Apr 1, 2013

Just more info for former pccrafter customers

UPDATE  June 2020 - some of this information originally linked on this blog post may no longer be valid.  For those wanting to activate the Deluxe HugBug Browser on a Windows 10 computer that may no longer be an option using the info in this post. I was not able to install the Browser to my own newer Windows 10 system.

But thankfully I have always backed up my entire PC HugWare folder from older computers to External Drives. So I can always access each of my image collecions by going through that main folder by selecting PC HugWare > Collections > Images > and any of the subfolders of Black, Color, Painted or Tiff

The Painted folder has all the pcCrafter JPG format image collections I had installed originally after downloading from PCCrafter.  The Tiff folder has any of the collections released from June 1, 2006 to the end of Dec 2010 - that are in PNG transparent format that I downloaded and installed from PCCrafter. 


So as long as you have those folders available you can access and view the images and drag and drop into any photo/graphic software you want to use them in.
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Original post on this blog:


I have posted this same information on the Hugsister Community Forum -but just to keep handy on my blog for those who may visit here via a Google search - trying to find info on activating the payfor Deluxe HugBug Browser or if the pccrafter sites past content is available anywhere : I am copying and pasting the stuff I have on the Hugsister Forum here:
NOTE: AS OF OCTOBER 30 2012 - PCCRAFTER.COM is now CRICUT.COM - your past downloads are NO LONGER  AVAILABLE - the pccrafter site and content are gone!
So I have edited this information for those who may be reading it, after PC Crafter is now gone. 


Note: Provo Craft and/or Cricut.com does not and will NOT support products you once purchased from pccrafter.com, that portion of the business is gone, and any/all content once upon a time on the pccrafter.com servers is GONE!!
You no longer have the ability to download past purchases or obtain past purchases from any source. 


Hopefully everyone did take heed and Downloaded, Installed and BACKED UP EVERYTHING, in the past almost 2 yrs that all the content was still online!! ***Note: ALL TERMS OF USE, ARTIST COPYRIGHTS, etc. REMAIN IN EFFECT for ALL CONTENT PURCHASED or OBTAINED for FREE from PCCRAFTER.COM even though the company itself is no longer in Business. When you install anything you downloaded, you had to agree to the TERMS of USE before proceeding to the installation, and the Artists always retain their Copyright to the art. You only have rights for the limited usage stated on the installation screens***
if you backed up a copy of the EXE file of the payfor Deluxe HugBug Browser to a external drive and/or a flash/thumb drive etc. and you now need to re-install it... the following information MAY help you. Some gals have said that the CODES provided below in this message DID NOT Work for them. Please be sure there are NO SPACES in the line when you copy and paste them into the proper boxes of email and password. I usually copy the codes to a Word Document, and then copy and paste them from that document.

If after a few tries, the Browser does NOT Activate (some gals reported that they tried a few times and it finally worked) - then you are out of Luck. I understand your frustration, but there is nothing I can do or suggest to get back the functionality of the payfor Browser.


OK - now if you're ready to "try" re-Installing it on your computer
to Activate the Deluxe "payfor" Browser, you will need to follow the instructions that Heidi from Provo Craft has emailed to folks inquiring about Activation of the Browser

I am copying and pasting the info from the email I got from Heidi at Provo Craft in Oct 2011 :

After installing, Please right click on the hugbug browser deluxe icon on your desktop, and then click on run as administrator. Then copy and paste in the codes below to activate the browser - make sure there are no spaces when pasting just the codes in the email and password boxes.

email:m5s7uMMvHQur1TUaOiazR


password:f1PPhYqrwx9ICrwXS4GDK

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If you did download when it was available as I suggested previously - the FREE Hugbug Browser and saved the EXE file for it, - you can install that version, if you are NOT able to activate the Deluxe one. It does NOT require Activation. You can use it to View your collections, but it doesn't have a search capability or the option of holding down your shift key while dragging and dropping to your favorite editing program to remove the white from JPG graphics. Note: if you do install the Free one, you will still have to Scan For Collections, so that it can find all of your installed graphics from pccrafter, that you previously downloaded and installed.

Note: when ever you download and install any of the pccrafter files of clipart or club content etc. - it is always on your computer. You do NOT need the Browser to view it, or access it. Note: that MAC owners can NOT use the Browser as it is only a Windows application. But they certainly are able to view and enjoy using their clipart & club content collections.

The Default location for pccrafter files to install to on most computers is to C:/PC HugWare and its inside that main folder that your clipart install to

if you don't have the Browser installed they follow this path:

C:/PC HugWare/Collections/Images/ then the subfolders of Black, Color, Painted and Tiff

It's in those Subfolders that your image collections are in Alpha order.

The clipart "released" prior to June 1, 2006, have 3 different formats, a Black & White line art format (WMF)that installs to the Black folder, a Color format (WMF) - no shading that installs to the Color folder, a (JPG) format with all the shading, installs to the Painted folder.

Collections "released" beginning June 1, 2006, only include either the JPG format that installs to the Painted folder and the PNG format that installs to the TIFF folder. *I always downloaded "Both" the JPG and the PNG (no white around these images) formats of any/all collections I purchased that were released after June 1, 2006.

So if you can't get either the Free or the Payfor Browser installed to your new computer. You can still "view" any/all of your "Installed" graphics files that you download and install from pccrafter, by locating them through those images folders, by following the path to them. You would open and view just like any Pictures folders you might have.

You can download and install a Free Image Viewer - one of my favorites is the FASTSTONE Image Viewer

http://www.faststone.org
You would still need to locate the folders of Black, Color, Painted, and Tiff, but once you do, you can make those Folders "favorites" in the Faststone image viewer. Then when opening it, you can just go to your Favorites and access/view all the individual graphics collections within those subfolders. You can drag and drop from that viewer, into your favorite graphics/photo editing programs that you have.

The Faststone Image viewer has some neat features, but does not have a Search function.

Please Note: Only the payfor Deluxe Browser has the feature of removing the white surrounding JPG graphics, by holding down your computers SHIFT key and Dragging the Graphic from the Browser and "Dropping" it into your favorite Graphics software program. The one problem with that action, is that it removes any white within a graphic itself that matches the white around it. So it's not good for Snowmen, or other graphics that have lots of white inside it. Any backgrounds placed behind such graphics will show through the graphic. I much prefer to use tools in software progams I own, to remove the white around such graphics that have lots of white inside them.

If you own a software program with a Magic Wand selection tool, then all you have to do is open the JPG graphic in that program, and Select the "White" surrounding the image, and then simply press your keyboard Delete key, and the white will be gone.
Examples of software programs that have a Magic Wand/and or / Selection type tool:
Adobe's Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, Paintshop Pro by Corel, Microsoft's Digital Image (it is a discontinued program, but can be found on Ebay - it is my own personal favorite program to use) There are also FREE programs that you can download from online that also have a Magic Wand or Selection tool - Paint.net and The GIMP.
Programs such as Printshop or Printmaster by Broderbund Do NOT have a Magic Wand tool.

Note: If you own Microsoft Word - that program has a "Set Transparency" tool when you click on an Image that you have open in a document - you should see or can find the Image tools bar which has the Set transparency too - it looks like a pencil or something pointing off a bit to the left - just click on that tool, then click outside the graphic itself. You will not notice that the White is actually gone as the background of a Word Document is by Default transparent, but it shows AS WHITE. You won't notice the white is gone until you layer a background or something behind it or next to it. BUT - using that tool on a graphic that has "white" inside the graphic that matches the white surrounding it - it will remove ALL the White surrounding it and inside it, the same way that the action of holding down your SHIFT key as you Drag and Drop a graphic from the payfor Hugbug Deluxe Browser.

I hope I've helped you a bit with your issues regarding the Hugbug Browser.
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Note too - the SEARCH Limitations of the payfor Browser:
The payfor browser can only search the Black, Color and Painted folders of installed pccrafter collections. And that isn't a perfect science either.

If you only downloaded your collection in the PNG format - which are collections released after June 1, 2006 - the Browser is NOT able to Search the TIFF folder where they install to, - so none of those will be found via the Search function of the Browser. I and others always downloaded both the JPG and the PNG versions for all such collections that were released after June 1, 2006...so that at least we could find graphics in JPG format, and then when clicking on them, we could see if there was a PNG version of the collection.
BUT - there is another GLITCH in the Search System - ALL releases of even the JPG collections beginning in late November 2009 and ALL of 2010 - are NOT searchable - the folks that packaged the collections - forgot to assign keywords that would go into the database for those collections when they install to the PC HugWare folder PC Crafter never "fixed" this issue.

I have used my Windows search utility with hit and miss success for searching the folders in the Painted and Tiff folders of the PC HugWare main folder. Its better than nothing for searching the TIFF folder which has the PNG formatted graphics.
smile.gifOther thoughts for those who lost all their stuff, and didn't have a BACKUP of all their stuff.
From now on - anything you buy, download and put on your computer - Back it up - right then and there!!

And I have other external drives too, as any drive can fail, and if I have things that are Irreplaceable or that I would find hard to obtain again - then I backup those files to More than ONE External Drive or Flash/Thumb drive or to a Cloud Drive, such as Carbonite or Mozy.


My mantra is - if Its Important to You - BACK IT UP, by BACKING IT UP!
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For those who did not backup their content or have somehow now lost it on their only copy of a backup, or your external drive, or computer drive crashed, and you are hoping there is someway to get it back, - unfortunately there is NO WAY to do that, now that the company is out of business.
NO ONE CAN SHARE THEIR PCCrafter HUGWARE, It can NOT be SOLD, TRADED or UPLOADED to any FILE SHARING Site. That is ILLEGAL and a form of DIGITAL PIRACY And Artists are becoming very vigilant in persuing all infringement of their copyrights by Illegal File Sharing, Digital Piracy, and posting of Images on Freebie Websites, Blogs, and/or Pinterest etc. Everytime anyone engages in such practice it robs the artist, and hurts all of us, as many artists have given up completely on selling their art as downloadable clipart sets. Only a few past pccrafter artists have decided to stay in the game awhile longer 
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This information has been posted in other threads, but I am copying and pasting here on this thread as well just as an FYI

*Other* FREE IMAGE VIEWERS / BROWSERS

Free Image Viewers - for viewing any / all your graphics & photos etc. collections

one of the most popular is FASTSTONE
http://www.faststone.org
also I have downloaded and installed these others


Irfanview
http://www.irfanview.com

Related to Read:

5 Best Free Windows Photo Viewer Alternatives For Windows 10   https://www.itechtics.com/5-best-free-windows-photo-viewer-alternatives-windows-10/

and another site with opinions/reviews on Free Image Viewers
Best Free Digital Image Viewers
www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-digital-image-viewer.htm
Please NOTE:
Each of these "other" image viewers/browsers, have their own features and neat things you can do with them, but none have the same features that the payfor Hugbug Browser has. **in the computer help forum here on the hugsister forums, I have made my own comments about the limitations and good things about the payfor browser, and I have also suggested that everyone who owns and has installed pccrafter collections to at least download while it is still available - the Free Browser from the pccrafter website - SORRY, the pccrafter as of Oct 30 2012 is gone, and all of its previous content with it, if you didn't download the Free Browser, when it was available, you are out of luck 

But if you did download the free one and have it on your computer, you can now click on it and install it:
In the event that people can NOT activate an installation of the payfor Browser on a new computer - then they could still utilize the FREE Browser - it Does NOT require any ACTIVATION Process. It just installs on your computer, you would still need to Scan for Collections once you install the free browser, but it will find your installed stuff and set up a path to them and your installed pccrafter collections would all be viewable via the Free Browser.
Even if you currently have the payfor Browser installed and working on your computer, I still suggest you download the Free one and store it on your computer and also back up a copy of the EXE file of it - you don't need to install it.
But if in the future, you attempt to install the payfor Browser on a new computer and are unable to Activate it, you will at least be able to install using that EXE file of the free Browser (that you backed up to a external drive or thumb/flash drive) - and then Scan for Collections of your "Installed" pccrafter collections - and utilize the free one for viewing them. It does NOT require Activation
The free browser is no longer available online, so if you didn't get it when I suggested you do or are reading this thread for the first time, the pccrafter.com content is no longer online. Everything is GONE

REMEMBER: Backup your Entire PC HugWare folder to an External Drive and/or an online site such as Carbonite.com or Mozy.com. By backing up your Complete and entire PC HugWare folder - you will find it much easier to copy over that folder to a new computer. It is the default location on your computer that pccrafter files install to. So all of your "Installed" collections, and associated data and subfolders are in that main PC HugWare folder.

I use several external drives for backing up my computer files. I also use Thumb/Flash drives for backing up specific files or folders such as my PC HugWare folder, and collections like those I have bought from DAISIE Company, NitWit Collections etc. I also back up to thumb/flash drives My Windows FONTS folder. It makes it very easy for me to then Install fonts from that backed up folder to any new computers.
 

BTW - my favorite program to use is the discontinued software program Microsoft's Digital Image
It can still be found on Ebay. But since it is no longer supported by Microsoft, you may have to consider other programs out there. The most popular amongst digital scrapbookers is Adobe's Photoshop Elements. There are a ton of tutorials online for that program.

Note: I have installed my Microsoft Digital Image software program on my computer running Windows 7 / 64bit and it runs just fine (and also on a Windows 8 / 64bit laptop). The version I am running is Digital Image Suite 2006. The last version produced by Microsoft was produced in late 2006 and named Anniversary edition. So if you are thinking about buying this program off of Ebay, purchase either the DIS 2006, or the Anniversary edition, or Digital Image Pro 10. Any version that has the word "Suite" in it, only means that, that version comes with an additional component call the Library. But the editing portion is the same in all editions. From the earlier DIP 10 up to the Anniversary edition, there are not many upgrades or additional options that make that much of a difference in them. So it would be your own choice as to which you choose to purchase.


UPDATE 2020  - I was unable to Install my older Microsoft Digital Image Suite on my Windows 10 computer - some people have ways to do it, but none so far have worked for me.  But I still have a Windows 8 and Windows 7 laptops with the program installed.  

Mar 17, 2013

Former PCCrafter artists still selling clipart

As of March 2013 ( and also as of March 2015) the following former pccrafter artists are selling digital clip art sets for downloading:

UPDATE: at DaisieCompany, as of 2015
 http://www.daisiecompany.com/index.php
Gina Jane is the main artist who creates and designs new art, and printables, as well as sells some of her art that was at one time sold on pccrafter.com
But wait...another update as of summer 2015 "Shelly Comiskey" has her formerly sold at Daisie Company Kits available once again!! Yea!!!! Note there are no new kits that Shelly has made in 2014 or 2015, but if you've never checked out what she does have, go see and if you love it, buy it now, when its available....cause ya never know when it will disappear again.
Happy Shopping
http://www.daisiecompany.com/shelly-comiskey-c483.php 


UPDATE July 2015> Aimee Asher will CLOSE on July 31, 2015 


On Etsy.com
Laurie Furnell
http://www.etsy.com/shop/lauriefurnelldesigns ***Laurie also sometimes sells art/printables via her Etsy store that are actually drawn and produced by her sister Libby Merk - they have similar styles. Libby sells her clip art and Printables under the name of Doodle Bee
Libby is "Doodle Bee" Art Studio and Laurie may refer to herself as Doodle Bug / or Doodle Heart


Tammy DeYoung on Etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/songinmyheart

Please note : some artists are repackaging some - NOT ALL - former pccrafter sets and selling on these new sites (to them) or are only producing new sets. Before purchasing a set - if it looks familiar, check your own pcccrafter collections first. Some artists will create some new pieces that coordinate with their old pccrafter sets, that may make it worth it to you to purchase the newer/repackaged set, just to get the additional art.

The majority of former pccrafter artists have chosen to get out of the downloadable clipart side of the business, due to issues of Digital Piracy, Illegal file sharing, and disregard ofT erms of Use. It is important to note that any/all clipart downloaded to your computers from pccrafter & installed - still retain all terms of use agreements and the artists still retain their copyright to them. Your purchases will always have to adhere to the usage agreements and copyrights - regardless of whether pccrafter is in business or if the artist no longer sells downloadable clipart.

There are a lot of pirated images that can be found online by former pccrafter artists and it is something they are fighting everyday..  For some it makes their wanting to provide us "clipart junkies", their artwork, very difficult. The select few that I mention above that have decided to continue to offer their art via downloadable sets should not only be supported in their efforts, but we should all respect and honor their copyrights and terms of use.

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Jan 15, 2013

home again, home again


Back home after staying at my daughters since Christmas Eve 
(and breaking my wrist,
going out to get the mail and slipping on wet grass)
This was the sky as the sun was setting my first night home.


Still adjusting to living with my broken wrist and cast, but so far the
views out my window are distracting me and I

find them relaxing and soothing :)

The evergreen arrangement I got from my Indianapolis daughter 
in early December
 still looks good too.
When I sit at table to eat - the evergreen scent is very nice

Dec 21, 2012

Jesus Loves Me This I know..

For the Bible Tells Me So.
May God Wrap His Loving Arms around Each and Every Person  affected by this tragedy.

Dec 17, 2012

Nov 2, 2012

PCCrafter is GONE GONE GONE

I had mentioned in previous posts about the state of pccrafter ( http://chocolateonthekeyboard.blogspot.com/2011/12/tis-sad-day-comingpc-crafter-is-closing.html )  and its closing. But this week it became official. Now if you click on ANY bookmarks or links you and or "I" may have included in blog posts or webpages I have made - that were linked to pccrafter  - the link will take you to an error page, and/or provocraft.com.   

So if you didn't download ALL of your purchased downloadable content, in the past almost 2 yrs we've known the place was closing down, you have now lost that ability.

Please make sure that if you do have pccrafter collections installed on your computer that you BACK THEM UP!!!  You can use an external drive, a thumb drive - which can be bought in 8gig to 64gigs worth of storage capability.  I always back up my graphics collections to multiple locations. I use portable external drives to back up my computers : documents, photos, graphics, music and video.
I like using thumb or flash drives (usually 16 or 32 gigabyte size) to store or backup/copy to - entire specific collections:

I save my entire PC HugWare folder - to a thumbdrive (since I have over 18gigs worth - I use a 32 gig thumb/flash drive for that)  - the PC HugWare folder contains all of my "INSTALLED" collections. So when I need to copy to a new computer, I just copy over that entire folder.  I also save other large specific collections I might buy from certain places online, such as DAISIE Company, or NitWit Collections etc.  I've invested a lot of money in clipart I've bought from those sites, so its important to me to back them up. But remember any drive can fail, your computers hard drive, an external drive, thumb/flash drives etc are all vulnerable to failure. So if something is important, irreplaceable, or that you would be heart broken to lose - back it up to more than one place.

I also use the ClickFree.com C6 model external drive to back up my "entire" computer. The C6 model backs up not only all the usual stuff, but also my Software Programs that are installed, and my computers operating system. (Currently all of my computers are running Windows 7) 

You can also use Online Backup Storage sites such as Carbonite or Mozy

Sites such as Carbonite and Mozy would be most valuable to those who fear a disaster - where your home is destroyed and your computers with it, (sadly what many are going through now after Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast of the USA), or if your computer is stolen. Having your computers, documents, photos, graphics, music and video in "Cloud" storage, could be worth its weight in gold.

PCCrafter at one time in their 10+yr run on the internet truly was the best source of downloadable Clipart.  Their artists, and the varied styles offered to us through the years was amazing.  I personally own over 600 complete clipart sets, called Creatables, and Scrapables, Cardables. and then I have several months worth of the Monthly HugClub content - which included Paper Dolls,  scrapbook/card toppers, home helper sets - which had blank calendars, recipe cards, note paper etc.

A very select few artists that once upon a time sold their art in downloadable form at pccrafter - do continue to sell their artwork online.

Laurie Furnell sells at Etsy and at Aimee Asher.com
Tammy DeYoung sells at Aimee Asher.com
Joy Hall sells at Aimee Asher.com
Tammy Sherman sells at Aimee Asher.com

Gina Jane (Johnson) sells at DAISIE Company,com
Shelly Comiskey sells at DAISIE Company.com

Check my side bar listing of Clipart & Printables resources (under the "freebies" listing) to find websites that sell downloadable clipart.


Oct 27, 2012

from the inside looking out ;-)

When the sun comes pouring in the kitchen window every morning, I feel blessed to begin a new day.

Oct 23, 2012

Outside my window

This morning the pond was very busy with Egrets, and Turkey vultures - here's just a 4 image collage-sampling of the 100+ photos I took

Oct 14, 2012

This day in History Oct 14, 1947

Oct 14 1947 Chuck Yeager breaks sound barrier


**The Quest for Mach One is available online or probably at your public library** 

My Uncle Jack was part of that historical day. I only had one Uncle and one Aunt. My mom was an only child, and my dad had just one sister. She married a handsome young man Jack Russell in 1941. Uncle Jack and his brother with only their high school diploma's from Buffalo, NY's Burgard Vocational High School, started working for Bell Aircraft in Buffalo. Soon my Uncle was off to California to work on projects at Edwards Air Force Base. 

He later had my Aunt come out from Buffalo with 3 other wives, they drove from Buffalo, after getting as many gas ration coupons they could gather up for the trip out west.  My Aunt described the living conditions and the sparse desert area that would become their home as dismal and lonely, but she was determined to make the best of their lives and opportunities. They first lived in railroad Boxcars!! Then 3 couples eventually rented a 3 bedroom home.  My Uncle worked as part of the team that was working on then "secret" projects. He ended up at the young age of 26 being the Crew Chief for test pilot Chuck Yeager.  On that Oct 14th day - my uncle was on the B29 aircraft that launched the X1.
He had a tiny part in the movie The Right Stuff. In the first few minutes of the movie, where the character (actor Sam Shepard) that plays Chuck Yeager - hurts his ribs, his friend Jack Ridley needs to use a portion of a broom stick to fashion a handle that Chuck can use to close the hatch after climbing in the X1. My Uncle plays the janitor, Jack Ridley walks up to him and says "Mr Russell can I borrow your broom". My Uncle didn't have any lines (that ended up in the movie), but he and Chuck Yeager were consultants on the movie set.
 My Aunt and Uncle met most of the "real" astronauts that trained at Edwards. Oh the stories my Aunt has in her memory banks of those years when Jack was working at Edwards for NASA.

The following Excerpt is quoted from this page
Yeager flies the X-1A
Chuck Yeager first flew the X-1A on November 21st 1953, the flight was perfect and Yeager flew on out to Mach 1.3 at 45,000 feet. The airplane flew beatifully and exactly like the X-1 and Yeager felt right at home.
Two more flights on December 2nd and December 8th produced speeds of Mach 1.5 & Mach 1.9. Yeager had told his crew chief, Jack Russell, "Hey, you sumbitch, if I get a fire warning light, I'm gonna strap you in my lap on the next ride and let you deal with it." Russell and the rest of his ground crew knew Chuck's neck was on the line and kept the rocket chambers so clean that they were germ-free!
Here's a >> link << to a photo of Jack in the Rocket Shop from 1956 from NASA's gallery

In later years, Jack and Chuck Yeager helped with the delivery and installation of the X1 in the Smithsonian Museum.  
My Uncle worked at Edwards Air Force Base, for many years and when he retired they gave him a portion of the engine of the X-15. 
In Buffalo NY, my Uncle was given the honor of being inducted into the Buffalo NY Air Museum Hall of Fame. http://wnyaerospace.org/

See too http://buffaloah.com/h/aero/bell/index.html

Uncle Jack passed away in 1996 - I really miss him. For only having one Uncle - I certainly had a most wonderful and interesting one.
My Aunt who is now 93 still lives in the home they bought 45 yrs ago. On a trip to California with my sister Carol in 2008, she took us to the small town where the test pilots lived in the 1940's and she and my Uncle had  their first home nearby. The area Willow Springs is almost like a ghost town now, and the family that "owns the town" hopes someday to make it a tourist attraction or something along those lines. She told us stories that I only wish I had "taped" and/or kept a diary of. But I'm sure I'd have to keep them secret.  Those test pilots partied like Rock Stars!!

related youtube videos about breaking the sound barrier
Movie The Right Stuff excerpt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uXoQ7cIDXg&feature=related
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Congratulations to Felix Baumgartner on his Accomplishment today Oct 14, 2012  (65 yrs later) - of skydiving from an altitude of 24 miles above the earth - in his own quest to be the first "human being" to actually break the sound barrier in a free fall to the earth.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/14/felix-baumgartner-jump-redbull-skydive_n_1965299.html

Oct 12, 2012

Hugsister Messageboard Contest thread Oct 13th

October 13th on the Hugsister messageboard in the Over theFence  forum community – I am posting a thread, where if you make “one” comment (you only are allowed “one” comment, on this particular thread) – then you might be chosen to win a Serif Software CD that contains 5 software programs. I got the CD with a recent printer purchase but already have similar or the same programs on my computers.

The rules for entry are that when you comment, it must be about what’s going on in your life, tell us about a craft project you’re working on, if you haven’t ever posted or haven’t in awhile, tell us why and or if we can do things differently on the message boards to make them more welcoming etc. If you’re a regular who posts all the time I welcome your input and tell us something we may not know about you, etc.  You only get to comment on this one thread, once, BUT you can comment on any other threads, you can start threads of your own etc.

What I’m hoping my little one day thread will do, is entice enough hugsisters to at least COME ON OVER to the Messageboards, and look around, visit the other subforums that we have, read through them, see what’s going on in those other forums etc. etc. And or contribute to those other forums with new posts of your own. 

If we can get more than 32 out of the 1000+ who have registered on the Hugsister Messageboard since its inception in Dec 2010,  - in a 15 minute time window – then we will finally break the record: Most users ever online was 32 on Jul 28 2011, 07:43 PM

The messageboard counts all registered visitors on the entire message board, not just in individual forums, and it counts in 15 minute increments. So within any 15 minute increment on the 24 hours of Oct 13th – the goal is to have more than 32 looking around the place at the same time.  My one thread is only a small “incentive” or drawing card, that I’m hoping will bring about a bit more activity.  Plus my thread is also meant to be an encouragement for newbies, oldies, and those who just read and run..to read a bit about us, catch up with us and our lives – all in one thread. Kinda like a Sketti night with the theme being, with just one post/comment on one thread – tell us what’s going on in your life, share a craft tip, a photo, a recipe, - just make the post something of “substance”.

At  11:59pm Eastern USA time, on Oct 13 – I will draw a name from all those that commented, and then when I get their mailing address, I will send them the software CD to do what ever they want with.

If gals continue to comment on that one thread after the drawing, they are most welcome to do that, but the contest or entry period for the cd will be for only those comments posted, from midnight 12am Oct 13 – East Coast USA time to 11:59pm East Coast USA time Oct 13.

Details:
On October 13th a No Tricks ~ just a one Treat Drawing.
Any one that posts "one" post/comment to the tread that will be started at Midnight 12am Eastern Time, Sat Oct 13 will be entered into a drawing for the Serif Complete Arts & Crafts Creativity Suite DVD, that I got included with a recent printer purchase. I have no need for this CD, so thought it would make for a fun giveaway. Plus we'll see how many Hugsisters we can get to post on one "particular" thread over the course of one day.
The rules for entry: You must post One Comment on this single thread which will have in the Subject line
No Tricks, just a Treat CD Giveaway
In your comment you must tell us what you've been up to lately or how you're doing in life, and/OR give us a craft tip, tell us about crafts you're working on etc. (post pictures if you can or want to)
Please don't ask questions on the thread, and please don't just post saying you'd like to enter for a chance. And don't post saying thank you for offering the giveaway but that you don't want to enter, and just wanted to post a comment. Remember even if YOU personally do NOT want to win this, you could use it as a Gift/Giveaway yourself, put it in some ones stocking or a greeting card. Only one entry allowed per registered HugSister on the thread - so say as much or as little as you want to in that one comment.

At 11:59pm - October 13th, eastern USA time, I will draw a random number from all the qualifying posts to the thread and that person will receive the Arts and Crafts software programs DVD. I will mail it out to them after receiving their mailing address information.

Serif Complete Arts & Crafts Creativity Suite all programs on one DVD **Please note: this is compatible for Windows 7, Vista and XP users, but if you are a MAC user, you can always give it as a Gift to your Windows friends wink.gif **  
NOTE : THIS DVD CAN NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE!!!!  I'm trusting that the winner will accept this as a personal use only & gift, from me.
user posted image
The following "complete" programs are on the DVD

Craft Artist Greeting Cards: http://www.serif.com/AllProducts/Software/...eetingCards.htm

Digital Scrapbook Artist 2 : **no longer available at Serif website http://www.amazon.com/Serif-Digital-Scrapb...2/dp/B00355R03W

Page Plus Essentials: http://www.serif.com/pageplus/essentials.aspx

PhotoPlus Essentials: http://www.serif.com/photoplus/essentials/
this is NOT the latest version that Serif has out now - this is description stated on the CD
"PhotoPlus Essentials is the fast and user-friendly photo editor that makes printing and uploading pictures as simple as can be. Ideal for photo enthusiasts who want to be able to organize their image collections as well as add stunning creative effects, with PhotoPlus Essentials, photo editing has never been so easy."

Scan Stitch and Share http://www.serif.com/scanstitchshare/
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FYI
Serif Support & Community http://www.serif.com/Support/
If you need help, you have come to the right place. Whatever the question, chances are you’ll find the answer within these pages. Everything from help with your Serif software to managing your Serif account to accessing the Serif community forums – it’s all covered.

Free Downloads: http://www.serif.com/FreeDownloads/ If you don't win this Arts & Crafts Creativity Suite, you can still download and have some fun with the Free programs that Serif has available.

Serif main page: http://www.serif.com/

Serif Blog: http://www.serif.com/blog/

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If you are unfamiliar with the Hugsister Community / Messageboard here is some background information:
The messageboard was born Dec 19th 2010, when a generous hugsister Lynne, a.k.a. Blondemoments saw a need for each of us to stay connected.

 We had for the most part all been registered members of the pcCrafter.com messageboard community. PC Crafter.com was a website (its still online but doesn't sell anything, any longer) that sold the most amazing Clipart sets, done by the some of the most talented artists you'd ever want to have something of theirs in your clipart stash.  pcCrafter.com came online in about 2000, they sold clipart CDs in some stores, but they wanted to expand, and start selling Downloadable clipart sets - they called their 30piece clipart sets "Creatables" - for all the things your could Create with the clipart.  Then they started a monthly Club - called the HUG CLUB. For one low price each month, you would receive 2 - 30 piece clipart sets, plus a bunch of other goodies, such as printable paper doll sets, candy bar wrappers, home helpers - which were blank calendars (done with clipart), lists, recipe cards, etc. Toppers for scrapbook pages or cards etc.  and a mid-month snack consisting of 5 extra graphics that went with the "main" 30 piece clipart set of the month (they had a main 30 piece set and a 2nd bonus - 30 piece set) The 2 - 30 piece sets were eventually put up for sale to the general public at a later date. But those 5 extra graphics, and all the other CLUB content never was offered to the public (it was only available to monthly club members). 
Then every Thursday (up until Dec 2009) pccrafter released 2 completely new 30 piece clipart sets to the public. And throughout the year they offered different sets, Scrapables, Cardables, etc.  Life for a Graphicoholic didn't get much better.  And over on the pccrafter Messageboard - gals began to become friends, and have long running threads and conversations - about everything and anything. And of course we talked a lot about what we did with the graphics, and how much we looked forward to the NEW stuff coming out weekly and in the CLUB.   Hugsisters come from all walks of life, and from around the world.  Some have had meet ups, and its always a thrill to meet in person, folks you've only known via the internet. We've shared our lives, our joys, our sorrows, our problems etc.  PCCrafter stopped releasing new sets on Thursdays in Jan 2010, and only had the Club offerings, but they gave members "3" 30 piece clipart sets, plus all the regular Club content. The 3 - 30 piece sets were eventually put in the store for the public to buy. But in Jan 2011, any new clipart releases and/or club content ceased. The store remained viable for a few months, but eventually the shopping cart no longer functioned. The Messageboard was taken down from the pccrafter servers in April 2011.  So when we could see the handwriting on the cyberwalls that pccrafter.com was going to be no more...Lynne stepped to the plate and found a free online host invisionfree.com and created a New Meeting place for Hugsisters.  Its taken awhile to catch on, but we do have currently 1000+ registered.  Nothing can ever be like pccrafter's messageboard community. PC Crafter and the Clipart sold, the array of artists and various styles etc. was just awesome. But in the last few yrs of the pcc messageboard's life...things really had slowed down. Hugsisters moved on, grew bored of the community and/or even angry/hurt over some posts/threads etc. Many hugsisters found Facebook to be a good alternative to staying connected.  And on Facebook there is a group just for pccrafter messageboard Alumni.  **I belong to both the Hugsister Message Board and also the pcc Alumni group. (to join the Facebook group, you have to be of course on facebook, and be a friend of one of the pcc alumni group members, and then they can "add" you to the closed group)

Want to learn more about Hugsisters and our online messageboard:
Here is  the Hugsister Community forums registration information and some of the neighborhoods in the community
Here is the info you need to register over at the New Hugsister forum -
 the link to the registration page for the new hugsister forums:
you will receive an email back after registering and then should be good to go 

The "main chat" area is called "Over the Fence"
Other forums of interest
Welcome introduce yourself after registering

Crafter's Marketplace

A place to post what you'd like to buy from a Hugsister, and Items a Hugsister is selling


Over the Fence

General Chit Chat - where we hang out.

What's Cooking?
share your favorite recipes

The Craft Room

What are you working on? What do you want to share?


The Craft Room ARCHIVES

Here is where you will find all those great projects previously created by our members


Crafty Links

Crafty ideas and projects from the web


Photo Album

Got a picture to share?

Hugs and Prayers Needed
Need a hug? Need a Prayer? Thats what Hugsisters do.


Yard Sale

Everyone loves a Yard Sale - got stuff to sell? Post here but please remove when it is gone.


Computer Help

Questions and answers to your computer problems


The Toy Box

What new crafting toys do you have or ideas for the toys?


Shout outs

Need to shout out a birthday, anniversary, or special something. This is the place.


Swap Meet!!!


Scrapbooking


Sewing/Quilting/Plastic Canvas and other Needle Arts
 
Steals and Deals
Check "Everyday" to see whats dealing today

Freebies, Craft coupons, restaurant deals, etc..


Our Daily Clicks
Health Forum
A place to share good information


Helpful Sites and Links - Keeper's Forum

a place to find links that we remembered seeing in posts but could no longer find
I hope you'll come by the place on Oct 13th and if you want, take a chance to win the Software DVD, and also read the many threads on the messageboard, and a long the way, get to know some of us a bit better.
Hugs, Mary a.k.a. LibMary 

Aug 31, 2012

Not loving Pinterest much these days

Over at the pccAlumni Facebook (for pcCrafter Hugsisters) page, there are a bunch of recent posts and links to Pinterest Boards that are "pinning" copyrighted images by many many of our Favorite former pcc artists, such as Laurie Furnell, Shelly Comiskey, Carolee Jones, and on and on. Annie Lang and several other artists aren't spared either.

There are also plenty of Boards that PIN digital stamps or black and white line art that is copyrighted by my favorite artists.

Many of us are posting comments on the Pins found on the BOARDS we find with these graphics or digital stamps pinned. But it would keep any/all of us busy 24/7 to keep up with the rampant digital piracy and illegal file sharing that is out there. Not just on Pinterest but at other sites as well such as Picasa, and Photobucket too - way too many to constantly find and then try to contact the artist themselves - hoping they can take action. Artists want to spend their time Creating not chasing down these types of Boards or websites or file sharing sites etc. Some of the FREE DIgi Sites I share on this blog may have in the past or currently be sharing illegal images, I don't visit them all every day, but I'm hopeful that the majority are doing things legally.

And as soon as one or more images or complete graphics sets are removed from Pinterest, or Blogs and Websites, I and others come across MORE!!!

Pinterest just happens to make this type of thing "EASY" to do. And most gals who PIN and Re-Pin these "darling, and cute" clipart images, haven't the foggiest idea that they are doing anything wrong. After all, they see the IMAGES everywhere on Pinterest or Online - and they think if its FREE for the Snagging & Downloading, its FREE for the Sharing. And most offenders will not have a clue where the "Original" image came from. Even ones that the pin says was "user uploaded" - might be by someone who snagged the image from another place Online, saved it to their computer and then uploaded to their PINTEREST pages for all to ENJOY

The really bad folks are the ones that DO KNOW who owns the Copyright to these image and what they are doing is ILLEGAL and against the Terms of Use from the websites they either bought them from or found for FREE online at legitimate Free image sites (but that the owners specify - for PERSONAL USE Only and that they aren't to be Shared or "PINNED" without the orginal website owners permission) or were illegally shared the images from a friend or website they trusted.

Back in the day when PCCrafter was selling clipart sets (Creatables) and had their monthly HugClub offerings - there were actual "Groups" formed, where gals each chipped in a little bit (maybe a dollar or less) of money each month, and one person would buy Graphics sets or the Monthly Club content - and then Share their information with the *Group* and each of the group would go in and grab everything!!! OR they would upload their bounty in zipped files to an online file sharing sites like 4shared and then share that link. Its still going on today with other sites that sell clipart sets now. I find digital scrapbook freebie sites with entire or partial kits by former pccrafter artists offered online almost weekly. Many of these sites are owned by gals in foreign countries, who don't think that our US copyright laws or any copyright laws or terms of use "apply" to them. They just want to be "liked" by being so generous in giving away stuff.

I came across a Blog last week, created by a very nice lady who lives in the mid-west USA, who was giving away "digital scrapbook layout" pages for others to download. But most of the pages she made and offered for free download, used clipart from pccrafter or other sites, that don't allow for such usage. I was going to email her, but thought - I'm tired of being a monitor or catcher & notifier of these types of goings on. And really, the images themselves on the layouts, would be difficult for anyone to separate them from the backgrounds and do anything with. And I have no idea if this woman, got those images online for free or if she bought them online and just feels she can do what she wants with them, all in the spirit of being "nice" to others. And she thinks she is just using her talents and creativity in her spare time to freely share with her visitors to her blog.
It's just that pccrafter and/or their former artists - DO NOT allow in their terms of use, for templates or their clipart copyrighted images to be used in creating such items as digital layouts for others to just put their photos in, shared for free or for a price, in any way ONLINE, period!!

On Pinterest, I have found wonderful ideas, creativity and just about any topic/theme, I might be interested in, shared on created Boards. I FOLLOW quite a few Boards - (but I personally do NOT create any Boards of my Own)...so I know it has its GOOD SIDE and good Intentions of most of its users. But it really has left a sour taste in my mouth when it comes to Clip art *pin* filled Boards and/or on any Pinterest Boards that don't give credit to the Original sources of *each* of their PINS.

I also want to admit that I personally have in the past been cited myself for posting something I shouldn't have or did not have permission to. I was notified by the either Google or website owners etc. and asked to remove my posts or links or images etc. So I'm not all goody two shoes myself. I didn't do things deliberately . There used to be a service, its probably still around that allowed you to "share it" - and so I would, but I didn't always choose wisely on what I shared. Some websites were appalled that such a service existed and was allowing anything from their websites or blogs to be "shared" just by pressing the button on our internet tool bars and then the item was automatically shared on my blog. And I am not talking about websites that have their own "share it", "like it", "pin it"and every other type of sharing buttons that are available to blog and website owners that they place themselves on their sites, so that they can spread the word about their site or business. I was using a 3rd party utility that put a button in my tool bar, and I could share anything I wanted easily and it would come through on my blog, without me seeing if the website owner allowed such sharing of website content, posts, or if images were watermarked or gave credit to original posters of the images etc.

I just wasn't doing things the right way and should have known better and should have absolutely asked first a website owner, before "I Shared" a post or link or image. And I'm sure there are plenty of "me's" out there too, who aren't trying to do things the wrong way - but we need to shape up, and pin / post / fly right/write!

Ok I'm now off my digital soapbox. Happier posts coming soon :-)

Jul 3, 2012

Happy Chocolate Wafer Day

Personally I LOVE Chocolate Wafer Cookies...and have no problem with "Celebrating" http://nycfooddays.wordpress.com/2012/07/03/july-3-national-chocolate-wafer-day/

May 23, 2012

growing old, but having fun too

My "May" Birthday was wonderful...it's been truly a Happy Everything Month


Apr 5, 2012

I'll never be a featured Blogger

But I absolutely enjoy visiting others' Blogs, and discovering new ones daily.

Just read the latest issue of The Casual Blogger Magazine
http://www.casualbloggermagazine.com/2012/02/spring-2012-issue.html

Formerly it was known as "The Barrel of Blogs"
so scroll down the page and read past issues of this online ezine.
http://www.casualbloggermagazine.com/

Happy Easter everyone :-)


For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVES in him should not perish, but have Everlasting LIFE. John 3:16
King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)