Wow. What more can I say?

So if you haven't stopped by Celeste's blog lately, you should for sure! She's got a link to her gorgeous freebie chandelier image used in Paper Crafts Magazine! It's to die for on this pretty little card. I especially love the velvety scrunched ribbon on top. But don't forget to scroll down and read about the contest to win a free Audrey kit! There's also another great contest going on here!

Introducing Audrey! And enter to win!

Coming out today at pcLayers! Here's the link! I couldn't resist getting the previews going. It's styled after the timeless elegance of Audrey Hepburn, and would be perfect for any Valentine's Day scrapbooking you have coming up, but it's not necessarily a "Valentine's" kit. You can use this one all year round! It's full of all kinds of fun things, there's 25 accents total tucked into this kit (and that's just the accents!), with some great folded ribbons, a little ripped cardboard, an embroidered frame, buttons, flowers (gerbers), glitter monograms and alphabets, paper flowers, you name it! I went all out. I love getting tons of pretty new scrap stuff. What can I say? I just couldn't help it. :)

Oh wait! And there's a fun freebie too! It's a free 4x6 inch Quick Page card, be sure to check back later this week for some cute freebie Valentine's Day add on brushes! And I've also heard rumors of another pcLayers design team scavenger hunt! I'll let you know the details as soon as I get them.

OH! And also, let's start the drawing for a free kit! Leave me a comment right here on the blog with your favorite original Vday date or gift. Or if you don't have a favorite, make up what you'd love for someone to do for you! Dream dates are always fun. I'll tell you mine.... Two years ago dh came over to my house on Vday and emptied out his pockets. He had bags and bags of candy stuffed in. Then came out a teeny tiny charm in the shape of a frame with an equally teeny tiny self portrait of my favorite valentine drawn in pencil and framed in the itty bitty frame. Too cute! I'll have to post a pic. And also a second charm that said "I (heart) DM." And then a third charm that said "I (heart) NM." He had purchased a four charm pack. I wonder what he did with the fourth charm....... interesting question! I wear the portrait sometimes on a thin bright green ribbon as a choker.

We'll accept all comments from now until midnight MST thursday. I'll announce the winner on Friday morning (um but not too early, ok?). And if you already own the Audrey kit by then, (don't hesitate to pick this one up; it's got tons of great stuff!) I will give you pcPurse money for pcLayers instead!

Hey! Comment #9 "anonymous" with the 2ct emerald ring! You won the drawing by the random number generator! Contact me at nataliemalan(at)gmail(dot)com to claim your prize!!! Congratulations!

Freebie - Valentine's Day Glitter Hearts

Whew! What a weekend! Honestly, I knew it would be a lot of work to start getting together some things for my blog shoppe, but I have worked my arm off getting everything all set, along with a whole bunch of way cute freebies for the next two weeks. These coordinate with my Audrey kit which is releasing on Wednesday (I was completely wrong about it releasing on the 5th, have I mentioned yet, that I have absolutely no concept of time or dates?). If you have ideas for things you'd like to see in the shoppe, let me know! I was thinking about some paper flower making actions, and a whole bunch more tied ribbons. I can't get enough. Templates maybe?

Anyone interested in doing another drawing but this time for the Audrey kit? What should I ask as a question on Tuesday? Do you like random drawings from comments? Or is there a better way that I don't know about! Also, what do you think about freebies/coupons for being on the email list? I've been toying around with that one too. I figure, if you like me enough to get emails every time I post, I should figure out a way to show that I appreciate it.

Hmm..... Anything else going on in my life non work related? I did take a few hours out this weekend to help hang paintings for the BYU alumni show. I have two paintings in, and David also has two. I have some annoying fiberglass slivers (you know, the invisible splintery kind) all over my hands, and I'm pretty sure some of the paintings I hung might not stay up till Friday for the opening night; I'm definitely not the strongest when it comes to tightening things with pliers! Only time will tell.

Freebie - Audrey Desktop

I've been told that it's mean to tease, but my new kit is coming out Feb 6th, and it's got tons of fun stuff in it so I just couldn't help making a few things for my next couple of freebies! The image above is just an example of the fun stuff you can make with the kit. I had so many cute pictures of this fun couple that I couldn't resist. Be sure to check back by because the freebies get better closer to the release date!

This one has two different desktop sizes (since my last one didn't really fit either of my own computer monitors! Ha!), kind of like quick pages where there are spaces for you to put in your own digital scrapbooking photos. And I didn't date this one because I have all these cute desktops from people, but they're only good for a month! What's up with that? I want to make them and then have a couple to rotate through... Maybe that's just me!

Sorry I've been gone so long, I decided to start setting up a studio in my house. My sister in law Erin asked me if I was planning on painting any rooms in my house (which I wasn't really yet), and it got me thinking, and wanting to paint. I've found that when there's nothing in your house you start looking very carefully at all the things you don't notice as often like light fixtures. We've replaced four already! I'll have to post pics as soon as there's a few more things in the room! But I'm really excited to have my own space to work, so I can really focus on getting some more products together.

See Jane... Scrapbook!? Finally!

What....?! Who me?! I know! It's been FOREVER, and a day or two, since I've shared a layout. I've been busy working on some great things coming out soon, maybe I'll sneak in a little preview of "Audrey," my next kit releasing Feb 6. The layout above is a picture that my grandfather (have I ever mentioned that he is a professional photographer?) took of my mom when she was little. I've titled it "Watermelon Enthusiast." I LOVE, love, love, this photo.
My great grandmother, the daughter of this cute couple, saw this picture and said, "Oh, that's Uncle Eddie!" Good to know. Wish i knew who his date/sister?/chica? in the back is. My great grandmother is 99 this past December, and has decided to make it to 100. Happy late birthday Great Grand Fern! But I know you don't read my blog. But hello to my two devoted grandfather readers, and also my dad (who even leaves me comments, even though I'm about 95% sure he's not using my freebies). When are you guys going to start scrapbooking?! You should have plenty of free stuff collected by now... hehehe.
It cracks me up that his first name is "Robert E. Lee." Initials in the middle of a middle name are so funny to me.
Did I also mention that this was all part of my mom's Christmas present? I bought her this way cool thing from my favorite craft store, and made all these pages to put in it. Have I mentioned how much I love digital and hybrid scrapbooking for this type of thing? I got to fix all the photos, scan them in huge, and can use them over and over again. And print off my own pages. Oh, and also fix all my spelling mistakes, and reprint after mom's editing.
Ah, Mayme. Such a glamor girl! I wish we still had those glasses. But we do have the coat!
I should also credit that I used all the new 7 Gypsies digital kits from pcLayers (these are all done with Reef and a tiny bit of Sugarcookie). They have so many fun digital accents and embellishments that match their scrapbook things in stores so it makes Hybrid really easy.
The free template below is 12x12 inches at 300dpi. It's a layered Photoshop file, and there is also a jpeg version included. I made the scale of the photo to the page super big because I was printing them 8x8 and also because I love huge photos. Enjoy!