Instagram + Rhonna Designs + Phonto = cReative FUN!

 So, you know how much I *adore* my phone camera & all the fun apps combined with Instagram! (remember my posts HERE & HERE?) Well....I've been busy creating various dingbat fonts for Rhonna Designs...the things I want on my own Instagram photos...YEA!

Tonight, I'll be releasing the first 5 new kits in the Insta Lovin' series 

but...wanted to give you a sneak peek!  Banners, Icons, Numbers, Patterns & Tags...

Each kit includes a TTF font (so you can use PHONTO in your Instagram photos as shown HERE!) &...HUGE ***bonus***, I've got the Digital Brushes/Stamps in there, too!  Seriously, a STEAL for all of your design needs. Since it's a font, you can use them on your phone AND use the vector fonts in your designing, the ABR brush/stamps on your blogs, photographs, invitations, scrapbooks, crafting....you name it! **remember to check out the Licensing info to know which license you need**

And, make sure you're on the Newsletter so that you can get the discout we offer ONLY to our Newsletter subscribers! *wink*

I've got a few more kits being released, too...but, I'll let you see them when they are LIVE...tonight!

Happy cReating!

Photography Tips and Tricks with your phone apps

You know how much I LOVE my phone & the apps I can use...I shared my top ten fave apps HERE & now I'm sharing my fave tips& tricks with my phone!

Since my post of my top ten fave apps, a lot of them have been upgraded with new bells & whistles AND I've found some fun tricks to use with them! When I post to my Instagram feed, I try to remember to post my #appmashup, where I tell which apps I've used in my photo. But, with so many questions about HOW I create the various looks, I'll show you some of my tips & tricks:

Don't be afraid to mix apps.  There's no rule to how many apps you can use at once on any given photo. In fact, when I have time, mixing & layering apps is one of my favorite daily Creativity Exercises to do!

*Here's my original photo I took with my regular Camera app on my phone.

*Here's the example of applying cropping & adding 2 different filters in Picture Show (click on top at "Original" & then scroll down to apply various filters you love for that particular photo. TIP: each photo is different, therefore, there is no set recipe. This is where your creativity comes in...play around. experiment. don't be afraid.)

Play with light & textures. I saved this version out of Picture Show into my Camera Roll & then opened it up in Pic FX to add the bokeh light effect. (click on 'Light' & apply any of the bokeh filters you love. TIP: You can tap on the face of the photo & adjust the rotation AND opacity...brilliant!)

*This is where I add Lens Light into the mix. See the 2 'halo' light effects? I love Lens Light for this reason; you can apply as many light effects as you want by hitting: Render Add Light.  You can also change the size by pinching your fingers on the light effect AND hit the far left button to adjust the Opacity levels.

Get creative with collages. Now, for frames & rounded corners, there are lots of apps you can use, but on this one, I used DipTic. I love this one for the variety & how rounded you can make the corners. (you can even make it a complete circle!) AND it gives great Photo Collage looks like these:

Have fun with text & dingbats. And, lastly...I love to add text to my photos in Phonto.  Yes, there are lots of other ways to add text, but the latest upgrade to Phonto allows you to sync your OWN fonts with the app! My friend, Lindzie Head did a great little tutorial on syncing & getting started HERE. 

TIP: In Phonto, you can use DINGBATS! Yes...all of my Rhonna Designs fonts can be used PLUS the dingbats that are my art in font format! Isn't that fun? 

So on this one photo, I had 5 different versions I saved on my Camera Roll until I was ready to upload it into Instragram.  

TIP: Go in & delete the ones off your roll so you don't fill it up w/ various versions of the same one....unless you want a lot! LOL!

Tricks:

Leme Cam App: This has become one of my favorites to shoot directly from. BUT...I trick I've found is: I always keep it on Manual with the Camera Bag settings at: Leme Leme + Margarita + Wide Screen. This gives a lovely color & vignette to pics and I like the very neutral frame. BUT, one TIP: You need a good light for this. If it's dark at all, it will turn out way too dark.

Filter Mania App: I LOVE the texture that the Grunge filter gives...see above? That awesome text & canvas texture is the Grunge filter. TIP: It looks good on backgrounds, scenery, but not so great on faces, unless it hits a place that's not directly on the skin...that looks a little creepy!

Pic FX App: The LIGHT filters are fab in this app. I LOVE that you can apply the Bokeh effect, then adjust the opacity & rotate it when you simply tap on the screen.  Again....if you want to mix & layer, simply go to: 'Add Another'.

Labelbox App: I love that you can layer the labels. Here, I've got the doily tape (extra $) and I just added it w/ no text. THEN added the Black Dymo label with text.  So fun & easy!

LensLight App: There are so many light effects in this app that it's crazy fun! One tip I like is: Look at the shapes....use them in your photos as Design Elements...i.e. Here, I needed a circular shape to balance out the top left corner. I used the Sparkle effect, pinched with my fingers to make it the size I needed & then adjusted the Opacity so it wasn't SO bright. 

Masking Tape App: This is one everyone must have FOR SURE! It's amazing with the upgrades. You can adjust the colors, sizes, even the end 'tape rips' design along with GOBS of designs! I love this one! TIP: again, this is a fun app to use for not only decorations & text, but also for design elements. Try a little diagonal snippet on the corners of your photo, or even create a frame out of it!

Phonto App: This is a must have as well. I loved it before, but love it even more now that you can sync all of your own fonts! The fact that you can use dingbats in there is so fun! The above design has the flowers & swirly from my Rhonna Designs Dingbat font. 

And the fact that you can add a stroke around the font, change colors & opacity, size and tilt...well....it's a cryin shame if you don't have Phonto! LOL!

The main thing to remember: have fun & explore all your options in the apps. Each picture you take is different...the light, the textures, the look & feel you want to evoke, etc. So, there's no set recipe or formula....get creative with your iPhoneology! I'm serious iPhonesia is addictive, so be careful! I warned you!

Dad Guide 2012 by Mom's Best

If you are looking for some gift ideas for Father's Day...Mom's Best has got a fab guide here! Love it!~

& love this quote from it:

My dad is out of the country, but I'll be calling him & telling him how much i LOVE & admire him...he's amazing. And, of course, the dad of my children...my amazing husband...will be treated like a king. *ahem* he's requested something fun fun fun...THIS!

Nautical Chic Papers & Printables on Fresh Living TV

http://www.kutv.com/news/features/fresh-living/home-improvement/stories/vid_32.shtml

Did you see the fun Nautical Chic projects on TV today? Had a great time today at KUTV's Fresh Living show today! I was having my 'assistants' Instagram & tweet as we were there...so, hoping you saw the pix! 

Stop by tomorrow...because it is Creative Team Tuesday...some fun things from my fab team! 

Happy Monday!

Mother's Day Week: Prize Winning Women

I hope all of you sip & savor every moment of this weekend. Whether you are celebrating your own Motherhood, or others'....savor those Prize Winning Moms in your life!  

I savor each project my Creative Team sends in & today I wanted to share what Nancy & Rosemary created!

Look at these brilliant & creative Mother's Day Cards/ Paper Ribbon Corsages that Nancy made with the new Rhonna Designs kit!

She said they a card-turned-corsage. I just love that! Such a clever & fabulous idea! Thanks Nancy! 

And, Rosemary is simply amazing...check out these gorgeous Mother's Day cards she made out of various Rhonna Designs kits. Rosemary is so great...she created her own little Printable with my art to create a super simple card! LOVE how she incorporated the Chevron Tool kit with the Prize Winning Mom Printables along with touches of Spring Circus flowers and the Mini Seals brushes...*you can even see how she used the Chevron Tool  kit Tag brush to say 'Mom Card'....she's amazing, isn't she?

Any woman is lucky to get this gorgeous card! I love how my Creative Team has shared ideas on how to celebrate Motherhood....and Womanhood. Ya know? We are so blessed to be woman!!!

Womanhood really is amazing! I believe each of us has a purpose & mission here. Again...my favorite quote by Marianne Williamson:

"Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our greatest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, fabulous, gorgeous, talented? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. You're playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that's within us. It's not just in some of us. It's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we automatically give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others."

I have mentioned it before, but I'm sooo thankful to be a part of the Moms Best Network...a whole site devoted to celebrating & empowering women! They have officially launched their site so be sure to sign up for their newsletter so you can keep up with what they are doing to empower women!

After all, as women, "....{when} we let our own light shine, we automatically give other people permission to do the same."

Let's share that light. 

Let's uplift and inspire everyone we come into contact!

Let's *sparkle*....

Happy Mother's Day to ALL women! 

You. 

Are. 

Amazing!

Fresh Living Utah...today! DIY paper flowers

Excited to share some of my DIY paper flower tips on our local KUTV's Fresh Living Show today using Rhonna Designs digital downloads!

I had fun sharing some ideas on how to print off your Rhonna Designs on vintage text/dictionary/music paper to change the look of these easy DIY flowers!

Here, I printed off the Chevron background  (recolored following THIS tutorial)  onto plain Epson Photo Matte paper & the exact same design onto some old vintage music paper I got at a thrift store. (entire book was .50)  See the cool difference? Now, don't get me wrong..I love both effects, here, but the flowers I created above were with vintage dictionary, text/book & music papers mixed with my Follow Your Heart collection with My Mind's Eye!

 

Notice the different paper flowers in this bouquet. 

Here's a little DIY for you....

1. Download your fave Rhonna Designs printables.

2. Print out on any kind of paper you'd like..here, I've done it on vintage papers. Just stick them right into your printer & voila! Cool superimposed look!

3. Cut your flowers. 

Flower idea No. 1: Use a die cut & cut out various sizes & shapes; scalloped circles, flowers, circles)

Flower idea No. 2: Cut out a strip of your paper with Fringe scissors, roll around a skewer stick & glue.

4. Create. Use your imagination & layer your flowers around various 'middles'...i.e. on the show I talked about party picks w/ the honeycomb ball shown below. *I bought a whole pack at a party store.*

or long jeweled flower picks, pearl top pins, or even a bamboo skewer w/ a pearl or glass ball glued on top!

I LOVE milk glass & I just stick some floral foam or styrofoam in the bottom (w/ some hot glue) & then stick the various flowers in to create a bouquet!

How fun is that? This is how I created the flowers for my Spring Wreath...remember THIS DIY tutorial?

If you're a little unsure about digital downloads..here's a FREE printable template you can use (you'll need to sign in to your Rhonna Designs account to download) & you can play with it until you are DYING because you're having SO much fun & just HAVE to have MORE Rhonna Designs! *wink*

Thanks, again, KUTV Fresh Living!!! Loved it!

now...off to SNAP conference! I'll be pinning,  Instagramming, tweeting & facebooking, so follow along! 

DIY Spring Scene Globes

You know how much I adore anything in a jar...from Snow scene globes, to Spring Scene jars...I can't get enough!

But, I always like to 'update' my decor..so, I got to gluing & cutting & creating....and came up with these Spring Circus Globes & projects...love them!

This time, I had fun with glitter, butterflies, eggs & some of the new Easter Celebrations kits, too!

Loving the glitter on the edges of the butterflies...and I just added vintage book shreddings on the bottom of the jar, popped a mini Spring Circus Printable Card in there with a bright ranunculus in there & voila! A cute pop of Spring!

For the jar here, I added some green grass, mini mushrooms, eggs & a glittered bird. Hot glued a mini butterfly inside & bigger ones on the outside of the jar. & then used the Spring Circus Bundle with the "Always Face the Sun" printable. sooo cute!

And...I had some cute vintage tea cups & saucers that I used, too! Here's a shot of one of the saucers with a nest, the vintage book shreddings, mini mushrooms, butterflies, egg and....the cute Mini Spring Circus printable card! 

So...you can create a little Spring Scene with anything...remember, anything will do. Just get creative! I've done them in wine glasses, vases, bell jars, teacups...really anything that will create a little tiny vignette.  I'd LOVE to see your creations...please share!