Sunday, January 3, 2021

What Next?

 I have to admit, I was glad to see December end.  I love, truly love, designing gifts to give away for others to use.  Someone left me a comment saying it made it possible for them to scrap as they could not afford to purchase kits.  That was true for me when I started designing.  I relied on freebies.  Then I joined some creative teams and got some beautiful kits that way.  I worked with some amazing designers on their creative teams, managed a CT, headed up quality control, designed QPs and clusters for sale, etc..  But, I digress.  While I enjoy creating, after the creation is finished, it has to be resized for posting, I have to make a preview, I need to add my TOU and zip it up, I need to upload it to mediafire and then post to the FB groups, create a post on blogger,  It's really no big deal except if you have to do it every day.  But, December is over and I miss designing for you, especially Christmas stuff!

But on to the next.  What do you want to see?  Winter, Valentine's day, Spring?  Or just a variety?  Do the majority of you scrap in 12x12 (or any square) or are there some who do rectangular?  I do mine in a rectangle.  Do you print in books?  If so, what companies do you use?  I've used Shutterfly, Picaboo, Winkflash, Artscow, My PicTales, My Publisher,  and some others I am sure I am forgetting.  I create and put everything in a folder called Next Photobook, and wait for a sale.  I also publish my book into a flipbook to be viewed on the computer.  My hubby loves to look through them that way.

Anyway, let me know your thoughts.  I hope 2021 is turning out better for you than last year.  Hugs to all of you.

5 comments:

Lisel said...

You are such a blessing!
And I love your designs.
I usually use 12x12, but can use pretty much any size and put a paper behind it if it's a rectangle.
Do what you do in the best way for you!
I'm learning that I need to do that for myself as well, create what I will use, and hopefully others will want to use it, too.

Scarette said...

I use Microsoft Publisher. It's now part of Office 365. I've used this program since we got one of the first version came to our school in the mid 1980's I'm old-ish Teacher. I have never quite mastered Photoshop but since I just make pretty things for my family and close friends, Publisher has been great. Make anything you want. I love it all!

Barbara Cunningham Phillips said...

I usually use the square but occasionally switch to the rectangle. I used to make music videos (until I broke my neck) and began scrapbooking at the urging of my sister. Now it appears I am the family historian! :) I became a CT for a few designers and get a lot of kits that way, but I also love the blog trains and I have bought quite a lot when I could. I've done a few theme books through Shutterfly, i.e., grandson's senior year. I did 2 paper books for my daughter's 40th birthday; one from birth to senior year and the other from graduation through her military career and retirement. Plan to do the same for my sons. I use Photoshop elements and I've been using My Heritage to work with old photos and actually put it all together using MS Powerpoint. Crazy? I love all your designs!

Mary K said...

I am just catching up on your beautiful Christmas freebies. Christmas was stretched thin for me this year and I didn't have a moment to sit and enjoy my hobby at all. I see I missed your birthday as well. Happy Belated Birthday, Patchas! What a kind and giving heart you have and I hope your birthday was sincerely as special as you are! I am in Wisconsin, just across the border from the Twin Cities in Minnesota. We live in the mini woods after we moved off our dairy farm to let the next generation take over. We have lots of wildlife that pass through our yard to get to the river across the road, including bear! It's quiet and peaceful and restores my soul after my three part time jobs! I usually create in 12x12 but since I make birthday cards and 8x10 collages I also use the rectangle a lot too. Everybody loves their birthday collages! Thank you again for sharing your awesome talent with others, it does give us opportunities we can appreciate!

Linda P said...

I love holiday and seasonal stuff but I think anything you choose to make will be great! I have loved everything Ive seen so far. For size I usually use the 12x12 templates because i can then print in smaller sizes too! If I do paper layouts I do have a scrapbook for them and the size is 8.5x11. When i do paper I'm more hybrid. I will use papers and some elements from a kit but also like to print my digi things and use on them.