The Butterfly Effect- Pinterest & True Xoxo Girls Challenge

The Butterfly Effect
According to Wikipedia it's the sensitive dependence on initial conditions. 
How a small change in one place in a non linear system can result in a large differences in a later state.
It's Chaos Theory- unpredictable, unstable- highly complex.

The True Xoxo Girls Challenge for March is Pinterest Inspiration.
Use those lovely boards to make something and show us what you come up with! The prize is a GDT for April!
My piece has been scrap lifted from a beautiful digital design by almadr on Flickr. Click here to see the original.
Materials: Scrap FX butterfly chipboard, My Mind's Eye paper and stickers, Sassafras Lass border and photo corner stickers, Gauche Alchemy Wedding Night white mixed media color kit, Liquid Pearls in yellow, Studio Calico alphas and Mister Huey in Calico Cream and White

For this Month's True Xoxo Girls Challenge I found myself knee deep in an ethical dilemma.
I love Pinterest. I think it's the Beez Kneez- the ultimate fun time inpiration tool for artists of all stripes.
I use Pinterest every day. Or rather, I used to.
I am now considering deleting all my boards.

Here is why: (direct from the Pinterest User's Agreement)
By making available any Member Content through the Site, Application or Services, you hereby grant to Cold Brew Labs a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, royalty-free license, with the right to sublicense, to use, copy, adapt, modify, distribute, license, sell, transfer, publicly display, publicly perform, transmit, stream, broadcast, access, view, and otherwise exploit such Member Content only on, through or by means of the Site, Application or Services.
Putting aside all worries about potential lawsuits from disgruntled artists, designers, photographers, architects, fashionistas- basically- anyone who has a digital presence. That clause in the User Agreement hasn't been proven in court yet so there's no reason to panic- YET.

Don't FEAR it. BE IT.

How do I feel about participating in the wholesale high-jacking of individual copy right? 
That is what the legal booty covering above does. 
If you come on this site and pin one of my scrapbook pages, Pinterest now has the right to sublicence, use, copy, adapt, modify, SELL, LICENCE, and OTHERWISE EXPLOIT my image as they see fit in perpetuity. 
It's Non exclusive! Woot! I guess I should be happy about that? 


Pinterest- you can take the scrapbook page- it's made with other people's designs anyway. 
The photos are MINE. 


Here is a code that allows you, me or ANYONE to opt out of the Pinterest madness- 


Just add that bit of HTML code to the top of each and every blog post you don't want pinned. It will disappear when you add it .. right here...  no here...
Let me make a photo- the code really did disappear into this post. 

If you don't block Pinterest assumes you are ok with them acting as a royalty free imaging super store where YOU- your family, your pet, your life's work are the product. By the way- Facebook has a similar clause but here's the difference- I can upload images and control my story on Facebook. I decide what family photos might end up for possible sale. Not so with Pinterest. 


Flickr has implemented a simple YES/ NO button on their site to prevent pinning: 
This is great for those who would prefer their personal websites get the traffic (We all know it's rare for people to visit the actual website- for many, it's just pin and get on with your life)
Read about it here: http://mashable.com/2012/02/25/flickr-pinterest-opt-out/


Let me just say- I don't mind being pinned. I get immediate feedback on what people like which helps me design more effectively AND I feel appreciated and influential- what's not to love? I don't judge people who disagree with me or don't care about this issue and just want to look at pretty things. I understand and feel pretty much the same. I love my boards! I spend time looking and thinking and learning to cook. I love the idea behind Pinterest! But it's good to inform yourself so you can protect yourself.

My beef is with is the Pinterest User Agreement that allows Cold Brew Labs to sell my photos IF and WHEN THEY DECIDE.

Scrap FX chipboard and vellum.  The "photo" is an Instax print that came out blank 
because I loaded the camera wrong. Those babies are a dollar a pop. I'm using them!

I might annoy a lot of people who will deflect my arguments with FAIR USE! FAIR USE!
Here is a link to FAIR USE as defined by the US copyright office.


If you are taken to court in the near future, you have already lost. 
You will have to hire a lawyer and pay them to defend yourself. 
It will be easier to "settle"out of court which means you will PAY for those pretty pretty pins.
Why are you fighting Cold Brew Labs' battle? Are you getting affiliate link kick backs from pinned item sales? According to a recent New York Times article you aren't. OOPS! 

Pinterest works the code (on the DL) so they also get affiliate sales!!! 
Aren't they just SO AWESOME?

Innocently swimming through shark infested waters.

MuChOS SmOoChEs!
LA PELEONA

Some Odd Girl Stamps Guest Spot! FUUUN!

HAPPY MONDAY MI GENTE!

I was over the moon when I got an invitation from Kristy creator and head innovator over at Some Odd Girl Stamps to help celebrate her birthday by guest-writing a post on her blog. YAAAY! Naturally I chose to write about my all time favorite topic- iPod camera apps.

Now before you say AGAIN? This time I talk about 4 different applications so perhaps you may want to head on over to check it out. Click here: SOME ODD GIRL 

For this post I want to talk about a card project that did not make it to my SOG post because my writing hit 1000 words and even I know that's too darned long.

I LOVE Kristie's beautiful Japanese animation looking designs and while I haven't been very good at experimenting with digital design, I went ahead and took the plunge.

Here is my first project:

I tried so many new things with this card project! Most impressive to me? I got this card to stick
to my crazy windy and rusty fire escape with some super strength Pop Up Glue Dots.
My fandom for this amazing product has been renewed!

This "How To" moment brought to you by: SOME ODD GIRL:

Instagr.am's Lomo-Fi filter is my all time favorite right now- LOVE those uneven black borders

I t seemed like a lot of work but the final result was worth it.
Hipstamatic's  Ina's 1969 film combined with the Chunky lens. 

1. Print "Love" sentiment stamp from Some Odd Girl onto Computer Grafix computer printable  transparent plastic sheets which also has adhesive backing so you effectively get stickers.  NOTE:  The ink never dries if you use regular tranny film- it has to computer printable film.
2. Cut the heart stamp out leaving adhesive backing on.
3. Print love stamp onto regular paper and cut out the individual letters to make templates.
4. Use your letter templates on patterned scrapbook paper and cut letters out making sure the edges are a bit smaller so they don't stick out over the Love stamp's black borders.
5. Peal off adhesive backing on Love sticker and apply the scrapbook paper letter making sure borders align (hardest part of this process).

Voila! You have a custom sticker!
I made two.

For the card I used Sassafras paper, lots of bits left over on my desk including some clothing pattern tissue paper, half a burlap flower, corrugated board and a handmade mini doily.

I stuck them onto the card using Modge Podge and used a couple of stitches here and there to attach the Love sticker in front. I wouldn't say this is the easiest way to make a card but it was incredibly fun and educational. Most importantly, I really love the final result.

The second project was a crazy character made with Kristi's Techie light bulb stamp design.

My post over at Some Odd Girl will discuss all the filters used here in a little more detail but
from the Hipstamatic app I used Inna's 1969 film to get that inner white border and the warm color tone.
I then opened the image up on Instagr.am and used the Lomo-fi filter to give it major contrast and
that cool black border.

Ain’t she PURTY?  To make Luz I :

1. Resized her in photoshop so she took up most of an 8 by 10 piece of watercolor paper and printed her right up.
2. Colored her using Reese Oil Pastel crayons and “blended” the color using my fingers as I am Copic disabled.
3. ALMOST ruined her by sticking yellow tissue paper everywhere for “texture”. Luckily Instamatic filters are wonderfully low rez and forgiving of mistakes- the texture is invisible in most pics.
4. Two wooden lollipop stems became her “legs” and out Luz went on a bike ride.

Sometimes a girl CAN have too much fun.
Hipstamatic's Buckhorst H1 lens and Ina's 1969 film filters

"Luz" as I like to call her- went on several weekend bike rides with me and finally bit the bucket today when Lola mauled her during a particularly vulnerable moment. But you can see her adventures over at my post for Some Odd Girl.  And yes I am aware that I've already plugged it 5 times- why haven't you gone to check it out yet?

BRAND NEW (to me)! Diptic lets you post several photos from any other camera app in your ipod
as well as Facebook or Flickr- no other app can do that right now so go get some of that action people!

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle
Some Odd Girl

Happy!

Summer is quickly waning and I already miss it. August is usually a slow month in the crafting world- families are taking long planned vacations or preparing for back to school. Almost everyone is too busy to skulk boards and troll blogs so thank you for visiting this lonely corner of the blogosphere- I truly appreciate each and every one of you.

Happy
MATERIALS: Woodgrain embossed paper, white acrylic paint, fabric doily, Crate paper button, Pink Paisley journaling tags, silver circle tag and punchinella from GAUCHE ALCHEMY, Jillibean Soup corrugated clouds, Maya Road heart and acrylic pins,  Happy word Pin from Joann's, silver mini clip from Staples.

I was saving this page for publication submissions but I finally decided it should go to Paper Issues for their current link party: "Let's Ride". Lola is the embodiment of "Let's Ride". She has zero tolerance for waiting once she hears the words "out" or "park". The words can be uttered as part of an unrelated subject like this: "Dave we need to take the shoes out the front hallway". OOOPS! Then it's "LET'S GO!" "GO, GO, GOOOOO!" and very insistent finger pointing at the door.

AAA! Love that face!!!!

I remember when I was young and single (read- clueless), I would look at parents with pity in my eyes. They were dealing with fit throwing, punching, kicking, screaming, table cloth pulling little monsters and I would think them FOOLS for letting their children run wild. Well guess who gets the pity looks now? Miss Lola is fairly well behaved. I would never allow running, screaming or table wrecking but she does insist on sitting on Daddy's lap the entire time we are at a restaurant. Considering how hard the wood seats are for the high chairs we let her have her way- it's a small price to pay for peace and David has gotten very good at eating with one arm. We still get the pity looks, especially when I have to cut David's entree for him and Lola snatches up all the best pieces for herself but I always answer those with a knowing smile that says you'll see soon enough.

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Happy Scrappin'!!!

How did I manage to squeeze some time to write this? Well I barely slept last night! Funny how Mother's Day is not a day off but a day ON- everyone wants to see you and you still have to change the baby and wash the dishes so National Scrapbooking Day will be short for me. Needless to say I was SUPPOSED to be working on some cards- Hallmark it is- again. Sorry Mom.

BUT NO! I have edited this now to say that CHERYL has inspired me to MAKE my cards!! I will stay up again! I WILL participate in the Studio Calico challenges- oo FUN! Thanks Cheryl! Ya'll visit her blog please! http://craft-thing.blogspot.com

Here is my NSD page:

In this page I harken back to my scrappy beginnings where I bought Prima flowers by the pound, threw half pearls at a page as if they were free and collected vintage lace trims. I missed the romantic shabby chicness of it all. This was a fun and fast page. I finally broke out my Tim Holtz "Lost and Found" paper pad and finished of the package of handmade flowers by Precocious Paper- a great Etsy store.

Precocious Paper on Etsy- be there or be square!

Pink Paislee wood alphas- best EVER!

Lola's profile and the shinning sun- poetic.

Cheryl, if you are reading this, I need your addy so I can send some scrappy goodies your way. Just because you rock and because it's National Scrapbook Day- and yes the Fascinator is HUUUUGE- but my sister insists it will look fabulous and she's got better taste than I do. :) Readers!! Keep the items I had to use guesses coming on THIS page- a scrappy winner will be chosen on May 10th!

Happy Scrappin'!
MUUAH to all you mommies too!
Michelle

Blown Away

I wanted to share a page I did about a week ago with a Pencil Lines sketch. This is a classic example of a sketch I didn't think was "my style" and papers I loved but would normally leave untouched.

MATERIALS: American Crafts Huckleberry Finn paper, Martha Stewart scallop dot border punch, MS lace corner punch,  American Crafts subway glitter alphas- turquoise and pink,  My Mind's Eye turquoise polka dot mat, Crate paper doilies, pop dots,  Crate Rainbow exclusive paper, Pink Paisley Sweetness collection cut-out roses, Prima flower centers, Liquid Pearls- pink, MLS and Cosmo Cricket mini alphas- pink, turquoise and yellow. Buttons and rhinestone from salvation Army, American Crafts Mementos frame.

Pencil Lines DT sketch

I sat down. I got up. I sat down. I got up. That happened for about 2 days until I dropped paint on it. I then had to hide the paint or incorporate into the layout. But something wonderful happened- I stopped caring. I let go. Out went my preconceptions of what my "current style" was and I just added and added till I was able to feel "finished". That was a great feeling. I was wading out into unfamiliar waters. I was using a sketch to think outside the box. I was working through my block and finding out I had more creativity than previously thought. Effing COOL!

So this week's lesson is: Keep calm and scrap on. Now I just need to get the Maya Road stamp that says so.

Amor, salud y dinero!
M.