Gilbert, Arizona Temple Painting

Last year we got to visit the Gilbert Arizona Temple Open House with all the kiddos. What a neat experience to walk through with our children. Our oldest will be 12 soon and get to do baptisms for the dead, but so far they've just been able to walk around the outside (I guess some of them walked through the Redlands and Newport Temples but they were too young to remember). Gilbert Temple is so big and I love how each temple is unique and inspired by the area it is built in. I'm glad that my husband and I were married in the temple and set that example for our children. No matter which one you go to is a beautiful, peaceful, sacred place

Pilates and Strength Training Exercise Sheets

I love to exercise regularly but not for hours a day. I like to exercise for 30-45 minutes a day, sometimes up to an hour, but definitely not an hour every day. I love doing pilates and I love exercising in my own home. I love getting it done first thing and not having to drive somewhere to exercise. I started doing pilates by watching workout DVDs, but I got bored fast. I started muting the TV and listening to the radio or podcasts instead of the sound coming from the TV. I like to get my workout done as quickly as possible (especially when I have a baby to workout around) so I had the idea to just draw a few pictures to help remind me of the moves without having to watch the DVD over and over again, and have to wait around at times while they explained things. 

I also like to do some strength training exercises in between. I know the value of not doing the same exercises every time, so I rotate those strength training moves. I really like to use the exercise sheets from magazines because I like the variety. One day my baby ripped a few of my favorites up, so I decided to also draw those. I love to be able to glance at a picture to remind me of a move. But I don't like doing exercises that I feel are uneffective, and I like to do a balance of muscles. For example I don't like doing 6 different exercises in one day for one muscle group. So I created my own routines from several different exercise sheets. 

Usually I will do Pilates and Strength Training  twice a week. Each day I do them, I switch my Strength Training page. For one month I rotate through 3 pages of strength training exercises. The next month I have a different set, but I haven't drawn those yet! Here is Month 1. These are great because they don't use up too much ink, and if they get torn, you can easily print out another one. I keep mine in a sheet protector with the Pilates page on one side and the Strength Training sheets facing the other side. If you want to print these out, just right click and Print!

I love combination moves where you are doing an exercise for your legs and arms at the same time, I feel like I'm getting more out of my workout and like I'm being more efficient with my time. Also, I don't like doing sets, for example 3 sets of 12 reps. I am not very motivated to go back and do the same exercise again. So instead I just do 50 reps of one exercise and I'm done with that one (or 25 on each side). I like to use 5 or 10 pound dumbbells. Whenever I was pregnant I'd switch to 2.5 pound dumbbells.

Articles of Faith Mega Kit

I was asked about my Articles of Faith Kit, so I've uploaded it to be available to purchase on the blog. This is a great kit to use to illustrate and understand the Articles of Faith. You can learn more HERE about them.

This mega kit illustrates the Articles of Faith #1-13. This kit contains 24 papers and 34 elements. The elements include 18 hand drawn pastel stickers. The stickers illustrate baptism, Christ, a church, a crown, a dove, the earth, a gavel, Heavenly Father, Jesus' atonement, paints, a flower, priesthood, a prophet, revelation, scriptures, a tree, a violin, and a vision. The other elements include: 3 bling brads, 2 bling circles, 1 border stamp, 1 braid, 1 doodle stamp, 1 fabric, 2 flowers, 1 frame, 1 rose, 2 scrolls, and 1 string.

Articles of Faith Mega Kit

Redlands Temple and Flowers

Here is a painting I worked on recently. I've tried taking pictures of the Redlands Temple several times with flowers in the foreground, but I was never happy with them until I took the reference shot for this painting. I love the negative space shapes in this view of the temple.

100 Acre Friends

I've created these 100 Acre Friends Elements based off of the song, "Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood" from Winnie the Pooh. These are extracted with the same technique as my "Little Witch" Freebie, with a rough edge. These aren't very good elements to use with a drop shadow. They look better if they look like they are drawn right on the paper. These are great elements to use for Disneyland or Disney World trips, little babies or kids that like Winnie the Pooh, or any stuffed animals similar.

100 Acre Friends Elements

Enjoying a book Painting

Here's a painting I worked on recently. I'm trying for a more painterly style. This is of my second child when he was little. My kids love books and I love that they love to read!

Little Witch Freebie

I finally figured out a quick way to extract my pastel drawings. This is very exciting for me, because I love the rough looking edges that come with using pastels. I made this little witch for a game I played in primary filling in for our chorister. Let me know how you like Little Witch Freebie. This not a good element to use a drop shadow with, I like it to look like it was drawn right on the paper.

 Download HERE!

Scrapbook pages Easter

One reason I love digital scrapbooking is that it is so easy to make a similar but different page with just a few tweaks. I made these Easter pages for our family book, but wanted to make similar ones for little Z's baby book. I mostly used "My Sweet Girl Mini" by Studio Flergs. 

Halloween Party Invitation

I made a Halloween Party Invitation mostly with Hocus Pocus mini kit by Shel Belle Scraps. I love Halloween! It is so fun to dress up, but this is the first year one of my kids is dressing up "scary"! 

Come, listen to a Prophet's voice

This weekend I'll be spending time with my family listening to the words of our prophets: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng

Can't wait to be spiritually fed, and also to be physically fed by fun snacks and of course cinnamon rolls!

Love this gem from President Monson's talk last conference: 
I have wept in the night
For the shortness of sight
That to somebody’s need made me blind;
But I never have yet
Felt a tinge of regret
For being a little too kind
-Author unknown

Scrapbooking

Hi I just wanted to share a few scrapbook pages I've been working on over the last few months. I've been trying to work on my baby's album. I've really enjoyed keeping these pages pretty simple, to not only focus on the photos, but also to get them done faster! These are a few favorites.

 

The Gardens

Here's a series of paintings I've been wanting to do for a long time. Awhile ago I read an article about the atonement, and how we wouldn't have needed Christ to atone for our sins if Adam and Eve hadn't partaken of the fruit of good and evil, and how both of those things were part of Heavenly Father's plan for us. I can't remember where I was reading about this, probably in the Ensign magazine, but basically the Fall, Atonement, and Resurrection are interrelated. It made me think about how they all happened in gardens, and the idea for these paintings has been mulling in the back of my head for awhile. I liked the idea of no people in the paintings, just because it is a little different, and it helps you to think about the setting that Adam and Eve and Christ were in during these most important events in history. So here is The Garden of Eden, The Garden of Gethsemane, and the Garden Tomb.

I found a scripture that illustrates this concept in 1 Corinthians 15:20-21:

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Temple Gift Idea

Here's a gift I made for a wedding we went to recently. I changed the date and names, but I got this printed, and framed it, and I hope they liked it! I used my Redlands temple element, but made it look more graphic. 

Nativity Review

I had some more requests, so I've added these Nativity products to my store. If there is anything you would like to purchase that you don't see available, let me know and I will try to add it to the store in a timely manner. Thanks!

Nativity Mini Kit: Remembering Christ's birth brings joy to the Christmas season. Nativity pageants are fun for both children and adults and this mini kit can help to beautifully record your precious memories. Nativity Mini Kit includes 1 cord, 2 flowers, 1 gem, 1 nativity element, 6 papers, 1 raffia bow, 1 raffia circle, 1 ribbon, 1 star, and 1 glitter swirl.

Nativity Mini Kit 

Nativity Wordart Clusters are a great add-on to my Nativity Mini Kit. These clusters are great for Christmas photos, cards, Nativity events, and religious services. There are four wordart clusters including two copies of each: one with complete shadows and one without the outer shadow. The wordart reads: "Noel," "Peace on earth, good will toward men," "O Come Let Us Adore Him," "Joy to the World." These elements are S4H/S4O friendly. They are high quality, original graphics created at 300 ppi.

Nativity Wordart Clusters 

Holy Ghost Signal

Hi! I haven't blogged for a long time. I was trying to create a store that would motivate me to design more, but it was too time consuming for me, so I am now just selling a few things right from the blog. I do miss blogging and sharing what I've been working on, so I thought I would just start sharing things that I've been doing!

Last weekend I had two nieces baptized members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was honored to be asked to give the Holy Ghost talk. There are so many Holy Ghost talks out there that are so cute, but I really wanted to personalize my talk. I did use a few props, including a flashlight, representing when we seek guidance, and a blanket, when we receive comfort. I also made a bookmark, talking about the promptings we get from the Holy Ghost. I got the idea Camille's Casa blog. But I wanted to make it a little more scrappy, so here's the one I made. I just printed it out on a 4x6 piece of photo paper, and cut in half! If you want to use it, just right click, and save!

Bars, Beams and Backbends Templates

I had a request for this template pack, so here it is!

Bars, Beams, and Backbends Templates is themed around gymnastics, but you can use them as templates for any themed layout. These templates also have masks in them, giving your layouts a beautiful, blended effect. Using templates is an easy way to get your scrapbooking done! Four templates in PSD and PNG formats. They are 12x12 inches in size and 300ppi. The templates are colored to give you some inspiration and guidance, but you can use any colored papers or elements. These templates are scrap for hire and scrap for others friendly. These templates can be used by designers to make flattened quickpages for resale, but may not resell the templates.

Bars, Beams, and Backbends Templates

Red, White, and Boom! Elements

Hi there! I just wanted to let you know that if you missed this freebie, it is now in my store. Red, White, and Boom! Elements were inspired by many patriotic songs that I love to listen to. I love taking my kids to see fireworks on 4th of July and I love the freedoms we enjoy in the USA! This element set includes hand drawn pastel elements perfect for scrapping patriotic events, like 4th of July and Memorial Day: 1 statue of liberty, one American flag, one girl waving flag, one boy with drum, two patriotic hats, one USA map, 3 fireworks, 1 flag ribbon, 2 curly ribbons, and 8 stars.

Red, White, and Boom! Elements

I also wanted to let you know that I added Bars, Beams, and Backbends Elements to my store. Bars, Beams, and Backbends Elements include hand drawn pastel elements perfect for gymnastics scrapbook pages. Also included are the simple vector shapes for the gymnasts.

Bars, Beams, and Backbends Elements 

Digital Scrapbook Products Available

Here are the products available in my store right now! 

Let me know if there are any requests and I will move them up the list to add to my new store!

New Store, Super Kids, and Freebie!

Well it's been awhile. Just a little over a year in fact. I didn't explain why I stopped designing I just fell off the map. The truth is I was so burnt out. With other things going on in my life I just wasn't having fun designing anymore. In the last year I've gotten so much personal scrap booking done for my family! It's been so great. I also got pregnant 8 1/2 months ago, which means baby any day! Hopefully soon! I have missed designing though and I've had some requests for old products, so I decided to create my own store. It was a big challenge for me, doing it all myself, but I figured it out, and it's ready! I'm excited to have my own store, release products when I can but not have the stress that I have to release a certain number each month. With a new baby, you never know, but I will have my other 3 kids in school all day in the fall, so naptime/design-time here we come!

I created my own store: Holley Berry Designs. I've put a few products in my store, including some that I've had requests for. If you have had your eye on something, let me know and I will make that a priority to get it into the store. I do have one new release and an awesome freebie if you like me on facebook.

Here's my new release: Super Kids Elements. My boys LOVE super heroes. They love to play with them, build legoes with them, dress up as them, read about them, watch them, you name it! These elements are great for scrapping super hero birthdays, Halloween costumes, dress up time, or just when your kids are especially super! This element set includes 7 hand drawn pastel super hero elements: Iron Kid, Super Kid, Captain America Kid, Bat Kid, Hulk Kid, Thor Kid, and Spider Kid. These elements are S4H/S4O friendly. They are high quality, original graphics created at 300 ppi. These elements are of course based off of Iron Man, Superman, Captain America, Batman, Hulk, Thor, and Spiderman. Get the elements this week at 25% off!

Super Kids Elements 

 I also have this awesome freebie, Red, White, and Boom! Elements, that you can get by liking me on facebook! Just click on the Exclusive Freebie button near the top of my page. Get it before it goes into my store!

Berry Fun Template Set 24

Well we started our summer off with a bang! (I think I would have liked a few days to relax before jumping into so much fun, but we can relax next week!) I went camping with my mom, grandma, and siblings, and my kids of course---without any men! We were very busy the whole time, but had a few quiet moments to relax, draw, paint, take pics, and read. We put up and took down our tents, made fires, cooked our meals, and everything went really well. Except for when my truck's battery died and we called up dear old dad to help us figure out how to use jumper cables!

Okay so I do have a fun new release today that has lots of journaling slots: Berry Fun Template Set 24, available at Funky Playground Designs and 30% off this week!

For this first one I used an Advent Freebie by Scrap Orchard from a couple of years ago.

 

For this layout I used Spring is in the Air by CathyK Designs.

 

For this layout I made some custom elements, plus I used Happy Days Bonus Paper by Lindsay Jane Designs, Studio Flerg's Moments Freebie, and Gotta Getaway by Traci Reed.

 

This last layout has some of my old designs, including Looking for Rainbows and Hats 'n' Mittens.