Hummie's World

I appreciate You!

2009-07-04T08:17:00.003-05:00

I just had to share this. I keep thinking that I should share more of them as a way to say THANK YOU to those who take the time to give me warm fuzzies about the tutorials and lessons for digital scrapbooking and Photoshop Elements which are in the Subscriber Area.

I get so tickled in my belly each time I see someone get excited about learning and knowing that I had a small part in making a difference in their world.

I really appreciate each and every one of you that takes a moment to type to my your excitement. I know I have a hard time keeping up lately and often you may think I'm not reading everything because I do not reply to everything any more, but I want you to know I am soaking it all in. THANK YOU!

Text on a Path - Star

2009-07-04T07:40:00.001-05:00

Have a safe and happy Independence Day!

Download (for a VERY limited time, then it can be found in the Subscriber Area for only $5.50 a month)

Become Facebook Fan via Texting!

2009-07-01T15:44:00.003-05:00

Just text "fan digitalscrapbooking" to FBOOK (32665) from your mobile phone, and you will be added as fans instantly to my Facebook Fan page! Standard charges may apply.

Isn't that cool?!!!

Now what will they think up next?

Text Within Star Download

2009-07-01T12:53:00.003-05:00

I am so glad to be able to know how to create these now! It is one item that I always wished I had as a Photoshop Elements user.

I decided to make a star due to the 4th of July holiday this weekend in the States. Won't this file make a great patriotic layout? What about a sports star layout!? The ideas are endless.

Please share with me what you create with this file.

Download (for a VERY limited time -- about 24 hours-- then permanently in the Subscriber Area -- $5.50 a month).

Circle Text Path

2009-06-30T07:51:00.003-05:00

Download (for a VERY limited time, then permantly in the Subscriber Area) a Circle Text Path that may be used in Photoshop Elements.

Watch the video to learn how to utilize this file in your digital scrapbooking layouts.

Windows 7 coming soon!

2009-06-30T06:55:00.004-05:00

There is news at CNet that Windows 7 will be available for a limited number of buyers at a special upgrade price: "from Friday through July 11, consumers in the U.S. will be able to buy an upgrade copy of Windows 7 Home premium for $49 or Windows 7 Professional for $99." Really? Only $49? Will there be a rush on the stores?

It is my understanding that the trend of Microsoft has always been to have a stable operating system every other system. For instance, Windows Me was not that stable, but Windows XP was stable. Therefore, Windows Vista is the less stable system and Windows 7 will be the more stable system. This can be traced back through the entire history of Windows.

To download a program to test your machine to see if it is capable of running Windows 7, click here.

I ran the program and my machine passed all requirements.

So, if we buy an upgrade this weekend for $49, is it worth the risk of being guinea pigs now or should we wait to just pay the upgrade price of $119 on October 22nd?

Facebook FanPage Special URL

2009-06-29T09:23:00.006-05:00

You can find my FanPage on its special URL here.

At midnight, Eastern Time Zone, Facebook allowed those with Fan Pages of at least 100 fans to choose their own URL. Previously, only those with 1,000 fans could choose a special URL, which was offered at the same time as personal URL pages.

At that time a few weeks ago, the help pages at Facebook indicated that on June 29th, those with at least 25 fans would be able to obtain a special URL. However, very close to the 29th of June, Facebook must have changed its decision and only allowed those with over 100 fans to have a special URL on the 29th. Wow! Some people were NOT happy! People were publishing and posting requesting for others to become a fan just so they could get a URL!

I was unable to obtain a special URL for my church's fan page. However, Facebook did indicate that it would be available in the future, so I am understanding that they are slowing phasing in the ability so as to make it an easier load on their servers.

I continue to be happy that I made the switch from a group to a Fan Page. When I post on the wall, it appears in all of the fan's homepage stream. Even if the stream is too fast, one can see recent wall posts to their fan pages by clicking on the link to sort the stream in the left-hand sidebar of their page.

It's awesome because I cannot communicate with others easily by them "liking" the post or posting a comment under the wall post.

I encourage my fans to post things they find to my Fan Page wall! It's not just for me! Let's share together! I'm not sure how to get my fans to start doing this, but I'm trying!

In addition, when I have special announcements, I can alert the fans through an "Update to Fans," which is much less intrusive than the only option available in groups (being e-mail).

Also, I have in the sidebar of my FanPage other digital scrabpooking FanPages so that you can find your favorites. If you have a FanPage that is not listed, please let me know.

I debated on what URL to choose, whether to use "hummiesworld" or "digitalscrapbooking" or "photoshopelements." I decided that for new people to find me, it would be better to have the name of the hobby rather than the name of my site which has nothing to do with the name of the hobby. I was excited to be able to grab that URL.

Text within Circle using Photoshop Elements

2009-06-29T07:53:00.003-05:00

Download file (for a VERY limited time -- thereafter always in Subscriber Area)

Watch the video below to see how to utilize this file in Photoshop Elements.

#followfriday (a twitter thing)

2009-06-26T13:29:00.000-05:00

Here is this week's #followfriday pick!

Lattedah

Please read this page.

You can also add your twitter address there for others to find you and also so that I may choose you for a future week.

This is a collaborative effort each week to get one digital scrapbooker noticed on Twitter.

How do I organize all these digital scrapbooking downloads?!!!

2009-06-26T13:10:00.004-05:00

For new digital scrapbookers, this IS one of the most asked questions!

"I have saved about gigabytes of (mostly) free files and my question is how do you save them so you know what you have when ready to use them? I have put them in categories (summer, graduation, puppies etc), but I'm getting overwhelmed and I haven't even gotten started digiscrapping yet! Any help you can give me?"

So, how do we organize all of those digital scrapbooking kits, elements, and freebies?

I took time today to re-write my tutorial on Organizing. You can find it as Lesson 4B on the tutorial index page (here). It is a free .pdf download.

There are three basic methods to organize digital kits and elements: folders, software, and hard copy. Use one method, a combination, or all three.

Read the tutorial for ideas on how to organize a folder system on your hard drive, or to tag files in a software program and what programs are available.

Learn more about the tagging software programs and the importance of choosing the right type of program -- one that has a database to backup or one that writes the tags into the file properties.

Understand a useful application to making "contact sheets."

Go ahead, it's all in the written tutorial! Be sure to read it all! There is so much information contained within the 9 pages.

It is hard for me to believe it, but the last time I edited this tutorial was two years ago (July 13, 2007). I was AMAZED at how much technology has changed and how much knowledge I have gained over the last two years.

If you have previously printed out or downloaded this tutorial, you may want to re-download it again and replace your existing version.

Michael Jackson - Focus on the Good

2009-06-25T20:07:00.006-05:00

I, along with millions of others, am shocked at the death of Michael Jackson.

I was in high school when he was at his best. We know what an impressionable age the teen years can be. I can say that some of the lyrics in his songs made a great impression on me.

I even had written the "Heal the World" lyrics in my Bible. I hold onto them as the type of person I want to be (but feel I do not do as I want). When I wrote these lyrics, there was no internet to copy the words from. I merely started and stopped an old music cassette player as I wrote. The effort that it took me surely says something about how powerful these lyrics are.

There are the lyrics that strike me the hardest: "There are people dying, If you care enough for the living, Make a better place, For you and for me

Make a little space, make a better place for you and for me"

................my space if very little, but what can I do with that little space?

I know that in the later years there was controversy surrounding Michael Jackson, but I prefer to focus on the good.

Here's an official video for the song (it has embed disabled).

Theres a place in your heart
And I know that it is love
And this place could be much brighter than tomorrow
And if you really try, you'll find theres no need to cry
In this place you'll feel there's no hurt or sorrow

There are ways to get there
Ifyou care enough for the living
Make a little space
Make a better place

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place for you and for me

If you want to know why there's a love that cannot lie
Love is strong
It only care for joyful giving
If we try, we shall see
In this bliss, we cannot feel fear or dread
We stop existing and start living

Then it feels that always
Loves enough for us growing
So make a better world
Make a better world

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

And the dream we were conceived in will reveal a joyful face
And the world we once believed in will shine again in grace
Then why do we keep strangling life
Wound this earth, crucify its soul
Though its plain to see, this world is heavenly
Be God's glow

We could fly so high
Let our spirits never die
In my heart, I feel you are all my brothers
Create a world with no fear
Together we cry happy tears
See the nations turn their swords into plowshares

We could really get there
If you cared enough for the living
Make a little space
To make a better place

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

You and for me
You and for me
You and for me ..........

Template #51

2009-06-23T08:06:00.002-05:00

Available here for a VERY short while and then permanently in the Subscriber Area.

Download

Glass Layer Style

2009-06-21T22:19:00.004-05:00

I played (for a little too long) today learning how to make a glass layer style. I tried many things and came up with this one. I hope you like it. Someone in the Facebook Fan Page asked about it and that is what got me side-tracked today (to your benefit!)

It is here for a VERY limited time, but permanently in the Subscriber Area.

Download

Congratulations to the Scrap The Guys Contest Winner!

2009-06-21T21:32:00.005-05:00

The above previews are all 7 layouts for the Scrap The Guys Contest winner! You can see her layouts in the gallery here.

Congratulations, Candy! What a long haul it was to do layouts for 7 long weeks. The judging of the guys was certainly unpredictable! I still have no idea what they were looking for! I thought it would open my eyes to what they like, but I could make no sense of it. Therefore, I think it made this challenge very hard!

You can also leave Candy love on her blog here.

To see all of the layouts from all 7 weeks of the contest, click here.

To see who was behind each ID, please see the "reveal" thread. There are some people who have not shared yet, so if you have not revealed who you were, please take a moment to post.

To see all of the great prizes that Candy has one, please see this thread. Wow! What generous designers! I was SO touched by the generosity of the digital scrapbooking community, so please give them your patronage.

I would like to give out a few honorable mentions.

First, for me personally, I would have chosen ScrapGuysDoDo to be the winner, so please do be sure to check out these awesome layouts!

Second, ScrapGuys4ever calculated the top 5 contestants scores for all 7 weeks and discovered that she had the highest overall score! Be sure to leave her some congratulations here.

Lastly, I want to take a moment to thank each and every person who participated. The layouts were inspiring and your part in this contest, no matter how small or large, was important and contributed to the excitement and fun of the contest!

Now everyone can stop lurking as their fake ID's and start visiting the forums as themselves again, huh!

Updated Layer Style File

2009-06-21T08:23:00.004-05:00

If you downloaded my first layer still in the previous post already, please go back and redownload it. I made it smaller and it works much better, freezing up the computer less.

My First Layer Style!

2009-06-20T18:55:00.006-05:00

I made my first layer style! I'm so excited to share with you.

I would love to see what you do with this in your layouts.

Please remember that, as with all of my downloads, this is not for commercial use. Scrap for hire is okay, but otherwise, only personal use. As always, the terms of freebies constitute the same as commercial use, no matter what TOU you are reading.

This download will be here for a VERY limited time, then available permanently in the Subscriber Area. (The file is too large to leave up for free too long)

Download

#followfriday (a Twitter thing)

2009-06-19T10:22:00.000-05:00

Here is this week's #followfriday pick!

editorialdragon

Please read this page.

You can also add your twitter address there for others to find you and also so that I may choose you for a future week.

This is a collaborative effort each week to get one digital scrapbooker noticed on Twitter.

A Day in Statistical History!

2009-06-18T22:37:00.006-05:00

Mark today, June 18, 2009, as a day in statistical history here at Hummie's World!

My RSS readership has been stuck at just under 1,000 for months! I had to do a double take today when I unintentionally spotted it at 1,040! Whooo hooo! It is strange that I didn't even post anything either to make it go up!

Wow. Yeah. It is actually humbling. That many people actually think I'm interesting? Actually, I wonder how many people could be added to that number, such as those who might follow me on Facebook, but not subscribed by RSS, or those that just drop from a link on their favorites because they do not know how to do RSS.

I'm just a little nobody sitting here behind my laptop screen. Just an insignificant little blurb through time.

I pray to God that I can continue to use this blog to His Will and Glory.

Custom ____________ Challenge

2009-06-18T22:32:00.006-05:00

There are these great sites out there to make unique images that could spark some creativity in your layouts!

http://www.customreceipt.com/index.php

http://www.customroadsign.com/menu.php

http://www.custommotelsign.com/menu.php

http://www.customweddingsign.com/menu.php

http://www.getyourownstar.com/

http://www.eyechartmaker.com/

http://www.prescriptionmaker.com/

http://www.getamedal.com/

Just fill in the blanks with something applicable to your photos, click save, and then right click and save to your computer!

Join us in the forums here to share your layout! (you can use any digi-products)

How do you know when someone blogs about you?

2009-06-18T21:54:00.002-05:00

This one is mostly for the other digital scrapbooking designers out there!

I should go through and repeat a lot of the info on my blog, huh? There's so much good stuff here that has gotten buried! I sometimes forget that just because I've mentioned something once that it doesn't mean that every caught it. I'm sure many of my posts were made before the current followers found me!

I shared this a long time ago, but decided to do a video this time.

I'm often told "you are everywhere on the internet." Well, not so. Seriously. I get most of my info right out of my Bloglines (RSS subscriptions). Here's one sample of how in this video!

Impressions can be lasting. If you make someone feel good, they remember it. What better way to make someone feel good than to find when they blog about you and leave them a comment back!

Here ya go -- leave me a comment to let me know if this helps you!

New video - Creating and Using Patterns in Photoshop Elements

2009-06-15T21:09:00.002-05:00

I am excited to have recorded a new video today! It has been so long!

I made a matching video tutorial to the written tutorial that I wrote long ago on creating and using patterns in Photoshop Elements. The video is in the Subscriber Area, but you can still find the written tutorial on the index pages (here).

P.S. Sorry for the boring post, but that's the news for today! I need to get something new out for my blog only readers, don't I!

Bible Bits - Week 23

2009-06-15T21:08:00.003-05:00

Download the printable Bible Bits, print it, post it where your family gathers, talk about it, and pray about it with your family. Use it as a screen saver for the week.

**********

The God who made the firmament,
Who made the deepest sea,
The God who put the stars in place
Is the God who cares for me. —Berg

Watch this Brandon Heath music video called "Give me your Eyes and then come back here to read my devotion.

LYRICS
Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
All those people going somewhere,
Why have I never cared?

Chorus:
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work
He's buying time
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared?

Chorus
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

I've been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all along

Chorus
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

***********************************
Psalm 139: 17, 18
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
*******************

Have you ever felt alone in a room full of people?

I have.

Often.

I can sit or stand quietly and watch everyone else chattering with each other while I sit alone and not one person will come up to me to talk. It really hits hard to deepen the low self-esteem problem. It feels as if no one cares about me or even cares enough about me to talk to me. Yet everyone else seems to be a part of one section of the crowd or another. Everyone, but me.

I can even stand, crying, in a room full of people and no one will talk to me. Do they just not notice or are they afraid to say something and avoid me?

However, God's thoughts are vast. He loves each and every person in that room and has many thoughts about each and every one of them, including me. It's just hard to remember that sometimes and to be comforted by the knowledge of how much God thinks about me. Whereas other may not think much about me, He thinks the world of me.

As I look at the photo of the grands of sand, I observe how many little bitty particles are in such a small area. Then to reflect on how far the sands of the world extend, multiplying the grains in that small area to numbers unimaginable, it seems incomprehensible. However, as the Psalm says, God's thoughts would outnumber even these grains of sand. His love and thoughts of all of us are totally incomprehensible.

What helps me most to get through moments like these is to flip the perspective. For every time I feel this way, how many other people are out there feeling the same way as I do? Just as people do not see me and my pain, certainly others look normal to me and I do not see their pain or reach out to them. Realizing that others feel the same way I do makes me feel better. Realizing that I have a responsibility to reach out to others gives me a purpose and makes me feel better.

As Brandon Heath's song indicates, I pray that God could give me His eyes so that I can see those people who are blending into everyday life that are hurting. I pray for a heart for the broken-hearted, wisdom, and bravery to be able to reach out, not in shyness, but boldness, to those that need it the most. Who knows - - maybe I may be the one person to make a difference in their day (or maybe even their life).

What am I missing? What am I not seeing? What am I neglecting to do?

Wow! I almost skipped these videos!

2009-06-15T19:55:00.003-05:00

"Wow! I almost skipped these videos, but I did learn several things, as usual! : )"

Oh, if I were to only have collected every time I've read these similar words and shared them with you, the list would be quite long! It always gives me warm fuzzies to read the affirmation when people get into my Subscriber Area and really, really take the time to watch the videos and learn.

The exclamations from those who thought they already understood the program after learning new techniques is just SO rewarding to me as a teacher. Thank you, thank you all for taking the time to write me how you feel.

10 Ways to Save Time

2009-06-13T08:33:00.001-05:00

Do you ever find it difficult to find time to scrapbook? I have for you 10 ways to save time so that you can get a layout done!

Everyone is always exclaiming to me "how do you do so much!" I think part of the reason is that I have just developed over the years a habit for time-saving techniques.

1. Limit television watching. The evolution of the DVR/Tivo has helped me considerably! I only watch the shows that I record and never watch a commercial! I am no longer tied down to the TV watching it at specific times, but rather curl up in my chair at the end of the night when I need to relax. There is always something recorded that I am interested in watching.

2. Have no useless waiting time. Yes, I have even been known to take my laptop to doctor's offices if I am waiting on someone else's appointment or even taken a calculator to balance my checkbook while waiting for my own appointment. With the immergance of G3 telephones and access to the internet at all times, you could even pay your bills online while waiting.

3. Just let it go. Maybe, just maybe, if you do not do the dishes and just let them go, the ugly stack or inability to get a clean glass will eventually bother others in your home enough that they will wash a few dishes. Meanwhile, you can get a layout done! Realize that life will go on even if they do not wash them as well as you would wash them.

4. Shop less often. I only grocery shop every 4 to 6 weeks. I make one big excursion and stock up. In between shopping trips, I let my men make runs to the store for me. Usually they are the ones who are missing the snacks more than me anyway, so they are ready to go! I also like allowing my freezer and cabinets to go bare as I know there will not be lurking somewhere a product that is suddenly a year old!

5. Develop the pile system. I have SO many piles about my house for so many different projects. I hate the piles, but it works! This is my way of organizing. I save up similar tasks so that I can handle them all at once. Then when I'm ready to attack a task, its all there together and ready to go! Besides, I eventually hate the piles so much that I'm motivated to do something with them. This could be seen negatively as procrastination, but as long as you do not let the piles go too long or just move a pile from one place to another place, it really works! Of course, a file cabinet and other organizational products are a big help too.

6. Make a to-do list. There is something exhilarating about being able to mark something off of a to-do list. It feels like a burden off of my shoulders! In addition, I do not feel the "worry" of possibly forgetting something I need to do, constantly running the list through my head. It helps me to sleep! I have Microsoft OneNote and am really loving how I can just jot down anything into an organized manner. Everyone should get this program! Make a list of which layouts you want to do. Save challenge information with links to the challenges.

7. Stop cruising the internet! YES, it takes much self-discipline, but it can be done! Just tell yourself "Self, you won't miss what you don't ever see in the first place!" Be brave, shut down that browser and open your digital scrapbooking program! Go ahead, you can do it!

8. Every meal does not need to be fancy. Yes, I worry if all food groups are eaten at every meal, but they do not care! I've learned over the years that my men are actually happier with simple eating techniques. I'm not disappointed that they did not eat something that I slaved over and they are not stressed to have to eat when they are not hungry. Just because they grabbed something frozen from the freezer and skipped the vegetables does not mean that they are going to suddenly come down with a week-long sickness.

9. Stop downloading digi-supplies and organizing. How is your time better spent? Creating a layout that will last forever or unzipping and tagging everything you download? This one goes hand in hand with #7 above!

10. Utilize those small moments. One of the benefits of digital scrapbooking is that we do not have to keep all of our supplies spread out all over the table until we finish a layout! Do you have 15 extra minutes before work? Do not spend it dusting the coffee table, use the time to work on a layout! You can always work on it for another 15 minutes later until you get it done. Do not think that you cannot get anything significant done in 15 minutes and just waste that time. Of course, you do have to be careful to avoid using more than your 15 minutes and being late!

Making a Paperclip Tutorial

2009-06-12T21:53:00.002-05:00

I recorded a new video on how to make a paperclip in Photoshop Elements.

The video is in the Subscriber Area, but for a limited time, here are some paperclips I made while making the video. Thereafter, they will be located in the Subscriber Area for download.

Download