MAGGIE HOLMES Photography and Scrapbooking Blog

Elle's Studio Giveaway Winner

The Elle's Studio giveaway goes to...

Stacey said...

It's amazing what a good title can do for a scrapbook page! I love giving my pages a great title embellished with stickers paper and doodles!! This Elle's Studio Kit is adorable!!

ReplyJune 23, 2009 at 10:58 AM

Sorry for the delay in announcing the winner! Congratulations Stacey! Email me your address and we will get this fabulous package sent out to you!!

Actions for PSE

All three action sets are finally ready for PSE!! I know that so many of you have been patiently waiting and so I am excited to have them up for you now!

The PSE actions are compatible with PSE 7.0, 6.0 and 6.0 for Mac. Unfortunately they are NOT really compatible with 5.0. They seem to work for some and not for others and even when they work, you get quite a few error messages each time they run so I just don't feel good about selling them for version 5.0. If you decide that you want to purchase them and try them with version 5.0, it is entirely AT YOUR OWN RISK and all action sets are NON-REFUNDABLE. I can give you the directions I have that worked for a couple of people, but that is as far as I can go... there is just no way for me to diagnose the problems and errors that you may run into. Like I said, it seems to be hit and miss, but more miss than hit... So sorry!!

All of the buttons to purchase the action sets for PSE can be found here. Be sure to choose the right ones that are for PSE. Also, please be sure to download and read the instructions VERY carefully before you do anything else. It is quite a bit more tricky to initially install the actions in PSE. But, I have been told that my directions are very easy to follow and that if you follow them exactly, you won't have any trouble. Also note that once you install the actions once, you don't have to repeat that process when you buy the other two sets. You simply need to download the action effects files and then you are ready to start using them! So, I promise, it is not as complicated every time!

Thanks again for your patience and for all of the reminder emails to keep the ball rolling on this. As you can see from all my posts on my main blog, the testing process took quite a while and I ran into a few glitches with the downloads that I just couldn't seem to figure out. And since I am a perfectionist, I didn't want to release them until everything was just right!!

Well, enough said..... now go enjoy those actions!!

filed under: Photoshop Actions, Photoshop Elements Actions, PSE Actions, Actions for Photoshop, Actions for PSE, Actions for Photoshop Elements, Urban Action, Cross Processed Action, Vintage Action, Color Pop Action, Color Boost Action

Misting Tutorial and Photography Tips...

I forgot to share this Misting Tutorial that I posted on the Studio Calico blog recently. This is one of my favorite techniques right now! So much fun and I love the impact and interest it gives to my scrapbook layouts.

Above are the completed layouts that I made. You can view the entire tutorial along with step by step shots here.

I am also hosting over on the Studio Calico blog again this week and Tina and I are doing a photography theme. I am sharing some fun tips/techniques so be sure to check it out (here and here). Also, on Sunday I will be posting a really BIG giveaway over there so make sure to check that out too. This is a giveaway that you are going to love! Did I mention that it is BIG?? :)

filed under: Studio Calico, Scrapbooking Tutorials, Scrapbooking tips, Photography Tips, Photography, Giveaway, Maya Mists, Maya Road.

Scrapbooking Tips and a Giveaway!

Hi there! I have a few things to share with you today - all scrapbooking related....

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Here is a tip that I shared over on the Elle's Studio Blog last week about how to use their tags in an unexpected way. To see all the details and the complete layout click here.

I was also the guest blogger over on the Creating Keepsakes blog last week! I shared a tutorial on how to use the packaging from your scrapbook products on your layouts! This is something that I do a lot lately as it seems like I am trying to create less waste and I also love taking advantage of all of the cute packaging that is out there now. It's like a free bonus that you get out of your supplies! I love that!

To see the entire tutorial and the completed layout click here.

Some exciting Studio Calico news:

We have a new promotion in honor of our 2nd anniversary!! 

Studio Calico subscribers will now get an advanced opportunity to purchase new add-on kits each month. Beginning with July's kit, subscribers will be able to purchase their add-ons and shop items 12 hours in advance of reveal (12:00 noon on the 27th). Some add-ons will also be held in reserve and posted for sale at 12:00am for the traditional reveal.

Not a subscriber?  Email waitinglist@studiocalico.com now to preorder your subscription!

Some of the add-on kits have been selling out FAST lately so now you can get your hands on them early before they run out!!

And finally, a GIVEAWAY!! This one comes from Elle's Studio:

Lots of their latest and cutest goodies included in the giveaway. To enter the drawing, leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite scrapbooking technique! Or, if you would rather, tell me a technique that you would like to learn more about or would like to try but haven't yet... maybe I will use your suggestions for some upcoming tutorials! You have until Thursday night to enter and then I will draw a random winner on Friday! Good luck!

filed under: scrapbooking tips, scrapbooking tutorials, free scrapbooking products, scrapbook giveaway, scrapbook tips, studio calico, elle's studio, creating keepsakes magazine

Engagement Shoot: Maggie Holmes - Arizona Wedding Photographer

Loved this couple and the location. They were a lot of fun and were troopers about braving the Arizona heat! It was HOT that day!! I can't really choose any favorites so I will just share a bunch!

(Photoshop Actions used: Pretty sure I used most of my actions on these - especially Urban and the Simple Color Boost and Sun Kissed. If you are wondering about a specific image and the opacity I set the action to, just email me.)

filed under: Arizona Wedding Photographer, Mesa Wedding Photographer, Scottsdale Wedding Photographer, Phoenix Wedding Photographer, Arizona Engagement Pictures

Sneak Peek for Natalie: Maggie Holmes - Gilbert Family Photographer

So many fun shots from this shoot! I can't wait to edit all of them, but I had to post a quick sneak peek!L Love these girls!! Lots more to come!

(Camera Settings: 50mm 1.4 lens at SS 1/400, f/5.6; Photoshop Edit: I used my Urban Photoshop Action at 87% opacity from my Color Mix Photoshop Action Set)

filed under: Arizona Family Photographer, Arizona Children's Photographer, Gilbert Children's Photographer, Phoenix Children's Photographer, Phoenix Family Photographer, Family Photographer in Arizona, Children's Photographer in Arizona

Utah Mini Photography Sessions

I am so excited to finally book some mini sessions up in Utah! I have had lots of inquiries in the past because we travel up there quite a bit but for one reason or another it just never fit in with our travel schedule. But this time it does and so I am doing 2 days of mini sessions!! Yes, two days!! Very exciting!! I haven't decided on the locations yet but one day will probably be a downtown urban location and the other day may be a more natural/traditional location (trees and such). As soon as you book, we will start talking locations and then I will make a decision based on interest.

The package includes lots of prints and the disc of digital images.... and it is all priced at a discount of over $350 off my normal pricing!! That's a huge savings and a fun opportunity to get your family pictures done early this year instead of waiting until the fall. (You can also use these images to order Christmas cards from me later in the year.) And rest assured we can get lots of images in 30 minutes - including family photos, individuals of each child, parents together, children together, etc!

Email me to reserve your spot! Here I come, Utah!!

filed under: utah family photographer, utah children's photographer, salt lake family photographer, salt lake children's photographer, utah photographer

One More Tester... for Now...

Are you sick of all of this yet? :) I promise it will all be over soon and the actions will be available to purchase! Thanks for being patient!!

For now I have one more tester/winner. Still waiting to hear back from some of the new people so if I don't hear back from them soon, I will pick some more new ones again. So, there still may be a chance that you get picked... if you have entered, keep checking back to see if you got it! Until I officially announce that I am done testing, I still might pick you... I will keep picking until I hear back for each set.

Version 7.0

Color Set

Kathleen Kraft said...

okay so if no one else wants to try PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pick me...I have been checking daily and so sad when they were not up and then the ONE DAY I do not check you post a chance to try it....and actually i want these so bad for the fathers day presents and my niece's graduation...(can you see me on my knees and begging....) oaky..I'd be happy to help! (PSE7)

ReplyJune 12, 2009 at 05:05 AM

Email me Kathleen and I will send them over to you!

Thanks!

A Few More Winners...

Ok, I am back with a few new winners to fill in my missing spots. I added the new entries to the pot and here are the winners. Again, please email me asap and I will send you the actions to try out for me. If you can please try them and get back to me by tonight or tomorrow morning that would be fabulous! Thanks so much!!

Version 5.0

Color Set

Patti said...

I have PSE 5.0 and would love to help test! :-)

ReplyJune 09, 2009 at 08:05 PM

Color Mix Set

Heidi said...

OOOOOOOOh! I would love to be added to the drawing. I have PSE V 5.0.

ReplyJune 12, 2009 at 11:27 AM

Version 6.0

Color Mix Set

Tiffany R. said...

I would love to test them. I have been lusting after these for a while. I have Elements 6.0.

Thanks!

ReplyJune 09, 2009 at 12:17 PM

winners of the actions....

where are you??

i still haven't heard from a few of the winners of the actions... which leaves me wondering why you would enter a contest and then not check back to see if you won... except that is precisely something that i would do and so i completely understand... we all know that life is busy and crazy and all of that...

but at the same time, i am trying to stay on a schedule so that i can get the actions ready to go for all of you that are so patiently waiting... and so, i am forced to announce that if i don't hear from you by noon tomorrow arizona time (whatever time that may be for you i have no idea... for some reason time zones always confuse me) i will have to go ahead and choose another winner to fill your spot...

so, if you entered and didn't win and you are reading this now, please know that i may be picking some new winners tomorrow and i will post them here so please oh please just check back again (after noon) to see if you are one of the new winners! 

also, if you didn't enter and you want to now, you can leave a comment on this post with your version of PSE and i will add you to the drawing. be sure to leave it on this post and not the other one because i won't be going back and reprinting those comments - just new ones that are left here to add to the ones i already have printed... make sense? good!

and finally I had quite a few people ask if my regular Photoshop actions are compatible with CS4, and the answer is YES! they are!! yeah!! i just need to update the info!

thanks much!!