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Weaving ribbons into a seamless tile is not hard but can be tedious. Using templates will only leave you with very similar patterns while only changing the colors.

This script will use YOUR own ribbons and create a woven pattern that is slightly different than the typical 1 over and 1 under.

The fun part is that you can use ANY ribbon (or other straight element), of any thickness and combine them perfectly as the script will do all the calculation and measurements needed. You only have to watch!

Get this script in the store: Woven Ribbon #3

In order to win this script, add a comment on this Facebook post (remember, add a comment, not just a Like!) The winner will be announced in the newsletter, next week. Not a subscriber yet? Not a problem. You can register here and it is free (and you only get one email per week). Even better, everyone who comments will get an additional tile based on the winner's answer.

As a sample, I created this tile using two similar ribbons, colorized to match Easter/spring colors. This is a good example of using a single ribbon and duplicate it for this script.

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It is fun to have variety in the letters we can use for titles, but it might be hard to find something that really suits our projects, its feel and its color palette.

You can make these letters match your style, instead of hoping to find something similar that is ready-made. Even templates would not give you the flexibility that this script will offer you. Choose almost any font (i found that very large and ornate fonts might not give the best results), and any color. Then, the script will do the work for you and even add some randomness to the end results so you can get something that has a realistic and uneven look.

Get this script in the store: Wood Letters

In order to win this script, add a comment on this Facebook post (remember, add a comment, not just a Like!) The winner will be announced in the newsletter, next week. Not a subscriber yet? Not a problem. You can register here and it is free (and you only get one email per week).

This week, i ran the script 4 times, using a different font and a different color each time. That just gives you a complete alpha with some variety. You will then be able to get some mix of different letters as if they came from different sources.

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This week, I figured I would create a script to allow you some fun effects on photos. Those effects would be yours to choose.

You can create some interesting effect by adding shadows, layer styles, adjustment layers, and more.

Or you can blend a displaced set of layers into the original image like in the preview image to give an impression of speed.

Get this fun and unusual script in the store: Strips.

In order to win this script, add a comment on this Facebook post (remember, add a comment, not just a Like!) The winner will be announced in the newsletter, next week. Not a subscriber yet? Not a problem. You can register here and it is free (and you only get one email per week).

As a free sampler, this week, I could not use this script since it applies to a particular image of yours, so, since the Bronze It script was SO popular, I created a set of tags for the 12 months of the year. You can use them to date your layouts, your adventures, or anyone's birthday.

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If you want to get the edges of a photo to be torn, it is fairly easy to do manually since the edges are straight. You can also find some standard size templates for those photos (like in the freebies below). However, if you want to have a torn edge around an element of a different shape, it can be a tedious task to do manually.

This script will use ANY shape and add a torn edge around it. You can also choose the color of the paper that will show on those edges. Even though it will often be white, you can pick ANY color. You can even be creative and use a gradient. Why not?

You can get this script in the store: Torn Edge 2

Do you want this script for free? Add a comment on this Facebook post (remember, add a comment, not just a Like!) The winner will be announced in the newsletter, next week. Not a subscriber yet? Not a problem. You can register here and it is free (and you only get one email per week).

As a free sampler, i could have created a set of digits or an alphabet, but i thought of making a series of templates that you can use for your photos or your journaling cards. I created 4 templates with fairly standard sizes. Once the script was completed, i extracted the edges to add them as a new layer. That can now allow you to replace the grey layer by your own photo or card or paper.

There is no shadow, so you can also rotate them to be vertical if you prefer.

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You have often seen bronzed busts or bronzed baby shoes. Those are "luxurious" elements. You can now add the same rich look to any element for your projects.

This script will turn any black and white element into a bronzed one. You can use it to create an alpha, a brad, a frame, a crest, name plate and more.

You can use any size or shape or design. Best results will be obtained with designs between 500 and 1000 pixels, but you might want a different look with different sizes.

Get this script in the store: Bronze It

Do you want this script? Add a comment on this Facebook thread. A winner will be announced in the newsletter, next week. Not a subscriber yet? Not a problem. You can register here and it is free (and you only get one email per week).

This week, I thought of making an alphabet but i thought that the bronze texture inspired me to create elements with the 12 zodiac signs. I used a font to create those designs (you didn't think i drew them myself, did you?)

I used a vector shape for the circle then added the zodiac design on top of it. Then, i ran the script on the merged version of this (as the script can only work on ONE layer, and i wanted both the sign and the outline on a single layer).

They are in PNG format, so you can use them with almost any program.
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How safe are you data? We often hear stories of friends or relatives who have lost a lot of photos or documents due to a computer crash. We always think that it only happens to others, while OUR data is safe. But is it? It seems like computer users fall into two groups: those who experienced computer failure, and those who will.

Systems for backup

You can do regular manual backups of your data, your documents, or your entire drive. If that is your solution, remember to be vigilant: don't postpone those backups. Don't wait until tomorrow because you are busy. Drive failures don't wait!

Automatic backup can be great if you tend to forget. Systems like Acronis can back up your data at regular intervals and you can schedule them to be in the middle of the night, when you are likely not going to be using your computer. You can save the back up to an external drive, or online. AmazonS3 can be a good location for that.

Continuous online backup like Crashplan can help you have the most updated backup possible. Instead of possibly loosing one day or one week of work and documents because of the schedule of backups, systems like Crashplan will update your backup continuously  (there are others but I can't tell about them since i never used them)

Crashplan

Although i do NOT have an affiliate link for Crashplan, i still want to tell you how it saved my sanity.

When i realized that after having my Windows reinstalled by the shop, all my data were apparently missing (about 300GB), i felt sick to my stomach. All the files for the store were on a different drive, so those were safe, but everything related to the Campus, for the last 5 years, was missing! EVERYTHING! Since the shop was already closed for the weekend, what could i do?

I remembered that i had Acronis installed, but although i had just recently upgraded to a newer version, i had not set it yet. Yes, i was procrastinating, so restoring from that backup was not an option.

Then, i remembered that i also had Crashplan installed, and it was backing up all the time. Once i opened the application on my computer (yes, i had to reinstall it first), i was able to connect with the service. I just had to go in the settings, see what folders were backed up and select which one i wanted to restore (everything was in a single BIG folder). I chose the option to restore that whole huge folder in its original location (since that folder was completely missing from my drive), and click RESTORE. I knew that 300GB of stuff would take a long time, so i went to bed.

I am very lucky that we currently have a very good internet connection (i think we got an upgrade just a few weeks ago) so the whole download and restore took several hours, but everything was back on my computer, by the time i got up in the morning. EVERYTHING.

So, if you want to prevent a heart attack from a computer failure, check out Crashplan. You can backup 1 computer for $5/month, or the whole family (up to 10 computers) for $12.50/month. Once you live through a crash or get very close to loosing everything, you will see that it is definitely worth it.

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On a happier note, how about letting me know what is your favorite script in the store. Tell me in the comment below and i'll pick a winner to be announced in the newsletter next week. Not a subscriber yet? Not a problem. You can register here and it is free (and you only get one email per week).

If you like the idea of the Photoshop acrylic styles but can't seem to be able to replicate them in Paintshop Pro, here is the answer to you. You won't have to tweak and try various settings, as the script will do all the calculations to create a great effect, no matter what the size of the element is.

In addition, you can create a series of elements (many shapes, or an alpha) in one run as the script will also make the correct measurement to give you a proportionate result.

You get 6 different acrylic effects, that you can apply to ANY shape. Create accents with arrows, stars, frames or alpha. Create elements for a frozen theme or a dark Halloween one.

Get this script in the store: Acrylic Styles B.

If you want a chance to win this script, tell me, in the comments, what elements you would like to create with these styles OR which style seems to appeal to you the most. I'll announce a winner in the newsletter, next week. Not a subscriber yet? Not a problem. You can register here and it is free (and you only get one email per week).

For the sample, this week, I created a full alpha with a set of digits, using the Cracked style (that is the project that gave me the insight to adjust the script to add the possibility of creating multiple elements in one run).

Each character is 500 pixels high and in PNG format.

After creating the alpha in one run of the script, I used the Alpha Sheet Separator 2 script to separate all of them, again, in one run. That is such a time saver! Check out the video on how much time you can save with this script, if you are a designer.

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Who can say they have enough buttons in their stash? Who can say they always have a perfectly matching button for their project?

The Button Machine script allowed Paintshop Pro users to create a variety of buttons with the perfect color they wanted. So this time, 4 more button designs have been added to the store in the Button Machine 2.

You can choose any color, gradient or pattern to create the buttons and the script will randomly generate them. In fact, even if you end up with 5 buttons of the same shape, they will be already rotated randomly (so the light/dark areas will always be consistent), and there will also be some random variations of brightness on each button too, making sure you never have the exact same button twice, which is nice because you can then use them as if you literally had 10 individual buttons (which you really will have!)

You can get this script in the store: Button Machine 2

Do you like the idea of getting this script for free? In the comment below, tell me what kind of button you like to use in your digital project. I'll announce the winner in the newsletter, next week. Not a subscriber yet? Not a problem. You can register here and it is free (and you only get one email per week).

As a free sample, i created 16 buttons, one for each shape and each of the basic colors. In fact, i only used the "Rice paper" pattern for the white buttons, and the "Blue pattern" that i colorized in pink and yellow so that makes them all matching and usable together without looking like they came from different sources.

I left them at 500 pixels, which is the maximum size for the buttons using this script. This will allow you to resize them all, or resize only some and have even more variety.

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These buttons should be a nice addition to a spring theme layout. Do you have one to show us?

Are you tired of always using and reusing the same fasteners in your kits or your layouts? You might have dozens of eyelets, brads and other fasteners but it might be hard to change the color or the texture and make them always unique.

This script will do that work for you. With 6 types of fasteners, and 4 choices of metal, you already have a base of 24 choices. But that is not all: you can also choose any other color or pattern you want for those fasteners (even polkadots if you want!)

In addition, the script is coded with a random function that will generate a slightly different element each time, varying the size, the rotation, the texture and the bevel.

This is now perfect to add a special touch to those otherwise boring fasteners to complete and match your kits or your layout.

Get this script in the store: Fastener Factory.

For a chance to win this script, tell me what texture would be your favorite to create fasteners. I'll pick a winner that will be announced in the newsletter, next week. Not a subscriber yet? Not a problem. You can register here and it is free (and you only get one email per week).

As a sample, i thought of creating something a little original. I generated 20 eyelets using the gold pattern, and placed them randomly along a frame that was created using a twisted rope tube. Then, using the interlacing technique, i overlapped the rope on the edge of each individual eyelet.

Yes, that was a lot of work, but i think it gives an interesting effect, don't you think? It kind of looks like an eyelet necklace!

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