I don’t know about you, but I certainly get excited when I learn something new on the computer, and I didn’t have to depend on the kids to teach me!

To celebrate, I want to pay it forward…something you might be able to use and mostly, something you can impress your kids with!  Yes…a celebration in and of itself!

The program I want to share with you is called paint.net.  You can download it for free, and then pick up simple tutorials on YouTube (welcome to this century!) 

This program is a simplified photoshop program with wonderful benefits.  It is free.  It allows you to try your hand at photoshop-like software and see some great results.  It gives you the ability to create some pretty wonderful artistic images by removing backgrounds and then layering them in your own creation.

As you advance, you will see that you can perform all sorts of neat tricks with your pictures!

Have fun…let me know how it turns out!

Don’t forget…as you are getting ready for spring, there is still time to take advantage of FREE SHIPPING at www.kateandbudscloset.com

Snow, snow, go away…come again another day…

well, that might not work, but I do have some little mini projects that you might like to do while you look out the window at the beautiful snow that is falling…and falling…and falling…

What a great day to gather up the little ones…or just yourself…and bake!  Now, most of you know that I am not a whiz in the kitchen, just lucky to have a husband who loves to cook!  But baking is another topic!  That can be lots of fun, and who doesn’t like to be a part of the tasting crew!

Easy Valentine’s Treats:

Decorate Cupcakes…

Yes, gather all of the little red-hots and sprinkles…choose a strawberry cake mix and white frosting or a white cake mix with white frosting or chocolate cake mix and chocolate frosting…it really doesn’t matter…Once the cupcakes have baked and cooled just frost and decorate…red-hots lined up in an X or an O or a heart…Red, pink and white sprinkles on other little cupcakes…what an adorable presentation for the ones you love!!

Next, gather up the pink and red solid and patterned construction or scrapbook paper and a few glue sticks…cut strips that are 2″ wide and 8″ long…assort the colors and start making a valentines chain…just loop each strip inside the loop that you just constructed.  You can make the chain as long as you would like…decorate a doorway, lay across the fireplace mantle, let your little girl wear it as a fancy boa!!!  There is lots of love and fun tied into “mom and me” projects!

ooops…almost forgot about the candy!  Check out your cookie cutters…Pull out the heart shapes and lay them on a flat dish.  Pour some of your favorite little candy treats in each heart…gummy bears, candy hearts, m&m’s…create a little assortment!  You can even fill the empty spots in between the cookie cutters with red hots or  swedish fish…you get the idea…no rules, just have fun!

So, the snow might be falling, but…you’ll have your love to keep you warm!

Enjoy…well, I have decided to make this a daily routine…so check back and see what is going on in the world of Kate & Bud’s Closet…insights, updates, places to go, people to see, ways to enrich your lives…