EyeSpyDesigns

2008-08-11T13:27:00.002-05:00

I've been experiencing computer problems. This would be the cause for my huge delay in new content release. On top of this, my Yahoo Group was virtually inaccesible for almost a month now. I didn't think anyone would believe me if I said that - So I've copied and pasted the email yahoo tech support sent to me. It's quite funny and shocking in a way. (Just to let you all know, the problem has recently been resolved and I'm able to post to my own group again! Yeah!).
______________________________________________

Hello,
Thank you for contacting Yahoo! Groups Customer Care.
I'm writing with an update on the issue with your group being
inaccessible and to apologize: both for the length of time your group
has been down and for our failure to communicate what has been going on
to address the problem.
As background, Groups has a standard "hot back-up" system that enables
us to restore groups quickly if/when they are affected by a bug in the
system - like the issue that has affected your group. Unfortunately,
with this particular bug, it not only affected your group also affected
our ability to use our back-up system. As a result, we have had to turn
to our emergency "tape" back-up systems to restore your group. This
system is designed for major emergencies (like an earthquake or fire
that destroys our servers) rather than day-to-day restoration of an
issue within a group.
This has meant a slow recovery process for 2 reasons:
1. The emergency tapes are stored in a secure facility to which Groups
engineers didn't have immediate access.
2. The restore from our tape system had never been needed before and our
Operations team has discovered an issue in the process that we weren't
aware existed from the testing we did when we setup the system. This
issue needs to be fixed before we can complete a successful restore of
your group. We are currently working through this and feel we are
getting close to a resolution.
I apologize again for these problems and wanted to let you know that we
will thoroughly analyze what went wrong in this case to ensure that it's
not repeated in the future.
And I also want to apologize for our failure to keep you better informed
of what's been happening on our side. We also plan to review our systems
for communicating with Groups' users suffering from major bugs to make
sure we do a better job in that area as well.
In the interim, I will send you an update when we have successfully
restored your group. If we are unable to get your group back up and
running within the next 24-48 hours, I'll send an update on our
progress.
Thank you for your patience and please don't hesitate to contact us
while we continue to work on resolving this issue.
Thank you again for contacting Yahoo! Groups Customer Care.
Regards,
Max
Yahoo! Customer Care

2008-07-11T09:05:00.002-05:00

Today I'm offering a "sneak peak" of the upcoming Fairy Dust kit. I've a few finishing touches to the kit before release. For now though, here's a little something to bait you who are waiting. ;) This is a mini layout I did using pieces from my upcoming kit. It's available in .png and .psp file format. My kit will also be available in both file formats. No password needed on this download.

→DOWNLOAD← (.png)
→DOWNLOAD← (.psp)

2008-07-10T18:23:00.005-05:00

Well, I've been working on a new kit called Fairy Dust, and I'm getting closer to being done. During my playing around, I decided to make a little fairy hiding behind a window. So here's my somewhat finished product. It's just to look at. ;) The actual kit will be here soon! This image is a lot bigger than it appears here, so if you click on it, you will get a better view of my little fairy.

On another note, apparently I have been awarded and need to pick 7 other bloggers to award. This should be interesting since I don't know a lot of other digital scrappers just yet. LOL! So I'm going to pick my favorites, and/or the most well done layouts I've seen on these blog setups. I'm guessing that those awarded by me. are requested to award 7 others in return! :)

Here are my picks:

Baby Cakes Scraps

Angie's Scraps

Blue Dream Designs

Angel Wings & Things

Digital Art by Steph

Here A Scrap, There A Scrap

Opal Scraps

2008-07-03T12:04:00.003-05:00

Since I haven't really released anything lately, I wanted to put SOMETHING out there. LOL! So here's something just so I feel like I'm not totally being lazy here. Right now I'm getting my system ready for a reformatting. Poor computer is just plum out of space! So, on I must go with my plans to wipe myself out. (Don't worry, I've backed up all my goodies I've been working on for very near future release!). I've made some rather fantastic things to add to my next kit (patting myself on the back now). LOL!

So here's a few things to tide the PSP community over until my next "Masterpiece" is released. LOL! Hope you enjoy!!

Oh, and before I forget ... American friends, please have a safe, happy, and wonderful 4th of July on this, our very special, Independence Day! And Belated Canada Day to my Canadian Friends!!!

PASSWORD: ESDFrames →DOWNLOAD←

PASSWORD: ESDTubes →DOWNLOAD←

PASSWORD: ESDFrames →DOWNLOAD←

2008-07-03T11:30:00.001-05:00

Here's some food for thought about PSP'ers and their designs.

Some people listen to music, sing it, play it, or write it for mental therapy. Some people plant flowers in their gardens when something is on their mind. Some people will volunteer their time to a worthy cause they pick for a very personal reason, and some people devote their time to their families and pets. Some people will read books, write poetry, scribble thoughts in a journal, call a friend, drink some coffee (or tea), smoke a cigarette, exercise, cook, cry, scream, laugh, draw, drive, eat, go to church or even see a therapist. Whatever it takes to feel OK again, it's not to be forgotten or counted out. And maybe we all do one or more of these things at times, or maybe it depends on the "situation", but our fall back (even if it's not always first choice) usually ends up being Paint Shop Pro and the creations that we make within. The most fascinating thing that I've really noticed in the PSP communities I've been in through out the years is a similarity in all the people within this community and yet a uniqueness all at once as well. How can this be? How can you be similar but unique at the same time? It's easy, we all create with feeling, but what we feel at the time of creating is what makes us so unique from one another.

When things get rough, uncertain, demanding, and down-right hard to deal with, we seem to turn to the one thing (Or perhaps one of the many things) that makes us feel better; our PSP programs. Often, we design out of inspiration. Something on TV gave us a good idea, or we were flipping through a magazine and thought, "Wow ... I can make that in my graphics program!" Those are the happy inspirations we get from day to day life. Then there are the serious inspirations, the ones that drive us to design for therapy and for sanity. I often wondered when coming across a person's masterpiece, what exactly made them design in that moment? What were they thinking, feeling, doing, experiencing in life at that time? When someone we love falls ill, or passes away .. we get quiet, but sit creating works of art to express our feelings and thoughts whether we know it or not. We create just like a painter at a canvas with his paint pallet and brushes. Sometimes I will look back on my work from years past, and I can almost SEE my thoughts and emotions in my own work, just like going back and reading a journal. I can see that the tag I created for friends to request about 4 years ago was the same day I found out my grandfather passed on. Or the tag I created 5 months ago was when I heard I was going to be an aunt for the first time. The tag I made when I heard my grandfather passed isn't a dark one, but a bright one, and I stopped and thought to myself today when looking back at it - why would I choose bright colors for such a dark day? Then it hit me. As I studied the way I had placed my pieces, and the items I created from my mind - I was reflecting back on all the happiest memories I had of my grandfather when I was a little girl. All the joys, good thoughts, memories, feelings, emotions and love I had for him poured out of me and into my work like someone had turned on a faucet inside of my head. These things we make - these creations ... they are so much more than just "graphics" in our virtual world. They are pieces of our thoughts, hearts, souls, feelings, and emotions .... they are personal. They are to be valued, and respected.

The PSP community passes on personal pieces of their heart from one person to the next, freely, trustingly, lovingly, and happily. THIS is what makes our community so special and wonderful to be a part of. What other community does this? What other community in this world will sit for hours to create something so personal (even if we don't realize we're reflecting our emotions in our work) and hand it out to the rest of the world happily and proudly? I'm sure there's a community like ours out there, but I really just cannot think of one, (and I've sat for a while thinking now). LOL This is what makes us so unique and proud to be a part of.

The next time someone offers you a freebie kit, tag offer, stationary, tube, or whatever the mind can create from PSP - remember that what you are accepting is part of someone else's emotional canvas. Each piece is different. Some people have been "Expressing" themselves for years, while others are new at "expressing" themselves in this manner. No matter how good the creation though, if you look hard enough and long enough, you can certainly see what that person was feeling at the time of their creation. It's like peeking into their personal diary at times. What amazing trust we have within each other to allow the world to have a glimpse into our souls! Don't you agree?

I'm happy to say I'm part of this community, and I'm happy to share my feelings each and every time I send on my creations. So, what are you feeling today? Go back to your past creations, look at the dates you created the files and try to see if you can remember what happened during that time. Can you see your feelings in your work? When we go back to our past creations, we are usually so critical of our own work. Thinking to ourselves, "I don't really like how that turned out, but at the time I was so proud of myself. I can do so much better today!" But have you ever considered that you are criticizing your own feelings and emotions? It's quiet an eye opener when you look at it this way. I know it was for me.

Well ... that's all of my thought. I just felt like sharing it. It was too interesting not to share. Feel free to share it with your other PSP communities. Maybe they too will want to go back and look at their work and see if they can "read" their journals through art and creation.

Hugs,
Stephanie (EyeSpyDesigns)

2008-06-26T02:53:00.000-05:00

Well, I decided to make my first Alpha set, but instead of the same ol' run of the mill alpha's, I embellished a bit. I made a few more additions to the usual set. This is no ordinary Alpha set, it's Alpha Numeric, WITH other little charms and symbols. So, you can pretty up your Alphas with these cute little symbols and charms. Sometime in the future, I will be making some gem charms as well. But for now, this is a "Black Chrome" set, and it's without drop shadow. This way, you can colorize the set, and come up with a nice variety of colored metal Alphas. Hence the reason it's done in black chrome. ;) I wanted to make this a "more than one use" set, so it can go with anything you can conjure up! I hope you all enjoy! If I see that it's a hit, I will make more like this set.

P.S. I did a batch conversion (after reading how to do it LOL) and made these files available for Photoshop users as well. There is now a second link of all the same files just converted to .png!

PASSWORD: ESDAlphas
→DOWNLOAD← (PSPIMAGE Files)
→DOWNLOAD← (PNG Files)

2008-06-25T01:39:00.001-05:00

Tartan Kit is finally here. I have plans to expand on this kit in the future, but for now, this is the start of it. I am somewhat please with how a lot of it turned out. I am sure that many will find this a useful kit for several occasions. Although this kit has a lot of Christmas colors in it, as you can see in my signature tag example down at the very bottom, there's plenty of things to do with this kit that are totally unrelated to Christmas. ☺ So, without further ado, I now give to you my second kit ever - the "Tartan Kit".

Password: ESDKits →DOWNLOAD←

2008-06-22T02:49:00.000-05:00

I did a quick little element to add to any layout, page, scrap kit, or tag. These are a few sewing lines - doodles really. I was playing around and thought they were kind of cute. So, if you like then, go ahead and grab them!

Password: ESDElements →DOWNLOAD←

2008-06-21T04:27:00.000-05:00

Some ribbons I was tinkering with. Not my best work, but maybe someone can find some use for these? ;) I thought they looked a bit like Dragon Flies. So I put diamond eyes on them. LOL

Password: ESDTubes →DOWNLOAD←

2008-06-19T09:10:00.001-05:00

Today I have to offer you 10 colorful diamond flowers, and 7 pastel frames. Now, the film of the frames is transparent to an extent, but it can be removed with a rectangular selection tool (I suggest feathering is adjusted to 1 to look nice). Either way, these little scrapping accents/elements are a nice freebie for your taking. So I hope you enjoy!

P.S. I am working on a neat Tartan Scrap Kit .. and hope to have it released by the end of this weekend or sooner! So check back for the newest addition coming soon!

Password: ESDTubes →DOWNLOAD←

2008-06-16T17:27:00.000-05:00

Fonts, FONTS, FoNtS, fOnTs, FOntS, foNTs, and MORE Fonts!

I have to offer over 2000 fonts for your scrapping, tagging, and web-designing pleasure! They are broken up into two sections for easier downloading, but in all there are 2,076 fonts. I have pixel fonts, scrapping fonts, script fonts, dings, corners, and more in these files.

→ DOWNLOAD #1 ←
→ DOWNLOAD #2 ←
Password: ESDFonts

2008-06-13T06:47:00.000-05:00

I've finally got my first real scrap kit out. This one is Movies themed. I found some really neat old posters and the idea was set in motion from there. Some of the items are rendered by me, and some are just little items I turned into tubes for later. The papers are made by me 100%. Svereal other smaller elements are also rendered or designed by me. The bow, and ribbon were what really held me up. I'm not entirely in love with the bow, but being my first attempt at rendering a bow, well .. I think it turned out alright. It's usable anyway! I've got a lot of other ribbons, several patterns and colors. Those I will release later. I made a taggie out of these pieces in the kit, those are exclusive for my yahoo group. So if you're a tag addict, please sign up for my group. I announce ALL of my kits and Tags there FIRST. So, don't miss out! I'm working on a new scrap kit now, and hopefully it won't go as slow as my last one did. I'm still learning all these nifty (and confusing as hell) buttons and tricks in Rhino. Sometimes thing just don't want to do what I tell them to. LOL! Ok well, I've yammered on enough here. So, enjoy my first kit!

Be sure to click the preview to get a better "picture". Ü

Password: ESDKits →DOWNLOAD←

2008-06-11T03:28:00.001-05:00

Hi folks - I've been swamped with real life on this end of the monitor, but I've been working on some new elements for my very first full scrapkit, so please check back here soon! I should be releasing it within a week. These things take time when making the quality realistic and incredible! ;o)

Thanks for checking in here!

2008-06-01T09:22:00.000-05:00

Here's my first Elements mini pack. Hopefully, in the next couple of days I will have a much bigger and better pack for everyone! In the mean time, ENJOY! Blogspot apparently messes up images, so it looks blurry and jaggedy. This is not how the tubes/elements appear in PSP. They are crisp images.

PASSWORD: ESDElements →DOWNLOAD←

2008-06-01T03:13:00.000-05:00

GREETINGS!

Well, where to start? Hmm .. I guess I should introduce myself first and then tell you what I intend to bring to the graphics community. So, allow me to begin!

HOW DID I GET MY NAME?

My name is Stephanie - but I've been using the online handle "EyeSpyDesigns" for many years now. I believe since around 1999-2000. I forget any more. I got this name from my children, who are lovers of the game, I Spy With My Little Eye. In AOL chat rooms, I changed from the name "ItFollowsMe" (long story on that name LOL) to "EyeSpyALittleFly". That name stuck. Soon, when I got into Paint Shop Pro, thanks to my BFF Christy, I ended up cutting the name shorter and adding "Designs" to the end of "EyeSpy", thus born "EyeSpyDesigns".

I am NOT to be confused with the professional company "EyeSpy Designs" which is in Fort Worth, Texas. I do not do business cards, or flash websites. So if you thought that was me, it's not. LOL I had no idea there was a eyespydesigns business even out near where I live when I thought up my name. It was brought to my attention that there was another "EyeSpy" out there by my best friend, Christy (also known formerly as Smerfy, and currently known as InkStained and FunkyMonkey). So ... there's the low down on my name and the OTHER business out there. LOL! I still wonder though, what are the odds that there would be another EyeSpyDesigns, and they also deal in graphics work? Just my luck .... LOL

WHO AM I?

More about me: I live in Alvarado, Texas - but this is not my home town at all. It's just where I hang my hat right now. I was born in Pasadena, Texas and stayed there until I was roughly age 14. From there I moved to Dallas/Forth Worth area of Texas and after about 6 years there (give or take a year), I moved to East Texas area for about 6 more years. After I grew tired of the country scene, I moved back to the hustle and bustle of the city - good ol' DFW, Tx.

My birthday is March 22nd. I'm 30 at this time (yippy!) and I'm a full time, stay home Mom to two children who live with me full time. I'm a Mother to my oldest son, as well, who visits me - and I'm a step-mom to my husband's daughter, Brittany, who we rarely get to see at this time. My oldest son, Justin, lives with his bio-dad (my ex-husband) because he has turrets and is a special needs child. He attends a special school that allows him to work without the influence of medication, and that school is located about a mile from his father's home. Since I'm about 1 ½ hours away from that school, it's best for him to live with his Daddy and visit me during his times off.

My two youngest children are Nathaniel, age 8 (11/9/99) and Autumn, age 7 (10/24/00). They are both home schooled by me - which can take up a large chunk of my time, but it's entirely worth every minute I spend on their education.

I live full time in a RV (recreational vehicle), and although I've not moved in about 6 months, there may be times I move around a lot - or not at all. It just depends on how long before we get bored and go somewhere else. So far, I like it where I'm at. LOL! My internet is wireless based - and so sometimes it will disappear on me entirely for a few hours, or up to a week. It depends on the weather and how fast the ISP can repair the antenna's so we get reception again. So, I never promise I will always be online with new things. Obviously, with my life style, I make what I can, when I can and share it as often as I can.

I am very happily married, and have been for eight years now. My husband and I met in an AOL chat room in 1998, and ever since the first time we got up the nerve to meet in person, we've been inseparable. He is a quality engineer, and a blacksmith by hobby. He loves the old art of blacksmithing, and he's pretty darn good at it. He's been working on building a side business which he has named The Flamming Hammer Forge. I've had the privilege of going to a few blacksmith conventions and it's been really fun several times. One of those conventions I attended offered the wives a class on beading and soap making. I took them and well, I found myself two new awesome hobbies on the side. So, I also make handmade herbal and scented glycerin soaps, as well as various beaded items - mainly jewelry. When I open my online store for those items, I will add a link here for anyone interested in my creations.

WHAT ARE MY PLANS?

Eventually, I would like to start selling my renders/tubes. But for the time being, until people get to know me & enjoy my creations, I will remain free. The only thing I ask in return is that my Terms Of Use are respected. You can read those under the LINKS section over to the left on this page. I highly recommend taking time to review them. ☺

WHAT PROGRAMS DO I USE?

The tubes I use for my kits, tags and so forth are entirely made by me. How I make them is between three different programs. One program is rather well known and it's called Jasc Paint Shop Pro version 7. Yes, you read correctly, this chick is STILL using version 7. I like it better than any of the other versions. The other two programs I use are not so well known. They are called Flamingo and Rhinoceros. These are incredibly expensive programs ($1,695.00 for the rendering program package), so the quality of these programs are, obviously, going to be incredible. As I learn more about these programs - I will create images that are impossible to tell the difference between the real thing, and rendered images. The proof I will offer that my images are not ripped off photos from the net simply being tubed by me will come from the blue prints of every image/render/tube I design. I will provide scaled down images of the blue prints for users to view, but the original size blue prints will never be released unless for legal purposes. This protects me and my copyrights to my images. For more ideas on what kind of creations you can expect the kits I make to look like (as I get better) - just look at these pieces that are all entirely rendered images (mouse drawn). Amazing aren't they? That's the sort of quality I intend to bring to you all.

WHAT DO I INTEND TO MAKE & OFFER?

I have plans to make scrap kits to download, as well as individual tubes, maybe some desktop wallpaper (layouts), and every so often a few tags here and there for snagging or having personalized just for you. I may even, eventually, offer web sets. I'm not sure about that one yet though. I will do my best to make top quality papers, elements, alphas and whatever else I can dream up for the graphics users and designers out there!!

HOW DO YOU INTEND TO SHARE?

When I upload things, I will place them in 4Shared since that seems to be the most popular way right now. I really dislike Rapid Share and Pando, so I'm going to do my best to keep things easy. The only annoyance to you is that I will be password protecting the files, and changing them once a week to be sure that people come to my blog to get the passwords (& see my past or newer creations). The password will be provided next to the download link in my blog each time. So please be sure to read carefully!

ANY LAST WORDS?

This ends my mini biography, but I do hope you feel you know me a little bit better now. Even more importantly, come back often to see what new items I've learned to make for you! Where there are many graphics products out there to download for free, I want to bring to your monitor something fresh, new & realistic; particularly useful for those who enjoy the realistic look of a scrapping project. Thank you for visiting me, & please enjoy my offerings!