wvasweetness scraps

Our Heart is With Haiti Collab

2010-01-26T14:16:00.001-05:00

Coming to Songbird Avenue one February 1st....

Gallery Standout!

2009-11-04T08:47:00.003-05:00

One of my newest LOs was highlighted on the Gallery Standouts site... so excited!

CREDITS - everything from SSD:
- Layered Up In You #2 Template by Lauren Grier
- Alpha from About A Boy Triple Dip
- Doctor Doctor kit by Grier/Bennett
- Petite Pebbles Alpha by Misty Cato
- Font: Century Gothic

December Daily Album

2009-11-03T11:52:00.003-05:00

Last year I really wanted to commit to doing the December Daily Album challenge that Ali Edwards took on, but I didn't do it. And after Christmas was over with, I wished I had.

Many people played along (pics here) with the December Daily 2008 Album Challenge, and at the end of the month they all had beautiful albums to show for it. I, on the other hand, had a couple hundreds photos on my camera and no scrapbook pages finished.

So this year I've decided that I'm going to do it - no matter what. I'm going to do digi, possibly some hybrid... and I need to get on the ball with planning out the album: what kits? what templates? what size?

Megan Turnidge has some awesome pics of the start of her album, which are a real inspiration for me! So that's my goal this week - to get started on planning out this album.

Scrappers Give Thanks!

2009-11-02T12:35:00.006-05:00

Simple Scrapper is doing an awesome charity event right now called Scrapper Give Thanks.

Simple Scrapper has teamed up with Operation Write Home to send blank handmade greeting cards to deployed men and women to send home to their loved ones.

Get all of the details here: www.simplescrapper.com/scrappers-give-thanks-2009/

What a fun event for such an amazing cause! Sign up now! Feel free to grab the blinkie below to share the love!

Design by Dani Birthday!

2009-09-30T09:42:00.002-04:00

Today is the LAST DAY to get your layouts in for a chance to WIN BIG! DETAILS HERE.

The Dani's Girls have put together some awesome birthday/party/celebration freebies to celebrate! In case you missed any of them, here's a list of the goodies:

Party Garland by Becky
Mini Candy Bar Wrappers by Tracy
Celebration Frame by Melissa
Template by Fairon
Card & Matching Tag by Sara L
Page Border by Me

And don't forget about the October Desktop Giveaway!

Hope you all are enjoying the first days of fall... I know I am. I'm so excited to take lots of leaf/sweater/football pics to scrap!

W&W Anniversary Celebration

2009-04-02T13:51:00.004-04:00

A little photo editing...

2009-03-24T10:20:00.002-04:00

Goes a long way!

Lately I've been working to improve my... umm... skills behind my new Nikon D40. Before a couple of weeks ago it had never been off of Auto Mode. Sadly, when I'm out and about and really taking a lot of pictures, I still don't feel comfortable enough shooting in Manual, for fear I'll miss a good shoot because I'm fiddling with the camera - or actually get a good shot, only to find that it's out of focus due to my lack of skill.

So until I learn what I'm doing, I still reply on Photoshop to get me where I need to be. I may not be comfortable with my using my camera on any mode other than Auto - but I can Photoshop like a mad woman. I'm also pretty comfortable with Adobe Lightroom. For awhile I used as a crutch for my not-so-good photos, but I'm getting better...

Here's a shot I got of Wes at the park a couple of weekend ago. He was crawling through the tunnels and kept peeking out... this is a shot that I probably wouldn't be able to get again if I tried. The original is cute, but is pretty BLAH. The revamped one really pops, shows true color, and redirects the focus to the center of the photo.

BEFORE

AFTER

Spring is in the Air!

2009-03-13T12:59:00.002-04:00

It might still be in the 40's here in West Virginia, but everyone has spring fever for sure! There are lots of awesome spring kits coming out... here are two coming out this weekend! Can't wait to scrap with both of these kits...

Serendipity by Jen...

In Your Easter Bonnet by Dani...

Black & White LO

2009-03-04T14:29:00.003-05:00

I'm really loving all black and white layouts right now. Here's one I cranked out today using Kasia's Black & White Memories kit from Shabby Pickle. The black ribbon hanger is from Jennifer Barrette's Teen Angst kit...

Another awesome charity kit

2009-03-04T12:06:00.003-05:00

Zoe Pearn has a charity kit out called Close to my Heart that is absolutely gorgeous. If you purchase it before March 31st, the proceeds go to benefit the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal. The Close to my Heart bundle pack is only $10, and it's HUGE!

Here's my first layout with this kit...

Fixing a Blurry Photo

2009-03-03T10:19:00.002-05:00

I hate it when I take (what I think is) a really good picture, and then when I download it and take a closer look, it's blurry - or even just not as sharp as I'd like.

Here's a super simple way to sharpen up your photos. Since this technique takes advantage of Lab Color, this is best used on color photos.

Open an image (in this case RGB mode)
Image > Mode > Lab Color
In the Channels pallet Click the "Lightness" layer. (This shows only grayscale.)

Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp mask
-- You may need to adjust, but keep the Amount between 50 and 150%, the Radius between 1.5 and 4 pixels, and start with the Threshold at 1.
Click the preview box on and off to see the effect.
Click OK when done.

In the Channels pallet click "Lab Color" layer to restore color portion
Image > Mode > RGB (put pack to original mode)

Here's an example....
Here's a picture of Wesley with his Daddy's work hat on. I took this shot as Wesley ran by and it turned out very blurry. The final result is far from perfect - but improved. I used Amount: 140, Radius 3.5, and Threshold at 2. I then ran the Smart Sharpen filter, converted to black and white, and played around with the curves a little.

Like I said, not perfect - but it saves this photo from the Recycle Bin.

Wishing For Spring Freebie

2009-03-02T07:40:00.000-05:00

Ever since the weather starting warming up a bit, I have been so anxious for spring! Here's a paper pack perfect for scrapping those wishing-for-spring pics.

Download: Wishing For Spring Paper Pack Freebie

New Free Shabby Princess kit

2009-02-28T12:10:00.004-05:00

I'm on of Shabby Princess's biggest fans. I own pretty much every product she's ever put out, and always look forward to the new releases! Freebie kits from SP are some of the most talked about digi scrap freebies out there - and for good reason! Check out the new one, Happy Go Lucky.

Here's my first LO with this kit...

Check out this charity kit

2009-02-27T13:15:00.006-05:00

If you purchase a charity kit this month, A NEW START has to be it!

This collab kit is HUGE with over 800 megs of goodies! Yes - 800 megs!!! Even more importantly, it's for an awesome cause. Theres K organized this collab charity kit to benefit a little boy named Adrian who lost his parents in an accident 2 weeks ago.

Here's a peek at the kit...

Here's my first layout with this kit....

Don't miss out on this gorgeous kit, or the chance to help this brave little boy. Check it out RIGHT HERE for only $6.00.

Published for the first time!

2009-02-18T10:24:00.003-05:00

I'm super excited to announce that I've been published for the first time!

My layout "I Love This Guy" is featured in the "What a Scrap" section of Issue 03 of The Daily Scrapper.

Check it out - first page, lower right hand corner.

Tutorial: How to use a layered template

2009-02-07T17:40:00.002-05:00

I've had several people ask how to use the 2008 in Review template that I posted as a freebie HERE.

Templates are a great way to create a layout in minutes, and are sometimes versatile enough to use over and over. Here are some simple instructions on how to use a layered template...

PLEASE NOTE: These instructions are for Photoshop or Photoshop Elements only.

Open the template and save it as a new name so that your new creation will not overwrite the original template file.

Be sure that the layers Palette is visible (Window -> Layers) so that you can view the individual layers in the template.

Now you’re ready to create a layout in minutes using a timesaving template!

1. Open the first photo that you want to use, and drag it to the template. In the layers palette, activate the photo layer (a fancy way of saying – click on it!) and drag the photo above the layer where you want to photo to be (for example – a photo block).

2. With the photo layer still active, right click on the photo layer and select “Create Clipping Mask.” This will “clip” your photo into the template shape.

3. To resize or rotate your photo, use the move tool (white arrow) to position the photo, and then you can resize/rotate like you normally would:

Edit -> Transform -> Scale for resizing
Edit -> Transform -> Rotate for rotation.

4. Repeat the above steps for each photo, paper, element, etc.

5. Some template may have a layer that say “Delete this layer.” This layer is most likely being used as a “for show” placeholder for a layout title or journaling. Be sure to delete this layer before saving the final product.

6. Add your title, journaling – be creative! Move photos and elements around, rotate the entire template, add more photos or elements… the possibilities are endless. Not only will this make the template your own, but it will also allow you to use the same template multiple times!

Tutorial: Better Black & White Photos

2009-02-04T22:03:00.005-05:00

The Daily Digi has an awesome tut out on making your B&W photos eye-popping.

I've gotten in the habit of running all of my photos through lightroom, but when I decide not to - this is the same technique I use for making "plain 'ole" black and white photos not so plain! :)

A Guide to Better Black & White Photos

Hope you all are having a great week!

A photo from the summer...

2009-02-03T06:03:00.001-05:00

I scrapped a photo from back in August that I've really been wanting to use in a layout. Wesley and Alexis love riding the four wheeler together! I used a new kit by Inkin' Creations, called Fun Times, for this LO - the vibrant colors are awesome!

A few new layouts...

2009-02-01T05:23:00.000-05:00

I'm so glad that I've had a little bit of time to scrap lately! It seems like if I go more than a week without scrapping, I really get out of my groove!

We went to see Sesame Street live at the beginning of January, and had a BLAST! Wesley was amazed the entire time! Here's a 2-pager with some of the pics...

After watching Sesame Street Live, we went to dinner and then stopped at Krispy Kreme since Steve had never been inside of one before. Wesley thought it was very neat, and had his very first donut!

Baking cookies

2009-01-28T13:11:00.005-05:00

I've been so excited to scrap these photos - and Freshly Baked by Creations by Rachael was the perfect kit for this LO!

Jordi and I had so much fun making the cookies... oh, and eating them too!

A little time to scrap

2009-01-18T12:20:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone is having a great weekend... with temps not rising above 25 degrees, it's been the perfect weekend to wrap up in a blanket and scrap! Oh wait... that was BEFORE having a toddler! :)

I did find some time to scrap one new page with some great pics we got back in the fall.

Simply Black & White freebie

2009-01-14T12:58:00.003-05:00

I finished up a fun, bold paper pack freebie.

Download Simply Black & White freebie HERE.

Scrapping 52: Week 2

2009-01-13T09:14:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone is finding time in the new year to scrap more! This week's challenge is called "An Average Day."

Week 2 Guidelines...
The guidelines for this week are simple: Scrap about an average day for you. You can scrap about everything that you normally do on an average day or even just one thing that you do on a daily basis. Some examples: eating breakfast from your favorite place, scrapping about somewhere that you pass on the way to work each day, cooking dinner, etc.

I am finishing up a fun paper pack that I hope to post tomorrow!

Scrapping 52: Week 1

2009-01-05T09:50:00.003-05:00

I will be posting one challenge each week for all of 2009. My goal is to post each Monday, but it's possible (heck, who am I kidding? It's very likely) that they could be posted later than that. I know that at some point, life will get in the way - but I'm hoping to at least stay caught up!

There is not "due date" for the challenge layout to be completed - although the goal is to keep caught up with scrapping, not procrastinate until you have an entire list of pages that you'd like to scrap! :)

Each week's challenge will have a set of "guidelines" which are set up to inspire you and challenge your scrapping abilities. But remember that the real goal of Scrapping 52 is to scrap regularly about what's going on in your life - so do whatever you want to meet that goal!

Week 1 Guidelines...
KrisCrosby has a gorgeous layout gallery over at DST. For our Week 1 Challenge, either lift one of her layouts, or create your own layout using one of her pages as inspiration. It shouldn't be hard - she has some amazing pages! If you lift one of her layouts, be sure to leave her a comment (with a link to your creation!) on the layout that you lift.

Not sure what to scrap about?
What about hopes for the new year: do you have a list of things you would like to accomplish this year? do you have a couple of New Year resolutions? or maybe "anti-resolutions"? do you have goals for a big project going on in your life (home renovation, weigh loss, etc)?

Remember that memories are precious - but unless preserved, they will be forgotten!

A little freebie for you...

DOWNLOAD HERE

12 Weeks to Better Photos

2009-01-04T09:18:00.001-05:00

Great lessons, hosted by 2Ps. Find them here.

Last minute freebie

2009-01-02T23:08:00.002-05:00

If you're like me, you're still in the middle of scrapping holiday photos! Here's a last minute paper pack that is perfect for scrapping the end of those holiday pics, or really - anything else! Enjoy!

Scrappy Christmas Paper Pack Freebie: download here.

2009 "Scrapping 52" Blog Challenges

2009-01-01T08:54:00.005-05:00

There are so many great challenges going on in the digi scrap community since it's a new year. "Project 365" is HUGE in digi scrapping (and paper scrapping) right now - it follows photojojo's concept of taking one pic a day for an entire year and blogging (or scrapping!) about it.

I've decided to host a string of challenges called "Scrapping 52" this year that are based on a variation of Project 365. The principles are pretty much the same, but are scaled down to scrapping 52 pages in a year using as many (or as few) photos as you want. The idea is that at the end of the year, you will have at least 52 pages for a complete scrapbook.

I often get in the habit of only scrapping "big" events - and all of the important details get left behind... a haircut that made me feel great, having a blast painting with my son, baking cookies from a new recipe that tasted great (or maybe they didn't!)... all of these details are what make up life!

So the main focus of Scrapping 52 will be to focus on EVERY detail of life - the big ones, and the little, the good and the bad, the exciting and seemingly unexciting.

Obviously the most important part of this challenge is to get some pics to scrap, which won't happen if you leave the camera at home. Get in the habit of taking your camera everywhere - the park, the grocery store, to visit a friend... Here are 365 photo op ideas from Creating Keepsakes Magazine.

I will be posting one challenge per week on my blog to keep myself (and hoping some of you) motivated to scrap at least one page per week. Some challenges will be accompanied by a freebie - a paper pack, a template, a piece of wordart, etc., and other challenges will be themed.

At the end of the day, the goal is the same... take more photos of our everyday life, and scrap at least one layout per week. That's it!

I can't wait to get started, and I hope that you'll join me!

2008 in Review Template

2008-12-31T22:00:00.009-05:00

It's still hard for me to believe that today is the last day of 2008! It seems like yesterday that we were bringing in 2008 - and now it's time to celebrate another new year!

Happy New Year, everyone!

"2008 in review" template: download here.

Here's my layout using this template...

Winter Wonderland Paper Pack Freebie

2008-12-17T13:49:00.012-05:00

The recent ice storm here in WV has left everything quite frosty - including me! Winter Wonderland is a little paper pack of blues and silvers that would be perfect for scrapping snowy photos - or anything that your heart desires!

If you feel so inclined, leave comment with a link to your layout - I'd love to see your creations! Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD HERE

Blog Challenges to begin January 1!

2008-12-15T10:12:00.000-05:00

One of my New Years resolutions each year is to scrap more... and looking bad through my galleries, I realized that I have a scrapping cycle that goes something like this...

During January - April I am an excited, motivated scrapper. I always do pretty well for the first few months of the year - I have tons of holiday pics to scrap, and a little more free time since the weather is crummy. Once I'm finished with holiday scrapping, I usually move on to back-scrapping (scrapping older pics from the previous year that are still in my TO SCRAP "file"). It usually takes me the first couple weeks of the year to get into my groove, but after that I usually scrap several pages per week. During this time I'm my most active in the digi scrap community, normally do all of the scrapping challenges I can get my hands on, and do a pretty good job of keeping up with what's new and exciting in the digi scrap world.

From May - July I am losing some steam. As weather starts getting a little nicer, I start losing some steam and spend less time on digi scrap forums, and more time scrapping. I'm usually still participating in a few scrapping challenges - but I pick and choose instead of doing them all.

From August - October I am a scrapping loser. Normally during this time I can count on two hands how many pages I have scrapped - sad, I know. Although I tell myself every year that I will try to keep up with my scrapping so that I don't get behind, the nice weather, summer vacations, and long evenings get in the way and scrapping goes to the backburner. When (if!) I do attempt to scrap anything, it feels like I've totally lost my mojo because I haven't scrapped in so long. By this time, my TO SCRAP "pile" is just that - a pile. I keep adding to my list of pages that I want to scrap, and that's it.

By the time November and December roll around, I am so caught up in holiday ruckus that I continue my unintential scrapping strike. As the end of the year approaches (like right now!), I realize that I am WAY behind scrapping this year's memories, and next year is right around the corner!

I figure there is no better way to start out the new year than with scrapping some memories! So I've decided to host a few Blog Challenges to get some creative juices flowing. The challenges will start January 1, and will be diverse enough that anyone can participate - beginner through expert scrapper! And I even have a couple of fun give-aways planned.

Check back soon for details! :)

Adding catch light to eyes

2008-09-04T13:44:00.000-04:00

A very neat trick for adding some extra pizazz to eyes...
http://www.all-things-photography.com/adding-catch-lights-to-eyes.html

LO: Life is Good.

2008-09-04T12:28:00.005-04:00

CREDITS
- for SSD Slogan Challenge
- Lift of purple_colourz's "Delight": http://tinyurl.com/6go745
- Paper Punch Outs: D. Mogstad's "Creative Crops" (SSD)
- Papers: from E. Kipler's "Electric Attitude" (SSD)
- Elements: from "Electric Attitude" and "Happy Dance", both by E. Kipler (SSD)
- Alpha: from "Fresh Fizz" by E. Kipler (SSD)
- Font: One Sweet Font (SSD)

Gatlinburg albums - pgs 1-3

2008-09-04T09:52:00.006-04:00

I'm getting started on our Family Vacation album, which I'm pretty proud of considering that we've been back only a few days! Now, if i can get it completed - that will be a REAL accomplishment.

CREDITS
- for SSD SAL 8/31 of Julie's "soaked" :http://tinyurl.com/6ef26j
- Kit: H. Roselli's "Are We There Yet?"
- Fonts: CK Alis Hand, 1942 Report

CREDITS
- SSD 8/27 Cookie 48 w/ babycake
- Kit: H. Roselli's "Are We There Yet?"

CREDITS
- Frames: "Bent Bunch #3" by P. Springermann (SSD)
- Kit: "Babalicious" by Clingerman & Billingsly (SSD)
- Font: CK Alis Hand

LO: I Love You

2008-09-04T09:46:00.002-04:00

Back from vacation - and time to scrap! Here's a layout using Theres K's new "Kit No 6" @ Elemental Scraps.

Take a closer look HERE.

CREDITS
- for SSD September TOTM
- Lift of nikki's "you are my everything": http://tinyurl.com/5n4v8n
- Papers: from "Paper Stuff" by TheresK (Elemental Scraps) and "Super Star Bright" by F. Jardine (SSD)
- Staple, acrylic bracket, beaded title: from "Kit No 6" by TheresK (Elemental Scraps)
- Glitter splats: from "Sparkle Mess" by M. Martin (SSD)
- Font: 1942 Report

BlogWear How-To, Week 1

2008-08-19T18:49:00.011-04:00

A How-To on customizing your Blogger/BlogSpot blog from head to toe and impressing all of your friends with your mad blogger skills.

You've seen all of these cool blogs with rockin' headers and matching buttons and headers. WOW - those people must have some mad skills, huh? It's actually not as hard as you might think. It does take a little time, and if you want to get it perfect - it will require working with some HTML. BUT don't let that scare you. You can do this.... even without one of those "for Dummies" books. :)

I've broken down the process into 2 "classes," which is just an attempt to separate the information in some logical form. Class 1 is the BlogWear design phase; Class 2 is when we will upload the BlogWear to the blog.

The first step is to design your blog elements. If you aren't up for designing/creating them yourself, consider having them designed by someone else. There are hundreds of places on the web where you can order custom "blog-wear" (aka: blog designs). If you are up for designing your own blog wear, read on...

DESIGNING YOUR BLOGWEAR

Please note: This tutorial is written for Photoshop users. Photoshop Elements users can mostly likely use these instructions, with a few adaptations. You can use your designs for any type of blog - however, these instructions are written for use with Blogger/BlogSpot.

1. Determine what elements you want to add to your blog. I am assuming that you totally want to pimp out your blog, so this tutorial will cover the design and creation of a header, footer, and buttons.

2. Determine the appropriate size of your blog elements.

-- Header Size: Log in to Blogger, and go to Layout -> Page Elements. Click Edit on the Header element. A pop-up box will appear with options for editing the Header. At the very bottom of the pop-up box, you will see "Image will be shrunk to XXX pixels wide" (in my case, it is 660 pixels wide - but this number will vary, depending on the Blogger template that you are using). [If you do NOT have "Image will be shrunk to XXX pixels wide," uncheck the "Shrink to size" box.] Take note of that XXX number - that is the size for your header and your footer.

-- Button Size: Back to Layout -> Page Elements. On the side of the Page Elements (could be on the left or the right, depending on the blog template you are using), click "Add a Gadget" and select the Image/Picture gadget. A pop-up box will appear, and you are again looking for the pixel dimensions listed at the bottom of the box. In my case, it is 220 pixels wide, but again - this will vary, depending on your Blogger template.

Now that you have your dimensions, you are ready to start designing!

3. Design your elements in Photoshop.

-- Start Photoshop. Go to File -> New. Name your project: blog_header. For width and height, set the drop-down box to "pixels." For width, enter the number of pixels that you wrote down from Blogger for the header. The Height can be whatever you want it to be. (I err on the side of making it taller than I think it needs to be because it's easier to crop it than it is to add to it). Set resolution to at least 200 pixels/inch (higher, if you'd like). Set Color Mode to RGB. Set Background Contents to White. Click OK, and you have the start of your kickin' blog header.

Follow the same process as above to create a footer and buttons - just be sure that you change the width/height to suit the element (ie: buttons are not as nearly as wide as the header).

Save all of your source files (PSD files) so that they can be edited easily. Got that? BE SURE to save your source files!! Also, save each file as a JPG or GIF. Also, remember: SAVE EARLY, SAVE OFTEN.

Where you go from here is completely up to you. The world is your oyst... umm... blog header! So knock yourself out!

Check back soon for Class 2: Uploading your BlogWear to your blog.

Finally getting this blog going!

2008-08-18T16:19:00.007-04:00

I've been working on this blog in my mind for a very long time. When I was a paper scrapper, I wanted a paper scrapping blog. When I went digital, I knew I HAD to have a digi scrap blog - and that was more than 2 years ago.

I started adding information to this blog months ago, and made an attempt to post a couple of things, and then I lost my mojo. I didn't even think about this blog for a couple of months.

Now that I finally got around to throwing together some blog wear - a header and some buttons - I'm very excited about it again!

My goal is to post at least once a week - and hopefully more often than that! But for now I'm thinking in baby steps... baby steps. :)

Summery new collab kit

2008-06-29T20:38:00.000-04:00

Sugar Giggles just released a brand new collab kit that is smokin' hot!

Seven designers, including the awesome Summer Simmons, designed this kit, which is jammed packed full of more than 400 megs of goodies! Pick up A Summer Celebration HERE.

I can't wait to scrap a bunch of pages using this kit! Here's one that I just finished this evening...

Larger version, and full credits, can be found here.

Benefit Collab Kit

2008-06-18T20:36:00.001-04:00

For all of your digi scrappers out there... check out this HUGE new collab charity kit - "Celebration of Life" - put together by more than 25 designers to benefit Laurie Garza, an active member of the digi scrap community. Her husband passed away last month and she is now raising their three small children on her own. 100% of the proceeds from this kit go to Laurie.

The kit is GIGANTIC, and includes: 94 papers, 157 elements, 4 alphas, 8 templates, 6 quick pages and 1 bracket album. If you purchase the kit before June 24th, you get the Maya Road mini heart album quick pages for free.

Pick it up at Shabby Pickle.

Resolution & DPI vs. PPI

2007-01-01T10:46:00.000-05:00

What is resolution?
Image size/resolution describes the detail/fineness an image holds. The term applies equally to digital images, film images, and other types of images. Higher resolution means more image detail. Resolution is measured in pixels per inch (ppi) or dots per inch (dpi).

DPI vs. PPI - what's the difference?
This is a confusing concept that is widely misunderstood.

Technically, DPI and PPI are two totally different things. DPI is "dots per inch" and is used for print material. PPI is "pixels per inch" and refers to how images are displayed on computer monitors. But in the digital scrapbooking world, the two terms are used interchangeably.

Most digi scrap elements and kits that you download are 300dpi. Because of this, creating your layouts at 300dpi is optimal - and more convenient.

The Basics
• The more ppi = the higher the resolution = the higher the image quality.
• Higher dpi = larger file size.

• The web and email standard for images is 72dpi. The printing standard for images is either 200 or 300dpi.

Still don't understand? Here is a great explanation from 2Ps: DPI vs. PPI - What?

Digi Scrapping A to Z

2007-01-01T09:33:00.002-05:00

Like paper scrapbooking, digital scrapbooking utilizes using a combination of papers, alphas, stamps, ribbons, and a variety of other embellishments. Unlike paper scrapbooking, however, digital gives you the freedom to resize, recolor, and reuse any product in your supply stash. Best of all, there's no mess to put away when you're finished!

• Kits- Digital Scrapbooking Kits are a collection of papers and embellishments all centered on a particular theme and color scheme. Kits are the best way to get started with a page since everything coordinates and is designed to work together to give your page a cohesive look.

• Paper Packs - Digital Paper Packs are exactly that, packs of papers in digital format. You use these JPEG versions of 12x12" papers to create backgrounds, photo mattes, die-cuts, etc., just as you would use a traditional piece of paper. Of course, you're able to use these papers over and over again, no longer worrying about making the "wrong cut" and wasting your supply.

• Overlays - Digital Overlays are comparable to traditional transparencies. They are also PNG files, so part of the image is transparent, allowing elements beneath it on a layout to show through.

• Stamps and Brushes - These are perhaps the most versatile product in the world of digital scrapbooking. They are ABR files that must be loaded into your photo-editing program. Once loaded, they can be used as a rubber stamp, an eraser, a paint brush, a laser cutter, a distressing tool, and more. They can be re-sized, re-colored, rotated, duplicated to create patterns, the possibilities are truly endless. Downloads also include PNG versions of the brushes that can be used if your software does not support brushes.

• Quick Pages - Digital Quick Pages are scrapbook pages that are already designed and ready for you to simply drop in your photos. These files are flattened PNG files, which mean the elements on the page can't be manipulated or changed in any way. You can, however, add additional embellishments and journaling to them.

• Actions - Actions are files that can be loaded into Adobe Photoshop (not PSE) and used to perform a variety of multi-step tasks. There are actions for adding drop shadows, inked edges, sanded edges, and more. There are also photo actions that can automatically sharpen, soften, brighten, or convert your favorite photos to black and white, sepia, etc. Once you load an action, it's ready to use with the click of a button, giving you more time to spend on other aspects of your layout.

• Layered Templates - Digital Layered Templates are similar to a paper layout "sketch," only better. These products are PSD files that include all the layers of a pre-designed layout. Unlike Quick Pages, these layers can be manipulated to suit your needs. You can remove, resize, or reposition any aspect of the layout. You use your own choice of papers and embellishments to compliment your photos and simply "clip" them to the placeholders in the file. Instructions for using these templates in PS and PSE are included in the download.

• eBooks - Digital Scrapbooking eBooks are original design and idea books created in PDF format. They are packed with wonderful tips on creating layouts, using products, and getting the most out of your digital scrapbooking experience. They are completely hot-linked to the DesignerDigitals store, allowing you to locate inspirational layouts and must-have products quickly and easily. The eBooks are PDF files, and therefore require Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing (available as a free download).

• Lesson Packs - Digital Lesson Packs are scrapbooking tutorials packaged with everything you need to create the layout being taught. They include a full-color PDF with screen shots to walk you through every step of creating your layout. All papers and embellishments required to complete the project are included and can be used over and over again in any future layouts you create.

• Fonts - Fonts are used to add journaling and titles to your layouts. There are custom fonts available in the DesignerDigitals store and at IdeaBooks4U.

Credits: some portions from DesignerDigitals.com

Why go digital?

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The first question that people ask about digi scrapping is "why is it better than paper scrapping?" And my answer is: isn't not. It's not "better" than paper scrapping - it's just a different FORM of scrapping.

Some people prefer paper scrapping to digi scrapping, and vice versa. Other people do what is called "hybrid scrapbooking," which is a mix of paper scrapping and digital scrapping.

You need to choose the method of scrapping that best for you. Personally, I'm a digi scrapping girl all of the way. I do enjoy hybrid project every once in awhile, but for the most part, I'm all digital.

So, why go digital?

• Because it will be SO easy since you found this site to use as a guide. :)

• It's so much less mess. No glue, paint, glitter or paper scraps to pick up when you are finished.

• Scrap when you want, for as long as you want. Don't worry about dragging out the tote of paper, 40 pairs of decorative scissors, and 14 rolls of ribbon. Just sit down at your computer and start scrapping. When you are finished, save the project and walk away.

• Purchase digi scrap products, and use them forever. Literally. Purchase a digi scrap ribbon element, and you can use it in a million different. Recolor it, resize it, retexture it, rotate it, and use it over and over again.

• You have so many more options with your photos - recolor, resize, rotate, cut into a funky shape. You also don't have to have your photos printed before you start scrapping. You can shoot a photo with your digital camera one minute and incorporate it into a digi scrap page the next minute.

• The fonts. Don't ever worry about running out of the letter "S" again! Forget the piles of alphabet stickers, foam stamps, rubber stamps, and ink pads. There are hundreds of thousands of fonts out there waiting to be used on a scrapbook page.

• Print your pages as many times as you want - all at the same quality, and in a wide variety of sizes.

• Easy preservation. Everything can easily be preserved on a CD, external hard drive, or stored on a hosted server.

• Freebies. Walk into any scrapbook store, ask them to give you a stack of paper and some rubons to use for free, and see what they say. They will look at you like you're crazy! With digi scrapping, there are thousands of freebies out there, created by a very diverse group of designers. If you wanted to, you could digi scrap for the rest of your life using ONLY freebies.

• It's fast! Using premade pages and layered templates makes it possible to create a digital scrapbook page in minutes.

• There are SO many more options for sharing - online, via email, in your blog, on a CD, on a slideshow or montage video. There are a tons of options!

• And the big one... the UNDO BUTTON. Never ruin another photo or have to cover up a portion of your background paper because you dripped glue. If you do something that you aren't happy with, just undo.

Digital Piracy & Credits

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Giving credit where credit is due

Crediting the artist whose elements you are using is very important. Not only will this help you keep track of who's elements you are using, but when you post your digi scrap layout online you MUST post credits along with it.

On many sites, NOT posting credits with your digi scrap layout is considered plagiarism. In the digi scrap world, it is assumed that when you do not credit an element, that element was created by you and is an original creation.

Credits are also helpful when you are viewing other people's pages b/c if you see an element you like, you can see whose element it is by looking in the credits.

As you are working on a layout, be sure to keep track of the designers whose work you are using. I keep a Word doc open, and keep track like this:

CREDITS:
Papers: from "The coolest ever" kit by Designer's Name, @ nameofwebsite.com
Ribbon tie:
Brads:
Stapled card:
Fonts:

Be sure to include at least the designer's name, name of the kit or element pack, and what website you purchased the item from. A link to the product is also helpful.

Before posting credits on an external website, always read the website's TOU. Some sites do not allow direct links to products.

What is piracy?
Piracy is the theft, reproduction, or redistribution of a copyrighted work without the permission or knowledge of the creator/copyright holder. (from http://jenjen.typepad.com/stoppiracy)

• Check out: 10 Myths About Copyright, explained by Brad Templeton

But I can share freebies, right?
Sharing freebies is piracy! Just because a product is free, does NOT mean that you can do with it what you wish. Find out why here.

Get the scoop on digital piracy here:

File Formats & Saving

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The Basics about formats

• PSD: These are layered files. Although other photo-editing software programs can read these files, they are specifically created in Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. These files contain multiple layers that can be manipulated or removed from a layout. Layered Templates are this file type, as are the layouts you create yourself.

• JPG: These are solid image files. Papers and photos are the most common JPG files you will use.

• PNG: These are overlay files. The background of these images is transparent, allowing them to be layered on top of one another. The majority of digital scrapbooking elements and embellishments are PNG files (ribbons, frames, buttons, staples, etc.)

• ABR: These are brush files. They must be loaded into Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. If your software does not support brushes, there are generally PNG versions of the images provided in the download folder.

• PDF: These are Adobe Acrobat Reader files. They are often used when the designer provides instructions on how to use a downloaded file. They are also used for eBooks. You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files, and it is available as a free download on the Adobe website.

• Read Me: These are text files provided by the designer, often to provide the terms of use (TOU) and copyright information for their designs.

For those of you who are saying "Umm... I have no idea what you are talking about. I just need to know how to save my files!" this is for you...

Save Early, Save Often
Before I get into what format you need to save your file as, remember this rule: SAVE EARLY, SAVE OFTEN. I'll say it again - save early, save often. The keyboard shortcut for saving is CTRL+S for PC, and APPLE+S for MAC. Get in the habit of saving every couple of minutes. Make it a HABIT. Enough preaching… now on to the nitty gritty…

Come up with a naming convention
First, you need to come up with a naming convention. Basically, decide how you want to name your digi scrap layouts - then stick with it. And remember that the underscore is your friend. Always use an underscore ( _ ) rather than a space. You can name your files whatever you want to, just be consistant!

If your layout is about Grandma Helen's 90th Birthday that was on February 1st 2008, you might name the layout:

GrandmaHelen_90thBirthday_01Feb2008.psd
01Feb2008_GrandmaHelen_90thBirthday.psd
Grandma_90thBirthday_01Feb2008.psd

If you ever change a layout, always save the revised page with an indicator at the end, like: GrandmaHelen_90thBirthday_01Feb2008_edited.psd OR

GrandmaHelen_90thBirthday_01Feb2008_2.psd

Save each file three times.
You need to save every layout three times.
• layered, 300 dpi PSD file – this is your source file
• high resolution 200 or 300dpi JPG - for printing
• low resolution 72dpi JPG - for web/email

When you save your layout in the three different formats, be sure to give indicators at the end of the file name about what that file is for. For example:
GrandmaHelen_90thBirthday_01Feb2008.psd - this is your source file
GrandmaHelen_90thBirthday_01Feb2008_PRINT.jpg - this is your file for printing
GrandmaHelen_90thBirthday_01Feb2008_WEB.psd - this is for web/email/blog

Yes, you need to keep the PSD file!
It is very important that you keep a PSD file saved for every digi scrap layout. A PSD file is considered the "source" file because it is layered, which means that you can go back and edit the file as needed. If you do not save the PSD file, you are left with a flattened JPG file – which means you can not edit the layout. I don’t care if you think that you will never need the source file again. You will. Save it!

Introduction

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I'm Deanna, a graphic designer by day and digital and hybrid scrapper by night. For the past couple of years I've been wanting a blog JUST for my scrap adventures, but somehow life always gets in the way (silly work!)

Well... I recently realized that our poor family blog has been overrun with digi scrap posts. So it's time to give them a home of their own! And so this blog was born!

I have many hopes and dreams for this blog... But for now I just want it to be a place where I can ramble about my latest scrapping obsessions, post pics of recent projects, and put up some info that might be helpful to someone out there - even if only a little.

So, let the scrapping madness begin!

Deanna