Yes, I have been lurking - I've been doing the fave and run. And with version 6, well, quite frankly, I ended up just deleting everything except the watches/faves (I'm managing to keep up with those!)

So, I apologize if I haven't replied to a comment, note, journal - but I just couldn't force myself to deal with that amount of stuff with the new message center. There are some new features that I really like - but overall, ugh, it's going to take a lot of getting used to.....

On that note, I've also decided that I'm not going to continue the Remarkable Resource Articles and I'm pretty much done with all clubs (does anyone even care about clubs anymore?) Anyhow, I'm going to keep the *Express--Yourself account going since I don't consider it a club - more of a challenge account, you know? See if I can get it going again.

OK, as long as I am complaining about dA (shh, don't tell on me!), is anyone else finding that their browsing experience just isn't what it used to be? I mean, I used to be able to browse through the "popular" images and find so many fantastic works, and now I just get sadly disappointed as I have to trudge through a bunch of lame stuff. Maybe my tastes have changed...I don't know.

I'm constantly getting comments and notes asking about my journal css designs. Lordy - I haven't done a CSS in over a year, and I know there are tons of designers out there doing free and commissioned works. So, what gives - why do you all keep asking me? I barely even know CSS lol

Anyhow, I've finally networked my old computer to my new one and moved over my old files, so I've updated a few of my old exclusive CSS designs and made them available to the public.

These are the ones I've made available:

So, wondering where I've been lately? I'm still alive and kicking just UBER busy as I was selected to be one of Christina Renee Designs Authentic Artists.



She is a well known digital scrapbook designer who also creates rubber stamps for Prima Inc. I've just been having the time of my life and learning so much from all the talented ladies - not to mention all the awesome goodies I get to play with. She's started putting out all these fab vintage graphics that allow me to blend my digital art skills with digital scrapbooking techniques for some pretty awesome results. I'm going to upload a couple for you to see here in a bit...

I've also got a couple of tutorials lined up that will be released on the Authentic Artist blog (ahem, I just need to find time to write them!) So, yes, this is just the BEST experience EVER!

My own little business is starting to take off too. In addition to selling my designs in my own shoppe at MellowButerfly I am now selling at a digital scrapbooking store, Purple Paper Flowers. I just started there last week and have been BUSY repackaging my more scrapbook related products to sell over there too.

I'm also expanding my little troupe of 'Fly Girls to bring on some more scrapbookers. Yes, I know I've converted =Renilicious, ^jenepooh and =Healersmoon over to my "evil" ways, but since we are all noobs to the digital scrapbooking world, I thought I better get a couple experienced players on the team too lol!

This week I hope to have a cute little MellowButterfly stamp (because ^jenepooh wants it!) and I also have got to get my butt in gear and design something for ^bleedsopretty who is going to make me some AWESOME little MellowButterfly buttons for me to gift upon people!

I've still been making it a point to get in here and browse the resource gallery and put out the Remarkable Resources News Articles, BUT with all the other projects I've got going, if I'm going to be able to keep it up I REALLY need some more volunteers to help browse. I just can't devote as much time to it as I'd like - so the more eyes the better! Please note me if you are able to help or even if you just have a suggestion, ok?

And, yes, I'm also still managing to keep *Express--Yourself afloat - barely! YOu may or may not know that several months ago *LongStock had to step down as my co-admin due to personal reasons and I've been trying to keep the challenge club running all on my own.

I considered handing the club over to someone else who has more time, but UH, we all know what happens to the clubs that I give to someone else to run....they DIE...and I really don't want this one to die. What I do is put out a new themed challenge every two months that ANYONE can participate in. The participants themselves vote on who should be declared the "winners" - so it's good spirited fun for everyone. So, if anyone has some time to help me out by SHARING the responsibilities there and is sincerely interested in the club - your help would be GREATLY appreciated, so please note me here. Thanks!

Well, my husband's one month away-on-business turned into two and a half. So, I apologize for my near non-existence here on dA...but most likely you still won't see a lot of me here. With warm weather arriving and two young children who like to play outside - my days will be busy gardening and chasing the kids around the yard lol. Nights will be devoted to my hubby and of course my shoppe, mellowbutterfly.

Andrew is down to his last few days of preschool - he loves it so much I don't think he is going to adjust well to not going. Emma is my wild child - she gets into everything, climbs on everything and quite frankly scares the bejeezus out of me! I can't believe how different my kids are - Andrew was (and still is) so fearful of new things and needed a lot of reassurance to do simple things like swinging or going down the slide. Emma on-the-other-hand would stand up in her swing if I let her and would go down the slide face first lol You have no idea how many times I have turned around to find her standing on top of our kitchen table. Yes, you read that correctly

For those who have been wondering about my niece, Madison...well, she had the surgery to remove her tumor. Unfortunately it was not as successful as they hoped so she ended up having to have the radiation treatments after all. She just recently finished her radiation treatments and this week they started her back on that nasty chemo that makes her so sick. I believe she has six more months of that to go. So, that is where things are at with her.

If you haven't stopped over at my website, MellowButterfly you should drop in! It's gone under a major redesign, I have new products for sale and I've started building an awesome Creative Team who are going to help run fun challenges and create fabulous digital art and scrapbooking layouts with my products.

Speaking of the Creative Team - I am actually looking for a few more talented artists to join the team for the summer. You'd be getting some of my products for free each month to create cool stuff with - all you have to do is post what you make in some online galleries to help promote my products. And, you get to organize and host a fun challenge on the Team Blog. So, if that sounds like something you are interested in, shoot me a note and I can tell you more details about it!

The first challenge, Motherhood (being hosted by ME) is posted on our and comes complete with a freebie. This challenge is geared toward scrapbooking - but could very, very easily be a digital mixed media challenge if you think outside the box! I've been on a digital scrapbooking kick the last few months - but I do have some artsy stuff planned too - so don't be turned off by the word scrapbooking. So much of the stuff I've been labeling as scrapbooking supplies can be used in collage, mixed media, altered art, and even digital art (for example, my last deviation is a mix of scrapbooking and stock!



There are some more exciting things in the works - but you'll have to wait until the details are all worked out before I can tell you about them!

In case you've missed it, this year I've been putting out a monthly article called Remarkable Resources where I, along with some other fabulous deviants, feature what we hope to be some real gems from the resources gallery that would be of interest to a wide variety of artists.

We focus on all the resources (except stock photography, because I still think of that as a separate category AND there are enough people pimping stock) but even so, I still think we are still some important areas - like fractal resources and film resources. Not because we don't think they are worthy of featuring, but simply because so far, we haven't had any volunteers to pick features who USE those types of resources.

So, please, please, please consider volunteering to help scour the resources gallery for gems to feature. Especially if the type of resources you use aren't getting exposure right now! If you're interested, just send me a note!

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away....I told my pal, *Mollinda that I'd donate some journal features to her Bee Contest.... well, the winners have been announced, you've probably already seen them since I am soooooo far behind, but nonetheless, they are still worthy of yet another feature! So, without further ado, here are the features:

Molly's Personal Choice Winner & Third Place 2D Winner

beeautiful day by *mr-boonshine
That is made out of PAPER folks - isn't that awesome!?! I love this style - gives me ideas for my newfound love of digital scrapbooking.....hmmmmm......

2D First Place Winner

Apotheosis by *pfors
Hey now, didn't he win MY contest too? Well, you know that means you better go check out his gallery....right now!

2D Second Place Winner

Salute to summer by =kangel
If this is manga/anime, then maybe I've msitakenly given that genre a bad rap - because I LIKE this!

3D Winner

Bee Boy by *eyefeather
Wait, is this the same eyefeather who makes those awesome masks? Let me check....OMFG - it is! This is a gallery you must go check out!

Stock/Resources Winner

Beez Pleez PS brush set by *E-Derby
Toooo cute - love this, must find a reason to use these!

Literature Winner

Apiculture by *fllnthblnk
Been interrupted by my kids 3 times whilst trying to read this - now I remember why I don't get to enjoy reading GOOD literature since becoming a mom - lol, I'm not allowed enough time to savor the little nuances!

I won't be able to be online much this month as my husband is away on business and I'm holding down the fort with the little ones - so to make life easier on me I've disabled my watch.

For the first time EVER I am also going to simply say thanks in advance for any watches, faves, comments, well wishes and prayers for Madison, etc. Because just with me being offline for a few days I had hundreds of things in my watch box. You know I'm busy when I say that because I even thanked everyone personally for the faves when I got my DD lol

I'll be around a little bit as I will be posting the Remarkable Resources article for Feb as soon as I collect all the features from my cohorts. And I'll also be popping in at *Express--Yourself to handle the voting for the challenge that will be ending soon.

What's that? What about =Manip-Equips you say? Well, I've actually found a permanent new owner for the club as I've decided it is necessary for me to completely leave the club and allow someone with more time and passion for manips to take over. Luckily I had a fabulous friend volunteer - so be sure to give lots of love and support to =yanachan in her new venture as the club's owner. I know she will come up with some fantastic activities to get the club rolling again!

Ah yes, and for those of you who have been following my tales of the precious little Madison - you can get your updates simply by heading over to their blog at [link] - they are much better than I am at keeping their blog up-to-date!

Can't think of anything else to fill you all in on - so I guess this is where I sign off for the time being. I'll be checking notes periodically here and I'll be around over on MellowButterfly so don't get all mushy on me - I'm still going to be around