The Low Down on Editable PDFs

Whether you are a buyer or a seller, this FREEBIE just might be helpful to you.

If you're a buyer and you've ever struggled with the editable PDF component of a purchase, download and save these directions for working with Editable PDFs to help you get the most our of your future purchases.

If you're a seller and you ever include editable PDF pages in your files, feel free to include this instruction page in your product.  No need to give any credit.  I've started including this page in the zip file when the product contains any editable PDF pages.

Click HERE to download from Google Documents (for free)!

Happy Monday!

TPT Cover Text that POPS!

I know it's Sunday afternoon, and unfinished lesson plans are looming, but sharing about cute snazzy text is way more fun!  I had another palm hitting forehead DUH moment.  Most of you smarty pants probably already know this, but I'm going to share for those few souls out there that don't know this simple easy secret! 

We all know that cover pages are really important for TPT products.  We all also know that cute fonts are a huge part of that!  But did you know you can make cute fonts even snazzier?  Before I share my DUH and quick how-to, look at these 2 photos of a cover page for a product I'm working on, and see if you can spot the one and only difference!  

Yep.  The outline of the title text is the only thing that's different, and boy, what a difference it makes!  I was admiring the cover page of an item I purchased during THE.BIG.SALE, and found myself all gaga-eyed over the text.  What pretty outlines the text had!  After doing a bit of searching on the internet with no success, it finally hit me that I can do that with the fonts I already have.  

1 word:  WordArt.  (This feels more like two words....)

2 more words:  Well, DUH.

Here's a quick how-to for PowerPoint!

Insert WordArt instead of Text Box

A box will appear with Your Text Here.  Type what you want.

Here's where you make it snazzy.  Change the font type to what you want.  Then work with the fill and line, and the weight of the line!  So much better!

Well, DUH.  For those of you that were un-aware like me, GO make SNAZZY text NOW!  Happy Sunday!

Tips for TPT Sellers 1: Taking Advantage of Freebie Clip Art

If you are new to selling on TPT, I have a tip for you.  You have to know when to take advantage of all of the wonderful clip art freebies, versus when to actually purchase clip art.  There is a method to my madness.   This shouldn't surprise you!  For "cutesy" clipart, I almost always use freebies.  This includes things like backgrounds, borders, seasonal clipart, etc.  For "specialized" clipart, I make purchases after quite a bit of research.  This includes things like graphics of math manipulatives and very specific themed clip art I want for a bigger product that I'm making.  

I want to focus on the freebies today!  I have a fairly methodical way of continuously growing my collection. 

I go through recently posted freebies every two weeks or so, and download things that appeal to me & that I feel like I will actually use.  I also leave feedback after opening the file and dragging some images into a new document so I can check out their quality.  Leaving feedback (whether it was a free or paid item) means so much to the creator.  Do it. Here is a step-by-step for window shopping for the newest free clipart in a methodical way.

Step 1:  Go to TPT and leave the search box blank.

Step 2:  Under Top Resource Types, click Clip Art.  If Clip Art isn't on the list, click See All Resource Types and then pick Clip Art.

Step 3: Under Prices, click Free.

Step 4:  You should now see a page something like this.  There should be products listed.

Step 5: Click the drop down arrow by Sort and select Most Recently Posted.  This is important so you aren't always looking through the same stuff.  Now you are ready to browse!

Obviously there are some really amazing older freebies out there.  When I first started selling, I committed a few evenings to just digging back through old freebies.  Now, I just browse every two weeks or so using the method above and stop browsing after I see items that I saw last time I was scoping out freebies.  

As you download more freebies, you will begin to notice patterns.  This is how I "found" some of my favorite clip art designers.  I realized I had downloaded several of their freebies, so I began to follow their shops.  Now I get most of my purchased clip art from them!  Their freebies did exactly what they wanted them to…made me a customer!

Don't be afraid to take advantage of the free stuff!  

Be sure to always read their terms of use so you know: 

~if it's ok to use commercially (to use it in a product you're going to sell)

~what their credit requirements are (a link to their store, their "button", etc)

Hope this helps you increase your stash of free clip art so you can spruce up your products on the cheap!