It's amazing to me how many fabulous things can be done with DoodleBats! The fact that they can be scaled to any size because they are a font makes them tremendously versatile. I've been super impressed with some of these submissions to the ScrapNfonts idea gallery, I just wanted to share:

This bear card is by Virginia from KS. Another bonus to DoodleBats being fonts is that they work in several scrapbooking cutting machines, which is what it looks like was used for this bear from DB Animal Occasion. Find out how to do this here.

DoodleBats can also be an oh so subtle background, like in this LO by Britta using DB Dainty Swirl.

I think this card is adorable by Teri Berrios using DB Dress Up for the shape of the dress.

Here's another LO using a DoodleBat as the main image frame by Keela Fox. (DB Woodsy Journal)

Regina Easter is a fabulous crafter, and here she uses a DB as a tag, adding her own color and darling details. (DB Christmas Fun Doodles)

Find more inspiration for using DoodleBats in the ScrapNfonts idea gallery, and shop for DoodleBats here.

This uses the new Wild Things bundle (including LD Kracken - "Silly Face" and "winner", LD Wild Child - "Contest" and DB Mutant Trait Doodles - monster after title, labels under photos), DB Forest Friends - journaling arrow, DB Dainty Swirl and LD Soccer Mom. Whew! That's a mouthful.

Other credits: paper is In Living Color from all things visual, ribbon is from Shabby Princess Happy Go Lucky.

Happy Memorial Day!

Celebrate the beauty in life with this free sentiment page. Download in your choice of:

PDF, ready to print (553 KB)

PNG (in a .zip file), great for digital scrapbooking (559 KB)

Sign up for the ScrapNfonts newsletter for more free downloads.

Check out this fabulous baby quilt I received as a gift from my sister-in-law.

Is that not one of the cutest blankets you've ever seen? The fabrics are adorable and the quilt is a work of art.

I've noticed there are a lot of similarities in trends for quilt fabric and craft paper. It inspired me to try to blur the lines a little with a layout inspired by this quilt. It was really fun and I used the fonts from the new Jillustration Sweet Nothings bundle.

The title font, LDJ Mac n Cheese, is really neat! Have you ever seen an outline script font like that? Jill, the artist behind Jillustration, really takes the cake with that font. The lowercase letters are the connecting ones, the capital letters are capped on the left side so they can start the word, and you need to type the right bracket ] to cap off the end of the word. So to type the title, I had to type: No], Thanks]. But seriously, it's such a cool result!

Other credits: "I prefer my fingers" in LDJ Jillberish, journaling around the outside in Scrap Casual, Papers from Lettering Delights Denim and Blue Jeans Paper Pack.

Where do you find inspiration for your scrapbook pages and cards?

The new frame brushes over at ScrapNfonts this week have some fun potential! If you've never used brushes before, don't be scared! Each set comes with a brush file for Photoshop and Photoshop Element users, but it also comes with .png images that can be used in virtually any photo editing program (including free programs, like Picasa and Photoscape) and other design programs.

Here's a quick walk-through on using the new frame brushes on photos.

First, let's start with a photo. Which one should I pick... Ah, here's one with the most beautiful baby girl ever (according to a biased new mom, which I whole-heartedly admit I am). This picture is just begging me for a frame.

Next comes the brushes. If you're working in Photoshop, all you need to do is double click on the .abr file, and the brushes will automatically be added to your current list of brushes.

Photoshop tip: If you want access to the brushes through your Photoshop
Library, you can also go to "My Computer", then go to C:\Program
Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [your version]\Presets\Brushes and drop the .abr
file there.

If you're working in a different photo editing or design software, open your photo and the .png you want to use in the program.

Now is the fun, artsy part. Every photo program is a bit different, so take time to play with your program to familiarize yourself with it. If you have Photoshop, select the brush tool, then pick your frame brush, pick the color, scale the brush to the size you want in the Brushes window, hover it over your photo where you want it, then stamp. With other programs, you might have to open a collage option, or copy and paste the .png into the photo.

Here is the photo as if I just layed the .png on top of it.

If your program allows layers, I recommend putting the frame on a different layer than the photo. You can play with frame options better that way. With the frame selected you can adjust the hue (the color) the saturation (the brightness/dullness of the color) or the lightness, OR do a color fill if your program allows.

For this next picture, I set the lightness as high as it would go so the frame is white.

I want a softer look, so I'm going to adjust the opacity on the frame layer to 65%, and this is what I end up with.

Once you have the basics down, you can really set a mood with the right frames and effects. This picture is ready for my blog or facebook, or a scrapbook layout. Hmm... I think a scrapbook layout. I'll keep you updated.

In most of my scrapbook layouts, I think it crucial to mark the date. I'm all about the historical documentation. Maybe it makes me feel more important, I don't know. For about a year now, my favorite way to mark the date was with the Post Stamps. Love them! They easily were winning the race in the dating game.

My personal favorite was the middle "Good times" stamp with LD Post. It's irresistible!

But now there's another competitor in the field...

It may take a few more layouts, but I think DB Captured Calendar is trying to usurp the title of Favorite Date Marker. It's pretty close...

Goodness, there's so much design potential there, it makes me giddy!

What do you think?

It's obvious what Regina Easter does when she has time to play! She whips out her paper, her cutting machines, her sewing machine, and her miles of creativity. I love seeing what new projects she comes up with. Using DB Kapow for the title and LD Little Piggy for text, both on sale Tuesday during ScrapNfonts Parade of Products, she came up with this clever card.

I LOVE the details she puts into her projects. She also used DB Bugs for the mosquito. Check out those little jewel eyes and the raised body.

And the stitching, button, and hemp bow? So cute!

A card like this would sure make my day if I was feeling a little under the weather! Thanks for sharing your talent, Regina.