Rockin' the invite design

The husband asked me to help out with invitations for an upcoming party he is planning for his rock dudes. Of course I have never been able to say no to the husband, and paired with the chance to do some invite design I was all over this project.

He wanted grungy, dirty, trashy and rocking. He wanted big. Most of all he wanted himself. LOL, now the first ones wasn't a problem at all. The big part was workable. The last request needed some mulling. But we had a full on photo shoot in our living room a few weeks ago and then I set to work.

The result was a 12x6 trifold with a distinct grungy and dirty look.
The front


The first flap opened up showing the photo of the husband


The last flap opened up to show the actual text made to look like a rock poster.






The husband was very happy with the finished product, especially after hearing me sigh for a few days, and can't wait for the party (which I will decorate of course).

Announcing the giveaway winner!

Yahoo! We have another winner!
This week I am giving away a $10 gift certificate to My 4 Hens Photography.
So, who is the winner?

Heather! Yay! She said:

I am sure your family and friends would love a card from you Heather, you have an amzingly creative mind.
Please contact me with your email adress and I'll send you the specs. :)

Ok, people, we're concluding the birthday celebration with a freebie tomorrow! Don't miss it!
Party on!

Birthday party continues with new stuff and a giveaway

And the party continues my dear friends! I am so excited about the new product that is available at JessicaSprague.com today! I love greeting cards. I love to give them and I love to recieve them. I love digital greeting cards. I love the flexibility and the ease of the idea. From one single template it's possible to get a multitude of designs from photocards to more classic designs. The best thing? You can also print each layer seperately and then put together as a regular paper card. Isn't hybrid just fab?



This set features four fully layered psd card templates and four quick cards (as seen in the preview above). The cuick cards are also in psd. format with a seperate layer for you to clip a photo, a patterned paper, or a text layer to - whatever you want! I think you saw some examples of the cards in my inspiration post on Friday? Excellent work by the CT, no?

I am also equally excited about the giveaway today. It's a good one y'all! I have one gift certificate worth $10 to My Four Hens Photography. Yay! Sarah of My Four Hens has some gorgeous actions. Gorgeous I tell you. Now, don't worry, there are actions for both Elements and for CS, so you are covered no matter what PS software you use. There are also Lightroom presets, overlays, and textures to choose from.
One lucky person will win the $10 gift certificate.
All you have to do is leave a comment to this post telling me about someone you would like to send a card to. You have until Wednesday to reply. The winner will be announced on Thursday. Very simple!

Now, don't miss the OBW on Wednesday. And you also don't want to miss the freebie I've got lined up for you on Friday!

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with My Four Hens. They have not asked me to write about them. I have not been given the gift certificate by them. I am the sponsor of the money for the gift certificate. I just happened to like their products and wanted to share it with you all. :)

A bit of all day freshness

Gosh, evolving is hard work, people. Doing huge and life changing stuff every week certainly isn't feasible for someone like me whose life consists of waking up in the morning, working all day, and then coming home to either crash on the sofa or do design related work. But even small things matter, right? Even tiny things as a new deodorant.

I have very sensitive skin which can be a problem with some heavily perfumed brands but I still need the coverage of a heavy duty deodorant with a hectic job. So this has forced me to try a whole bunch of different kinds. This week I picked up a new one. So far so good.



And that is it for this week from the exciting world that is my life! Hee!

A sign of hope

Spring is a bearer of hope for me. It brings with it hope for the rest of the year, somehow it always feels to me as the year doesn't start until spring arrives, and I love the sense of newness.  Seeing buds about to burst makes me feel very happy and hopeful.

CT beauties

It's time to marvel at the creative talent that is the JessicaSprague.com Creative Team.
Loook at these beauties! Here are some layouts and cards using the Meet & Greet series.

by Nicole

by Erin U

by Carol

by Smitha

by Smitha

by Tracy

by Camille

And here is some more gorgeous inspiration using various In the Making products. I am such a lucky girl to have the fortune of their talent together with my stuff.

by Lisa

by Antonia

by Renee

by Kim

by Tracy

by Jenn P

We have a winner!

First off, thank you all so much for the congratulations and all the super lovely comments you have left me here on the blog, via emails, and over at JessicaSprague.com. I really am so humbled by your kindness. From the bottom of my heart; thank you so much!

Now, let's move on from the sap and to today's high point! The winner of the Meet & Greet packs! Yay!
So, who is the lucky dog you ask?

It's Luci! She said:

Congratulations Luci, darling! I look forward to seeing what you create. Shoot me an email and I'll get you the specs.

Oh, and I have to plug Luci a little here; check out her hot stuff pet photography over at Paw Prints Photography!

OK my loves, look forward to more goodies next week. I have another giveaway in store as well as a freebie for you.

Today you can pick up Budoir Solids for $1 on One Buck Wednesday over at JessicaSprague.com! Good deal, no?

A very welcome sight

Ah, spring! Finally! I've been waiting for you for what seems like forever. And now the sun has finally found its way back to our little nook of the world and the photo of the week is very much a welcome sight.



And here's a view of the whole grassy area that I passed. Isn't it glorious? It's like taking an instant happy pill looking at all that yellow.

A birthday party with new products, a giveaway, and some FB action

That's right! It's been a year since that completely nerve wracking and life changing day when I officially joined the ranks of designers at JessicaSprague.com! One year! Can you believe it? I hardly can. It's been a whirlwind of a year with so many amazing experiences. I have learned so many things about the design biz, people around me, and most of all myself that I am sure would have never known otherwiese.

It's been demanding and humbling to learn how much work it takes, and about the never ending things to learn about graphic design, colour, and digital scrapbooking. I have been amazed, awed, and deeply touched by the beautiful creations of all the lovely people who have used my designs.

So what better way to say thank you, and to pat myself on the back for daring to take a leap of faith, than to party? Heck yeah!

I've got several goodies lined up for you today! Let's start off with new products in the shop! I have not one, not two, but three new products available in my shop today. Heck yeah!








This series of packs is all about me going back to my roots. I think I have shared a few snippets about being in a creative slump for a while? I needed to go back to the stuff that I really love to find a glimpse of it again. First, the colours! Blues, browns, tans; they are all my favourites. They make me feel calm and serene, refreshed and warmed at the same time. Also, I think they are just plain pretty. Then, greeting cards, invitations, card making; that's what started me on this whole journey to begin with all those years ago. So this whole series is devoted to my first loves. There is one more part of the series coming next week (a card templates pack, but ssssccchhh don't tell anyone). I hope you will love them all as much as I do. Meet & Greet is available, surprise surprise, today!

And what would a birthday party be without a giveaway? Why nothing I tell you. So guess what, we're having a giveaway! Heck yeah!
One lucky dog will win all of the above packs. Heck yeah! All you have to do is reply to this post and tell me what you would like to use them for. Please post on Wednesday at the latest for a chance to win. The winner will be announced on Thursday.

But what about everyone else, you ask? Don't worry loves. I've got your backs too! Heck yeah!
Head over to my facebook page, click the like button (if you haven't already), and check out the action on the wall. I don't think you will be disappointed! But don't wait, you've only got three days to get in on the action.

1. Linked In Friendship
   
2. 퍼스트카지노
  
3. 메리트카지노
  
4. 샌즈카지노
  

Important edit: I am sorry for the confusion! With action I meant stuff going on, not Photoshop actions per se. I am sorry if you got all excited and were deeply disappointed because of my inability to communicate correctly! All I have to say for myself is that I am Swedish after all!

Alright my loves, time for some cake! Go ahead and have one you too on my behalf!

Also, there's more good stuff coming next week so don't be a stranger, alright?! ;)

Nothing new but still tasty

Well, this past week has been so full of regular life scheduled stuff and obligations that it simply hasn't allowed me to do anything new at all. With work, work, more work, work trip, grocery shopping, laundry, and yada yada yada, bla bla bla - you know what it's like - I have just been too exhausted to even think about anything else.

So I guess my only new-ish thing is my monthly cooking night. This month I decide to up the ante a little and go for a slightly more difficult choice for the main course. I had a crazy-moment for a while when the recipe said to use clarified butter and I had no idea how to get it just that but I got through it and got a comment from the husband that it was the best I had made yet this year. Not bad. Not bad at all, I say.

Ok, so I made pomodori ripieni (stuffed tomatoes) for the first course. The stuffing was made with mushrooms, nutmeg, and pecorino cheese.



For main course I went with a deconstructed lasagna with an almond pesto on top. The recipe called for mushrooms, spinach, prosciutto, and riccotta cheese. I had forgotten to get spinach so I decided replace that with zucchini. That worked out well. I also added lemon juice on a whim. Look at me go - improvising! The almond pesto was the thing that called for clarified butter. Once I got that down it was a breeze to make. I made a mistake when I plated the lasagna and got way too much olive oil on there. The husband didn't mind that though as he loves olive oil.



When it was time for dessert I was exhausted and so I went the simple route and made a chocolate/banana milkshake. Very easy to make but still delish!


So that makes three for three. Next month the husband gets to decide the menu. Please pray he doesn't go overboard on the difficulty index.

Last sneak peek before launch

You guys, I'm excited for Monday! I've got several goodies going live in my shop at JessicaSprague.com and a few surprises as well! I can hardly wait! But in the meantime I thought I'd share one final sneak peek with you.



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Supplies:
Upcoming Meet & Greet kit, upcoming It's a Start Template, Indulgence Elements Kit (recoloured flower) all by
In the Making Design, button by Crystal Wilkerson, stitches by Anna Aspnes
Fonts: Modern No. 20, Century Gothic, Another Typewriter, KarabinE
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This layout is about my quest to better myself and try at least one new thing each week. The journaling reads:
This is the year for new things! With a challenge to try a new thing each week this year certainly won’t be boring or uneventful. The list of possible new things is long and almost a little daunting but so very exciting at the same time.The aim is to try both small and big things and with this hopefully enrich not only mine but also my family’s life in some way. So far the pursuit of new experiences has been going well. I have taken on some real challenges (hello cooking) but also given myself little treats like red pumps.

Don't forget to stop by on Monday for the launch and surprises!

Sneak peek in the shape of a card

Allright, the second sneak peek my upcoming kit, which will be available next Monday the 21st at JessicaSprague.com, is a digi photocard. I like the ease of digitally made cards. I like how you can just print and go in times when you don't really want to deal with paper clippings and glue everywhere. I also love that you can use them again and again and just plop a new photo in there. Me lazy? Hmpf, I prefer to call it smart about my time! Hee!



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Supplies used:
Meet & Greet Kit by In the Making Design
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Shiny but not new

The new thing for this week was going to be a newly opened sushi restaurant but when we got there we were informed that due to two large take away orders we would have to wait for an hour and a half before our food would be ready. It was Friday night and we were both  tired and eager to get home and just relax so we opted to go to our usual place instead. Once home we decided to serve the food on not new, but never before used, items. We used beautiful handpainted Japanese bowls for the miso soup (you can just make out the awesome pattern inside the bow in the pic) and granite platters for the sushi. It was so pretty and the food looked so delicious that I almost didn't want to ruin it by eating. These bowls and platters will definitely be used often from now on.

Cutiepie and I

Little cutiepie came over for a visit this week with his parents and of course he charmed our pants off. We had a lovely little interaction mostly consisting of me talking and making funny noices and cutiepie wanting to grab my glasses. It was awesome! I am so glad it was captured in pictures (even if I do wish I had bothered to do my hair, lol).





I also got a great shot of cutiepie with his daddy

Sneak peek in the shape of a layout

I thought I'd start a small series of sneak peeks for my upcoming goodness - which will be available at JessicaSprague.com on March 21st - with a layout today. 



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Supplies used:
Papers and elements from the upcoming Meet & Greet kit
It's a Start Templates 2, Moments Elements Pack, Indulgence Elements Pack, Charmed Alpha, Button Up blog freebie all by In the Making Design
Brushes by Bittbox
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Be on the look out for more sneaks in the next couple of days!

For the love of shoes

On thing that was very much on my list of things to do this year was to get a pair of red leather pumps. I've been wanting a pair for a while now but haven't found any that 1. I liked or 2. fit  despite searching for months and months. Then, just after Christmas I saw the perfect ones. Of course, at that time I had maxed out my shopping budget with all the Christmas gifts so I had to wait. Then this week I happened to pass that very same shop and saw that they were on sale. What's a girl to do? Who can pass on a good sale when it's something that you wanted for so long? Not me. So they were quickly whipped up and carried home lovingly and happily. I plan to wear them with jeans and a cute blue shirt, or perhaps with a black pencil skirt and a white top?



Then just to top it all off, yesterday I happened to stumble across the cutest pair of green ballet flats ever. Soft suede with a ruffle in the front. Man alive, I just had to have them. Just had to.



So this week I picked up two pairs of shoes. I can't wear them just yet because it's still too cold. But I can't wait.