Susan Ewart

2 hours ago, Anne Lamp said:

I decided to share this silly pic.  That elf name etc was actually the first one I got when I clicked on it. I did not alter it at all.  What I want to know is how in the heck did they get a picture of me to use.    AH HA, it must have been from Santa.  The text is Santa-Ugly-Sweater-6018607 The free text on C F today 12/29.

Those elves aren't just sitting on the shelf....they are watching us, every move we make.  They snap photos with their ninja-elf quick reflexes.  Dont take your eye off them!  If you see a flash out of the corner of your eye....it's THEM!  BEWARE, the Elf on the shelf!

9 hours ago, Michele said:

I think this is the last Christmas theme of the year!

Template is from CD, font is Nomah, presents from a Corel picture tube, and my sequin picture tube. Do you think the sequins were too much? I was going to delete them, but I ran out of time and had to post it to my group with only seconds to spare. 

 

You can never have too much of the two things: GLITTER and SEQUINS!  Love the characters you chose.  

9 hours ago, Ann Seeber said:

I want to join your crew! 

Now that's a reindeer!  Love it!

1 hour ago, Mary Solaas said:

@Susan Ewart this was so much fun - easier than Spark.  Here are 2 more I just got through playing with (although they are not Christmas.

I will have to have a look, these are cool.

1 hour ago, Mary Solaas said:

Playing around in Creative Fabrica.  Yes, I did order 2 more years as I have come to like it.  Never tried the ShapeCloud before, and did today  this is the result.

Wow! this is cool.  It is pretty convenient isnt it.  I needed the Santa, sleigh and reindeer and popped on there and got dinos instead of deer.  I have till Next Nov, then I think I need to stop the membership stuff (except the CAMPUS!) for a while, it's getting painful on my bank account.  I'll be trying to fill up over the next year and that will be what I have.  Unless I win the lottery that is.....without buying a ticket. 😆

Merry Christmas All!  This is my husbands company's version of Christmas.  We went out in the evening to photograph the tire tree and snowman.  They had lights but the battery was dead.  I had wanted to try some light painting but the ambient lights from the parking lot was very bright, but I did use my flashlights to fill in the shadows a bit.  Then I darkened it a bit again because I liked it a bit darker instead and lighter.  It's nice to see even a big tire company has the Christmas Spirit.  The font is Klasted from Creative Fabrica. The moon is from the parking lot that night as well. I got the light flare from CF as well.  

I wonder if there is a way to make the Santa/Dinosaur arched without distorting it.  Like we do with vectors on a path.  I would have liked a little bit of an arch on them.  I used a Layer Style, outer glow...which I've never used before but I've seen other do it and liked it. I had to use the lowest setting and a lowered opacity too otherwise it's crazy big.

2 hours ago, Ann Seeber said:

@Mary Solaas You're right that one of my granddaughters is a zookeeper but it is here on the East Coast, in Lake Ariel, PA. It is called Claws N Paws Animal Park and is really more of a tourist attraction than a true zoo. 

Oh man, what is a better job than this?  At work when we see rabbits or occasional coyote, my co-working and I are always saying how we want to get our face right up in the fur...well, your g'daughter gets to do just this.  Thanks for sharing.  My hubby is most jealous.   

2 hours ago, Mary Solaas said:

Almost done with 2022 Alphabet Workshop - Y is for Yellowstone.

Nicely done Mary.  What a beautiful place.  Such varied landscape.  Have you been there?

1 hour ago, fiona cook said:

I think I took the photo in Devon and retouched him a bit so yes, English. Very traditional on British Christmas cards but I was told (and hope the superstition is not believed anymore) that you shouldn't give a card to an older person as it signifies someone departing. I prefer to think 'when robins appear, loved ones are near' so you can take it either way, on earth or in heaven. Thank you Susan for your kind words re my photo book of my mother in law on the other forum.

You are most welcome for both and I'm going to take your que and go with "when robins appear, loved ones are near". 

1 hour ago, fiona cook said:

And a happy Christmas to you all and looking forward to the new year. Thank you Carole and to all the inspirational work and comments. Here's one of my photos slightly festively adorned with freebies. Happy new year.

Is that an English Robin?  So beautiful.  Merry Christmas to you and all in the Campus.

6 hours ago, Corrie Kinkel said:

Thanks, they were nice to do and the more I got into it, the faster I went!

me too. it was fun.

Thank you Carole.  I enjoyed doing them all.  Maybe I've been missing out, not doing jigsaw puzzles.  Or is it because it's digital and only 40pce?  Yup.  

1 hour ago, fiona cook said:

A lovely present Carole and I like the consistency in the style of the photos. I have made a photobook as a present this Christmas for my husband and his brothers of memories of their late mother. We have so many photos of her so it is nice to have one record of the best of them. The skills I have been learning at the Campus, for which I am grateful, have been put into practice.  I just hope the photobook doesn't upset them at Christmas time.

That's a beautiful gesture Fiona.  And if tears are shed it will be tear of love for their mother.  I think they will be very happy and grateful for your thoughtful present.

the more you do the faster you get.  Mind you I've only done the first two.  Break time over, back to chore-time

1 hour ago, Cassel said:

Here are other Christmas jigsaw puzzles if you want:

https://www.onlinejigsawpuzzles.net/puzzle.php?image=images/puzzle/Chrismas-decoration-snow.jpg#

https://www.onlinejigsawpuzzles.net/puzzle.php?image=images/puzzle/Reserve-forest-trees-winter.jpg

https://www.onlinejigsawpuzzles.net/puzzle.php?image=images/puzzle/Snowflake-ornaments.jpg

https://www.onlinejigsawpuzzles.net/puzzle.php?image=images/puzzle/Poinsettia-Christmas-flower.jpg (this one might be more challenging!)

https://www.onlinejigsawpuzzles.net/puzzle.php?image=images/puzzle/white-dog-behind-x-mas-gift.jpg

https://www.onlinejigsawpuzzles.net/puzzle.php?image=images/puzzle/Poinsettias-wreath-floral-flowers.jpg

https://www.onlinejigsawpuzzles.net/puzzle.php?image=images/puzzle/Christmas-xmas-holiday-season.jpg

 

thank you for the this Christmas puzzle-thon.  I better go carb up with some Christmas cookies for this brain workout!

6 hours ago, Michele said:

2:27 ~ I used to do jigsaws every day, but I stopped several years ago. The best thing to do is to click on borders. Once those are done, it's much easier to figure out the rest of the pieces.

Awesome!  I would love to see you in action.  Sadly, I did start with corners and edges.  😨.  I did see you could drag your own photo there to make a jigsaw puzzle.  I might try that.  Maybe they have 4 piece option for me.  Then i can start and end with corners.

1 hour ago, Rene Marker said:

I'm so sorry ladies... mine was around 4:40.

But then I do jigsaw puzzles all the time. I have an app on my tablet for jigsaw puzzles and I try to do one every day. And, I do 500 piece puzzles during the holidays to help combat my seasonal depression. I just finished my 13th one since November 21.

Don't be sorry, that's really impressive.  I don't do puzzles, except the campus ones when they come along, it's to be expected that I am slower.  I'd love to hear other peoples time too, it's fun to play and exciting to see faster and faster times.

1 hour ago, Mary Solaas said:

I didnt take a snapshot of it, but my time was 16 minutes!  

Technically mine was too since two of us did it.  We are "sistas-of-the-puzzle"!

Oh What fun it is to..... build a puzzle (you thought I was going to say, "a one horse open sleigh", didn't you?).  Here's my puzzle.  With help from the the husband-elf over my shoulder - I think he had more fun.  Math lesson: if two people took 8 minutes then it really is 16 minutes.  I'm slow, but it was fun to do.  (Note: the puzzle is greyed out because of the time clock pop up).

1 hour ago, Cassel said:

Possible. I have since removed all the stickers from the box so i can't check further.

You can see it in the video.  Nice to know the packaging also is usually for wrapping.

1 hour ago, Cassel said:

Online, they have a few pre-made templates, but I chose to start from scratch so it was just a blank canvas. I had each image sized to 2400x2400 pixels (8x8 inches) and just imported them one by one. The text was also saved on a 2400x2400 canvas. I didn't really have many other options though, but I was able to start with the hard-cover (I think there is a softcover option). Also, it might not show much on the video, because I had forgotten about it, but the title is also on the side of the book. It is not very thick so quite subtle!

So that was the process for Staples. I think it might be different for different services. I could have gone with Shutterfly or others, but at this time of year, I was afraid it would take longer.

Thank you, this is good info.  I like that there is a blank option to start from.

1 hour ago, Cassel said:

My guess is that it was sent out. I placed the order and made the whole setup online. And it came in a box addressed to the local Staples, so that also hints to the fact that it was not done locally. I am not sure if they do it locally.

I did notice "fujifilm" on the box suggesting it was sent out and was perhaps printed on the one the fuji papers. 

Usually I get prints done of my Christmas card photo/layout then I put them on cover weight (cardstock) paper.  then I cut around as a frame with special rulers I have that where I can cut 1/8" (for example) on all sides.  It's a process and adds weight  when I put that on the final folded card it goes on (strathmore card/envelopes w/ deckle edge).  I wanted to cut that process down (sometimes I have two frames for twice the work!).  Doing that in PSP is maybe less than a minute! But when I get the 4x6 printed at a photo printer (London Drugs - in Canada) it always loses off each side, so having frames close to the edge get cut off on one side and partially on the other side.  I'd rather be able to print 2-up 4x6 on a sheet of photo paper and cut the print out and then no frames at the edges get cut off.  This is one of the reasons why I'd love to have my own print.  so I get full control.  

I've used staples a lot for my Color course and the many cards I cut out for that, but the in-store (behind the counter - which is better than the serve yourself machines) machines are not very good and the color discrepancies between the machines was pretty bad.  I'm wondering if the book you did is sent out for printing, because the quality is outstanding. 

12 hours ago, cindy harris said:

    I Love your book your so Awesome, loved all the pages    Happy Holidays your so cool.   Hugs all  

Nice to see you again Cindy!  Have a wonderful holiday.

That's so beautiful and touching.  As you said he is reserved and might not cry, but I sure did.  Thank you for sharing such a personal gift.  I would love to know about the ordering process. Do you choose the type of book (binding style, soft or hard cover, matte or glossy etc) and the type of paper and is it templates you put your layouts into?