JennArt Design - Digital Scrapbooking

Selling crafty stuff online

2010-09-16T15:52:00.002-05:00

So ArtFire just announced that they're offering Pro accounts at $5.95/month for up to 20,000 people who want them. They're now officially out of beta; actually I didn't even realize they were in beta!

I've never had much luck selling stuff online. It's partially me trying to do too much -- jewelry, scrapbooking, fine art, collage, sewing weird little creatures -- to ever have the time to focus on one product. To have a successful store, one needs a good product; a niche, almost; and a lot of it.

But based on the cost of some of the other craft sites, ArtFire's is a good deal. If you've got the goods.

As for me, I just need to clone myself or hire an intern. Maybe when my children are older I can conscript them... ha!

Robots and Robeez and design contests, oh my

2010-09-16T15:45:00.002-05:00

It's been quite a week around here. First the Silhouette designer stuff happened, them I found out my robots design has been chosen as one of six semi-finalists for the Robeez baby shoe design contest (see Stride-Rite's Facebook page for details.)

The winner gets a bunch of cool stuff and I'm hoping it's me... not so much for the cool stuff, but for the possibility that they might like my design well enough to commission me to create more little creatures and silly designs for their shoes. I just love doing stuff like that.

And if that all weren't enough, one of my paintings was chosen as a semi-finalist in a calendar contest (details to come!). So I'm sitting here thinking, with all this good stuff, now what bad thing is going to happen??

Changes and other good stuff!

2010-09-16T15:30:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited to announce that I've been accepted as a designer for Silhouette and am going to be selling things in the Silhouette store!!!

The Silhouette is a really cool machine that cuts shapes out of paper, vinyl or heat transfer so you can use it for about ten thousand things... scrapbooking, wall art, t-shirts, bags, plaques, Christmas presents of all shapes and sizes...

As someone who used to spend hours with my old X-Acto cutting out intricate (and annoying) little shapes, I can say from personal experience that the Silhouette is pretty cool.

Plus you can get pens that will sketch designs instead of cut them out -- I foresee production of a line of cards with my artwork, drawn by my Silhouette and handpainted with watercolors!

Hearts for Haiti

2010-01-30T10:53:00.002-06:00

Here's my ATC for Hearts for Haiti. The elements might look a little familiar, since they're from my kits Love Letters and Be My Valentine Embellishment Pack.

I reused stuff from my kits since I just didn't have the motivation to create something new... or something non-digital.

I don't know what's wrong with me/us lately, but we've all been overly tired and cranky these days. Maybe it's just cabin fever. Yeah, spring can come any time. Really.

Somehow it's 2010

2010-01-16T23:11:00.004-06:00

I don't know how this keeps happening. It's summer, and the next time I look out the window it's the middle of winter. Suddenly it's January and I'm way behind in getting my new kits finished and posted to my store.

So I'm trying, really trying to get caught up. I just listed two new ones... take a look!

My favorite season

2009-09-28T11:18:00.002-05:00

Halloween is just around the corner! Check out my latest kit, Trick or Treat, now available at Scraphead.

This one has dozens of cute characters and word art, like my candy corn couple and wacky purple bat. Plus a bonus alpha! It coordinates perfectly with my kits, Fright Night and Haunted House, also available here in my store.

Congrats to my little brother!

2009-09-20T22:14:00.003-05:00

The more I use Photoshop, the more cool things I discover it can do.

Last weekend my brother got married, and I've been playing around with his wedding photos, adding texture, filters, borders, color, etc. I'm encouraged by the results and think I may do more with photography.

But first I need a really good digital SLR ("need," ha ha...)

I have an old 35mm Leica which is, by far, the best camera I've ever used, but it's a film camera... Besides the cost and hassle of film, living way out here in the outer 'burbs as we do, there isn't a good pro camera shop to do the film developing and processing.

At the wedding, I used my brother's Canon (?), which I totally covet now. My Casio Exilim point and shoot is good, and does a decent job, but wow, what a difference between the quality of the photos my camera takes versus his camera!

Since we got back home after the wedding, I've been working on -- of course -- a wedding themed kit, called "Josephine". It's very nearly done, so I'll be posting it to my store in the coming days... stay tuned!

Here's a page done with the kit:

A whole month of freebies!

2009-07-30T08:23:00.004-05:00

Even though I've been designing digi kits for a year, I'm still new to the digital scrapbooking world and am constantly discovering things where I'll think, why in the world didn't I know about that sooner??

Like the Daily Download at Scraphead: it's basically a whole kit you can download for free, made by several fantastic designers, with the same theme. It's available in the forums at Scraphead.

Every month we put together a new one for you. This August, the theme is Sea, Sand & Surf, and I'm excited to be participating! (Here are a couple samples of my contribution.) So come on by, sign up and join in the fun!

Seriously? July already?

2009-07-07T15:55:00.003-05:00

Every time I think, write, or say that, I feel like my parents. It means two things: They were right about time speeding up the older one gets, and I must be getting old, 'cause time sure is flying by.

I have two new kits in my store so far this month: Stars & Stripes, with a vintage political campaign / patriotic / ephemera feel; and Summer Fun: bright colors to celebrate the hot days of summer.

Buy them here:

Stars & Stripes
Summer Fun

Love Letters

2009-07-07T15:48:00.003-05:00

I absolutely love this kit, but then I'm a sucker for all things shabby chic (or Victorian -- they're similar in style). Though you would never know it, to see the interior of my house... white walls, toys on every flat surface...

The kit includes a 12x12 pre-designed QP (see preview above) that I like so much, I am currently using as my desktop wallpaper. :)

(Click here to buy my kit, Love Letters, at Scraphead.)

Working on this kit reminded me of antique shops around the region where I grew up, full of boxes and boxes of really old letters, postcards and family photos. It seems sad to see such personal and once-loved things being sold in such an impersonal way.

When I was in college, my mom used to send me old Victorian era portrait photos that she thought were particularly interesting. She said I could hang them on my walls as "instant ancestors"... if their real relatives couldn't enjoy the pictures, at least I could.

Memorial Day Sale!

2009-05-22T17:10:00.002-05:00

Actually the entire store at Scraphead is on sale -- 35% off everything!! Digital kits, Photoshop actions, templates, etc. Lots of great stuff. The sale is this weekend only... check it out!

New kit & freebie quickpage!

2009-05-22T15:08:00.004-05:00

As my older daughter gets well into the terrible twos, it's taking more and more energy out of me in order to keep up with her! As a result, after a day with her and our 6 month old, I am just worn out by the time my husband gets home from work.

The two hours or so a day I have to do my "real" (that is, paid) work, are just not enough time... so the end result is that new kits take FOREVER to create. I'm designing them all from scratch, and rarely reuse elements from one kit to another.

Sometimes I create everything digitally, but more often I combine real (scanned) textures and things with Photoshop work. You can imagine the temptation my scanner, digital camera, and a boxful of ribbons and trims would be to a 2-1/2 year old! I have to be sneaky about it and make sure I clean up before she gets a hold of things.

Anyway I have a new kit, Pat-a-Cake, inspired by vintage childhood ephemera from the early 20th century... purchase it here! Here's a freebie quickpage I made from elements from my kit -- download it here.

Scraphead birthday & NSD Blog Train - plus, a freebie for you!

2009-05-01T22:30:00.005-05:00

My upcoming kit is called "Birthday Bash" and it's kinda retro, definitely festive, and very fun. I put together a cute 8x8" mini kit for you -- enjoy! Download it here.

Check out the other designers' blogs for more fun freebies:

Carla - http://atiger5811.blogspot.com
Sandra - http://sandrakdesigns.blogspot.com
JenArt - http://jennartdesign.blogspot.com/
Snowraven - http://silversnowyraven.blogspot.com
Michelle: http://kutnkudlyskreations.blogspot.com/

A GIANT sale & other festivities!

2009-05-01T17:57:00.002-05:00

The entire store is on sale at Scraphead, this weekend only: 40% off EVERYTHING! Stop by and grab some goodies in honor of Scraphead's birthday and National Scrapbooking Day!!!

A little freebie

2009-04-26T15:14:00.004-05:00

Trying to figure out what's new in Photoshop CS4, I put together a quick little frame from elements in my Goth Chick kit (get the full kit here at Scraphead!). Enjoy!

(Click on preview image to load large version. Right click on image, save as; Mac users control + click, save as.)

New goth inspired kit

2009-04-15T20:45:00.002-05:00

Looking at some old photos from college I was remembering how goth I used to be. You'd never know it to see me now!

This kit reminded me of those days. You can get it here in my store at Scraphead.

Playing around with Photoshop CS4

2009-04-13T13:55:00.003-05:00

Just upgraded to CS4 the other day and I'm trying to figure out what's new and different. I put together a quick LO using my Daydream kit and Lauren paper pack, available in the store at Scraphead.

It's a page for my youngest daughter; she's 5 months old. Hard to believe it, it seems like she (and our older daughter, too) were just born a couple weeks ago!

A freebie, a sale, and a new kit... and spring!

2009-04-12T17:32:00.002-05:00

Looks like spring is here in the Midwest, finally. Daffodils are just starting to bloom, grass is getting greener, weeds are popping up in the yard. A perfect time to introduce my new kit, for sale at Scraphead: Spring Fling.

We're having a big sale over at Scraphead: 40% off everything until midnight tonight -- so it's a great time to pick up some new kits and things!

Here's a little freebie frame I put together using elements from my new kit. Hope you enjoy it!

I'm late, I'm late... and a freebie

2009-02-17T23:01:00.012-06:00

It has been an incredibly busy fall and winter! We have a three month old and a two year old, so it's been a challenge to find time to concentrate on much of anything... like reading more than a sentence, or hearing enough of the TV program so I get the gist of what's going on. Never mind scrapbooking and other fun crafty hobbies.

Though I sometimes complain, I wouldn't have it any other way. My girls are the best Christmas/birthday/Easter presents I could ever have hoped for!

Over the past couple weeks, I've finally wrapped up and posted a bunch of new products to my shop. I also created a little freebie frame from my latest embellishment kit, "April Showers" (as in, "bring May flowers"... and hopefully sooner rather than later. We are all sick of being cooped up inside!)

Here are my newest kits with links to where each one can be purchased, and here's a link to the freebie. Enjoy!

April Showers Flower Embellishment Pack

Winter Tags Embellishments

Daydream Digital Kit

Lauren Paper Pack

Be My Valentine Embellishment Pack

Be My Valentine Paper Pack

Spring Fever Chipboard Circle Embellishment Pack

Candy Hearts Page Embellishments

Because we're getting a foot of snow...

2008-12-23T23:22:00.002-06:00

In honor of our white Christmas, my latest contribution to my shop at Scraphead is this collection of winter shapes, made from all kinds of cool materials: metal, porcelain, plastic, etc. Check it out here!

Happy Holidays everyone!

New Christmas kit & a freebie!

2008-12-10T11:01:00.003-06:00

It's been quite a busy month around here... I'm happy to announce the birth of our daughter Lauren on Nov. 5th! That's why I've been MIA for weeks... due to lack of sleep and lack of time dealing with a newborn and our two year old!

Finally had a chance to finish my latest kit, Holly Jolly -- bright designs and motifs perfect for holiday layouts. Check it out at Scraphead.

And here's a little freebie for you from my Holly Jolly kit: a chipboard gingerbread man!

My new kit

2008-11-04T21:45:00.002-06:00

I've been thinking about an apartment I used to live in, in Chicago. It was the top floor of a two-flat greystone and had never been updated. We worked out a deal with our landlords that if we scraped wallpaper and painted, we'd get money off the rent.

Our first project was to scrape layers and layers of wallpaper off the walls in the tiny bathroom. As we worked, we uncovered patterns that looked very much of the era when they were pasted up: the 70s, the 50s, the 30s. It was a lot like an anthropological dig!

Inspired by that experience, I designed this mini kit: 10 patterned papers and 21 elements. Check it out at Scraphead!

Happy Fall!

2008-10-28T11:25:00.004-05:00

A couple years ago, I collected some leaves at an arboretum near my house and painted them in my sketchbook. They sat around for awhile until I had an idea -- why not scan them in, clean them up, and use them on layouts? They'd be perfect for fall designs, cards, even decorations to put in windows!

They're available as a set of 10 at Scraphead -- and it includes the flat watercolor versions as well as really cool dimensional chipboard versions of all the leaves. Check it out!

Oh yeah, and Scraphead is still having a graduated sale from now through Halloween -- today everything in the entire store is 30% off!

Really great sale at Scraphead!

2008-10-23T17:09:00.004-05:00

Starting at midnight tonight, everything -- yes, everything! -- in the store at Scraphead is on sale for 70% off!

Every day the sale gets a little less fantastic, the percentage off dropping 10% per day... so day after tomorrow, everything is 60% off, the day after that, everything is 50% off, and so on.

Check it out; there are some really cool new digital kits, Photoshop actions and other great things you can pick up for really cheap!

Photoshop action freebie

2008-10-07T08:31:00.003-05:00

I've created my very first Photoshop action: a simple brushed metal effect. Download it here!

What's great about it is that it requires no special filters, presets or textures... it uses what's already preloaded into Photoshop.

It's been tested in Photoshop CS3 on the Mac and seems to look best when applied to a simpler shape. Try it out and see what you think. Comments welcome!

Another Halloween freebie

2008-10-03T08:12:00.004-05:00

I went a little crazy creating elements for my two Halloween kits for sale at Scraphead, Fright Night and Haunted House, so I thought I'd put together a little freebie containing three of my favorites from the Haunted House kit for you.

Download the high res PNG files here.

I've been using Photoshop since 1994. (Wow, that makes me sound old!) But for some reason I never discovered all its possibilities -- filters, actions, styles.

It's really amazing that almost any object or texture can be recreated digitally -- metal, felt, plexiglass, water -- and an action can even be created to render that texture on any shape you want. So that's what I've been playing around with, and I am totally hooked!

Photoshop has always been my favorite program, and now it's gotten that much cooler.

The nightmare continues...

2008-10-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

Here's a third brag book page for you that I designed using elements and papers from the October Daily Download at Scraphead. This LO uses the designs of Carol Burns... download the high res here!

And check out the blogs of other Scraphead designers participating in the blog train -- lots more goodies and freebies!

By God's Design
CATHY JOE's KORNER
Cindy Ritter DigiScrap Design
Creations By Rachael
D'Ambrosio Arts (formerly Ambrosia Arts Of Virginia)
Digiheaven Designs
JaydensmamaDesigns
Michelle Powell

MoveFearlessly Designs - Digital Scrapbooking Designs
Serene by RW
Snowraven's Cave
Totally RawKin Designs

Nightmare at Scraphead, Part 2

2008-10-02T06:00:00.004-05:00

Here's another freebie for you: a brag book page sized to match yesterday's page. This one also uses elements from the October Daily Download kit at Scraphead (papers and elements for today's LO designed by Snowraven).

Download the high res PNG file here! And check back tomorrow for another page to download!

Check out some more freebies by other designers on their blogs:

By God's Design
CATHY JOE's KORNER
Cindy Ritter DigiScrap Design
Creations By Rachael
D'Ambrosio Arts (formerly Ambrosia Arts Of Virginia)
Digiheaven Designs
JaydensmamaDesigns
Michelle Powell

MoveFearlessly Designs - Digital Scrapbooking Designs
Serene by RW
Snowraven's Cave
Totally RawKin Designs

Another cool new Halloween kit

2008-10-01T16:21:00.004-05:00

I can't seem to stop making Halloween papers and elements -- it's so much fun!, so I put together another kit. This one is similar in feel to my Fright Night kit, but with the addition of purple and green colors and some new motifs. Check it out over at Scraphead!

Nightmare at Scraphead!

2008-10-01T08:02:00.006-05:00

A bunch of the designers at Scraphead have created freebie LOs and brag book pages from the really cool Halloween themed Daily Download at Scraphead. Here's my contribution, which you can download here. More to come, so check back soon!

Click over and visit the other designers who also have freebies on their blogs!

By God's Design
CATHY JOE's KORNER
Cindy Ritter DigiScrap Design
Creations By Rachael
D'Ambrosio Arts (formerly Ambrosia Arts Of Virginia)
Digiheaven Designs
JaydensmamaDesigns
Michelle Powell

MoveFearlessly Designs - Digital Scrapbooking Designs
Serene by RW
Snowraven's Cave
Totally RawKin Designs

My latest: a Halloween kit

2008-09-29T16:23:00.000-05:00

This is my absolute favorite season... always has been. I remember, as a kid, being so excited to be going trick or treating , I could hardly sit through dinner. My mom drove me around from house to house (we lived in a rural area where houses were far apart and we didn't have sidewalks).

Even as I got older it was still a lot of fun to decorate our houses, especially my friend's house in the middle of town -- they always had lots of trick or treaters. We'd go all out making and painting elaborate tombstones to set up in the yard, fake boards and "BEWARE" signs to tape across all the windows, and rigging up flying ghosts from the second floor to the tree out by the street.

My newest kit is a tribute to all the fun we had on Halloween. It's kind of grungy, kind of cute, just the thing for putting together some really spectacular layouts!

I'm new at this...

2008-09-29T16:12:00.000-05:00

After spending the last 13 years doing design and illustration for others (corporations, companies large and small, and individuals), I've decided to venture into the world of digital scrapbooking. It sounded like so much fun -- creating things I would like to create, with no one to answer to!

I started scrapbooking the old fashioned way before it ever became popular, in 2000, after a trip to Key West with my boyfriend (he's now my husband). After our trip, I put together a scrapbook with photos, ephemera from the island, and embellishments I'd made myself: cutouts, little drawings and paintings, pieces of ribbon, etc. Lots of work, and very messy!

Years later it occurred to me, why can't I use the programs I use every day in my graphic design work to put together scrapbooking layouts?

I even had one of my layouts accepted for publication in a Somerset Studio digital scrapbooking magazine... so I must be doing something right!

After having a hard time finding really good papers and embellishments, I decided to start making my own... and discovered Photoshop actions, styles and filters to help me with my work. Then I researched possibly selling my kits. And here I am!

I'm currently selling at www.scraphead.com -- just started this summer, so look for new stuff, coming soon -- three new kits every month!

My first digital layout

2008-09-27T15:33:00.000-05:00

When my daughter was born I made her birth announcements myself -- cut paper, glue, ribbon, vellum -- and then decided to do a digital version of it just for fun.

Elements are: scanned floral scrapbooking paper which had a sort of watercolor effect (can't remember the maker), pink flower I hand-illustrated and scanned into Photoshop, lots of fonts, and many Photoshop effects (layers, brushstrokes, transparencies, drop shadows). I also scanned in pieces of lace and buttons which I used as page elements and background textures.