RAMADAN SPECIALS // FREE PRINTABLE DUAA CARDS

I know we all have plenty of reminders in this precious month everywhere to be more mindful and grateful of everything we've got so I've quickly created a pretty printable duaa card for my Muslim sisters to glance at everyday and memorize this super-beneficial duaa. This particular duaa card has the Syed-Ul-Istighfaar and its transliteration on the front side and the English translation on the back. Reading through the English translation makes this so much easier to memorize.

For those unfamiliar with this duaa, the Syed ul Istighfaar is the best supplication for seeking forgiveness. And just because we are always helping each other out here, the design of the card makes sure that others will adooooooore receiving it as a small thoughtful gift too!

Click to download the front.

Click to download the back.

How to: Paste the front print onto one side of cardstock and the back onto the other side. When gifting to someone, hand it over in a colorful envelope. I have lots of envelope prints available in my freebie gallery if you need some help in that department!

I would love it if you share this printable on social media as well but don't forget to link back/redirect to my site or give credit. Thank you. :)

Bonus tip: You can also keep this as your phone's screen saver to keep reviewing it. :)

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PS:Get updated on soon-to-be-coming cards by following me:

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Lots of love and a have a blessed Ramadan,

xoxo, Nash

6 NEW SUMMER DIGITAL PRINTS (SHADOWS OF SUMMER COLLECTION | DIGITAL PRINTABLE PAPER PACK)

It's been the longest time since I've written and it came with this huge  realization that while I absolutely adore blogging and everything so rewarding about it, being in an Architecture major had ultimately taken toll on me, all the more now since I've gone into Senior year. On a happier note, my big break off blogging to focus on college turned celebratory in the end when I found myself gaping at a 4.0 GPA. (At our college, the highest GPA you can get is 4, not 5). 

         So that was a summarized explanation for what kept me from blogging luscious freebies and DIYs here. Now that vacay started, I'm back to business. Summer is in full swing here (we're hitting 45 degrees Celcius on average) and nothing spells summer and chillin' like lots of bright colors, cheery florals, fruity prints and popsicles!S

This collection packs in all that summer action into 6 peppy prints available for digital download. You can use them for scrapbooking, frame them up as art , as wrapping paper for gifts or to to jazz up your DIYS! 

Here's a preview on what you'll get on downloading:

The download is a compressed file (.rar) so you'll have to extract it. If you're having any issues, please drop a comment below and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD SHADOWS OF SUMMER

PS:For my subscribers, I'll be sending out some exclusive brush-lettering prints soon to your inbox which, as we all know, are completely in vogue right now. Set them up as mobile/desktop wallpapers or-r-r-r frame them! They'll look absolutely witty either way.

Here's some inspiration on how to use these digital prints:

1. This gloriously simple miscellaneous supplies caddy

2.These adorable cubby shelves
3. These ideas on designing your own stationery
4. These super-fun made from scratch on the go notepads.

DOWNLOAD MORE FREEBIES | CHECK OUT MORE DIYS | BUY FOR COMMERCIAL USE

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Pin this post!

SHOP OTHER PRINTS AND PATTERNS PERFECT FOR ALL YOUR CRAFTY AND DESIGN PROJECTS ON MY ETSY STORE!

Don't forget to pin and share this if you liked it and have a brilliant summer. xoxo

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Nash

-CRAFT A DOODLE DOO-

ON MY WISHLIST: SPRING THEMED PAPERIE FROM MINTED!

If you've been a visitor at my cute lil blogging niche before you'd know that I love graphic design myself and keep bringing up freebies,tips and designs for my just started out shop. Fellow graphic design lovers would agree with me that we are on the constant lookout for inspiration and when I saw this beautiful book on Rachel's instagram feed here, I was instanly swooning and the next day almost as if a prayer had been answered Minted came to the rescue.

If you haven't heard of them before, they're the fantastic people over at Minted.com who make some gorgeous paperie, home decor, party decor, art prints and so much more by the most trendy designers you've seen around in the field. I quickly found out after some childish rummaging on their site that the notebook on Rachel's feed I was smitten by was actually from Minted.

And then a love story began..... 

CARDS IN THE PICTURE
TOP TO BOTTOM: Hand Painted florals on Kraft card  . Rose gold and copper rustic card . Coral background card . Hand drawn roses card . Bright and colorful florals card

I continued exploring all their categories and got so excited that I even showed them to my dad and he loved them too. For reference, my dad is a senior architect and I am an architecture student myself, so spotting good design is our forte and this totally hit the top spots in the chart.
If you've got yourself tied up with an upcoming function you can't go wrong with their Save the Date cards. They have a host of colors to match your design palette. Or if you haven't chosen a color scheme yet you could go choose one at the Design Seeds. Then return back here and explore the plethora of options. And yes, they are for all genders and preferences that can be customized as well; it's dizzying!

I'm currently head over heels for their botanical prints. Needless to say they will also serve as inspiration for my upcoming blog projects. And since spring is here, no one can complain of too many flowers.

PS: There's no such thing as too many flowers for me, haha!

They also have a ton of art prints if you are in a wall decorating phase now. If you're too paranoid to have your accent wall repainted or wallpapered you can always go with a mix of beautiful prints.

And if you're not the paint-it-yourself type, and that's a good bunch out there, then these are perfect for you. I've found out two things in these designs that I'd like to incorporate in my designs too: their simplicity and their character. You don't often come across design that is simple but upholds major character at the same time.

PRINTS IN THE PICTURE:
Falling leaves . Pining For Pineapple . Tangerine . Moth . Tulip and Tracery . Indigold . Grecian Floral

The prints speak for themselves, don't they?
You can order them in the size you fancy most and the kind of frame you need. I love how they play with perspectives sometimes. Noted. :D

And here's a cute DIY tip, no one says art prints are just for walls. If you already have a lot going on your walls, and would like to amp up your coffee/dining table or studio table, then display these prints (in the smalled sizes) underneath a glass table top so that you can whistle over them as you work.

Their art prints and save-the-dates are printed on high quality paper, so you know you'll get some super-rich pigments to adore. I've also looked for what other people are saying and everyone is delightfully impressed!

I'm going to order myself some of their paperie, journals especially since I'm such a journal fanatic right now. Check the creatives out and let me know if you're a sold as me! If you are a fellow creative I bet you would. :D

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DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post and I'm getting some Minted credit in exchange for my time and review. All opinions like I stated before are from my good ol' design and architecture oriented self and my architect-dad approved as well. So there's no kidding.
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Follow me for inspiration injections:

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Take care, xoxo

Nash

INSPIRATION NATION // DIY ORIGAMI FLOWER CURTAIN

First off, I haven't yet decided where would be the perfect setting for this craft project to revel in full glory. My initial idea was to use it as the title puts it, a flower curtain. I had fantastic visions of friends walking in and recognizing this from one of the many snapshots that I sent them of my behind-the-scene crazy woman workings. But then while I was actually photographing the whole thing, it occured to me that it would pose as gorgeous replacement of a bed's headboard. That's positive though right? The fact that I'm unsettled about where to hang this curtain is what makes it so flexible. So use it at a whimsical party for your girlfriends, for your little girl's room or to add that tipsy dimension of fantasy to your own bedroom or workspace. This is bound to look ravishing!

Espcially when people notice they are not real flowers and that are so, so many origami flowers strung together lovingly by you in hopes that you could transition yourself back to when you could wear as many tutus and tiarias as you'd want in a day.

We could still do that though. I know I could!

The kind of origami roses I used for this project are a little different than the normal origami rose tutorials. The toughest rose being called the Kawasaki rose even of which they have several versions. We also have a standard rose. But I chose a simpler kind for this project which looks equally pretty and it's called the Bird-Base Rose or the Twisty Rose because the entire effect of the rose comes from twisting the folds at the end.

You could use any light-weight craft paper for this. Since it's Spring, I specifically chose pastel colors from a huge bundle of colored A4 copy paper. I also made the roses in two different sizes to add a little visual interest and alternated the colors between pink and yellow.

You could leave out the leaves but then if I were you I'd think hard on that one! The leaves are so easy as well, the only setback being the project is time-consuming. But think of having a gatehring of friends, maybe pizza-delivered at your doorstep, chilled summer drinks,humming your favorite tune and voila. you wouldn't even notice you just made 24 roses and 48 leaves. At least that's as many as I made. :)

INSPIRATION NATION // DIY STYLED PHOTOS!

Styles photos are all the rage these days on blogs and websites which want to be seen as more chic and professional and certain people have jumped on the bandwagon to make big sales out of creating stock photography that's truly eye0candy! Not to bash those amazing brands doing all the people who're short of time or maybe not so experienced with the camera a stunning benefit  but...wouldn't it be so much better if you could make your own styled photography? If you're an owner of lots of pretty baubles, have a good eye for photography and this manual at hand, it's no biggie! I'll give you a plentiful list of tricks to do those gorgeous styled photographs and be a master at it!

This article features 10 fool-proof tips to get those styled pictures everyone craves! Don't forget to share and... to thank YOU. for going through my tidbits of wisdom, I've even got a free surprise at the end of the post!

1.Choose a theme.

You can't get the best out of styled photography without choosing a theme.I don't mean any rigid constraints with the word "theme". It could be a color theme. Or a seasonal theme. (If you're choosing spring, you could go with a selection of lots of pastels. If it's summer you could choose something bright and fruity. If it's a winter theme you'd like to go for, you may wanna shift to more cooler tones like blues and purples in your photographs). In addition you could also choose a topic based theme: I've compiled a collage of some popular ongoing themes for styled images: take a look at this ridiculously beautiful styled pictures!

1) Beauty/Outfit/Accessories potpourri

1.Connie Cao @kisforkanithelabel 2.blushshop @blushshop  3.Nat @n4tic  4.Raffaella @raffaellferrigno 5,Jenny Jovanovic @crazystylelove 6.lenie @lenieloves

2) Breakfast and food, tantalizing food!

2 & 3. Maimona Jamal Badi @dreamy_touch 7.Utosh @ utosh  5.Princess inspiration @ princessaddictions 9.@cathycouture

3)That dre-a-a-a-my workspace.

4,5,6 & 7 Jessica Clinch @simplyjessicamarie 9.blushshop @blushshop

2.Choose a carefully thought out background in relation to your foreground objects and props

If you have a careful look at the pictures above you'll see there's a variety of backgrounds, from plain to textured with wood, marble or even glass (in the workspace collage). Neutrals backgrounds like these are always the best bet to add that little something that's so important because it holds the entire picture together. You'll wanna make sure your background is not overpowering but if you'd like to choose a bright, fun background, go to the next point..which is...

3.Contrast, contrast, contrast!

It doesn't just have to be between colors, it can be between materials too: pair hard rough wood with soft, flowy textiles. Monotoned marble with bright colors and on and on.
This account on Instagram (@zynp) is what made me believe that while it's tricky to have a bright background against bright colorful objects, if done right, the results can be stunning. You'll need a bit of practise for this but here's one tip: Look for the opposite colors on the color wheel to pair or colors within/around the same color family. Think berries with blush pinks or colors normally found together in nature: woody browns and deep greens; and keep the contrast in couples: stark blue background against juicy orange foreground objects or the the likes. (so that's just two colors: blue and orange but so much to swoon over!)

    (Zeynep Albayrak) @zynp on Instagram, she knows what she's doin'! Go ahead & follow her!

4.Layering

Layering gives so much more dimension and depth to what could otherwise be flat photography and that which lacks in character. Try layering with different napkins that fit in your theme, maybe cutting boards, textiles (the more frayed, the better), scrapbook paper, giftwrap, pretty books,place-mats or even shimmery bling!

1.  Jenny Jovanovic @crazystylelove  2.Nash (@candygloss006)  3.Nash (candygloss006)

5.Fluidity

Sometimes if your object looks too static, you could use a bit of dynamism in the picture. The best way to add this may be a crumpled sheet in the background (maybe a picture of breeakfast or five-star dessert in bed?) that signifies movement had taken place or even a scarf in a vibrant color sprawled across the picture's width or height. You choose. This isn't always necessary but see if it works for you. When it works, you'd immediately know because the picture suddenly gets a whole lot of oomph.

1 Zeynep Albayrak @zynp 2. Nash @candygloss006 3.Melissa @milkthistles   4. Zeynep Albayrak @zynp

6.The human touch  

This is another optional. You might want to add a slight part of your hand going over the keys of your laptop. Or maybe fingers curled around that beautiful coffee mug. This adds so much more dynamism and relatability!

7.The little details

There's the big focus of your picture, and then..there's the little details and the props that just kick it up that extra notch. This could be anything from sprinkles thrown in around your cake (yes, around!) or confetti sprinked in around your stationery. Or maybe some delectable macarons placed by your current favorite novel. They don't have to get the spotlight, but they sure do make a difference.

8.Doodles and lettering

Adding doodles and lettering is completely in vogue right now. So if there's a little too much of empty space that shows up in your photo, try adding a bit of doodling or lettering overlays. There are so many apps for this.Apps I use for Android include Doodlesnap, Photofy and Shii Overlays.

9.Never stop looking

Don't ever make the mistake of thinking you have enough inspiration. Get started, yes, and do what you need to do but always keep looking for more. Coffee shops and bakery shops do such beautiful styling; it's hard not to get inspired. And so do glam decor editorials. I usually pick up inspiration from Pinterest and Instagram. (To see which boards I usually follow on Pinterest and Instagram, follow me from the sidebar!)

         You can like a picture on Instagram and it will instantly get saved by default in your profile (you can access all the pictures you keep liking through the settings menu on the app.) The problem here is: if all the pictures you keep hitting like for pile up in your account, it does away with some of your earlier liked ones to accommodate space for the newly liked pictures. To bypass that nuisance, download an app that saves pictures/vids from Instagram and use to to constantly save those pictures on your gadget. I use Instasave for Android if you were wondering. :D

9.Try not to be a perfectionist

Sometimes Instagrammers put all those beautiful pictures out there, it's easy to be caught in that culture where everything needs to be poetically set up. I need to tell you that even if those tricks above are for significantly improving your styled photography, sometimes it's good to leave things messy, untended to or to show flaws. After all, a little embarrassment brings in more friends than appearing impeccable!

And here's your surprise: Three high-resolution styled photos you can include in your website/blog promotions or themes! If you do happen to use any of these, don't forget to drop by and let me know so that I can have a look as well! :D

DOWNLOAD FREE STYLED PHOTOS HERE!

                                         

PS:I've tried to link back as many Instagram photos to their accounts as possible which was a tough job. If you find one of your photos here and I haven't listed you please let me know so that I can title the photo to the correct owner. If anyone of you would like me to take their pictures down, please contact me via email. Thank You. :)


And now folks, a few examples of using styled photography for beautiful branding, magazine layouts and even opt-in boxes!

1 deluxemoderndesign.com    2.assets.lookbookpro.com   3.rosemarywatsonproductions.com 4.shaycochrane.com 5.lauradrayton.com


Need another article to pump up your lifestyle blog? Have a skim through my "Secrets to writing killer DIY blog posts" article here!

You can also download and print many freebies in my freebie gallery (in the nav bar) to primp up your photos! Orrr....check out my shop if you'd like to print papers for uploading images on commercial sites.

AND LASTLY, PIN AND SHARE THE FUN :)

Follow me xx,

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Nash

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THE DECORISTA CHRONICLES// DIY PAPER TULIPS!

I simply adore tulips! It's a rarity here to ever get to buy some because roses are the conventional go-to flowers here when it comes to fresh decor so I thought of making a bouquet on my own. These are so easy to make, just four steps and you're done! Not to forget no watering required! Cover the stem, cut out paper strips, fashion them into petals and wind them around the stem!

If you're looking for an quick evening of gorg paper flower creations or a cute diy floral bouquet to gift to someone with a special note, give this one a try! I'm sure they'll send the significant other in fireworks!

Crafting tulips can be slightly trIcky since they are more bulbous at the bottom and tapered at the apex but this is the lazy-girl's guide and we're always looking for shortcuts, aren't we?

Here's mine:

DIY PAPER TULIPS

You'll need:

-Very light-weight colored paper on the flimsier side so that the petals fluff up and look more ruffle-y (You can even start with white and dye it later so it looks more natural). Mine is hot fuchsia.

-Florist's wire. If you've never done flowers before you may use regular wire or pipecleaners or even wooden skewers (but they'll give a stiffer look to the stems)

-Green duct tape/washi tape/florist's tape to wind around the stem.

-Some cotton for the "centers" of the tulips.

-Scissors, glue, a ruler and a pencil.

How-to:

1.You'll first need to cut your wire to size for the stems and wind them with whatever kind of tape you're using. Don't cover the entire length and leave a little at one end and turn it over itself forming a loop.

2.Dab a little glue here (on the loop) and press over the cotton covering the wireframe we just made entirely. Cut a 1.5 inch. by 1.5 inch square and wrap it over the cotton and secure with glue so that it's completely covered.

3.Here's the fun part. I had an A3 sized colored sheet so I folded it in half and drew the dimensions of the strips around 2x5 inches. Draw lines using a pencil and a ruler demarcating each strip and cutting them out. You'll need six of these dimension-ed strips per tulip.

       Since I'd folded my paper beforehand, when I cut one strip, I ended up with two.

You'll then fold each strip on half to make a crease and unfold it. Then twist the strip scrunching it along the middle. This gives both halves of the strip the curvature of a spoon (which we are aiming for) and thennnnnn fold the bottom half over the top half.

 After you've done that, snip off the squarish frame of the petal in a curve to make it's perimeter more rounded.

4.To adhere the petals around the center and aim for the more bulky part at the bottom, wind the first three petals taking the narrower part of the triangular petal shape as the top of the petal and the wider traingle base as the bottom of the petal. Then for the next three petals, adhere them around successively as inverted triangles. (Base of triangle as top of petal and narrow part as bottom).

And we're done! Just fluff up the petals and play around with the shape a bit so that the petals look more tapered at the top and puffier at the bottom. If you'd like to add leaves, cut oblong organic shapes and twist the ends gluing them to the stem. I just ran out of paper to do that. :^(

TIP: To add a fancy punch, I used a polka dot envelope and folded it into a cone and wrapped it around the tulips. I'll be writing a special note on the cone's interior as a special surprise. So if you're gifting this, that's something you can do to brighten up their day Sherlock Holmes style. 

Enjoyed this tut? Pin and share it! (because we all know pinning's hot!) Want to get hold on more DIY tuts? Check out lots of fun ideas in my DIY gallery below. If you're on the lookout for freebies, printables and giftwrap, I have that too!

My DIY Gallery  | My Freebie and Giftwrap Gallery

Stay up to date as I'll be sending out January's freebie in a couple of days to all my subscribers, so if you haven't subscribed yet, take a chance! :D

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Adios Loves, xoxo

Nash

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GUEST POST // TURNING REGULAR SWEATERS CHIC!

Craft A Doodle Doo has its first guest post today!

This one is from Daniela who blogs at Curly Made! I first got to know her when she dropped me an email appreciating my work at Craft A Doodle Doo. She does incredibly easy-to-follow DIYs, gorgeously cute nail art and even freebies you should be definitely checking out!

So without further ado, here's how she updated a Plain Jane sweater to a sparkly glitzed statement !

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 Hi everyone, recently I've bought these really cool star studs and decided to give an update to my wardrobe, so today I want to share with you this simple idea to make your sweaters extra festive this season.

You will need: studs in whatever color  you want and a comfy sweater.

I've choosen a mix of some smaller silver round and square studs, golden and the copper stars.

Attaching all the studs does take some time, but a trick to make it easier is to use a spoon to close the pins.

 

Ta-da!! Super easy, to make and a great personalized alternative to those ugly commonplace sweaters.

I hope you liked this, if you want to see more of my diy's check out the blog curlymade.blogspot.pt and follow on blogloving.

Talk to you soon,

Thanks Daniela! It was certainly a pleasure to have you pen down something on Craft A Doodle Doo and I look forward to more collaborations in the future! :)

You can also follow Daniela's cutesie blog here:

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THE FREEBIE JUBILEE // THE BETTER WINTER BLUES!

Okay, I've been spiraling back and forth between college and while I decided to take a break from my weekly blogging routine I still know it's that beautiful frosty time of the year in most places and soft, cool winds in areas round the globe situated more near the equator like mine.

         So here's to celebrating a decidedly awesome winter with another freebie collection. Perfect for wrapping up presents or making your scrapbook wonderful these prints can update anything in a pinch!

Go ahead and download them all for free! And don't forget to let other friends know about them too!

Pin this post (Show off your great taste to your friends!)

THE DECORISTA CHRONICLES | KATE SPADE KNOCKOFF NOTEBOOKS!

Let me just begin with what my heart hoots everytime I rest my eyes on one of those Katespade cuties - OHMYGOSH. I always needed one, but making one myself was far more easier. I'm not one for planners but I do like to have myself a couple lots of notebooks to do doodling and jot down creative ideas.

So onto the making:

DIY KATE SPADE KNOCKOFF NOTEBOOKS

You'll need for this DIY:

1.Black cardstock. You can also use black acrylic /spray paint buuut I found cardstock less messy

2.Gold paper. You know, just be creative with this one. I used some from a Godiva Chocolate gift box.

3.A Hole punch, Scissors, pencils, super glue, matte/glossy finish modpodge and a ruler

4.White paper (optional)

5.Binders/Notebooks/Notepads/Agendas that need glitzing up

How-To:

1.For the striped notebook: Stripes are my next favorites to florals, and Kate's black and white stripes top the list. I cut the cardstock into 3 cm. wide strips to fit the length of my notebook. I first had to cover my book with some white paper and you'd have to too if you are not beginning with a white one already. ;)

Line them up parallel marking with a ruler and pencil the white space's width equal to 3 cm too between the black stripes/stripes.

Give the whole cover a glossy finish of modpodge to give it that whole "Kate-Spade-y" luxe look. ;)
This acts as a sealant too and protects the whites of your cover.

2.For the gold polka dot: Punch circles through the gold paper and eyeballing equal spacing between them on the notebook, glue them down. Place the dots for the next line in between dots of the first line. Keep alternating them and seal in everything with a layer of modpodge again.

There we go!

You could probably pretty up the insides but for now but I'm leaving them blank for my vivid imagination to occupy later ;) Wanna learn how to make notepads from scratch? Check out this popular post of mine!

Love this one? PIN IT HONEY!

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Subscibe to Craft A Doodle Doo for more delightful DIYs or follow me via Pinterest/Facebook/Instagram to smake sure you're among the first to get 'em!

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Will you be making any for yourself?

Are we craving more? Check out my DIY gallery here!

Smooches xoxo Nash

SOURCES FOR THE MOODBOARD: 1.Gold Ring 2.Heels and books 3.Glitter pumps 4.Striped ceiling 4.Pink and Orange Thermal Mug 5.Gold and Black Watch 6.Pink Pillow 7.Flowers

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INSPIRATION NATION || CREATING YOUR OWN PRINTS! (YEP,PHOTOSHOP FOR BEGINNERS)

Ladies and Gentlemen (if any),I've been asked around a lot in real life and on the cyberspace how I create my prints in photoshop. A lot of my prints are mixed media, 1)something I've painted or 2)maybe something I've photographed orrr 3)Done straight in Photoshop drawing with the basic round brush and then manipulated in PS to create a pretty, pretty print that I occasionally give ya guys to download.

So here's the behind-the-scenes of how I made one the prints from my last free prints collection. ;)

Here's what you'll need:

1.Your PC
2.Adobe Photoshop (I recommend CS3 and above. I use CS6)
3.Your favorite pictures that we will be morphing into prints

Note: I'm showing how to do this by the route of absolute newbies, so if you know more or less of PS already, you'll find me a little slow. ;)

Let's start!