A World of Possibilities

Hey You!  Yeah- YOU.

I have been watching you, I have been thinking about you and I have seen a WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES for YOU in 2013.

Here is what I see in store for you in 2013:

I see you taking your business to a whole new level.

I see you finally quitting that damn job!

I see you taking a WHOLE month off with no guilt, just to frolic and play.

I see you starting that blog- finally.

I see you and me, on a beach, dipping our toes in the warm ocean water.

I see you putting your health, happiness and family first.

I see you breaking ties with things that hold you back and bolting into freedom.

I see you making up for lost kisses and missed opportunities.

I see you discovering your bliss and following it take you to new places.

I see you hiring that assistant you have been talking about forever.

I see you not caring about the mustn'ts, the shouldn'ts and the can'ts.

I see you being featured in a magazine.

I see you breaking your own sound barrier.

I see you ASTONISHING us ALL!

I see you, I get you, I love you!

And I want you to know, whatever's next for you, I am rooting. Like a maniac.

Tell me how I can support your undeniable amazingness. Holler and I'm there.

It is the last day of 2012, take a few minutes and look back over the past year. What did you accomplish? What are you proudest of? What things did you want to do that you never got around to doing? What things are you disappointed about?  

Sit down for ten minutes and make two lists- the things you accomplished, losing those last 10 pounds, running a marathon, opening an Etsy shop, painting your first picture, etc... and then make a list of the things you didn't do that you wish you had done- mending fences with an old friend you had a falling out with, starting your own website, eating healthier, learning to do something new, etc...

Now, look over those lists. What do you want to improve? Do you need to find resources like classes, online courses, etc...to help you achieve your goals? Do you need to hire an assistant, or just someone to clean your house, so you can spend more time doing what you love? Write down all the things you want, wish and desire for the new year. Write down what you can do to help make those things happen. Map out your goals for 2013, both personal and business, and if you have a business, write down how much money you want to make in the new year.

This year I expanded my business from just selling graphics on Etsy and my Great Graphics website to starting a membership site called My Friend Beth to help creative people learn how to sell on the internet, learn how to use photoshop to create things and how to make images for their websites. I took several online courses to learn how to make my businesses better. I learned about making videos (which I was terrified about doing at first), I learned more about internet marketing and have been sharing all I learn on my new website.

What will you do in 2013 to move your business forward?

For 2013, I am going to try and get more balance. I LOVE my businesses, but this year I am going to continue to love my business, but spend more time taking care of myself and my family. I am going to eat healthier, I am going to exercise more and I am going to take some time to do things I enjoy that have nothing to do with my business. 

What will you do in 2013 for yourself? for your family? for your health? for your happiness?

Remember, I have my eye on you. I am here if you need me. Happy 2013!

xoxoxo,

Beth

My Friend Beth is a HIT!

Friends Helping Friends

I am so excited about the first few days after the launch of my new website MyFriendBeth.com.  Everyone seems to be excited about learning how to do new things, interacting and helping each other. 

One of the new members, after playing with my FREE Photoshop Elements tutorials sent me this email- I couldn't have been happier!

"Can you hear me shouting 'whoohoo'!!!  I wish I could send you hugs thru email cause I sure am sending one to you today.  I just used some of the things I learned from your free PSE video and composed a graphic design project I've been wanting to do for years!  I was able to get the wheel zoom set like you suggested and that was am amazing time saver!  Even though I might not be able to do all the same shortcuts on my PC as you can on your Mac, as long as you give both ways of doing it, I'll be good to go.  I am so grateful for discovering your Etsy site and finding out about your myfriendbeth website, too.  This has opened a new world and I know this will give me the tools I need to build my business - FINALLY!  I can't wait to learn so many other awesome things from your videos.  You are just so entertaining and enlightening!  

I was going to take yet another class with the city arts association next month in hopes of maybe catching on to Photoshop (I've taken their intro class with each new version and never have gained much knowledge).  But I feel you are my new go-to source - so I'm cancelling it. Blessings"

I love that after only ONE day of watching the tutorials, I have already made a difference to someone. I wouldn't have spent the hundreds of hours working on this site, learning to do things like making videos and video screen tutorials, not to mention the nightmare of learning to make a membership website (not for the faint of heart), if I didn't believe that this could be a HUGE help to all the people that want to learn how to use graphics.

And obviously, this wasn't about me making money- if it was then this would be priced in the thousands. Maybe I am a fool, but I did this to free up my time, so I can design or paint or do other things besides spending 5 hours a day answering questions and helping people learn how to use their graphics.  

Most of all I wanted an easy to use, affordable place for people to learn, to have fun, to share and enjoy how fun it can be to create using digital graphics.

Thanks to those that have signed up, thanks for your enthusiasm, your praise and most of all for being one of my new friends!  If you haven't had a chance to look around the site yet- check it out- It's FUN!!! and we would love to have you as a part of My Friend Beth!  click HERE to find out what it is all about! 

It's Finally Ready!

I know I have been missing in action here for quite awhile, but I have been working really hard on something I think is spectacular!  After a year and a half of answering literally thousands of questions about graphics from customers, I realized there needed to be somewhere for people to learn how to do all the things they wanted to learn to do, whether they want to do it for personal crafts or scrapbooking, if they are a teacher, or have an Etsy shop or a website, or if they have a service business and just want to know how to make their own graphics for their website, blog or Facebook.

I am launching my new website today- it is MyFriendBeth.com and I hope you will love it and find some great things that will help you!  I have eight FREE Photoshop Elements tutorial videos, with downloadable PDFs that are ready for you to use right now! 

I will be adding more packages in the Membership area every day for awhile and then weekly. I will also be adding more free things as I go along as well.

I hope you will hop over and take a peek at my new baby and let me know what you think- if nothing else, you can enjoy laughing at all my ridiculous videos (I hate making the non-tutorial ones).

Thanks for not disappearing just because I did- and PLEASE leave a comment or email me and let me know what you think of the site, and if after looking around you don't see something that is going to answer YOUR question, let me know and maybe I can add it- or it is already on my massively long to-do list!

Can't wait to hear what you think!

What do you want to know?

What do you wish you knew how to do?

Okay, I am not talking about things like writing an opera or becoming a superstar tennis player. If you are reading this then you obviously like designing, you like paper, graphics, stationery and you love making stuff- for yourself and others. So......  what do you wish you knew how to do relative to the things you LOVE to do?  

I am working on a sister site for Great Graphics that is going to have some really great things to help you to do what you love to do- which is create!

I realized I really love helping people learn how to use graphics, so MyFriendBeth.com was born. Several of the people I have helped kept saying, "I told so and so- my friend Beth taught me how". Well I guess I told my husband that a few too many times, because when I asked what a good name for my new site would be, he immediately said, "Why don't you call it My Friend Beth."  Well, I thought it was pretty cheesy at first- but THEN I realized it was PERFECT! Because, I AM your friend, I WANT you to succeed and I want to help- just like a good friend would do!

One of the things I have been working on is some photoshop elements tutorials. People use all sorts of programs to work with their graphics, there is no way for me to cover them all- scrapbooking programs, Photoshop, Corel draw and God forbid- WORD. Can I just say- Word is not a graphics program, and if you really want to do fun stuff- Word is not going to cut it.  (sorry if I offended anyone, but I am just telling you the truth- like a friend would)  

I decided to do my tutorials in Photoshop Elements because truthfully, no one needs to pay to have regular Photoshop for making things like stationery, invitations, iphone covers, etc..., it is pretty easy to learn, most of all Elements is affordable. This new version has some cool stuff that even my brand new upgraded-expensive-as-hell photoshop doesn't have. Yep, I bought Elements- I mean if I am going to teach you- I need to teach you on the right program. 

Save $50 on Photoshop Elements 10- now only $69.99. Offer code SummerElements, ends August 6.

Now if you want to learn all the cool new things I am making tutorials for- you are going to need Photoshop Elements. I decided to try to make a little deal with Adobe-ha ha (yes I had a cocktail in hand when I emailed them)  I told them I was going to be helping some of my peeps learn Elements- and was there a way for me to get them a little better price. Honestly, I didn't expect to hear from them (their support is NOT the best), but they offered to make me an affiliate! 


Now don't ask me- the math doesn't add up, because I thought that Elements normally was $99.99- which it was when I bought it 3 weeks ago- I guess their price is going up after August 6th- but anyway- they sent me that link- you can get it for $69.99 put the code SummerElements in when you check out- oh yeah, the affiliate thing- if you use my link- the one above- I get some percentage of something- one day- it looked so complicated and math is not my thing- so I have no idea how much or when- probably if 5 million people use my link they will send me 10 bucks in 20 years or something- but hey, might as well try- but MOST IMPORTANTLY- get the deal- cause you are going to need Photoshop Elements to follow the tutorials I am making.  And NO NO- you don't need Premiere Elements- that is for videos and you don't need the bundle....just PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS. 


If you get it, or already have it- here are the first 2 of my very basic Photoshop Elements tutorials that I will be releasing on my new site- let me know what you think of them, but more IMPORTANTLY, tell me what YOU want to learn to do!!!


These are VERY basic, and they go in order- and I have the PDFs to help you remember what you did to go with them-plus the first PDF tells you all about the layout and where the tools are etc... yeah,yeah, I know they are boring, but you have to start somewhere and I promise, they get more fun and you learn some cool stuff.


EMAIL ME WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW!!!!!  or leave a comment!


Here are the PDFs and the first 2 video tutorials


Intro PDF

Tools PDF     Tools Video

Files PDF   Files Video

It's Summer- I want to be a kid again!

Okay, this may be totally off the wall, but I have really been thinking about this lately. I have had a hard time getting stuff done and finally figured out that it must be because it is summer. I know I have talked to others that feel the same way, so I know it is not just me. I think it is just "in us" to revert back to childhood and remember how FUN summer was.  

Remember running through the sprinkler, playing dress up, getting to stay up later because it didn't get dark until late and you could play outside AFTER dinner. Summer has always been my favorite time of year. Even when my kids were little, I loved not being on a schedule and having to rush in the mornings to get everyone off to school-although I must say by August I was ready for school to start!

Which brings me to this- I want to be a kid again. Not in the sense that I really want to be 10 again- although there is something to be said for having no responsibility, and not worrying about paying bills, or calling the plumber, or getting your tires rotated, but in the sense that I didn't have many cares back then-at all.  I didn't care what anyone thought if I wanted to wear my tutu to play in the yard that day. I didn't care that my hair looked like crap, and I didn't feel like I needed to put on makeup just to go ....anywhere!  Putting on makeup was FUN back then- fake eyelashes, press on fake fingernails- that was all a treat!

I want to be a kid again- IN MY MIND. I want to play dress up- for fun, wear a tutu, a crazy hat, gigantic false eyelashes or my funky painted tennis shoes and not care what anyone thinks. That is hard to do- we are so programmed to look at people that do that as "crazy" or "eccentric" or "weird". Why is it that we lose our sense of play as we grow up?  Why do we care what other people think- particularly people we don't even know?  Would I go to the grocery store in a tutu- not likely- would I want to- HELL YES!!!!  Just for the fun of it. It would be fun just to laugh at the reactions. Which reminds me, most of us don't laugh as much either as we get older. I am lucky that I do laugh a lot, and married to a pretty funny man- but I mean just laughing at nothing- laughing because you are happy and having fun....simply running through the sprinkler. 

So, I am going to TRY and let my inner child come out to play more- I don't own a tutu- but I just might make one- just to wear at home- so I can laugh at how fun that is- even if no one else knows. Or put on a wig and false eyelashes and pretend I am someone else for the day- I bet she would be a lot of fun!

I am going to wear my funky tennis shoes out in public- I think they are fun and they make me happy- and I really don't care what people think about that- at least it is a first step.

What do you want to do, that would make you happy, make you laugh like you did when you were a kid, if you didn't care what anyone else thought? Tell me in the comments below- maybe we can encourage each other to let our "inner child" come out to play!

Have a great weekend- who knows- the next time you see me here I could be in a tutu!!!!

Mother's Day Family Tree Freebie

Happy Mother's Day!!!

My friend Summer, from Cheeky Lime (check it out!) came up with a great idea for a quick last minute Mother's Day gift. She asked me if I could make a tree that she could add some birds and/or names to for her mother for Mother's day. The tree above is the one she did for herself- it is adorable!


She also had another great idea, which was to offer these graphics as freebies for others to use for Mother's Day. So here they are!

As you can see on Summer's tree, she has "tweaked" the birds a bit, so feel free to have some fun with them and personalize them any way you want.


These graphics are for personal use only and you need to download them quick as the link expires on Monday. These are png images, so you can put the tree on any color background.


Here is the download link for the tree and the 2 birds.  


http://myaccount.dropsend.com/share/68ac7e630471accdfb906c8c70cb0bd4


Thank you Summer for a great idea!!  


I hope you have fun with these and have a very Happy Mother's Day!!!

Taking A Break

Stop and smell the peony!

So, everything I was trying to do- blog consistently, etc...got sidetracked because I just basically got burned out. I have been working on designs since December 2011 and with over 10,000 different designs created in a little over a year, I guess it was inevitable that I would need a break.


I was in a funk for about a week until I figured out what was going on- I wanted to do something else, I wanted to get my fingers covered in paint, I wanted to do stuff around my house, I wanted most of all to be OFF of the computer for awhile. So this week that is what I did! I stopped to smell the roses- or peony in my case- that beautiful specimen in the picture came right out of my yard!


We all need a break every now and then. No matter how much you love what you do, you need a rest from it. And I LOVE what I do- and I am not good at balancing- I pretty much work all the time, but it doesn't feel like WORK, which is why I can do it so much.  However, things got neglected around my house, things I needed to take care of- so I did and I still am. I am getting rid of stuff, repainting some walls that I decided needed to be lime green instead of taupe- yes, my husband is a very tolerant man. I am going to take pictures when I am finished of the before and after- I promise. I am going to take a little more time this week to work on some things and design some new things too, I am feeling my creative juices coming back. Maybe I will find some balance after all....nah, never in my life- I am ALL in, to whatever I am doing, but I am going to TRY!


And today I got the greatest surprise! One of my customers sent me a link to her blog where she had written all about one of the background sets she bought from me. Here is the link:


http://cheekylime.com/blog


She made some incredible designs and if you happen to have a camera- be sure and check out the camera bags on the cheeky lime website...they are awesome! I may be getting one for my sister for her birthday. I might even like one for a purse- they are so cute!


So that's it for me- I am off to eat tacos for dinner in honor of Cinco de Mayo and have a fun night with my sweet husband- who puts up with sooooo much!


Hope you all have a great rest of the weekend- and remember- take some time to smell the peonies!


xoxox

If you can't stand the heat....

Get out of the kitchen!!!

So, here is my dilemma- we have an old house, lots of character, charm and a 50 year old oven and it is neither charming or full of character. It is just UGLY, horrible and at this point pretty dangerous.

We have been searching everywhere to find a new oven- for years- the thing is - the damn thing still works!  However, we take our lives in our hands every time we turn it on.  It get so hot that you have to open it with a pot holder! Notice the bubbled paint above the oven....scaryyyyyyy

Ugliest Oven on the Planet

Now, there are a lot of things I would like to redo in our house- so it has crossed my mind now and then just to turn the oven on broil and go out for awhile, but then reality sets in and I think about all the things I would miss if the house burned down- plus, arson is just not my gig.

So here is the problem. The cabinets were built in the house, custom- to fit the stupid oven, and they were made to last a millenium. Not that I don't hate them, I do- but the thought of gutting the entire kitchen just wears me out to think about. Not to mention it took 2 years for my husband and I to agree on the new countertops when we redid them. Both of us are arty and like "different", so any type of normal countertop was out of the question. Finally, we did this:

Copper Engraving Plates Countertop

My husband owns a stationery store and I used to have a stationery/invitation manufacturing business, so when an old stationery engraving business moved from Birmingham, my husband got a bunch of their old copper engraving plates.
I laid them out all over the counters and then poured tons of epoxy over them. They look great (even though this picture doesn't look so great), and they are REALLY different, but perfect for us!

Back to the oven dilemma- The space the oven is in is just too small for ANY oven- we have looked, and because the way the cabinets are made, there is no way to enlarge the space.  

This is where I need your help. What do we do???

 Here are the options we have thought of:

1) Don't cook. Sounds pretty good to me, but not entirely practical.

2) Remove the cabinet with the oven and just replace that and get a new oven. Well, that would make me NUTS- I just don't think I can handle having ONE cabinet that is different from all the others.

3) Gut the kitchen- oh... 

4) My husband suggested taking the oven out and having a very small chef live in the space- he thinks he is SO funny....

So, I am open to any and all suggestions- would love to hear ANY kind of idea, because we can't figure it out and sometimes it takes just someone else's eye to figure out just the right thing to do...so lay it on me....and hurry, before my house burns down!!!

hope you all have a great week!!
xoxox

TRANSFORMATION

I believe in Pink!

For those of you that have been reading this for awhile, you know I have been struggling with this blog for a year- well I got a push from Laura (my last post), and from a few other blogs and websites, that helped get me off my butt and inspired to get this blog in gear.


So, my first step was to redesign my blog to make it reflect "me" a little more-more whimsy, more PINK and more FUN! I love it and it makes me happy to look at it now, so that should motivate me to write it on more often.


Now, I am going to TRY and write on my blog twice a week- I will do my best to make it fun, motivating, and interesting. I will still be helping promote my customers- because I love seeing what they do with my graphics and showing them off to you. 


And of course, I will still be announcing my sales here-for you very special people that read this!  


To celebrate my new "coming out in pink party", I am going to have a sale from the posting of the blog through Saturday, April 21st- ending at midnight. The sale is for my website only, as this saves me time from having to upload all the files, etc...and of course, YOU get your files immediately! In the coupon code box, type the word PINK, and you will get 50% off your entire order. Since I normally do buy one, get one free, I thought this would be the easiest and best way for you to get the same deal!!


So, get ready, I am on a roll!!!  I am open to any and all suggestions for things you might want to know, tutorial ideas, anything- so let me know and enjoy the sale!


and I know it's early- but have a great weekend!!!


xoxox

My Learning Curve

Help me!!! I'm drowning!!!
This is how I have felt for a long time now- any of you who have read this blog, know that I keep "trying" to do better- and keep NOT doing better- well, I was looking around on the web for some help and ran into this FABULOUS gal, Laura Simms.

Yeah, I know...she is disgustingly gorgeous, as well as smart.  She has a great blog, with wonderful videos, full of tremendously helpful information. Last week, she sent out an email asking her blog followers to send her a question you would ask her if you had 30 minutes to sit down and talk to her over coffee.


Well, today she did her blog about MY question- and on not only did I get some GREAT advice...I get a Starbucks gift card too!  My question was all about how overwhelmed I feel trying to tend to my blog and all the social media sites...she has some great tips- and I am going to implement them all! You can watch the video here:

http://createasfolk.com/how-to-manage-your-time-with-social-media-marketing/

I also bought her ebook, "Roadmap to Action".

And because I do better having something actually WRITTEN down, I printed out all the pages and the calendars that are included in her book. She has a blog calender (obviously-I haven't really used that one yet), and a daily planner, a weekly planner, and a monthly planner, where she helps you set your goals, priorities, strengths, and projects. This book helped me figure out what things were bogging me down and what things I needed to work harder on. It also helped me focus on the my strengths and give myself a little break on my weaknesses. It's a GREAT book and I recommend it to anyone with a business, particularly an online one.

I hope you watch the video, sign up for her blog- it is fantastic and has helped me so much- and maybe some of you can hold my feet the fire to make sure I stay on track on my blog!!!  

I would love to hear your ideas on what drives you nuts about social media and how you handle it.

so now...my first blog post of April....let's see how I do 

xoxo

Dr. Seuss Wisdom

"If you never did you should. These things are fun and fun is good!"

Dr. Seuss inspired birthday invitation by Pink Sky Printables

using Great Graphics Seuss backgrounds and clip art

I love Dr. Seuss and all his stories. Each of my children had their favorite Seuss book- my daughter's was "The Cat in the Hat", my middle son's was "Green Eggs and Ham" and my youngest son made me read "One Fish, Two Fish" until I thought I would cry red and blue fish tears!  

Dr. Seuss inspired birthday banner by Fete a Fete

using Great Graphics Seuss backgrounds

And you can't beat this quote, "In my world, everyone's a pony and they all eat rainbows and poop butterflies."  The man was a genius!!!

Party Cones and Cupcake Wrappers by The Polka Dot Party

I love all of his quotes- one of my favorites besides the title of this post is, "Why fit in when you were born to stand out?".  I guess I have always been like this even before I heard this quote.  With the recent release of the "The Lorax" movie and all the Seuss love, I just had to create a few sets (without infringing on any copyrighted material) so here are my Seuss inspired sets of backgrounds and clip art.

Great Graphics Seussical Digital Backgrounds

Great Graphics Red and Seuss Blue Backgrounds

Great Graphics Seussical Frames

Great Graphics Lorax inspired Digital Backgrounds and Clip Art

So go have some fun, let your inner child run free- because Dr. Seuss says, 

"If things start happening, don't worry, don't stew, just go right along and you'll start happening too."

and I will leave you with this thought from him as well, 

"You'll miss the best things if you keep yours eyes shut".

Hope you all have a great week!  xoxo

Freshly Launched!!!

It's Official!!!  I have been Freshly Launched!!!


Check out my Freshly Launched article from the gals at Launch Her.

Freshly Launched

And if you are a woman-owned business, I think it is a great idea for you to apply to be freshly launched too!  Kara and Tracy are wonderful to help out so many women to get their business name out there!  They have a great site, with tons of info and on their Facebook page on the first Monday of the month, you can post one of your items on there for their "Look at me Monday" promotion.


Thanks Kara and Tracy for making me one of your Freshly Launched gals!


Happy Weekend everybody!

Getting it together!

Well it has been exactly a month since my last blog post, so I am failing miserably so far at my attempt to do better on my blog.  BUT, I haven't been slacking off other things. I have added a ton of new digital papers and clip art to both my website and to my Etsy shop, a bunch of backgrounds that can be used for tons of things and then
these new things...


Like my fabulous NEW Shoe Clip Art!
and my new Under the Sea, seahorses, octopus, starfish and jellyfish set.
And my newest set, just posted this week- Circus, with circus digital clip art and matching digital paper backgrounds!!!

AND, I have been working on my website, I put a little more info about me, I have added a page of Praise- and oh wow, talk about getting the big head, my customers are the BEST!!!  The things people have written in praise of Great Graphics, make me feel like a QUEEN!!!  I am going to try and gets some tutorials added soon, to help people who have photoshop or photoshop elements learn how to do some things, such as changing colors, etc....

So, there you have it....I have blogged, and I have several that I have already planned out, with some fabulous new things that my customers have made and shared with me.....so stay tuned....more to come...I promise- and SOON!!!

xoxo

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's present for YOU!

For you my wonderful blog followers- a special Valentine treat! Choose ONE set- any set you want and it's yours- FREE!  Just email me the set you want and I will send it to you. My way of saying thanks and I love you for being my customer, my blog follower and in so many cases- my friend!  This offer only lasts today- I will give you until NOON tomorrow (for all my Aussie friends who might be asleep right now- you gotta love I remember this-it's because my son is still in your beautiful country and so I always know what time it is there)- just email me by noon tomorrow with your choice.

Here are a couple of new things to share from some of my newest customers

What a cool use for my polka dot papers!

Necklace from JesseJanes

My Red and Aqua papers at work!

Teacher Worksheet from Smartkindercookies

Thanks again to all my wonderful customers!!  Don't forget to email me your set choice for your Valentine present. My email is bethsgreatgraphics@gmail.com

BIG PINK HAPPY

I promised I was going to be "more myself" this year on my blog- so I want to share how totally nuts I really am. I may hate Valentines- but I LOVE PINK!

this is my BIG PINK HAPPY (the chaise) that I loll on to look through all my ideas for graphics, or just to loll- actually I never loll- but I should try it. And that is 

Zelda my little Shih-Tzu on the pink bean bag- Daisy- my westie is lolling elsewhere.

I have rearranged my studio about five times since I originally posted the pictures of it, so this is just an update and where I will be this weekend working on a bunch of new designs!

Happy Weekend!!

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day

It's that time again-Valentine's Day- UGH. Personally, I really hate Valentine's Day. I was scarred by a boy in the 6th grade and have never liked it since!  Ugly red-headed boy that I THOUGHT was MY boyfriend- and I gave him this ring with an F on it- for Frank- that was his stupid name. (can you feel the hostility-still?)  Anyway, all the boys were giving their girlfriends these dumb rings from Woolworths Department Store. Yes, this was a LONG time ago! 

I thought I would help him out a bit by giving him the ring for Valentines and then he of course could give it right back to me and we would officially be "going together".  WELL, cupid's arrow missed and as soon as I gave it to him, he turned around and gave it to another girl- RIGHT in front of me!  So needless to say, I was devastated- and have never quite gotten over being scorned by him. 

I have never allowed any of my THREE husbands to celebrate this vile "hearty" holiday- I am not much for hearts either- probably because of this. However, in the spirit of the day- I have created some Valentines sets, complete with hearts- for those of you who do celebrate it and enjoy it! 


And be sure and look at the wonderful creations by some of my customers to give you some inspiration. 

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Most of these can be used for things other than just Valentine's Day 
(thank goodness!)

all links go to my website, but they are available on my Etsy shop as well.

Great Graphics Valentine Hearts Backgrounds

Great Graphics Heart Clip Art

Great Graphics Heart Backgrounds

Great Graphics Valentine Candy Heart Clip Art

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Now here is some inspiration for you! 

 Adorable Valentine Cards for your kids by

Kate Waltman

Kate used Great Graphics Dinosaur Clip Art and Backgrounds along with some other graphics to create these fabulous Valentine Cards.

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Now this I LOVE!!! My kind of Valentine sentiment

by Michele with a single L on Etsy

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Precious T-Shirt Design by Cutie Patootie Creations

using Great Graphics Heart backgrounds, bow clip art and red ladybug clip art

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Valentine Candy Wrapper by Mirti of Pink Sky Printables

Using one of Great Graphics heart backgrounds


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So Happy Valentine's Day everybody (except YOU Frank!)

Pinterest

Pinterest is so much fun!

If you haven't heard about Pinterest or already joined- you should. It is really fun and is a great way to promote your shop or anything you do. My sister got me hooked several months ago, and when I say "hooked" I mean it!  Just get ready to spend hours looking around when you join. I think the first day, I spent nearly the entire day going from one person's boards to another. If you need an invite (which you have to have to join), just email me at bethsgreatgraphics@gmail.com

and I will be happy to send you one.

You can make your own boards- basically an online bulletin board of things you like, you can repin from what others have on their boards or when you see something out on the web you like, instead of bookmarking it, you can PIN it- and then it is right there for you to see. I have boards for things I want to do to my house-on my "When I win the lottery" board, great quotes, fashion, crafts, recipes, etc...here are some of my favorite things I have pinned.

on my "Words of Wisdom" board

this is SO true

from my friend Michele's Etsy store

and then there is this- I would so love to have some of these made!

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On my "Party On" board

what a cute idea for a birthday party,

and oh yeah, how great would some of my graphics be to make these!!!

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on my "Chilling Outside" board

I don't really see this happening, but wouldn't it be fun!!!

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from my "Great Things to Buy" board

okay, so I am terrible, but what can I say- I want this!!!

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from my "When I Win the Lottery" board

Yeah, then I can buy stuff to fill up this closet!

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I also have a "Shameless Self Promotion" board where I put some of my graphics, but Pinterest frowns on using them for only that, so I just sneak some in every now and then. 

Pinterest is great fun, a HUGE time suck, and I have as much time thinking up what I want to say in the captions as I do pinning things. If you haven't already joined, you should- it is the fastest growing site out there- so send me an email if you need an invite- and then I can start pinning some of your stuff!

Thanks again to all of you for making my first year on Etsy so wonderful! Don't forget my website has instant downloads- so you don't have to wait on me if you need your files right away!

gotta go pin some more stuff!!!