Ok, so I'm going out on a limb here and going to go with my originally planned post despite some not so nice emails today! (Can I vent a bit??) So, I'm feeling a bit like Penn and Teller at a magician's conference today (does anyone get that reference besides me? LOL) For those that don't, Penn and Teller are magicians that, during their show, often share how their tricks are done. Because of this they apparently aren't very well liked in the "magician community".
Soooo...back to the original reference...LOL... I got a few nasty emails today from "fellow designers" who "had concerns" that perhaps it would be in my "best interest" to simply continue with my "nicely designed freebies" and "discontinue" my "step-by-step tutorials". This, they basically said might "lessen the desire of digital scrapbookers to purchase not just" (my) "kits, but ALL my fellow designers kits in lieu of creating their own". In other words, if you learn how to use photoshop like "we" do, if I continue to try and share the little bit of knowledge that I have about photoshop, that THE SKIES WILL FALL, and ALL GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LIKE MYSELF WILL BE OUT OF BUSINESS!!! Seriously??? Are they out of their minds??? There are literally THOUSANDS of photoshop tutorials on the web, and granted, the majority of them are not for scrapbooking specifically, but HELLO... really? Little 'ol me is going to bring this HUGE industry to it's knees with my little blog??
The emails (THREE of them no less! A coincidence you think? I think not.) all basically started out nicely and then got somewhat nasty basically telling me that this was a "small community" and that designers needed to stick together and share these tutorials amongst one another, NOT the "general public" and that it would be bad for my blog and my business if I "upset other designers"... WHAT?? I'm still a bit stunned by it all, and confused, and to be honest....kind of giggly...are they crazy??
So anyway...to anyone still reading this post (especially my "fellow designers" who may be "upset" by my tutorials") I say... KISS MY BACKSIDE! (and, if I can make another suggestion.... GET A LIFE!)
NOW...to make matters worse, I recently had an idea for a (somewhat) new (at least new to me!) Idea for a product for my little store at Digital Candy... Designer Templates! In other words, templates that weren't just "sketches" or basic layout templates (NOT that there is ANYTHING wrong with those!!) but templates that go a bit further and include ACTUAL ELEMENTS to use with that template and on their own! So instead of drawn lines on a layer that say "replace with stitches" I would actually include the stitches... Instead of "add element" here, I would include an element that would go with that layout (and others), even papers that could be used for overlays if you liked the pattern...etc. (someone please email me if this is a booming industry already and I'm just an idiot that missed it somehow ok?? LOL)
So...that shouldn't be a problem right? EXCEPT that I thought all day about how I would word this post so that it didn't seem as though I was "slamming" those wonderful and talented designers who currently create some pretty darn great templates (like my dear fellow Candy Girl Chrissy W!! - luv you Chrissy!) I think that what they do is great! But I wanted to see how this would go over.... soooooo... then I got those lovely emails and thought...forget it! I can't post this today, I'll have an overflowing email box tomorrow from MORE "concerned designers" fearful that I would now take down the "template industry"!
OK - my rant is over. I've never backed down to a bully (even some slightly crazy ones if you ask me - I can't POSSIBLY be the ONLY designer out there who offers tutorials on my blog can I??) so, I'm putting up my first "designer template", I'm saying loudly and clearly that I LOVE my fellow designers, I LOVE those designers who make templates and I have no desire to bring this industry to it's knees by offering some help to my 700 or so loyal readers of this tiny little blog... I just want to share a bit of what I know and so I will continue to do so (don't hate me ok? I'm actually a pretty nice person! he he he!)
All right...here's my template... in .PSD and .PNG format... you can use the the stitches, the buttons and button stitches, the ornament and even the patterned paper if you really want to, on this template or other layouts as well! The elements are all in shades of grey so coloring them should be a breeze...(don't know how to color an element?) well then!! Please refer to my TUTORIAL ON RE-COLORING ELEMENTS that I posted on 12.31.07 OR Visit me tomorrow when I'll post an EVEN BETTER TUTORIAL on re-coloring more complex elements. HA! TAKE THAT NASTY LADIES! (he he he! By the way...did I mention that I'm stubborn and defiant? It is now my PERSONAL mission to make ALL of you PHOTOSHOP PROFESSIONALS!! LOL)
Enjoy the template...I did when I used it to create this layout of my baby boy and my dh sharing a moment on the beach a few years back. Like the papers and elements in my layout??? I WISH I could claim them as my own...but they are from the SMITTEN KIT by Kami of Ziggle Designs and Angela Niehaus...(two of our finest designers at DC) I have TRIED to refrain from purchasing other designer's kits, simply because, let's face it...I should be making my own instead... but I LOVE LOVE LOVE this kit and it's actually 20% off right now if you hurry up and get it. My layout doesn't really do the kit justice because the elements in this kit are TO DIE FOR, not to mention the papers... ANYWAY! Check out the kit, Download my template and if you would be so kind...let me know what you think of my idea for "upgraded" templates?? (please be kind...though k? I've had it rough here lately...if you hate it, just say...nope...hate it... I can live with that...LOL no, HATE HATE HATE IT YOU ARE STUPID STUPID STUPID...'cause that would just be uncalled for... he he he!)
Click HERE to download my new "Designer Template"
Click HERE to purchase Kami and Angela's TO DIE FOR "Smitten" Kit (or just to check it out!)
Click HERE to leave me a nice comment (nasty comments are limited to 3 words only he he he)
