Happy News

A couple short years back I began to long to learn digital scrapbooking. At the time, the only educational book on the market was “Digital Scrapbooking for Dummies”. I purchased it, but it didn’t exactly tell me what I really needed to know to use Adobe Photoshop- a program I already owned. I few calls to the local college later I found a course on Photoshop at the local college- TCC (Tarrant County Community College). I took the course, which was supposed to run for 6 weeks on Saturday mornings. So it began. I knew virtually nothing about the program- only that when I opened it the vast blank screen with all the toolbars and pallets scared the tar out of me.

The first Saturday morning of the class I arrived early, and sat down to begin the course. As the other members of the class began to file in, each more diverse than the other, I started to feel a little silly and inadequate for my reasons of being there. The professor went around the room and made each of us tell why we were there, and how we planned to use Photoshop. There was a soldier on leave, who planned to use the knowledge to get a higher position in his command. There was a retired woman who needed the knowledge to go back to work and compete with the younger, seemingly more qualified college graduates. In all the group of us, only one was an actual college-aged student who was taking the course as part of her standard curriculum. And, more than that, out of the twenty-odd people there- I was definitely the only one there wanting to learn Photoshop so I could scrapbook. To be honest, I felt a little silly.

At the time, I was a stay-at-home mom with seemingly lots of time on her hands. I took what I learned in that first class and created a stack of about 7 scrapbook pages. The next Saturday I took them with me to class. The instructor seemed impressed, and the college-aged girl sitting next to me wanted to know how I had done it. By the end of class that day, I was up and helping some of the others go through the lessons the instructor was teaching. Each week I went home and practiced what I learned and took the time to look up additional tutorials. I wanted to learn as much of the program as I could. I had found a new flame in me about scrapbooking digitally, and I couldn’t put it out until I had mastered the skill.

By week number 4 out of 6, the instructor pulled me aside and gave me a finishing certificate. “There’s nothing I’m going to teach in this course that you don’t already know,” he said. These words echoed and made me extremely happy, though I knew I was in no way a Photoshop “expert”. Over the course of the next year I practiced, learned more, and eventually wrote the “Digi-Scrappin’ 101” book for Design Originals. I have become overwhelmed with the outpouring of thankfulness from the scrapbooking community over this book. My goal has been to spark the same fire in others that I held within myself, and so many have written me that I have done just that.

Along with Kristy Krouse, my co-editor here at Design Originals, we have striven to educate not only the consumer about digital scrapbooking, but the retail stores as well. I remembered back to the time when I wanted to learn so baldly to scrapbook digitally, and couldn’t find anything to help teach me. Armed with that memory, and the experience of being in the retail industry for so long, Kristy and I set out on a course to bring digital scrapbooking into the traditional arena. I built a panel formed of “experts” in the digital scrapbooking arena, and put together a presentation to help retail stores understand the impact of the digital consumer on their business. It hasn’t been an easy battle. There have been times when each of us wanted to give up and throw in the towel, but then we hear something wonderful from a store about how they were able to teach a full class of new digital scrapbookers with our books, and it helps up to move forward.

This morning, though, I received the Email that brought this whole process full circle. The director of technical education from the very same college I took my Photoshop course at sent me an Email, requesting that my book be made course curriculum for a new class they are offering called “Digital Scrapbooking in Photoshop Elements”. I actually had to read the Email twice! It seemed too good to be true. Now, the actual same college who taught me the tools I have used to build a career which I love so much, is using my book to teach others the very same thing. I can’t tell you what an honor this is!

We gave the news to Suzanne McNeil, our owner and founder, and she actually got teary-eyed! I have never been more honored to be part of such an amazing project or company. So, from me, to all of you, and to Design Originals, thank you so much- and keep scrappin’.

The Turkey Day After

The parents are in the living room digging the new tree out of the bag to put up with the grandbabies. This is our first Thanksgiving home in over ten years! It's been a nice, quiet trip. I'm taking the opportunity to catch up on some work and deal with my sister's aggrevation today. The kids are watching Rudolf in the back bedroom and the dog's on the front porch enjoying some leftovers. It's quite the relaxed scene out here. We've all become game experts, as my sister has brought home her Wii for the weekend. Nicholas is determined to ask Santa for it. He doesn't know we've already bought it for him. Ben has his heart set on a Spiderman Bicycle. So, I think I'll be hitting the nearest Toys R Us when I get home to pick it up. I think this year is going to be a small Christmas. But, with those main gifts I think we'll be alright.

We have definately indulged this week. I've gotten to have NC barbeque... which I greatly miss in Texas. We had a huge meal yesterday, and surely there will be a trip to a fish camp before we leave on Sunday. The diet starts the minute we get home. My goal is to lose 20 lbs. by PMA. I think I can do it. I've been kind of excercise crazy lately. We'll see how it goes...

Saturday we took the 1 1/2 hour trip up to Winston-Salem to see my Grandmother. That day also happened to be my birthday. My brother and sister showed up to surprise her. It was a great day. We took a ton of pictures... and then left the camera in the car. When we went to dinner on Sunday night, the car (my fathers' Ford F-250~ big truck) got broken into. They took over $2000 worth of stuff- including the Nikon D-80 camera, a laptop computer, a GPS, a cell phone, sunglasses and other things. I have to say I was in shock. It was a nice part of town that it happened in. We saw a report on the news the next day that it is a gang in Charlotte on a spree. There were 5 cars in that particular lot that got hit. The gang members got in and out of the cars in under 15 seconds. Unbelievable. Luckallly, though, everything they took is covered under their homeowner's insurance. But, it's been a nightmare for them this week, trying to get it all sorted out.

Then, last night, my sisters' boyfriends car was stolen. Ugh! It's all so scary and crazy. I hope it doesn't come in three's....

Well, it's back to work. I'm working on a Christmas collection that, so far, I just love. I'll post it when it's finished. But, in the meantime~ don't leave anything valuable in your car! I guess the Christmas season is theft season as well.

More soon~ A

In the Movies

I'm so excited! I hope you like the new little addition to the blog. It took me all weeek, but I made a little slide show to take home to my Grandmother next week. I have to say, I've tried several video editing programs now, and this one is definately my favorite. I used the Vegas Movie Studio software from Sony. It ran about $50 at Costco. But, it's extremely user friendly. It has more options and tweaks than the default Windows Media Player that comes with your PC, and- I'm sorry to say this, Angel..., but it's also much easier to use than Adobe's Premiere Elements software. The main thing I like about it is that, when you publish your slide show, the finished project is large enough to fill your screen. You can save it as a large .avi file, or the program will compress it for you so it can be uploaded to the Internet- like I did to mine. I give the software an A-. The "-" is mainly because of the learning curve. Considering I've only been using it for 4 days, though... I guess I did pretty good.

I hope you like it! I'd love any feedback. Please comment on this one.

Oh~ you can turn off the "Mood Music" by hitting the pause button in the upper left corner before you play the movie.

More soon~ Amanda

Aspirations

I've always wanted to write. In the sixth grade I had a notebook I carried all the time. The notebook contained the most intricate fairy tale anyone could have imagined. One notebook turned into five, and I still never finished it. There came a point when I just gave up and started a new project. In middle school I met my friend Jennifer. We carried a notebook between us, where we sent notes to one another and miscelanious ramblings of the time. What I wouldn't give to have those now. In the eighth grade I entered a poetry contest. I wrote a morbid poem about a sad little girl... and came in third place in the nation! I had actually pretty much forgotten about the contest until this morning. But, through Classmates.com, I got in touch with my Eighth grade english teacher, who kindly reminded me of it.

So, in high school I joined the journalism team and wrote for the school paper. I took an internship at The Charlotte Observer and worked in the entertainment magazine department. All the while, holding on to that dream of writing the great novel. Needless to say, that hasn't happened. I've always had a creative mind. That's what most of the adolescent trouble I got into was about. I was too creative for my own good. When it was easier to tell the truth, I would just as well tell some extravagent story- no matter how far-fetched it was. So, yes, I spent a lot of my high school years in trouble of my own accord.

Today, not really much has changed when I think of it. I am still contriving all these crazy stories in my head. But now, they go tucked into the back of my mind until one day I have the time to write them down and give J.K. Rowling a run for her money. Until then, I'll express that creative outlet through graphic design as best I can... and hopefully not forget what it is my children are bound to inherit. Today I'm not a fan of poetry unless it's in the form of song. I don't read much~ because there simply isn't time. But, those written aspirations are still there, and I'm still young. It's never too late, right?

More soon~ A

Another Post... Same Day

Okay, so it's early... I'm killing time before I have to get ready for work. While cruising some of my favorite blogs I ran across this on CD Muckosky's, and had to join the fun... So. You do it too! Cut and paste it to your blog and send me a link. I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

This made me laugh so hard I had to take a break and play along.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)
-Calico Sienna
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)
-Neopolitan Chocolate(that just sounds wrong in so many ways!)
3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) - A- Dyk (Okay... once again... SOOO wrong!!)
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
-Purple Tabby
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
-Gail Salem(As a General Hospital nut I can attest... that's PERFECT!!)
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) -DykAm (so now I'm officially CHANGING my last name!)
7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)
-The Red Tea (So that either sounds like a virus or a villian... trying to decide)
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)
-Billy Walter (too funny)
9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy)
-Citrus Butterfinger (Good to know there are always options if this whole writing thing doesn't pan out...)
10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names )
-Hart Lee (is that a perfect name or what!)
11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)
-Hawthorne Howard (Okay... so I don't know if "Howard" is actually a city, but I really have to go get ready for work now...)
12. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)
-Fall Orchid
13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)
-Peach Jammies
14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)
-Muffin Willow (almost choaked on my tea over that one)
15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”)
-The Digital Rainbow Tour (lol... okay, so now I REALLY need to change my last name!!)

Okay. So join the fun and pass it on! Yes, Kristy... I'm on my way to work!!! lol

It's Funny

It's funny how little things will just so often raise you up and put a little glitter in your step for the day. This probably sounds funny- considering the source- but something happened yesterday that just made me want to smile and keep on smiling. About a month ago I received an Email from a paper company (who shall remain nameless), whom I just love. They were looking for Design Team members. Well, since I am "all digital" now, I took it all in stride. After all, they are a traditional paper company. I replied to the note and basically said, "Hey, if you want a digital guinea pig then I'm your girl". I entered the contest as anyone else would and posted a link to my galleries... all the while emphasizing that I am "digital". Honestly, I didn't expect to hear anything back~ and kind of forgot about the whole thing. Then, yesterday, out of the blue, I got another note from them saying that I made the finals! I have to submit two more layouts and then an altered art project that I've done. The whole thing just blew me away, and really made my day!

I guess the irony in that is because I do have a line of published books. Being published shouldn't be that big of a deal to me anymore. And, don't get me wrong, I never want to slight what it is that I do for Design Originals, or what they've done for me. But, the fact of the matter is, I have a book deal with them. They kind of have to publish me now, know what I mean? I've never won a contest with my work. I've had cards published before in Paper Trends magazine, but I have never received any kind of recognition for my digital work. To even make the finals in a DT contest for a traditional paper company with all digital layouts was really a big deal to me.

I whipped up this layout last night to enter as one of my last submissions.

I still have two more to do, so we'll see how it goes. If I don't make it, I don't make it, and that's okay. But, I do have to say that it's really cool to get recognized.

Also, yesterday afternoon I was browsing DST and saw a post in the designer forum for no reason other than someone made a call out to a girl to tell her that her avatar picture looked great. It seems like lately there is so much negativity swirling around amidst the forums and boards that it was really great to see all this positivity. So, this is my challenge to anyone reading this. Simply~ pay it forward. Do something nice and random for someone else and see how it makes you feel. Hopefully they'll pass it on, and the world can be a better place for just a little while.

Have a great day, everyone~~ Amanda

Digital Scrapbooking Day

Such a fantastic day! This afternoon Kristy took some amazing photos of my little ones. They turned out so great. I can't pick a couple to post, so I think there's going to be a slide show on here later. So, we left Kristy's studio and went for a Mom-and-Sons lunch at The Purple Cow. The kids looked so cute in their sweet duds eating purple ice cream. It was great. They then went for a sleepover at Paul's mother's house, and I've come to scrapbook. It's been a relaxing night, and I got to host a chat over at Scrap-A-Faire! (www.scrapafaire.com) I'll host another tomorrow at 3p, so I'd love to say hi to you. Stop in! Other than that, I'm loving having a relaxing evening with the girls, and taking advantage of all the great sales going on for Digital Scrapbooking Day! It's also exciting for me to finally announce, our new re-vamped PurplePaperFlowers.com is nearly done. Be on the lookout for big changes!

Hugs~ and more soon.

Amanda