Articles
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Preparing for 2018 By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 27, 2017 The new year is fast approaching and the Playpen of graphics is preparing to meet it with more daily jigsaw puzzles for all to enjoy. |
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Hooray for Red, White and Blue By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on May 16, 2015 I had an idea given to me to have a color scheme for July of Red, White and Blue. Not the Flag this time, but the colors in the flag. Thank you Nancy (nap). |
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Something OLD By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on February 26, 2015 MaryE has suggested a monthly puzzle theme. Something old. She has several pictures to contribute for this and I have lots of antique cars, tractors and Victorian houses. Do you have pictures of old things you would like to contribute? We would be thrilled to have a chance to enjoy them as puzzles and topics of conversation. |
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LOVE WANTED! By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on December 6, 2014 I would like to do something very different with the puzzles in February and I need your help. |
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March has arrived By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on March 3, 2014 It seems like New Years was just a few days back, but look at the calendar and it is March! Take a look at our March Calendar and see for yourself the 31 different puzzle images we have for your enjoyment this month. |
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Thank you By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on February 8, 2014 Your kind words, well wishes, thoughts and prayers have been appreciated and have served as a reminder that I am never truly alone. Thank you. |
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February 2014 Puzzle Line-up By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on January 28, 2014 We have a wide array of images for our puzzles this month. |
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Blossoming Into The New Year 2014 By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on January 1, 2014 Let's celebrate! We are blossoming out in this first month of the year with colorful florals to bring us good cheer. |
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November 2013 Calendar By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 31, 2013 November has arrived and it brings with it 30 new jigsaw puzzles. They were created from database images that were contributed by 21 different members. Their generosity continues to ensure that we have a wide spectrum of colors and subject matter. |
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October 2013 Puzzle Line-up By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 1, 2013 October's 31 puzzles were created from database images from 26 contributors. |
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September~2013~Jigsaw Puzzle Line-up By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on September 1, 2013 This month has no theme, but it does have a lot of variety in subject material for your puzzling enjoyment. |
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August-IT'S ALL ABOUT WATER By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on July 30, 2013 A member, MaryE, suggested we have a month of puzzles based on a single theme of WATER. It was a terrific idea and there were more images submitted than I could squeeze into the month. As the calendar below shows, there is plenty of cool water to go around. Take the plunge, dip your toes into a river, a stream or the surf. Make a Big Splash and cool off with a Jigsaw Puzzle. |
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July 2013 Puzzle line-up By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on June 30, 2013 We have another wonderful assortment of photo puzzles for your enjoyment. The month starts out with a salute to Canada Day July 1st and continues through the United States of America's Independence Day on the fourth and beyond. There is a campfire, flowers, rabbits and chickens. A new puzzle every day...and some contain surprises. |
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Celebrating Water By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on May 25, 2013 I have had a request to create a month of puzzles using a single theme of water related images. Fish, fishing, surf, ships, boats, piers, beaches, shells, seaweed, water plants, sandy beaches, light houses, bridges spanning waterways, aquarium life ...Water is more than just a calorie free drink! |
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May 2013 Puzzle Calendar By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on May 1, 2013 I am really excited about this months line-up of photographs for the jigsaw puzzles. There are a lot of great images and a wide array of subject matter. So join us in working the puzzles |
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April is here and the fun continues By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on March 30, 2013 Here is the monthly calendar of puzzles and the winning photo from the Easter image contest. |
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Holiday Photo Contest Winners By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on March 4, 2013 POSTED ON BEHALF OF WREN: For those who have not been with us from the beginning of these contest-we started them to help improve our photo taking skills. I am seeing more improvement all the time. There are a lot of great pictures entered in this contest. It was very hard to limit the number I chose. As usual, I tried to choose the pictures that where the best examples of good photography, this meant that I had to cut some good pictures, that just had tiny flaws. You all are improving, so I also have to be a little tougher on the judging. |
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ALL NEW PHOTO CONTEST NOW OPEN! By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on March 3, 2013 This contest is a bit different for us in the playpen. You are encouraged to use your photo editing skills and get as artistic and creative as you wish. The subject is EASTER and there are 2 categories...SECULAR and RELIGIOUS. You may enter 5 images in each categories. |
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March 2013 Puzzle Calendar By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on February 28, 2013 March is the month that is for the wearing of the green, Leprechauns, and pots of gold at the rainbow's end. I can't give you real pots of gold, but I can give you lots of green, in this months fun puzzle line up. |
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Feburary 2013 Puzzle Line-up By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on February 2, 2013 February 's line up is one of great variety and some really great images. I call it Mellow Yellow... |
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Only One Week Remaining! By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on January 19, 2013 Entries for the Winter Holidays Photo Contest will be accepted through midnight January 25th. |
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NEW PHOTO CONTEST NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on January 13, 2013 There is still plenty of time to enter your photos. The subject is WINTER HOLIDAYS. Your entries should reflect how you celebrate the season. It is not just Christmas. It is ALL WINTER CELEBRATIONS. |
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Happy New Year~2013 By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on January 1, 2013 A New Year has arrived and I am starting it off with a month of cool, refreshing, relaxing puzzles. Keep an eye out for Wren's new photography lessons and contests too. |
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Do you do Digital Scrapbooking? By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on December 31, 2012 Scrapbooking is fun and allows you to create family heirlooms from your photographs and mementos. It is great to sit down and go through a scrapbook on a rainy day or share it with friends and family as you go through it on a stroll down memory lane. . . and you can do it digitally too! |
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January Photo Contest By Sandra Coffman on December 30, 2012 I hope everyone had a great Holiday season as that is the subject for our first contest of the New Year |
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What we will be doing in the New Year By Sandra Coffman on December 5, 2012 We have big plans for next year. I know everyone is very busy this month. That is why we will not have any contests until after the first of the year. |
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DECEMBER 2012 PUZZLE CALENDAR By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on November 27, 2012 The year is winding down and winter holidays are almost upon us. I wish all of you a season of joy. Take time through this often harried season to relax and enjoy...a puzzle should help and I have 31 of them all wrapped up and ready for you to open a new one every day. Thank you to all of you wonderful contributors for all the inspiring images you supplied through the free image database. |
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NOVEMBER 2012 JIGSAW PUZZLE LINE-UP By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 27, 2012 30 DAYS, 30 PUZZLES, 30 IMAGE CONTRIBUTORS ! |
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"Autumn" 2012 Photo Contest results By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 22, 2012 n. 1. The season of the year between summer and winter, lasting from the autumnal equinox to the winter solstice and from September to December in the Northern Hemisphere and from the March equinox to the June solstice in the S hemisphere : fall. 2. A period of maturity verging on decline. |
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HALLOWEEN PHOTO CONTEST By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 20, 2012 Break out the camera and capture the spirits of Halloween. This is your chance to show us your images of all things Halloween. Spooks, Pirates, Gypsies, Candy Corn, Jack O'Lanterns, Decorations...snap it's picture and enter the best four shots in the contest. |
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Photo Contest ~SEEDS~ Results By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 9, 2012 The results are in. Read on to discover our two judges picks. They made the hard decisions once again! |
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October Photo Contests By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 2, 2012 Autumn brings on harvests and colorful foliage. What does it mean in your area? Show us your entries for Autumn and then end the month by entering the Halloween contest with your favorite picture of spooks, goblins or decorations that capture the holiday. |
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THE OCTOBER 2012 PUZZLE LINE-UP IS HERE! By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 1, 2012 Take a peek...go ahead...you know you want to! This months line-up is ready and it is full of great images from the free image database. Thanks to all of you contributors! |
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Photo Contest ~LEAF-LEAVES~ Results By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on September 23, 2012 There were a lot of great images submitted and to add interest to the contest we added a Mystery judge. The Mystery judges are volunteers and I, alone know their identities. If you would like to be a Mystery Judge in the future send me (Zanymuse) a C-mail. Now, on to what our judges had to say... |
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Photo Contest ~LIGHT~ Winners Announcement By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on September 9, 2012 Let there be LIGHT! And light and shadows were delivered with wonderful results. |
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September Photo Contests by wren By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on September 5, 2012 This month we are going to have 2 single subject contests. I might need to have some work done on my knee so I will keep it to only these two this month. |
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September Puzzle Line-up By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on September 2, 2012 September's Jigsaw puzzles calendar once again shows a wide variety of subject matter thanks to 26 individuals who contributed their images to the free image database. I am now working on October's line-up. Add your images now so I can include at least one of your pictures in the next calendar! |
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Free Image Database? What is it? And why would anyone want to help build it? By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on August 27, 2012 The Free Image Database in the Playpen of Graphics is a growing collection of images that are made available for use by everyone without restrictions other than that they may not be used in any other online database. Copyright free, no fees or link backs required...why would anyone be willing to add their photographs to such a database? Why would I even attempt to create such a database and why house it here at cubits? |
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Animal Photo Contest Winners By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on August 20, 2012 The eyes have it. Notice that most of the entries are focused on the eyes. |
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WATER CONTEST WINNERS By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on August 6, 2012 There were a lot of great pictures in this contest as well but I am trying to be a better judge and I did delete more of the pictures this time, sorry. We do have a clear winner in the People's Choice Award and some very close runners up. |
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Cast Your Vote! By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on August 4, 2012 The water competition is now closed for entries and the judging has begun. While Sandy is doing the usual judging she thought it would be fun to open it up a Popular vote. The popular vote winner will be announced with the judge's winners on Monday. |
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The Awards have been Potted Up By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on July 30, 2012 Here are the winners of our "Plant Pot" Photo Contest This one was the hardest to judge. Y'all are getting the hang of "SEEING" pictures. Almost all of the pictures could be classed as good. In some the Subject was less pronounced than in others and that is why I did not place a few in this group. I was strongly tempted to give everyone of my choices group a blue ribbon. |
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August 2012 Puzzle Line-up By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on July 28, 2012 We have another group of great puzzles planned for this month. Check out the calendar and see for yourself the wide variety of subject matter and who donated their images. |
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July Scavenger Hunt Awards By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on July 23, 2012 Thank to everyone who took part in our contest. I am please to see that y'all are beginning to see pictures in the world around you There are some great pictures in this contest. I feel bad that I had to cut so many of them out of the running. I hope that y'all keep up the good work and keep improving your photography. |
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Photo Contests~August 2012 By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on July 22, 2012 We will have 3 contests running this month. |
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The 1st July Contest Results By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on July 9, 2012 The contest was fun and the winners have been announced. Here are the winners. |
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Photo Contest #2 WINNERS are... By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on July 2, 2012 Wren, once again, faced a daunting challenge to select the winning entries. With an eye for detail, she explains her choices and offers tips. Here are the results in her own words... |
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Jigsaw Puzzle Line-Up JULY 2012 By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on June 28, 2012 Thanks to the contributions to the Free Image Database of 20 generous members we have another month of great puzzles for your pleasure. |
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Photo 101's July 2012 Contest schedule By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on June 26, 2012 This month we are going to have 4 one week contests. The Contests will start on a Monday and end on Saturday at midnight. As we are still feeling our way, I am not going to limit the placements and reserve the right to change how we reward placements. Please bear with us. |
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The Winning Photos for Photo 101's 1st Contest By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on June 25, 2012 It was a very difficult job for wren to judge but she was up to the task. The winners are... |
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Announcing Photo 101's 2nd Photo Contest By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on June 20, 2012 Entries start on June 25th and remain open through midnight June 30th. |
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PHOTO CONTESTS!!! By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on June 10, 2012 Wren a.k.a. Sandy Coffman has added photo contests to her forums and hopes that we will all be seeing RED soon with this first contest. Everyone is invited to join the fun. |
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June, 2012 By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on May 31, 2012 We have a great puzzle line-up for June. Puzzle subjects range from Flowers to Rock Gardens, Dragons to Queens, Butterflies to Fishing Boats, all created from photos added to the Free Image database by our members. Check out this month's Calendar to see what is coming up in the Puzzle Forum at the Playpen of Graphics. Just click anywhere on the calendar to visit the forum. |
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May 2012 By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on May 7, 2012 We are having fun in the Playpen of Graphics. Everyone is invited! |
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Playing with pictures~Introduction to Serif Craft Artist By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on February 9, 2012 This program does 99% of what I need to have fun with images and allows me to complete many projects in a few minutes that use to require hours of tedious work. I have yet to find a program that is easier to use or is affordable, that will do 100%. I played with the free version of the program for several months and was impressed enough to purchase the full version. I find it to be extremely user friendly. They have wonderful tutorials available to walk you through every feature and there are a lot of features even in the free version. If they get around to adding cloning tools for blending and repairs they will have made me 100% thrilled. |
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Daily Photo's By threegardeners on September 20, 2011 Join us in The Playpen Of Graphics Cubit as we post a daily photo. |
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Did you know . . . ? By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on August 14, 2011 The Playpen of Graphics is growing. We have an ever expanding database of images that are contributed by members like you. Those images are free for anyone to use and are beginning to be found by search engines. As more people are brought to cubits as the result of a search, over all traffic will increase. It is my hope and dream that those visitors will look around and decide to join my cubit and yours and that some will start new cubits as well. This is true for all cubits. Those google searches in your reports are a sign that we are moving in the right direction and that is exciting. |
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HOW TO: ADD YOUR IMAGES TO THE DATA BASE By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on November 28, 2010 Adding your images to the Playpen of Graphics is fun and easy. The Playpen of Graphics is designed to provide a wide variety of original images for free usage by anyone. Please add only those images that you own and are willing to share publicly without restrictions. |
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Getting Started at Cubits.org By Karen Burch aka gardener2005 on November 9, 2010 This is a article I wrote when I was newer to Cubits.org. Zany asked me to re write this from a page to a article so here it is. I hope this article helps people here on Cubits.org. |
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Playpen of Graphics: Weekly Featured Jigsaw Puzzle By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 31, 2010 Every day I add 1-2 new puzzles for your enjoyment. One per week will be selected as the weeks featured puzzle. |
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Playpen of Graphics: Weekly Featured Jigsaw Puzzle By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 27, 2010 Every day I add 1-2 new puzzles for your enjoyment. One per week will be selected as the weeks featured puzzle. |
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Photo Basics part 2. Selection, Cloning and Layering By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 18, 2010 From touching up a picture by removing a pimple or scar to removing an eyesore and adding an object to create an illusion... There is little that can't be done with a digital image. This really comes in handy when you want to achieve a special image for a banner or having some fun with digital scrap booking. "A picture is worth a thousand words" But just like words, images can deviate from the truth and fool you with trickery. |
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Using Picasa 3 To Make Collage and Trimmed Picture Banners for Your Cubit at Cubits.org By Karen Burch aka gardener2005 on October 13, 2010 This is a continuation of the article series of how to make creative banners using the free program Picasa 3. |
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Photo Basics part 1. Cropping and resizing your images By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 11, 2010 When working with image files it is often necessary to re-size an image. Most cameras can take pictures in very high resolutions that make it possible to get wonderful high quality prints. On the web, those huge files are simply not good. They take much too long to load and waste a lot of server space. Before you start resizing all your images or cropping them take a few minutes to consider what you want to use the image for. |
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How to Make Your Own Cubits.org Banner By Karen Burch aka gardener2005 on October 9, 2010 Have you been thinking about making your own personalized banner but you are unsure of where to begin? Read this article and watch the video to find out how to get started making your own banners. |
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How to Make Your Own Cubits.org Banner Part 2 Including Set Up Instructions By Karen Burch aka gardener2005 on October 9, 2010 This part 2 instructional video includes a bit on how to find new cubits on cubits.org and how to set up your new banner! |
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Coming Soon By Brenda Essig aka Zanymuse on October 8, 2010 I will soon be adding some instructional articles. I will also be hosting helpful articles from other members. If you would like to offer an article for publication here please contact me. |
