{Lawgal Ledgering}

Comcastic! It's BOMBASTIC!

2008-01-24T14:54:00.000-05:00

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It's Bombastic!

Well I just switched to the Triple Play and was welcomed to Comcast with a loss of phone service and internet for a full day. The first guy walked off the job 'cause he couldn't figure it out and said his supervisor would show up in "about half an hour" which of course translated to "more than an hour later." It took them from 10:30am until 6pm to switch me over from Cavtel.

Cavtel of course not to be left out of the fun had to play their part in this drama and cut my phone lines first thing in the morning instead of waiting for the go-ahead call from Comcast.

By the end of the day I then got "and by the way, we don't support D-Link or other wireless routers other than our own (or Eudora)". So once internet was finally hooked up, they said, oh we just provide access to the internet and if you can't get on, then too bad. It took a friend clear across the country an hour on the phone with me to get all my wireless router settings to finally click and get me on that Superhighway.

Then last night in bed I went to check my new movie channels (TMC! Starz! MAX!) and found it wasn't hooked up to my pre-existing box.

A stupendous forewarning of things to come with new Comcast service?

Clearly their new tag line should be:
"It's Comcastic!---It's Bombastic!"
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Drumroll , please

2008-01-12T10:45:00.000-05:00

**Please EMAIl me if you are one of the winners below**

The winner of the CVS Photobook is....

Kat aka TrageddyAnne !!

Credits Here

The runner-ups are:

Shirley aka Xashee

and

Angela aka Shmooangel

Credits Here

Who both won a 50% coupon for a CVS Photobook.
Congrats girls!!

The next 4 people who send me a new LO using any of my {freebies} will also receive a 50% off coupon for a CVS Photobook (a $6.50 value!!).

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Keep Your Eye on the PRIZES

2008-01-10T18:28:00.001-05:00

THIS IS YOUR PRIZE

IF YOU USE THIS

AND ONE OF THE MANY {FREEBs} on MY BLOG:

IN A LO......!

So far not many partaking in my challenge so the next 4 or 5 entrants will likely win a 50% off of a CVS photobook at minimum.....

C'mon give it a try!!
Links to all {freebies} in posts below.
Winner announced tomorrow evening.
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Made this LO for Christina Renee's Brush Challenge.
I love her design sense and that of all her gals.

Credits Here

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Not Publishers Clearinghouse, but.....

2008-01-07T11:32:00.000-05:00

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...still a CONTEST with gifts !!

Win a CVS Photobook, or one of many 50% off a CVS Photobook coupons by simply scrapping a LO using my latest {freebie} plus one other {freebie} from my BLOG.

You get this {freebie} to use in the CONTEST:

"PLAY DRESS-UP"

DOWNLOAD HERE
Please be kind and leave a thank you behind!!

Use 3 or more elements of this Mini Kit + one other BLOG {freebie} = possible gift

Deadline is this FRIDAY, JAN 10th, so scrap a LO and email or comment me the link.

Enjoy!
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Play Dress-Up Contest & {freebie}

2008-01-03T22:09:00.000-05:00

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As a New Year incentive, I am holding a CONTEST and giving away to 1 winner:

FREE CVS 6"x8" PHOTO BOOK [COUPON]
($12.99 value)

to the BEST layout using a minimum of:

3 elements from the FREE Play Dress-Up Mini Kit found below; AND
1 other of my BLOG {freebies}

6 Runners-Up will also receive:

50% OFF COUPON for CVS 6"x8" PHOTO BOOK
($6.50 value)

DEADLINE is January 10th, 10pm EST
(Coupons for CVS Photo Books expire 01/31/08)

Play Dress-Up Mini Kit

------------PREVIEWS-----------

3 Papers

Glam Girls Sticker

2 Frames (both with & without ribbon embellishment)
THANK YOU to ScrapNTag for use of Ribbons & Victorian Knots !!

Leave links to your LOs in the Comments or email me through my Profile.

DOWNLOAD HERE
..and please be kind, leave a quick "thanks" behind !

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{freebie} time

2007-11-29T00:25:00.001-05:00

How accurate was your guess?!

Credits Here

It's the new INSTA-RELATIVES Daguerre Frames!!
Your new {freebie} installment.

Don't have old relatives to scrap in those genealogy layouts?
Make your own! Take any family member's disembodied heads and plunk it on one of these, and...VOILA !!

PLEASE leave a quick THANK YOU on 4shared
& get your Headless Family Members HERE!

And take a look at the new set of Daguerre Frames perfect for any heritage, genealogy, or funky layout!

ONLY $1.50 for a limited time
in my Paypal STORE!

Special thanks to Traci Reed for sparking my imagination on this one through her Sept 28th Hawt Mama Challenge! I commented to her then that it resulted in new item designs....My LO above was my entry in that Hawt Mama Challenge.

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We interrupt this day for a .....Rant

2007-11-27T10:11:00.000-05:00

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I am taking this moment to voice my opinion on yet another subject that irks me. In other words, a RANT.

Blogs have become the new car bumper for the
plethora of bumper sticker widgets.

HUH?!

Follow along here:

Blogs <==> Car Bumpers
Widgets <==> Bumper Stickers

What does this mean?

One or two bumper stickers are ok, as long as they are not too obnoxious and tastefully placed.

Get my drift?

I am tired of opening a blog and being assaulted by music and video. Especially when I am surfing in a place that requires discreetness. THIS MEANS YOU!

STOP! imposing and autoloading your music & video
on us just because we visit your blog!!
(...especially Celine Dion)

It's bad enough that we all use SLIDE (myself included) ---as it takes forever to load the flash animation, but then don't go adding 10 other flash animations and every gizmo out there. There are some blogs I now refuse to visit because they literally crash my browser.

And while discussing crashing the browser...

Why in the world do people choose to post freebies on file hosting sites that practically mug us and run off with our RAM and patience?

Peo-ple!

Have you never tried to download a file from some of these sites yourselves?!

Even 4shared which has long been the preferred host for most has a caveat--they began to load some pretty obnoxious audio-visual advertising with every download page--the Bumper Sticker Syndrome strikes again.

The answer for me was to install the free Firefox add-on Adblock Plus.
Voila!

no more ads loading on any site, and with the added bonus that the download links become almost instantly available!!

So the lesson today is
LESS INFLAMMATORY BUMPER STICKERS !

and can I get an AMEN please on that one.
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Fortune Cookie

2007-11-27T00:16:00.000-05:00

Here are 3 hints:

I wonder what it could be?

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New CVS In-Store Photo Books !

2007-11-16T14:35:00.000-05:00

As a BzzAgent I am lucky enough to get to try out brand-spanking-new products and services. Well as a scrapper I was REALLY excited when I got picked to try out the new CVS In-Store Photo Books!

I haven't yet received my Campaign Kit, but when I do, you all will be the first to hear! I will award one or two {free surprises} here on my {BLOG} related to Photo Books in the near future so stay tuned!

CVS In Store Photo Books---are similar to Picaboo books but you create them in-store at the Kodak Photo Station kiosks, with customizable LO's and assorted backgrounds to choose from. They are hardcover and bound right there in the store for you with your choice of covers.

...And they are dirt cheap!:

4 x 6 (up to 36 images): $5.99 - $7.99
6 x 8 (up to 54 images): $12.99
8 x 10 (up to 72 images): $14.99 - $24.99

What a great last-minute (or pre-planned if you are organized!) GIFTIE!
There is also a 100% money back guaranty you will be happy with the results!

PLEASE let me know if you try it out! Stay posted for more info....
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Californication

2007-10-30T17:03:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm a travellin' fool, visiting California for the 4 Bruce Springsteen shows: 2 in Oakland & 2 in LA.

From the Golden Gate Bridge...

sdesigns paperbits framecluster

...To the Bruce show

LJD Frame

From the fires in Oakland....

1800 Vintage Frame by MzPimptress

...To the Bruce show

BMiller Gotta Pixel triframe

From Hollywood...

LJD Frames

...To the Bruce show

kls DownToEarth frame-curled

The shows were awesome, although the first night set lists have little variance. The 2nd shows are definitely the money shows. If you're thinking of seeing only one, make it a second-nighter, where he's rotating in songs from Darkness and BTR. My fave to-date: Adam Raised A Cain.

And I even met Henry Winkler, who effused "He's the greatest."
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The Enchanted Forest

2007-09-24T15:07:00.000-04:00

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The Enchanted Forest was one of the nation's earliest theme parks, opened in 1955 (one month after Disneyland). It was located on Route 40 in Ellicott City, Maryland.

Alas, it has been closed since the 1980's but many of the characters and buildings have been rescued and restored. You can now find them at Clark's Elioak Farm on Route 108, not far from the original location. I remember it fondly from the many trips as a young child. I recently photographed some of the restored pieces at the new farm location:

These photos were all enhanced using Adobe Lightroom. However, I could not find a preset that adequately lightened and brightened both a dark foreground AND background. So I created a new preset, ENCHANTED OZ. You can view it's effect in the 3 photos below:

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

Now that you've seen what the preset can do, grab your copy for FREE!
*You must have LIGHTROOM to use this preset

Please be kind, and leave a thank you on 4Shared
DOWNLOAD HERE

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Oh YAY!

2007-09-19T23:30:00.000-04:00

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Well I was so excited tonight to learn that I was declared one of the lucky winners in Traci Reed's blog contest. And what is it I won, you ask?

My choice of Traci's new Adobe Lightroom Presets
(the POP series)

Of course I needed the Adobe Lightroom program immediately this morning upon reading about it on her blog, so went and got it. Spent the whole damn day and night learning to use it and LOVIN' IT!

Here's a great example of a Lightroom-effect pic (and framed in PCS2):

This is a photo of me with my cousin Allison

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A friend recently showed me some incredible architectural photo-op spots in DC and I managed to grab a few quick shots before we sped away to the next hot-spot-op. This one is my favorite:

Can't tell you where it was, and could never find it again on my own. So just enjoy the pic!
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New Item and {freebie} !

2007-09-14T16:45:00.000-04:00

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I have finally created something new! It's the BOOK NOOK !

Here are some examples of uses of the BOOKS in the NOOK:

....And here is what you get...ONLY $1.50 in my PAYPAL STORE

And a Special Offer.......Just purchase Book Nook together with any other item from my store, and I will send* you the BONUS Parchment Cover

FREE!

*(email me your order number)

Here is an example use of the
{FREEBIE} ANTIQUE BOOK COVER FRAME
that goes with this new item for sale:
Credits: Stacey Carlson ribbon; KSKD Faraway Freebie Tab2;
CWall Boyhood Fastener (extracted); Bickley Script font.

Please leave a "THANKS" on 4SHARED if you download.... DOWNLOAD THIS HERE

PERSONAL USE ONLY:
NO sharing, NO commercial use;
...this means YOU!

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Random LO's

2007-09-06T15:50:00.000-04:00

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I wanted to post some random layouts that I just plain forgot about. Credit is available upon request for all elements used.

Think of this as a Manual Version of the Slide widget where the images just glide across your screen for your viewing pleasure, without the obstruction of words or phrases. In this case though, you are required to exercise your finger and scroll the window in a downward motion.

Let the show begin...

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Radio Nowhere <<<<<>>>> BRUCE !

2007-08-26T22:39:00.000-04:00

Wow, Bruce Springsteen's new album, Magic will be released October 2, with a tour to follow! He's back with the E Street Band, and this album promises to definitely be more rockin' than the last 3. I wouldn't be surprised if his label "urged" him to go more commercial this time around and produce something for them more akin to the Born in the USA phenomena for which they reaped the rewards several fistfuls more than expected.

The first single, Radio Nowhere, is a surefire exhilarating hit, although the lyrics remain the biting commentary of our society Bruce has favored in the last decade or so. It's been leaked all over the internet (YouTube, torrents, etc) likely by the label itself since the sound is studio perfect. It should create some great buzz and get the word out to the thinning fan base desperate for some of the Old Time Bruce instead of the post-9/11 Bruce we've been getting. I'd like to think that the Pete Seeger Sessions reinvigorated Bruce and urged his creative hand in this direction.

The intro is straight out of classic 70's rock and roll, and the tune itself could be easily mistaken for a classic R.E.M. song. I guess all that hanging out with Michael Stipe during those benefit concerts paid off. I wasn't thrilled with it and found it a bit of fluff at first blush, but after letting it repeat several plays through, the hook definitely got me and I began to appreciate the composition. Very deliberate and purposeful, I predict it will be his Next Big Hit.
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'Nother LO using Telegram Kit (4Sale)

2007-07-15T21:59:00.001-04:00

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:Went to NYC 3 weeks ago and finally saw Strawberry Fields and the Imagine memorial to John Lennon in Central Park. My interpretation above also includes the iconic LOVE statue from Robert Indiana (Avenue of the Americas).

Using my Hamburg Paper, Telegram, and Telegram Alpha, all part of my new Telegram Kit 4Sale in my Paypal Store (link on sidebar).
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2007-07-14T11:30:00.000-04:00

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Muka, my CT Gal, has created this lovely LO using pieces of my new Telegram Kit, for sale through my Paypal store at right:

Credits HERE

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Close-up of Telegram Kit Papers

2007-07-10T14:59:00.000-04:00

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I would really appreciate some feedback on my Telegram Kit from any of you! Please leave comments below.

And if you got this far......

If you download, please leave a quick thanks on 4shared !!!
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Thanks to IKEA goddess for listing me today!
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Giveaway Offer for my Telegram Kit

2007-07-08T11:12:00.000-04:00

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I will give my entire Telegram Kit and Juke Labels to the person willing (& able) to help me redesign my BLOG. No major work required, just make the center column wider and adding a left sidebar. Also changing the underlying layout of the posts slightly. Every attempt I make doesn't seem to work....Hmph!

Contact me off-blog. My email link is in my profile.

Now don't all rush to the post at once {extreme sarcasm} !!

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SIGNS you are a SCRAP ADDICT {4sale}{freebie}

2007-07-07T19:02:00.000-04:00

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After recently purchasing a 500G external HD, I'm finally taking the time to unzip all the files I've downloaded over these last 4-5 months. OK, I wasn't prepared to find close to 2,000 freebie, prize & purchased files to open!!!! They sure add up don't they?! No wonder my laptop was sluggish and burping bytes.

Sometimes I open up long-ago downloaded zip file and go "what in the world was I thinking, these are really ugly and I will NEVER use these" !?

Then I find like 1/10 of them are corrupted. ARGH! Well, I did some detective work and found most of the blogs and sites of those errant files. Some still have the freebies valid (kudos to those of you who don't expire freebies!). Others expired, blogs disappeared, and "downloads-a-day" were of course no longer available. I took the bold step of contacting quite a few of you designers out there and politely asked if I could pretty please have the file again, or get the long-misplaced passwords. I gotta say, you gals are for the most part very nice & magnaminous---almost all provided me with new download files or allowances in the stores. Renews one's faith in scrapkind & womankind! THANK YOU!

Somtimes I download an entire 25 piece kit just because I like one tiny element.

But I still continue to open the 18 browser tabs every day to check on that day's new Scrap Riches offered. If it's nearing 11pm and I'm still out, I start gettng the sweats, worried that I may not make it back in time to get all the freebies on the Daily Download sites. Sometimes I come home exhausted but stay up bleary-eyed so I can download zip after rar after zip.

I try to weed out pieces of kits I don't like or will never use. It's just so hard though to bring myself to delete them, as I suddenly wonder if I may one day get a dog, or date a man who fishes...

The worst is when you have a planned trip out of town. Thanks to my new cellphone (T Mobile Dash) I have free internet and just plug my cellphone into my laptop USB and ---voila!--- free modem access on my cell's broadband connection. Thank god! Can you imagine the withdrawal I would go through otherwise? Just the thought of the shakes, sweating, headaches and vomitting is enough to make me otherwise cancel my trips! In fact, I have been depressed for over a month thinking I missed downloading the incredible free In Vogue Kit given out at Scrap Artist while I was out of town that weekend. I've been angry (but not as angry as over the theft of my design---see below). I've been sulking around. I've been kicking myself. Then whilst (love that word) unzipping a batch of files yesterday (I've been unzipping daily for over a week now) I discover the In Vogue downloads just loitering around the middle of the dialog window in my zip directory. The nerve of them!--- letting me be all upset over them like that for so long! My heart actually skipped a few beats.

I was beaming to no one but myself (well, and my cat Meero). Well I've waxed poetic enough over this Addiction of mine. I shouldn't waste any more time here as I still have to finish downloading today's bounty and checking the numerous freebie listing sites in the US, France, Germany, and assorted other countries. I just want to say Thanks to all of you who are my dealers, pimping your goods, or else I would not be able to get my daily fix sufficient to feed my scrap addiction.
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Oh, by the way, there's a {freebie} from my new Telegram Kit below the previews:

(CLICK PREVIEWS TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES)

THE ENTIRE TELEGRAM KIT IS NOW FOR SALE
IN MY PAYPAL STORE
FOR JUST $5 !!

CLICK STORE LOGO TO ENTER

If you download this {freebie}, please take
a moment and just say "THANKS" on 4shared !!

Credits HERE

(Note that the transparency effect doesn't properly display in the preview)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

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ANGER: Infringement of my Design!!!!

2007-06-25T20:05:00.000-04:00

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I am numb with anger after finding that one of my most popular freebies has been illegally appropriated by a fellow designer as an item she is selling as her own original design at pocket-pearls. This should not be tolerated by any designer in our community.

As I am a lawyer, I have written a cease and desist letter to Pocket-Pearls (www.pocket-pearls.com). I urge you all to contact them and let them know that you likewise will not tolerate theft of copyrighted material we create as designers.

I created my Graph Tags in early April 2007 and posted them here on my blog as a {freebie} on April 15, 2007, where they remain available to this day. They currently have over 1100 downloads to-date. Conni Klueter posted her "Graphic Letters" for sale on May 17, 2007.

You be the judge:

Anyone in our community knows well enough that all items are for personal use only unless specifically sold as commercial use-licensed. Most all of us, especially me as a lawyer, places a TOU with every design stating clearly that the license is solely for personal use. There is no acceptable excuse for such blatant illegal actions.

I am seriously considering stopping all past and future {freebies} if this is what it leads to. While I am here visiting in New York City for 3 days I will mull this over and make a decision upon my return to Baltimore. I will leave my current {freebies} up until at least then.

With much sadness & dismay,
Lawgal Diane
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Shout Out to Vicky Laursen; New Kit Preview

2007-06-23T12:07:00.000-04:00

I wanted to give a Shout-Out to Vicky Laursen and her wonderful site, DigiScrapDepot.

It is so nicely organized, the ease of use for listing, and especially I love seeing thumbnails of the freebies a la IkeaGoddess. Nothing against Selena, nor Amy as I visit there too, but there is something to be said for the previews!

I'm still worried wondering if something bad happened to DigiDebz since her site is now totally gone and there is no response to her email either. Does ANYONE know her personally or have phone contact for her?!
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Here are previews of my Telegram Kit which, I SWEAR, I will launch next week!

PAPERS

ELEMENTS

and don't forget the previously posted previews of the Telegrams themselves....

This Kit will be reasonably priced to move!!

OOps, I was TAGGED, .....LAST WEEK (!)

2007-06-23T00:05:00.000-04:00

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Ok, I admit that I have been lax in reading my comments, and just realized that Supa Scrapper MUKA tagged me this past week!! Wow, I never thought that would happen. Now I have to think of seven trivial things to tell you all about My Innermost Me.....hmmm....

7 Things About Me

1. I'm bilingual in English & French as I grew up partially in Belgium. My mom is from Brussels and besides living there for kindergarten & 1st grade, we returned every summer for 3 months to visit my family. I'm supposed to be some kinda lingual in Hebrew after 12 years of Hebrew school, but all I can do is read it and have little clue as to what the heck it meant. Ok, Abba is father and Eema is mother (phonetically), but I'm referring to conversational comprehension level here being the problem {grin}.

2. I'm an only child. 'nuff said!

3. I love to collect celebrity autographs (actually that would make a really cool LO using scans of some of the autographs).

4. I also collect PEZ dispensers, Wacky Packages and Viewmaster stuff. I'm talking expensive vintage grade, but also new cheap ones which will someday become expensive vintage grade!

5. I am a (single) foster mother. My goal is to adopt. I had a lovely child for 4.5 months that I had hoped to keep but she went back to her family. Luckily I remain in her life.

6. I'm the person who sets up everyone's computers, VCR's, stereo systems, and the like. I rewired the phone wiring in my mom's house at age 14. OK, we had to call the phone company afterwards, but it got me started !!

7. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis which has made life hell at times in the last 25 years, but we humans do learn to adjust and adapt. Things are going A-OK now though! I certainly can't run track and field anymore but who can in their 40's?!

Now I gotta tag 7 people, OY! I'll have to think on that one and post my tags later this weekend. Hope this was intriguing for you to read, it was like pulling teeth for me. You see you are reading this over what, like 1 minute? But it took me, like, an hour to think up and type in!
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Weekend {freebie} Paper

2007-06-22T22:45:00.002-04:00

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My favorite team, The Baltimore Orioles, have had a bit of hard luck (cough cough) these last few years and I'm hoping it will finally be turned around with a change in managment. I'm tired of attending losing games so meddling owner Peter Angelos can pocket the money and give us crap for a team.
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I'm having a tough time containing the massive amount of weeds popping up all over my gardens. The early spring and drought followed by rains has wreaked havoc in my little corner of the eco-system! I can't find enough time to either properly garden, nor properly scrap. I think scrapping will have to become more of a winter thing for me!!
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I do want to thank all of you for your continued visits and interest in my designs. I'm now over 4,000 downloads of all my {freebies} and quite overwhelmed by all the interest!

I had promised you all a new {freebie} ---- a Paper {Go-With} for my Photo Set. It is a bit grungy, matching the photo envelope with a white border just like it. It is imprinted with "Share Your Happy Times" which was on the front of the envelope. I hope you find good use for this paper which I would love to see!! Find it below & enjoy!

PLEASE LEAVE A SHORT THANK YOU ON 4SHARED IF YOU SNAG IT!

"Share Your Happy Times" Photo Set Paper
DOWNLOAD HERE
(large size download; please be patient!)

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CT Call for a scrap friend

2007-06-20T11:48:00.000-04:00

Bonnie Van Esch is holding a new CT call for 3 month stints, 3 LOs a month. Click on the image to read the details of her call. Good luck!

A {freebie} to excuse my long absence

2007-06-16T12:51:00.000-04:00

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It has been a while since I last posted, because life just gets in the way sometimes. Please forgive me and accept this {freebie} as my apology!

PLEASE leave me just a quick note at 4shared if you download.

I will have a matching paper posted sometime next week, so check back for more! BTW, does anyone know what happened to DigiDebz?!!

DOWNLOAD IT HERE.
This is a large file so please be patient.

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PEOPLE! I need your EMAILS for the {Go With}!!

2007-05-03T17:42:00.000-04:00

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I appreciate all the LO's but I always have to track you guys down by your aka's becuase you forget to leave me your EMAILS with your wonderful LO's !!!!

PLEASE, Pretty please, leave your EMAIL too !
Or, email ME!
diane-at-lawgal-dot-net (obvioulsy substitute the "at" & "dot")

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@@ >> Partial Preview of New Kit !!

2007-05-03T17:05:00.000-04:00

For those who still are not aware, there is a great new place to look for FREEBIES---it's DIGI DEBZ !! There is not only a daily FREEBIE listing, with image previews, but also a FORUM where all of us DESIGNERS post our FREEBIES!! Make sure you bookmark it and check it out daily!!
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I am finally able to preview a bit of my new TELEGRAM KIT which will soon be available {for sale}. I will also soon reveal a little {freebie} from this kit, so check back often!

There are many different Telegram styles and little {Go-With Goodies} that are part of this KIT. I will preview more every day or so until it is available {for sale} !!
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SHINING through !

2007-05-02T14:55:00.000-04:00

I've been so swamped at work that I've shirked my BLOG Duties. I must post more SHINES though if nothing else! I also SWEAR that sometime soon I will finally get some new designs posted and likely a little {freebie} too!

Is it just me, or are others obsessed with not missing a scrap freebie download? Especially the Daily Downloads here and there. It seems that more and more freebies abound and I spend hours visiting the pages and downloading. I'm doing that sometimes more than I am designing or creating LO's. What a waste! But when you miss that *one* freebie that was only available for ONE DAY that you REALLY wanted, you swear you will not let it happen AGAIN! I think I am headed for a 12-step program.

Muka

Greedz

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SHINE a little love

2007-04-28T09:07:00.001-04:00

These are the wonderful LO's sent to me using my GRAPH TAG {freebie} which afforded these lucky scrappers the BALL CHAIN {Go-With} for their hard work!

Snojewel

Lilaclady

Hitomispouke

Timounette

OkieDee

Christine

[Click on name for credits]

There is still time to get me your LO and score the BALL CHAIN {Go-With freebie}!!
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An extra "Go-With" {freebie}

2007-04-21T00:26:00.000-04:00

I bet you'd been wondering how to anchor these little buggers to your layouts...well, fret no more as the answer is clear!!

Here is a special Go-With {freebie} that I will give out as participation extra credit. It is a Go-With because it goes with my Graph Tag {freebie} found in a post below...

You will only be able to get this Go-With {freebie} by sending me your layouts using one of my Graph Tags {freebie} (in post below)!

You can post links to your LO's either in the comments section of this post, or via email. My email can be found in my profile at RIGHT (that way---->)

I look forward to seeing your incredible creations!
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OVERLOOKED?

2007-04-19T14:51:00.000-04:00

These appear to have been OVERLOOKED by most people.....My paisley {freebie} papers:

If you still want these,
they will be available for ~~one~~a few more week(s):

CLICK IMAGE ABOVE TO DOWNLOAD

I would appreciate some comments on either 4Shared or below!! I would also LOVE to see any LO using my {freebies} !!
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{freebie}

2007-04-15T20:50:00.000-04:00

Well I'm tickled pink that two great acts will grace the stages of Baltimore in separate concerts: Elvis Costello and Squeeze. Plus we're getting the U.S. Virgin Fest again this year at Pimlico Race Course (home of The Preakness), featuring The Police, Beastie Boys & Smashing Pumpkins. Lots of intellectually stimulating and just plain great music to look forward to once this cold weather finally breaks (c'mon, 20deg & snow in April?!)...

To celebrate my jubilation, I'm posting (albeit a tad early) a new {freebie} to enlighten your Mundane Monday:

CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE TO DOWNLOAD !

As always, please leave some luv, or just a "TY" either here or at 4shared, so I know you like my designs. More {freebies} throughout my BLOG.

P.S. My new TELEGRAM KIT is almost done; I had to work The Kinks out.
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Unofficial CT Request

2007-04-14T16:00:00.000-04:00

I'm looking for about 3 people to make some fun layouts using my designs. I'm not organized enough to have an "Official CT" as I do this in between all my legal work and life stuff.

I like the more unconventional type of scrapper whose LO's are whimsical and naive, and mostly just FUN! Obviously the usual blah-blah-blah where you will get my stuff for free, you must spread the word about me on sites, and all that...

Contact me via email through the PROFILE link at right. Send me some links to your BLOG, your GALLERIES, and tell me some stuff about you!

Here is a LO I've been working on for quite some time. I've since reorganized my HD and can't find the bird paper I used (from which I extracted the brown birds) to credit---if you know whose it is, PLEASE let me know!

Thanks to the kindness of katkar79 I was able to identify the lovely work of Berna Datema's Sky is the Limit (freebie). Find the kit and her other great designs at http://datebaseberna.blogspot.com/2006_06_01_archive.html!

CREDITS: Photo - Bird Silhouette by me!; bird silhouette is an extraction from paper (Sky is the Limit Paper 03) by Berna Datema; Tag (Luxe Tag) by Thao Cosgrove; Tag Tie (Little Ones) by Jessica David; Alpha (The Grad) by Vicki Stegall; Frame (rectangle swirl frame stamp) by [unkown]. FONTS: King & Queen; Franklin Gothic Demi Condensed.

QUOTE: Oscar Wilde - A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest.

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Friday {Freebie} & Target store RANT!

2007-04-13T15:52:00.000-04:00

I need to vent my frustartion at corporate America, so here is my {Monthly Rant}

Rant Subject: Target Store
Complaint: I was searching for a funky-girly-functional and lightweight laptop briefcase bag. To view all the items you have to go to FOUR (4) separate departments in the Target store!!! Pocketbooks, Luggage, Computers, and Health & Beauty (huh?!). Some were even mistakenly in the Diaper Bag section. I had to drag through every corner of the store!
Resolution: None. I called Target 's 800# to complain about their lack of organization in product placement in the store & also its lack of customer user-friendliness. She answered that (1) I should consider shopping online; and (2) it is their goal is to make you go through as many departments as possible. Say What?!
Lesson: Screw Target.

Harumph!

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Just a little {freebie} something which is a bit different from the norm. The images were really cool and drew my attention even though it is of the Thai alphabet and likely undecipherable to most.

CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE TO DOWNLOAD !

I appreciate that all of you enjoy my creations and download it vigorously, however just a simple "thank you" would be a nice gesture in exchange for my RAKs. If I don't get a good proportion of comments to downloads, I will seriously consider discontinuing my {freebies}. It takes only a few seconds to leave a comment on 4shared after your download!

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My CT Queen, Bonnie Van Esch

2007-04-13T12:47:00.000-04:00

I've been lax in my CT duties but will be posting a LO from Bonnie Van Esch's brand new kit Rainforest:

Here is my quick LO of my grandmother using this beautiful kit...

CREDIT: Rainforest by Bonnie Van Esch; Photo Cluster

Frame by Traci Sims; Fonts- DymoFontInvers, FrancineHmk

You can view Bonnie's BLOG, Scrapping till the cows come home and purchase Rainforest at Snap & Scrap.

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Ronee Parsons = RAK Princess

2007-04-13T12:26:00.000-04:00

I needed to post an ALERT...

Ronee Parsons = RAK Princess

Ronee has a terrific BLOG with lovely designs (not to mention a killer sublime header that is so simple & sweet) [hint, hint]. As if this wasn't enough, she is also a sweet soul, kindly altering one of her designs for my use...FOR FREE. Her designs are available at Oscraps and on her BLOG

Here is her latest {freebie} that you can swipe at her BLOG site but please do leave her some thanks!
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Bad girl. Bad girl!

2007-04-08T22:32:00.000-04:00

I was a bad girl and got to do no scrapping this weekend except for a few digi egg hunts, some weekend downloads, and trying to unzip & organize a gazillion digi scrap freebies stored on my hard drive!

What all this translates into is the simple fact that I didn't put my finishing touches on my Telegram Kit as of yet.

I did however, get to see "Avenue Montaigne" (which was renamed from the original "Fauteuils d'orchestre"---why I don't know. Americans could've handled a French title!)

It was a total mish mash of a story, but I thought quite enjoyable. Though my mom and I aggressivey debated what the gist of the movie was; she siding with the theatre district connection between the people, I finding the central character of the waitress being the connection influencing all of their lives in some way. It's still always nice to see a French movie. We don't get many here in Baltimore and I always miss hearing the French (having grown up partially in Brussels and being bilingual in French and English, with a smattering of Flemish).

We then spent today at the Pissarro Exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art. The website has some of the incredible works included in this one-of-a-kind exhibit.

It didn't include some of his greater works from some Paris museums, but many very special and influential pieces from private collections and museums around the world. Definitely well worth seeing. All of the Maryland museums are free admission for this year only thanks to grants and such, but the special exhibitions still cost high admission fees.

Of course tonight was the premier of this final season of The Sopranos and the new season of Entourage as well. Both good episodes. Sopranos was introspective and much improved over last mini-season, which was quite pitiful and embarrasing---almost like filler material until this final season.

See why I didn;t work this weekend? Oh My! I promise to be better next week!
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SHhhhhhhh {sneak peak} !

2007-04-06T11:43:00.000-04:00

This will be posted FOR SALE in my STORE sometime this weekend. Come back to check it out and maybe I'll post a little {freebie} from the KIT.

What STORE you ask? Well swivel your head to the right,... that's it,... no just a bit more...there! That's it, right there, a simple BOX to click on that is the entryway into a world of delights. Nothing over $3. Please help support all the {freebies} by making a small purchase.
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N is for Norway.....

2007-04-06T10:53:00.000-04:00

All right, all right....I'm sorry, I've erred. And I knew it! I was rushing and said to myself, well this doesn't look right but, quick! get it up on the {BLOG} !

Here's today's lesson:

N is for Norway
NL is for Netherlands

Just my little contribution to the greater education of the world's collective knowledge!

So I've updated the FULL SET to include both Norway & The Netherlands. This is the NEW & IMPROVED Country Auto Stickers.You can get it {HERE}.

I've also created a {sub-set} of the Auto Stickers which are Seashore Auto Stickers. They are in PNG format and are for these 4 towns that I frequent and love:

Knokke (Belgium)
Cape May (New Jersey)
Cape Cod (Massachusettes)
Ocean City (Maryland, but also applies to New Jersy!)

This is the last I am creating. NO MORE! Get these {HERE}

And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave a comment. Just a "thank you" or "ty" will suffice.
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Adding Netherlands to Auto Stickers !

2007-04-05T17:38:00.000-04:00

Adding ~~Netherlands~~ [NORWAY] to Auto Stickers !

Due to Overwhelming Popular Demand (2 requests) I will be posting an additional sticker for the Netherlands, lest not we forget our gentle neighbor that is home of all things tolerant. Look for it shortly.....!
(CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE)
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{freebies} keep on coming.....

2007-04-05T00:29:00.000-04:00

I have created a new {freebie} out of sheer need for use in a LO. It is the classic oval country stickers you see on cars in foreign countries (and now in the U.S.). I have created stickers for 21 different countries (and one blank in case I missed yours!).....

Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Croatia, Czech, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and USA

CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE TO DOWNLOAD
Please provide a comment &
please do not link to download!

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{freebie} papers....just for a while

2007-04-01T15:40:00.000-04:00

I've created 2 Paisley Papers which I'm giving away {FREE} but only for ONE WEEK.

They were created with Stephanie Shimerdla's paisley brushes. Check out all her fabulous brush sets at www.brushes.obsidiandawn.com

Please leave some comments in exchange for the free download, and only link directly to my blog! Download {HERE}
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All my other {freebies} have expired but don't despair, you can purchase them soon in my digi shop!
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Sing Along....."We're Having a Party!".....

2007-03-30T22:33:00.000-04:00

.....Great song by Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes!

The theme today is P-A-R-T-Y.
As in {BLOG} Party!

Join the Party! Click Here!

It's getting warm out here in Baltimore, so I've left a tray of lemonade--regular & spiked [wink], take a drink and wander around the {BLOG} gallery. I have several freebies down below, and will hopefully post one on Saturday.

I'm donating a door prize of my {Juke Labels} seen below.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you back here nigh and again!

toot ?.....TOOT !

2007-03-26T21:09:00.000-04:00

I've been added to Bonnie's CT !! Wow, this is totally exciting! It is my first, so stay tuned while I keep you posted on how I progress in making these LO's!

And look out for my next {kit}..... it's TELEGRAMS (shhhhhhh!).
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Woo-Hoo! My first order!

2007-03-22T19:30:00.000-04:00

I got my first order today! To celebrate this auspicious occasion, Danielle Smith will be getting a special gift for being my first customer: a Special One-Time Only {Freebie}.

I will be giving other customers the same Special One-Time Only {Freebie} for certain special milestones. You won't know in advance when I'm giving them out....you'll just have to make purchases and cross your fingers, rub your genie lamp, or hold your four leaf clover in hand!

Thanks to all who frequent my shop!

Making an element from scratch

2007-03-21T15:13:00.000-04:00

Well I finally created my first element totally from scratch. Necessity is the mother of invention! I was making a chat challenge LO over at scrapbookgraphics.com and needed a JUKEBOX LABEL as the finishing touch. So......voila!

~~$1.50~~$0.99 ON SALE!
PURCHASE USING PAYPAL

I used these JUKEBOX LABELS in the LO below, which was a work of love and tribute to my stepmom, Peggy, the lead singer of The Angels [it's a double page].

My entire Map Set is now available for sale as a set, or individually.

It took a while to figure out the whole paypal shopping cart thing, so I'm glad to finally be able to post these for sale. For your kind patience, I will post another {freebie} from the Map Frames!! Check back later this week....

How do you sell with Paypal? . . . & {freebie}

2007-03-15T16:40:00.000-04:00

:::I tried to set up one-click purchases here on my blog using Paypal, but the forms that Paypal uses would not properly format on the blog. It got to be a huge mess, so I simply deleted the post. Can anyone let me know how they set up using Paypal on their blog? I would greatly appreciate advice on this!

:::I had also provided the download link for the {freebie} at that time, and forgot to repost it! So sorry! Instead get it as a Friday {freebie} below.

:::I have been crunching on filing an emergency motion for a client that has to get to the court before tomorrow. You see, in my other life I play an attorney.

:::Then just a little bit ago I had very uncivil phone conversation with a lawyer who was rude, obscene, and generally a pig. It's those kind of lawyers who give the rest of us a bad name. Just wait. He'll get his. I'll be filing a grievance against him, as well as a few lawsuits for his wrongful actions against my client.

As a quick primer, no lawyer is permitted to threaten arrest or other dire consequences if you don't pay them money you owe to their client. That is illegal ususally under state law, but also under the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). It is also unethical for an attorney to "extort" money in such a manner.

:::That ends our ranting for today, and we now return you to our regularly scheduled program!

{freebie}
As always, please leave some luv !!

CLICK ON IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD

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Muka used my wings! {freebie to come}

2007-03-13T21:32:00.000-04:00

I'ts amazing to see someone use something you created. Muka [mukascraps.blogspot.com] has been kind enough to hold a running dialog with me about my creations, which has been very helpful & supportive. I think everyone needs someone to talk to about what they work on. Anyway, Muka created this really great altered LO using my FREE Crinkle Wings (below). Check out her blog (she has freebies too) and be sure to give her lots of love!

Here is a LO I created memorializing my recent trip to visit my best friend in Houston. We had a blast and enjoyed visiting such fun places as the Beer Can House and the Cockrell Butterfly Pavillion.

And this is a photo taken of the fab Art Car Museum building. I've used my new Map Kit to enhance the photo, with the exception of the DoodleStar by RMelato. The frame around the photo will be a {freebie} for you and the preview is below. I will post the {freebie} sometime tomorrow.

Preview of first kit

2007-03-11T22:35:00.001-04:00

I've been working diligently on this new map kit (my 1st kit) and it's a strain removing all those stray pixels {phew!}. It is created entirely from antique maps. Here's the preview of it below and I will be posting a freebie in the next 2 days. I now have to figure out how I want to sell this kit.

The weather finally broke and we actually had above-freezing temps. Gave me a chance to check out the winter ravage. I think I lost my pond fish this winter season. I cut down all the dead garden plant growth, prepping for the green to appear!

I'm so sick of all the trash celeb news about Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears, and all the rest. As far as I can tell it's only the reporters that are truly interested in this crap!

I went to see Spamalot at The Hippodrome Theatre. I have to admit that I was disappointed. Being the huge Monty Python fan that I am, the skits seemed a bit warmed over and all too predictable, although they might have been aided had the acting been better. I really am sad that I didn't make it to NYC to see the stellar Broadway cast including Tim Curry and Hank Azaria. I could really see genius-comedian-cross dresser Eddie Izzard in one of the title roles---possibly as King Arthur, and I think he would outshine them all! The sets were intriguing and I did laugh to the point of crying, but shortly after could not remember what it was exactly I laughed at. Not a good sign.

Please leave me feedback on these previews as it will help me decide which freebie to post!

PURCHASE USING PAYPAL

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Ultimate Blog Party!

2007-03-06T23:09:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my blog if you meandered or swaggered over here from the Ultimate Blog Party! This is a relatively new blog so not much depth here yet, but grab a drink, have some hors d'oeuvres and wander around here for a bit. You will notice a couple of freebies below that you may wish to add to your goodie basket before you leave. Enjoy!

Anyone stopping by should rub my magic lantern and make a wish for me so that I may win the Mega Millions!

New {freebie}

2007-03-03T12:30:00.000-05:00

POSTED !!

I've created another {FREEBIE} and wanted to share the preview to tantalize and amaze you! [tee-hee] It'll be in jpg and available in the next 24-48 hours. Check out the preview below in the meantime.

I recently saw "Music & Lyrics" with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore and it was a really great and funny romantic comedy. And Hugh Grant sings all his own songs really well! The songs are incredibly spot on for 80's pop songs (see youtube video at right) and very catchy---I now have the soundtrack. Not surprisingly, written by the same songwriter who wrote "That Thing You Do." Next up: "Wild Hogs" tonight.

Hoping to score tickets to review the new slew of concerts part of the reunion circuit: Genesis, Who, Police, ~~Van Halen~~....you can view my previous concert reviews at www.lawgal.net/articles

I'm dismayed about the stock market (having just bought more stock 2 weeks ago) and am holding my breath to see if it will in fact correct or resume its position. {sigh}

CLICK ON IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD
RELISTED!!!

Hello & How did you find me {freebie}?!

2007-03-01T21:15:00.000-05:00

1. Yes, this is my 1st blog;
2. Yes, this is my 1st post on my 1st blog;
3. Yes, this is my first digital scrapbook creation, which also constitutes my 1st FREEBIE.

I only started digital scrapbooking the first of February, having taught myself Photoshop CS2 in January. After learning to scrap by completing multiple challenges at SBP and scrounging for freebies wherever I could all over the net, I started to toy with some creations of my own.

I'm using map elements and this was my 1st try.
It is a Map Scale in psd format, and can be downloaded by CLICKING ON IMAGE. No commercial use without prior express permission. Personal use with appropriate credit please.

Critique and kudos are welcome so I have some idea of your interest in items such as these.

Welcome to my world!
::Lawgal::

CLICK ON IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD