Freebie Alert: Happy Birthday to My Hubs!

Today is another very special day in the Décosse household and as such deserves a very special shout out.  Today my hubs celebrates his --th birthday.  Don't want to start a war by telling you all how OLD he is.  Hee, hee.

Without this man, working hard in order to put food on the table, pay the mortgage, and keep me in crafting supplies, there would be no way I could do what I do everyday.  Additionally, it is his love and support that allows me to create and also spend so much time with all of you.   I am so very lucky and I know it.  He is such an incredible man and my world would not be the same without him in it.

So, I want to wish my amazing hubby a very happy birthday and in honour of that celebration, I've got presents for all of you.  Everyone should get to celebrate today. 

Here is a birthday balloon frame that I made based on a public domain image.  It is 1500 px by 1500 px and published in png format.

Then I'm giving you the same wordart creation that I did on my own birthday a few days ago, only in three more glitter colours; so now, you'll have a set of six.  If you missed those freebies, click HERE.

Finally, I've got a journal card book plate for you...

 It is roughly 4 x 6 inches.

I hope that you can make use out of one or more of these birthday related goodies.  As always you can find the credit information in the credit notes below.  

I was hoping to get another post out today but I'm running really late as it is.  I need to get all dolled up for the hubs as we are going out to supper with my parents who are in town for one more night.  I've got a couple more posts coming out tomorrow so I'll see you all again soon.

Until then,

Credit Notes For This Creation:© 2014, Lisa L. Décosse.  PUO.  However, you are allowed to use any of the above goodies on handmade projects that you intend to sell on a small scale basis provided credit is given.  You also need to include a credit note and a link to this blog should you use any of my images in your creations and post them on your blog.  If you would ever like to post a copy of these goodies on your own blog or another location you MUST USE A WATERMARKED VERSION that I would be happy to supply you with.  Just drop me an email using the link in the right sidebar to request one.  Please be sure to familiarize yourself with my full terms of use found in the copyright tab at the top of this page.  I have included a quick summary below.   
 
Additional Credits:
Image Credit
I adapted a picture of birthday balloons for my frame.  The original picture is from Piotr Siedlecki and is available over at PublicDomainPictures.net. 
Also, the paper that I used on the bottom of the journal card is one I created from an original picture from Petr Kratochvil also available over at PublicDomainPictures.net.

Template

The template I used to create the journal card is from Brooke Gazarek, a designer with www.pixelscrapper.com.  This template was purchased with a commercial use license.  Under this commercial use license, it is my understanding, that I am within my rights to give away and or sell any elements I personally create using said template, according to the terms of use I have set forth (please see full terms of use for what you can and can't do with this digital creation).

Layer Styles

• I used a layer style on the wordart creations.  This layer style is from Marisa Lerin, also a designer with www.pixelscrapper.com.

Font Information

• JLR Birthday Banner font created by GorillaBlu
• Scriptina Pro font created by CheapProFonts

Click on the font name to take you to a download location. These fonts were listed as free for commercial use at the time of these creations.

If you are not sure how to copy the image, check out the download instructions page. Please be sure to read the Angel policy found under the copyright info tab above for the full terms.  Below is a quick summary of those Terms of Use. Along with the Credit Note above...  

• Do not claim the image as your own.
• Credit 'Decosse's Dynamite Doodles' or 'Lisa L. Décosse' somewhere on your creation. 
• Credit and provide a link if you post a creation on your blog using any of my work in your creations.
• Do not share my images with family, friends, etc.  Additionally, do not post any images to file sharing services like Box®, 4-Shared®, etc.  Instead, please direct people to my blog so they can grab the image for themselves.  If you would like to post a watermarked version of the image, please contact me to obtain one.
• If I have signed an image, do not delete my signature.

Motivational Monday & PoP Midway Reminder: Peace

If you are new to my blog and would like to know why I started Motivational Mondays, please go HERE.

 

Happy Easter Monday to those of you celebrating.  It is time now to share this month's Motivational Monday passage.  I have also included this reflection as part of the midway post over on my Path of Positivity challenge blog where the theme this month is PEACE.  So, if you are in the habit of checking in over there as well, you'll be able to skip the top half of that post.  On with today's thoughts...

PEACE IS POSSIBLE

Ah....peace.  There is nothing quite like it, is there?  Whether it is the peace that may surround you in the stillness of the day, or the calmness that infuses your heart as you look around and see how truly blessed you are, there is nothing quite like the feeling of peace.  Once you've experienced true peace, you tend to spend a lot of time trying to recapture the feeling.  If only we could carry it around with us twenty four hours a day, how much lighter we would all feel!  However, life just wants to jump in and interfere all the time to disturb that sense of calmness within us.  Trying to maintain peace and tranquillity while traversing busy and hectic lives is not an easy task and some may never achieve it fully but there are things you can do to help centre yourself and bring on a sense of calmness even if only for a short period of time.  Here are five ways to help you get started on bringing a sense of peace into your everyday life:

• Unplug.  Try and unplug every chance you get.  Are you one of those people with a cell phone glued to your ear, always checking your Twitter feed, ensuring your email is clear and up to date while checking out everyone's updates on Facebook?  How about turning it all off for a little while.  When was the last time you put down your E-reader and picked up an actual book or flipped through a magazine?  Stepping away from the electrical hum of it all for a short period of time, really can be exhilarating and help to bring stillness back into your day.

• De clutter and organize. Try to maintain a sense of order around you.  Doesn't it drive you crazy when you can't find anything you are looking for because you didn't put it back to its proper location in the first place?  It is difficult to remain peaceful if you are surrounded by chaos.  Of course finding the time you need to bring order to your area can be a challenge but it is worth it.  Try and spend a little time each day ensuring that your work or living area is neat and tidy.  Sadly, this is the one task that I personally need to work on the most.

• Employ meditation or other relaxation techniques. Now while it might sound like a bit of a cliché, meditation is also helpful for bringing about a sense of peace into your daily life and you don't have to sit cross legged in some yoga pants chanting 'ohm' to achieve it--although there is nothing wrong with doing it that way either.  Just find a system that works for you.  For some it might be a guided meditation that they listen to on tape.   If you are really brave, simply try to empty your mind.  No, it isn't an easy task but every time a new thought tries to invade your head space, just take an imaginary chalk brush and wipe the new thoughts away.  For others, simply taking ten minutes to practice mindful breathing can do the trick.   Even counting can serve as a meditation.  Simply find a system that works for you and you'll reap more benefits than you can imagine.  One such benefit is that once your mind is calmer, you'll be able to see things with more clarity.  Spending even a short amount of time in stillness can help you achieve much more than trying to rush through your day at a frantic pace.  Give it a shot, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the results.  However, if meditation just isn't right for you, find some other relaxation techniques to help you release tensions and recharge during the day.  It doesn't matter whether it is walking, yoga, deep breathing or some other activity that helps you to relax.  Just find something you like and stick with it.

 

• Play some music.  It is incredible how easily we can be affected by music.  It can take us back in time or help to keep us present.  It can even send us forward to think about our future.  Hearing a certain song can go a long way to help alleviate stress, centre us and bring true joy into our day.  Make note of which songs help pacify your own soul and have them on standby to help you bring a sense of harmony to your life in more ways than one!

 

• Slow down. Have you ever noticed that the more wound up you get, the faster you move?  It may sound silly but simply slowing down while walking, moving your body or even talking, can often times help you to start feeling less stressed.  Then try slowing down during other activities as well--driving, riding your bike, working at your desk, housework, etc.  Just as importantly, slow down while you are eating too.  Try to savour the moments and morsels of your day, not just speed through them in an effort to get them out of the way.

There are many more ways you can work towards bringing a sense of calm, order and peace into your life but these are basic ones that should help you get yourself on the right track.  Don't feel that bringing stillness into your life is a hopeless wish -- it's not.  You just have to find the right combination of techniques that will work for you.  The key is that you keep trying and don't give up.  If you stray from the path, don't beat yourself up, just get back on it again.  The time and effort will be worth it! 

__________________________________________________________________________________

Next up, that brings me to a couple of freebies.  The first was offered up at the challenge start and the second was just offered up today for the midway...

Font Information:

• Sexsmith font created by Ray Larabie
• 2Peas Gift font created by Two Peas

 

 

Font Information: 

• Foglihten font created by gluk
• Scriptina Pro font created by CheapProFonts

Click on the font names to take you to a download location.  All of these fonts were listed as free for commercial use at the time these creations were made.and as such, it is my understanding, that I am within my rights to use this font in my creations and offer them to others.  Please refer to my full terms of service for what you can and cannot do with this digital creation.

Credit Notes For These Creations: 
© 2014, Lisa L. Décosse.  PUO.  However, you are allowed to use the sentiments on handmade projects that you intend to sell on a small scale basis provided credit is given. You also need to include a credit note and a link to this blog should you use any of my images in your creations and post them on your blog. Please be sure to familiarize yourself with my full terms of use found in the 'Download Instructions & T.O.U.' tab at the top of this page.  Of important note:  Please do not share my images with family, friends, etc. Additionally, do not post any images to file sharing services like Box®, 4-Shared®, etc. Instead, please direct people to my blog so they can grab the image for themselves. If you would like to post a watermarked version of the image, please contact me to obtain one. 

These word art creations are in png format and published at 300 ppi. They are quite large in order to accommodate different programs that people work with.   If you are a card maker you can always resize it smaller without distorting the quality.

_______________________________________________________________

I invite you to go and check out, not only, the wonderful creations some members of my Design Team had the opportunity to create over on the Path of Positivity (click HERE for the midway) but also some of the great entries into this month's challenge (click HERE for the challenge).  I also invite you to come over and enter a project yourself, if you haven't already.

 

Well, that is finally it for today!  Have a great week ahead everyone!

 

Until next time,

Card Design: Easter Weekend with Nicecrane Designs...Day 4

Happy Easter Monday all!  Whether you celebrate Passover, Easter or just had a long weekend, I hope that it was a fabulous one!  It is time to showcase my final Easter card using an image from Nicecrane Designs.  Over the last few days you've seen three of them and it is time for the last of the bunch.  So, here we go.  I think this is my favourite of the four...

FRONT

Digital Image Details:  

• Easter Calling Card 5:  How adorable are those little kids dressed up in the bunny suits?!  I just want to eat them up, they are so cute.  Oh goodness, now I'm sounding like an old grandma!  But they really are that cute!
• Going along with the same trend as the other cards, this one has also been cropped so that I could just use the image.  Click on the image below to head to its location in the store.

Embellishments: 

• The little fabric flowers were purchased at Dollarama.

Embossing Folder:

• Cricut, Paper Lace II embossing folder, was used to create the panel in behind the image. 

INSIDE

Digital Sentiment Details:

• Another Easter freebie I created last year.  Hmmm, I can't seem to find the original post for this one.  It must be out there somewhere!  If you would like it and can't locate it by clicking on the 'freebies' label, just let me know and I'll make it available again. 

OVERALL
Paper Products: 

• Card base and embossed panel: Michael's Recollection's Cardstock, Pink Buttons collection.
• Image & inside sentiment dropback:  Michael's Recollection's Cardstock, white.
• The darker pink cardstock that I used as matting (front & inside) is also from the Pink Buttons collection.

 Challenges I am hoping to enter...

• http://scribbleandscrapcrafts.blogspot.ca/ -- Anything Goes
• http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.ca/ -- Anything Goes
• http://open-mindedcraftingfun.blogspot.ca/ -- Easter or Pastel Colours 

Before I go...
Okay so Easter may be over for another year, but Peter Rabbit is always in style.  Check out these beautiful images from the Vintage Colorful Peter Rabbit collection.  Be sure to go and check them out while you are at the store (click on image below to head to its location).

Don't forget, to stay current on ALL the latest releases and to check out the fabulous inspiration from my fellow DT members, be sure to head over to the Nicecrane Designs blog.

Well, all my Nicecrane Easter cards are now up and hopefully have arrived at their destinations, or will very soon.  Yup, I just can't seem to get my cards in the mail on time!  I do still have one more Easter card to show you as part of my Fresh Brewed Designs post later this week and I also have a set of tags that I want to show you, so I hope you aren't sick of Easter yet!  However, before then, remember to check in after 6:00 p.m. tonight for some new sentiments and then again tomorrow for a special treat.

I hope you have a fantastic evening!

Until next time,

Promotional Post: Challenges and New Releases You Don't Want to Miss

Hidey ho.  Thanks again, to those of you continuing to leave me birthday and Easter wishes.  You guys are the best!  I hope that you are all recovering from the weekend and in many of your cases, one with an extra day in it.  For some people, today is even a holiday as some business close down on Easter Monday, although it is fewer these days than in the past.

Well, it is time to get this week started.  I've got three posts coming out today (unless I miscalculated somewhere) and then it is off to spend some time with my parents who are up visiting from London, ON, for the next two days.  So, time to get moving!

Due to my computer problem hiatus, I wasn't able to post for three of my teams.  I have the best team leaders in the world who completely understood and I am so grateful that they allowed me the time off that I needed.  It certainly took some of the pressure off.   So, I just want to quickly let you know about those particular events that I normally would have posted about.

First off, last Monday morning, the gang over at Fresh Brewed Designs had a blog hop to showcase the newest releases out in the store.  Now while it is too late to participate in the hop, it isn't too late to check out everyone's fabulous projects and of course check out the sweet new images that Heather has created.  Here is a quick peek for you.  Trust me you are going to want to see them in their full glory.

To check out the wonderful creations my fellow teammies came up with, you can start HERE.  To simply check out all the new releases, you can find them on the home page of the store.  Clicking HERE will take you there.

Early Tuesday morning, the latest Ike's World Challenge started.   Challenge #15 is under way and the theme is Tickled Pink.   So get those girlie vibes sparking!  We want to see lots of pink in your project!  You still have a week to enter the challenge; so, there is plenty of time yet.  

Don't forget, you can join in Ike's challenge with a creation using any kind of medium or style but in order to qualify to win the prize you MUST use an Ike's Art image. You can find some fab ones in the store HERE.  There is also a really pretty freebie available over on the challenge blog that you can use to enter this challenge with.  I hope to see your card among the entries!  

You can find the latest challenge and beautiful projects from Team A by clicking HERE.  Also, don't forget to check out the projects from Team B, which will be out in under twelve hours.

Later that Tuesday morning, the newest challenge over at the Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog was posted.  This month for Challenge #16, the theme is Doodle Time.   Did you know that there are benefits to doodling? While it seems counter intuitive, doodling can apparently help you to focus and remember things. Well, we are putting doodling to the test this month and want to see you use either a doodle image of some nature or another form of doodling somewhere on your project.

In order to participate in our challenges you DO NOT NEED TO USE A SCRIBBLES DESIGNS IMAGE on your project but you must follow the monthly theme and the other rules that have been established for our particular challenge blog.  You can find them, along with the prize information, listed in the right hand sidebar of the challenge blog.  This challenge will end at 9pm PST on May14th.
 
You can purchase your Scribbles Designs images HERE and there is a free image over on the challenge blog as well to help get you started.  Also, be sure to check out Sam's special Freebie Friday posts for another fab freebie. 

To head to the Doodle Time challenge and also view the wonderful projects my teammies created, click HERE.  Also, if you entered a card into Challenge #15, the winners' names have been posted and you can find that info HERE.

_________________________________________________________________

So. there you go!  Two new challenges for your to check out along with some new releases.  Pile on top of that, a variety of inspiration from three different teams.  Hopefully, that will motivate you into creating a fantastic project of your own!

I'll be back to share my final Nicecrane Designs Easter card with you in just a short while.  Then, at 6:00 p.m., as long as my scheduler works, I have a new Motivational Monday post with two new sentiment freebies set to come out.  There will also be some more goodies for you tomorrow as it is the hub's birthday.  I might even get another card post done, but I'll have to see about that.

See you soon!

Card Design: Easter Weekend with Nicecrane Designs...Day 3

If there was ever an appropriate day to say, "Hey Peeps", I guess it would be this one, wouldn't it?!  Hee, hee.  Once again, Happy Easter to any of you celebrating this special occasion.  If you missed it earlier, I presented some special Easter freebies which you can find HERE.  Now it is time to present my third Easter card using an image from Nicecrane Designs.  Over the last couple days you've seen two of them and there is one more to come tomorrow.  So, let's check out today's offering, shall we...

FRONT

Digital Image Details:  

• Easter Calling Card 3:  I can't seem to get enough of these little chicklets.  Once again, this digi is versatile enough to work on a variety of card types.  This one would be perfect on a birthday card or even a thinking of you card.  So many images, so many possibilities!
• Going along with the same trend as the other cards, this one has also been cropped so that I could just use the image.  Click on the image below to head to its location in the store.

Embellishments: 

• The little foam ribbon was purchased as part of a Crafts brand Easter kit at Dollarama.
• The ribbon is from a stash I got from my momma. 

Embossing Folder:

• Cricut, Paper Lace II embossing folder, was used to create the panel in behind the image. 

INSIDE

Digital Sentiment Details:

• Another Easter freebie I created last year.  You can find it on the same post as the last two, plus a bunch more by clicking HERE.

OVERALL
Paper Products: 

• Card base and embossed panel: Michael's Recollection's Cardstock, Soda Pop collection.
• Image & inside sentiment dropback:  Michael's Recollection's Cardstock, white.
• The teal cardstock that I used as matting (front & inside) is Michael's open stock scrapbook paper.

 Challenges I am hoping to enter...

• http://scribbleandscrapcrafts.blogspot.ca/ -- Anything Goes
• http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.ca/ -- Anything Goes
• http://tuesdaythrowdown.blogspot.ca/ --Vintage or Shabby Chic with a ribbon or fiber
• http://open-mindedcraftingfun.blogspot.ca/ -- Easter or Pastel Colours 

Before I go...
Yes, I have found even more great Easter images that can be purchased at Nicecrane Designs.  Hee, hee.  Aren't these Easter Teddy Bears, absolutely adorable?!  Be sure to go and check them out while you are at the store (click on image below to head to its location).

And remember, to stay current on ALL the latest releases along with fabulous inspiration from my fellow DT members, be sure to head over to the Nicecrane Designs blog.

That is one more Easter card introduced to the world.  Be sure to check in tomorrow for my final ND Easter card plus the other posts I have planned.  

Have a wonderful Sunday evening everyone!

Until next time,

Happy Easter!

For those of you who celebrate, I wish you all a very happy Easter!  For the rest of you, I wish you a very happy Sunday.  My goodness, it has been an awfully busy weekend over here for me, trying to catch up!  I hope that you all are getting a chance to relax a little away from the glare of the computer screen!

Thank you so much for all your wonderful birthday wishes.  They truly mean the world to me!  My hubs managed to switch days with a colleague, so he had yesterday off.  Between traffic and traipsing through stores, he spent over three hours looking for either a cheesecake or pie that could serve as my birthday 'cake'.  You see, I, like many people out there, have severe food allergies, and it is often difficult to find certain kinds of foods due to all the warnings on the boxes.  Unfortunately, he couldn't locate one but the fact that he spent so much time looking, elevates him even higher in my heart.  Then he came home and prepped all the veggies for my birthday supper.  Of course after that, the poor man needed a nap but I did get to spend the evening by his side and we watched a movie together.  He bought me a new pillow even though we were not supposed to be exchanging gifts this year.  It looks comfy and I look forward to trying it out once it has aired out a couple days.  We really didn't do anything out of the ordinary to celebrate but the fact that he is healthy and by my side is all I really need in the long run. 

In the wee hours of this morning, I laid out some treats for the hubs (at the bequest of the Easter bunny of course) and he has yet to find half of them!  I'm interested to see how many days it will take!  I also made him some special 'bookmarks' which I'll be posting on my blog sometime soon.

Today I awoke to a trail of chocolate bunny droppings.  One trail veered off down the hall into the office which then led to the biggest chocolate Easter egg I've ever seen.  The other trail led downstairs to even more chocolatey goodness and the big bunny behind it all!  I was very luck that my big bunny actually found some treats that didn't have any allergy warnings!  Once I finish here, I look forward to spending some more time with this special man in my life.  I can't believe that next Tuesday, we will have been married for 25 years.  Goodness how the time just flies.

Now though, it is time to share some Easter goodies with you all.  Maybe one of these years, I'll get it together and actually make something that you can use the same year but I wouldn't count on it.  However, that is one of the great things about digital products.  They never fade or rip and as long as you make a back up, they are always available to you whenever you need.  You can also use them over and over again.  So hopefully, you'll be able to make use out of one of these goodies down the road.  In fact, I thought that this first one would also work great for a sympathy card.

I also created this more secular one...

As usual, the papers are 3600 x 3600 pixels (i.e. 12 inches) and published at 300 dpi. 

I also whipped up a couple new wordart creations as well.  You can just take the black version or the coloured version or both.  It is completely up to you...

As per usual, these word art creations are in png format and published at 300 ppi. They are quite large in order to accommodate different programs that people work with.   If you are a card maker you can always resize any of them smaller without distorting the quality.  

Credit information can be found in the credit notes below.  

I'm running a bit later than I expected but still have one more post set to come out in just a little while so I hope that you'll be back later.

Until then,

Credit Notes For This Creation:© 2014, Lisa L. Décosse.  PUO.  However, you are allowed to use any of the above goodies on handmade projects that you intend to sell on a small scale basis provided credit is given.  You also need to include a credit note and a link to this blog should you use any of my images in your creations and post them on your blog.  If you would ever like to post a copy of these goodies on your own blog or another location you MUST USE A WATERMARKED VERSION that I would be happy to supply you with.  Just drop me an email using the link in the right sidebar to request one.  Please be sure to familiarize yourself with my full terms of use found in the copyright tab at the top of this page.  I have included a quick summary below.   
 
Additional Credits:
Image Credit:

• The two images used on the papers are from Antique Images.  Carolyn has fabulous terms which allow designers to use her creations for commercial use (CU) and freebies.  Also be sure to check out the sister site Digital Stamp Design.

Template

• The distressed overlay I used to create on each of the papers is from Marisa Lerin, a designer with www.pixelscrapper.com.  This overlay was purchased with a commercial use license.  Under this commercial use license, it is my understanding, that I am within my rights to give away and or sell any elements I personally create using said template, according to the terms of use I have set forth (please see full terms of use for what you can and can't do with this digital creation).

Layer Styles

• I used two layer styles on the 'got eggs' creation.  The one on the words is a CU one from Desiner Folio and you can grab the file HERE.  The one used on the eggs is a commercial use for commercial use one from Dana Conditt.  It was obtained as a freebie over at Digital Scrap Designs.
• On the other creation, I used a CU layer style from Shelby Kate Schmitz of graphicssoft.about.com.

Font Information

• Thong font created by Apostrophic Lab
• Bunnywunny font created by Pearlygates
• Euphorigenic font created by Ray Larabie
• Easter art font created by GemFonts

Click on the font name to take you to a download location. These fonts were listed as free for commercial use at the time of these creations.

If you are not sure how to copy the image, check out the download instructions page. Please be sure to read the Angel policy found under the copyright info tab above for the full terms.  Below is a quick summary of those Terms of Use. Along with the Credit Note above... 

• Do not claim the image as your own.
• Credit 'Decosse's Dynamite Doodles' or 'Lisa L. Décosse' somewhere on your creation. 
• Credit and provide a link if you post a creation on your blog using any of my work in your creations.
• Do not share my images with family, friends, etc.  Additionally, do not post any images to file sharing services like Box®, 4-Shared®, etc.  Instead, please direct people to my blog so they can grab the image for themselves.  If you would like to post a watermarked version of the image, please contact me to obtain one.
• If I have signed an image, do not delete my signature.