Another Giveaway?

Not too long ago we had a giveaway for the success choice planner.  If you really wanted one and and didn't win you have another chance.  It is one of many items in a giveaway going on at Mormon Mommy Blogs (click here)!  Good Luck!

Confessions of a digital scrapper:

The truth is I've only been digitally scrapbooking for about a year now and the other truth is, I'm addicted.

For me, the more I can do for free is always a goal so I'm going to tell you some ways and tips for cheap/free digital scrapbooking.

I began with a free trial of photoshop and a tutorial. But lets back up a bit first. Before you begin downloading photoshop I recommend downloading and extracting some free digi scrap kits from places such as:
shabby princess

Oscraps
digital scrapbooking-free
free digital scrapbooking

A quick google for "free digital scrapbooking" will bring up a ton.

If you do see a kit and you love it but it isn't free remember that you can use it as much as you like - and you don't have to worry about ruining a piece you've already glued down when you realise it's upside down or in the wrong place ;) I've not yet bought a kit and have far too much too pick from - atleast it isn't bogging up my craft cupboard though, right?

I organise my kits in folders by renaming the folder to the kit name and I delete the zip file and catalogue page that comes with most kits to save room - and so my husband doesn't get upset when the hard drive is full :D

Get to know what files you have and think of the photographs you have to use with them so you can make the most of your 30 day photoshop trial.

Download your free trial of photoshop and follow this video tutorial from Shabby Princess and you'll easily have your first layout completed. I watched and followed along with the tutorial twice and was on my way after that.

With the skills you learn from digital scrapbooking you can make baby announcements, invitations, Christmas cards and learn to edit your own photographs the way professionals do.

Pair your new hobby with Artscow and you've got cheap printing and gift ideas!

For completely free and easy digital scrapbooking check out scrapblog.
Or for bit of a twist on digital scrapbooking make some emailable ones at Smilebox.

Make 2009 a year of capturing and preserving memories. Organise your photo files into year>month>day/occassion files so nostalgia is a simple click away and easier to share.

Good luck and Happy New Year!

Safe Drugs during Pregnancy and Breast-Feeding

My pediatrician's office got a new nurse last month and I recently called to see if there were cold medicines I can take while nursing my baby that were off-limits during pregnancy. This new nurse happened to be on-call that morning and told me about SafeFetus.com, a website I can use any time to check the effects various drugs have on pregnancy and the milk produced by nursing mothers, and whether or not said drugs and effects are considered safe by the FDA.

From the SafeFetus.com website:
"Safefetus.com is a complete database of worldwide medications (generic& trade) providing information on the drugs' indications, fetal risk, breastfeeding risk, during pregnancy, according to the FDA."

I recommend double-checking with your ob or pediatrician about newer drugs because the website's list of drugs has not been updated since October, 2006 and an email I sent requesting a recent update has gone unanswered. So far, every drug about which I've asked my pediatrician has been in line with the site's recommendations, so it does provide good general guidelines.