CU Shadow Box

I've been up for 30 hours straight because I didn't take a nap when I got off work at 0700 this morning so I am going to post this, give the little girl a bath, and head for bed.  If you have been reading my twitter posts, I have been playing with a new font creating software that I downloaded and am thinking about making a set of dings.  I certainly do not  need to learn a new program right now when I have a million other things to do but the Font Creator seems very easy to use, and if I decide to purchase it after the 30 day trial it is fairly reasonable compared to some font software programs out there that are several hundred dollars.  I can't justify spending that on something I may or may not use!  But I do think it would be neat to make dings out of my custom shapes for those of you who cannot use the .csh files.  Perhaps there will be a font freebie in the future but as I said, no time to delve too deep into it right now. 

Tonight's freebie is a shadow box that I created using one of my wood layer styles.  I had a suggestion for a shadow box action but I figured it would be easier to just make the template so everyone can use it.  There are two layers: the front "shelves" and the back.  You just need to add your trinkets!  As always, in.psd and individual .pngs.

Ok, bath and bedtime for me!

Download the CU Shadow Box template HERE

or HERE

CU Funky Arrows .CSH and PNGS

Tonight's freebie is a set of funky arrows that I have been playing with, in .csh for PS/PSE and individual pngs. 

Download the CU Funky Arrows .csh and pngs HERE

or HERE

2 Paper Maker CU .psd Layered Templates

As promised, I made a couple of paper making templates using my new border shapes.  There are 9 layers on each template and you can simply apply a different layer style or color to each layer for an instant patterned paper that will be fun to use in kids' layouts.  I had so much fun making these border shapes and playing with them that I am working on a 2 new sets of custom shapes, some funky arrows (hint: like the one in the preview below) for the boys and some doodley looking paisleys for the girls.  I hope to have the arrows up tomorrow night and the paisleys sometime this weekend!

If you cannot use the .psds in your program you can still download the border .pngs and make your papers in your program.

 

Download the Paper Maker .psd layered templates HERE

or HERE

CU Border Shapes and .pngs

Today's freebie is a set of border shapes that I had fun making in CS3. I love all the great patterned papers using different lines of shapes and created these border shapes so that I could make a layered .psd that I will be posting later today. The preview is representative of how the shape would look if you dragged it onto a 3600 x 3600 paper and constrained the proportions. Of course you don't have to constrain the proportions, that is the great thing about vector shapes, you can distort them however you like without loss of quality. I included the .pngs for the non PS/PSE users if you would like to use them in your program. Also, all the shapes are vertical but you can rotate them 90 degrees if you want horizontal borders. Just apply a layer style, pattern, or clipping mask to the borders to customize however you like!

Download the Border Shapes and .pngs HERE

or HERE

CU Wood Layer Styles and Image Tiles

When I was making some of my sample instruments for last week's band set I needed some wood grain patterns for the guitar and violin.  I created some seamless patterns using Filter Forge filter "Wood" by Kochubey.  There are 8 patterns in .asl (with a bevel added) and .pat for PS/PSE with a vertical grain.  I then duplicated each pattern and rotated 90 degrees for the horizontal grain.  There's a grey one too that you can recolor if none of the included woods are what you are looking for.  The patterns are pretty large (3" x 3") so you may want to scale them smaller for smaller elements.  And I have also made seamless .png tiles of each of the patterns for the non-PS/PSE users.

Download the CU Wood Layer Styles HERE (SkyDrive)

or HERE (Pogoplug)

Download the CU Image Tiles (900 x 900 seamless .pngs) HERE

or HERE (Pogoplug)

The Band #3 CU Layered Templates

Today is the last in the Band Template Series.  There's an acoustic guitar and a flute.  The flute keys are probably not at all "anatomically" correct as I was using a clipart picture as a model for the template but you get the idea. 

Download the Band #3 Layered Template Set HERE

or HERE

Band #2 CU Layered Templates

Today's freebie is set #2 of THE BAND templates.  There is a drum set, a fiddle, and microphone, amp and speaker.  I will be working on the flute and acoustic guitar as requested by other readers and then probably wrap up this series.

Download The Band #2 Layered Templates HERE

or HERE

CU Band #1 Layered Templates - Guitars

Tonight's freebie is the first in a series of band instrument templates that were suggested by Lauren (Connor's mommy).  Tonight there are two guitars and I have plans to do drums, a fiddle, and (hopefully) a set of bagpipes (??)

Download Band #1 (Guitars) Layered Templates HERE

or HERE 

CU Birdies Layered Templates

Today's freebie is a set of birdie templates in .psd and .pngs to help you start thinking Spring!  Next on my list are some band instruments!

Download the CU Birdie Template Set HERE

or HERE

Coffee Shop #4 (The Pastries)

The last set in this popular series are some pastries that you can eat with your coffee or tea!  There are 5 layered templates in .psd and .pngs.  I used my glass dome for the preview, still available HERE, and some great Sweet Toppings layer styles available at the Adobe Exchange HERE.

Download Coffee Shop #4  CU Pastry Templates HERE

or HERE

Coffee Shop 3 (Tea Time) Layered Templates

I realize it's been a couple of days since my last post but it has been a crazy couple of days off.  First we went van shopping and are still "in negotiations" to purchase a new van before we head to Florida for Spring Break.  I hate haggling so I leave that up to hubby, who is sooo good at it!  Yesterday we had a Valentines Wedding to attend and had a great time!  And today was my Grandma Alice's 90th birthday!  My uncle organized a surprise party for her at the nursing home and she was really blown away by all the friends and family that came to wish her a happy birthday!  Tonight I am headed back to work in a few hours and wondering where the weekend went?  I did have time here and there to work on some more templates.  Today's set includes a tea pot, tea kettle, sugar bowl and creamer, plus a tea bag that took me much too long to do.  I am still not thrilled with the tea bag but it will have to do.

I know I have a BUNCH of emails to answer and facebook messages to read and answer too and I will get to them as soon as possible!  Sorry for the delay!

Download Coffee Shop #3 CU Layered Template Set HERE

or HERE

Coffee Shop #2 CU Layered Templates

Here is the second set of Coffee Shop Freebies.  There are 4 layered templates in .psd and pngs.  And yes, I do plan on doing a teapot and some other tea related items, too. Probably one or two more sets are coming in this series so I hope you like them!

Download Coffee Shop #2 Layered Template Set HERE

or HERE

CU Coffee Shop Templates

I had some suggestions for coffee related freebies so I am going to have a few days of Coffee Shop templates.  Today's set includes a coffee cup and a coffee maker template. 

 

Download Coffee Shop 1 CU Layered Templates (.psds and pngs) HERE

or HERE

CU Love Bling

Today's freebie is a last minute Valentine bling set.  I used the gem style to make some bling that you can recolor and add your own touches to. 

 Download the CU Love Bling Set HERE

or HERE

Here's an example of what you can do with it.  First I recolored the bling.  Then I made a direct-selection of the layer (ctrl+click on the layer) to get the marching ants around the element.  Then I create a new layer under the XOX layer and expand the selection by 10 pixels.  I then filled the selection (on the bottom empty layer) with a solid color and applied a layer style to this layer.  I then direct-select the XOX layer again and deleted this portion in the bottom layer to make the "border".  Merge the layers and you have your unique element!  Click on the photo below for the full blown view.

 

Popsicle Baseball Player

I had a couple of comments about the ballerina requesting other characters using the popsicle sticks.  So tonight's freebie is a little popsicle baseball player.  Add your favorite number or logo to his uniform and hat!

Download the Popsicle Baseball Player HERE

or HERE

Fancy CU Keys

Ok, I didn't get these finished before midnight so I guess I can't say I had two posts in one day.   But I did promise something for the non-PS users and didn't want to disappoint!  The reason I made yesterday's key set was because of some cute Valentine favors/gifts I saw in the Factory Card Outlet ad.  I wanted to scraplift them digitally but couldn't find any keys.  So I made the shapes yesterday and then used my gems to create some cute fancy keys today! 

Download the CU Fancy Key Set HERE

or HERE

Inner Glow Styles and Tutorial for PSE

Imagine my surprise when I went to Digifree today and my key was the first picture!  I would have preferred the actual preview image but I know that the program Maria uses sometimes does not pick up the preview image if there are several photos in the post.  I appreciate everyone who came to my site anyway and downloaded the key shapes even though they didn't have the real preview!

Recently a regular reader emailed me (hi Jake!) and asked how I obtained the dark, grungy edges on my Chocolate Cherry papers.  He has PSE and I thought there were inner glow styles for PSE so I opened it up and tried to create dark edge around a paper so I could explain to him how it is done.  However, I could only get the inner glows to work for lighter colors and not darker colors.  The reason for this is because the blend mode for each of the inner glows in PSE is set to "screen".  In CS3, I created some inner glows and set the blend mode for the glow to "normal" so that whatever color you choose for the glow will show up when you choose it. Of course there are other ways to create the same effect: You can make a selection of your element, feather the selection, and apply an inner stroke, then make a selection again, invert, and delete the outer portion of the stroke that bleeds off the edge of the element. (I think the styles method is much easier) If none of this makes sense to you that's okay.  I just thought that my PSE Users may like to create inner glows for their papers or elements, like Jake did, and would appreciate a style set and Tutorial.  You can choose any color for your glow and adjust the size however large or small you like, I explain this in the Tutorial.  The tutorial was written with PSE6 screen shots but I am pretty sure it will work the same way in PSE5 and 7.  Hopefully later today I will have another freebie for everyone.

Download the Inner Glow Tutorial and Style Set for PSE HERE 

or HERE

CU Keys and Locks Custom Shapes and .pngs

As I have said, I haven't been too inspired lately but when I couldn't find any vintage keys for my last kit I figured there may be a need for some custom shapes.  And I went a little overboard but I made a bunch of skeleton keys and locks and some "keyholes" in CS3.  Just add your favorite layer styles or papers or run some filters on them to make them unique!  Here's a couple of examples I made and ran some Filter Forge filters on:

I love playing with custom shapes because they are such a tiny file and so versatile.  But I haven't found an abundance of .csh files in digiscrap stores.  And many of them you download from Deviant Art are dingbats or clipart made into custom shapes.  You won't find near as many "anchor points" in these shapes because I hand drew each one using existing shapes (square, elipse, and a couple of decoration shapes that came with CS3) and my pen tool.  I also included the .pngs if you can use them for your program.  I hope you like them and please give me some ideas for future freebies, my brain is drying up!

Download the CU Keys and Locks .csh file for PS/PSE and pngs HERE

or HERE

Popsicle Ballerina and Bonus

I know I've taken a couple days off and I haven't really been inspired to do much really.  I was thumbing through some old magazines and books and came across these cute little patterns using popsicle sticks.  I thought I would try to make a ballerina just to see if I could.  It took me two evenings and about 18 layers but I think she turned out pretty cute.  I also threw in the bows I used for her in the .zip.

Download Popsicle Ballerina and Bows HERE

or HERE

CU Bracket Clip Layered Template

I know, I said I was going to take a couple days off but I did have a little time today to play on the computer and created a little shape with the pen tool that resembles a paper clip.  I was inspired by some cute clips I saw at the craft store recently that had different designs inside a bracket frame.  I thought:  "I could do that!"  And the beauty of it is when you create them digitally you are not limited to just a few designs.  You can literally make a million of them!  The freebie includes a layered template in .psd and .pngs plus 10 finished clips that you can add your own photo or design to so it will match your kits and layouts.  Create your own clips by the use of layer styles, background papers or patterns.  Also, you can leave off the glass layer if you like, some patterns will look better without it.  Here's one I made in seconds by applying one of my gem styles to the photo template layer.  If you like it you can grab it by clicking on the clip and then in the new window you can right-click, save-as.

And here's the preview and download links:

Download the CU BracketClip Template and Premade Clips HERE

or HERE