Thanks for the plug, Bill.  Your finished book is a real treasure -- it is great to see it "come alive" in the interactive form.

Bill, your book turned out beautiful! I need to spend more time reading these forums because I was missing out on the process as you went through it. The family history that you preserved in this gorgeous medium is priceless. You have outdone yourself. I think.

Thank you for sharing your creative journey with us! 

Mary 

What's amazing to me is how wonderful it is to be able to share art like this with my online friends like you.  Many family members just don't understand why we artistic people would want to create whatever it is we create.  I've done a real collage for each copy of my zine I'm making for the zine swap I'm hosting, and one of my daughter-in-laws asked, "Is that it?  What do you do with it?"  It reminded me of my father's attitude the whole time I was growing up.  Here in Artellaland, we all understand each other, and it is wonderful!  Thank you so much for sharing your support!

Bill   

What a wonderful accomplishment! Your book is lovely, Bill!

Pat 

OK, should have read more messages before I posted.. so you DO use Photoshop or whatever software  and the purchase includes

the uploaded "book" later.. how cool is that!  Wendy

Hi Wendy,

I use both Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro.  You mentioned Paint Shop Pro in your other post.  Paint Shop Pro is an excellent program, and much cheaper!  In fact, it does some things much easier than Photoshop, and for someone interested in doing scrapbooking like you mentioned, it should be all that you need.  Learning the programs can be a little daunting, but if you just have fun with it, and not worry about the results for a while, you will be amazed at how much you learn.  If you have any specific questions, please let me know, and I will do my best to answer them.

By the way, it is the Flash program that allows you to turn the pages.  Flash is another excellent program to learn if you want to have some real exciting content on your web pages.  Of course, you have to really want to get into learning computer stuff if you want to learn Flash.  I think the correct term would be "computer geek!"  If someone calls me that, I take it as a complement!

If you look in the Artella Shops, Zura, a wonderful member of Artellaland, has a digital art e-book for sale that you might like.  Zura does some beautiful digital collages.  Many of them have been in the Artella zine, and she is very talented.     I bet with some practice, your work will be great, too!  Just start out simple, and keep on going.

Somebody . . . anybody.....puhleese slap my fingers and tell me to get to artmaking on the digital e-book I ordered.  I ordered "Alice for Short"  a few days ago so now I need to make the time to have some fun!  Anybody else receive a digital e-book lately?  I know Bill's and Aunt Bobby's book turned out awesome. 

- chameleon

LOL, chameleon, I ordered 2 digital books and a few of the embellishment sets after seeing the beauties already created. I have yet to start on mine, so.....let's do it! I'll race ya! Vroooom...

Oh oh.  You're going to hate me!  I sent my third one in to be set up in the Flash program, and am waiting anxiously for it to be ready.  This one is very different from the first two I've done.  It's a children's story I wrote, and I put it in the "Hilltop" book.  I really hope you'll like what I did with this one.  I combined pictures that were already in the book with pictures I did myself.

Now all I have to say, chameleon, is, GET BUSY AND DO YOURS!    I loved seeing Aunt Bobby's, and want to see what everyone else does with the books.  No matter what you do, I'm sure it will be great.  Once you get started, you won't want to stop.  The best part to me is, it isn't like you can do anything wrong with them.  I have a terrible time worrying that anything I do isn't good enough, but with digital art, you can keep changing it until you do something you like.  The wonderful part about having so many "Artellaland" friends is, everyone appreciates whatever art we come up with.  Like Karen Caterson keeps telling people in her website, we're all a bunch of square peg people in a round hole world, so it's great to have found each other!

C'mon, Mary, we want to see one from you, too.       

OK, my artistic arm has been twisted, Bill and Mary!  As my mother would say, "You're a going concern, Bill!"  It is very inspiring to see your books online and can hardly wait for the next one - especially that it's your very own story.  Wow, I'm impressed!  Are we going to get a sneak preview?    Even using Photoshop, sometimes I feel it's not quite "good enough" - must be an artist thing - or at least it's a chameleon thing.  Let's get cookin' with our books, people!

- chameleon

nothing has made me happier than seeing what Bill and Bobby did with their digital altered books!  So chameleon and mary...I am so excited to see what you'll come up with!  Just give it a try -- and PLAY, that is what is all about!!!

Better than a sneak peek, it's ready!  I hope you like it. 

http://www.artellaland.com/DigAltBook/Gallery/wjc_Hilltop/start.html

I'm really anxious to see what you do now. 

It's obvious you have a very good imagination, Bill.  Your story was captivating from beginning to end with the emotional conflict of the main voice very evident: where was that mouse, where did he go, could he have been eaten by the cat? The three were friends - the speaker, Daniel, and Mike yet Mike is gone, he's lost, where is he?  Yes, "I'm Missing a Mouse" grabbed my attention and I equally liked how you integrated the pages with imagery that was in place with your own creations.  Great job, Bill, and thanks so much for sharing. 

- chameleon

Yea, Bill!  Way to go.  You've done three of these wonderful altered books so far, and each of them is individual and special -- you are multi-faceted and multi-talented!  I really, really like the story of Daniel(la) and Mike, told from the viewpoint of the child.  Thanks so very much for sharing!

Blessings!  Aunt Bobby

Bill, your book made me laugh as I was worrying about the missing mouse! Your imagery is captivating along with the story.

I nominate you as Artella's resident "Dr. Seuss" with this one.