Monday, July 14, 2025

Monday Motivation - 7 Day Photo Challenge + FREEBIE

Hi everyone!  I'm filling in for Connie this week while she is in the midst of moving to her new home.  I heard that the move is going well, but if you've ever moved as an adult, you know that it usually means a few weeks of things being unsettled and needing time to get things sorted.  We won't have a game this week because I didn't remember to ask about it last week.  So for today I'm going to share some motivation to get you scrapping. 

This week's blog game winner is Anna!  Anna, you should have an email with your prize code!

Before we get to that, here is a look at the two new releases Connie has in stores.



Paint Chips: Fountain Blue may just be my newest obsession!  I love this color combination and the soothing calm feel to this kit.



One of my Summer goals was to work on my photography skills. Namely, looking at things from different perspectives and to take more photos. I went through a period of time (few years) where I barely took any photos at all. I took the obligatory birthday/holiday photos and some of my kids activities but not much else. I then ran into an issue (or I thought I had) with our DSLR camera. Come to find out it was mostly user error on my part and not a shutter issue like I thought. I knew lighting played a huge part in getting good photos but I didn't understand the basic mechanics of how my camera processed available light and how that affected the shutter release. I'm still learning. So I thought I would provide a little motivation for myself and hopefully some of you to get you to take photos this week, maybe of things you normally wouldn't take photos of or from a perspective that you wouldn't normally take a photo from.

Here is today's photo challenge.

Day 1 - Worm's Eye-View

Take a photo from a lower perspective. Often we take photos straight on standing in front of the subject. Don't be afraid to get lower to the ground or take a photo looking up.
Recently, my husband and I took a trip out of state and one of the goals we had was to explore some of the hiking trails in the area. My husband got tickled when I would randomly stop to take photos of what most people were walking/hiking past without even a second glance. I haven't even started to edit all the photos that I took but here are a couple that I took from a "worm's eye-view."




That 3rd photo shows the top down perspective of the 2nd photo's subject. Often we'll take photos looking down on an object. When I took the 2nd photo, I was close to the ground with my camera. If it hadn't just rained about an hour before I took that photo, I probably would have been flat on the ground taking it. Instead, I put my camera close to the ground while I was crouched down near the log with the moss on it.

I hope you will try taking some photos from a different perspective and feel free to share them with us. Connie often posts a photo challenge or question of the day over in her Facebook fan group Club Connie Prince if you are interested in more photo inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! If you've made it this far, here is a fabulous cluster frame/cluster freebie from CTM Kelly created with #2025 June.


By the way, if for some reason the linked words for a freebie doesn't work at any point in time, try clicking on the freebie preview for the download. Sometimes a hyperlink doesn't copy over properly (usually user error on my part) but I try to link the preview in addition to the word hyperlink as a back up plan.

That's all for today. I hope you have a marvelous Monday!

~Susan~

Sunday, July 13, 2025

Sunday Spotlight + FREEBIE

 This weekend has flown by.  I hope you have had an opportunity to enjoy some of it being creative and making memories with your family and friends.  I've been enjoying the sunshine and soaking up these last few days of fewer obligations and making memories with family.  I have tons of photos from our recent trip to Niagara Falls and Connie's new templates have lots of photo spots to showcase them!


Connie's Creative Team has provided some beautiful inspiration layouts with her kits and these templates.  Here are just a few!


Paint Chips Fountain Blue is Connie's newest kit and it offers stunning elements and lovely papers to provide the backdrop for your photos.  I love this color combination!



Thank you for stopping by the blog for inspiration today!  CTM Kelly created this beautiful cluster freebie with Connie's Blessed Assurance kit for you.


Have a splendid Sunday!

~Susan~

Saturday, July 12, 2025

Sweet Saturday Inspiration and Freebies

 This week's new releases have dropped into the stores.  Have you seen the July 2025 Template Bundle?  It has 16 brand new template that give you a variety of options to jump start your layouts and projects.



I love seeing Connie's templates used with her kits.  The ending results are always stunning!  A couple of the layouts above were created with the other new release for this week, Paint Chips: Fountain Blue.  

Dive into the calming hues of turquoise blues and soft tans with Paint Chips: Fountain Blue. This versatile kit is perfect for capturing everyday moments with a gentle, refreshing palette. Whether you're documenting quiet mornings, seaside memories, or heartfelt connections, this collection adds the perfect splash of color. You'll find an array of delightful extras, including flowers, ribbons, stars, a butterfly, and more — all designed to make your pages shine with charm and creativity.




Today's freebie is from CTM Theresa created with this new kit.  Enjoy!


Have a wonderful weekend!

~Susan~

Friday, July 11, 2025

Template Bundle, Paint Chips: Fountain Blue {NEW} and a FREEBIE

 Welcome to the Designs by Connie Prince blog!  Today I have the full reveal of the July 2025 Template Bundle plus the newest addition to the Paint Chips series of kits to share with you.  Be ready for some layout inspiration overload!

The July 2025 Template Bundle has 16 new templates in four distinct packs begging to be added to your toolbox to kick off your next several projects.





I can feel the ocean water calling me with this new addition to the Paint Chip series.  The turquoise gives way tot the sandy tan with a feeling of calm adn gentle water that could just lure me to sleep.



I love the color combination! Today's freebie is a set of cluster freebies made with Paint Chips: Coastal Blue by CTM Kelly.

DOWNLOAD FREEBIE HERE

Have a fantastic weekend!

~Susan~

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Thursday Recap + FREEBIE

 This week has gone by in a flash for me.  How has it been for you this week?  We've had some unseasonably cooler mornings in our area with lots of rain showers that is unusual.  We're normally looking at temps in the triple digits and no rain for the months of July, August, and September.  I'm almost afraid to know what August - October is going to be like.  

Connie is in the process of moving so I'll be hosting the blog posts for the next week or so.  The normal schedule will be interrupted but we'll get back on track by the end of the month.  I'll still have a daily freebie for you and inspiration from Connie's Creative Team.

Today is recap day before the new products hit the stores.  Connie debuted two new quick page packs and a Summer inspired collection for you.  Here is one last look at those products.

Ginger Scraps | My Memories

Are you looking for a kit that just screams "Summer Vacation!" Then Summer Bucket List is a must have for your next scrapping project. This kit is packed with Summer themed elements and fabulous papers with a splash of fun!

Summer Bucket List

I have a cool word art freebie from CTM Theresa created with Pool Day Fun for you today.  Thanks for stopping by and I'll be back tomorrow with this week's new releases.

DOWNLOAD FREEBIE HERE

Have a terrific Thursday!

~Susan~