Tutorial Tuesday (Fonts)

Back-to-School

If you live anywhere in North America, you can’t escape the back-to-school frenzy, even if you have nobody in your life who’s in school. It worked out well for us though… our son’s backpack came home from his day program last week with a totally fubar zipper. Walmart had a wide variety of options and I grabbed him one that holds everything he needs on a day-to-day basis. Score one for Jan!! I managed NOT to buy any pens, paper and paint this year, so that’s another point for me. So how did we end up looking at back-to-school fonts, you’re thinking. Well, when my mom came to see me on my birthday back in May, she brought me a bag full of things she found when cleaning her house after my dad died. They were all things I’d saved from high school. I KNOW, right?! Looking through them was a real walk down memory lane. One thing that really struck me is how much my handwriting has changed over the course of my life. That bag had half a dozen different variations! So that led me to thinking about how much it bothers me that schools aren’t teaching kids cursive writing any more and how that will severely hobble them in the future. But I digress. I’ve rounded up a baker’s dozen of schoolish fonts, from learning basic printing to more “sophisticated” teenage girl script. (I don’t have to describe that one, do I?) 😀 They’re all from dafont.com and 100% free for personal use. Just click on the font’s name and you’ll go right to the download screen. Oh, yeah… they’re not in any particular order. You’ll see.

First one up is KG Perfect Penmanship. Many of you already know Kim Geswein‘s fonts… she’s a machine! This one is the most perfect example of grade-school printing ever. You’ll see a couple more of Kim‘s fonts in a minute.

This isn’t one of them. 😉 Learning Curve BV is exactly how I remember being taught cursive writing. Very controlled, perfectly shaped and spaced letters, easily legible.

Kindergarten looks a lot like a real child trying very hard to make every letter perfectly. I love it!

Makes You Stronger is Kim‘s controlled middle-school cursive. My handwriting looked a lot like this when I as about 12.

I liked Second Son School for the notebook lining. Doesn’t it bring back memories?

I feel like English Essay is an evolution of a typical girly cursive hand from the basic to beginning to add some personality. Remember writing big, loopy, widely-spaced letters to fill up the page faster? 😉

Why do I think this could be a serial killer’s first printing? Just kidding. The Writer is definitely a beginner’s hand.

Very Simple Chalk is exactly that. It’s an all-caps font, with two sizes to represent upper and lower case characters. It includes numerals and a wide range of punctuation, as well as multilingual characters.

When I saw this, I HAD to share it with you. The crayon shape is part of the character map and you can point the business end in either direction. To point to the left, use the { and } at each end of your word. To point right, use the [ and ]. Each of the letters in Crayonized has the lines above and below, so they all connect up. It’s pretty cool!

Then, if you want your journaling to look like you wrote it with a wax crayon… Crayon Hand.

Ooh, teenage boy time! Most of the guys I’ve ever known mix printing and cursive, with small letters – Random Handwritten. My husband’s writing is so tiny and tight it’s hard to read; it’s like he has to pay for the ink. And he likes superfine pens, to make it worse.

Here’s another must-conform-avoid-attention-and-meet-expectations-at-all-costs late middle-school girly hand. Ironic name, though: The Only Exception.

And last… the tween girl who wants to assert some individuality but still craves the approval of her teachers……. Simplify Notation Single Line is tidy, controlled but has little circle tittles. How many of us dotted our I’s with hearts at some time in our lives? 😉

Did you see one that you might use for the Journaling Challenge this month? I hope so!

 

 

 

Designer Spotlight #2: August 2025

CarolW Designs

CarolW has been a GingerBread Lady for s few years already, but this is her FIRST Designer Spotlight! She wanted to make up for lost time, so our conversation went on for a while… We touched on a LOT of stuff, so maybe you should grab a cup of coffee or tea and settle in. What I’m going to share with you is fascinating.

J: Carol, I’m so happy to see you in the Spotlight this month! I think you’ve been a bit of a mystery lady to most of us, so this is your chance to tell us what you’d like us to know. How about we start with what brought you to digital designing.

C: In 2009, while browsing the web by chance, I came across a scrapbook that I found quite magical. Since then, I have been crazy about it, and this is what I have persisted in for the longest time. I like making templates. Later, my mother told me that maybe I could try making templates and let more people use them. So I began my career in design.

J: [Please excuse the formatting snafus. WordPress isn’t playing nice today.] Oh, so you and I were cutting our teeth on digital scrapbooking around the same time! Where do you find your inspiration?

C: I usually think about which theme a color is more suitable for based on the color palette.

J: I think along the same lines, mentally sorting through my photos and kits to decide the basis for a layout. Do you have a favourite palette?

C: I like yellow, purple and bright color schemes.

J: I’ve never loved yellow, sorry… but I can definitely go along with the brights. What do you do when you’re in a creative rut? Do you have a place where inspiration just appears?

C: In parks or forests, I enjoy looking at any plants and flowers in nature and breathing fresh air. This way, my inspiration will come.

J: Who doesn’t feel better after being outside in nature? It’s a proven antidepressant! Is that why many of your collections have natural themes?

C: Yes, I prefer the themes of the nature series. I think nature can adapt to any occasion.

J: That’s so true. Is there a season or occasion you like to design for more than any other?

C: I like autumn designs. I think the colors of autumn are the most beautiful.

J: Hallowe’en is about my favourite time of year, so I agree with you. Do you like designing papers, or elements, or some other digital item most?

C: I love to design elements. For each one, I want to do it better. I keep comparing how to make it the most suitable and the most attractive.

J: That attention to detail is pretty obvious! Your designs are instantly recognizable and are always flawless. Is there a style or trend you’d like to try but haven’t found the courage to yet?

C: Graffiti style, collage style. I’ve always wanted to try, but I feel that I just can’t do them well no matter what.

J: I understand that better than you know. Grunge is hard to get right. I don’t think I can envision anything so gritty with your name attached to it. Can I ask how you came to your design brand?

C: It comes from my English name. My name only has a Chinese version. My surname is WEN. My English name, Carol, comes from my English teacher. She gave it to me when I was in primary school. I have been using this for so many years. The suffix “W” indicates that this is my surname: WEN.

J: Ah, that makes sense! I had a friend in nursing school who came to Canada from Beijing after the events at Tiananmen Square. She adopted an anglicized version of her name too, in order to fit in. I often wonder where she ended up. I hope she’s had a soft landing. How do you manage all the things you have to fit into your day, between designing, other commitments and personal stuff?

C: Every morning when I rest, I usually go to buy some things for my mother that she needs. After lunch, I started designing. Around four o’clock in the afternoon, I stop because I can’t sit in front of the computer for too long, or my head hurts. After dinner, I will go
shopping with my mother, or go with friends, or go to the movies.

J: That sounds like a nicely balanced routine you have. Do you have any advice to give someone who is new to digital design, or who is thinking about jumping in?

C: Perseverance and passion are gifts. Stay fresh forever!

J: Boy, does that last sentence ever resonate with me. So, enough about “work”. Like you, it makes my head hurt. Let’s talk about something fun! How do you unwind after a busy day?

C: I play games or watch my favorite TV series. I watched it with my father. Lying on the sofa, I poured a glass of ice water and discussed the plot and characters of the TV drama with my father. That feeling was extremely comfortable!

J: That sounds so cozy! I like being completely alone when I’m feeling stressed, and because I’m almost never completely alone, it’s a real treat. I’m going to put a sign on my studio door that says, “DO NOT DISTURB the CRAFTER. She may decide to hurt you.” My husband always seems to know when I’m trying a new technique or medium for the first time and throws me right off. Is there a hobby you’d like to try but haven’t yet?

C: Surfing, I’ve always wanted to try surfing once. I live in an inland area far from the sea, with no ocean around. When I travel, I always choose places with the sea, but I get seasick. So I have never gone surfing even once. So I really want to give it a try.

J: I think riding a surfboard is different from being in a boat. I don’t know that it would cause seasickness – your brain would be too involved in trying to stay on the board! Any surfers reading this want to weigh in? Let’s backtrack for a second. You mentioned a favourite TV show… what is it?

C: Criminal Minds. I really love this TV drama so much.

J: Oh, I LOVE it too! One of our daughters does a similar job for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but she says it’s not glamourous and they don’t have a private plane to fly around in. She’s also never arrested anyone and doesn’t carry a weapon. She always watched shows like Criminal Minds when she was growing up, and now that she’s living it, she prefers John Hughes movies instead. She watches Home Alone EVERY year at Christmas. Do you have a movie you could watch over and over and not be bored?

C: The Jurassic series. I like Jurassic Park and I also like Jurassic World!

J: My son loves those! Let’s play What If… If you could have any pet, real or imaginary, what would it be?

C: Dinosaurs!! I am very fond of paleontology and history. When I was in college, I really wanted to study archaeology, but that was rejected by my parents. I live in Japan and I really enjoy watching programs on paleontology and history. I also like visiting museums. I think dinosaurs are very magical animals! They are wonderful.

J: I should have seen that coming. 😀 If you could teleport to anywhere in the world, where would you go?

C: Egypt, I like Egypt very much, although I have never been there once. I want to see the pyramids. I want to see the mummies. I think that’s a very magical place. But because it was so far away from me, my plan never succeeded.

J: Coulda predicted that answer too. 😉 Don’t give up on your dreams! You never know when opportunity will knock. If you could live in a fictional universe, which one would you choose?

C: I want to go to Pandora. Yes, that’s because I watched the movie Avatar. I think Pandora would be extremely beautiful!

J: I think it would be too. I’ve never actually seen the movie; don’t the inhabitants of Pandora have um… special skills that you’d have to learn? Is there an Earth-bound skill you’d like to learn?

C: Driving. In fact, because of the car accident in 2015, I have never learned to drive. Even though I have fully recovered now, I still haven’t learned. I’m worried that when I’m studying, I might use the accelerator instead of the brake… This is really terrifying.

J: Yeah. It’s always a possibility, but it usually happens to elderly people. I do a lot of driving and I think soon I’ll be doing ALL of it. Hubby’s heading for the “elderly” realm. 😉 He’s kinda scary… Let’s flip this around. What flavour of ice cream would you be?

C: Vanilla. It has a fresh scent and is very gentle.

J: It’s uncomplicated. I’d want to be tiger tail… licorice and orange. It was my favourite as a child, and I haven’t had it in a LONG time. I have three tubs of ice cream in the freezer and none of them is exciting, just delicious. Do you have a favourite comfort food?

C: Noodles. Here, many people think that noodles can nourish our bodies and our spirits. Noodles are a very warm and nourishing food, so I think noodles can comfort me at any time.

J: Noodles are universal, aren’t they? Most cultures have them in some form. Now I’m hungry… Maybe we should wrap up. I’ll fill our readers in on the Spotlight particulars and link ’em up with the goodies. Thanks so much for your patience! Have a wonderful August.

Have you seen the sneak peek for Carol‘s Daily Download? Check this out!

Go figure… yellow and nature! Everything in Carol‘s Store is 40% off this month AND she has a coupon.

Of course, Carol is also hosting one of this month’s Designer Spotlight Challenges, in addition to her usual Daily Download Challenge. Between Carol and Neia, you could get in a quarter of the Challenges needed to earn the GingerBread Ladies‘ MEGA Seaside Serenity.

 

What are you waiting for? 😀

 

Designer Spotlight #1: August 2025

Neia Scraps

For our first Spotlight this month, I chatted with Neia, or Neia Scraps as she’s known in the GingerScraps Store. She’s sharing the Spotlight with CarolW, and I’ll share our (very lengthy) chat with you tomorrow.

I think we’ve all caught glimpses of Neia‘s sense of humour before, but this time she didn’t hold back. 🙂 You’ll see what I mean…

J: Neia, it’s been awhile since our last visit In that time you’ve been VERY productive!! Last time we talked I told you how much I love the way your design style has evolved, and I followed that up with buying something like a dozen complete collections. I’ll tell you, the Daily Download has me drooling. But now I’m wondering, how do you make it all work? Designing, commitments, family and personal time… how do you make it fit?

N: With coffee, good playlists, and a lot of controlled chaos. Sometimes I design while waiting for the pasta to boil. Multitasking queen.

J: I used to be really good at that, but since I retired, I’ve started to slip. 90% of the time it doesn’t matter, though. What do you most enjoy about how GingerScrappers (and others) use your designs to create their layouts?

N: It’s like watching someone decorate with things you love — but even better!

J: Remind me again, how did get into digital scrapbook designing in the first place?

N: Accidentally. One download turned into a hobby, then a passion… then 5,000 layers later, here we are!

J: Uh… I’m pretty sure it’s WAY more than 5,000. You don’t skimp on your kits by any definition! Let’s play “what if” for a few minutes. What would you choose if you could learn any new skill instantly?

N: Sword fighting. Not useful at all in real life, but imagine how cool I’d feel.

J: OMG!! I have this mental picture of you dressed like one of the Musketeers now! I’m probably always going to see that image when I think of you. My son-in-law teaches fencing, but I didn’t see you in the white jumpsuit. Nope, the knee-high boots, full-sleeved white shirt, vest and scabbard. And you look MAHVELOUS! To sort of stick with the fantasy theme, if you could be any age for a week, how old would you be?

N: Maybe 25 — young enough to eat pizza at midnight, old enough to know that was a terrible idea.

J: Hmm. when I was 25, I already had three kids. I wasn’t even seeing midnight. Ever. And the one time I ate pizza while nursing my son, he screamed the entire next day. Definitely a terrible idea! 😀 In a similar vein, if you could time travel, which way would you go? (I, of course, would go back and skip the pizza.)

N: I’d go to the future just far enough to see if someone finally invented self-cleaning laundry. Priorities.

J: Hahahahaha! That would be amazing! I have four loads waiting for me to get it into the machine. Maybe tomorrow. 😉 I’ll have to get the dog to move though. She’s sleeping in the doorway. If you could be any animal for a day, which one would you choose?

N: A spoiled house cat. Naps, snacks, and dramatic staring? Sounds like my kind of schedule.

J: Oh, my… yes! Bonus for me is hubby is allergic to cats, so he’d let me scrap in peace. He’s already bugging me about what’s for supper. I don’t know. It’s pretty hot so I won’t be grilling. Maybe it’s a mac-and-cheese day. What’s your favourite comfort food?

N: A warm bowl of homemade soup with bread. Bonus if I didn’t have to make it.

J: I make really good soup, but usually only do it in the fall. I won’t ever let hubby eat soup in a restaurant. The slurping would be embarrassing. I mean… it’s so LOUD! What was your most embarrassing moment?

N: I waved back at someone who wasn’t waving at me. Then tried to play it off by fixing my hair. Oscar-worthy recovery.

J: Too funny! I’ve done that, but instead of trying for the Oscar, I just put my head down and changed direction. You’re braver than me! So now I’m gonna talk about business. I won’t mind if you wander away.

Business? Well, I already mentioned the Daily Download. There’s only a Sneak Peek on the Blog, but I have an image of the full kit, and it’s FABULOUS!

There’s a coordinating mini-kit and some messy edges in the Shop. Of course, I have to have it all. If you’re in a rush and can’t wait for the DD, the entire collection is in the Shop. Half price, too!

This month, everything in her shop is 45% off—or even more on bundles!
And here’s a little bonus: spend $20 or more and get an extra 10% off at checkout. Use the coupon: NEIA-SL202510

Neia is hosting one of the August Designer Spotlight Challenges. Click on the underlined text to see what she’s up to. (ANY text that’s in bold and underlined in my Blog posts will be hyperlinked.) This is in addition to her regular, monthly My Memories Challenge. She’s so busy…………………………

Be sure to check out the Summer Scrap-a-Thon that started yesterday. The mega-kit reward for 20 Challenges is going to make you so thirsty! Check back tomorrow to meet CarolW.

Tutorial Tuesday (Individual Style)

Challenge Spotlight: Daily Download

GingerScrappers, you’ve really been crushing the Challenges this month! When I was touring the Gallery looking for a likely Challenge to Spotlight today, I was quickly inundated with layouts. And the Challenges that make the best Individual Style posts were very well-represented. There were so many, in fact, that no matter which one I chose, I could never include ALL the Challenge layouts in a post that didn’t run on for days. So I decided to try something a little different. I decided to go with the Daily Download Challenge, which has two Designers‘ kits this month, You’re a Peach from Aimee Harrison and Cleaning Day from Twin Mom Scraps.

There were THIRTY layouts in the Challenge Gallery so I had to decide how to proceed in the fairest possible way. I opted to use Random.org to decide for me! I numbered each of the layouts, then entered all the numbers that were created with Aimee‘s kit into the randomizer. Then I chose the top 5 on the list.

Then I did the same with the layouts using Twin Mom‘s kit.

Now that I’ve explained the process for choosing which layouts to feature, I’ll remind you that each layout is linked to the Gallery so you can get a closer look, and so you can leave some comments, should you choose to do so. Just click on the Scrapper’s name. Let’s get started!

VariaMoon chose the bold plaid and patterned papers from Aimee‘s kit. Placing the paper pieces behind the photos on an angle emphasizes the geometry of the plaid. I like that she used colour cues from her photos to choose the papers she used to mat them with.

Here, imafishtank used mainly warm colours with the cool colours as accents to feature photos of a very pretty child and proud mama. She has such a variety of papers framing them and made a statement with her title.

Using just a few bits of the kit, domino44 created a bold celebration layout, framing her photo with a warm, peachy cluster.

Ooh, this looks like another celebration! Maybe a 4-generation celebration? The clusters pbhill created help draw the eye to her photo, while the warm palette coordinates beautifully with the colours in the photo. That butterfly seems to be quite popular. 😉

I can almost taste that pie… photocrazy stayed on theme for her layout. I like that she has a good amount of white space here, so the ribbons, rickrack and banner serve as tractor beams to draw the eye to the pie.

Now let’s look at Twin Mom’s kit. First up is greenfiend27. I like everything about her layout! The elements she chose not only play nice with her image colour-wise, but they’re also representative. Those bead scatters are so perfect.

I’m always impressed by no-photo layouts like this one from dhariana. Her focus on creating calm in her layout led to blending papers, sticking to a very neutral palette and the creation of a single, cohesive cluster.

5grand had a similar idea. I love the humour in her layout! Her choice of paint splatters behind the cluster replicates water all over the floor int he photo. Very clever! And the banner made me laugh out loud. She’s so right… housework isn’t fun! That’s why I pay to have someone do it for me. 😉

GrannyNKy put the emphasis on her photos. I, too, really wish I could have a clothesline – there’s no better smell in the world than line-dried laundry.

This poignant layout from ranchcreations made me a little misty. She kept the layout very clean and simple, to keep the focus on emotion. Her clusters are understated but achingly beautiful. My mom will soon be 90, so this will be in my foreseeable future. I hope I’m as dignified.

Hubby and I have been diligently cleaning our garage now that our big dining room set has sold and we have room to move. The peaches are starting to ripen on the trees here, and I’m so looking forward to slurping a bunch down soon. We’ve had a LOT of rain in the last week, and the cherries still on the trees are being threatened with splitting. I have photos of the cherry dryer to scrap and I’m seeing layouts in my head for both these kits! See you next week!

 

 

Designer Spotlight: July 2025

Designs by Lisa Minor

How is it even July already?? This month’s Designer in the Spotlight is Lisa Minor. Today, I’m going to share the tea Lisa and I spilt earlier. She’s recovering from a total knee replacement right now, so let’s make sure she feels the love!

J: Lisa, you must be so uncomfortable with that big surgery you just had. I hope you have someone who’s taking care of you, and a comfy chair to sit in between therapy appointments. Do you have a favorite comfort food that always makes you feel better?

L: Chicken and Dumplings. I have so many fond memories of eating it.

J: Ooh, I love that too! Last night I caught a few minutes of a cooking show where the guy was making chicken and dumplings noodles… without the dumplings. So of course I had to go online and find a recipe! I’d serve it with apple pie for dessert, unless it’s too hot, then I might go with ice cream. If you could BE ice cream, what flavour would you be?

L: Vanilla of course! Plain, simple and delicious!

J: Oh, and versatile too! Don’t tell anybody but I have a pint of Chapman’s Butter Tart ice cream hiding deep in the bottom of the freezer. If the guys don’t know about it, I don’t have to share. 😉 Like our Prime Minister, I like a good wink. 😉 What’s your most used emoji?

L: Anything with a “thumbs up”, LOL. I’m just not that “text” savvy.

J: Let’s talk business for a minute. What’s your favourite part of seeing others use your designs for their layouts?

L: I think it’s how they put it all together. It’s such a personal thing to share photos of yourself and your family and the love shows through.

J: That’s something that always appeals to me, the individual style that Scrappers have and how they can take an identical collection of papers and elements then turn them into something beautiful, unique and intensely personal. Can you share any sneak peeks of coming attractions?

L: Yep! Arriving mid-July, Enjoy the Waves.

J: That’s going to sell like hotcakes! We’re a long way from the ocean but our lake gets some pretty decent waves on windy days. I always snicker a little when I see someone asking on Reddit about how choppy it is. Interesting way of staying informed, I guess. The teasing is usually gentle, especially for Reddit, if you know what I mean. Have you ever done anything embarrassing in public?

L: When I was 8 months pregnant with our first, it was the “year of the cicada” in Ohio. One flew down my shirt and I just literally ripped the shirt off in the parking lot. Those things are “buggly ugly”.

J: Oof!! We don’t have cicadas this far north, but we do have junebugs. When my husband and I were dating we were zipping down the highway on his motorcycle when a junebug flew into him. He said it felt like he’d been shot. And there were guts everywhere. It was gross. Another time, again on his bike, a wasp ended up flying into my bra. Stings in that area really hurt! I’m actually having phantom pain there right now… Good thing I wasn’t allergic, but it could have been kinda funny. What’s the funniest thing you believed when you were a kid?

L: I believed I had an “extra” front tooth because my teeth were so crooked. Hey, my cousin told me so, and I totally fell for it.

J: That’s kids for you. I was catfished, before catfishing was a thing. I still hate that girl with the heat of a thousand suns. And she knows it. Same girl who bit me on my thirteenth birthday. The school principal came into the girls’ bathroom to check it out and disinfect the bite before he suspended her for the rest of the week. Oy. I wanted to be anywhere but there. If you could teleport to anywhere in the world, where would you go?

L: Ireland! It’s on my bucket list.

J: Great choice! I’ve been there twice and hope to get back one more time before I get too old to travel by myself. It’s truly a magical place. Last time I was there, the strap on my purse broke and wasn’t fixable, so I went to a discount store near my hotel and bought a new one. I bet the hotel cleaning crew wondered about all the weird things I threw away when I switched them out. What’s the most unusual thing you carry in your bag or pocket?

L: I actually carry a small bag full of things like single use toothbrushes, Tylenol, antibacterial wipes, band aids, eyeglass wipes, etc. You can NEVER be too prepared.

J: I like the way you think! I do the same. Well, maybe not the toothbrushes, but I have some flossers! And a screwdriver. Like you say, be prepared for ANYTHING. One last question, then I’ll let you get some rest. Do you have a guilty pleasure? I mean, one that you can share with our readers? 😉

L: True Crime. I’m obsessed.

J: ME TOO!! Particularly the ones that use forensic genetic genealogy. The things real people do are so much more twisted than any fiction writer could dream up. So fascinating! Well, I promised to keep this short so you’re not wiped out. Go put your feet up and have a nice cup of tea while I finish up here.

In addition to her usual monthly Pinterest Challenge, Lisa is also hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge. And she’s providing our July Daily Download kit here on the Blog. It’s called Listen to the Music and I can’t wait to see the whole collection. But that’s not all… she has a coupon code 7sdlm20off …ON TOP of the already 50% off discount this month you can take an ADDITIONAL 20% off a single purchase of $5 or more. What a deal!! (It’s a single-use code, so make sure you fill your cart with ALL the goodies before you use it.) See you all next week for another Tutorial Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

Designer Spotlight: June 2025

Twin Mom Scraps

You may remember Rebecca, aka Twin Mom Scraps, who was in the Spotlight in November 2024. Well, she’s up again! And since we talked about all the bread-and-butter stuff so recently, we decided to go with a bit more of a fun chat this time.

J: Rebecca, thanks for chatting with me again! Hold on while I fast-forward past the Christmas song that just came on my shuffle playlist… Ah. There. Now, let’s talk about the fun stuff, like food. What’s the weirdest combo you’ve ever tried?

R: Pickles and peanut butter on Ritz Crackers (don’t knock it til you try it!)

J: I like peanut butter on Ritz. I might even be okay with the pickles, especially if they’re the spicy-sweet ones from Costco. I just ate some spinach dip on tortilla chips, which wasn’t as nasty as it might have been. Do you have a favourite comfort food?

R: Any kind of soup. My chicken and dumplings is a favorite!

J: Mm. Not a soup fan, although I do like homemade turkey soup, and French onion soup. When I need a food hug, I usually go with macaroni and canned tomatoes. That makes me think of my dad. While we’re talking food, if you could have dinner with any two people, living or dead, who would you choose?

R: My mom and dad (both have passed away).

J: I was lucky enough to have lunch with my mom, who’s 89 now, and my sister, on Sunday. My dad passed in August. We talked about him a bit, and I could tell my mom misses him terribly. My sister is 14 years younger than me, and some of the stories we told while we reminisced were things she’d never heard before. We had some good laughs mixed in with the more serious moments. What’s the funniest thing you believed as a kid?

R: If I swallowed gum, it would not digest for 7 years

J: I think we ALL believed that! Now, if you could be any age for a week, what age would you choose?

R: 46…my current age! I am in the best shape of my life and feel great!

J: That’s fantastic! I wish… Let me think about when I was 46 for a minute. You know, that was a good time for me too. I was working on my dream unit and learning a ton of new skills. If you could instantly learn a new skill, what would you want it to be?

R: A second language!

J: Now, wouldn’t that be useful? My husband and both daughters are fluently bilingual, English and French. The girls are also fluent in sarcasm, so I guess you could say they’re trilingual! They’re pretty comfortable with social media, too; the older one is a TikTok-er and the younger is all about the ‘Gram. What’s your most used emoji?

R: I use this one way more than I probably should.

J: As long as you don’t smack yourself first, then use the emoji, I guess it’s okay. Mine is this one….

J: I spend entirely too much time on social media, or playing games on my phone. Oh, and watching too much TV! Do you have a guilty pleasure?

R: In general, I love re-watching shows I’ve already seen (some favorites are Dexter, YOU, and Ozark). My favorite movie is probably Crazy Rich Asians.

J: I’m not big on rewatching, but I’ve seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club probably a dozen times each. Maybe Arrested Development was about me. Now, before I let you off the hook, we should talk a bit about the obligatory design stuff. Do you have a favourite season to design for?

R: Fall and winter are definitely my favorite seasons to design.

J: Oh, the possibilities are endless for those, aren’t they? If you could collaborate with any of the other GingerBread Ladies – past or present – who would it be?

R: I have collaborated with Connie Prince a few times. I would love to collaborate with Aprilisa Designs…I love her kits!

J: Well let’s put it out there and maybe it’ll come to be!! Thanks again for torturing yourself with me. I hope you have a GREAT Spotlight month! For the rest of you who have hung on to the bitter end, Rebecca is cohosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge for June with Aimee Harrison, in addition to her regular monthly Memory Mix Up Challenge. And she’s gifting us with a special Daily Download kit. Make sure you check out her June Buffet collection Beach Vibes; it looks like a mini-vacation! Oh, and she’s having a sale…

 

Stay tuned for a couple of new tutorials coming later in the month!

Designer Spotlight (June 2025)

Aimee Harrison

This month we again have TWO Designers in the Spotlight. Many of you already know Aimee, or have used her amazing designs, and she’s been in the Spotlight before, so our little chat took a bit of a meandering path. How so? You’ll see!

J: Aimee! It’s good to chat with you again. I apologize in advance if you hear my son cacking in the background. Things are still not back to normal here and he’s spending all his time with Mom. I’ve got a movie on for him and he’s nothing if not easily amused. Last time we visited, we talked about all the meat-and-potatoes stuff related to your designing, so this time, let’s do something a bit more informal. You okay with that? Oh wait… there are a couple of design-related things I wanted to ask about… Do you have a favourite theme or occasion that you always turn to when you’re designing?

A: I love to design flower types, I never run out.

J: Your flowers are always so gorgeous! You’ve clearly had lots of practice creating them. Do you have a favourite season or holiday that you MUST design for?

A: Spring because I love the colors and new growth.

J: I love all the seasons for different reasons, but spring is special, isn’t it? There’s so many ways you can portray spring and spring-like subjects, and still have it be relevant and coherent. You mentioned flowers and colour… do you have any design routines or rituals you follow when you start designing a new collection?

A: I am very methodical in my designing. I design the packs first in a certain order, then I design the kit and each portion is designed in order as well. Makes sure I have a well rounded kit and collection.

J: It makes sense to have a formula of sorts, to make sure you don’t forget an important aspect of the collection. Do you think you have a signature element or technique that makes people know instantly that YOU designed something?

A: I think it’s my titles both in the kit and as a standalone pack. Also probably my Alphas.

J: I know your titles are a great feature, especially for the new-to-digi Scrapper who might not be ready to design their own. And I LOVE a nice, matching Alpha!! The literal alpha, although there are some very fine Alpha men out there. 😉 Especially in those superhero movies I’ve been watching with Adam. If you could live in any fictional universe, which one would you choose?

A: Harry Potter, I would love how convenient magic is.

J: As long as you could control it completely, it sure would be convenient. Do you have a TV or movie guilty pleasure?

A: I do. It’s Outlander.

J: Mmmmhmmmm. Speaking of Alpha males! Although Brianna holds her own. Strong genes. She and Clare have had to adapt to such huge shifts in technology but they make it look easy. If you could instantly learn a new skill, what would you want it to be?

A: How to paint. I would love to be able to do watercolors especially.

J: Watercolour painting is fascinating. The way the colour moves with the water on the paper, and how it can be turned into something beautiful with just a few strokes… I could watch watercolour videos all day! Oh, and alcohol inks, They’re really interesting too. Lately I’ve been watching some how-to videos on my tablet while I get myself into the bedtime zone. I find I can turn off all the intrusive thoughts by concentrating on the processes. How do you unwind?

A: I like to read.

J: That would be my idea of a perfect day, to stay in bed and read.

A: I would live in pajamas if I could. For sure!

J: One thing I can’t do near bedtime though is listen to music. I find myself singing the lyrics in my head, over and over and sleep goes out the window. The other night I sang the entire eight minutes and forty-two seconds of American Pie. In my head. I think that would be my go-to if I ever did another karaoke night. Do you have one of those?

A: Jolene, by Dolly Parton, I believe. I don’t sing karaoke very often because I’m terrible lol.

J: I didn’t say I was good, just that I know all the lyrics. 😀 Karaoke is Adam’s favourite part of his day program. He makes up for his lack of talent with great enthusiasm. Speaking of Adam, I think his movie is over. I should check on him, I suppose. But before we end this little conversation, I want to remind our readers that Aimee will be hosting one arm of the June Designer Spotlight Challenge in addition to her regular, long-running Color Challenge. And she’s also giving us a stunning Daily Download! Don’t forget to check out her June Buffet collection Jardinière.

Aimee has a coupon!

 

Check back on the 4th for Part Two of this month’s Designer Spotlight, Twin Mom Scraps!

 

Tutorial Tuesday (Individual Style)

Challenge Spotlight: Wild About Styles

Well, so far May has been… a lot. My son has been ill, needing a lot of attention, and I’m mentally exhausted. He went back to his day program today, and I was awake half the night worrying that it might be too soon. So far, so good – no calls from the coordinator. Fingers crossed.

At the beginning of the month, glee asked me if I could help her figure out how to use Wetfish DesignsWild About Styles Challenge Styles, and I said I would. Then everything unravelled. Yesterday when I finally started to play with them, it dawned on me that I should let YOU be the tutors, and I’d offer some commentary. Brilliant, right? Why would I reinvent the wheel? So let’s have a look at how YOU’ve used them!

As always, the layouts to follow are linked to their spots in the Gallery so you can get a closer look, and maybe leave some praise. Just click on the Scrapper‘s user name and you’ll be transported. But before we get rolling, I should take a minute to discuss the Styles themselves. As you can see, some of them are heavily textured. They’re gorgeous as is, but aren’t scale-able – meaning the Style itself can’t be Resized. If you want the texture, but not the size, you’ll need to apply the Style to a paper or a solid Filled layer, Simplify the layer, THEN Resize. The Styles, when applied to objects, will not allow the contours of that object to be visible. They’re “flat”. This can be overcome by decreasing the Opacity of the Styled layer until the contours are revealed. And the third thing I want to mention is that what you see is what you get – solid, off-white texture. If you apply a Style from the set to a coloured paper, for example, the colour will be completely concealed. There are a couple of ways to colour the Styled layer. One is to drop a coloured (or patterned) paper on top of the Styled layer then decrease the Opacity of the paper layer until the texture appears. The second is to drop a coloured paper on top of the Styled layer then change the Blend Mode. Overlay works beautifully, but some of the others are also quite stunning. Color Burn, for example, gives a very sculpted look. So if you’re not seeing the look you want, don’t be afraid to experiment!

This is how the designer demonstrated her Styles.

Next up is this layout from VariaMoon. She chose the horizontal plank woodgrain Style, then added some paint splash and paw print Brushes to it, picking out the brick colour from her large photo.

For her layout, dhariana used a bunch! The vertical woodgrain is her base, and she’s used masks to add the floral and flourish-y textures to her background.

Here, lm44west took a similar approach. She’s added a semi-transparent lily overlay behind her photo.

01lousmith kept it simple; she used the vertical woodgrain coloured to look almost like pressure-treated lumber, and threw some paint at it. Very effective!

KatherineWoodin has recoloured the chrysanthemum Style yellow, likely by layering a solid yellow paper over the Style layer and using Overlay, to pick up her theme’s colour palette.

The chrysanthemum Style seems to be quite popular, used again here by greenfiend27. She created bilateral borders by layering lace over the Style but under her photo, all layers shadowed perfectly. The result is so pretty.

Pippin went with the flourish-y choice, creating a textured mat behind her framed photo. The original ivory colour of the Style works well with the elements she added.

FormbyGirl has a very subtle touch, using at least two Styles, blending them into the background. The result if soft and lovely.

Jill used the chrysanthemum Style and put it behind some very expertly shadowed cutouts. She also used the flourish-y Style to add dimension to her background.

The vertical woodgrain Style seems to be quite popular too; stater used it for her background with a dark blue paper blended into it, likely with the Multiply mode.

It looks like glee went ahead without me. 😀 She too went with the chrysanthemum, adding a blended deeply coloured paper border. Then she Clipped the flourish-y Style to her title. It took me quite some time to figure that darker border out.

5grand has created a sampler, with at least eight different Styles represented. She Clipped papers to some, left others as is and presented us with a visual feast!

 

For her layout, imafishtank kept it simple and just Clipped the flourish-y Style to her title. It gives the illusion of colour but I zoomed WAYYYY in, and it’s not!

RobynC is our last presenter. She used two of the Styles, one on her background and the other on her title.

Have you been inspired? I have!

Tutorial Tuesday (Photoshop Elements)

Greatest Hits: Weaving – the Digital Way

Ginger recently sent me request for a topic I’d already covered; this time the request came from Lavonne. Her request again resulted in Ginger sending me a link to this layout by trinanne; she used the March 2023 Challenge Brush and clipped her papers to it over and over. Of course, I had to take the long walk down the garden path instead… I had no idea it would end up being much more complex than at first glance. I tossed the first two attempts at making this a coherent process and I think you’ll find it’s not as bad as all the screenshots – and your faithful demonstrator – make it look. (However, this tutorial will require intermediate-to-expert familiarity with the Elements software.)

 

Now, obviously, if we’re weaving a bunch of papers or ribbons together, they’ll look best against a neutral solid background. I’m using 10 different patterned papers and a solid cardstock from the February 2023 Daily Download Noteworthy, from Miss Fish.

I decided it would work best for the way I was seeing this in my head if I created a bunch of paper strip Clipping Masks. If you’d rather use the Rectangular Marquee Tool to cut strips, that’s up to you. I want to have some variations in width, some crooked and torn edges, and one strip will have a deckle edge. (Instructions not included.) To make those individual features work best, the adjustments are made to the Mask to ensure the patterns on the papers aren’t distorted. I’ll be making a roughly 8 inch by 8 inch square, 10 strips in all. Here’s a tip: When using the Custom Shapes Tool you can specify dimensions and with only one click, you’ve got the desired shape in the desired size. I’m using a Width 8 inches, Height 1.5 inches for my first strip Mask.

Don’t forget that when using the Custom Shape Tool, the resulting shape is a Smart Object – it’s locked and can’t be altered unless you Simplify it. More recent versions of Elements includes a Simplify button bar in the Tool Options. If your version doesn’t show it there, right-click on the layer and choose Simplify Layer from the drop-down menu that appears.

Here I’ve created all 5 of my horizontal Clipping Mask layers. I’ve changed the foreground colour a bit for each to help keep them separate in my mind. You can see there are some thinner and some thicker strips. Next I’ll make 5 vertical strips the same way.

All 10 strips are there now. Let’s Clip some papers to them!

I know you all already know how to Clip papers to template spots but I’ll review anyway. With your paper right above the object you’re Clipping to, right-click on the paper layer and choose Create Clipping Mask. Alternately, you can use a keyboard shortcut. For versions 14 and earlier, CTRL/CMD>G will do it. For versions 15 and later, CTRL/CMD>ALT/OPT>G. My fingers just go there almost automatically now, I’ve used that shortcut so often.

Here are the 5 horizontal strips with their papers Clipped in place. The process is identical for the vertical strips.

Just like that.

I’ll show you how to make them look a little less deliberate in the next few screenshots. Here’s why I opted for Clipping Masks and not just Marqueeing out a bunch of strips. If I decided to Image>Transform>Skew a paper strip, the pattern would also Skew and it would look awful. So instead, I’ll Skew the Mask, giving it crooked ends, and the paper will stay unblemished. Skew only allows the corners to move in a single direction.

To make each paper strip more manageable, after I make my tweaks to the Mask, I’ll right-click>Merge the paper and Mask layers into a single layer. The shortcut is CTRL/CMD>E.

 

Here I’ve made a bit of a curved cut into the end of the Mask. The Smudge Tool will give that effect, or you could use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to Cut (CTRL/CMD>X) away a thin curved sliver. That method will give you a cleaner Cut.

Why not, indeed?

For this strip I used Image>Transform>Distort. With that command, each of the corners moves independently in all directions.

Another variation on the Smudge Tool.

Now let’s get to the WEAVE. First you’ll need to decide which strip to start with. I’m going to skip the first vertical strip and pass the pink striped strip then the multi-striped strip underneath my red-and-white horizontal strip. I Selected the edges of the first horizontal strip by CTRL/CMD>clicking on the layer thumbnail in the Layers Panel. Then I made the pink striped layer my active layer. To make it look like it passed behind the horizontal strip, Edit>Cut or CTRL/CMD>X removes that Selection from the pink striped paper.

 

Alternate this process for each of the horizontal layers.

Here is what it looks like before the dimension of shadowing is added.

Add a new, blank layer at the top of the stack of layers. This is where you’ll put your shadows. Decide where your light source is. That will determine where your shadows will lie. I like my light to come from the upper left, at 120°. Because some of my paper strips don’t have sharp, straight edges, I created custom shadows for those layers. (Custom Shadows – Jan’s Method) If you’re going with straight edges you can ignore that. Instead, use the Pencil Tool. For the horizontal strips, you’ll be drawing in your shadows inside the edges of the paper horizontally. For the vertical layers, you’ll be drawing your shadows inside the edges of those papers vertically. The Radius for your Pencil lines can be fairly small, since the papers will be laying tightly together. I used 4 pixels but 5 or even 8 won’t be too big. Set your Foreground Colour to black (000000) Click the cursor right inside the corner of the paper square you’re working with.

Then hold down the SHIFT key and click the cursor in the opposite corner. Here I’ve made a horizontal line. Don’t be too fussy about making it perfectly straight, because it’s not going to be noticeable later.

After you’ve got all your paper rectangles outlined in black, add a Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur to that layer.

 

Don’t go overboard here. The Blur is to soften the lines, not make them blend right into the paper! If you can’t see anything in the Preview Pane, click your cursor in a spot where you know there’s a line. It’ll pop up in the Preview Pane and you can gauge how far to Blur. 2.3 pixels worked well for me.

Last thing to do is to change the Blend Mode to Linear Burn and drop the Opacity to about 60% and it’s done! Now to decide how to use the weave…

You can Save this weave as a PSD to allow for alterations later, or as a PNG to preserve the transparent layer behind. Or you can just go ahead and scrap on top and around it. To add the Brushes as described below, Link all the layers of the weave to each other by highlighting all the layers (click on the first layer>hold down Shift>click on the last layer in the weave then click on the Link icon at the left of any of those layers) so they’re separate but connected.

If you really want the Challenge Brush look, create a horizontal stack of varied widths and lengths of the Brush on a new workspace with each Brush on its own layer so you can adjust them one at a time. Adjust them to suit your desired look; you can flip them, widen or narrow them, overlap them, whatever your mind’s eye desires. Create a second stack of vertical Brushes (you can change the angle of the Brush in the Tool Options to 90°) and adjust those. When you’ve got what you like, Merge (CTRL/CMD>E) the layers. This is your Clipping Mask.

Then Merge (CTRL/CMD>E) all the Brush layers. Move this newly created Clipping Mask onto your layout and position it underneath your weave. Then Clip to your weave. Ta DA! My screenshot shows just a plain paper Clipped to it and is only an example. All the adjustments you’ve made to your weave and the shadowing you’ve created will be preserved when you’ve Linked then Clipped.

If you have requests or ideas for future tutorials, you can contact me by Direct Message. In the Forum look for the envelope icon on the right, just above the blue band, then click on it. Down at the very bottom of the dropdown it’ll say Send Direct Message. My handle is ObiJanKenobi. Then if I have anything I need to clarify, we can chat!

Til next Tuesday!

Designer Spotlight: April 2025/2

Jumpstart Designs

Okay, so I’m going to warn you right from the jump… Sheri and I have known each other a LONG time, so this post is going to be … chatty. Maybe grab a beverage and a snack!

O: Sheri, remind me again, how long have you been designing?

J: Almost fourteen years!

O: I think I started collecting your designs very near the beginning. I have some kits and templates that go back to 2012! What motivates and inspires you when you sit down to create?

J: Color (sic), and spending time on Pinterest and similar sites. I always have a bunch of ideas of what I’d like to design and do differently but finding the extra time to play around with new ideas doesn’t seem to happen very often.

O: Pinterest can be such a rabbit hole! I have to limit my browsing time, otherwise nothing gets done. Time for the favourite child question. Do you have a current favourite kit in your store? <hyperlinked to Sheri‘s store!>

J: EARLY AUTUMN WHISPERS. Fall is my favorite time of year and I wish it could stay autumn all year long! I try to enjoy every minute of this season before the cold and snow sets in.

O: I LOVE that one!! I have the whole collection. I really like the way you use colour, and how your illustrations always fit the theme so perfectly. I also love fall, once I’ve got my garden put to bed and the days are still warm. It’s like life just slows down a bit. Since I’ve just given you a compliment, what’s the nicest thing someone has ever said about you?

J: That I must be a good mother because my children are awesome! Some days I question my parenting, but I’ll take that compliment any day!

O: Same, sister, same! What one word would your family and friends use to describe you?

J: Probably smart ass. LOL. Oops, that’s two words!

O: Well, I think it’s one word. Smartass, dumbass… right? I’d be called the same. Have been called the same. And other less savoury terms. Warning label?

J: WARNING: Subject prone to sarcasm!

O: This must be why we’re friends! Super power?

J: Being able to make time stand still.

O: Ooh, that’s a good one! But it could be dangerous in the wrong hands. You’d have to be careful when choosing when to stop the clock. Would it just be YOUR time that stops, or everybody’s? Yep, overthinking it again… Have you ever thought about time travel?

J: I’d go BACK IN TIME for sure! I’m not too thrilled with society these days. I think we’ve lost our collective minds and I fear for how things will be for my children and grandchildren. I miss the good old days when most people valued self-reliance, integrity, and knew how to be respectful of others.

O: Well said! Pair time travel with being able to stop time and we could have a much better world. With the way things are right now, it’s sure not Shangri La. Seems like the people with big money are running the world and that’s a bad thing… What would you do if you had lots of cash, like a lottery win?

J: Probably buy just enough property in the mountains to build a few little homes so my kids and grandkids could all live with me forever. If I had my way, they’d be with me no matter how old they get! Oh yeah…. And I guess saving for retirement might also be good idea so I don’t have earn a living until my last dying breath.

O: Mom and Nana Jan loves the idea of a family compound where all the people I love would be in one place. Labour organizer Jan would totally approve of your second goal. It’s something I tried really hard to get through to the young nurses I worked with who complained about having to contribute to the pension plans we had, and who didn’t want to put away a little money now in a retirement savings plan that our employer would match, to have a nest egg for later. If they could see my retirement investments now, after I’ve already been retired nearly 6 years, they’d maybe understand. It’s always a good plan to save for the day when you don’t have employment income. Now, let me slink down off my soapbox. Time for a fun topic: sing or dance in the shower?

J: Neither! I’d probably trip and fall over the edge of the tub, and God help anyone who’d have to hear my voice! That’s one talent I did NOT inherit from my parents. They were both musical and had a country-western band for many years. They were even good enough to play for President Ronald Reagan when he came through town back in the day, but it’s better for everyone if I don’t attempt singing myself! LOL

O: I do both! I have a waterproof Bluetooth speaker in the bathroom, Sirius XM on my phone and a gigantic shower stall. I mostly go with 60s and 70s hits and belt ’em out at the top of my lungs. Don’t care if the neighbours hear me either! When The Drifters start into On the Boardwalk, I can’t stay still. I love country music too; maybe I’ve heard something your parents have done. Since you’re from a musical family, can I assume you play an instrument?

J: I played the piano for many years but haven’t touched one in a long time. I also bang on our bongo drums now and then and have always thought it would be fun to be a drummer.

O: My husband fancies himself a drummer, and even has drumsticks. But no drums… he just bangs on tables, books, couch cushions and sometimes (gently, with just his hands) on our son’s belly. What’s your dream car?

J: I’m and SUV sort of gal but ultimately I’d just like one that’s paid for, haha.

O: We downsized to one vehicle this time last year. We need an SUV or station wagon (I don’t think they make them any more) because of our son’s wheelchair so I put a lot of research into what we chose. We traded in my nine-year-old Escape and hubby’s six-year-old Fusion for a 2024 Kia Seltos and it’s great! We didn’t have to come up with a ton of cash either; the trades were quite generous. Even with the chair in the cargo area, I can haul a LOT of groceries! If you could only eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would you go for?

J: Homemade tacos! Actually, anything Mexican with lots of cheese!

O: Mmmm, tacos!! I love a good fish taco myself. I’m not sure what I’d choose if I had to though. Gotta watch that good old Hemoglobin A1C… getting old really isn’t ideal. Other than necessities, what’s the one thing you couldn’t live without?

J: Hugs from my grandkids!

O: Yep, that’s it right there! Speaking of, I think I hear them now. Go get you some hugs, Grandma! Thanks for the chat!!

Now, before I forget, Jumpstart Designs is providing one of the Daily Download kits here on the Blog. She’s also one of the hosts of the Designer Spotlight Challenge in addition to her regular monthly Jumpstart Your Layouts Challenge – where you get a free minikit every month Are you playing along with that one? You should!! Don’t miss out on the COUPON either!!