Retirement

A new card for a friend who is just about to retire.
I had problems trying to get the 11.5x6 paper to line up correctly on the Epson and print the saying so I finally gave up and printed it onto cardstock cut it out and adhered. I think I like it this way better anyway.
I had really wanted to find some rub ons that had said something about Retirement but I didn't find any so this saying from my Yahoo Group Just Quotes was perfect anyway as he's an avid fisherman.

x


It still feels like I'm missing something, that it's not quite complete, but next time I guess.

Abby Album

This was my very first attempt at printing something out and actually making it into a book. I've learned a lot since then and am so glad I tried this very first one. There are so many I want to do for the coming year. I really like the accordion books. Recently my daughter sent me a DVD of photos and it was in a cardboard mailer. Did I toss it, NO! of course not, I looked at it and thought, wow I could cover the outside and attach an accordion book to the inside and what nice gift I'd have. See I now have altered thinking, well it's always been altered but now it's digital-hybird altered. lol

This is one of the first books I did but I thought I'd share it here anyway just so you could get an idea of how versatile these little books are. I have this one sitting on my nightstand in the guest bedroom. A neat little way to share some one of our trips with guests.

You can buy the Abbey Album at Digitals

I'm finding I'm hoarding again, shhhhhhh don't tell my other half. No seriously every time we get anything that has twine or ribbon or any kind of embellishment off it comes and into my box of goodies. Darn you Beth Rimmer for getting me started on this stuff, lol! What's a girl to do I ask you?

ATC's - Artitst Trading Cards

Do you know what an ATC is? I didn't until I made these. ATC's are Artist Trading Cards, and they are made about the size of a regular playing card. You can exchange or trade them with others (kinda makes you think of kid's baseball cards for adults huh?) It's really a huge rage. I like the one I made that you could put your name and info on the back.

I really am thinking of making some up and putting my info on the back, including my blog addresses and my store at Digitals so that when I run across people I'm trying to explain how I spend all my waking hours to I can just give them a card! If you're interested there are lots of digital kits available to make them with. Check out the store at Digitals. Need more inspiration? Do a Google search and you'll be amazed. You might want to check out, Art-e-Zine! or ATCs for ALL More importantly, step outside your box and try something different!!!!

Do you like to give Valentine's cards? How about trying an ATC Valentine this year?

CD Calendar

My family and friends came to visit in September and I wanted something to give them as a memento of the trip. Cottage Arts had just released this new CD calendar and it worked perfect to take 12 photos of the Canyons and make this calendar for them. If you've never made a CD calendar it's really cool. Your pages come out the size of the inside of the CD case. When you are done the case is flipped so the one side becomes the base and you just slip the photo into the front. Cool huh?

Here's a larger view of just the Januray page.

Hybrid Paint Can

Beth Rimmer was offering a Challenge at Digitals a while back to take a Paint can and convert it to a Christmas can, kind of getting you to think outside the box. Which, I need to learn to do more of! Anyway I thought it turned out pretty cute and thought I'd share it here to give an idea. Here's another by LittleMelch if you want another idea.

The Cutest Blog On The Block

Like my new look? Thanks to the creative talents and generosity of The Cutest Blog on The Block. They've made it super simple to change the look of your blog in a snap. Most items on their blog are free, please check them out you won't be sorry!

Marvelous Nature

I used a photo of a thistle I had taken at the
North Rim of the Grand Canyon, I just loved
how it looked sitting amongst the rock.


I printed the shadow on the page, printed the
photo with the frame separately and attached
after I printed the card to give
dimension to it.

Supplies were from Cottage Arts
Artistic Word Art Collection 1 -
http://store.yahoo.com/cottagearts-net/arwoartcoi.html
Love is the Key -
http://cottagearts-net.stores.yahoo.net/loiskeypapak.html

Happy Birthday Digitals

I made this card to celebrate Digitals 4th Birthday, but by exhanging the little Happy Birthday tag I can reprint for any occasion or person

Autumn Embraces

I did this for the Card Challenge this month at Digitals. You're provided with the template and then are asked to make the card. I printed mine out on beige cardstock and added the small brad to the ribbon to give it a little dimension. I used a filter on my photo of Navajo Lake, love how it turned out.

Template for Card from Christine Smith
Kit used for ribbn, background - Glenda Ketcham - Burst of Color at Digitals

Christmas Cookie Tree Card

Finally I've gotten something done!! I work with Alessandra from Brazil who designs for Digitals and she just made this darling Action


You can buy this at a number of stores but I'm partial to Digitals
I'm really hoping she'll come out with more so I could end up with a whole set.

I ran the Action in PS CS3 and printed it. (Super simple to run - Amazing all the steps she went through to make it!) Then I printed it on cardstock and added glitter and stick on pearls. I had this piece of twine that worked perfect for the bow.

It's simple but it's a step in the right direction! I made something!!!

The Beginning

This is going to be a pretty sparse blog for a while I think. But I'm really getting tuned in to making greeting cards, honing my journaling skills more and doing more Hybrid Scrapping. So I needed a new home to house them. Thus A Soul's Heartbeat. That's what I feel like it's my soul that needs to step out and speak, say what lies within and share it with those that care to listen.

I'm just beginning to touch my feet to the waters of Hybrid Digital Scrapping and Card Making. But it's so rewarding to see digital become physical. Something you can touch and feel and relate to. No matter how much I love my computer and love Photo Shop it takes on a whole new life when I hit the print button and acutally see it up close and personal.

I see it in the faces of my family when I print a new table top book. How they look at my creations page to page and the comments they make. It makes my heart swell like I've really done something out of the ordinary. My sister keeps telling me I've finally found myself. A way to get all those inside feeling to the surface and out.

I've always tended to be someone who pushed the emotions that were tender down a layer and piled others on top, thinking they would be buried for all time. Doesn't work, I may push and shove and speak my mind but that's only a cover up for the turmoil that swirls around in the pit of my stomach and the corners of my mind. All the things I'm thinking but never have the courage to speak. I wonder at this age what am I afraid of, what could possibly be the horrid outcome of really saying what's in my heart.

It's the same old answer, I think. That old baggage I've carried all my life, if I speak they won't like me and that's been my quest for as long as I've had consious thought. I want everyone to like me, to want to be around me, to enjoy my company, to want to share time with me. Perhaps that's why I'm here who knows.

Well, I've sure gotton off topic but I just wanted to explain what I'm thinking here and what I hope to accomplish.

I hope you'll check out my other blog Reflections of Northwest Lady, sharing a little of me from the inside out. That' the one that houses all my digital scrapbooking pages, or a lot of them.

Thanks for listening!