My own tutorials are still available online and in PDF format so you can print out and follow in your leisure. You can grab those here.

Since 2007, there have been some major updates to the Artweaver design software which now includes a new “Plus” version. I still use the free version myself. Artweaver now displays more support via their helpful FAQ and new forums, as well as free tools and plugins – all offered on the main site artweaver.de. Also, since my original Artweaver post; I’ve seen many more Artweaver tutorials pop up online. There’s a small collection of video tutorials, like the one below and several posted at DeviantArt.

Over the years, I’ve received a lot of questions about Artweaver’s tools and how to do certain techniques. I try to answer each question individually, or at least post a reply in the comments section. I do plan to continue teaching design and will post helpful Artweaver tutorials and links when I have the time. Please “Like” this article if you find it helpful and subscribe to my updates to stay in touch, thanks.

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I will also post new article notifications on the FB page I created specifically for this new job of mine. Visit here. Consider becoming a fan there as well. I really appreciate your support – Thank you!

This program is available free for private and educational use and I’m seriously considering getting this added to our computer lab at school. I think this would be a great addition to my design curriculum for next year. My students really enjoy the filter effects they have access to on the design programs we currently use (artweaver, paint.net), but PhotoFiltre comes with way more options, right out of the box, including masks, a great variety of filter effects, and even automated batch image operations – very nice!

For commercial use, you will need to register and pay a modest amount. Well worth it if you ask me. Check this program out at photofiltre.com.

Site Re-Designs..

I spent some time this last week on a couple of re-designs. If you click on the images here, you will be brought to the website, where you can see the new design as it is meant to be seen.

First up, was WahmBuds.com. This old site of mine has been around since 2005.. not my oldest site, but still.. over the last few years, it’s seen it’s share of design changes. This most recent decision to re-design was actually forced upon me as the site had some database casualties in my recent web-hosting move. But no tears shed here. I like the occasional challenge.. especially when it involves design. I went out there this time and had the idea of going nostalgic. I just went with the idea and kept an open mind to see where it brought me. I ended up being quite happy with the final design and felt that it represents women of all ages and background in their quest to find quality work at home, quality time with family and a good balance between the two.

Next up, was my BabyBoomerDivas.com site. I was simply tired of the old design.. two years with the same colors is one year too many in my opinion. So, I indulged myself and re-designed this site based on my mood of the day, which was fun, light and full of bold purples and burgundies. Some times, you just have to see where things take you, you know? Most often than not, I’m happy with the results when I give myself time to do just that. I like the bold colors and fun feel. Do you?

You know what would be great? If you could visit these sites and then come back here and let me know what you think. I truly do appreciate feedback. I think these sites feel pretty, what do you say? :)
Hope to hear from you..

People who want to create are hampered by complications — tools that are too complicated, projects that are too overwhelming, the distractions of the modern world, too many cooks, too many options, too busy.

Simplify, and many of these problems go away. For example:

1. Ideas. It’s hard to find ideas, right? Not necessarily. Simplify things: find vastly different ideas and combine them in a new way. This isn’t the only way to get ideas, but it’s simple and useful.

2. Ideas, again. Instead of finding ways to do more than everyone else, find ways to do less. If your competitor has a coffee shop with a wide array of beverages and food items, narrow it down: offer just one kind of coffee, but make it amazing. “We sell only one thing: the best cup of coffee you’ve ever tasted.” If you’re a blogger competing against writers who cover a vast variety of topics, cover just one, but do it better than anyone else.

3. Clear distractions. One of the biggest obstacles to anyone who wants to create these days is the distractions of the Internet, of email and IM, of meetings and people coming up to us to talk to us, of phone calls and Blackberries and iPhones. Clear these out of the way, so you can focus on creating.

4. Remove complications. Complications get in the way of creating. Find ways to simplify projects, simplify processes, remove barriers, narrow things down, remove choices, but increase focus.

5. Focus on one project till you’re done. This goes against how most people work, and in fact I have a hard time doing it sometimes, as I get excited about several projects at once. But it’s how I’ve been working recently and I can tell you, there’s no better way to create. Clear everything else off your schedule, at least for the moment, and focus on one project. Keep the focus small, so the project doesn’t take more than a week (if it does, break it into more than one project). Then just focus on that one project, until you’re done. It feels great. Now move on to the next.

6. Use one simple tool. For me, I just choose one text editor to write (usually either WriteRoom or TextEdit). The simpler the tool, the better, because full featured tools end up being distracting and you want to fiddle with all the options. A pen and pad are also great. If you must use more than one tool, keep them small and simple.

7. When you’re overwhelmed, focus on less. If the project is too big or complicated or just hard, narrow it down. If you must write a book, don’t focus on the whole book, or even a whole chapter. Just write a section — something you can do in a few hours or less. If you’re starting a new business, don’t worry about getting the whole thing up and running — what’s the smallest amount you can offer at first, the smallest unit you can create? Focus on that.

8. Do just a little each day. If you can write for 20-30 minutes a day, or take a few photos a day, it won’t be long before you’ve created something great. This tip is for those who think they don’t have time to create. It doesn’t have to take all day, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Just clear 20 minutes and create — do nothing else during that time.

9. Be in the moment, let creativity flow through you. When you are creating, feel free to be messy and don’t worry about perfection and just get it out. The best way to do this is to forget about the past and future, and just focus on the moment. Pour yourself into creating, and let it flow.

10. Whittle. Once you’ve created that crappy first draft, and just let everything pour out, it’s time to edit and whittle. Get it down to simple. See if you can cut out everything extraneous.

11. Show up. The simple truth to creating. You just gotta show up. It might or might not happen, you might or might not create something great, but you sure won’t create a thing if you don’t show up.