Life in North Texas... by a Realtor®

Resizing layouts for publication - my steps!

Ok, I always get a zillion e-mails asking me how I resize my layouts for posting online or for submission purposes, so here are my steps:

To resize your images to fit most publications’ submission guidelines, please follow these instructions:

Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements

To resize your images in Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, simply follow these instructions:

Step 1: Save your original file and make a copy (File > Save As > “Filename-copy.jpg”). You will be prompted to choose image quality on a scale of 1–12, or low, medium, high, or maximum. Save your file at the highest image-quality setting, and work from this copy. If you mess up, you’ll still have your high-resolution original.

Step 2: Lower the resolution to 72 dpi. Go to Image > Image Size and change the resolution to 72 pixels.

Step 3: Reduce the image dimensions. While still in the Image Size menu, check the width and height of the image. Make sure it’s no higher or wider than six inches. Click “OK.”

Step 4: Sharpen the image. When you shrink an image, it automatically seems to become less sharp, but this can be fixed. Choose Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask. Use the sliders and check the preview box to see when your image is as sharp as the full-sized version. When you’re satisfied that you’ve sharpened your image enough, hit “OK.” (Others may find that simply selecting the Sharpen filter does the trick).

Step 5: Compress the file. If done right, this will bring your image down to under 100K without changing how it looks on screen. Do another Save As, but select a lower-quality image setting. We found a middle setting of 5–6, or medium, to be sufficient, while also cutting file size by a factor of 10–20X.

Step 6: Check file size. Your file should be under 100K! If not, it’s probably very close; go back to the original, and try compressing further. Still too big? Resize the image a bit smaller.

Hope this helps!! If you have any more questions, please send them my way!  :) Have a great Friday!

More random thoughts...

Here is a layout of mine that was hanging in the Basic Grey booth at CHA. It is one of my favorites. The first and only time I have ever created anything with Basic Grey, and now I am hooked! Just got the new Gypsy and LilyKate lines in the mail (thanks Amy - you rock!) so I am chomping at the bit to tear into those packages and create something!

I am so not ready for school to start. Domonique has been begging me to teach her how to put on eyeliner. I am not ready for this! EYELINER! Geesh, seems like yesterday I was changing her diapers. The time goes by faster than I can keep up. They will go back to school in less than three weeks. School supply shopping = done. School clothes? Now that is another story! Found a great sale on True Religion jeans and Juicy Couture, so Domonique is all happy about that! Back to Nordstrom's in the next two weeks to pick up some cool clothes for them. Still need to find out where the Mavericks get their shoes so I can get Matthew some more skiis for his feet. HAHA!

Well, the BHG stuff is finally starting to sink in a little! I am really excited about starting some assignments. My legs have recovered from walking the floor at CHA (finally!) and now I am ready to dive into some new projects headfirst. Thank you to those of you who sent me such kind words and encouraging e-mails as well as your congrats on making the BHG team! I came home to several hundred really cool e-mails! If I haven't answered you yet, I will very soon! Still catching up.

So what are you listening to? I am in love with "Far Away" by Nickelback and "Me & You" by Cassie (my phone's ringtone, by the way - LOL!). I have also downloaded some more 80's stuff (as always!) and some cool remixes of old favorites. There is an awesome cover of "Wicked Game" by a band called HIM that sounds great - check it out if you like the old Chris Isaak favorite.

Ok, cereal time. My late night snack. Frosted Mini-Wheats this time. Yummy! Later!

Another CHA day!

Here is a photo from the BHG get-together we had tonight during CHA. This is only a few of us. From left to right: Janna Wilson, Melissa Inman, Shannon Zickel, me, Amy Licht, and Amy Howe in the front. We had a great time! I have some more pictures, but am too tired to post them so I will do it when I get back home.

Sandi Minchuk - it was great to meet you today! Glad you got your photo with Melody Ross! ;) I hated to see Courtney and Leah have to go tonight, but they left early. I go back home tomorrow night, and although the show has been a blast, I am tired and ready to go. :) Rhonna was such a hoot, and Shannon Zickel totally cracks us all up! Wendy - so glad I got to hug you and thank you in person. Jessie Baldwin - it was awesome to hug you again! :) A huge thank you to the BHG staff for a wonderful time tonight. It was so cool to get together with the new team, and I wish all the new team members could have been there. hopefully at Memory Trends! Anne - It was cool to see you, and Ruth A. and Amy F. were sweet and funny as ever. :)

So many cool people and so little time. Don't kill me if I didn't mention you! LOL! But it has been awesome seeing everyone. Oh yeah and Thena - thanks for the "hugs"!

Alright, I need to go to bed. Seriously. Tomorrow is the last day. If you see me at the show, you had better stop and say hello! ;)

Live from CHA...

Here I am at CHA typing from my hotel room! After a lengthy delay, I made it in yesterday and got to my hotel; slept a lot, then grabbed a bite to eat at Bennigan's. Today was the first day of the show and there were so many awesome new things! I am so exhausted from all the walking, but I am very excited about getting up again tomorrow to see the rest of the goodies.

First, I want to thank y'all for believing in me and encouraging me with my dream to be on the BHG team. I did it! I made it on the 2007 team along with nine other amazingly talented ladies. I keep asking myself how I got on that list, but I sure am glad I did! LOL! It was really hard to keep the secret for the last few weeks, so I apologize for being so quiet! So many people have congratulated me, and it means the world to me! So thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope my abilities will live up to the subscribers' expectations in the upcoming year.

I have seen so many terrific people at the show today! Many of you have stopped me to say hello and introduce yourselves if I haven't already met you, and it has been the coolest! It was great seeing Barb Hogan at the Imagination Project booth (talk about some amazing new papers and other goodies!). Barb, if you read this, thanks for being you! I enjoyed talking to you! Also, I saw Kelly and Greta at the IP booth, looking lovely as ever in their hot bowling shirts. ;) Allison (love ya girl!) was signing the new Chicken Soup for the Scrapbooker's Soul book, and she was kind enough to sign mine for me. It is a terrific book; I am proud to be a part of it. Congrats to all the other authors with stories published in there. My story is on page 132, if you happen to grab a copy! Beth Root - you are such a sweetheart! It was great finally meeting you in person! Tania Willis - you are just beautiful, inside and out, no matter what. I got to meet Amy Licht (fellow new BHG team member) and she is just as gorgeous as she is sweet. I finally met AMY HOWE! How terrible is it that we live just 3.4 miles away from each other and NEVER MET until today? Geesh, girl, we really need to hang out! Wendy hosted the best designer event - it was really spectacular!

I know I missed some people but I will blog some more tomorrow and hopefully add a picture or two. :) Love to all of you!

Goodnight!

New layout...

Ok, I have been in a frenzy trying to get ready for CHA this week, so I have been guilty of blog neglect. AGAIN. Love these new Chatterbox Courtyard papers from the new Chatterbox page kits! Let me know what you think! I am digging these circles lately!

If you are going to Chicago for CHA, please drop me a line because I would love to meet you sometime during the show, even if just for a few moments to say hello and thank you for reading my blog.  :)  If you won't be at CHA, please hang around here, as I will post some pictures while I am there.

I promise to post lots more when I return from CHA, as well. I have lots of exciting things to share.

Peace to you!

A great day!

I know I haven't posted much - it is that CHA time again! I have been busy getting my CHA layouts ready and haven't had much time for anything else right now. Don't give up on me! LOL!

Today is such a great day! I am so thankful for my friends and family. They remind me how precious life is. They believe in me when sometimes I doubt myself. Truly blessings in my life. You know who you are! So thank you!

Cloudy, here! The 4th was stormy for a bit, but didn't interrupt the fireworks! The down side is that Frisco's fireworks weren't the greatest display, but maybe next year they will refine things and make it better. Didn't matter to the 5 of us - we got a junior banana split from Sonic and watched the Frisco fireworks, then got to see the finale of the Plano fireworks without even moving the car. LOL! We just enjoyed being together and spending time together as a family. I hope that all of you had a great holiday, as well!

Ok, back to work! I will post some pictures/layouts soon! Thanks for still reading even though I have been somewhat neglectful. LOL!