Web Design Help

In response to several emails, the other day I started with a post on how to start your own Digital Scrapbooking Store. There is a lot of background work before every opening a store. In a previous post, I tried to emphasize the importance of research when choosing your host. Another point of importance before ever even opening your store is the design of your site. I am sure you have noticed that most Digital Scrapbooking sites are very similar. Yes, including mine! A main reason for this is program availability, price and ease of use. Original sites are eye-catching and unmistakeable... but hard to make and time consuming, if you are not familiar with web design.

For those of you like me, with no experience in web design, the amount of time and money you are willing to put in to the creation of your website will determine how it looks in the end. Fortunately there are some great web design services available to help you create your unique vision. You can chose between a standard, template-style web design or a premium, custom-made design. Professional web designers are available to help you on a one-to-one basis each step along the way. Network Solutions is one such example. They provide assistance from beginning to end, including hosting services and on-going customer service.

New Kit: Tribute to the USMC

Here it is... the last in the series of "Tribute to the Armed Forces." This last kit is called "Tribute to the USMC" and is available now at MyDigitalAddiction.com for FREE! For those of you collecting the series, it would probably be a good idea to collect all four and mix and match. Many items are shared between the different kits, but many are different as well. Click on the preview to be taken to the download section of My Digital Addiction!

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Starting a Website

I've had several emails recently asking me how to get started with an online digital scrapbooking store. Obviously it's a pretty big undertaking if you don't have the knowledge or training to do so. It is possible, though, and my biggest piece of advice is to research your web hosting very carefully and thoroughly. The wrong choice will ruin your experience and torment you until you change. Believe me. I've been there. If you make a good choice, you will never have to think about it again. There are a multitude of options to consider - not just price, so be sure to educate yourselves before making a decision. Start with WebHostingRating.com. This is one site that brings it all together and makes it easy for you to sift through and make a decision.

A Treasure Chest!

I feel like I've discovered an entire treasure chest of goodies! I'm sure you've all heard of Stone Accent Studio, right. Well, as you may have heard, they are currently hosting a "Next Designer" Contest. I always find this sort of contest really interesting because it's not just another person out there selling their creations, it is real artists competing. This results in the most beautiful kits EVER and would you believe it, they're GIVING THEM ALL AWAY?! You will need to sign in to their Gallery, which is more than worth it. Here are just a few of the kits I downloaded today:

I still can't believe it! Thank-you to all of the great designers and best of luck in the competition! Thank-you too, to Stone Accents Stuido for hosting this awesome competition! Can't wait to see who wins!

New Jersey Vacations

I am always thinking of the next vacation. I know I just got back from my honeymoon, so you'd think I'd be satisfied for a while, but in my wandering mind, that just means another trip is around the bend! I love, love, love travelling. Generally I like to see something different; something off the beaten path, away from the swarm of tourists.

So, I'm going to be honest, New Jersey is not the first place I would think of when I start planning my next vacation. In fact I have not been near New Jersey in over ten years. If you have children, though and are looking for a place to spend some quality time with your family, Morey's Piers may be the unexpected answer! I hear that the New Jersey water parks can be a great place for a family beach vacation.

Morey's Piers is a great place for a New Jersey vacation, operating three amusement piers and two beachfront waterparks along the boardwalk and beachfront of Wildwood, New Jersey. There are approximately 89 rides for big kids as well as little kids and two themed beachfront waterparks.

Morey's Piers website will provide you with a valuable resource when looking for hotels and motels in Wildwood. You can find more information on specials available on their website as well.

A Blog Full of Freebies!

Ok, so you all know by now that I love great deals and Freebies. So when I find a new nugget of information or a great new blog I'm going to share it with you! Now, maybe you've all heard of this place already, but I've been out of the loop for a while, so I'm just discovering it. It's a blog called the WaterLO Project. Here's how they define themselves: "We are free group of people (you can see their names in the kit preview), creative team and friends of PST Designs. The target of our project is to combine professional looking elements with gumboots, roasted duck, concrete troll or rat named Ruženka. We are fond of thinking up new elements and we are looking for seeing our „absolutely unscrapable“ elements used by you in your layouts. Usually our kits include about 50 elements so you can choose by your taste and we believe everyone is able to choose something. We create our kits a bit differently and tricky style – we define only theme to big group of members - without colour definition and restrictions. That’s the reason why our freebies look a bit differently. One more specialty of WaterLO Project are papers that we create only by mixture of textures and blended photos. And that is enough about us – lets download and create!"

They are different, original, interesting and very, very generous, so if you haven't already, take a jaunt over to the WaterLO Project Blog and have a look!

Virtual Assistant

I feel like I've been disconnected from the Digital Scrapbooking Community, since I've been so busy elsewhere. First planning for our wedding, then the wedding and honeymoon, then getting back to the daily grind... work's been busy and I've been working overtime. I often wonder how women run a household, look after their children, work and sometimes even go to school all at the same time. It's positively super-human. How do you fit in fun time? Hobbies? Relaxation? I have no kids and do not go to school and I do not have the time to fit such things in my life sometimes! Don't you love how life has the nerve to take time away from you relaxation time? I've been so busy, I haven't designed anything in months! I swear, sometimes I think: wouldn't it be great to have an assistant?! Or even better, a Virtual Assistant! Can you imagine having someone at your fingertips who was proficient in web design, graphic design, accounting and marketing services? It would be like having a valuable resource available, but not having to provide the desk! I recently came across a website of a company called BPOVIA that does all of this and more... makes you stop and think a little, doesn't it!

Tribute to the USAF Kit

I've just released the third kit in the "Armed Forces" Series, called "Tribute to the USAF." It is similar to the previous two kits, but contains a lot of items distinctly for the United States Air Force. It is available for FREE, as always, on MyDigitalAddiction.com now! Enjoy!

I began the "Armed Forces" series upon multiple requests from Mothers, Grandmothers, Wives, Aunts, Sisters and Daughters of those who are serving our country. This is for those who support our troops, where ever they may be stationned... it is for those who love them, stand behind them, encourage them and wait for them.

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A Little Note

Hey guys! I wanted to add a little note regarding the "Armed Forces" Series. I have received a ton of emails asking me to expand the series or to create different elements ranging from bombers and submarines to tactical pants and rifles. I have to be honest - I am not American (although I've lived in the USA for many years) and am somewhat on the clueless side when it comes to the Armed Forces, how they are represented and the equipment used to protect our country. I've done my best in creating what I hope will be a useful kit to commemorate those who serve. Please be so kind as to bear this in mind when downloading this Series. Thank-you!

Back to Reality

So! The fun's over and I'm back to work. This week we started another "Biggest Loser" competition, which I joined in a continued effort to get in shape and be healthier. We've also just decided to join my parents in Cancun this Christmas time, so I've got a big of a time crunch! I doubt I'll ever be one of those Fitness Girls, but I don't care to join the Circus, either! LOL!

"Tribute to the USAF" Alphabet

Alright! So we're back in business... I've finally had the chance to sit down and put together another kit to share. This one is the third kit in the "Armed Forces" Series. Obviously this Series is targeted at a very specific audience, so I appologize for that. Today I am releasing the Alphabet. It is all capitalized and includes numbers. Be sure to come by tomorrow - I'm hoping to have the entire kit uploaded by then!

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Our Alaksan Cruise

It's been a while since I checked in; things have been busy, especially with work. Generally when work is busy, I'm tired when I get home and don't even sit down at the computer to check email, never mind blog! I'm hoping things will get better, though. I'm working on a third part of my "Armed Forces" Series, to be out soon.

Meanwhile here are some pictures, as promised from our Alaskan Cruise. It was too vast and beautiful to describe or to put into pictures... I tried and it does not do it justice to any extent.

Love of Travel

I have gotten a few emails asking for more pictures - they're coming! LOL! I am working on them one by one - there are a few thousand of them! Imagine scrapbooking all of them?! What's really great, is it seems that my new Husband has caught on to my love of travelling! When I met him, he was completely disinterested in such things. Now, he is coming to me with suggestions of travelling to the Mediterranean and other exotic places! It's incredible! Can you imagine renting some North Cyprus Property, for example... enjoying the unspoiled sandy beaches and the incredible regional cuisine? Ah... for the life of luxury!

Denali National Park

Ok! I've had some time to work on my pictures - this is the other side of "My Digital Addiction!" So here are a few of my favorite pictures from my time in Denali National Park in Alaska.

The drive from Anchorage to Denali was almost as enjoyable as Denali itself. It was raining on and off and rainbows were scattered all over the sky.

The last picture was taken just outside of where we stayed. Every room overlooked this quiet lake, surrounded in mountains. It was breathtaking to watch the sun set and rise everyday.

We booked an all-day tour into Denali National Park for the first day we were there. Although the clouds obscured the view of "The Big One," we were extremely fortunate to get a show from nature like no other.

Stay tuned! Next time I should have some pictures of our Alaskan cruise!

Lake Tahoe Beauty

Well... I'm still sick. I must have some stubborn virus that refuses to quit. I'm still hacking and coughing and sniffling but I went back to work for a couple of days anyways.

I've been getting screamed at for more pictures and updates ~ I hear you! I'm just working on the pictures I've taken and my wedding pictures haven't come back from the photographer yet. I should be getting them this week! I'm dying to see them! Kirsten - I was told to expect the rain, so we were well-prepared. Alaska would be beautiful even if it rained non-stop! In fact, we hadn't had rain here for months, so the rain was actually a welcome change for us. Sharon - Thank-you! That's not the exact spot where we got married, but isn't it beautiful?! You could pretty much pick any spot you like around Lake Tahoe and just sit for hours admiring the beauty!

Here's a couple more pictures from our at in Lake Tahoe and the surrounding area. Next post will be some from Alaska!

A Way to Debt Relief

None of us seem to be exempt from the number one concern of all families - financial worries. Money (or lack thereof!) seems to be the cause of an enormous amount of stress and strain, not only personally, but in relationships. The scope of this problem can range from small to very large. When this happens, there are companies, such as Freedom Debt Relief that offer different types of assistance.

While many of us have heard of such options as bankruptcy, debt consilidation and credit councelling, Freedom Debt Relief offers an alternative. This company uses a innovative approach by negotiating with creditors to actually decrease the amount of debt that you owe, thus decreasing your payments and leading you to financial freedom much faster! Of course, not everyone will qualify for this option; each customer is carefully screened to meet the required guidelines.

The benefits of this type of debt relief far exceed those of simply filing for bankruptcy. By using Freedom Debt Relief, you will not only have the benefit of debt relief, but you will also receive assistance in buying a home and financial planning.

Control of our finances is something we all want. Maybe it's time to take a step in the right direction. After all, isn't financial freedom worth it?

I'm Back as a Mrs!

Hi Guys! I'm back! Thanks for the very sweet notes, comments and emails of Congratulations and Good Wishes! What a pleasure to come home to!

We had an absolutely awesome time and of course wished it would never end... we got married on August 13th on a cliff overlooking Lake Tahoe in California. If you've never been there, it is definitively one of the more beautiful spots on the face of the earth.

We spent a couple of days there before flying to Alaska, where we drove to Denali National Park. After a few days there, we boarded our cruise and spent a week sailing the Inside Passage. I'm hoping, as I have time to go through my pictures, that I can tell you a little more about it all. In the meantime, I've been sick as a dog since I got back. I had the pleasure of sitting beside a woman who hacked and coughed all over me the entire flight. Gotta love it!

I'm Off to Get Married!

Just touching base to say "Good-bye!" for about 2 weeks... we leave in the morning for our Wedding and Honeymoon, and although I love you guys, I doubt I'll be checking in! LOL! Have a great time in my absence - I know I will! When I get back I will get back to the business of Scrapping! Bye!

Custom Printed Brochures

I know that a lot of the advertising work that we do as Digital Designers is online. Obviously, it is the nature of our business as Digital Scrapbookers. However, I have been trying to think of ways to take it further, to reach those outside of the already existing Digital Scrapbooking Community; to suck more and more poor souls into the great abyss of our "addiction." LOL! One of the first, and probably one of the most simple ideas is to create educational and informative Brochures that could be passed out or placed in opportunistic places. Such places could include Obstetricians' and Pediatricians' Offices, the Community Center or even Churches.

I am just playing around with ideas right now, but would be curious as to what you all think. I have been looking at VistaPrint in particular for several reasons. First of all, I have received a great recommendation from a friend who actually had some brochures made up there. They were great quality. Besides that, they are currently offering 25 Free Brochures if you use the coupon code "FreeBrochures08." The brochures can be created from available templates or they are fully customizable, allowing you to upload your own personal designs.

My Embaressing Yard

I don't know if it's like this everywhere else in the country, but down here in Texas, we are dying of the heat! It's over 100 for the umpteenth day in a row and I can't remember when it's last rained. Embaressingly, my sprinkler system decided to die so despite standing out in the heat with the hose every night, my yard looks like absolute crap! Like it's a farmer's hay field. Oh, and did I mention that the poor folks beside us are trying to see their house, so they have this beautiful lush green yard, and the people across the street are retired and apparently have nothing else to do but look after their yard. So here I am, ducking into my house every night, hoping no one sees me, because my yard looks so dreadful.

My fiance has suddenly decided to get very concerned about the yard, perhaps preferring not to recall that we are leaving to get married in less than two weeks. In the last day or two he has filled the back porch with shrubs and trees to plant... all of which I am convinced will be dead by the time we get back. The problem is, I have to smile and act encouraging - otherwise he'll drop the project like a hot potatoe! LOL!

We spend today running around doing last minute wedding and honeymoon errands. I've got the fiance all fixed up. I think the only thing I have left to do now is get my hair cut and colored, and I have to pick my wedding dress up from the seamstress this week. I am hoping it will fit perfect and I won't have to go on a last-minute, desperate search for the Best Diet Pill in America in order to fit into it! LOL!