, it's open all year! I'llpost the bigger version on FB.

I'm trying to make myself do something every day. Here's today's try. Can you guess what year I graduated?

Yes Julie he has enjoyed it but at the moment there are very few things that haven't been documented and he transferred his archive with all the stories/photos to the local history society where it will be kept and made available to the public.

Great layout. Wish I had my yearbook handy, but it's in storage.

BTW, if you're a Prime member, you get a free book to download for your Kindle. There is usually a choice of about six different genres to pick from. Not bestsellers, but free is free. lol

I love the State of Ohio eBook Project. Thankfully, my small county library system is a member and I can download the books I want to read. I just put a book on hold... I'm #566 in line for a book that has 258 copies available. Guess everybody wants to read "Hillbilly Elegy"!

I love the Libby app. I also read while waiting for appointments. It makes the wait go so much faster.

yes, Michele....enquiring minds want to know.

This is great, I love the contrast of the black and white. I gives the feeling of long ago. You are tall, how lucky !

Me three.

Yes, wasn't there a question somewhere what our fav. tool was? I answered something else. But, really it should be Blend Modes. I know, not technically a tool, but so useful.

I ordered the "real" version of Carole's book, but I'm thinking of getting the e-book version as well so I can do the same with the iPad beside the laptop.

I see, but that is a how it works when you use a foreign language. However well you do it there are always those little details!!!!!

So Michele, are you going to spill it?

I can sympathize, Corrie, since I have problems with my eyes since 1965. I spent my summer days when I was in school at the library before problems developed. I quit smoking in 1995 and used cigarette money to buy books. When I taught, I was very aware of low vision students and tried to make every accommodation for them. Now, e-books and e-readers are invaluable assets to those of us who have vision problems.

Thank you Rene, I know but for me reading on my laptop doesn't work.

I have always loved to read and both my parents were avid readers as well and it even went so far that on some evenings when we all had new (library) books, we didn't say a word to each other because we were emerged in our books 🤫. About 15 years ago my eye problems started and a book was no longer a good idea. Since then I read the newspaper, a magazine or a book on my tablet because it let me adjust the size and brightness of the screen. I don't like to read a book or a big article on my pc, for me that doesn't work. Over here in the Netherlands we have our own webshop called BOLCOM where you can order "everything", just like Amazon but for the Dutch market. They have their own e-reader Kobo and a Kobo-app. Now, for Carole's new book, I have downloaded the Kindle app for my iPad and can have it open next to my laptop if needed, which is something I do when working on the Lab or creative tutorials too. Besides that when we happen to have nice weather I can sit outside and read! Like Rene I have something to put my iPad on so I don't have to hold it all the time. I can write and read emails on my phone or scroll through Facebook but not for a long time.

I have always loved to read and was always encouraged by my mother. I used to read both hard cover and paperback books. However, due to eye problems that started in my early 20's, I am so grateful for ebooks which are so much easier to read on my iPhone. The phone is the perfect size since my eyes have trouble following a long sentence. It is also easier to hold in my old age. What a good idea to put the book on your iPad or tablet. I have Kindle on my iPad and never thought of using it until the suggestions in this thread. It will be so much more convenient to have the iPad next to the computer.

Great news Corrie!

I also used to be a avid reader and I prefer a printed physical book. I like holding a book and turning the pages. And i like being able to see the whole page at once. Not like digital where I have to scroll up and down, and if I want to see a whole page at once I have to make it too small to read. I can get relaxed in any position with a book and take it anywhere with me. whereas the only thing I have to read a book digitally is my desktop. I find because the screen is big I lose my place on the line and it's quite bright to lengthy reading.

You can read it on your PC as well with the Kindle app. I actually have the Kindle app on my PC and my Galaxy tablet along with 2 working Kindles. I can read any of my books on any of them that I want.

It certainly is! It will be an ongoing thing, for sure!

What a nice combo

Mine was waiting for me when I got up this morning, Kindle and Coffee!

I just downloaded Kindle for my computer and ordered the Kindle version.

Correct. It is not a bug, but just a little oddity of the function.

Lovely Ann and with all those great-grands you never are short of a topic to use! ☺️

I created this for the song challenge but thought I would post it here also. John Denver Sunshine on my shoulder. The picture in the center is one I created from a screenshot from the Explore Audubon Boat House Osprey Nest Mother and two chicks.

I have done that, even to the point of separate letters, move them into place (rasterize of course), then do something different to each and merge visible when we want to use the magic want to select the top or bottom portions to make into a mask. So many options. it's true they fast to make, but take a looooong time to do because of the some many options and the kerning to get it where and how you like, which is just as you mentioned. You often have take out a letter, put it on it's own Vector, and then since you did that, it's back to the kerning again. Still it's fabulous technique that non graphics people say WOW!

Yes it can be fast but sometimes it takes more than that. I often use a different font size for just 1 letter, especially when I use the extra glyphs of a font or I change the kerning of 1 letter (or a for a couple) to get what I want. I'm still experimenting but will show when I have something nice. Good idea to keep a copy of the frame!