Dog Days of Summer Blog Hop!!

Welcome to the Creative Scrapbooking Divas' "Dog Days of Summer" Blog Hop!

Yes, it's all about summer, and we hope you can join us and view some summertime inspirational projects.

Comment on our blog hop thread starting Saturday, August 6, 2011 to begin!

If you are just joining us now, you can go to Luisa’s blog to start at the beginning so you won’t miss a hop stop and be eligible for the blog hop prize.

Here is the CSDivas Divalicious Dog Days of Summer Grand Prize:

To earn a ticket you need to:
1) Live a comment in each of the hop stops.
2) Leave a comment at the CSDivas blog when you are done.

After done that, you can earn extra tickets by:
a) Become a follower of our CSDivas blog!
b) Become a Fan of our Facebook Fan Page
c) Add a summer project to Mr Linky below

Our Tour List:
Luisa - Creative Designs by Luisa http://www.creativedesignsbyluisa.com/
Sandy - ScrapBook Blessings http://www.scrapbookblessings.blogspot.com/
Stephanie – The Magic of Ordinary Days http://todaysmagical.blogspot.com/
Pam - Dreams & Memories http://dreamersklub.blogspot.com/
Jessica- Jessica's Blog http://jessicascraftshaque.blogspot.com/
Alecia - Welcome to Alecia's http://freakalecias.blogspot.com/

Divas—don’t forget to comment here on the main Diva blog when you are done!

We would love to see what you come with for summer too!  Link your entries to Mr Linky below by August 9, 7 pm eastern, to get two tickets and entered to win the blog hop prize.

Have a very wonderful August and thanks for hopping!

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Thumb-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
For best results, use HTML mode to edit this section of the post.

Tip of the Week, August 5th

Photographing Food for Layouts

1.) Use natural lighting

Whenever you can, try to shoot using natural lighting. Shoot during the day outside if you can or near a window where you would get plenty of natural sunlight. Avoid having the flash hit the items directly, it will wash out the color.


2.) Take advantage of settings and props

Remember the KISS rule, and Keep It Simple, Stupid, lol!
Use only one or two props, for example, one flower or arrangement in a simple vase, or one statuette, or one kitchen item. Don’t make it fussy.

3.) Keep clean and simple backgrounds

Afraid the background will compete with the food image? Then stick to a plain white background, a wall, or a floor, or use two pieces of white cardstock in a chair! Simple. Uncluttered. Focused.
Also, make sure there is a color contrast between the background and the food, don’t have the two be the same color or a similar shade.


4.) Zoom in and/or use macro setting

Sometimes you can appreciate pattern, texture, and detail if you get up close! As well as taking full photos, use your macro shots as well. Fine details can add interest and give you new points of view to work with!


5.) Show me the money! Or What’s inside?

Show the layers! Take out a slice and display the inside as well as the outside. Hard to do with soups, easy with cakes and pies.

6.) Take wide angle shots of groupings.

Nice filler shots.

7.) Sweat the small stuff

Make sure everything is clean and orderly. Seems obvious now, doesn’t it?



Do you have any more ideas, tips and tricks to share when it comes to food photography? Please share!

Tri-Fold Card

Here is the card that went along with the diaper cake I made for a friends baby shower.


Here it is when you open it

1. Start with a 12″ long piece of card stock that is 5 1/2″ tall. This size will fit into a standard invitation size envelope when all folded.
2. Score at 2″, 4″, 8″ and 10″
3. Turn the card stock and now measure 1 1/2″ in from the long side.
4. Use your craft knife and make a slit starting at the 2″ score and bring it down to the 10″ score mark.
5. Do this on BOTH long sides for the middle of the card.
6. Fold at score lines, creating "valleys" and "peaks" (just look at my card to give you an idea on how the folds look)
7. Embellish with pattern paper, ribbon, stamps, die cuts, etc!!!

Would love to see if you have made one before or if you feel like being adventurous this week.  Leave you link in the comments section and you will be entered in the Saturday Diva Snaps/Rak!

P-12 Sketch and layouts with Luisa

Hi Divas,

It´s me Luisa! 

A new month means a new Project 12 sketch and here is August reveal (from scrapbookandcards.com):

 The idea behind Project 12 is to create a layout per month with pictures that represent what happened during an specific month. Not only events, but also daily life happenings.  This way, if you are busy, like we all are know with summer vacations, at least you will have a layout with great memories for the month. 

Let me tell you that my family love to see project 12 layouts!  It´s a great way to catch up on things that happened among the family! 

Here are 2 P-12 layouts that I made recently...

MAY 2011

For May layout I used CTMH Sophia papers.  For this layout since I wanted to include 7 photos and they all were 4x6 (did nothad chance to 3edit them to smaller size!) and since this flowers are totally cute, I decided to handcut them and use to embellish my layout.  I used pop-dots to add depth.  The flowers at the bottom were handcut individually and then I create the border!  Totally love the finish product!!!

Photos:  Aunt, Mom and husband, Grammy, Val at Mother´s day luncheon, Jaz with Alexander, me at NSD crop and Alexander after his first haircut!!

APRIL, 2011

For April layout I used CTMH Mayberry papers and used my oval punch to create the flower on the right side. And used chipboard words and shapes that match pretty well.  I managed to include 9 photos in this layout.

Photos: William riding in the car with my Mom,William sad after his haircut, Val meeting Alexander, baby Alexander, me with 2 co-workers, self portrait, Mom with her BD cake, Jaz after church service, Karla, Alexander and me!

Are you doing Project 12?  What do you think about it?

Faithbooking Events

This is the week for faithbooking, lol!!!!  We have an awesome faithbook challenge from Vanessa, which you can find HERE.  Entries are due by Friday, midnight!

For today's post, I want to share with you the idea of scrap booking special church/faith events.  Some great ideas to add to you faithbook are weddings layouts, memory of loved ones, baptisms, dedications, vacation Bible school, mission trips, church picnics,Sunday school etc.  The list goes on and on.

I think it is very cool to see my kids as they grow up in church.  I have scrapbooked VBS, missionettes, dedications, etc.  Here are the layouts from my oldest's dedication at a couple of weeks old.  I used a family photo of that day, a photo with the pastor and her first professional photo in her dedication dress.  I also found paper that matched her dress and the very pretty scripture sayings are stickers. (my handwriting is just plain horrible, lol)

Hope this gives you some inspiration!  We would like to see what you have done too.  Please leave your link in the comments so we can come visit and for the chance to be showcased on Saturday, love those Diva Snaps!!!

Challenge: Faithbooking - Freedom!!

Vanessa here Divas!!!

In light of it being July... my thoughts automatically went to FREEDOM!

It means so much to me, in so many different areas of my life.

I am free because of the Blood of Jesus Christ.

I am free because men and women have lost their lives.

I continue to be free because my son loves his country and is serving in Afghanistan.

So my layout challenge for you, is to create a layout that expresses what FREEDOM means to you!

Here is my layout:

How about you?  How you interpretate Freedom in your life?

Link your project using the Mr Linky widget for a chance to win a prize!

Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Thumb-Linky widget will appear right here!
This preview will disappear when the widget is displayed on your site.
For best results, use HTML mode to edit this section of the post.

Saturday Diva Snaps!!!

This weeks challenge was a photo scavenger hunt. I want to thank the three divas who participated! It was great to see their wonderful photos and how creative they are in what they posted!

Diva snaps go to Janice @ My Stories Told Through Pictures,   Here are a couple of her pics...

Cute flower embellishments

 Love the bed spread, lol!

 Cute card fold!

Thanks again Janice for playing along.  Send me your addy at Cleosan52 at yahoo dot com for your prize before next Saturday!

And don't forget divas, leave any projects links that you do in the week so we can showcase them on Saturday. Hint, hint!!! I'm thinking all our showcased blogs will be in the running for a rak!!!!  So far we have two.