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, “The Rouge” 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!
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Ends tonight: These unicorns are going away forever + I made a video review!
Published about 1 month ago • 19 min read
Hi Reader, I'm just popping in as I realized there are some really cool tools ending and I didn't want you to miss out on the opportunity to grab them while you still can. If you've been with me awhile, you know I'm kinda cheap - but I don't skimp on quality. So if there are two oven mitts that are similar and do exactly the same job - one for $20 and one for $4.99, I'm going with the cheaper option. However, I don't skimp on things where it counts. We're talking things like eyeglasses, good quality footwear, mattresses, skincare, food (helloooo chocolate!) If you're of the same mind and like to save money on certain items, but refuse to cut corners on others, drop me a line as I'd love to know what type of things are on your "No Skimp List." When it comes to software, I look for quality but I also dislike recurring fees, so finding lifetime tools to avoid and/or get rid of monthly costs is a huge plus. Two unicorn, lifetime tools seriously worth looking at are leaving Appsumo. NinjaTools is bidding farewell in less than 24 hours and PhotoGPT is leaving in a week. I made a video review for the latter so make sure you check that out if its something you're interested in.
LEAVING FOREVER: YOUR A.I. SWISS ARMY KNIFE
First up: If you've been looking for an A.I. tool to help you brainstorm, streamline and create content, NinjaTools is still available as a lifetime deal on Appsumo but you have less than 24 hours left to pick this one up. After that, it's unlikely it will ever be returning. Think of NinjaTools as your personal AI assistant that helps you write everything from essays to newsletters, blog posts, stories and articles along with designing images, creating music, videos and more. If you've been wanting to get rid of your ChatGPT subscription and have been looking for alternatives, not only will you get access to OpenAI including GPT-4o, GPT-4o-mini, you'll also get access to 14+ powerful AI models such as Claude-Sonnet, Claude-Opus, Gemini as well as the latest Stable Diffusion models. Why limit yourself to just one AI model when you can have a fleet of other options in your toolbox? The platform is continuously updated to include new and exciting models. And since it's a lifetime deal for one payment, this is an excellent resource if you've been wanting to cut costs and get rid of those recurring fees. And unlike some platforms, no matter which tier you choose, your work can be used for commercial purposes.
The catch? You'll need an AppSumo plus yearly membership but it's highly worth the price if you've been looking for an alternative to those monthly paid memberships. You'll also save an additional 10% off your purchase ($38 if you opt for the highest tier) plus an additional $100 in coupons. Also, if you're like me and find yourself going agonizing over whether you should or shouldn't pick it up, if you can afford it, just get it. You can try it for 60 days and get a full refund so there is no downside. Just make sure you set a calendar reminder because two months comes up fast. I highly recommend getting the top tier as well so you can try out the platform without limitations. If you love it, you might regret not maxing out your plan as you won't be able to upgrade later since the deal will no longer be available. Plus you can always downgrade if you feel like it's way more than you need.
ENDING SOON: CREATE DREAM AI HEADSHOTS Heads up! Another unicorn leaving AppSumo is PhotoGPT which leaves in 7 days. If you're interested, read on and be sure to check out my review of the platform below! If you've been looking for a workhorse to create custom A.I. headshots without having to leave the house, RUN and grab this lifetime deal before it's gone because once it leaves, it's doubtful this one will return. Over the last few months, I've been testing a bunch of different image generating platforms for AI headshots and have been super impressed with the quality of these images. I opted for the highest tier as I didn't want to be limited in my output. Most importantly, it's the only tier that has upscaling included in the plan which is must. What I love about PhotoGPT is that they have a huge variety of ready-made themes (over 100!) so you can just click that option to generate. No fancy prompts required! And if you want it to drill down and get super specific, you can just add a short prompt to the filter: "ie: wearing a yellow dress at a fruit market in Europe." This is perfect if you're building your brand, running a campaign, or need a quick photo for social media. PhotoGPT will allow you to test different styles while saving you oodles of time and money. Forget about booking expensive photographers, hair/makeup artists, stylists, which would easily cost you $1,000+ for a decent photo shoot. With this tool, you can easily have a professional image within seconds for pennies. Yes, the one-time cost is a bit of an ouchie but if you're thinking of buying Ninja Tools as well, you'll need the with the AppSumo membership so you'll automatically get another $40 off your purchase (saving apx $78 for both), bringing the cost down to about $21 for the membership. Plus you'll get another $100 in coupons to spend.
If you create a lot of images, or if you just want to have a handy assistant to create headshots whenever you need a new look, location, or vibe, this is not to be missed. If you want more info, I made a video for you. on my highly neglected YouTube channel. 🤣 Thank you ahead of time if you decide to like and subscribe. I'm hoping to start putting out both nature videos as well as biz related content more regularly. Another plus? You won't need to invest in any of those high ticket A.I. courses promising to teach you how to create AI headshots. (I've seen some priced as high as $997!) Consider your wallet safe now. This platform really is all you need. However, if you're interested in a low cost training on how I create AI headshots with the results you see in the video I linked, which will feature a range of different platforms and techniques (along with non-traditional uses), click here. Note: clicking this link won't take you anywhere. It just records your interest in becoming a beta tester at a highly discounted rate. Depending on the results, I'll make sure to notify you if and when this course becomes available. Remember, the lifetime deal for PhotoGPT ends in seven days so don't delay. If you have any questions about PhotoGPT, feel free to reply.
If you feel like you've been a bit remiss when it comes to writing your newsletter, the doors are closing to get your hands on Liz Wilcox's super cool, low cost, high value, Annual Pass inside Email Marketing Membership (EMM) which teaches you the building blocks of email marketing in a super fun way.
Liz is the Queen of the low cost $9 membership (and helped launch the $9 membership trend.) She also recently starred on Survivor and is famous for her epic Applebee's meltdown which made headlines worldwide. Google it. Seriously, you'll either love it or have to leave the room like my hubby did. 🤣 Doors to access the annual pass only happens twice a year and is an amazing value ($108 which equals $9 a month.) If you're someone who has trouble figuring out what to write to your subscribers. That's where Liz's weekly templates come in. You'll receive a year's worth of her weekly newsletter templates delivered every Monday morning to your inbox which will help you with what to write to your audience. These are super fun, and useful and will take the guesswork out of what to say. You just take one of the scads of templates available, tweak, and add your own flavor and you're done!
With the Annual Pass, you'll also get $1500 worth of email products, 4 live rounds of courses (including Launch Course - worth $500) accountability groups, monthly live q+a, and a rewards system to make sure you don't just BUY the Pass, you USE it. Here's what you'll get with the annual pass: - Weekly templates so you always have something to send to subscribers to create a list of buyers - Monthly q+a for direct access to Liz - Welcome Sequences. - List building - Analyzing Metrics - Sales and Copywriting. - FB group where you can tag Liz any time for quick answers - Courses + trainings ranging from beginner to advanced so you always have what you need. If you know email is the thing you need to "double down" on to build your business, grab the Annual Pass for $108. It's like buying a Costco membership to get inside the store, except in Liz's store, everything is free. Make sure you grab it by quickly as the doors close tomorrow (Friday, July 25th) at 3 am EST.
✨BONUS - When you purchase Liz's Annual Pass, you'll receive $40 in Lara Loot to spend in my shop with no expiry. I have a whack of products to add and new courses and trainings are coming soon.
NEW: CLIP ART ON REPEAT Carmen has launched a brand new custom ChatGPT tool for creating gorgeous watercolor MidJourney clipart featuring soft, feminine styles with realistic girls, cozy accessories, and seasonal scenes.
The BlushPrompt Clipart Designer GPT is a full system with training that teaches your audience how to use BlushPrompt and Midjourney to:
Turn them into a polished, professional clipart bundle
Create mockups, SEO listings, and get the product live on Etsy in a single afternoon
With Carmen's system, you can create a full Etsy-ready clipart bundle in minutes—not days—with no design skills and no content block.
It’s perfect for clipart sellers, POD creators, and printable designers gearing up for Q4 (Halloween, Christmas, weddings, summer… they’re all inside this system!) Grab it for $37 using coupon code BLUSHPROMPT37 (Reg. $67) until July 28th.
✨ BONUS: If you sign up for BlushPrompt using my link, you'll get $20 in Lara Loot to spend in my store.
NEW: CREATE NO STRESS SEQUENCES Faith has been a busy bee lately creating some really cool time-saving GPT's! The Welcome Sequence Builder is your step-by-step GPT assistant for creating warm, high-converting welcome emails in minutes — personalized for any offer, any niche, and any stage of business. I picked this one up and was impressed with its ability to walk you through writing a high-converting welcome sequence in your voice that's customized to your offers and your audience. If you dislike writing welcome sequences and never know what to say, this will help you break free of the blank page and get these done for you quick and easily.
Right now, grab it for $20 off (reg $47) using code SEQUENCE27 when you sign up by Sunday, July 27th.
✨ BONUS 1:When you sign up and use The Welcome Sequence Builder GPT by Sunday, submit your first completed welcome sequence in the feedback form and Faith will offer you personal feedback on your sequence with notes on how to further improve engagement and sharpen your message and tone! ✨ BONUS 2: If you sign up for the free bundle using my link, I'll give you $15 back in Lara Loot to spend in my shop with no expiry.
YOUR CREATIVE BIZ BESTIE If you've ever felt stuck for ideas and are having trouble brainstorming ideas for what to create, Faith has come out with another really cool new GPT! The Niche To Offer Studio is your personal clarity coach in a box. This is a guided, step-by-step tool designed to help you identify your ideal audience, understand what they’re struggling with, and map out aligned product and content ideas you can actually create (and sell!) over the next 3 to 6 months. I have been experimenting with this tool over the past week and am super impressed with the results! Not only did it give me ideas I would never have thought of, it suggested platforms I wasn't familiar with. It also serves as your own personal cheerleader, not only giving you encouragement, but offering useful, strategic solutions as to how to overcome any pitfalls you may be experiencing in your business. Regularly $97, you can grab this for $60 off using code: NICHE37 until Sunday, July 27th.
✨ BONUS: If you sign up for Niche to Offer using my link, I'll give you $20 back in Lara Loot to spend in my shop.
ENDS TONIGHT: PRODUCTIVITY HACK
Angela Wills has a sale on her course, Mindmap Courses & Everything which ends tonight. If you're someone who has a ton of thoughts going on all the time and have lost more than a few "big ideas" due to being a scatterbrain (ahem...feeling attacked here 🤣) then this is the course for you. Here's a mind map of the original course outline:
For visual learners, and people who may have trouble focusing, and organizing their thoughts, Angela walks you through how to harness your thoughts for everything to plan life, business and everything in between. Angela recently mentioned she thinks she has ADHD and she has found mindmaps to be a great way to sort through her thoughts and figure out what to focus on next. Mindmaps aren't just for neurodivergents though. They're also for linear thinkers because a mindmap CAN be linear and detailed. For $50 you'll learn how to use mind maps to be more productive, stop losing important ideas, work faster and plan better.
Using a Mind Map to outline, create, research and deliver your small or large digital offerings.
Mind maps to plan your entire year in detail, then execute and repeat (much more easily) the following year!
Using a Mind map to plan your website and website content.
and a heck of a lot more!
If you're wondering if learning mindmaps are worth it, here are some reasons Angela uses mind maps:
Brainstorming & Idea Generation flow quickly and easily with a mind map.
Using mind maps helps improve your memory and retention for learning.
Organize information and ideas more quickly.
Improve problem solving.
Store information you need later.
Prompts creativity without restriction on "linear thinking."
Angela is also sharing ALL her mind map templates!
Save 50% off using coupon code MINDMAP until tonight (7/24) at 11:59 pm.
✨BONUS - If you purchase Angela's course, you'll receive $25 back in Lara Loot.
NEW: MUSIC MADE EASY Miss Fancyplans' new Complete Music Practice & Performance Planner comes from personal experience as the parent of a musical kid who hates practicing and needs support to get it done! This planner provides structure for music practice, performance, and music-related goals all year round.
But it's much more than just a music practice log. These 50 comprehensive pages contain eight separate sections for musical instrument care and maintenance, keeping a record of music books and sheet music, music lesson notes, practice notes, exam records, performance and concert prep, music groups, auditions, and scholarship applications, and musical goals and dreams.
This is a perfect back-to-school item to stock in your shop right now! Customize it as one complete planner, or break it into sections and stock your shop with multiple items. Regular $47, but only $17 until July 27th with code MUSICAL.
✨BONUS - If you purchase Nadia's brand new planner, get $10 back in Lara Loot.
NEW: READING IS FUNDAMENTAL Today, Neha has come out with a brand new Digital Reading Planner Canva template – your all-in-one solution to transform your customers' reading journey from chaotic to captivating. Designed for avid readers, this hyperlinked digital journal is more than just a planner; it's a literary sanctuary. What's Included in the Planner:
•Hyperlinked Bookshelf & Reviews
•Comprehensive Reading Log:
•Favorite Quotes & Quote Tracker:
•Wishlist & Upcoming Releases:
•Library Book Tracker:
•Reading Challenges (100, 50 )
•Dedicated Notes Pages Help your customers plan and organize their books with this undated, hyperlinked Digital Reading Planner, crafted exclusively for avid readers, educators, book clubs, and digital creators. All in easy-to-customize Canva format so that you can easily customize and list it in your store. Normally $30, get it for $15. No code needed till 29th July.
Have you ever wanted to host your own bundle but have no idea where to start? My friend Nadia at Miss Fancyplans will be hosting the upcoming Game ON! bundle in the fall, and she's documenting her process in real time in Bundle Behind the Scenes. From now until October, you'll get to read her daily Google Doc entries to follow the tasks she's completing, challenges and mistakes she's learning from, along with surprises and successes. Plus you'll get exclusive, behind-the-scenes knowledge of what it's really like to prepare for hosting a bundle. If you've ever thought about hosting a bundle but don't know where to start or what's involved, (or if you enjoy snooping in other people's businesses 🤣) make sure to peep Nadia for this backstage view. Right now, it's $9 which is a steal for four month's of detailed, behind-the scenes notes on what it really takes to run a bundle. The price will be going up when Nadia starts adding video recaps in August so grab it at this no-brainer price while you can.
CREATE YOUR OWN GPT'S! My dear friend Åsa has just released a brand new course called Create a GPT for Your Business.
It’s a 60-page, no-fluff PDF that walks solopreneurs and creatives through the process of creating their first GPT, clearly, calmly, and with no overwhelm. It includes: ✅ What a GPT actually is (without tech jargon) ✅ What it can do in a business ✅ How to shape tone, behavior, purpose ✅ How to write clear instructions that work ✅ How to use GPT Builder to create + test ✅ How to make it useful, specific, and truly theirs
Includes flowcharts, worksheets, templates, test prompts, common mistakes, and bonus ideas for expansion.
It’s written in a warm, human style, no hype, no bro AI speak, just useful help.
Right now, grab it at launch price for $19. (Full price will be $39)
There is plenty of summer left to reset and recharge. The set is fully editable inside a FREE Canva account and comes with commercial rights.
Right now, you can grab it here for $7 (normally $49 when sold separately) This is available until July 31st.
If you love MaryJo's products, make sure you check out her brand new drops for July in her Template Supply Club. If you want fresh, high-quality digital products you can edit, brand, and sell — this month’s Template Supply Club drop is a must-have.
July’s theme is The Confidence Reboot Collection and it includes 4 incredible templates:
A full Confidence Reboot Workbook
A 72-card Confidence Deck
A 75-prompt Confidence Journal
Plus Story Mockups to help promote the products
All editable in Canva—perfect for digital product sellers, coaches, bloggers, and creators. You can get everything for as little as $8 a month, with new templates every month and the freedom to cancel anytime.
✨ BONUS: Sign up for any of Mary Jo's membership options and get a one-time bonus of 50% of your purchase back in Lara Loot.
SUN-SATIONAL AUGUST DROPS Katherine has released her newest kit in her Limitless Design Kits Monthly Membership. This month, it's the Fun in the Sun Kit Soak up the sun and dive into a world of summer fun with the Fun in the Sun Kit! This kit is a vibrant collection of elements designed to capture the playful spirit of sun-soaked days by the beach. Whether you're designing summer vacation invitations, crafting beach-themed décor, or simply looking to add some sunshine to your designs, this kit has you covered. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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. 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! 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. 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. 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 July 14th.
✨BONUS - If you purchase Katherine's kit, I'll give you give you 50% of your purchase back in Lara Loot which you can use in my shop with no expiry.
Things I'm crushing hard on this week. 😎
📧 Cool courses If you've been wanting to start a newsletter but haven't made the leap, my good friend Christina Peterson over at Passive Income Journeys has her popular course, Start Your Email List in a Weekend on sale until tonight (7/24) which hopefully will give you the nudge you need to begin. Regularly $147, grab it for $100 off using coupon NEWEMAILS by tonight at midnight. You'll also receive $25 in Lara Loot!
😎 Loving the lifetime deals Last week, I put Thrivecart through it's paces creating a whack of companion products for Faith's bundle. I'm no tech whiz and was surprised at how easily I got the hang out of creating upsells. If you're searching for a shopping cart to showcase your products, Thrivecart is a seriously great deal since it's a lifetime tool for a onetime price. And right now, if you grab Thrivecart, I'll gift you $250 + an extra $50 in Lara Loot. Check out Thrivecart here.
🤳 Cool Generator Tools If you missed it, be sure to check out my video review for PhotoGPT which is leaving Appsumo tonight. I've also been playing with Seelab which is another tool I highly recommend. Then there's Artistly which is a one-time price and right now you can save more with the coupon DEAL10. I've also been using Merlin which includes powerful search engines such as GPT 4.1, Claude 4 Sonnet, Gemini 2.5 Pro and more for less than Open AI!
*TC Bonus: If you purchase Thrivecart using my link, receive $200 back in Lara Loot. 😻 Other purchases made through my links qualify for bonuses! Drop me a line for more info.
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, nature, and my ever-expanding collection of antique typewriters. I'm inspired by nature on a daily basis and draw inspiration from my surroundings which trickles down to my creations. 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 don’t 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! Please be aware that if you unsubscribe from this email you will no longer receive updates on bonuses, courses, or waitlists that you might have signed up for. Please use caution when unsubscribing. 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.
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, “The Rouge” 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,It's been awhile since I wrote you but I took an impromptu trip to Alberta to visit the outlaws. They decided to book us a last minute flight and didn't give us much notice so there wasn't much time to do anything except pack. I didn't even have time to sleep. I just passed out on the couch for a few hours here and there and kept working. Of course I tried to put together some automated emails because I had two bundles that closed which I wanted to follow up on. I had them all ready...
Hi Reader,Today was the first walk I've had down at the beach for quite some time. If you've been with me for awhile, you know sharing photos of my walks is my thing. I haven't been doing that as often as of late as my four-month bout with pneumonia earlier this year made it really hard to get back on the horse, as they say. It's a bit like exercise. Once you stop, it's really hard to start again. It felt really good to get out for that long. The weather was perfect. Not too hot or cold. Plus...
Hi Reader,Ever kicked yourself for not buying something and letting that magical item get away?As much as I regret a ton of things I've bought and never used, there are very few things I've begged off that I've given a second thought to. But there are a few I've walked away from that I deeply regret. Some of them I'm still haunted by.Case and point. Nantes, Frances. July, 2014. We were in town for three days to shoot a story on giant mechanical puppets for Discovery Channel. (If you ever have...