Piggy Scraps

Christmas Carol Blog Hop

2011-12-12T01:00:00.005-05:00

~~*DOWNLOAD*~~
this link has expired Frosty is now available at theStudio

Welcome to our theStudio's Annual Christmas Carol Blog Hop! Every year theStudio Designers get together and sing-A-long digistyle. We take our favorite carols and turn them into mini kits for all of you to scrap your favorite Christmas and winter memories. Enjoy.

Your stops along the Blog Hop:

Fiesta Blog Hop!

2011-05-06T05:41:00.000-04:00

*DOWNLOAD*

Welcome to our Blog Hop - "Fiesta"!!!

A group of uber-talented designers from theStudio have put together these amazingly colorful and fun minis for you to enjoy over the iNSD weekend! Inspired by Cinco de Mayo and with a distinctly Mexican and party feel, this Collection will be fabulous for so many different projects!

Here is the full Blog Roll...

Digilicious Designs http://digilicious.typepad.com/digi_licious_designs/
Booland Designs http://www.boolanddesigns.com/
Twin Mom Scraps http://twinmomscraps.blogspot.com/
Deli Scraps http://deliscraps.blogspot.com/
Scrappy Cocoa http://scrappycocoa.blogspot.com/
Skrapper Digitals http://www.skrapperdigitals.blogspot.com/
Maurine Stettler http://letmescrapbook.blogspot.com/
Piggy Scraps http://piggyscraps.blogspot.com/ <<-- You are here
eqrAveziur http://www.aveziur.com/
Julie http://scrappinhappens.blogspot.com/
Snips N Snails http://www.snipsandsnailsscraps.blogspot.com/
Aimee Harrison http://girlboheme.com/gbstudios/
Deli Scraps http://deliscraps.blogspot.com/

Don't forget to pop on over to theStudio and check out what's happening over the next few days! We've got AMAZING sales for you to enjoy, starting with 50% OFF on Saturday for our Personal Use and Commercial Use products for iNSD. A first for our Commercial Use store.

Freebie Cluster Frame

2011-01-14T08:32:00.001-05:00

*DOWNLOAD*

My cluster frames are *Deal of the Day over at theStudio. If it's not January 14, 2011, well, you missed it LOL. But there's always a great *Deal of the Day and the Old Dictionary Cluster Frame above is still free to download & enjoy.

theStudio Blog Hop: Holly Jolly Christmas I

2010-12-05T15:00:00.002-05:00

Link Expired - now at theStudio

Hi all! It is time for the annual Studio Christmas Carol Blog! Our Design Team gets together, and behind the scenes, we duke it out over our favorite Christmas Carol. After emerging more or less unscathed, we all work feverishly to create adorable mini's representing "our" Christmas Carol.

This year I've got Holly Jolly Christmas. Just click to download & enjoy my mini kit. My Christmas gift to you... and then hop on over & download the rest:

Ambowife - http://www.ambowife.com/blog
Deli Scraps - http://deliscraps.blogspot.com/
Angel Hartline Designs - http://angelhartline.com/blog/
Digilicious Designs - http://digilicious.typepad.com/digi_licious_designs/
Nibbles Skribbles - http://www.nibblesskribbles.com/
Let Me Scrapbook! - http://letmescrapbook.blogspot.com/
Booland Designs - http://www.boolanddesigns.com/
Darlene - http://darlenedesigns.blogspot.com/
LightningBug Creations- http://lightningbugcreationskits.blogspot.com/
eqrAveziur graphic & design - http://www.aveziur.com/
SKrapper Digitals - http://www.skrapperdigitals.blogspot.com/
Shelly Marie Scraps - http://www.shellymariescraps.blogspot.com/
Piggy Scraps Design - http://www.piggyscraps.blogspot.com/ <--You are Here
theStudio Blog: http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/blog/
Twin Mom Scraps - http://twinmomscraps.blogspot.com/
2 Girlz Designz - http://2girlzdesigns.blogspot.com/
JulieC - http://scrappinhappens.blogspot.com/

Charity: Holding My Miracle

2010-11-20T07:54:00.000-05:00

Just a little shout-out to help my dear friend Erika, Lara's Digi World, raise money for her cause.

A birth of a new life is almost the biggest miracle in the world. The minute the baby is born is an unforgettable experience not only for the parents but also and maybe mainly for the baby himself. It is the time of joy, happiness and fulfillment. Many things change with the birth of a baby. Sometimes it happens that the baby is born earlier than expected. Sometimes it happens that despite being born in the full-term, the baby needs a help of health professionals – something might not be quite all right.
And that might be the time when the baby’s parents are experiencing fear, shock and terror. Instead of cuddling their baby, instead of holding their little miracle in their arms, they have to watch their tiny baby being locked in an incubator and connected with many different machines… And that is the time when the waiting will begin, when there is fear and worries, silent prayers, sleepless nights. The time when the parents are eagerly awaiting any good news, any small success. The time when all their life values change rapidly.

We have decided to help these babies and their parents who are passing through these difficult times. We have decided to help via selling this collab and sending all the money collected to the account of “BabyKangaroos” – the charity project of a charitable organization Zrnka (Grains).

“BabyKangaroos” project is trying to help everywhere where there is a need – sharing parents stories about their babies, sewing and knitting tiny clothes, hats, stabilizers and other items for premature babies, providing rehabilitation instruments or special breast pumps for the breast milk. They cooperate with all the perinatology centers in the Czech Republic, with all the individual neonatology wards. Every year there is about 8000 premature babies born in the Czech Republic. They are all treated on a highly professional level.

By buying this collab you can help to make this care even better.
We thank you very much for your help.

17th November is a Prematurity Awareness Day and this is the reason we´re releasing this charity collab.

Buy Holding my Miracle Charity Collab with Quickpages

Buy Holding my Miracle Charity Quickpages

Shabby Holiday Blog Hop!

2010-11-06T02:01:00.000-04:00

sorry link expired

It's Blog Hop time for theStudio Design Team! Be sure to get all the bits-n-pieces of this wonderful, shabby, holiday Blog Hop (or is it Blog Train?):

www.skrapperdigitals.blogspot.com

http://darlenedesigns.blogspot.com

http://shellymariescraps.blogspot.com

www.aveziur.com

http://www.lightningbugcreationskits.blogspot.com/

http://digilicious.typepad.com/digi_licious_designs/

http://twinmomscraps.blogspot.com

http://piggyscraps.blogspot.com -->You are here

http://www.jwdigiscraps.com

http://angelhartline.com/blog/

http://www.nibblesskribbles.com

http://deliscraps.blogspot.com/

Kimberkatt Scraps

http://LetMeScrapbook.blogspot.com

Don't forget to leave some love! And if you aren't all hopped out.... hop on down to theStudio for sales & goodies galore!

DSD at theStudio!

2010-11-05T07:11:00.000-04:00

*DOWNLOAD*

Let's kick it off with a little cluster frame for everyone! This sweet cluster frame freebie was made using our February 2010 Mega Kit - A Touch of Love. Just click to download & enjoy.

We are getting ready to celebrate Digital Scrapbooking Day at theStudio! We've got a couple fun events planned in the forum, but mostly it's just sale, sale, sale!

It is the one time of year (or is it two now LOL) that you'll find theStudio personal on sale, storewide, for 50% off. Our quality controlled CU-only store will be 30% off.

And, of course, our super special this year will be our 10 for $10: Studio Mega Kits

Freebie & 10 for $10 at theStudio!

2010-09-25T14:07:00.001-04:00

sorry link expired

Quick, dirty & good... I have a freebie fall quickpage for y'all today. Made from my That October kit now on sale at theStudio, and part of theStudio's 10 for $10 FALL Special.

theStudio Mega: Back to School

2010-09-03T06:08:00.000-04:00

Click to Download

Hey all... I've got an "Old School" cluster freebie for y'all to scrap those first days back-to-school. Just click to download & enjoy. I used pieces from my new favorite DesignTeam Mega at theStudio: Old School.

Be sure to stop by theStudio Forum for tons of games, fun & prizes. Our annual September Birthday Bash has kicked-off with a bang! For all you freebie hunters, check out the Gallery for all the free mini's being created by the Contestants of our Next Designer Contest! Be sure to leave a little love... it's hard work creating mini's and putting yourself out there to be judged.

Smooches!

Toiny

Random Freebie

2010-08-14T08:18:00.001-04:00

sorry link expired

Now that I'm busy with the store, the work, the newsletters, I've been a horrible blogger. And Designer. The time just flies through my fingers like water from a faucet. I am working on a beautiful, delicate new kit. Soft pale yellows & greens, a touch of brown. Perfect for letting those photos shine. When it will be done? I have no idea.

I do know that while working on the kit I accidently created a fun, gorgeous, complete mismatch blue paper. So it's all yours FREE! Just click to download & enjoy.

New Designer Blog Train!

2010-07-16T06:45:00.001-04:00

*sorry link expired*

Hey all welcome to a super fabulous unique Blog Train! We've all gotten together to welcome AnDi Designs to theStudio. She's created a fantabulous kit: Seaside Serenity and we're all helping her give away the pieces (and some quickpages) FREE on our blogs!

Download the freebie above, get a taste for her talents, then visit her store at theStudio for her grand opening sale at 40% off! Be sure to stop by the other Studio Designers to pick up more of Seaside Serenity:

Angel (kit part) http://angeltown.typepad.com/
Janice (QP) http://www.jwdigiscraps.com/
Toiny (kit part) http://piggyscraps.blogspot.com/ <--YOU ARE HERE
LittleSpooky (QP or Cluster frame) http://www.lightningbugcreations.blogspot.com/
MitsyBelle (kit part) http://mitsybelle.blogspot.com/
Kimberkatt (QP) http://kimberkattscraps.wordpress.com/
Min (kit part) http://deliscraps.blogspot.com/
Lori (QP) http://thescrappytimes.wordpress.com/
MoonDesigns (kit part) http://moon7x4.blogspot.com/
Anitaw (QP) http://anitawdesigns.blogspot.com/

Earth Day Blog Hop!

2010-04-22T11:00:00.000-04:00

sorry link expired

Happy Earth Day everyone! A big huge shout-out to Sherah, Jo & Trish over at SaveTheGreen.net for coordinating this amazing Blog Hop. For those of you who haven't heard STG is a FREE site filled with tutorials & how-to's on digi scrapping! Perfect for those starting out, even better for us old-timers who could stand to learn a new trick or two.

STG is all about being green. Digi scrapping is a renewable resource. Digi papers, and elments, can be used over & over & over. No matter how many times you cut them up... with no waste going in the trash! Digi scrapping lends itself just perfectly to Earth Day, hence the Blog Hop.

After you download the free mini above, hop on over to the other participants for more matching goodness:

Help.... and win FREE CU flower pack!

2010-03-26T06:14:00.001-04:00

I know I am the Worlds Worst Blogger but can y'all help me out anyway. Pretty please? I took some photo's of my suddenly budding and blooming garden. Most I can identify. This one though, not so much.

Soooo I extracted these first, got them bundled up in my store and am offering them FREE to the first 3 people to correctly identify them for me! Just post in the comments below with your email address.

My close-ups, in case it helps:

Need some Designers!

2010-03-12T03:57:00.001-05:00

This one I am coordinating for a woman outside of theStudio. I just got the greenlight from the lady in charge at the benefitting organization so this will be open to Designers outside of theStudio. Please let me know if you know any Designers interested! Or send them here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HugAHeroCharity/

For all the volunteer Designers to come together & create a beautiful Charity Kit to benefit the Hug-A-Hero foundation... and all the children of soldiers they help.

https://www.hugahero.com/
http://www.operationhugahero.com/

Theme: Little Hero's

Palette: see more in Yahoo group; Photo's for jpg, Files for Photoshop Swatch

Contribution: Any size welcome, but try to limit to 2-4 papers, 5-8 elements.
Email zip files to: piggyscraps@gmail.com Subject: HugAHero
Previews: Upload under Photos (in Yahoo Group)
TOU's: Don't forget to include your TOU's!

This kit is for all the little ones waiting at home while Daddy, or Mommy, is deployed & far, far away overseas. I want this kit to focus on happy memories, love, family time & togetherness. A slightly soft look, definitely a happy look, and from the child's perspective. Think of things a child remembers best about Dad, think of things kids like to do, like to share or even say.

This does not need to be a military kit. This kit will be for everyone, only the proceeds will go to benefit the HugAHero charity, and, therefore, children of American soldiers

Introducing: Maritime Collage

2010-02-18T06:09:00.001-05:00

*DOWNLOAD*

I've got a new kit out I'm rather in love with. Beautiful blues, greens & sands make up this Maritime Collage of ocean, sea & fishing pieces. Perfect for scrapping days at the beach, island getaways, boating and fishing fun.

Created for my oldest, Soren, and my bazillion pictures of him with fish, named by my second, Nicholas, when nothing came to my mind, Maritime Collage is a beautiful assortment of ocean pieces. You get 14 textured, rich papers and 42 elements.

Freebie: Heart Balloons!

2010-02-13T07:55:00.001-05:00

*DOWNLOAD*

I made a new kit, woooooohoooooo! And a super fun little freebie to go with, two heart balloons. Perfect for Valentines LO's just click to download & enjoy.

You can find the Softly in Love at theStudio... ON SALE:

theStudio is having a big 50% off sale on all Valentine-y/Romanc-y kit, and 30% off the rest. PLUS, some of the best Valentine kits have been bundled together at 10 for $10! Double Woooohooooooo!

Haiti Charity Kit: Sunshine after the Rain

2010-01-21T05:22:00.001-05:00

The Studio is doing their tiny bit to help the people of Haiti. Our Designers have gotten together and created a beautiful Charity Kit: Sunshine after the Rain. 100% of the proceeds from sale of this kit go to benefit Haiti via Samaritan's Purse, we are offering two donation options for you to receive this kit:

•$5.00 donation - you receive this kit FREE
•$10.00 donation - you receive this kit and the bragbook set FREE

For every $1.00 in donations, Digital Scrapbooking Studio will match it with a 5% site sponsorship. We apologize but we are not able to issue tax donation receipts.

This kit is a labour of love by theStudio Designers. It is a kit full of love, hope and compassion. It is the promise of good that comes after tragedy. It is the tangible evidence that humanity prevails.

The colors & elements in this kit are perfect for scrapping those happy moments. Moments of celebration, laughter and times of wonder. The same moments we pray will soon be there for all of the people in Haiti and all those affected by devastation and tragedy. It is a small reminder of the good in life.

Included in this kit are 44 papers and 103 elements. For your extra donation, your extra kindness, Kimberkatt Scraps has created a beautiful 10-page bragbook set, plus front & back covers FREE :

New Clutter Its!

2010-01-14T00:08:00.000-05:00

*DOWNLOAD*

We've got something new at theStudio: Clutter It's! Based off our popular Clutter It! monthly challenge. Want the speed & ease of quickpages? But the control of design of a kit? Clutter It's! are for you! Clutter It kits come with simple, easy quickpages... you just slide a photo in and Voila! Done.

You also get a great assortment of coordinating elements perfect for embellishing your Clutter It! pages to make it uniquely yours. All with less fuss, less time, less cost than a traditional scrap kit.

The freebie above was my first foray into making Clutter It's! But I decided the pages were too busy, that a Clutter It! needed a neutral, easy to embellish look & feel. Something that would work well with both the provided elements, and all the bazillion elements we all have on our harddrive.

New in store is my Clutter It! Lime Tones. Stay tuned for Clutter It! Oh Baby coming soon.

New Kit: Sunset

2010-01-08T05:41:00.001-05:00

*DOWNLOAD FREEBIE*

In between breaking my arm & moving Stone Accents Studio to a new, faster server (and a whole lot more) I had time to design a kit! I'm in love with the soft colors & the fun elements in this one... called Sunset after the color inspiration.

Today it's on super sale as the Deal of the Day at theStudio:

Paper Christmas -Progressive Sale

2009-12-24T09:01:00.000-05:00

*DOWNLOAD*

I've got a new kit out just in time for Christmas! It's called Paper Christmas... take a look:

Paper Christmas is on sale today only for 60% off! In fact, the entire store is 60% off today only... with more sale, just less, happening through Christmas weekend:

Christmas Carol - Blog Hop!

2009-12-11T06:46:00.000-05:00

~~*DOWNLOAD*~~

(link expired)

It's time for the now Annual Stone Accents Studio Christmas Carol Blog Hop. I did "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" this year. I was a little stumped, and a little rushed, but I got mine done! Click above to download away; Merry Christmas!

Check out the other super talented SAS Designers for their carol themed goodies:

Must be Santa - Darlene - http://darlenedesigns.blogspot.com/

Away in a Manger - Heidi - http://blackrosedigitals.blogspot.com/
Frosty the Snowman - Lightningbug Creations- http://lightningbugcreationskits.blogspot.com/
Here Comes Santa Claus - Maurine - http://letmescrapbook.blogspot.com/
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - BooLandDesigns http://boolanddesign.blogspot.com/
Up on the Rooftop -EllenM http://scrapsationalscraps.blogspot.com/
White Christmas - Monika Designs - http://monikadigitaldesigns.blogspot.com/
Jingle Bell Rock - mITSYBELLE - http://mitsybelle.com/blog/
O Christmas Tree - Veelana - http://veelana.blogspot.com/
Blue Christmas - ShellyMarie http://shellymariescraps.blogspot.com/
Hark the Herald Angels Sing - Ambowife http://www.ambowife.com/blog/
Deck the Halls - Skrapper Digitals - http://skrapperdigitals.blogspot.com/

O Holy Night -Brenda (CuddleBeez) - http://cuddlebeezscraps.blogspot.com/

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas - MoonDesigns - http://moon7x4.blogspot.com/

Christmas Alpha/Wordart-Kimberkatt- http://kimberkattscraps.wordpress.com/

Rocking Around the Christmas Tree -Toiny http://piggyscraps.blogspot.com/

Freebie Sampler & Deal of the Day

2009-12-10T08:01:00.000-05:00

DOWNLOAD PAPERS

DOWNLOAD ELEMENTS

Yay! I'm finally in a gorgeous, old, German house and out of the teeny tiny hotel. I'm still unpacking boxes, and moving the store to a faster server, but I've opened up Photoshop & started dabbling in Design again.

Not much babbling today but I do have a little Freebie for y'all (click on the download links above) and my personal store is on sale, it's part of our fablulous new DEAL of the DAY at Stone Accents Studio just for today December 10-11, 2009!

Harvest Moon Freebie

2009-11-11T17:30:00.000-05:00

*DOWNLOAD*
I cannot believe it is almost been a month since I've blogged. I'd say time flies, but time seems to go sooooooooo slow in this tiny hotel. BUT there is light at the end of the tunnel. We are moving out on Monday!!! I'm beyond excited and I can't wait. I even found a little extra time to do up a freebie sampler/addon for the uber-fantastic November Mega at Stone Accents Studio: Harvest Moon. I hope you enjoy.

Here are some more previews of Harvest Moon, done by the fantabulous mITSYBELLE:

10 for $10 Deal & a Blues Freebie

2009-10-15T03:30:00.000-04:00

*DOWNLOAD*

Hello all! Finally a little freebie from me. I've got a set of 3 cardstock frames in a fun, fat, rounded square shape. I couldn't decide what I liked better, messy painted edges, messy painted edges on just the outside, or the plain cardstock frame all by itself... so I'm offering all 3 and I'll let you decide which you like best.

These frames correspond with my Blooming Blues kit, available at Stone Accents Studio by itself or as part of the 10 for $10 Deal: The Blues only on October 15, 2009.

Sensapolis!

2009-10-10T18:07:00.001-04:00

We had a super fantastic day at the Sensapolis today! This is an amazing hands-on playpark like NOTHING you've seen in the good 'ol U.S. of A. And while I loved absolutely everything about it, the tiny cup-of-coffee I got was really not to my liking. Give me a Starbucks over german tasse any day!

Our first experience at the Sensapolis was the spaceship... complete with escape slides like no other. The dad convinced the daughter to go down the death slide. Can you see the look of terror on her face? See, the thing is, she knew what she in for. Me on the other hand? After losing my bunch, I decided to trek up to the top of the spaceship & slide down the 10 & over slide. A dark tube through space. Cool. Nuh-UH!

That puppy started off like a normal slide and then, all of a sudden, the bottom dropped out & I was hanging in MIDAIR. Seriously. MIDAIR. I screamed like a little girl. Those are some seriously scary slides.

Of course the 20+ slides were nothing compared to, get this, the ropes course up in the air. UP BY THE CEILING they had a bunch of logs for you to walk across. Oh yeah. You needed a harness, safety gear, helmet and a whole-lot-of-bravery to do this. Here's me & #3 son, 17, giving it a shot. For superb pictures of how high, how scary this is go to Sensapolis itself. Awww heck, I'll blatantly steal one of theirs to give you a sense of how crazy this is:
You are literally up by the ceiling, above everyone's head, no safety net, and that stuff shakes & moves & wiggles... OHmiGaaaaaaaaaawd! To top it all of, the lady before me? At least 6 months pregnant if not 7 or 8. Germans are crazy.

We laughed our butts off when we saw the ball pit for the babies. Ball pits are fun. Babies love ball pits! But this ball pit, had a 4-5 story cage built around it. And each level of the cage had an air-pressured ball shooting gun on it. To shoot balls at the babies. ROFL! My husband had a delightful time up there.

Here you can see Dave shooting away, a level above him is our baby running free. That's another thing here, kids run free so much more. Our kids are in Heaven and I'm slowly starting to relax. It's a wonderful change of pace (except for those darn coffee cups)

And because it's Germany, it is the land of the pigs. I'm enjoying my pig beer and dangling from my rear view mirror is my new car freshner:
I am sooooooooooo lucky.

Another $10 for $10: Babies Addition!!!

2009-10-09T19:01:00.001-04:00

Eeek! Wanted another freebie to go with this & the time slipped out of my hands... but I wanted y'all to know there is another 10 for $10 deal at Stone Accents Studio. This time it's all about the babies. Check it out!

10 for $10 TODAY only at SAS!

2009-10-07T08:22:00.000-04:00

SAS has a fantastic deal for y'all!!! You get 10 of their "oldies but goodies", proven best-sellers, all for the incredibly low price of $10. But hurry... it's TODAY (Oct. 7, 2009) only.

Katalyst Blog: Tuesday

2009-10-06T16:45:00.000-04:00

Katalyst Blog: Tuesday

Time for more cookies....

2009-10-06T16:38:00.001-04:00

One of my best friends is struggling. Really, really struggling. So I need y'all to buy a cookie.

I just went & bought some myself. Not for me, lord knows they may not get here all tasty like I so wish they would, but as a little surprise, a little treat for my oldest away at university. I'm sure he'll be surprised to see Neal's cookies arrive. Surprised and happy and then sad. I've kept it from him a little. Neal has always been one of his favorite people. Soren was even the ring bearer at their wedding! So long ago. Such a long time. And now... my heart is breaking. So if you can. Please? Buy a cookie?

I'm on Forever Free Downloads

2009-10-06T05:13:00.001-04:00

I don't know how many of you don't know about Brandy's (mega-doodle inspired) fabulous FREE site: foreverfree downloads, but it is, well, fabulous! It's a great place to get your stash started, check out different Designers work & styles and have some fun. All for free!

This week it's my turn to be the Spotlight Designer. This means I'm up all over the place, and it means extra fabulous freebies for you. Those of you who visit regularly (ie daily) will get my brandnew kit: That October Kit, abolutely FREE!

That's right, I've broken up my new kit into 7 little mini's as downloads-A-day for you to get just plain ol' free. Take a look at the previews, download some freebie wordart, and then hurry on over to Brandy's site to download the kit:

I have to give HUGE props to the fabulous mItSYBELLE, and my CT's Kimberkatt & Shabba for helping with the clusters. There is not time enough in a day to do all I want to do and they helped create these fantastic clusters for y'all. Thanks guys!

I made a little extra freebie for y'all, you know, for taking the trouble to click on my blog :D Click to Download from box.net and you will get the 300 dpi, png version of the word art below, as well as the plain text (leaveless) 300 dpi png version for you to dress up your way.

Happy Scrappin' Folks!

*DOWNLOAD*

I'm here! I'm here! I'm here!

2009-10-03T08:34:00.001-04:00

Oh how time flies! I can't believe it's been this long since I blogged. I so love blogging too. I've been busy not only looking for houses here in Germany, but also running the Next Designer Contest over at Stone Accents Studio. I'm so sad it is over but ecstatic that we have three fabulous new Designers!!!

If you hurry, their winning entries are still free for download at SAS:

Go buy a cookie....

2009-09-07T19:52:00.000-04:00

I'm tired. It's late. I'm full-up. So I'm reading blogs I've been neglecting for eons. And while I know all this, I haven't read one of my best friends blogs in forever. I'd say my best friend, she was my best friend in high school, my roommate in college & beyond... but life is funny. You can't claim a best friend if you aren't in touch for every little thing. And this is not a little thing.

Check it out, read, feel, and buy a cookie. Neal's cookies are truly amazing (and any man that's 6'4" that can bake like that is a real man in my book), you will not be disappointed.... and you'll have done your good deed for the day.

Come on Down!

2009-09-07T18:29:00.000-04:00

*DOWNLOAD*

Oh, WOW! Things are hopping so fast, so exitingly over at Stone Accents Studio I barely have time to breath. The aspiring Designers in the Next Designer Contest have knocked out a bazillion gorgeous mini kits.... all FREE and all anxiously awaiting your vote to see who moves on to Round #2. Go! Download! Leave love! And VOTE!!!

There are tons of other events happening as well. I have to say, ahum, *clears throat*, the owner of SAS sure knows how to throw a party. One of my faves is the Member Mega Challenge. Members are all creating great little mini kits in the same color scheme... download enough FREE mini's & you'll have enough for another Mega.

I've got the freebie QP up above for you today, and over on the forum I've got my very own freebie Member Mega contribution free for downloading:

Round 1 is Underway!

2009-09-03T08:51:00.000-04:00

*DOWNLOAD*

I'm sitting in my beautiful hotel room in Stuttgart, DE, finally blogging again! Since my last post my life has been so, so, so, um, exciting. So much has happened. I couldn't blog it all if I wanted. My husband, me, my 4 youngest kids, have all moved to Germany. Uh. Moved as in, we are here. I have yet to find the time to actually look for a house. Military life is full of catch-22's.

In the meantime, Stone Accents Studio has also launched it's annual Birthday Bash replete with it's 2nd Annual Next Designer Contest. And, Oh!Em!Gee!, we have 71 contestants. It is beyond exciting. The first round has started, and in honor of the color scheme I've made a little freebie (above) to help get all y'all excited as well.

For even more freebies check out the fantastic mini-kits the Aspiring Designers are busy creating in our Next Designer Gallery. Be sure to leave them some love, they are working hard, under pressure and sooooooooo nervous! Finally, come back on September 6th and VOTE for your favorite Designer.

At Scrapbird: Love Simply

2009-08-11T08:58:00.000-04:00

I am addicted to my email. Everything, and I do mean everything, comes through my email. I wouldn't know the world was spinning if my email didn't tell me so. Since taking over Stone Accents Studio my email has become even more important. As owner of a digital scrapbooking store I need to keep a handle on trends, designers, sales, products, layouts.... EEEK! So I'm subscribed to a bazillion newsletters.

Of course, as a scrapper it's almost as good as getting a catalog full of shoes shoved in my inbox several times a day. It's a good thing I have self-restraint or my paypal account would be painfully thin. This week the Scrapbird newsletter came out and, I'm ashamed just a little here, I was so excited to see myself as the Featured Designer! I did a whole bunch of babbling about me. Weird. I know.

I highly recommend signing-up for these newsletters, not just to keep you in the know on the latest & greatest products, the best sales or even insights into your favorite Designers (*snort*) but they invariably have a fantastic freebie or two.

Now, I can't give you the exclusive & fabulous freebie I created just for Scrapbird, but I can give you a little wordart...to make your visit her today not completely disappointing. Click the wordart to download the full-size 300dpi version.

*DOWNLOAD*

Annual SAS Designer Competition

2009-08-10T10:48:00.000-04:00

Last year at this time I was debating whether or not to enter the Stone Accents Studio SAS-y Lady contest. Wondering if I had what it takes to be a Designer. I knew I had the desire, the love, the creativity inside me but I wasn't sure I was good enough. Despite having worked with photoshop for more years than I'll ever admit to, digital scrapbook design, print quality work, was still new & very challenging to me.

But I entered. And I was one of the three winners! I lived & breathed SAS during the contest. I live & breathed SAS in the months after the contest as I got used to the life of a Designer. Things that take me minutes now, took hours then. What a difference a year makes.

But I still live & breath SAS. Now as the owner. Like I said in that original announcement life spins in mysterious ways. I am again beyond excited that it is time for the Stone Accents Studio SAS-y Lady contest. I am thrilled to be a the helm, versus a nail-biting contestant. I can't wait to see the new crop show their stuff, and I really can't wait to see who will join the team this year!

If you are at all interested in Designing, if you have some experience, or even if you sell at a store or two... I highly recommend joining in the fun! It is a fantastic learning experience, a super way to make friends and terrific exposure to a big audience. You can learn more, sign up HERE.

Just for fun I dug through my entries last year & picked out my favorite tidbit: my Fall Alpha created using the felt action by the fabulous Atomic Cupcake, enjoy:

CU Heart Brushes with a Freebie!

2009-08-05T13:03:00.000-04:00

I've been working on a new kit, soft, beautiful colors and it's just going slow. Sometimes that happens. I created these heart brushes to create that kit. I'm in love with stamping them, creating papers, elements. They really are so fun to play with!

So I've bundled them up & put them in my store. Maybe there are more people that were looking for some good, wider variety, of heart brushes. And for those of you without photoshop, I've included the full resolution PNG files as well. You get 12 photoshop brushes in 1 .abr file and 12 PNG files, each heart separate & individual for drag & drop use.

I'm personally a big fan of the grungier, shabbier side of scrapping, and I gave the same hearts a worn & faded look, to create a 2nd set of brushes... You can save a little & buy both sets together as a bundle.

I wouldn't be me if I didn't let you "try before you buy". This freebie has two heart brushes, 1 with neat, clear edges and one faded & worn. You also get both PNG files. Enjoy!

*DOWNLOAD*

Challenge & Freebie (totally nonrelated)

2009-08-04T20:22:00.000-04:00

My August Freestyle Challenge is up at Stone Accents Studio! We went with a French Country theme "Oh La La"... Everyone who participates gets the mini posting bonus FREE! Be sure check out all the challenges to get more mini's. You could get enough for a whole kit. FREE!

My wonderful friend Steph, of Scrappy Cocoa fame, did up another gorgeous quickpage of Blooming Blues for all y'all. Add this with the first freebie quickpage and you have a two page layout, ready to go. I love having the work done for me.

*DOWNLOAD*

Baby Freebie!

2009-07-25T21:16:00.000-04:00

I'm just getting around to adding my June posting bonus, from my freestyle challenge at Stone Accents Studio, to my store. I figure by now y'all have forgotten I'd done this... so I made a quick little freebie (scroll on down to skip my babbling) to remind you.

The Baby of Mine Mini is the posting bonus plus the sampler I gave out on my blog to get everyone started for the June freestyle challenge. The Baby of Mine Addon includes an uppercase alpha and you can get it all, and save a little, by getting the whole collection. Phew!

*DOWNLOAD*

A Freebie! Finally!

2009-07-24T03:11:00.000-04:00

This summer is not turning out to be my funnest summer ever, but there are good things on the horizon and the horizon is fast approaching! Woooooooooohoooooooooo! In the meantime I've got a new kit out. For the next week you can get it FREE with any $5 purchase in the Stone Accents Studio store. Whether it's PU, CU, templates... anything goes.

I've got some close-up shots... so you can see if you like it:
And, in case you want try before you buy... I've got a little freebie quickpage for y'all. Enjoy!

*DOWNLOAD*

4th of July Freebie

2009-07-03T10:37:00.000-04:00

*DOWNLOAD*

Happy 4th everyone! I've got a quick little freebie and then I'm off for some fun in the sun. If you are blessed & have some scrapping time this weekend, check out our sale at Stone Accents Studio!

We are trying something new for us, and full of savings for you. Our Sale-A-Bration starts at a whopping 50% off on Friday, 40% off on Saturday, 30% off on Sunday and, finally, 20% off on Monday. This includes both CU & PU products.

And, pssst, if you don't want to miss this or other updates from Stone Accents Studio be sure to sign-up for our weekly newsletter.

Scrapbird Challenge!

2009-07-01T19:44:00.000-04:00

It's challenge time at Scrapbird too! I'm doing the "Firsts Challenge" over there & this month's it's Baby's First Smile. I'm well aware that many of my fans/followers/stalkers are animal momies... and honestly *big grin* I am dying to see some First Smile furbaby LO's!

To get y'all started I did up a couple of frames & a wordart. You can get the paper pack by posting your LO at Scrapbird!

*DOWNLOAD*

July Challenge Time!

2009-06-30T22:09:00.001-04:00

Time flies! I can't believe it's been over a week since I blogged... it feels like yesterday. This one is going to be short & sweet. It's Challenge Time!

First up is the Freestyle Challenge at Stone Accents Studio. This month your assignment is to scrap your favorite vacation! Just for fun, and to whet your appetite for my new art papers, I made this little quickpage complete with bonus art paper:

link no longer available

*DOWNLOAD*

Father's Day Sale at SAS

2009-06-20T00:33:00.000-04:00

A little ADvertisement first... the Father's Day Sale at Stone Accents Studio is ON! We've got 40% off PU & CU products. Wooooooooohoooooooooooo! I've even got a little goodie for my favorite blog followers. An additional 10% of coupon: piggy_dad_10

I also wanted to show off some of the fantabulous LO's done with Pablo's Zebra this week. Scroll down to the end for a little freebie quickpage by Steph. Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there!

By Shabba

by Kimberkatt

by Zzaa_za

by Shabba

and by Steph

*DOWNLOAD*

Introducing: Dad's Coffee

2009-06-19T01:51:00.000-04:00

Just in time for Father's Day, a little Father's Day kit that is more an ode to my husband, than a true Father's Day kit. Done in his favorite (outside of army green *sigh*) shades of teals, tans & browns and incorporating his favorite favorite: coffee!

Dad's Coffee is all about my husband. It's manly, no foofy flowers, ribbons or, darnit, my favorite glitter. The only foofy thing I snuck in is some torn, worn, grungy hearts. Because, somehow, our love for him must show through. This kit has 12 papers & 29 elements.

You get: 5 cardstock papers, 4 patterned papers, 3 different worn & tattered papers. There are some really fun elements including a chicken wire "D", a bag of coffee, a travel mug, a paper cup, a thermos, a coffee bean, tattered & worn circle accents, tattered & worn heart accents, leather string frames, tattered & worn frames, two cluster frames, worn metallic word art, worn metallic charm, and an alpha-beaded "DAD".

I have to say, once again, that the wonderful alpha-beads came from the incomparable Deb of Scrappin' Cop fame. Deb just rocks!!! I spent over an hour trying to get these alpha beads to do what I want. Then went google happy. And, of course, Deb had beat me to the punch. I altered them a little, but if you want a fantastic alpha to go with this kit... visit the Scrappin' Cop!

I know I'm really babbling up a storm here... but I thought I'd mentioned that my store, Stone Accents Studio, is having a storewide Father's Day Sale!!! It starts late tomorrow (Friday) for our European & Aussie friends and ends early Monday... though I'm not super sure who is after us time wise. Is it just Hawaii??? Be sure to stop by & save 40% on Personal Use and Commercial Use items. Including Dad's Coffee. Of course.

Oops forgot to mention here's a freebie quickpage for y'all. And if you pop on over to Stone Accents Studio, be sure to pick up the freebie cluster frame below as well! Happy Scrappin'!

*DOWNLOAD*
This freebie cluster frame is available via my stores at Stone Accents Studio, Scrapbird & Digital Paper Hearts.

Awesome BB Freebie!

2009-06-14T11:01:00.000-04:00

My CT Kim (aka Kimberkatt) made these FANTASTIC bragbook pages & posted it over at the Stone Accents Studio blog. I had to ooooh & aaaah & share. I just finished downloading these myself and am so excited to make my DH his very first bragbook to carry with him.

Bragbook Pages

Me & My Dad Kit (on sale)

Perfect timing Kim!

Introducing: Pablo's Zebra

2009-06-13T23:01:00.000-04:00

The kit has absolutely nothing to do with zebra's. I saw some colors I really liked, decided it need some "ooomph", remembered I'd been loving the black & white doodles... and started creating. The hubby asked what the heck it was, and I said I was channeling Pablo Picasso. He said;' "And the zebra stripes?" And so a kit name was born.

A couple months ago I'd finally purchased ArtRage. A couple of months ago I took over as the owner of Stone Accents Studio. This week I installed ArtRage. This week I learned to make my own glitter!!! It's so purrrrrrrrty. And fun. I admit I am no Flerg's, but I am still a wee bit proud of myself. Those of you who love glitter will love all the glitter in this kit! All the black & white doodles have been spruced up with my newfound skill, and there are some glitter splats to boot.

I always love the part where I choose what freebie to give away for a kit. I thought for this one I'd do something a little different & a little fun. You are getting the full-size 300 dpi, png zebra element and two photoshop glitter styles by me! Both the black & the white used to make the elements in this kit. I hope you enjoy.

*DOWNLOAD*

NEW Mega kit at SAS & a Freebie for you

2009-06-04T19:41:00.001-04:00

The SAS monthly Mega collaboration is out (and on sale)! In colours of blue and yellow and accents of cool metal it has been put together this month in honor of 'Father's Day', a tribute to all Dads. All of our Designers have come together to bring you this huge collaboration filled with 60 papers and 109 elements.

And while there's a ton more kit preview in the store (click image above), I wanted to share some of the fabulous layouts already gracing our gallery:

First Born by Mitsybelle

For the love of Snails by Carla
North beach by Carla

And my freebie quickpage for y'all to give you a taste:

*DOWNLOAD*

Freebies Galore... if you can find them!

2009-06-01T18:56:00.000-04:00

Three stores. Three challenges. Three starters. One tired designer. If y'all can follow my ramblings there's goodies to be had!

Stone Accents Studio - I run the Freestyle Challenge. This month the Designers have banded together to give out absolutely fabulous posting bonuses!!!! I'd highly recommend signing up for all the challenges because this will be a kit to remember.The theme is "Baby of Mine", but what I would really like to see is a scrap of YOU! You as a baby that is. You have free rein this month, of course there's a starter but I want this LO to truly speak of YOU, to be YOU.

You can download the starter below. The Posting Bonus is handed out at then end of the challenge for all y'all who participated & posted in the gallery!

~~*DOWNLOAD*~~
sorry link expired, purchase kit here

Digital Paper Hearts - I run the color challenge. This is the first color challenge at Digital Paper Hearts. A color challenge is simple... do a LO using 3 of the colors in this months palette:

I made it easy this first month & y'all can download this freebie mini kit at DPH! DPH gives out points for participation & LO's... the more points the more free stuff you earn. Find out more here.

*to the DOWNLOAD link*

Scrapbird - I run the "Firsts" Challenge. This month I don't know if y'all know the word "lovey"... but it means the blankie, the stuffy, the pacifier that a baby becomes attached to. In my oldest case it meant as many matchbox cars as he could stuff under his body before drifting off to sleep.

I know for a fact furbabies have loveys too. I just wish that all the dogs I've ever owned didn't feel the need to make my shoes their loveys.Your challenge this month is to scrap your baby with their first lovey! To get you started I've got a set of freebie starter cluster frames you can download here:

~~*DOWNLOAD*~~

sorry link expired

And the PostingBonus y'all get for participating and posting in the gallery. Yes, I know. It's surprisingly similar to my SAS Posting Bonus... well... there's only so much I can manage LOL. Besides, I'm kind of in love w/my felty animals. I figure the more the merrier!

Faded Sunshine BB Freebie!

2009-05-30T21:06:00.001-04:00

*DOWNLOAD*

My fantastic CT Steph, Scrappy Cocoa, has done up a gorgeous set of 4 freebie bragbook pages with Faded Sunshine. I absolutely love the way she has with these... and so does my mom! Woooohooooooo! I just finished another Gramma's bragbook for her. Let me tell you, she eats those up. I so heart Shutterfly.

I'm also ecstatically happy that this is the last week of school!!! I'm so ready to sleep in & relax mornings it's not even funny. To celebrate I've put my store on surprise sale this week only. You can get 40% off through Friday June 5th at my Stone Accents Studio store.

Wooooooohoooooooooooo! Summer!!!!

SAS Newsletter & Freebie!

2009-05-28T08:22:00.000-04:00

The Stone Accents Studio newsletter is out! It's full of news, goodies & excitement. You can get the full version here. With the new newsletter, comes a new FWP (free with purchase) at SAS. This week it is On The Farm by SKrapper Digitals and me, Piggy Scraps Design.

Scroll on past the previews to get a little freebie quickpage from me. Very simple, but just my style. And before I forget... hurry on over to the forum for the last day of voting on the layouts submitted by our contestants in the Win-A-Spot on the SAS CT!

*DOWNLOAD*

Introducing: Faded Sunshine

2009-05-23T21:49:00.000-04:00

Wooooooooooohoooooooooooo! I had some time to design. I ate it up! It is heavenly to design. Don't get me wrong, I love running Stone Accents Studio but, well, designing is my first love & to have some time to devote to just design was a little slice of Heaven today.

Faded Sunshine is now in my store at SAS and will be in my stores at ScrapBird & Digital Paper Hearts later this week. SAS is having a 40% off sale for Memorial Day Weekend... this includes Faded Sunshine!

Faded Sunshine is a beautiful kit in the shades of a faded sunset, accented with copper highlights. The happy, muted, colors of red, orange, yellow, blue and green are perfect for those late evening BBQ's, spring picnics & summers at the lake.

You get 17 papers, including 3 "painted" sunsets and 2 scalloped & glittered edged papers. You also get 30 elements including: 1 copper sun, 1 copper swirl, 1 copper arrow, 1 copper flourish, 4 copper brads, 2 staple clusters, 1 safety pin, 3 glitter splats, 2 leafy branches, 1 flowery branch, 2 freesia blooms, 2 flowers, 4 ribbons, 3 frames and 1 cluster frame.

And I made a little quickpage so y'all could enjoy right away without spending any money! Enjoy...

*DOWNLOAD*

Mother's Day Freebie

2009-05-09T22:28:00.000-04:00

DOWNLOAD

There is some beautiful oceanside here in North Carolina, and in nearby South Carolina. We are blessed to be two hours away from Myrtle Beach... one of my favorite places! I'd hoped to go for Mother's Day this year, but as life would have it my darling husband is away helping his dad (not complaining though I do miss him) and... I have two extra babies.

Silly me volunteered to watch the twin, 1-year-old boys of a friend. I feel just a teeny, tiny bit sorry for myself and dug up this photo of me drinking a tall, cool, beer at Myrtle Beach. Notice my big boys holding the baby in the background? Don't they look happy??? Well. You know. You only turn 40 once. And I really love a nice cold beer.

I'm hoping that all of you out there are celebrating your Mother's Day on a beach... or at your favorite retreat. This little freebie is from me, for you and I've put my store on sale this weekend only. 50% off the whole shebang. Happy Mother's Day!

Win-A-Spot on the SAS store CT

2009-05-06T17:30:00.000-04:00

Sign-ups don't start till tomorrow!!! But I wanted to give everyone a heads-up who's dreamed of being a CT at Stone Accents Studio. We are a very laid-back store, two LO's per kit you download (posted in 3 galleries & at SAS).

Interested? Want to know more? Click the AD or click HERE!

Freestyle Challenge at SAS!

2009-05-06T08:59:00.001-04:00

DOWNLOAD

I almost forgot! I run the Freestyle Challenge over at Stone Accents Studio and this month is a Mother of a challenge LOL. Anyone can participate, and everyone is welcome. I've got the freebie little starter frame above to get you going, and this Posting Bonus for everyone who participates & posts a layout in the Freestyle Challenge Gallery. So what are you waiting for??? Come on down!!!!!!!!!!

Introducing: Aquarium Friends

2009-05-04T16:00:00.000-04:00

DOWNLOAD

I'm in love with my own new kit! I had so much fun creating the freebie quickpage above. I really liked playing with the more whimsical elements than I thought I would. I think I might have to take some time to SCRAP!!!!

Store blurb, LOL:

This kit has it all, gorgeous papers & stunning sea anemones for beautiful layouts and fun fish, playful submarines & a little red diver for whimsical layouts. It's all done in my favorite hues of blues & green to remind you of life under the sea.

You get 18 papers & 38 elements including: 7 puffy fish stickers, 3 rope elements, 2 ribbons, 2 messy stitches, 1 paper frame, 1 paper frame cluster, 1 rope frame cluster, 1 porthole frame, 1 fish hook, 1 torn fish net, 1 tangled wire, 1 bubble, 1 bubble cluster, 2 sea anemones, 1 algea cluster, 1 leaf strand, 2 coral algeas, 4 real shells, 2 starfish, 1 yellow submarine, 1 yellow submarine frame and 1 little red diver.

On sale for 40% off till May 18th:

Firsts Challenge: First Bath

2009-05-03T13:00:00.001-04:00

DOWNLOAD

Hello all! It's that challenge time of month again... first up is my FIRSTS Challenge at Scrapbird. Every month I challenge you to scrap a first. Whether it's a baby first, a you first or even a furbaby first the general theme is always FIRST! This month my challenge to you is to scrap the First Bath. To get you started I made a little freebie mini kit for you.

All participants will get the Baby Block Girl Alpha, see below, free simply for participating and posting a LO in the First Challenge Gallery at Scrapbird.

Happy Scrappin' Folks!

Introducing: May Mega kit New Beginnings

2009-04-30T22:10:00.001-04:00

The brandnew Stone Accents Mega Kit is here! This stunning Mega kit in shades of aqua, teal, cherry, mocha & cream is symbolic of the New Beginning here at SAS. All of our Designers have come together to bring you this beauty filled with 51 papers and 94 elements.

Including:

8 butterflies
2 birds
3 trees
9 ribbons
1 beads
1 header
2 flourish
2 brackets
11 frames
4 bows
12 flowers

9 borders
2 tag holders
3tags
1 cloud
1 staple
5 journal mats
1 embellishment
1 button
1 glitter spill
2 blossom clusters
1 butterfly cluster

1 wings
1 heart
4 corners
1 leaf
1 cardboard edge
1 spakle cluster
1 chicken
1 string
1 eyelet ribbon
lower alpha
upper alpha

And to help celebrate Mother's Day, I've got a little coordinating freebie for you. You get the coordinating paper, two wordarts: "My Mother, My Friend" and "First Mother's Day" as well as the wordart for "Mom" in 8 languages: Moeder, Mam, Mom, Mami, Madre, Maman, Meuter and Mamma. All created using the New Beginnings alpha!

DOWNLOAD

More Park, More Freebies!

2009-04-26T00:26:00.000-04:00

Me again! I've got a little Woooooooooohoooooooooooo'ing to do & then it's off to bed. I've got a CT, a marvelous CT, who's not only done a gorgeous, FREE, quickpage for y'all but she's also done up a set of 4 bragbook pages you can now get as a Bonus when you buy my new Elegance in the Park kit at Stone Accents Studio! Be sure to pop on over to her blog & leave her some love for her beautiful work: Stephanie @ ScrappyCocoa

You can get the freebie quickpage here; it comes both with the wonderful wordart, and without.

Layout by Shabba

Layout by Scrappy Cocoa

Layout by ScrappyCocoa

Freebie QP available here

Introducing: Elegance in the Park

2009-04-18T20:37:00.001-04:00

My mom & dad love me. They love my kids even more, though seriously who wouldn't? They're adorable. Anyway, when my dad retired he had more time & so they sold their big house & got two condos. Also big. One back in California, and one here in North Carolina.

I tell you all this because the condo here in North Carolina used to have an owner who was very into catalogs. That woman gets every catalog under the sun. And one of those catalogs inspired my new kit: Elegance in the Park. Phew! Now you know.

Elegance in the Park is done in classic shades of black & white with a hint of fresh, spring, green. Neutral elements create inspiration for layouts perfect for boys and girls. This kit includes 14 papers and 34 elements; including several clustered elements, preshadowed and ready to use.

Kit includes: shadowed frame - tif file! Clustered ivy & bow, Fun tree, Backwards staple, Two ribbon with bows, Two real bows, 1 Lace bow, 2 lace ribbons, Sparkling gem, Lantern, pre-shadowed, Park bench, 2 clustered ribbon frames, Stepping stones, path, Torn netting,
Windchimes, Old wooden frame, Green bird, Birdbath, Doodle bird, Birdhouse, Frame cluster, 2 Dahlias, 1 fence, Ivy, 1 fence & ivy cluster, Safety pin and 3 throw pillows. Not all elements are show in the previews:

And a little freebie to whet your appetite. Please note that I'm now offering my freebies only for one week:

*link expired*
now available as part of the kit

You can get the kit at Stone Accents Studio.

New Welcome Kit at SAS!

2009-04-11T22:56:00.001-04:00

I almost don't need to type here... but I will. I am me after all. I thought that with SAS coming under new ownership (uh, me, LOL) that it needed a new Welcome to SAS kit as well! I've mentioned how much I love Stone Accents Studio many times, and I've mentioned it's because of the people there. The Designers, the CT, the scrappers.

This gorgeous kit is just proof positive why it's such a warm & fuzzy place because the Designers got together to create this beauty to share with all y'all! It is a wonderful representation of their work and a shining example of the teamwork at our store. We hope all of you out in scrapland enjoy it!

SAS Newsletter!

2009-04-09T00:00:00.001-04:00

The SAS newsletter is out! It's the first one in a while, and the first one since I've been helming the ship. Let me tell you, helming is hard work. But I'm getting the hang of it and I'm started to get excited for the future at SAS. We are just brimming with plans and ready to spring some major F-U-N on our fellow scrappers.

A teeny bit of fun you can already enjoy is the new feature in our newsletter called "SAS-y Shooting Star". A little close-up of a Designer, CT, scrapper in SAS-y's world. This month it's ME! And as an added bonus I made the little mini kit sampler above. So pop on in, take a look and find a freebie or two.

I can't breathe!

2009-04-02T00:20:00.000-04:00

I am beyond excited. The world spins in such mysterious ways. Last week things were looking very sad in my world. Stone Accents Studio was losing it's leaders and in danger of closing its doors. Real life has a way of affecting things in the digi world. And vice versa. Because one thing led to another and I have been incredibly blessed... I am the new owner of Stone Accents Studio!

I know! I am as stunned as all y'all. And completely, totally excited! Stone Accents Studio was my first "home" here in scrapland. It is still my favorite home. SAS is known for its wonderfully warm, accepting, nurturing environment to scrappers & designers alike. It is my mission to continue to foster that culture as the new owner.

I also have a vision to build SAS up into a bigger, brighter version of itself. I am doubly blessed to have some of the most fabulous designers out there stay with me and see me through this transition. Because it is a transition! So come visit, pardon our dust as we shake things up a little, jostle people into new roles, throw some learning curves (especially me!) and continue to make SAS the friendliest site on the web.

First Challenge at Scrapbird!

2009-04-01T00:34:00.000-04:00

Hello all! It's time for my first "First's" Challenge at ScrapBird. This month your challenge is to scrap your first look at your baby. I have a little freebie to get you started, you can get it *LINK EXPIRED* or by clicking the preview above.

All you need to do is post your Layout in the First's gallery at ScrapBird and I will send you this month's Posting Bonus just for participating... Baby BOY Alpha!

Be sure to tune in every month for a new Firsts Challenge...and, pssssst, each month will "match". So the more Firsts Challenges you participate in, the bigger your baby kit will be.

Introducing: Rainbow, Moon & Stars

2009-03-31T08:23:00.000-04:00

It's up! It's in the store! I've got a brandnew kit, Rainbow, Stars & Moon and it's up. Check out ScrapBird to see it in all it's glory. It has been a whirlwind week for me, but that's a whole other post. In the meantime I'm copying & pasting my kit blurb, linking up my freebies, and spending some time with my baby.

A riot of colors, and filled with fun & whimsical elements Rainbow, Moon & Stars is sure to be one of those kits you keep coming back to for more.There are 15 subtly patterned papers in the beautiful hues of the rainbow. 6 are tone-on-tone halftone dot patters, 3 are artistic gradients, 3 are shoft & shimmering satins, 2 are worn & torn edged and 1 plain "brown" wrapper. I've even included a shadow to get just the right look.

There are 36 colorful & exciting elements! Including: a moon, 5 stars, 1 deckle layered frame, 1 brass bracket frame, 1 cluster frame, 1 hanger, 1 staple, a cloud, seed bead scatter, 2 seed bead borders, a glittery rainbow, 3 ribbons, 2 strings, 1 string frame, 1 star dangle cluster, 3 whimsical flowers, 1 grass "border", 2 rainbow flourishes, 2 gorgeous butterflies and 3 word arts: Rainbows, Blue Skies and Moon & Stars.Not all items pictured in the preview. Check out my free sample cluster frame freebie exlusively at ScrapBird!

I've already done some layouts, getting the feel of this new kit before sharing it with y'all... and this one is my favorite. He's such a huge fan of his "pocks" right now and I love the look of him standing around with his hands tucked in.

I went ahead & turned it into a quickpage freebie for y'all. Just for reading through my blabber!

You can download it here or by clicking on the preview.

Last Days of March Madness!!!

2009-03-27T22:18:00.000-04:00

I'm so happy March Madness is coming to an end! Basketball is truly, truly not my thing. And, damn, I miss my regularly scheduled tv programming. There. I admitted it LOL. However, with the good comes the bad. My March Madness sale (only at Scrappy Thoughts and Stone Accents Studio) is rapidly coming to a close.

I'm tossing out one more freebie, courtsey of my Courting Shabby kit, and then, t-t-that's all folks! I did notice, in my haste to get it up & posted (I'm actually supposed to be working on my Posting Bonuses for my challenges at SAS and ScrapBird) that I used my ScrapBird template. Um... yeah. The sale is not at ScrapBird LOL, I'm still loading up that store & getting ready for my grand opening sale so stay tuned. Lots of fun & goodies coming your way in April.

So, for now, enjoy the last days of March Madness! It's everything in my whole store, CU/PU/S4H... all at 35% off. You can get the freebie here or by clicking on the preview above.

Crazy Prices Thursday ~ only at ScrapBird

2009-03-26T12:29:00.001-04:00

Every Thursday ScrapBird has a crazy sale! 50% off some of the designers hottest & greatest kits and products. Today is Thursday! I'm totally late blogging this, and my freebie to lure you here is so not done, but I'm really hoping that some faithful Squealerfans are checking in, reading the good news & running to snag up some of the best designs I've seen in a while... and, no, I'm not boasting about me LOL.

Here's a sneak peak at my work that's on sale for 50% off today only:

Unofficial Announcement LOL

2009-03-23T16:50:00.000-04:00

Notice anything? No? Yes? Noooo.... it's not just a new freebie, though, yes impatient ones, you are getting a new freebie! Two even. If you can navigate my babbling LOL. I've got a new store! I'm so excited! I am now at ScrapBird.

I am beyond thrilled to be part of the super amazing team at ScrapBird. There are some truly awesome, supremely talented Designers at ScrapBird and I am beyond honored to join the gang. If you have a moment, take a look yourself:

Busy Mama Designs - http://somuchtoscrapbook.blogspot.com/
Charlize's Art - http://beautyframe.blogspot.com/
DarleneH - http://darlenedesigns.blogspot.com/
Digitalegacies Designs - http://chroniclesofnani.blogspot.com/
Dikeledi - http://przymiarki.blogspot.com/
Donna Duncombe Designs - http://hickorydickory.blogspot.com/
Em-ka - http://www.emka-scrap.blogspot.com/
JayaPrem's Hangout - http://www.scraps-by-jayaprem.blogspot.com/
Jolqa Designs - http://jolqa.blogspot.com/
kaylek keegan designs - http://sd-kaylek.blogspot.com/
KittyCat Designs - http://kittycatslittertray.blogspot.com/
Mamrotka - http://mamrotka.blogspot.com/
Marta van Eck - http://www.martavaneck.blogspot.com/
Piggy Scraps Design - http://piggyscraps.blogspot.com/
Totally Rawkin Designs - http://totallyrawkindesigns.blogspot.com/
Volshebnica - http://volshebstvo.blogspot.com/

I'm slowly stocking my store & getting ready for my big, grand opening sale. In the meantime, I've got a new freebie quickpage for Aqua Noir, find it here or click on the preview above. I've also got two layouts for your viewing pleasure:

And, for those of you still following the babbling... I've got this Freebie on exclusive at ScrapBird only! Click here to go directly to the freebie, or on the preview below. Be sure to sign up for the ScrapBird newsletter (it's free!) to be the first to know of sales, new products and... coupons!

Introducing: Watermelon Spring!

2009-03-17T22:51:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I'm well on way to creating on "paper" what was in my brain when I look at what I've done & think... OOOPS! And that's what I thought halfway through Watermelon Spring. The colors were vaguely reminiscent of, gulp, Christmas.

Luckily I rolled my chair away from the computer, showed my hubby the folder filled with everything to date, papers & elements all combined, and he oooh'd "Watermelons!" followed closely with "Watermelon Spring!" Hubby knows I need names, not one word, for my kits LOL. So while there's not a watermelon to be found, Watermelon Spring does look like a watermelon! Right? Right? Watermelon Spring is now on sale (part of my whole March Madness Sale: 35% off till Mar. 31, 2009) at Stone Accents Studio. I've already done a LO, a very simple LO, with an absolutely wonderful template from Cassiopee of Pure Scrap Designs. She has the template for download on her blog (another freebie!) and a contest to win her newest kit if you use her template & send her a looksie...

You can get the freebie here or by clicking on the preview below:

And my LO w/the quickpage:

SAS-y Newsletter! Another Carnival Freebie...

2009-03-15T22:14:00.000-04:00

Hello lovely squealerfans! I got another freebie for you... the CARNIVAL collab kit is H-O-T!!! And to whet your appetites, my beautiful CT Stephanie of Scrappy Cocoa whipped up another Quickpage for y'all. Grab it here or on the preview. ENJOY!

I put in another preview below to show it off a little better. I just love Stephanies work! She really has a way w/quickpages & bragbooks. 'course that's my opinion. Now if y'all feel the same way... you might want to hop on over to her blog & leave her some love and she just might whip up a newsletter freebie for us all!

Speaking of newsletters + freebie; Stone Accents Newsletter is here! Not only is it here, we've got a brandnew editor Karin “allwright1”. All y'all put your fingers on your mouses & give her a big ol' internet welcome. And, in case no one knows this, always, always, always scoure the SAS-y newsletter for freebies (because, pssst, there's another CARNIVAL freebie hidden in it's pages).

My freebies are back on box.net! I had bandwidth issues but the magic people at box.net fixed it for me and now I can share to my hearts content. I looooooooove box.net! While mediafire worked, I had upload issues & way too many pop-up ads (and wasn't that the issue w/4shared?)... anyway, woooooooooohooooooooooooo box.net!

That's it for tonight. I've got more babbling, but I'm holding off. I got some happy news coming & a happy piggy always makes for happy squealerfans!

Introducing" Aqua Noir... with a freebie!

2009-03-11T18:20:00.000-04:00

I'm not a very pretentious person, far from it even. A person with 6 kids only has so much dignity & grace... all of it out the door by the time the 4th one leaves fruit snacks on the driver seat to melt to ones butt (not that this has ever happened to me). Yet this kit, one of my favorites to date, though I'm sure I think this with every new kit, sat on my harddrive nameless. Naming is so not my thing.

What would you have named this kit? It's colors are soft blues & greens, contrasted by bold whites & blacks. The papers are super shabby, almost vintage. There are even 3 completely worn & torn papers. I've got several dotted patterns, a damask pattern and a starburst pattern. There is glitter, can't have a kit without glitter, there are puffy elements, painted wood elements and clustered elements. I loved this kit. I just couldn't come up with a name.

My husband thought it looked like something vintage-y, maybe out of a noir film in the 20's. I couldn't get away from the blue flavor. But it had green too... and so, while sleeping actually, I came up with Aqua Noir. And nothing else would do.

Aqua Noir is on sale at Stone Accents Studio now until the end of March, along with all my kits, alpha's, CU items and even my bargain bin stuff! I'm calling it March Madness. Give those words kinder meaning since I'm really not a basketball fan. And lest you all think I forgot... there is a freebie! Scroll down to the end of my babbling to collect it.

You've finally reached the freebie! It's a stunning quickpage done by the fabulous Stephanie of Scrappy Cocoa, be sure to visit her blog & leave her some love for her hardwork as well. You can get the freebie here or by clicking on the preview below:

A little FYI, I'm now switching from box.net to Mediafire for my freebie hosting. Box.net is wonderful, but has limited bandwidth. After only 2 weeks I'm at 75% of my bandwidth. I'd hate to list a freebie to have only a limited number of users be able to download. Sooooo back to the drawing board. Let me know how you like this shared server.

Introducing Carnival: a mITSYBELLE & PiggyScraps Collaboration

2009-03-09T23:59:00.001-04:00

Way back when I entered the competition to be a Designer at Stone Accents Studio, mITSYBELLE was, well, my competition. I admired her work from the start! Little did I know then we'd wind up not only designing together at SAS-y but that we'd find great joy working closely together on Collabs.

Our first Collabs were for the SAS-y monthly mega kits. That set the stage. The bug had bit us. And now, together, we bring you our first ever co-production: CARNIVAL!

This kit turned out beyond our wildest expectations. I truly feel we compliment each other well... and it shows in CARNIVAL. We have 36 luscious & exciting papers a whopping 86 elements, full alpha with numbers and symbols! There are also four bonus quickpages included for you to hit the ground running. Here, take a look:

And, of course, I wouldn't be me if I didn't kick of this introduction with a FREEBIE! Click here or on the preview below to get your free CARNIVAL cluster frame:

New Freestyle Challenge at SAS

2009-03-05T08:02:00.001-05:00

In case you don't know, I run the monthly Freestyle Challenge over at Stone Accents Studio. I've got a fantabulous challenge for you this month. I'm in the mood for y'all to shine! Literally shine. Add some sparkle. Add some glitter. Add that shine to those layouts. For those of you saddled with all boys (I've got 5 of my own, plus the DH), or even all boy furbabies, this month is the month for layouts showing off you. You and your sparkly, shiny, glittery, girly side. To help you out, I've got the above little freebie for you... and the below posting bonus for anyone & everyone simply for participating (ie post your shine-y layout in the Freestyle gallery at SAS-y):

Get the Freebie here or by clicking the preview above.

I've also completely & totally forgot to post about the new DAD (download a day) at SAS-y! Your truly even helped create... and I forgot. *BLUSH* We're also running a challenge based on the DAD, complete with a posting bonus for participating!

Bragbook Freebies & SALE!

2009-03-01T21:39:00.001-05:00

The fantasictabulous Stephanie of Scrappy Cocoa has once again done some delicious bragbook pages! This time with my new kit Rock-A-Bye Baby available at both Stone Accents Studio and Scrappy Thoughts. You can get it here or simply click the preview above.

Little caveat, I've switched from 4shared to box.net for my freebies. Too many rumors swirling and whether it's 4shared or the ads on 4shared, I sure didn't want any of my loyal readers, my friends in digi-world, to get a virus just to satisfy a craving for a must-have freebie! Let me know how you like it, how it works, or even how it doesn't work. I've also removed any ads from my blog. Just not worth it.

In other Squealerific news... I've got the whole kit-n-kaboodle on sale for all of March! My own version of March Madness. Now until March 31, 2009 it's all on sale for 35% off:

Also be sure to keep an eye out for that Stone Accents Studio Newsletter for another hidden goodie from me! Thank you for choosing Piggyscraps Design for your digital scrapbooking need.

Introducing Rock-A-Bye Baby!

2009-02-24T00:28:00.001-05:00

"What is in a name?" Romeo so famously asked... In this case the name came from the first layout I made with the kit. The poor kit had been sitting there in a big, fat file folder Not Named Yet for longer than it should have. And then. I found the perfect picture I'd been wanting to scrap. It's one of my favorites; #3 putting #6 to bed, and vice versa:

And so the name of the layout "Rock-A-Bye Baby" became the name of the kit. A first. At least in my naming history. Rock-A-Bye Baby can be found in both my stores at Scrappy Thoughts and Stone Accents Studio. On sale for 35% off until the end of March.

Rock-A-Bye Baby's tattered & torn papers mixed with crystal clear acrylics make for a unique kit with unique layout opportunities! The soft, almost turquoise blues, mix beautifully with taupes & browns, while a burnt orange works as a fantastic foil. You get 14 unique papers: 9 textured, folded and aged and 5 tattered, worn and distressed papers. There are 35 elements including: a beautiful bird, acrylic wordart, tattered frames, leather bracelet frames, flowers galore, leaves, ferns, confetti glitter, ribbons, a heart charm and even an upper and lower case acrylic alpha!

A little looksie at the Wordart (which, psssst, can also be gotten as a free sampler in either store):

And a better look at the papers:

Still here? Click here for this freebie quickpage:

Thank you for choosing Piggyscraps Design for your digital scrapbooking needs.

Courting Shabby FREEBIE!

2009-02-21T17:40:00.000-05:00

Offering a freebie of my latest kit Courting Shabby in a shameless effort to drive traffic to my blog and attention to the Victorian Bushfire Charity Collaboration Kit. Read below, check it out & go and snag this awesome, awesome deal for $5!!!

More LO's!

2009-02-21T15:31:00.000-05:00

Ha! I discovered how to embed a slideshow... watch out world. There are more & more layouts coming out of the woodwork, all done with the fantabulous Victorian Bushfire Collaboration Charity Kit!

For only a $5 donation you get 167 papers, 326 elements, 2 Alphas and a glitter styles pack as well! Another $5 ($10 donation total) you get a quickpage album to boot. Crazy deal, very worthy cause.

Read my post below for more info, and a little caveat: since the kit is released upon donation please be aware the absolutely wonderful Carolyn Kite of Scrap N Tag is personally sending out the coupons to download the kit. It happens, occasionally as it turns out, that Carolyn needs to sleep. So please, please, please give it 24 hours to get your download codes... knowing Carolyn it will probably be earlier LOL.

Spirit of Summer - Bushfire Charity Collab Kit

2009-02-19T22:25:00.000-05:00

Spirit of Summer is a charity collab benefiting the Victorian bushfire Appeal. Not only has this affected Australians, but human beings the world over. 29 Australian and international designers have banded together to help support many Australians, animals and communities decimated by one Australia's worse national disasters.

What happened? On Saturday, Feb 7, the temperature in Melbourne was 33'c by 9am. By noon it was 40'c and by 2.50 pm soared to 47.9'c (a state record).Thousands of people were also about to start running from the inferno that would become one of Australia's worst peacetime disasters. Trees ignited in the blink of an eye. By the time people heard the roar, it was too late to flee ahead of the flames.Unfortunately no one or thing could have stopped this inferno that wiped out communities, bushland, and lives within minutes. Many towns now cease to exist! After watching interviews with survivors, many say that they can't put into words what they went through, saw or felt on that day. Here are just a few pictures(courtesy of google, The age, sbs & abc Aust.) of this horrible disaster:

Why is this charity kit different? No money will change hands at Snap N Tag (our host website). We are asking for your support by donating DIRECTLY to one of the following charities:

Donations
can be made
here: The salvation Army or here: Australian Red Cross

What do I get for my donation and where: You will be helping the people of Victoria, Australia most importantly, but you will also receive this amazing MEGA kit (see below).
There are 167 papers, 326 elements, 2 Alphas and a glitter syles pack as well.How amazingly fabulous is that and you can receive all of this for as little as a $5.00 donation.(**Vouchers will be emailed upon receipt of proof of Donation**) But thats not all! For showing us how much you all really care, you not only get the MEGA kit but receive a Quickpage Album if you donate over $10.00...WOW how awsome is that!

To receive your Charity collab go here at Snap N Tag (** Don't forget your receipt of donation**)Donated! Wear your blinkie proudly: (made by Michelle Filo)

I want to personally thank those involved in the creation of this MEGA kit? Don't we all! 29 ladies have done an amazing job planning, creating,collating and Advertising for this Charity appeal! Below is a list of blogs with the names of these 29 people. Please leave some love for them all to let them know how appreciated their efforts have been.

A work in Progress-designs by Vicki
Ambowife Designs
Carjazi Designs
Carolyn Kite- Co-Owner
of Scrap N Tag
Chaos Lounge
Charlie's Digiscraps
Color with Caryn
Desert Designs
DigiLover's
Addiction
Emcee Scraps
Flergs
Gillian Foley- owner of Snap
& Scrap
HoleyCow Designs
Jeanette Bollinger Designs
KimB's Designs
KylieM Designs
Laitha
Lindsay Jane Designs
Mel_h Designs
mITSYBELLE
Piggyscraps Designs
SKrapper Digitals
Scrap'it Designs
Scrappin happens/Julie
C Designs
Shazbutt's Digi
Scrapz
Sweet Blossom
Designs
WenchdGrafix Designs
Zesty Digi Designs
Designs by Aliya
[ksharonkdesigns]
Dunia
Scrapidea Timkova
Toni Autrey Designs
PST Designs

Personally I would like to thank Vicki and Shaz for all the organing this wonderful collab and to Carolyn for hosting this at her website, collating and doing the previews.You have done an amazing job ladies. Also to my fellow designers, without your generosity this Charity Kit would never have happened...well done!

I have to add some of the gorgeous Layouts some of our CT's have already done, they are just amazing:

The Chase - (by Kristine)

Summer Beauty - Gina

by Becca

Pretty in Pink - Gina

Emmy- Nancy

Cutie pies by LiviaY
extra credits-template by Mushy, font WallowHmk

KimB -Fun in the Sun

Feeling of Summer- TinaT

And, finally, a little preview of the papers and elements that were my contribution to this fabulous kit. It was an honor to be part of the creation and a very small part to give to a truly worthy and needy cause. God Bless.

Introducing Courting Shabby... with a freebie!

2009-02-18T17:02:00.000-05:00

Freebie first, for those search engines... and those Freebie Hunters who have no interest in the rest LOL. For the freebie you get the cluster frame made with bits out of my brandnew Courting Shabby kit, the cute, shabby paper is not included. You can get the freebie here or by clicking on the preview.

Courting Shabby, is in a way, my ode to the Shabby Princess. SP is where my first kits came from, it's the bits-n-pieces I used to make my first digital signatures for message boards, and it's where my digi-scrap addiction got started. SP is also the reason I give away as many freebies as I do. I whole-heartedly agree with their philosophy that digi-scrapping is a wonderful hobby and freebies is a fantastic way to introduce people to the digi-scrapping world.

Now while I love the whole shabby digi-scrap look, I just couldn't quite get the whole kit to be shabby (probably my latent neat-freakness coming out), hence the name Courting Shabby. I wanted it to be shabby, it's just not quite there. I do think it's a lovely kit, with amazing papers and super fun elements, done in the gorgeous, soft, shades of butterscotch yellow, moss green, soothing violet and an almost bone white.

I wasn't quite able to squish all the elements into the preview, so here's a quick list: 2 bling gems, 2 dirty pieces of tape, 1 bracket, 2 string bows, 1 string with bow, 2 ribbon borders, 2 tags, 2 frames, 1 twine frame, 1 cluster frame, 1 prong, 1 twine loop, 4 silk flowers, 1 leafy branch, 1 leafy border, 1 cluster border, 1 hinge, 1 feather and 1 glitter splat.

You can buy the whole kit, or just the papers, at either of my stores at Stone Accents Studio or Scrappy Thoughts. Courting Shabby will be on sale for 30% off for one week only. Thank you for choosing Piggyscraps Design for your digital scrapbooking needs.

SAS-y Valentine Blog Hop = FREEBIES!

2009-02-12T23:42:00.000-05:00

You've heard the expression wooden shoes? It's the funky clogs that dutch farmers wear to keep from floating away in all the mud. Well, I'm dutch but not a farmer. I'm also not lovey-dovey. And, so, I give you a Valentine freebie: Wooden Heart.

Now hop on to the Stone Accents Studio (SAS-y for all you noobs) blog train & fill up those hard drives!!! You can get my mini kit, Wooden Heart, here or by clicking on the preview.

Smooooooooooooooooches!

Ambowife Designs - http://tazmanianshe-devil.blogspot.com/
AneczkaW- http://aneczkaw.blogspot.com/
Brenda - http://digitalcreationsfrommillstreamcottage.blogspot.com/
Cathy Cher Designs ScrapsatonalScraps- http://www.scrapsationalscraps.blogspot.com/
Charlie's Digiscraps- http://charliesdigiscraps.blogspot.com/
Darlene - http://darlenedesigns.blogspot.com
EllenM Creations ScrapsatonalScraps- http://www.scrapsationalscraps.blogspot.com/
Enaideel Scraps - http://thescrappytimes.wordpress.com
Jeanette B. http://acmommy28.blogspot.com/
Kristi W http://scrappindivaz.blogspot.com
Mamrotka - http://mamrotka.blogspot.com/
mITSYBELLE - http://mitsybelle.blogspot.com/
Monika - http://monikadigitaldesigns.blogspot.com
PiggyScraps - http://piggyscraps.blogspot.com/ <<YOU ARE HERE
SKrapper Digitals - http://skrapperdigitals.blogspot.com/

Pssst... give all the Designers a little time to get their kits up. We are blessed to be a group from around the world (and some of us are sleeping, shhhhhhhh). As always, thank you for choosing Piggyscraps Design for your digital scrapbooking needs.

More Puppies! And another freebie...

2009-02-09T19:01:00.001-05:00

I rarely get requests, so when I do get them I'm more than happy to fulfill them! Somebody wished for girly doggy bits, and what do you know? I scrounged up a couple LOL. Not just for them, I've got a girl who loves doggies too... though while digging for pics of her w/doggy's I ran across this gem of her & my sister visiting Snoopy at the Mall of America. I had to scrap that:

And I had to turn it into a quickpage freebie for y'all! You can get the freebie by clicking here or by clicking on the preview up above. As far as the girly bits are concerned, I packaged them up in a little add-on (or mini kit) available in both my stores at Stone Accents Studio and Scrappy Thoughts.

I've also been playing with styles and filters lately, just having some fun, and learned to make those puffy stickers during my Feb. Posting Bonus creating period. I used those same techniques on my doggy bits to create a Puffy Sticker Add-On pack for Me & My Best Friend:

Introducing: Me and My Best Friend

2009-02-07T23:52:00.001-05:00

Freebie babble first! I consider myself to be pretty darn American, I realize that's not what my birth certificate says, or my passport, or my green card... but after, um, yeah, A LOT of years in the good ol' U.S. of A. I'd say I'm pretty American.

Turns out, tonight anyway, not so much. I'm designing away, totally in my zone, and the darling hubby walks by, cracks a grin and starts babbling about "in the doghouse". Now, I know the expression "in the doghouse". What I didn't know is there's a whole bit of Americana where craftsmen sold these mini doghouses, kind of like frames, where people (moms) could hang tags w/their kids name on it inside. So the "naughty" children were literally in the doghouse.

Now I didn't think it would be that fun to hang name tags in a doghouse on a scrapbook page. I did think it would be fun to put pictures in a doghouse on a scrapbook page... and I sure hope y'all agree with me because that is what I have for you today. A double frame freebie in the doghouse!

You can get the freebie here or by clicking on the preview above. All the pieces are separate elements in my new kit Me and My Best Friend, so if you wanted one less frame, or wanted to add on several more.... Me and My Best Friend is now available (and on sale, and part of my coupon promotion: PS-FreeLove to get My Valentine free) in both my stores at Scrappy Thoughts and Stone Accents Studio.

A show-off, a whine & a freebie...

2009-02-04T21:30:00.000-05:00

Whine first because I feel really, really sad for me. I am on day three of a migraine. It sucks. Now it's tons better, but days one & two were awful. Throw a buttload of kids in the mix, well, whiiiiiiiiiiiiiine.

As for the freebie up there, everyone loved the cluster frame freebie from New Years day and I've been working on some more of those cluster frames, or is multi-frame? Then today it snowed. Again! In North Carolina. And again I got some gorgeous pics of my youngest I was dying to show off... and I was inspired 1) to scrap and 2) to finish my multi-frame element pack. And, of course, a freebie for y'all! You can get the freebie here or by clicking on the preview above.

Here's my showing off:

Kit: Happy Chocolate

multiframe: Piggyscraps Freebie
Font: Karabiner, CK cursive, ValentinaJF

If you like the multi-frames, a little preview of the new ones available in my store. They are all made from bits-n-pieces of my Not Quite Vintage Blossoms kit. You get one 8-frame cluster; one 4-frame cluster and three 3-frame clusters... a grand total of 5 different multi-frames. I also included a bonus, because I had quite a few comments on "Oh I wish you had 8, or 4 or..." so this time I've included the "parts" as bonus. You also get one square frame, one big rectangular frame plus the "open" safety pin.

Psst, you can get this, something else and receive my Almost Valentine kit FREE by using coupon code: PS-FreeLove at checkout (through 2/14/09). Coupon is good for the free kit after spending $5 in my store. You must use the coupon at checkout and you must add Almost Valentine to your shopping cart.

Thank you for choosing Piggyscraps Design for your digital scrapbooking needs.

get Almost Valentine free (pssst, it's a SALE)!

2009-02-01T03:00:00.000-05:00

Woooooooohooooooooo I've got a sale! The sale isn't that huge, LOL, but it is 25% (sometimes more) off everything in my store(s), no exceptions. The kicker, what I'm excited about, is that I've also got a coupon for you. Spend $5 and my Almost Valentine kit is FREE!

That's right. Spend $5 in either of my stores and get Almost Valentine free! Just make sure to put it in your basket, right along with your other goodies, and coupon code: PS-FreeLove
That's it. A free, full-size, Piggy kit for you. SMOOCH! Happy Valentines day!

And, yes, it is a valentines gift from me to you. From the self-declared un-lovey-dovey Piggy, a valentines gift. Weird, I know. Um, but go quick. The sale is through 2/14 only.... and so is the coupon. The sale, and the coupon, is good at both Stone Accents Studio and at Scrappy Thoughts.

A final little kicker? I've put a good handful of my products into the dollar bucket at Scrappy Thoughts, and those dollar items count towards your $5 to get Almost Valentine FREE!

New, Challenge & Freebie

2009-02-01T00:04:00.001-05:00

Okay, I'm starting with the freebie totally hoping you don't go running from my blog, clicking like mad to get away from the crazy piggy before reading my tail, er, I mean tale. Anyone who's been here before knows I run the Freestyle Challenge over at Stone Accents Studio. Every month I come up with a little something different, a little something creative to help liven up those layouts.

This month my challenge to all is to use styles. Add in that our theme this month was My Funny Valentine and our palette:Wellllll, I struggled a little with my portion. Thank God for the Scrappin' Cop! I don't know if y'all have discovered her, but if you haven't run on over & take a look. Especially if you are dabbling in designing. She's got some awesome tricks up her sleeve she shares incredibly kindly & freely. I wuuuuuuuuvvvvvvvv her!

Anyway, I found some beautifully photographed candied hearts free for Commercial Use on her blog (here). And that got the ball rolling. I had a great time making funny hearts for my funny piggies. Take a look:

Anyone who participates in February's Freestyle Challenge will receive the posting bonus free (including the bacon bows & ribbons). I do, however, realize not everyone will want to clutter their LO's with piggy hearts. I also realize not everyone has used styles. So as part of my challenge I am giving away the engraving styles I created to write on my hearts, and for those who aren't into hearts, LOL, I have also included a basic frame from my new Basics collection (CU okay), shameless plug:

You can get the freebie here or by clicking on the preview way above. Please be aware that while her heart is CU, and it is pictured in my preview, I have not included it for download in my freebie. I respect Deb & her work too much so please, go to her blog to download those marvelous, amazing hearts!

Almost Valentine Freebie Quickpage

2009-01-30T17:41:00.001-05:00

Hello all! A little quiet here... that'll happen when you've got girl scout cookies due, science fair experiments due and college age children to holler at to DO THEIR HOMEWORK (you'd think that would not be an issue once they left home). But I haven't forgotten you! I haven't forgotten I'd promised to share some LO's with Almost Valentine... and, of course another freebie. The freebie you can get here or by clicking the preview above.

And a quick little aside before I go to showing off; the Stone Accents Studio Newsletter came out today! As always there are a couple of newsletter exclusive freebies hidden inside. As always I encourage you to sign up (it's free) so you never miss another hidden freebie! On with the program:

This first LO is by Steph of Scrappy Cocoa:

And by yours truly:

And for those of you patient enough to scroll all the way through & read to the bottom, heads up... I've got a special Piggy Sale coming up on the 1st! Not only will everything be on sale for 25% off, or more, but there will be a coupon to get Almost Valentine free (with purchase)!

Happy Scrappin'! And thank you for choosing Piggyscraps Design for your digital scrapping needs.

Introducing Almost Valentine

2009-01-26T12:48:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to introduce Almost Valentine now on sale for 25% off! Almost Valentine because it is almost Valentines day. Almost Valentine because it is almost a true Valentines kit. And Almost Valentine because I'm not really a Valentine-y girl and the true lovey-dovey stuff comes hard for me.

I do, however, love the contrast of the warm reds with the starkness of the black & whites. The Layout combinations are truly excited with these colors and I can't wait to see what you (and I, LOL) can come up with. Truth be told I've finished two already, but the previews take up enough room in one post!

On to the goodies... in Almost Valentine you get: You get 9 traditional, textured & patterned papers, 2 slightly torn & worn papers and 1 lightly-glittered scalloped edge paper. There are 29 beautiful elements including: strung heart beads, a carnation, a poppy, leaf & leaves, a worn wood frame (and cluster), a scalloped stack frame, a stone angel, a clustered wire frame, ribbons, string bow, a diamond, a stitched edge, two buttons; "my angel", "i love you" and two pieces of word art. Finally a full uppercase alpha in beautiful white hearts is included. I've put the Alpha up on sale separately as well. Sometimes you just need a little touch of Valentine and this Alpha would be perfect for just a little touch.

I also made a couple of cluster frames with the scalloped-edge, triple-stacked frames and the strung heart beads. I may not be the lovey-dovey type, but I did fall in love with these. Maybe it's the grunge factor that let me accept them? Regardless I love them. And I love them so much I'm giving one of them to you free! You can click here or click on the freebie preview to get it.

Snow Day

2009-01-22T23:17:00.000-05:00

No freebie here for you guys, just pure showing off & babbling. However, if you go check out the Stone Accents Newsletter there just might be a little goodie or two tucked away in there. You can get it here, or subscribe so that you are sure not to miss any future editions! Newsletters are a great way to keep up on who's got new kits out, who's got a sale, and they are always good for at least one freebie.

On to the actual showing off LOL. I did two LO's this week that I really love. Not just because they're of my kids, or even because they are with my kits, but because they celebrate the fact that we had a SNOW DAY here in sunny, warm North Carolina. Not just one snow day, not two, but three!

In five long, frozen, years in Minnesota we had zero snow days. Their equipment, their DOT was just that good. Here in NC, not so much. And while my kids whooped it up and had a great time... by day two I was so ready for the snow days to be over & the children to be returned to their regular scheduled programming.

Kit: Ice & Snow
Font: Karabiner, Denial & [ank]

Of course, these LO's were done on Day One. The happy day! The amazing wonder at the snow, the magically transformed "outside". My youngest especially was filled with wonder at all the white and I have to say "his" LO is one of my favorite ever.

Kit: Ice & Snow
Font: times new roman (date)
Frame template: Gunhild Storeide

Wooooohoooo!

2009-01-19T19:30:00.000-05:00

Where to start, where to start... I'm gonna ignore the freebie for a second because I have a woooooohooooooooo!!! My friend & fellow designer mITSYBELLE has given me an award. I'm so excited!

Now, of course, I've got 5 of my own to give out:

Scrappy Cocoa

Violet Hare

MoonDesigns (who's having a BIRTHDAY!)

Laitha

The Scrappin' Divaz

On to the freebies... my superb CT Steph of Scrappy Cocoa not only did some wonderful LO's with both my new kits: Not Quite Vintage Blossoms and Happy Chocolate but she turned two of them into simply adorable quickpage freebies for y'all. I've gathered them together, packaged them up & sent them off to 4share so you can click on over & load on down. You can get them by clicking here or the preview up above.

Here's a closer look at her LO's she's converted to quickpages (minus her photo's & journaling, of course):

And a couple of my own done with Happy Chocolate as well. This first one was done for the template challenge at SAS-y (hint, hint not only do you get a freebie just for participating, the template is free as well!):

Introducing Happy Chocolate!

2009-01-18T10:34:00.000-05:00

And again, freebie first... not only for those freebie engines but also because, well, I really do apologize for those looking to crush a chocolate craving. There isn't an ounce of chocolate of this kit, real or digital. It just looks like chocolate and once you think chocolate, it's hard to come up with any other name for that particular shade of brown. Anyhoo click here or on the preview to download the freebie frame cluster (and psssssst, there's a matching one in the kit).

Happy Chocolate came to being because I'm always searching for the perfect brown & pink, and brown & blue, and even brown & green, pieces. Usually when I'm making baby siggy's (signatures/tags on messageboards). Now I've got the pieces I need! These are the colors I always wanted in brown/pink, brown/blue & brown/green.

The Happy Chocolate mini kit comes with 8 lightly textured papers, and 36 elements. It's "mini", despite all the goodies packed in, because 12 of the 36 elements are the flowers I used to make the papers & cluster elements. I loved each flower, I love each flower. Recoloring just won't give you the same nuances in colors that creating each layer separately will, so you get each individual flower. You really can never get enough flowers.

Happy Chocolate also includes shiny ribbons, sparkly glitter swirls, leaf sprigs, glass brads, stitches, a staple, a tag, flourishes, frames and even the three cluster frames I've showcased down below (including the twin to the freebie up there). I want to give a huge shout out to Gunhild Storeide who gives out amazing commercial use freebies! She had the perfect element (realistic zigzag stitches) I absolutely needed to complete this kit and saved me an hour of creating on my own. If you haven't discovered her on your own... RUN! She rocks!

On to the previews:

Cluster frames close-ups, each cluster is made from pieces you'll find in the kit and they are included!

I'm also including a close-up of my favorite paper, to show the detail on the paper texture... something that I find so hard to see on previews:

Finally, just the paper pack, also available separately:

2I've already finished a LO with this kit, but I didn't want to throw too much at y'all so I'll be back tonight/tomorrow with another post to show off what this baby can do... and another freebie! Who doesn't love a freebie?

Happy Chocolate is available in both my stores: at Stone Accents Studio and at Scrappy Thoughts. It's regular price will be $2.50 but I've got it set at 25% off until January 31, 2009. And, finally, if you made it all the way down to here, you deserve a treat! Scrappy Thoughts is having their weekly Sunday Sale. Every Sunday each designer chooses two of their products and marks them down to a whopping 60% off! This week I've got Not Quite Vintage Blossoms and Vintage Ski both down to 60% off on Sunday only.

Happy scrappin' folks...

Not Quite Vintage Blossoms Addon's

2009-01-15T13:49:00.000-05:00

Leading with the freebie because 1) most of you really aren't that interested in my babble LOL; and 2) the freebie search engines find me easier if I lead with the, duh, freebie. As always you can get the freebie by clicking here or on the preview.

On to the babbling... I had some fun making my Not Quite Vintage Blossoms! The little quotes I came up with, originally to stick in the foliage, lent themselves remarkably well to the little double deckled (pun so intended) frames. And looking at my 4share download numbers for my safety-pin cluster frame... I thought I 'd do something a little similar. Hence the freebie above & the set of additional quote frames, safety-pinned together, now available in my stores:

I also turned the framing I used on my LO's into fun clusterframes. I know I'm not always interested in a whole kit, and I definitely know I don't always have the time to scrap a whole page. I've come to love cluster frames for their convenience & ease-of-use. Add a paper, add some journaling (or not), add a picture... Poof! You are done. Loves it.

This set of 4 cluster frames is now available in both my stores. I've included the actual preview as well as more detailed views of each individual frame:

Introducing Not Quite Vintage Blossoms!

2009-01-15T00:34:00.000-05:00

Is that name ever a mouthful! I fell in love with the name Vintage Blossoms, but the kit isn't really vintage. It has hints of vintage with it's soft papers, torn edges, sweet flowers but it's not quite there. Hence, therefore, soforth... I bring you: Not Quite Vintage Blossoms!

I have very few words left so I will let my kit and my layouts speak for me. You can get Not Quite Vintage Blossoms in my Stone Accents Studio store for 25% off until the end of the month! Both the Alpha and the Paper Pack are sold separately as well, also discounted at 25% off. And if you scroll on down to the very end, there's even a little freebie for you. And if you come back tomorrow, LOL, I've got another freebie up my sleeve...

My Layouts using only Not Quite Vintage Blossoms:

And this last one was so loved by a friend of mine that I went ahead & turned it into a quickpage for her, and a freebie for y'all... Enjoy!

Piggy Scraps

Christmas Carol Blog Hop

Fiesta Blog Hop!

Freebie Cluster Frame

theStudio Blog Hop: Holly Jolly Christmas I

Charity: Holding My Miracle

Shabby Holiday Blog Hop!

DSD at theStudio!

Freebie & 10 for $10 at theStudio!

theStudio Mega: Back to School

Random Freebie

New Designer Blog Train!

Earth Day Blog Hop!

Help.... and win FREE CU flower pack!

Need some Designers!

Introducing: Maritime Collage

Freebie: Heart Balloons!

Haiti Charity Kit: Sunshine after the Rain

New Clutter Its!

New Kit: Sunset

Paper Christmas -Progressive Sale

Christmas Carol - Blog Hop!

Freebie Sampler & Deal of the Day

Harvest Moon Freebie

10 for $10 Deal & a Blues Freebie

Sensapolis!

Another $10 for $10: Babies Addition!!!

10 for $10 TODAY only at SAS!

Katalyst Blog: Tuesday

Time for more cookies....

I'm on Forever Free Downloads

I'm here! I'm here! I'm here!

Go buy a cookie....

Come on Down!

Round 1 is Underway!

At Scrapbird: Love Simply

Annual SAS Designer Competition

CU Heart Brushes with a Freebie!

Challenge & Freebie (totally nonrelated)

Baby Freebie!

A Freebie! Finally!

4th of July Freebie

Scrapbird Challenge!

July Challenge Time!

Father's Day Sale at SAS

Introducing: Dad's Coffee

Awesome BB Freebie!

Introducing: Pablo's Zebra

*NEW* Mega kit at SAS & a Freebie for you

Freebies Galore... if you can find them!

Faded Sunshine BB Freebie!

SAS Newsletter & Freebie!

Introducing: Faded Sunshine

Mother's Day Freebie

Win-A-Spot on the SAS store CT

Freestyle Challenge at SAS!

Introducing: Aquarium Friends

Firsts Challenge: First Bath

Introducing: May Mega kit New Beginnings

More Park, More Freebies!

Introducing: Elegance in the Park

New Welcome Kit at SAS!

SAS Newsletter!

I can't breathe!

First Challenge at Scrapbird!

Introducing: Rainbow, Moon & Stars

Last Days of March Madness!!!

Crazy Prices Thursday ~ only at ScrapBird

Unofficial Announcement LOL

Introducing: Watermelon Spring!

SAS-y Newsletter! Another Carnival Freebie...

Introducing" Aqua Noir... with a freebie!

Introducing Carnival: a mITSYBELLE & PiggyScraps Collaboration

New Freestyle Challenge at SAS

Bragbook Freebies & SALE!

Introducing Rock-A-Bye Baby!

Courting Shabby FREEBIE!

More LO's!

Spirit of Summer - Bushfire Charity Collab Kit

Introducing Courting Shabby... with a freebie!

NEW Mega kit at SAS & a Freebie for you