Help me and I will help you!

Awww, it's always a bit sad when designer's mojo takes an untimely hiatus and sometimes a vacation is simply the best way to reframe and reinvigorate the passion. Snowmoon's Designs (a regular freebie queen) is doing just that but not before she leaves on a high note by giving us an awesome 4 part kit via 4shared.
http://snowsmoon-myworld.blogspot.com/2010/10/woo-hoo-vacation-starts-tomorrow-and.html For the rest of the best freebies - http://www.suzee-q-stuff.blogspot.com/
Check out what Suzie found - she does pictures like a good blogger rofl! Today I am going to allocate my blog time towards talking about how to make 4shared and freebie hunting in general a less tedious and time consuming task. This means you can spend more time actually using the bloody things! I am still unzipping like a mad woman, I am starting to get a bit down actually, as I have been sorting and unzipping for about a month solid (10 hours a day) and I still have about 8000 files to go. I'm really proud of my filing system (my stepdaughter just went WOW!)
as I have everything tagged and sorted into themes or materials made of (elements) and papers are by colour, pattern, and style. It's an almighty file network of over 467 folders and so far, about 120 Gig. Is this considered large? I also have discs (about five) so that is another 20 gig. I also have to keep them in a way that I don't repeat any downloads ever, and this means folders within folders within folders. But it does work, I rarely double up.
The worst part is that I don't have any space to back this house of cards up, so if anything happens I will lose, oh, six months of solid sorting. I plan to be a designer, so that is why I am being so meticulous and it includes getting all those tools as well. Plus tutorial links and books - I really have the most diabolical bookmarks folder system too - over 1000 digi related links. Le sigh. I am hoping some other freebie hunters will eventually read my blog and maybe commiserate with me or tell me I am doing it all wrong! LOL I need a designer mentor.
I think I keep sorting and sorting cos I am afraid I won't have all the tools, but I should be scrapping me thinks? I think I obsess about order and having the best collection, because I don't like making amateur layouts. But... it's the only way forward.
So, get onto me soon ok, make sure I post a layout. If you don't make me, it probably won't happen hee hee! And I so want it too! Besides, if I did layouts - I could get posting bonuses lol, and more freebies!!!

It's an illness, I think!
Ok enough about me... back to the post.

Remember after every 4shared download(when the timer starts) clear your cookies. This way you never wait (and like I say to my regulars if you use Chrome browser then you only need to press ctrl +shift +delete) and the cookie cleaner dialogue box pops up.  Select clear all and press OK.  That's it! You are all done.
No more long wait times - ever.  Plus, you can use Rapidshare, Hotfile and those other awful sites a lot more than once, because the cookie they use to limit you has been removed by your sneaky self.  Good huh?

The chrome browser add on that is also my saviour, but you can use for free on any browser - Lastpass.  

Lastpass (link at end of post) is a built in password manager AND form filler. You only need to fill out your profile details ONCE and save it as a profile (ie: Renee's Deets) and you can record all your usual form information - date of birth, address, time, phone - you can even choose to have the form filler remember your credit card information or bank details.  I have used this extension for a year solid (would seriously die without it) and I am happy to recommend it for being totally encrypted, safe and reliable.

I personally do not leave credit card details on there, but more because if someone stole my computer they could have some serious fun.  Still, I have all my logins and passwords stored safely and it's online which means you can access all your usual sites and logins on whatever computer you need to.  I have mine running on Mr Mr laptop because he just hates logging in and Last pass does it all automatically.  You can tailor it to do whatever kind of login you want.  The freebies that are attached to forums and shops are no dramas with Last Pass. It actually makes you much more willing to participate in the community.
The essential reason I think you need to get both is because everytime you clear your cookies or temp files, you will notice any exsisting logins to any site (so be careful if banking)
will log you out. If you have lastpass, it's no worries, as it signs you back in - automagic!

What I really adore though, is the way you can use shortcuts to form fill with ease.
You just set a shortcut to press and it fills out the form.  My shortcut is CTRL+ALT+F (for form filling)
It is great, because it gets very tiresome filling out all the forms and you will find you can use it for newsletters, questionnaires - it really will become a favorite application.   It works with Chrome but also for Firefox and IE.
But I really think the Chrome combination with cookie clearing and Last pass is speedy and amazingly automatic. To be honest, I can be in and out of a shoppe with a freebie much quicker than 4shared, using this combo. Pretty cool huh! The good thing too is that you make your master form completely correct, with proper address and emails and you can update it at anytime.
This means you always join up to anything properly with no annoying errors - trust me it is so helpful just to press my shortcut, when the whole thing is in russian and I have no idea how to fill it out - Last pass does it all for me. It just knows what to do, and you just have to make sure you set it up for each site, to remember it, and I always make sure I check the details it saves to make sure it picked up the right username and password and I label that entry as you may have two entries for the one site (grrr, don't you hate having to have one login for the shop, one for the forum and one even for the gallery!) Well, this makes it all painless.
I should really get paid for this endorsement, ha ha. I just really dig it, because my memory is very poor due to some extensive medications, and I would be lost without it.


Here are the links to the secret tools for ultimate freebie hunting.  Feel free to share my link and get people to come and I can teach you many things about computer shortcuts for freebie getting and even collecting all kinds of freebies and resources.


http://www.google.com/chrome/intl/en/landing_chrome.html?hl=en   THE CHROME BROWSER

https://lastpass.com/       THE ULTIMATE FREE FORM FILLER AND PASSWORD MANAGER

Just some highlights

Gee, I've really noticed that I am loving Tracy Reed Designs freebies at the moment, they are beautiful.
I do like a good cluster frame, as my own clustering skills are still leaving a lot to be desired.
Clustered Frame Freebie! http://ht.ly/19jbWB   there is a link for you.


http://lesdigisdesteph.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-train.html  This is the first carriage for a 15 participant template blog train by all the European designers at ACO and Public-scrap.  I know they do these monthly and most of the templates are quite good.  I love Timounette. Check it out xx  
This link also has a few more European freebies http://scrapetpixels.free.fr/


I'll be posting more when I have it, as I like to personally download a good freebie before 
checking it off on here, so I can let you know if there is any hold-ups or catch or viruses.
Mind you, I download a lot of freebies and I have never received a virus from doing so.
However, I do consider myself fairly web savvy and sometimes the "free" hosting sites that a blog may have redirection pages or you click the wrong button and wind up on a porn site.
The best tip to prevent this, is to always look at the bottom or top of a download page for the link.
It won't be the one with the flashing button that says "fast download" - that is always a paid link ad.
Look for slow download or, shitty free download ha ha.  I saw one that said very slow download, as if that would deter us from getting it for free.  Rapidshare, Hotfile and Sendspace (which is the best of the bad bunch) require cookie cleaning if you have any intention of downloading more than one file at a time. Again, the chrome browser is the best for this, as you clean cookies with an easy shortcut on your keyboard and you're away, fresh and innocent.


Feel free to share links in the comments to any tools you use to make your downloading of freebies and digi stuff more secure and pain-free.
http://ninisnews.blogspot.com/2010/10/birthday-bash-day-6-gift.html  Cupcake alpha? 




Disneyphile?  Well, you just have to follow this link as this week they are giving away Belle inspired cluster frames and I just love my Disney Princesses. 


http://m2digitaldesign.blogspot.com/2010/10/belle-of-ball.html

Kelly -- http://kellybelldesigns.blogspot.com/
Melissa -- http://m2digitaldesign.blogspot.com/
Jenn -- http://scrappingwithjenn.blogspot.com/
Lisa -- http://lisacampbelldesigns.blogspot.com/
Paula -- http://pixiepicsandscraps.blogspot.com/
Roxana -- http://scrapscardsandmore.blogspot.com/
Julie -- http://www.designsbyjul.blogspot.com/
Andrea -- http://grandmasgotworms.blogspot.com/
Linda -- http://mjajdesigns.blogspot.com/



 I find that this group of designers seem to focus their love of Disney into their designs more than usual.  That said, I think Kelly Bell Designs specialize in the best Disney freebies - I admire their passion. Of course with me being stuck in Australia it is a little bittersweet reading about their numerous visits to Disney (I think most of them are season pass holders, so much fun!) 
I cannot remember an age I have been when I haven't wanted to go to Disneyworld.
 It seems like forever!  Anyhow, for now I just love the layouts and the dedication of some of the moms who somehow manage to get the right kid in the right outfit with the right Disney character for the exact Disney Kit layout - I wonder whether you have to pay for an appointment with the characters or they just happily sign autograph books and pose for happy snaps to be treasured for a lifetime.  Hmm... I must remember to ask one of them or maybe you could illuminate me in the comments.  Because I really want to meet Ariel!  Yes, I am over thirty.
But so what - I love a princess xxx   


Last minute adds
http://kimbsdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/10/bosom-buddies-and-tons-more.html
Kim is giving away a nice set of styles called Soft Dots plus a pretty word art (both 4 shared)
Kim B is such a laugh and a generous freebie giver, I love reading her blog and her adventures and the excellent freebies are just the icing on the cake.  I recommend you read her!