Sale on Echo Park at Jessica Sprague today – retro digital images.

I am just starting to use all the digital papers and elements I have been collecting for a few years and today at Jessica Sprague (http://www.jessicasprague.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=328) the designer spotlight of the day is Echo Park. They carry a lot of retro images and just have fabulous stuff and it is all 50% off today!      I am going to try to work on some photos for an album today also as Walgreens is offering 10 cent 4×6 photos if you order at least 75 through Saturday 4/14  (http://photo2.walgreens.com/walgreens/storepage/storePageId=Special+Offer+Prints) Coupon code is SPRINGPIC to receive the discount.  I like to add digital images and a bit of  journaling to my 4×6 photos and then just put them in a brag book instead of always scrapbooking in a 12×12 or 8×8 format. This allows me to use my supplies and some creativity without costing an arm and a leg. Happy shopping!!

Lampshade from recycled photo slides

I have been seeing some great ideas for recycling things from the past. I have been working on changing all my grandfather’s old slides into digital photos but have been trying to figure out what to do with the slides when I am finished. I really hate to throw anything old away and I have found some projects that interest me for what to do with these when you no longer need them for photos.

This particular one came from  an etsy shop (http://www.etsy.com/listing/93555162/lamp-shade-made-to-order-from-vintage) as did this one below. I think the lamp itself makes this one fabulous.  (http://www.etsy.com/listing/92477169/new-table-lamp-with-vintage-slide?ref=&sref=)

or this from http://recycledcrafts.craftgossip.com/recycle-family-slides-into-a-modern-lamp-shade/2009/07/15/

This one is interesting as it was made as a hanging pendant-style lamp. They have the innards for this at Lowes for just a few dollars. http://www.frugalbits.com/columns/d-i-y/make-a-conversation-starting-pendant-lamp-shade-using-35mm-slides/

Transferring Old Slides to Digital Photos

        I have been spending a lot of time transferring all my grandfather’s old slides to digital photos. While it is time consuming, it has been well worth the effort as I am watching my childhood pass before my eyes! The process is very simple; you just put the slides on a special scanner four at a time and they magically transform into digital photos on your computer. After doing some online research, I  purchased an Epson Perfection V300 photo scanner and have been very happy with it. Who knew you could actually buy Perfection?!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GBKTGM/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=3278944531&ref=pd_sl_188p8y95uc_b This scanner is $89 at Amazon.com right now which is where I purchased mine with free shipping.

I have been scanning the photos and saving them at 300 dpi which has worked very well for my purposes but you have many different options available with this scanner. As it is so close to Mother’s Day that got me thinking about family and I thought I would pass along this information to anyone else who might have a closet full of old slides gathering dust. I still enjoy making everybody come sit in the living room on special occasions to watch the old slides as I find that there is something to the whole process that brings back many great memories but, for everyday use or scrapbooking, having the pictures in digital format has been fabulous. I have been emailing some special ones to family as I uncover these old treasures and we have enjoyed bantering back and forth via the internet about hair and clothes and memories. I plan to put them all on a DVD when I am finished and each family member will get one to enjoy.

Apparently they were much fancier back then. If I had to put on heels and a dress to do my laundry my family would be completely out of clean clothes!!!!!