[fertilepress]

yet another victim of this economy...

And this time it hits close to home.

Many of you were aware that my latest book, "Digital Designs for Scrapbooking: Getting Started with Photoshop Elements" was scheduled for release this month. Because of my publisher's (CK Media) financial situation, my book has been pulled from the publishing schedule. Considering the economy and the current state of affairs, I'm not holding out hope it will ever be published.

That's the bad news. The good news is that my new site is almost ready to open and all of the skills that are contained in the book I'll teach in my beginner's class. So...if you've been waiting to buy the book, please wait a little longer and signup for the class!

later...

Digital Designs for Scrapbooking 1 Available!

Great news! My first book, Digital Designs for Scrapbooking, is back in stock from Simple Scrapbooks.

I'm told supplies are limited, so be sure to order quickly!

later...

a new book...a new banner!

The new book is out! To celebrate, I decided to change my banner using one of the elements from the kit. Well, the banner needed changing anyway, but the celebrate part sounded like a good idea.

There's a recent interview with me by Pattie Knox over on the Disc Talk Radio site. What fun that was! Thanks Pattie and Deann!

design friday is next...

Digital Designs the Yahoo Group!

Is now open for business! 

Actually, it's just open...not for business...it's free. But it's a place, a community, for everyone who bought my book or are thinking about buying my book. Ask questions! Post tips! Upload your creations! All are welcome.

See you here!

limited edition digital designs 2006 calendar

I've gotten so many e-mails from you asking where to buy this! I guess my subtle end to yesterday's post was too...well...subtle!

The signed, limited edition calendars are now available for sale at the cool stuff "under construction" temporary site here.

And thanks for asking!

later...

And the first winner is...

drumroll please...

more drumroll...

comment number...

48...

TISH!!!

Congratulations, Tish!

Stay tuned for calendar #2 post!

g'nite...

first calendar giveaway post

I've changed the rule just a little bit, to give every commenter a chance to win. All comments attached to this post will go into a pool. Instead of rolling a die, which only gives the first 6 commenters a chance to win, I'll use an online random number generator to pick the winning comment. Here's how it will work:

1. I post and you add your comments. The cutoff is midnight Eastern Time.
2. At midnight ET I will count the number of comments and use the random number generator to pick the winner.
3. I'll announce the winner in the next day's post.

And yes, international readers are welcome to participate...and I'll absorb all mailing costs.

That's it! Make sense? Okay, this is the first official post...

GO!

the digital designs calendar giveaway

It began here...

Using the digital designs backgrounds I created these monthly calendar pages designed to fit inside CD calendar cases. I laid them out and printed them 4-up on 11.7 x 16.5 inch Epson Professional Enhanced Matte Paper. This paper is cardstock weight.

This is what they looked like printed.

Aren't they adorable? But this is when the real work began...trimming and inserting them into their cases. I added crop marks to the large page layouts to make trimming them easy with no measuring. Here's what they look like cropped.

Finally...after all that...a nice little desktop calendar in a CD calendar case.

See how the case's lid swings around to create a base stand? Very cool! Unlike regular CD cases, it rotates totally.

And here it is, ready for use on my desk.

I had so much fun making these that I've decided to give away 5 of them this week...to readers of this blog! Yay!

I'm going to steal...ummm...borrow an idea from my friend Donna. How can you get one of the 5? Starting tomorrow, someone who comments on that day's post will get their very own Digital Designs 2006 calendar. I'll do this each day, giving away the last calendar on Saturday. I can't wait!

Here's what you need to do. I'll post a message sometime tomorrow (can't tell you when). All you have to do is add a comment. I'll roll a die to randomly pick that day's winner. (Hmmm...  Hope we get at least six comments each day.) Then I'll announce the day's winner.

That's it! That's all you have to do! I'm pumped...are you?

later...

a contest!

Wheeee! Contests are fun!

Holly McCaig of The Digichick has just announced a new contest. All you have to do is upload a photo of yourself holding my book and you're eligible to win a $25 gift certificate from The Digichick boutique.

Wheee! Contests are fun!

later...

Live chat tonight!

At 9pm ET at The Digichick.

AND...you could be the lucky winner of a free, signed copy of my book! Wheee!
Hope I "see" you there!

later...

happy birthday to me...the sequel

A most excellent birthday gift...

My book is shipping! It's totally shipping to online customers and retailers. I can't believe it. After all these many months of work and sweat and tears and more work and more sweat and more tears it's finally being launched into the world.

It feels like I'm sending my child out of the house and onto the school bus for the very first time. "Be careful, little one. Zip up your coat and put those mittens on! Come straight home after school...no dawdling. Tell mommy EVERYTHING that happened today."

s-i-g-h...

This is a good feeling, I tell you. A very good feeling. It's so fulfilling to set a goal for yourself and to accomplish it. To see it as a real thing in the world.

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."
                      Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Believe it!

r.