GingerBread Ladies

Designer Spotlight August 2024

August 3, 2024 by Jan

Magical Scraps Galore!

Well, here we are staring August in the face. I’m not going to lie, I have quite a bit of anxiety when I remember last August, and the wildfire we faced then. Thankfully this year I have the Olympics to distract me. I don’t usually watch much in the way of sports, and the Olympics is no exception, but this year, here I am, glued to my chair watching even sports I don’t like (looking at you, soccer!) and getting loud and proud of our athletes. That’s why this Blog post is a bit behind my original plan. But not TOO late! Let’s meet Marina, the designer known as Magical Scraps Galore. [editor’s note: Any coloured text in bold and underlined is hyperlinked for your viewing pleasure.] Our conversation took place before the Games started so I’m working from memory. 😉

J: Marina, thanks for giving me the opportunity to shine the Spotlight on you and your work. Why don’t we get the mundane stuff out of the way first, then we can get to know YOU. When did you get bitten by the design bug?

M: I’ve been designing for 13 years now!

J: That’s a good long time. I guess it explains the depth and breadth of your GingerScraps shop! What was the catalyst for you?

M: I started creating my own digital papers and embellishments for scrapping our second trip to Disney World, since the digital offerings were very limited back then. It didn’t take long to realize that scrapbook design was my passion, and I started participating in the design challenges hosted by MouseScrappers. I opened my first shop in 2013 and I’ve been part of the wonderful GingerScraps family since 2014.

J: I joined the GS family at the end of April, 2013, so we’re cohorts in a way. This truly IS the friendliest scrapping community on the Web. I work on a laptop seated in a comfy armchair in my living room. What does your workspace look like?

M: I design in my studio at home, with my three cats sleeping by my computer or on my lap. Sometimes they like to sleep ON my computer and they mess with my designs, LOL! I have to be very careful but I just love them! I use Photoshop, Illustrator, Procreate, and ArtRage.

J: What kinds of things motivate you when you sit down to create?

M: My main motivation and inspiration are my kids and my trips around the world.

J: Same! Many of my layouts are trip-related or have either my kids or grandkids in them. I’m busy creating a memoir for my sister, who travelled to the East Coast last year, for Christmas and love to scrap travel photos. What would your perfect vacation look like?

M: My perfect vacation is a road trip with my family, hiking national parks and visiting small towns along the way.

J: I live in a tourist destination! This year has been quieter than usual, I think because of our wildfire last year. People are scared, rightfully so. Not a fun topic at all, so let’s change it up. Do you have a favourite kit in your shop?

M: What a hard question! It’s hard to pick just one, it’s like choosing your favorite child, LOL … I have several kits that I love, especially my travel collection, but one of my favorite kits is Magical Memories, it’s all about my happy place and it’s a reminder of all the magical moments I spent there with my family.

J: Everybody says that, but what a fun collection!! I’ve been to Disneyland twice, once when I was about 12, and again in 1988 with my kids. I should dig out all those photos and do something with them. What did you want to be when you grew up?

M: I wanted to be a flight attendant or a rock star.

J: And here you are, a travelling rock-star digital scrapbooking designer! What super-power would you wish for?

M: Teleportation, so I can travel anywhere in no time and with no jet lag!

J: Amen sister! That would make life so much simpler. And healthier! One last question. If you had a warning label, what would it say?

M: Warning: Crazy cat lady!! LOL! I’m a huge cat lover, and if my family would let me, I’d have 10 cats or more!

J: If current events are any indication, you’re in good company! I’m not a cat fancier, but our neighbours have two beauties who sit on their deck and drive my dogs batty. Thanks so much again for chatting with me. I hope your Spotlight brings you all the best kind of attention in the Shop and the Forum.

Marina is not just the Spotlight Designer for August, she’s also providing the Daily Download. Each day a link for the day’s pieces is posted on the Blog, and it stays active for a full 5 days so you don’t have to worry if you miss a day. If you find you’ve missed a bunch of days, the entire kit will be released in the Shop at a later date. In addition to her monthly Surprise Challenge, she’s also hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge this month too… just in time for the Summer GingerScraps Scrap-a-Thon! Check them out, they’re ALWAYS fun!!

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Creative Style, Daily Download, Digital Scrapbooking, Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, Feature Designer, GingerBread Ladies, Product/Designer Spotlight Tagged With: Designer Spotlight

GingerScraps: New FREE with Purchase Collab, New Monthly Mix, New Challenge Reward, Scrap-a-thon & More!!

August 1, 2024 by Stephanie MH

It is the 1st of the month and you know what that means; a huge, exciting newsletter! We have a New Buffet, New Monthly Mix, New Free With Purchase Collab, New Challenge Reward, a New Daily Download on the GingerScraps Blog, and the {Summer} Scrap-a-Thon!

SUMMER Scrap-A-Thon AUGUST {2024}

Don’t forget to check out the Buffet Bundles. One easy click to add bundles of Buffet goodies to your cart.

This month’s colors are a perfect transition from summer to fall. Remember that you can mix and match these kits to get just what you need.

Remember any $10 spent in the store gets you this great collab.

This Free With Purchase was created by CathyK Designs, J. Conlon and Sons, Kristmess, Lisa Rosa Designs, and Twin Mom Scraps.

Celebrate your shopping adventures with “Let’s Shop,” a digital scrapbooking collab by The GingerBread Ladies! Perfect for all your shopping trip photos, this kit includes everything you need to capture the excitement of a day out. Featuring shopping carts, bags, sale tags, money, and more, “Let’s Shop” provides all the elements to create stylish and fun scrapbook pages. Turn your retail therapy moments into cherished memories with this fabulous collab.

This collab includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 59 Papers, and 100 Elements.

This Monthly Mix was created by JB Studio, Just So Scrappy, Miss Fish Templates, Neia Scraps, and Sweet Pea Designs.

Embrace the coastal charm with “Salty Little Beach,” a digital scrapbooking collab by The GingerBread Ladies! Perfect for all your beach photos, this kit is infused with sand, sun, and surf elements, capturing the essence of your beach vacations. Whether you’re building sandcastles or soaking up the sun, “Salty Little Beach” provides everything you need to create vibrant, beachy scrapbook pages. Turn your seaside adventures into lasting memories with this delightful, beach-themed collab.

This kit includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 79 Papers, and 117 Elements.

Now to the August Daily Download Sneak Peek. This month’s Daily Download is from Magical Scraps Galore! Make sure you are checking the blog every day to get all the pieces of this kit!

Take a look at the new challenge reward kit. If you complete any 10 challenges this month, you get this gorgeous collab as a reward!

This Challenge Reward was created by Aprilisa Designs, Jumpstart Designs, Scrappin’ Serenity, and WM[squared] Designs.

Document your daily adventures with “On The Record,” a digital scrapbooking collab by The GingerBread Ladies! Perfect for capturing everyday moments, this kit is packed with essential scrapping basics. “On The Record” provides everything you need to create beautiful and organized scrapbook pages. Keep your memories fresh and detailed with this versatile and practical collab.

This kit includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 45 Papers, and 96 Elements.

Special for the {Summer} Scrap-a-Thon, complete 20 challenges during the month of August and receive the August Challenge Reward and the Sun-Kissed Memories Mega.

Capture your sun-soaked adventures with “Sun-Kissed Memories,” a digital scrapbooking MEGA collab by The GingerBread Ladies! Perfect for all your beach photos and summer fun, this extensive kit is brimming with vibrant, summery elements. From sandy shores to playful waves, “Sun-Kissed Memories” offers everything you need to create stunning scrapbook pages that celebrate the joy and warmth of summer. Turn your beach days and sunny escapades into treasured keepsakes with this ultimate summer collab.

This kit includes: 2 Alphas {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 113 Papers 12×12 {Including Coordinating Cardstock & Coordinating Glitter Sheets}, 185 Elements {Including Journal Cards, Ribbons, Flowers, Trims, Wordart, SO much more!}, 1 12×12 Template {page, png, psd, tif file formats}.

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies Tagged With: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies

GingerScraps Fresh Baked: July 26, 2024

July 26, 2024 by Stephanie MH

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you’ve had a wonderful week.

Remember any $10 spent in the store gets you this great collab.

Let see what pretties we have this week.

We had so much fun with the {Spring} Scrap-a-thon that we are having another one in August. See the forum for information on the {Summer} Scrap-a-Thon.

{SUMMER} SCRAP-A-THON

How are your challenges going? Complete any 10 challenges to get this kit as a reward.

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies Tagged With: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies

GingerScraps Fresh Baked: July 19, 2024

July 19, 2024 by Stephanie MH

Happy Friday friends. We’re almost at the weekend. And already halfway through July. Make sure you read all the way to the end for some sneak peek news.

Remember any $10 spent in the store gets you this great collab.

Let’s see what is new this week. I’m seeing quite a few Christmas in July kits.

We had so much fun with the {Spring} Scrap-a-thon that we are having another one in August. See the forum for information on the {Summer} Scrap-a-Thon.

{SUMMER} SCRAP-A-THON

Have you grabbed the July Monthly Mix? Only a little bit longer to get it at the sale price.

How are your challenges going? Complete any 10 challenges to get this kit as a reward.

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies Tagged With: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies

Tutorial Tuesday (Individual Style)

July 16, 2024 by Jan

Challenge Spotlight: Recipe

It’s time again to shine the spotlight on all of YOU! But first… did y’all get your Prime Day shopping done? 😀 I paid my credit card off yesterday so I’d have a wide-open window. 😉

Let’s get down to business. This month the Challenge in the Spotlight is the Recipe Challenge, which is hosted by Sweet Pea Designs. It’s a good Challenge for a Blog post, since all the participants are working from the same set of required elements. So I’ll be taking a close look at each of the layouts to find each of the things on Penny‘s list. The layouts will appear in the order they were uploaded to the Challenge Gallery, and as usual, they’ll be linked to the Gallery so you can get a closer look. Just click on the Scrapper‘s name and you’ll be zoomed right to their layout. (Anything I underline will be a hot link!)

First up is this pretty layout from alexandergirl68. She’s definitely got 5 papers there, a tiny string heart, a ribbon bow and there are flairs on her title. banner Single photo, frame, 2 clusters and border, check. I had to zoom in to see that the heart on the frame is made of beads, check! And the theme is perfectly represented.

Let’s look at this one from snickels next. She’s used 2 photos, one with a thin white frame and one masked. Check! One of her 5 papers has been clipped to her border. Clever! Beads are all over the place, I’m guessing the string is holding up her birthday banner and she found a birthday flair to coordinate. Bow, yep; 2 clusters, yep; looks like all the boxes are ticked!

GrannyNKy‘s layout is so feminine! Like snickels, she has clipped one of her papers to an overlay. I like how she’s interpreted the “photo with frame” by putting the frame behind her photo. 10 points! I see 2 clusters, 2 bows – one of string, several flairs, a lovely banner, some paper borders and a celebratory theme. The beads are there, scattered under the larger cluster. Zoom in if you don’t see them. Full marks.

Katherine Woodin‘s clebration isn’t obvious, but it’s everywhere in her journaling. I had to look really hard to see all 5 papers, which is a sign of a crafty Scrapper. The rest of the required elements are much more easily spotted. That happy face emoji flair cracks me up.

I didn’t have to look too closely to see the theme for dj_w‘s layout. Every one of the listed ingredients is easily identified. Good job!

Macsandy had me squinting… she used a string of beads and I overlooked them 3 times! I love the stamped-heart border she chose and her clusters are perfection. This might be my favourite of the six layouts I found for this Challenge.

One thing I noticed about these layouts is that four of them have a similar colour palette, which has to be a coincidence.

I hope everyone is safe from all the weather-related events we’re seeing. Last night’s derecho was pretty frightening. We’re seeing quite a bit of smoke today, as we head into week 3 of 90+°F temps. I’ll be driving up to have what might be my last visit with my dad later this week… he’s tired of feeling unwell and is talking about being “ready to go”. So if I miss a post, that might be the reason. Stay cool and stay safe, my friends.

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Challenge Spotlight, Creative Style, Digital Scrapbooking, GingerBread Ladies, Spotlight Challenge, Tutorials Tagged With: Tutorial Tuesday

GingerScraps Fresh Baked: July 12, 2024

July 12, 2024 by Stephanie MH

Here we are at another Friday. These weeks are just flying by. I feel like it was just Monday.

Remember any $10 spent in the store gets you this great collab.

What’s new in the store this week?

How are your challenges going? Complete any 10 for this kit as a reward!

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies Tagged With: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies

Designer Spotlight July 2024

July 7, 2024 by Jan

Designs by Lisa Minor

Has all the early July dust settled for you yet? We’ve slid into another heat dome and it’s hellaciously hot here. I know we’re not the only ones facing that right now; I thank heaven we’re not in Tornado Alley or in the path of Hurricane Beryl. Be safe, folks!!

I waited until now to share this convo I had with Lisa Minor because there was SO much going on the last week and I didn’t want it to be lost in the shuffle. Lisa and I have visited before, but we always find a way to keep it fresh. 😉 We started off with the usual ordinary stuff – I asked Lisa to tell me about her design space.

L: My workplace is in my kitchen with a view of our backyard, it’s a huge custom desk my oldest built for me.

J: Ooh, how nice is that? My craft space has a huge custom desk in it that I threw together with pieces from Michaels and a tabletop for Home Depot. I’m still moving things around to make it efficient. I think it’s almost there. I’ve been making a LOT of personalized cards for family members and July is the month with the most occasions. What kinds of things motivate or inspire your creativity?

L: Color, Color, Color! The bolder the better.

J: Yes! Colour is the foundation of art. What colours are your go-tos, and which do you avoid?

L: I love BLUE, it’s flexible and easy to work with as a designer and a scrapbooker. I think my least favorite is yellow. It’s difficult to find a good shade of yellow that goes with everything.

J: Same! But having said that, I made a birthday card for my son-in-law that has a gorgeous blend of Peacock Feathers, Lucky Clover and Twisted Citron Distress inks. Twisted Citron is definitely yellow and I love the way the card turned out. The anniversary card I made for my daughter and other son-in-law also has a bunch of yellow on it, but the main palette is teal. Anyway……….. Tell me about your dream vacation.

L: I would love to go to Ireland! It’s on my bucket list.

J: I think you know that I’ve been there twice, right? Let me know if you need any tips! Don’t kiss the Blarney stone – it’s gross! I really want to get back there one more time before I get too feeble. I’ve narrowed down the area where my mystery ancestor was born and need to see it for myself. It would be so much easier if I had a time machine and could just ask him. If time travel was possible, would you go back in time or ahead?

L: I would go back and spend more time with my Grandma Flo! I miss her and would love to hear more from her about her life.

J: I don’t think I would want to know the future. I think it could ruin the present – but could be useful at the track. Are you a sports fan?

L: I love watching men’s soccer! Those guys are ripped, lol!

J: Not for me, although Canada is playing really well at the Copa América. I’m more of a winter sports person, although I do enjoy baseball. One of my girls played ladies fastball when she was a teenager and was on a AA team until she broke her elbow. Long story… What did you want to be when you were small?

L: I always just wanted to be a Mom – Wish Granted!

J: It’s the hardest job anyone can have, but definitely worth it! Fastball Daughter has always been a bit of a challenge and now she’s an adult, she’s finding out she has allergies, food intolerances and is neurodiverse, so a lot of things finally make sense. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

L: If I could broaden this a little, it would be ANYTHING pasta!

J: How do you feel about gluten-free pasta? 😀 I bet Fastball Daughter would love to be able to eat pasta again. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?

L: I would like to be about 6 inches taller.

J: I already tower over my mother and sisters and am nearly as tall as my dad an brother, so that’s a hard pass for me! Now for the sill question most of my guests love to answer. Are you more likely to sing, or dance, in the shower?

L: Sing of course!

J: I love how my voice sounds in my big glass shower. Otherwise not so much. Thanks for chatting today, Lisa! Have a great Designer Spotlight month.

For our readers, don’t go away yet! Lisa has a very colourful Daily Download for us, links here on the Blog. Each segment’s link is active for 5 days, so if you miss a day or two you can still collect all the parts. If you just can’t check the Blog every day or you forget, the entire kit will appear in Lisa‘s shop for purchase at a later date. She is also hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge this month in addition to her Pinterest Challenge. (Click the links!) But that’s not all! She has a coupon for y’all, so go take a gander at her shop. (Click the link!)

Now, before it gets too hot, I should water my patio pots!

GingerScraps Fresh Baked: July 5, 2024

July 5, 2024 by Stephanie MH

Happy Friday everyone! Are you looking forward to the weekend? I sure am.

Remember any $10 spent in the store gets you this great collab.

Let’s see what we have new in the store this week.

Have you started on the challenges? Complete any 10 for this kit as a reward!

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies Tagged With: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies

GingerScraps: New FREE with Purchase Collab, New Monthly Mix, New Challenge Reward, New Guest Designer & More!!

July 1, 2024 by Stephanie MH

Don’t forget to check out the Buffet Bundles. One easy click to add bundles of Buffet goodies to your cart.

I love the blues in this. We have a great combination of beach and patriotic in this months kits. Remember that you can mix and match these kits to get just what you need.

Remember any $10 spent in the store gets you this great collab.

Discover the “Retro Summer” Digital Scrapbooking Collab by The GingerBread Ladies! Perfect for preserving your summer memories, this kit is packed with nostalgic, sun-soaked elements like shells, flip flops, classic cars, popsicles, and beachside cocktails. Whether you’re lounging on the beach or cruising in a vintage car, “Retro Summer” provides everything you need to create vibrant, fun-filled scrapbook pages. Capture the essence of summer’s carefree days with “Retro Summer” – where every moment is a sunny memory.

This Free With Purchase was created by Chere Kaye Designs, Cindy Ritter Designs, LDragDesigns, and Scrapbookcrazy Creations by Robyn.

This collab includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 58 Papers, 83 Elements.

“Hike and Bike” by The GingerBread Ladies! Perfect for capturing the essence of your outdoor adventures, this kit is designed to beautifully showcase your hiking and biking memories. Packed with vibrant, nature-inspired elements and versatile embellishments, “Hike and Bike” brings your outdoor photos to life. Whether you’re trekking through forests or cycling along mountain trails, this kit provides everything you need to create stunning digital scrapbook pages. Celebrate your love for the great outdoors with “Hike and Bike” – where every adventure becomes a cherished memory.

This Monthly Mix was created by Aimee Harrison, DFD By Trina, Designs by Lisa Minor, and Let Me Scrapbook.

This kit includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 54 Papers, 90 Elements, and 4 12×12 Template {png, psd, tif file formats}.

Now to the July Daily Download Sneak Peek. This month’s Daily Download is from Designs by Lisa Minor! Make sure you are checking the blog every day to get all the pieces of this kit!

We have a new guest designer for July.

Wetfish Designs

BIO:
My Name is Cyndi Wetmiller and I design under the name Wetfish Designs. I’m from Pittsburgh originally, and I tell everyone I bleed “black and gold.” Now that I live in Central PA I have to put up with all the Philadelphia Eagles, Phillies and Flyers fans.

I started designing many years ago and was active in several shops. I took a break to homeschool my boys, and now that one has graduated and the other will graduate this year, I wanted to get back into it. A lot has changed since I used to design and I’m slowly getting the swing of things.

I’m a photographer specializing right now in sports photography. I help out our school district during the school year by photographing all the sports events. If I’m lucky I get to photograph the marching band and various student groups that participate in half time events. I never saw myself at my age being down on the football sidelines photographing games, but here I am and I love it. My favorite sports to photograph are baseball, softball and golf.

Aside from being busy with my kids and photography, I love to crochet and read. I read a lot. My favorite genre is Historical Fiction. I have a slight addiction to BookTubers on YouTube .

Take a look at the new challenge reward kit. If you complete any 10 challenges this month, you get this gorgeous collab as a reward!

Dive into creativity with the “Friends In The Ocean” Digital Scrapbooking Collab by The GingerBread Ladies! Perfect for all your beach adventures, ocean explorations, and trips to the aquarium, this kit includes a delightful collection of ocean-themed elements. Featuring whales, puffer fish, waves, sand, seaweed, fish, starfish, crabs, and more, “Friends In The Ocean” provides everything you need to craft enchanting scrapbook pages. Capture the magic of the sea and turn your aquatic memories into lasting treasures with this versatile kit.

This Challenge Reward was created by CarolW Designs, Craft-tastrophic, Ilonkas Designs, and Moore Blessings Digital Design.

This kit includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 57 Papers, 88 Elements.

Take a look at some samples from our store CT using the Challenge Reward kit.