GingerBread Ladies

Designer Spotlight: August 2023

August 3, 2023 by Jan

Cindy Ritter Designs!

Remember my comment about updates in Tuesday’s Tutorial, that they mess things up? Well… it happened again. I couldn’t find my notes for this post. <fuming> All is not lost though. I’ve been able to recreate them. Now, let’s get to know Cindy Ritter a bit better!

Cindy and I chatted at length last week over margaritas on the patio. We got the housekeeping stuff out of the way early, so we could really dish later.

J: What do you use to create your designs?

C: I primarily use Photoshop but am trying to learn to use Illustrator and a tablet. I also use various types of paints, pens, papers and my scanner to create unique products.

J: It can be really challenging to learn new software. I’m trying to wrap my head around Cricut Design Space right now and really wishing there was a common lingo for these applications. I mean, what the heck does “weld” mean, and why didn’t they go with “merge”? I think I’ll need a glossary… Okay, now that we know HOW you work, let’s talk about WHY. What motivates and inspires you as a designer?

C: Most often I am inspired by music, my emotions and color. I absolutely have to have music when I’m working.

J: Oh, me too! I’m often inspired by song lyrics I find especially resonant. Tell me about your favourite kit in the GingerScraps store. Let me guess… it came to you in a song. 😉

C: My favorite is the Beautiful Struggle collection. It WAS inspired by the song “Beauty in the Struggle” by Brian Martin. Like many women, my life has been a series of struggles and challenges, so for me it was very personal. I collaborated with Aimee Harrison and Cheré Kaye and really enjoyed working with both of them.

J: It’s amazing! I LOVE IT!! (I linked it for our readers – just click on the title above and you’ll go right to the collection.) Honestly, who among us hasn’t struggled at one time or another? I think I might be able to guess your answer for this next nosy question: What are your most favorite and least favorite colors?

C: My favorite colors are greens, yellows and orange, I really don’t like pinks and purples.

J: Ladies, take a look at the collection… See any pink or purple? Me neither! Cindy, since you love green, do you have a green thumb? What do you grow?

C: I have a fairly green thumb and do pretty well with green and blooming plants but I don’t have much luck growing anything edible. I live in an apartment so I do container gardening and love growing anything blooming that can survive the heat of Mississippi summers. My current favorites in my garden are Hibiscus, Rock Trumpet, and Bromeliads.

J: In Mississippi you get heat AND humidity. Here, we get the heat but it’s tinder-dry, which is why there’s so much smoke in the air all the time. <sigh> Our HOA has very strict rules about planting anything that isn’t drought-tolerant and every house has drip irrigation to minimize water use. Water is one of the necessities of life for everything. Aside from necessities, what is one thing could you not go a day without?

C: My cats! All 3 are rescues who weren’t old enough to be away from the mama cat when I got them. Bowie and Ziggy have both been with us for over a year now. Our most recent rescue, Phoenix, was only 4-5 weeks old and under a pound when we got him recently. He was brought to us on July 18th by a neighbor who found him injured in her driveway. Apparently she knows I’m a crazy cat lady. Lol

J: I’m not a cat person, but I get the desire to take care of living things who can’t take care of themselves. That’s why I was a nurse for 25 years. 😉 Perfect segué… What did you want to be when you were small?

C: As a child I dreamed of being an artist. I spent most of my working years as a floral designer and also worked as a graphic designer. After I retired I taught myself scrapbook design. My childhood dream is my reality.

J: That’s fantastic! Who says dreams don’t come true? As a fellow retired person, I have so many things that fill my days. Are you a sports fan, or a gamer?

C: I love to play Cribbage. My grandmother taught me to play when I was young and now that she’s gone it brings back pleasant memories of time spent with her. I’ve taught my grandson to play and I hope that years from now playing cribbage will hold pleasant memories for him.

J: Ooh, yes!! I learned to play Cribbage when I was about 10, but I don’t play it well. My late father-in-law skunked me almost every time. When we had a family retreat for my parents’ 60th anniversary, we taught our son-in-law to play. He’s brilliant and caught on right away, now he loves it too! We also got him interested in curling. Such a Canadian thing. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

C: I’m torn between teleportation and time manipulation. Having ADHD, I get distracted very easily and am usually running behind schedule. Both of those would be helpful in getting things done and getting where I need to be on time.

J: I grew up in a military household, so if you’re only 10 minutes early for something, you’re already late. Teleportation would really be a boon for that! I’m also a serious procrastinator, which means I spend a lot of time in conflict with myself. What would you do if you won the lottery?

C: Give each of my kids a house and the money for college. Anything left I would use to help the homeless.

J: Every time I ask that question of designers, I get a variation on those answers. Which leads me to remind everybody that Cindy is providing this month’s Daily Download (and it’s a-freakin’-mazing!) and has already posted a template freebie on the GingerScraps Facebook page. If you’re on FB and haven’t seen it, LOOK FOR IT! You won’t be disappointed! Of course, Cindy is also hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge this month, in addition to her usual Real Moments Challenge. But if all of THAT wasn’t enough, she’s also put her entire store on sale at 40% off (with bundles and collabs excluded, naturally). But wait! There’s even MORE… Spend $12 or more and you can get an ADDITIONAL 15% off with the coupon code SD_cindy_8-23. What are you waiting for? Go shopping!!!!!!!!! (If you see me with a cartful, just look the other way, okay?)

Cindy, thanks for letting us have a peek into your world. Have a fabulous Spotlight month!!

WordPress is being snarky today… no signature line. Love JAN

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

GingerScraps: New FREE with Purchase Collab, New Monthly Mix, NEW Designer & More!!

August 1, 2023 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, New Daily Download on the GingerScraps Blog, & a New Permanent Designer!

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

I think I say this every month, but these buffet colors are just amazing. And with the buffet kits, you can mix and match to get the perfect kit for you.

Remember any $10 spent in the store gets you this great collab. I’m ready for a {cookout}.

This Free With Purchase was created by Adrienne Skelton, Kristmess, Lisa Rosa Designs, Scrapbookcrazy Creations by Robyn, and J. Conlon and Sons.

This collab includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 54 Papers, 93 Elements.

The August Monthly Mix is filled with {summer treats}!

This Monthly Mix was created by Dear Friends Designs by Trina, JB Studio, Just So Scrappy, and Neia Scraps.

This collab includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 48 Papers, 64 Elements, 4 12×12 Template {png, psd, tif file formats}.

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

We are happy to announce that WM[squared] is staying on permantly to become part of the GingerScraps family.

Are you ready for the August challenges? Remember any 10 completed challenges gets you this great kit.

This Challenge Reward was created by Aprilisa Designs, Jumpstart Designs, Miss Fish Templates, ScrapChat Designs, and Sweet Pea Designs.

This collab includes 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 62 Papers, 98 Elements, 4 12×12 Templates {png, psd, tif file formats}.

And now a few layouts from our great store CT. These were all made using different pieces from the August Buffet.

Filed Under: Buffet, Digital Scrapbooking, GingerBread Ladies Tagged With: buffet, Digital Scrapbooking, GingerBread Ladies

July 28, 2023: Fresh Baked

July 28, 2023 by Stephanie MH

Happy Friday. It’s hard to believe we are almost at the end of another month. I think they just pass faster and faster.

Remember, if you spend $10 in the store, you will get this great kit for free.

Let’s take a peek at what is new in the store this week.

Are you still working on your challenges? Complete any 10 challenges and you will get this kit as a reward.

ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT!!

Don’t forget this limited time offer to get 35% off one of the amazing classes at The Digital Scrapper! We have joined forces to bring you this extraordinary opportunity!

In this class, Syndee Rogers, from The Digital Scrapper, will gently guide you through settings, brushes, patterns, papers, and more! Now you can stop avoiding the Pattern Stamp tool and start using it to create stunning scrapbook pages.

LIMITED TIME – SAVE 35% on Painting with Patterns! Exclusively from GingerScraps! On sale now through July 31, 2023, Midnight Eastern.

Painting With Patterns includes:

17 videos for both PS & PSE
Closed captioning (optional) while streaming
15 brushes, 19 patterns, 7 papers, 8 elements
1 word art, 1 style set, 1 template & 5 photos
Challenge Tracker for motivation
Syndee’s Keep It Tidy System for organization
Instant & FOREVER Access
Our 30-day Satisfaction Guarantee

Is Painting With Patterns for you? It’s for all styles of scrapbooking. It’s for beginners. It’s for the more advanced. It’s for scrapbookers, card makers and budding designers! If you have Adobe Photoshop or PSE 2019 or newer, then this class is for you.

Questions about Painting With Patterns? Contact Syndee Rogers

Remember that is exclusive 35% off discount ends July 31, 2023

Stay tuned for more updates, and get ready to unleash your creativity with GingerScraps and The Digital Scrapper. Together, we’ll transform your digital scrapbooking projects into breathtaking works of art!

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

July 21, 2023: Fresh Baked

July 21, 2023 by Stephanie MH

Welcome to another Friday, but we have a treat for you today. Today starts our Christmas in July sale.

The store is 50% off site-wide (with some restrictions) until 11:59 pm on July 27. Make sure you have checked out before 11:59 pm because the Christmas magic will be gone and all prices will go back to normal.

And with that great sale, it should be easy for you to hit $10 spent. Spend $10 in the store and get this great kit for free.

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

Are you still working on your challenges? Complete any 10 challenges (and there are 34 different challenges) will get you this kit as a reward.

Don’t forget this limited time offer to get 35% off one of the amazing classes at The Digital Scrapper! We have joined forces to bring you this extraordinary opportunity!

LIMITED TIME – SAVE 35% on Painting with Patterns! Exclusively from GingerScraps! On sale now through July 31, 2023, Midnight Eastern.

Painting With Patterns includes:

17 videos for both PS & PSE
Closed captioning (optional) while streaming
15 brushes, 19 patterns, 7 papers, 8 elements
1 word art, 1 style set, 1 template & 5 photos
Challenge Tracker for motivation
Syndee’s Keep It Tidy System for organization
Instant & FOREVER Access
Our 30-day Satisfaction Guarantee

Questions about Painting With Patterns? Contact Syndee Rogers

Remember that is exclusive 35% off discount ends July 31, 2023

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

Tutorial Tuesday (Individual Style)

July 18, 2023 by Jan

Challenge Spotlight: Word Art

I feel like we’ve done a Word Art Challenge Spotlight not that long ago, but when I looked at the layouts in the Gallery, I just had to choose it for this month’s Spotlight. You’ll see why once I get all them all into this post.

Challenges are a great way to grow your scrapping skills. They encourage creativity and highlight individual style. They can also be a good way to break out of a slump by motivating us to think about what we have in our stash and how we could make it fit into a specific Challenge. Several of the Challenges at GingerScraps include freebies: #2023, Brush, Created with Rewards, Daily Download, Font, Jumpstart Your Layouts, Mini Kit, Memory Mix Up, Photomask, Template (there are 3!), Use It All and Word Art all provide you with some building blocks for zero dollars. (I’ve linked all of the freebie-included Challenges for you.) These are the Challenges that really offer the best insights into individual style because everybody is working with the same key items.

The layouts I’ll show you have been taken from the Gallery in the order they were posted. As always, I’ve linked each layout to its spot in the Gallery for those inclined to take a closer look or to leave some comments. Just click on the scrapper’s user name. Cheré has provided 2 separate versions of the word art, the teal one as shown above and a grey-scale that can be recoloured as desired. Let’s see how they’ve put Cheré‘s word art creation to use.

First off the hop is justpennys. Her layout is a photoless, minimalist one where her Top 3 are things she likes about herself. The teal word art is her choice.

KAPOH has recoloured the word art a vivid yellow to mirror the topic of her layout. It’s clear she’s a soccer fan!

Here, we can see that wvufan04 used the grey-scale version and left it as is. It works beautifully with the theme of her layout, favourite photos of grandparents. I love that line drawing of the antique sedan.

For her layout, fontaine surveyed her family to list their Top 3 places they’d visited together. Glacier National Park got the most votes. She used the teal version of the word art and kept the layout simple to keep the focus on the choices.

Roller coasters would never appear on any list of mine, unless it was things I don’t like, but elfmaiden687 has her own Top 3. She also used the original teal word art, using it as the basis for her palette.

The grey-scale version works nicely with nimble4u‘s layout too. It seems to reflect the dusty olive green of her background paper.

Got2Scrap recoloured the word art to coordinate with the colour palette she chose for her white-space layout. Look at those clusters! Incredible.

This layout by lulumoon is deceptively simple. (Cluster alert!) She pulled the lighter teal colour from the original for her subtitles, which compliments the coral background to perfection.

I think Jill‘s layout is my favourite of the bunch. She chose the deep red of the flowers in her cluster to bring the focus to her title, which then leads the eye to her black-and-white photo. Her colours absolutely POP off the page.

Pixel Palette chose to keep the original teal for her philosophical layout. (She’s not wrong!) The focus of the layout is firmly on her photos.

Once again, I have to commend Katherine Woodin for (literally) documenting the good, the bad and the ugly of everyday life. I like how she’s divided the layout into perfect thirds and used the same paper in 3 different colours to reinforce the 3 aspect of the Challenge.

Grace‘s layout is a work of art in itself. Her colour choices relate to Klimt’s work in the best way. She recoloured the word art a golden brown that also reflects Klimt’s sort of grungy look.

The faith-based simplicity of dkane‘s layout is its strength. She opted for a beautiful deep green for the word art and it works.

For her layout, glee also kept the original teal and pulled it into her overall palette. I like the stencil look to the fern-and-leaf border and that her title tells the whole story.

Grey-scale for the win here! These are hichchei‘s Top 3 foods. Can’t argue with any of them!

I’ve thought about this Challenge a lot and still don’t know how I would meet it. I have 3 siblings. I have 3 children. I have 3 grandchildren. I have 3 best friends. I have 3 favourite wineries. It’s making my brain hurt! Maybe I’ll save it for later.

Next week’s tut will be another Quick Trick. With the announcement of GingerScraps‘ partnership with the Digital Scrapper and their suite of video tutorials, it appears I’ll soon be rendered redundant. Time will tell.

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

July 14, 2023: Fresh Baked

July 14, 2023 by Stephanie MH

Happy Friday friends! I hope you all have a fabulous weekend planned!

Remember if you spend $10 in the store, you’ll get this kit for free.

Now to check out the new releases for this week.

Have you grabbed the Monthly Mix for July? I love the play on words for this collab.

How are those challenges coming along? Complete any 10 challenges and get this kit as a reward.

Don’t forget this limited time offer to get 35% off one of the amazing classes at The Digital Scrapper! We have joined forces to bring you this extraordinary opportunity!

LIMITED TIME – SAVE 35% on Painting with Patterns! Exclusively from GingerScraps! On sale now through July 31, 2023, Midnight Eastern.

Painting With Patterns includes:

17 videos for both PS & PSE
Closed captioning (optional) while streaming
15 brushes, 19 patterns, 7 papers, 8 elements
1 word art, 1 style set, 1 template & 5 photos
Challenge Tracker for motivation
Syndee’s Keep It Tidy System for organization
Instant & FOREVER Access
Our 30-day Satisfaction Guarantee

Questions about Painting With Patterns? Contact Syndee Rogers

Remember that is exclusive 35% off discount ends July 31, 2023

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

Designer Spotlight: July 2023

July 8, 2023 by Jan

In the Spotlight: Neia Scraps!

It feels like forever since I had this chat with Edneia, aka Neia Scraps. Things kinda went sideways here and I put our conversation on the back burner; just as I was falling asleep last night I remembered and had a mini panic attack. I’m so sorry, Neia. Hopefully all is not lost.

Neia told me she enjoyed our last visit when she was in the Spotlight with Dani (JB Studio) and hoped we could switch up the topics a bit this time so no one is bored. Absolutely! Let’s see how much I remember of our chat.

N: Let me start!! Hello, fellow Scrappers! My name is Edneia, I’m 43 years old, I’m married for 20 years and I have 2 cute kittens.

J: Oh, that’s a first! I need more coffee. So. Tell me how long you’ve been designing so we can get the formalities out of the way.

E: I started designing in 2011 when I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter.

J: Is that what inspired you to jump into digital scrapbook design?

E: I decided that I would have a profession that would give me the opportunity to be closer to my daughters and I liked it so much that today she is 12 years old and I still work at home.

J: It’s wonderful that you’ve been able to work from home for so long! I stayed home with my kiddos until the youngest was 4, then I worked part time, mostly evenings. Are your daughters your main motivation?

E: No, actually, my biggest inspirations to start a project are colors. When thinking about a theme, I look for the colors that inspire me, but often the colors inspire me first and the theme is based on a color palette.

J: That seems like a good place to start, rather than trying to shoe-horn a palette into a structured theme. Do you have a favourite kit in the GingerScraps Store?

E: My current favorite kit is “Ocean Wonder“. I’ve always loved the sea and blue is one of my favorite colors. I loved the wood effects I used in this kit. The sea can be soft and at the same time have the strength of the blue immensity.

J: It’s GORGEOUS!! I have to say, I really like how your design style has evolved over the last year or so. What would you do if you won the lottery?

E: I would love to travel the world, see some different places, like Australia for example. (Even with so many huge spiders lol)

J: Travel is a common theme for that question. You can have the spiders… but that makes me wonder, since I’ve found quite a few of the 8-legged creepy-crawlies in my bathroom, are you more likely to sing or dance in the shower?

E: I sing AND dance, hahahahaha!

J: I do too. I love my Bluetooth speaker and my Amazon Music playlists for that. It helps to have a huge shower-only spa bathroom. Spiders notwithstanding. Do you have a green thumb?

E: I love plants but they don’t love me. I already tried it, but my finger is not green.

J: Gardening is one of my stress-busters. I can think troublesome things through and work out some frustrations digging up all the rocks our yard is built on. But I think I’m done digging holes. What colours do you like? Are there any you really DON’T like?

E: My favorite color is pink, I really LOVE the color pink. And the least favorite is some shades of green. Although I LOVE plants and nature, there are few shades of green that I really LOVE.

J: My flowers are mostly pinks, purples, blues and whites, with the HOA-required Stella d’Oro daylilies adding some yellow. My wardrobe is pretty much the same… but NO yellow. I look awful in yellow. All those yellow isolation gowns I wore on the job. <shudder> One time at work we did a little thought experiment. One of my coworkers asked each of us who we’d want to portray us in PICU: The Movie. It was a lot of fun. So…

E: Margot Robbie. She could play me as sweet as the Barbie doll and also as crazy as Harley Quinn.

J: Hahahahaha! I can see it! I had no idea who would be right for my part; my coworker thought for a minute and said, “Judi Dench!” Uh. She’s 20 years older than I am, pal. “But she’s so dignified!” Uh. Have you met me?? Anyway. My warning label would say “Caution! May explode without warning!” What would yours say?

E: “Be careful, it’s fragile but it knows how to bite.”

J: Same, friend. Same! Thank you so much for letting our readers get to know you better.

E: Thank you, I loved participating. GS is a very dear store to me. It is my home. And all the staff are always very friendly.

J: You are so right, Neia! Before we wrap this up, I just want to remind everybody of all the ways you’re making GingerScraps a better place while you’re in the Spotlight. Besides creating beautiful kits, that is. Ladies, Neia is providing this month’s Daily Download and is hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge. In addition to her regular monthly My Memories Challenge. And… drum roll please… her store is on sale all month PLUS she has a coupon!!

See you all soon!

July 7, 2023: Fresh Baked

July 7, 2023 by Stephanie MH

Welcome to another Friday. We’ve got some really cute things in this weeks Fresh Baked releases.

Remember if you spend $10 in the store, you’ll get this kit for free.

Let’s look at those new goodies in the store.

Have you gotten a start on your challenges? Complete any 10 challenges and get 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 Guest Designer & More!!

July 1, 2023 by Stephanie MH

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

The Buffet colors this month make me happy. And with the buffet kits, you can mix and match to get the perfect kit for you.

Remember any $10 spent in the store gets you this great collab. It’s time for a {fresh summer’}.

This Free With Purchase was created by Chere Kaye Designs, Cindy Ritter Designs, HeartMade Scrapbook, and LDragDesigns.

This collab includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 48 Papers, and 86 Elements.

What a cute name for a collab. It’s {sea la vie}.

This Monthly Mix was created by Aimee Harrison, CathyK Designs, Designs by Lisa Minor, Scrappin’ Serenity, and Key Lime Digi Design.

This collab includes: 3 Alphas {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 60 Papers, and 111 Elements.

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

We have a special guest designer for July.

Kimeric Creations

BIO:
Kim Lichtfuss, of Kimeric Kreations, was a renowned digital scrapbook designer known for her exquisite use of color and distinctive shabby design style. Kim poured her passion for creativity into every digital creation she designed. Tragically, she passed away in 2018, leaving behind a legacy of remarkable artwork. In honor of Kim’s memory and to keep her artistic spirit alive, her family has made the decision to share her extensive collection of work with the world. We invite you to explore and cherish the beautiful designs crafted by the talented Kim, celebrating her remarkable talent and the joy she brought to others through her art.

Are you ready for the July challenges? Remember any 10 completed challenges gets you this great kit.

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

This collab includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 63 Papers, and 118 Elements.

And now a few layouts from our great store CT. These were all made using the July Monthly Mix {sea la vie}.

Filed Under: Buffet, Daily Download, Digital Scrapbooking, GingerBread Ladies, Guest Designer Tagged With: buffet, Daily Download, Digital Scrapbooking, GingerBread Ladies, guest designer

June 30, 2023: Fresh Baked

June 30, 2023 by Stephanie MH

I’m not sure how we’ve reached the last Friday in June already. This month seems to have flown by more than others. But we are now at the halfway point of 2023. I hope your year has been amazing so far.

Remember if you spend $10 in the store you will get this great kit for free.