What a year!

 Hello Fellow Bloggers,

Wow! I came to check on things here, only to realize that I haven't been here since 2024! I really need to update everyone on why I have been absent for so long.

My husband and I decided to take some time off for ourselves, to enjoy the people around us, so the first part of my absence (July to December 2024) was just hanging out with my friends and family. There isn't anything better than campfires with friends and lots of flowing beverages. LOL It was a blast!

Then, in December of 2024, I had a mental breakdown, due to the fact that our beautiful puppers, Sassy, had gotten so sick that we had to send her over the rainbow bridge. She developed kidney failure, would shake and shiver constantly, tried to hide a lot, barely ate or used the bathroom, so the decision was made to ease her pain. It hit me hard and sent me for a loop. I hid in my home, hardly talked to anyone, and mourned her loss deeply. I cried at the drop of a hat. I missed her so much that it physically hurt. Just look at that beautiful face! I still miss her and love her still deeply, even if it was the hardest decision that my husband and I have ever made up to this point. But, I know, her memory lives on with us.

Sassy must have known how badly her absence affected me, because not long after she left us, an old neighbor could no longer keep her doggy and so we had decided that we to take Bambi in and give her a good home. Yet again, we had puppy pad training and getting her adjusted socially, since she was a stay-in-the-home therapy puppy. Now, she's a spoiled little beast that we love so darn much, that we will always call her "Sassy's sister," as my other two puppies are known as well.

Bambi

Coco

Sugar

Then, in June 2025, I received the worse news ever. My middle son and daughter-in-law were arrested for an issue that shocked me (I won't repeat the issue here), but that also meant that I was granted temporary custody of my grandbabies until their issue was resolved. At age 55, this hit me hard, as I raised my sons, was relaxed in my lifestyle, and then I take on three children: my granddaughter, Kairi (age 2), my grandson, Oliver (age 6), and their cousin (on my daughter-in-law's side), Samuel (age 15). It was a HUGE adjustment for everyone involved, as I had a busy life already and now, I had to rearrange my whole life to fit them in on a 24-hour basis. Doctor and dentist appointments, comforting them from the stress and anxiety of being ripped from their parents, arranging school entry for Oliver (kindergarten) and Kairi (Head Start), summer activities and then visitations with their parents. I barely garnered any sleep during the time that I had my beautiful babies.  I was busy almost from the morning hours to the evening hours. I would fall into bed, totally exhausted.

Oliver and Kairi

The authorities said it would only be a few days, then a few weeks, but it took us ONE FULL YEAR before things were somewhat back to normal. My grandchildren have all been returned to my son and daughter-in-law. But, as a grandmother, that doesn't mean we stop being grandparents. I am still there for them currently, since the whole issue isn't fully resolved, but it is way better than we had to experience over the course of a whole year. It's easier, yes. Has the experience been rewarding? Oh yes. Watching my grandchildren grow while they were with me has amazed me.

Since my family has been reunited, I've had one obsession: crocheting. With my babies back home, I found that I had a lot of time on my hands. I had been so used to the chaos of having a teenager and two small children in my household that, yet again, I was lost with all of the silence and time that I had on my hands. I have made several blankets for my loved ones and have even learned a few new patterns since June 2026. Kairi and Oliver will not sleep without Mimi's blanket at all and that makes me feel great. I've made blankets for my sons and several friends. I want them to be comfortable in the softness of the blankets that I have made. Hopefully, this will allow them to understand how much I love them.

And yet, my first love has been waiting for me all along: digital designing. Every now and again I would get a text message from here about individuals who have completed my tutorials. It was like my first passion has been calling to me, and that is why I am here now, updating everyone on my year long journey. It has been busy, stressful, rewarding, and happy. 

Now look forward to getting back into digital designing and getting some freebies and tutorials up for everyone to complete. I do hope that everyone here, and that still follow me (thank you), will be here for my new tutorials. If you are a designer, I hope that I'll get to see how you recreate what I make. Always remember, if you do complete any of my tutorials, send me an image so that I can post them here as well. I want to give everyone a shout out when they do.

Summer Wave

Happy July Fourth!

 From my house to yours, have a Happy Independence Day!

More Love

Early Easter Morning

 "Easter Morning" by Linda Sochia (HERE)

“Beautiful Barbies” (NAME)

Eye Candy 4000 Glass

Create a canvas 1200 x 1200. We can always crop and resize later.

Open Frame 2, resize to 963 widths and add to the canvas.

Add frame 1, center align and then add paper 5 to this frame opening only. Remove the excess paper.

Open chibi 1, resize by 40% and add above all layers, center align.

Duplicate, move one below the frame 1 layer, drop shadow the top layer and remove the excess on both layers.

Open paper of your choice, resize (if needed) for your mask, add below all layers, then center align to your liking.

Open element 49, add above the mask layer in two places, and drop shadow; merge together.

Add element 47 above the frame paper layer, center align, drop shadow, duplicate, move to one side, duplicate this layer again, flip, merge and then remove the excess.

Open element 5, resize by 35%, and then add above the frame layer.

Open element 23, resize by 25% and add above all layers.

Open element 30, resize by 25% and add below the first chibi layer.

Open element 1, flip and mirror to your liking, resize by 35% and add below the ladybug layer; move ladybug to your liking.

Open element 13, resize by 25%, rotate and then add below the bird layer; move bird layer to sit on clutch of eggs.

Open element 25, resize by 10% and add above all layers in two places.

Add your name, duplicate, add an outline and drop shadow to the last layer, use glass on the top layer, merge and then position to your liking.

Crop as close as you can to the mask and/or design (without cutting off items), resize (if needed) before adding your name and copyright; upload to enjoy.

Cowgirl Summer

Friendship And Flowers

Sunset Beach

How to Resize a Page Template into a Tagger Template

 Hi Bloggers,

I've been asked by some who request from me just how I use a Page Template as a Tagger's Template so I'm going to show you how I transform a page into a useful tagger template, which opens up a wider range of resources for me.

Today, I am using a page template by Elizabeth Minkus, which you can find HERE. Although I am a member, you do not have to be a member to download this template.

Download the template, and then do the following.

Highlight the Photo Guide Layer in your Layers box and: Edit > Select All > Copy > Paste Into a New Image.

Do the same for the scattered hearts layer.

Once you have these two into new images, delete the other layers EXCEPT what is shown below.

Now, resize the whole template to 900 widths (height will follow).

Go to the new image of the scattered hearts and do the following: Edit > Select All > Copy > Go to the white background layer in your layers box for the template > Paste as a new layer.

Yes, this box will pop up:

Simply click "Keep Canvas Size" and it will add the layer. The new scattered hearts layer will be off by a huge margin but don't fret! Simply move the layer into position. I did this because the right side of the original scatter hearts layer is cut off, so I lined that right side up with the right side of the white background to even it out.

You now have something that looks like this:

Once I've added my scattered hearts layer, I delete the copy that I made, since I no longer need it.

Next, I do the same thing for the photo guide layer, following the very same steps that I've shown above. Now, you have something that looks like this:

With my "new" tagger's template, I can create a design to my liking. I'll be using a blog train portion from The Lily Pad's current April train, by Becca Bonneville HERE.

This was my final edit. As you can see, I didn't use the scattered hearts layer after all with this kit, but it can be used with a lighter, more romantic kit. 

The Photo Guide layer helped me to realize where I wanted to place my frame before adding any elements and with the frame paper.

I could have also merged all of them template layers and used a photo mask to create a different style of background for this tutorial as well. This, to me, gives it a much lighter and airy look but does take away from the brilliance of the kit colours.

Hopefully, this helped someone out there who may be struggling to find really good tagger's templates and just simply can't find what they are looing for. There are some excellent page template creators out there, so keep on the lookout for them, and keep your mind open to the possibilities.

Wanna Get Lucky?

Take Me to the Sea

Through the Keyhole

Mad Hatter

Wonderland

Bunny Eggs

Frozen

Garden Shed

Fairy Spring

Swan Spring

Aqua Gnome