Bad blogger

I am sooooo off-schedule with my blogging and designing and word-arting (?!) but I'm down-to-the-wire on getting ready for a houseful of family arriving for a 2-day Thanksgiving celebration. My husband and I are hosting it this year, but since everyone couldn't be here Thanksgiving Day, they're coming on Friday as well. We'll have revolving doors on the front door and the refrigerator, I think!!! Anyway, I'm dead-tired at the moment and need to get off my feet (on the bed but not at the computer) because Wednesday is going to be another very long long long day.

All that explaining to say that I'm not going to have a freebie for you today but maybe I can get back on schedule by Sunday. Thanks to the faithful few of you who leave encouraging, thoughtful messages. I appreciate them greatly.

To my US friends...HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Blessings on your day, and see you soon!
Melanie

Thanksgiving ... freebie

So sorry to not have any new gifties for you the past few days. Having computer issues and unable to work on anything new. HOWEVER, I do have some Thanksgiving things I was working on last week for a new set for my store...but since I can't work on any more at the moment, I decided to give them away on my blog.

These are two of my favorite hymns of Thanksgiving, and I do not share them lightly. Hope you can use them on your special family gatherings layouts.

Thanks for your patience,
Melanie

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a fashion play-on-words...freebie

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A Royal Mess freebie set

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For Jessie ... freebie

Today's word art is dedicated to a friend of mine in North Carolina. Jessie is struggling with long-term pain for TMJ and is undergoing a new treatment right now that hasn't started working yet. Chronic pain really grinds at you and whittles away your last nerve, but when you also have two little ones in the house...well, it takes a special person to work through it. She's got one of those nasty colds right now, too--and you know how those coughing spells linger! And to make matters worse, she had a major computer crash last week; she's still waiting to see if any of her family photos and important layouts can be restored. Sending big hugs to you, Jessie, my sweet friend!

Her misfortunate computer issues reminded me to do better about backing up my stuff. So, even as I type this, my computer is uploading everything to an online storage space. Hope it works!

Hope you've had a great Scrapbooking weekend with all the bells and whistles and freebies and good buys. I'm so grateful that Divine Digital has been restored...they've got a new collab kit coming out that you won't want to miss.

Blessings on your day,

Melanie

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Must-Have Freebie

Debbie (from Scotland), I have to say how much your postings have cheered me on recently. You told me that the timing of something I'd prepared had helped you in the same way, but you have no idea how much I needed to hear your encouraging words at the time you sent them. Thank you so very much. Hope your everybody-needs-something-from-you period eases up soon! Stay strong. :) I'm sending you hugs.

And from the other side of the world (Australia), Kate sent me another layout she prepared, using word art I'd done some time ago. Thank you, Kate, for sharing this gorgeous layout with us.


I'm being a lazy cow this morning because I should have prepared a layout illustrating today's freebie word art. I need a creative team, don't I?! Anyway, if I HAD prepared a layout featuring this word art, I would have used photos of:

my Dad's Bible that I carried in my wedding

my wedding ring

my Nikon DX

my eyeglasses

my passport

chocolate

my Kindle

my favorite socks

a notebook and pen

Of course, another layout I could have done with this same word art would have included a mosaic of all my family. Just can't imagine life without 'em.

Another take on this would be photos of the things I pull out of my closet or drawers to wear almost every day at the moment:

• my new boots
• my newest scarf
• black trousers
• my fave bohemian blouse (that looks SO good with my boots!)
• my Twilight (Sarah Jessica Parker) perfume
• and more socks (I'm diabetic, so my feet stay cold ALL the time without my socks)

What's your must-haves?



Blessings on your day,
Melanie

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Happy (Inter)National Digital Scrapbooking Day

There are soooooooooooo many sales going on over the weekend in recognition of this special weekend for scrapbookers, that I'm not even going to try to compete with it at my store. However, if you DO happen to feel like taking a look around at Divine Digital, please note:

• a hacker caused extremely serious issues recently at Divine Digital; consequently, the store is graciously offering a great prize for anyone who takes the time to re-register at the store by midnight Nov. 7th (Saturday), and tons of freebies are slated to appear over the weekend.
  
• if you do happen to make a purchase at my Melanie's Digital Creations shop there any time over the next week, just e-mail a copy of your receipt to me (Melberry34@aol.com) and I'll send you a free set of word art as a thank-you. [Please allow time for me to process any requests!]


• please be patient with Divine Digital. Notices have been sent to everyone and I suspect that the store has been inundated with members trying to update their information.

Most importantly, please take time to check out the November SONGBIRD AVENUE kit, named Toys In the Attic. It's absolutely extraordinary. I ALREADY KNOW THAT I WILL BE USING IT YEAR-ROUND. It's not on sale, of course, because it's a charity kit...however, you not only get your money's worth (and more) from your purchase, but also you benefit such a worthy cause: this month, all sales benefit TOYS FOR TOTS, which brings joy to so many children at Christmas. Check it out...it's amazing amazing amazing.

Thought you could use today's freebie word art for all kinds of things, not just for this weekend's shopping!!!!

Happy shopping...and scrapping!
Melanie
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Happy birthday, Kim!

I was remiss in wishing KimB a very happy birthday (Nov 4th)...she would read any greeting you left her...they make her cry! [As you can see, I used items from my Aloha November kit, mentioned below.]

50th Aloha

DSO's challenges are fun to me, and I confess, I haven't taken the time to look at other store forums. I know there are SOOOOOOO many talented designers out there in scrapbookland; however, I have a special place in my heart for those designers who have become friends. Kim Broedelet is a crack-up, and a gifted designer as well. I worked on her color challenge at DSO earlier this month than I did the past couple of months, so that's your freebie today.

As usual, there's a story behind it! The color palette selected was definitely different for a November kit, so I started thinking outside the box:

• my brother turns 50 this month...


• he's celebrating with a week-long cruise from Los Angeles to Honolulu...


• with another week exploring the islands...


• and Hawaii's celebrating its 50th anniversary as the 50th state in the United States of America.

Eureka! A theme!! And, on the odd chance that my brother and his wife actually share photos from their trip, I will have something I can use to scrapbook his 50th celebration. I based the elements on what I knew for sure they would be doing.

I had computer connection issues today so I'm behind on other things, but thought I'd get this posted this evening--better late than never.

Blessings on your day...evening...morning...whenever

Melanie

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