Writer, TV Producer/Director, Digital Creator.
(Discovery Channel, HGTV, The CBC, Elle Canada, The Toronto Star, and US Weekly.)
Although I'm an award-winning journalist who has shot stories around the world, nothing gives me more joy than taking photos in my local stomping ground, βThe Rougeβ and turning them into illustrative art. I love sharing stories and images with my community along with free and paid resources to help others break the chains of the 9-to-5 hamster wheel to achieve a life they love.
Check out my previous posts but keep in mind that only subscribers get access to my occasional gifts which aren't posted below - so sign up to receive my daily newsletter!
Share
π What's your kryptonite? + A sneak at my upcoming course, Artful Affiliate & NEW bonuses added
Published 3 months agoΒ β’Β 14 min read
Spring sailing at Rouge Beach (2021)
Hi Reader,
Happy Saturday! β I hope you're having a fantastic day. It's beautiful here today with near perfect weather. Not hot, muggy and meltingly humid which is what the forecast is calling for this summer. π β There's a light cool breeze and I'm going to head down to the lake soon. Normally I skip weekends as it's so busy down at the beach, but a gorgeous day like today will bring out many boats and I simply cannot resist a great boat shot. β Yep. Boats are my kryptonite. π€£ β They stop me cold, much to the chagrin of my son who harangues me to keep moving. Because I'm expecting a lot of stops today, I'm going to go solo. I don't want to miss any opportunities and I can't be rushed. β These "cold stops" can apply to boats, sailboats, rigs, canoes - even paddleboards! And that's really saying something because with the exception of going on cruises, I'm strictly a landlubber. β It's funny because I had no idea that one day I'd be using some of my boat images in my printables. I can think of at least four products they're used in, in different variations: my Sailing the Sea Vintage Paper Pack and 2.o collections as well as two of my free planners which I created as lead magnets. β If you don't have my free planners, you can pick them up here on my (almost finished) shop page. Just sort by the Freebie category and they will pop right up. β I haven't officially unveiled this page yet as I ran into a tech issue with my hosting company who still haven't helped me sort out how I can point my shop page to my domain and I really don't want to try to mess with that CNAME/cPanel stuff myself. (Sigh.) β Tech issues aside, I'm excited as I'm in the middle of recording the lessons for my upcoming course, Artful Affiliate on how I create my collections products. The techniques I use are so simple to use that even a tech-phobic luddite like myself can do it. π β So far, the difficult part has been finding the original images I used to create my collections to show as examples. At the time, I wasn't very organized so it's slow going trying to pore over tens of thousands of photos. Sadly, I kid you not. I am NOT exaggerating on those numbers. β I might just abandon that idea as I'm going to be doing over the shoulder walkthroughs and I'll be using my raw images aka my "before photos" and showing how I transform them into the "after" images you see in my finished collections. β The photo at the top of this email was one taken down at the lake a few years ago and is what I'm calling my "before photo." β It's honestly nothing fancy. I shot it with a small, inexpensive (less than $500 CAD) Sony camera. I've had a few occasions where I've had snobby photographers snicker at when they see me pull it out next to their honking Hubble telescopic jobbies. β I don't care. I don't gatekeep. Anyone can take a beautiful shot. I like how light my camera is and it suits my needs. β For the Sailing the Seas Vintage pack, the images created used at least two (maybe three?) different programs and techniques. And to think, all of this was created from me randomly taking a photo of something I thought was pretty when I was on a walk with my son.
If you want to learn more about Artful Affiliate, and how you can create the same type of images and share them with an audience of die-hard readers, you can sign up here to get on the waitlist and get it during pre-launch at the lowest cost it will ever be offered. β However, if you're interested in learning a bit more about what I'll be adding to this course, or how you can get it for free until tomorrow night via BC Stack, scroll down to read more about that offer in the bonus details. β In terms of other offers, I'm going to keep them short and sweet but I did notice two sneaky deals only available today which I'm also sharing. π
β
β
ENDS TOMORROW: 10k OF VALUE FOR $49β β βBC Stack 10 comes to a close tomorrow. To celebrate their 10th anniversary, they've made it their biggest bundle ever. Normally there are 65 contributors but for their decade celebration, there are 84 online business courses and resources valued at over $10k which is truly astounding. β So far, my course is being downloaded at a 100% conversion rate which I've never seen before so that totally surprised me as I can stay I've NEVER seen that happen before (and I've been in over 50 bundles.) π€―
There's been some tech issues with lessons not publishing and ones that were supposed to be draft only being published (OMG! ) but beyond that, people have let me know that they're learning a lot of new things and they appreciate that I also included audio lessons and transcripts. β I'm loving the fact that people are learning things because I've always been someone who naturally loves sharing knowledge and helping. β Besides my course, there are so many useful, seriously life-changing tools for anyone interested in creating an online income, or struggling to ramp up their existing business. β For BC Stack 10, the contents this year are focused on providing the tools, tactics, and strategies you need to turn your side hustle into a full-time income. There's so many cool products on:
Creating Art with A.I. (that's me!) plus there are other AI courses.
YouTube
LinkedIn
Substack (This one I'm def. interested in as I dipped my toe in the waters last summer.)
SEO (and recovering from algorithm updates)
Facebook and Facebook Ads
Instagram
Selling digital products
Flipboard
TikTok
Pinterest
Affiliates / joint ventures
Podcasting
Books
Summits
Quora
Etsy
Email marketing
and more
As mentioned, my contribution is my long-awaited, brand new course, Create Art with A.I., which I decided to launch in this year's BC Stack. (Not sure why I did something so crazy as I wouldn't recommend this strategy to my worst enemy.) π€£ β If you've been interested in how I create many of the collections you've seen unveiled over the last year and a half, this is your chance to peel back the curtain and learn what FREE platform I'm using to get the results you see in the above mockup, along with the tips and tricks I utilize to get some pretty impressive results. And I'm all too aware that there are tons of A.I. Art courses out there. ββ So what makes my course different? β β For me personally, I didn't want to pay $30 a month for Midjourney only to have to bro out on Discord which is a platform I cannot for the life of me, wrap my head around. β If you're a huge MidJourney fan, this isn't this course for you. β My course is for the curious-minded dabbler interested in A.I. art who are looking to keeping their costs to a minimum. And when I say minimum, yes, you can use my platform absolutely free but the paid option is under $4 a month which is less than a super cheap coffee so even a penny pincher like me felt no qualms about upgrading. β And there ARE plenty of other free A.I. generators, but many of them either limit your usage or make your images publicly available to all. If you want ensure you're the sole owner, with completely unrestricted copyright, then you'll want to check out my course. β If you're only interested in purchasing my course and not BC Stack, I'll be launching that next week so stay tuned! β However, if you pick up BC Stack 2024 through my link, you'll receive immediate access to my new course AND 80+ worth of entrepreneurship resources valued at over $10k.
You'll also receive the option to grab another one of my brand, spanking new courses: The Pixel Playbook during pre-launch for an only $9 at checkout. This is a great course on navigating the confusing frontier of A.I. art safely and without fear of copyright concerns. β If you haven't been successful getting your AI generator to cooperate, there are tips and tricks on how to get the best images, and great practices in general for coming up with endless creative ideas. I also provide examples on how to create original art using some truly unique techniques and prompts. β Also, if you haven't yet signed up to be an affiliate yet there's still time! Most sales come on the last day or two so you haven't missed the boat just yet. β BC Stack sells for $49 - but it all ends tomorrow, June 16th.
β β¨ BONUS - If you buy BC Stack through my link, beyond the bonuses mentioned below, instead of two, you'll get SIX deluxe bonuses. I'll be streamlining the way I offer bonuses in the future but in the meantime, you can check out my nearly finalized shop page which has more items to choose from. Basically anything worth $27 or less is a regular bonus. A deluxe is for products worth $37. β And beside those extra bonuses, you'll of course receive access to my upcoming, signature course, Artful Affiliate! β If you have no interest in BC Stack, you can sign up here to join the waitlist and I'll let you know when it's ready. Otherwise, read on!
If you've been with me for awhile now and enjoy the types of things I make, you'll definitely want to get insider knowledge on how I create the collections I do. I'll be giving you first-hand examples of some of my best-selling collections and showing you step-by-step how you can achieve similar results. β This is the course that will walk you through how I create many of the collections. β In case you're not sure what the difference is between the course currently in the bundle, and my upcoming course, in Artful Affiliate, I will be featuring how I use both A.I. AND non-AI.toolsto create the images in my paper packs and planners. β This includes collections such as ones I have created using A.I.:
β And Non-A.I. creations!
β Yes! I'll also be walking you through how I create my "old school" watercolor paper packs which I get asked constantly about such as the ones you see above. These four packs all used different techniques and treatments to get their unique looks, but I rely on other tools which I'll also be revealing! β You can browse a bunch of my watercolor-themed images on Etsybut the collections that includes my A.I. packs can be found herefor the interim (until I get my CNAME issues resolved.) β I'll be giving you a step-by-step walkthrough to show you how I create everything (and more!) plus I'll also include real examples for you to follow along and recreate yourself. β I'm also revealing how I come up with inspiration and unique ideas, and am going to be providing some super useful insider tips on how I create things QUICKLY as bonuses. ββ βADDED BONUS! I'm also throwing in some additional goodies such as early access to an upcoming training which I promise is going to be a game changer. β β βThis training teaches you my unique, completely original process using an amazing little-known FREE tool which shows how I batch-name and/or resize all my images inside a collection. I've used this technique to reconfigure 100 images in under a minute. Done! β It's a process I rely on for every one of my collections to turn them out lightning fast. This technique, in and of itself, is a worth its weight in GOLD considering how much time you'll save. β If you've ever had to manually rename images in a folder of images or a collection with a bunch of pages you've output on Canva or through your A.I. tools, you know what a painstakingly tedious and time consuming process this is! β I'm also going to show you the process I use for adding photos to my newsletter to watermark your images and keep them safe using a completely free tool along with some additional tips and tricks. Because I'm super lazy and have a Rebel personality, I don't like to waste time doing things the "right way" and have hacks for everything. π€£ β These tips and techniques by themselves are going to save you hundreds of hours of time over the years. These are all processes that have been self-taught which I have not seen anyone else using. I'll have that training available for you after the 24th in your affiliate dashboard for BC Stack 2024. β And don't forget, if you pick up next year's BC Stack, you can book a convo which we can have over email (max 2 emails - I'll probably record a video to cut down the back and forths) or a two hour Voxer session. π β
β β β
STILL AVAILABLE: GET SMART β βMwahahaha. Call me sneaky but I went to check Jan Small's brand new 18-month Smartphone Planner. as the sale was supposed to end yesterday. I figured because of BC Stack she might not have turned off her coupon. β Sure enough, if you missed it, you can still pick it up! But you have to do it quickly as I have no idea when she'll be pulling the plug. π€£ β With 578 pages covering the 18 months from July 2024 right through to December 2025, this also comes with commercial rights and full instructions for editing (47-page pdf with screenshots) so that you can easily make your own set of unique planners if you wish.
As the planner has an extra six months, customers can start using their purchase right away, instead of waiting for 2025, which is a huge advantage when it comes to selling your planner at any time before the end of the year.
This also makes the planner ideal for the academic school year.
Instructions are included in the pdf guide for removing months (if you wish) as the year progresses, and using these instructions, you can easily create a 12-month 2025 planner from this product for selling next year.
Smartphone planners are hugely popular with those of us who don't want to carry around a weighty paper planner or even an iPad, and they're a popular niche on Etsy.
Get ready for the planner buying frenzy ahead in Q4 and add a Smartphone option to your store in as many different designs as you like.
β
There's a bump offer on the checkout page with 6 extra covers at $7. β An upsell ($7) includes an instruction booklet (in editable Canva template format) to create a PDF for customers, 10 product mockups in each of two formats (square and rectangular), 200+ relevant keywords, and a sample product description specifically written to sell this product. β Just $17 during launch (regularly $67.) No coupon code required. This sale was supposed to end June 14th at Midnight PST.
β¨ BONUS - If you purchase Jan's planner, choose a regular bonus from my bonus page. If you purchase the bump and the upsell, you can choose a deluxe bonus instead.
β
β β
β
TODAY ONLY: 2 FOR THE PRICE OF 1!
Katherine's is back with her newest kit in her Limitless Design Kits Monthly Membership but today is an extra special day as right now, you can grab last month's kit (which technically was only available until yesterday, the 14th) AND her brand new kit for June. β That's two for the price of one! β That's because Katherine allows for a 24-hour window on the 15th of the month where 2 monthly kits are available (to accommodate global customers.) That means you'll get May's Craft Room Kit and her upcoming kit for June: the Garden Grows Design Kit. That's two kits for the price of one, but it's only available today so you have to act fast as I'm not sure of how much of a stickler she is for the cutoff for New Zealand times, etc. π β May's Craft Room design kit (which will not be available again after today) is a treasure trove of inspiration, designed to ignite your imagination and add a touch of handmade charm to your designs. Her love of all things crafting including aimlessly wandering the aisles of craft supply stores and convincing herself she has time for one more project is what prompted this theme.
β
This month's charming and cheerful Garden Grows Design Kit is sure to spark a touch of joy in your projects. This kit is a celebration of lazy summers and simple pleasures and was quite frankly so much fun to create. Whether you're designing seed packet labels, crafting garden-themed greeting cards, or simply want to add a touch of natural whimsy to any of your designs, this kit has you covered. β With all the latest concerns over copyright, usage rights, and outsourcing art from questionable sources, a few members have asked if she makes the graphics in her kits. The answer is YES, she personally illustrates/draws/paints the graphics. β All of her personal hand-drawn or painted illustrations and high-resolution elements can be used to create PLR, digital products, physical products, and TEMPLATES (to name a few) which is MUCH MORE than any typical commercial use license.
Along with the individual elements, she's also included a few different types of graphics to help you create scenes. β These design kits are only available for one month inside the membership so you have until the 14th to pick these up. Katherine will then be offering them for sale at the current regular price of $97. β You'll automatically receive $482 worth of bonuses that come with MRR rights, meaning you can turn these kits around and not only sell them commercially, but as PLR without restrictions! β MRR or master resell rights means you can sell these items commercially to others who can also sell them commercially. Normally, with PLR, you can sell them to others for personal use only. β This means you can use these products to create your very own PLR. It's also perfect if you've been wanting to get into a bundle but don't have a creative bone in your body and aren't sure what you would be able to offer with PLR rights - now you'll be able to thanks to Katherine's gorgeous resources. β Best of all, you can use these elements without fear of infringing on someone's license, which is much more generous than a standard commercial use license, and use them for to create PLR digital products, physical products, and templates (to name a few) - and yes, even stickers!
Check out everything you get on the sales page. This kit will be available at the discounted price of $27 until tonight - June 14th.
β¨BONUS - If you purchase Katherine's kit, for today only, instead of a regular, choose a one-time deluxe bonus from my bonus page.
β
Thanks so much for being part of my list. I'll be back soon with my regular newsletter and a bunch of great, new offers. β I hope you have an amazing Saturday! β
Happy Tales!
Lara xo
β
My name is Lara and I'm the owner of Tales From the Rouge - inspired by a magical enclave in the Rouge Valley in the east end of Toronto, Canada. I'm a writer/television producer and a wife and mom who loves photography, crystals, and my ever-expanding collection of typewriters. I'm inspired by nature on a daily basis and draw inspiration from my surroundings which trickles down to my creations.
*TC Bonus: If you purchase Thrivecart using my link, I'm offering TWO 40 minute Biz Coaching sessions. If you upgrade to Pro, I'll add in a third session! Currently, I am not accepting coaching clients so this is your chance to work with me directly. π»
You are receiving this newsletter after signing up for one of my paper packs in a free or paid bundle or giveaway. I hope you'll stay and enjoy my newsletter containing useful health and wellness tips, fun stories along with awesome promos and gifts! However, if you donβt want to stick around, just hit that unsubscribe button at the bottom of this email. I do hope you hang out for a bit to see what the fuss is all about!β β Disclaimer:
I often recommend products and services that I use or that have been recommended to me by people I trust. In many cases these recommendations are accompanied by an affiliate link, which provides me with a referral commission if you click through and make a purchase.
The information presented here is for educational purposes only. Before taking any action that may affect your health, finances, or well-being, please check with your own doctor, health-care provider, financial and business advisers. Always do your own due diligence.
β
Lara Champion
Tales From the Rouge
Writer, TV Producer/Director, Digital Creator.
(Discovery Channel, HGTV, The CBC, Elle Canada, The Toronto Star, and US Weekly.)
Although I'm an award-winning journalist who has shot stories around the world, nothing gives me more joy than taking photos in my local stomping ground, βThe Rougeβ and turning them into illustrative art. I love sharing stories and images with my community along with free and paid resources to help others break the chains of the 9-to-5 hamster wheel to achieve a life they love.
Check out my previous posts but keep in mind that only subscribers get access to my occasional gifts which aren't posted below - so sign up to receive my daily newsletter!
Hi Reader,I hope you're having a wonderful Saturday! If you're one of my US readers, I hope you had a happy Fourth of July and are still in full-on celebration mode. Canada Day is a big deal for us, but not at the scale it is in the United States so I hope you're enjoying your extended long weekend.We went down to the lake to watch the fireworks as they were having a big display across the lake which we thought we'd be able to see from the beach. We got there too late though so we watched the...
A couple celebrating the Strawberry Moon π Hi Reader, Can you believe we are officially into summer now?The weather has already been hotter than hades this past week with high humidity which has made things very uncomfortable in Toronto.I think this may be the longest I've ever gone without writing a newsletter with the exception of when I'm traveling so this was highly unlike me.I was completely burnt out from going on about 4 hours a night of sleep trying to get my course finished so after...
Sailing at Rouge Beach (2021) Hi Reader, MAYBE MONDAY???For those who already signed up, just a reminder that the full course will be ready in about a week's time. If you've watched a few lessons and are confused, well there's a reason for that. Some of the lessons I uploaded weren't published and others that were supposed to be a draft only WERE. Talk about horrifying. I'm in the middle of tackling all the tech hiccups and I've been in the process of adding lessons so everything will make...