Scrapbooking Goes to the Cats

I stumbled upon the colorful world of

Lilly Bimble

(don't you just love how that rolls off the tongue!)

a few months ago and instantly fell in love with her doodles,

crafts, and clip art creations.

Just look at her inspiration!

It's no wonder her work is so fun and playful

I enjoy seeing Lilly's work evolve

like this set of hand painted Matryoshkas

that eventually inspired her digital clipart set

perfect for an array of hand made projects

but of coarse at Gnome-N-Birdy

we love scrapbooking!

and so fellow scrapbookers

if you love clip art and bright bold colors

check out Lilly's growing collection of

digital scrapbooking goodies

and while you are taking a peak

make sure to grab Lilly's Spotted Cat FREE download!

I'm more of a dog person myself

but I do miss my friend Alissa's cat - Yoshimi

What a character!

additional digi credits:

Kitschy digitals - A Print A Day - Pugly Pixel - Minitoko

For the Love of Shrooms

Without roaming your yard endlessly

find a toadstool that puts a smile on your face

and some much needed kitsch into your day

(click on images for source)

Interview with Paper Glitter

Meet Linnette of Paper Glitter

She is super cute and talented to boot!

What is your educational background? How did you get interested in graphic design?

Art has always been a part of my life. After leaving my home city of Miami at 18, I pursued an Industrial Design degree and a minor in graphic design at the Cleveland Institute of Art. My focus there was Toy Design though. I loved the bright colors and graphics and endless possibilities of fun drawing. I always liked illustration and experimented with cute type of characters throughout my carrier. I really taught myself to use Adobe Illustrator to bring my sketches to life in bright, bold images.

Tell us about designing toys? How did you end up with such a dream job?

I was offered an internship during college at Fisher Price as a toy designer and I was sold! After college I became a toy designer for an inventing firm called the Obb in Englewood NJ. After about a year and half I became very homesick and decided to come back home to Miami. I then worked as an illustrator for a company for about 4 years and then I decided to open up my own business offering toy design and illustrations. So I have been a LLC company for about 5 years since then. I have incredible clients from all over the world and I feel spoiled and blessed at times--I get paid to basically play! Designing toys is very fulfilling.

Check out Linnette's Toy Portfolio on Flickr

What inspires your party lines?

I must admit, I am not a "party expert" per say. I recently started to wonder in this field. I love paper crafting and creating cute graphics and party kits tend to lend themselves to have endless paper crafting opportunities. I really could not resist joining the current trend of party printables. I think I can contribute lots of fun themes/graphics with unique paper crafting templates-that's my strength. What inspires me is usually is an illustration style I would like to explore. I like to experiment with different illustration styles, I don't like sticking to one style. Some days I feel like doing an all out Kawaii look, on other days the look may be more modern , it all depends on the type of illustration style I want take a crack at!

What, who inspires you as a designer?

Walking through the greeting cards section in Target is my joy! There are so many wonderful styles illustrated on today's greeting cards that I am quite inspired when I see them. The greeting card section at Target feels like a gallery show to me---I am such a nerd! But I don't believe in copying--it takes a lot of work for designers to come up with images that bring emotion to someone looking at their images. Images already created should inspire one to desire to make their own and bring that level of emotion you just felt by someone else's work into your own :) I also love the following illustrators:http://www.greenbeanart.com/,http://www.fulanita.com/,http://www.worldofwassco.com/index.cfm.

What is you favorite childhood birthday (holiday) memory?

It has to be my mom's paper crafts. My mom would make our parties and she loved crepe paper-I can honestly still hear the sound that paper made as she worked late at night crafting our party items. She would make paper hats for everyone with lots of glitter--maybe that's where I get it from!

What are you working on next?

I am catching up with work at the moment and doing some very secret Kawaii projects! For PaperGlitter I am working on adding new items in the near future including some boy items.

Are you okay with people using your downloads for their digital scrapbooks?

Sure! I actually encourage it. I sell collage sheets and am planning to add more as well. As long as they print cut and play I don't have a problem with it :)

Favorite sweet treat?

I LOVE mcdonalds caramel sundae with one of their apple pies smooshed inside the sundae itself--so gross and bad for you--yet so good!

What have you designed that you are most proud of? (toy or download)

For a toy-it would have to be this My Little Pony Ponyville Boutique. It was one of those projects I knew it would work well before even drawing the first line on paper. I was given the assignment and within moments I had it carved out in my mind. For my downloadable PDF's, it would have to be my sweet paper dolls. I thought not only as an illustrator while designing them but also as a toy designer. I wanted to make sure they were easy to cut and I wanted the accessories to hang really well on the dolls.

Outside of design what do you do for fun?

I read blogs and craft magazines like crazy-these are my simple pleasures. I also like to go window shopping. I recently have had an interest in baking.

Top 3 favorite etsy shops?

Enid Wilson Studio

Greenbean Baby

Paper Platypus

Top 3 favorite blogs?

PaperCrave, Bakerella

(of course) and Fresh-Linen {she has such a great sense of style I wish I had!}

Check out Linnette's entire line of paper party supplies

by checking out her online shop and her wonderful blog

and don't miss out on her Freebies while you are there!

Doll Face I love you! + R U UP 4 A CHALLENGE?

When Karli and I started throwing out ideas for this blog

we compiled quite a long list...

the main goal was to create a community

for all us kitschy, kawaii, bright, candy colored gals

who love scrap-booking, crafting, and the like

we both felt like we needed a place to showcase great work

and fun new products

and in just a few months we have grown to 70 strong!

WOW! THANKS!

But we want to grow more!!!

and we don't want to just inspire we want to play!

with you!

So how 'bout it?

If you have any ideas, work you want to share,

or maybe a product you think we should showcase next

please let us know.

One of the things I want to start

are bi-weekly or monthly scrap challenges

with themes such as a color, item, or page theme

I especially love the idea of scrap-booking what you love.

We all love our families, friends, and pets

but what about favorite items you own,

a favorite book, song, or place?

well think about it?

And be sure to let me know if the idea interest you?

Todays collection is a great example of what I'm trying to say

All these scrap'n gals

LOVE THEIR Blythe DOLLS!

(Click on pages for source)

Throw a Retro Sweet Birthday Bash

1. Amazing Circus Birthday Cake - Weeeeeeeee, 2. '60's tray of party goodies:), 3. Charlotte Cupcake Picks! 2, 4. Happy Birthday Missy!!!, 5. Hi, Granddaughter, 6. Candy Bar!, 7. Seventeen magazine 1949 September, 8. birdie cupcake toppers, 9. Dripping with Sweetness

I thought you might enjoy a sweet compilation

of birthday ideas and inspiration

perhaps you are planing a special b-day party soon

and like myself are terrified of endless arcade games

and giant houses filled with air

and children screaming in delight at the top of their lungs

to the point of your ear drums exploding?

Does the idea of a backyard barbeque with adult interaction

and a chance to show off your creative spirit

and make all the other moms blush and applaud

your martha stewart you can do it attitude!

make you feel giddy and excited?

ME too!

Well I don't have little ones

so maybe I'm being a tad overzealous

of how much energy moms really have

but I know you gals have what it takes!!!

because after-all it's the blogging creative world

that I retrieve my inspiration from!

Loving ideas from ~

"Kate's Fairy Garden Birthday Party" - The TomKat Studio

"How to Throw a Super Fun, Super Cheap Event" - Babble.com

"Kendy's Big First Birthday... Party!" - Karli of Retro Plants

"DIY Pinata" - Everyday Celebrating & Inchmark

Sweetie World Candy!

If your like every other mom out there

you probably have oodles of pictures of everyone else

but none of you! Make sure you change that!

Nothing's more sad that a scrapbook missing mommas face

after all, someday when you are looking back through memory lane

with your children they are going to want to see mom too -

yes even those embarrassing haircuts and spandex pants

~

once the energy comes back

but before the next round of birthday bashes come around

make the memories last

and to insure that all your hard work is not quickly forgotten

document the special day!

That is why I am so excited about my new kit

Birthday girl

Here I am on my 7th birthday

gosh I remember going and seeing Beauty and the Beast in Theaters

the ball room scene where the room seems to spin still enchants me

visit my blog for my scrap pages using my new kit

and for all the digi kit sources

Enjoy a couple more retro sweet digi pages

Digi page from: The Gnome Hut a.k.a Retro Plant

Digi page from: Early Bird Special

~ Chelsea Ann

from jpgs. and layers to paper and glue

If the last post made your head spin

don't fret... we love paper scrap'n too!

we all have our own unique style

me + paper, glue, and scissors just don't mix

but look at these great scrappers

who use everything from staples to ribbons

and even some digi kits too

so don't be blue if

you + Adobe and layers just wont do

(click on srap-pages for sources)

The Sweet Yummy Goodness of Digi Scrap'n

Don't feel silly if you don't really "get" the whole digital scrapbooking thing

you're not alone! In fact the majority of people I talk to

have no clue what it is? I'm in NO way an expert on the subject

but I thought some of you would enjoy a relatively quick guide

to what you need and need to know to get started.

What is Digital Scrapbooking

from Two Peas in a Bucket

- I would highly recommend reading this

to get you started :)

First: You need Software

- this is where I am a little ignorant. I use Adobe Photoshop.

There are other programs that you can use

but again I can't tell you the pros and cons of one software program vs. another.

The price of Photoshop might give you sticker shock,

in which case you might look into Photoshop Elements.

I've also never used this program but I hear its a good choice

for getting started and those who are little skittish of learning new technologies.

for getting the best price look into purchasing a used version (maybe CS3)

or see if you can get a student discount

Second: Learn the basics

You don't have to go to school to learn how to use these programs.

I'm self taught :) and I believe Karli is too!

My suggestion is to purchase a " software" for Dummies book.

Whatever one is dedicated to the software you have.

The first thing you will want to learn are the basic tools.

Don't be scared off by the terminology! It really doesn't matter...

you can just learn the images on the buttons.

*try to learn the key commands! They ROCK!

Next you will want to learn about layers.

LAYERS ARE KEY!!!!

Also learn basic saving techniques so that you can come back

and work on a project and for posting your work on-line.

plus if you want to print eventually learn the difference between RGB/CMYK

Third: Buy kits

Once you have the software digital scrapbooking is far less expensive

than traditional scrapbooking products.

Kits prices range from around $1 up to $8 or so,

with most kits probably in the $2-4 range.

PLUS you can download freebies,

which we are showcasing on our blog all the time :)

Once you have purchased your kit you will have it forever.

FOR E V E R - Yeah I'm saying it like The Sandlot style

There is no oops moments with the glue and scissors.

Plus printing is always an option.

Fourth: Displaying Your Scrapbook

There are many ways to display your digi scrapbook

if you are technology savvy you can make a slideshow movie

I made one this Christmas for my family by first making a slide show of my pages

then used iDVD to turn it into a movie.

It was all relatively simple and looked really professional

+ it was a huge money saver compared to purchasing gifts for everyone :)

You can also have your scrapbook printed and bound

to share with your family and friends over a cup of jo.

You could upload them to a digital picture frame viewer

or make a private (or public) website for friends and family

to view from all over the globe

In short Digital Scrapbooking is fun!

and a wee bit addictive... so be careful ;)

Feel free to ask either myself or Karli basic technique questions

we are always happy to help

we hope that perhaps one or two of you will get the digi bug too

and maybe soon we will be showcasing your work on

Gnome-N-Birdy!

Digi Pages:

1. ittybittybirdy - kits from Minitoko and Kitschy Digitals

2. The Gnome Hut - Kits from Kitschy Digitals and personal vintage ephemera

3. Karine Imagine - Kits from Kitschy Digitals and Pugly Pixel