Misti Tracy

Last week I let you in on a fun new Digital Scrapbooking Adventure I was starting this week. Well, guess what…it’s under way right now over at OpenScrapbook! Are you ready to join me on this six week Digital Scrapbooking Adventure? Well then, let’s get started!

This is the week we’ll be preparing and gathering our materials for our 20-page themed album. First, we’ll be choosing our theme, then selecting photos, writing our journaling, and finally organizing our photos. I have a fun worksheet you can download that I’ve designed just for this adventure to help jump-start our journaling and organize those photos! Plus, I’m putting the finishing touches on a Digital kit I’m designing just for you too! They’re both free for OpenScrapbook members, so if you’re not a member, what are you waiting for! Click on over to OpenScrapbook and join in on the fun now!

Here is a sneak peek of the jump-start worksheet and the digital kit…excited yet?

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Join me on my Six Week Digital Scrapbooking Adventure over at OpenScrapbook!

Do you have folders full of digital photos on your computer that you’ve been meaning to scrapbook but haven’t yet gotten around to? How would you like to take those photos and create your very own 20-page themed album?

Over the next six weeks, I’m going to take you step-by-step through the process of creating your own digital scrapbook album. You’ll learn everything you need to know from downloading document templates to uploading your digital pages for printing! By the end of our little adventure, you’ll have your very own 20-page themed album uploaded and ready to order from Shutterfly (an online photo printing company).

I’ve designed this especially for beginners, but my advanced scrapping friends feel free to join in on the adventure as well!

Here’s a rough schedule of what we will be learning in the next few weeks…

Week One – Introduction and Gathering Materials
Week Two – Downloading the OpenScrapbook™ Digital Adventure Kit and
      page templates from Shutterfly. Getting Started, creating layouts!
Week Three – Creating Layouts!
Week Four – Creating Layouts!
Week Five – Designing the Cover
Week Six – Uploading layouts to Shutterfly

Get ready, because this adventure is set to begin this Monday, March 8th!
Tutorial and Digital Kit are FREE for all OpenScrapbook members!
Not an OpenScrapbook member? Join in on the fun here!

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So, it’s starting to look a lot more like Spring is coming and I always see this season as a time for new beginings. Early last week I got the bug to update my blog a little…give it a fresh new look, but I was stumped. I didn’t know exactly how I wanted to change things. “Do I want to go through a complete overhaul or just swap out a few colors here and there?”  Then all of a sudden, it hit me. I was on the sofa watching a movie with Steve late Sunday night when I was filled with inspiration. Has this ever happened to you? The ideas were at an endless flow, I could barely even sleep that night, my mind was racing from one idea to the next. For the past few days I’ve been working away at this new design, and I’ve gotta say…I LOVE it! I love how it has more of a personal touch, simple but elegant at the same time. Perfect! …well, for now that is, until I catch another redesigning bug! haha!

I’m excited to hear what you think about it too, leave me some love in the comments!

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Project {365} Day #14

This weekend is going to be big over at OpenScrapbook! Michelle has been working on a huge project for months now, and it’s finally ready for release…check out her new Simplicity Photo Veils. This set includes 30 original Photo Veil “overlays.” They are so simple to use and they can transform your photos quickly without a lot of work! You don’t need to be an expert at Photoshop to get some really fun, pretty color effects!

I’ve been playing around with them today and thought I’d share what I came up with. I used three veils (Pixie Kisses, Chamomile, and Dewberry) and was finished editing in less than 5 minutes! With this photo, I wanted to make a small adjustment and warm things up a bit…and wow, it made such a difference! Don’t you just want to dig right in?! …me too!

I’m so excited about these, they make editing my photos so fast, and they’re so much fun to use. I’m sure you’re going to fall in love with them just as I have! If you haven’t already, click on over to OpenScrapbook and sign up for our newsletter! We’re going to give you some more information in this week’s letter! (Plus, you’ll get a free set of Michelle’s photo textures just for signing up!)

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Project {365} Day #13

I snapped this photo while Steve and I were enjoying a nice relaxing Saturday morning. We had just gorged ourselves on waffles before I took this, hence the reason we were laying on the sofa!

Processed with: OpenScrapbook Textures

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Project {365} Day #12

I found these books in a box in the garage, they make me smile.

Processed with: OpenScrapbook Texture #12

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Project {365} Day #11

No, this isn’t coffee, cappuccino, or cocoa…it just happens to be one of my favorite drinks…Pero. But not just straight Pero because that would just not be as fun…I add a special syrup: Torani’s Irish Cream…mmm, so good. I also add a bit of cream to it as well, it makes it nice and smooth. Or if I’m really in a mood for some fun, I add a small scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream!

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Project {365} Day #10

Steve pointed this out to me  last night when he got home from work. He said I needed to grab my camera and look outside…so I did. There was the most beautiful rainbow peeking through the clouds…the cool thing is, it hadn’t rained all day. I love it when nature fills our lives with little surprises like this!

Processed with: OpenScrapbook Texture #14

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I don’t know about you but I have trouble coming up with ideas unless I have a starting point, so…

I came up with this little idea to help me accomplish my Project {365} this year. I downloaded Michelle’s inspiration list here and wrote each word on a small piece of paper. I folded all of the little pieces and dropped them in a cute container…now the fun part…each day, I’ll draw a word out and focus on it as I take pictures throughout the day. I really think this will help me keep up, I hope it helps you as well!

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Want to do something fancy for your Valentine this February 14th but your funds are a bit low? Here’s a fun meal you can prepare for your sweetheart that won’t break the bank! Below you’ll find everything from the meal itself to how to set the table. Bon Appétit and have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Oven-Fried Chicken is one of my favorite dinners ever…and it’s so EASY to make! All it takes is some chicken and a few dry ingredients. You can either serve with white rice or a yummy baked potato. Add a fresh tossed salad for color!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
4 chicken breasts
1/4 cup shortening (half butter)
 
Heat oven to 425. Mix flour, salt, pepper, and paprika with fork or spoon. This can be done in a paper or plastic bag. Save aside 2 tbsp of this flour mixture for gravy. Put shortening in pan, set in oven to melt. Coat chicken with flour mixture. Place chicken in pan. Bake 30 minutes. Turn chicken. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender.
 
For Gravy: Add 2 tbsp flour mixture to drippings in pan. Bring to boil stirring constantly with wooden spoon. Add about 1 1/2 cups milk still stirring and bring to boil for 1 minute. Season to taste.

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Add a touch of elegance to your meal by gathering together your favorite dishes and silverware to set the table with. If you’re like me, I’m always forgetting how to set a formal dinner table, so I looked it up (see diagram below) so you don’t have to. For a fun touch of color, I used a red dessert napkin to decorate the wine glass. This is super easy to do…just open the napkin and grab the center (where the folds intersect) and place point down inside the cup. To drink, how about a tasty bottle of sparkling cider…for Valentine’s choose the Cranberry…it has the red label! It’s all in the details, remember. For dessert, nothing says “I love you” more than a heart-shaped sugar cookie. You can make these several days in advance and set them in the freezer until the time comes to frost and serve!

To top the night off, end the evening with a classic romantic movie. And that’s it, now this Valentine’s Day you’ll be prepared with a nice relaxing evening at home with your sweetheart…and when all is said and done,  that’s all that matters.

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