Scrapbook Dimensions Magazine

By Julie Fei-Fan Balzer What do these two layouts have in common? Yes, they’re both digital. Yes, they both have one photo. And yes, they both employ the same very cool digital rub-on effect. The red flourishy thing behind the photo in the first layout, and the yellow flowers in the second layout, are both lifted from patterned paper. Below you can see the original patterned papers. The red one is by CanDesigns and the flowered one is by Amanda Dykan. All you do to lift the design is use the magic wand tool in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Click on the area you want to lift, or hold down the shift key while clicking to choose several areas at once. Because the magic wand tool picks up like pixels, the image you get will be distressed. Once you cut and paste it into your layout, you will see that it looks like a rub-on because you can see the layout through it. Be careful not to add a drop shadow as will ruin the rub-on look. Think about how many more embellishments you now have in your scrap supplies!

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Want to increase traffic to your blog? Do you love hybrid or want to learn more about hybrid? Join us for the largest blog party ever! On May 3rd, National Scrapbook Day, we invite scrappers the world over to be a part of our party.

All you have to do for now is join the official list at scrapbookdimensions.ning.com
Then to participate on National Scrapbook Day:
*Post the Blog Party Information on your blog before May 3rd and invite others to join us

*Add your name to the participating party-goers list

*Create a layered template or sketch for a hybrid card

*If you wish to make a sample card that you be swell

*Upload your template to a file-sharing service such as 4shared.com

*On May 3rd, post your template and SDM Party Banner on your blog, along with the list of party-goers so readers can blog hop to all our blogs (Banner and list will be available May 1st - check back here)

See you then!

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Written by Julie Ann Shahin
A few years ago, Erica Hite and I took an art journal class taught by Mandy Steward - and you can see a page from Erica’s journal in this week’s Inspiration from the Scrapbook Dimensions Magazine Week-At-A-Glance Planner. If you would like the layered template for this challenge, you can pick it up at our Social Network in the Challenge forum.

Here is my version of this layout and how I made my number tags:

1. Search for tags in ACDSee Photo Manager, then open them in your software editing program

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2. I am using Erica Hite’s Nessa Font from Scrapgirls.com for my numbers.

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3. Simplify the text layer. Using the Paint Bucket Tool, on the number layer fill in the number with color. Choose a second color, and fill in the shading.

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4. Rep eat for remaining numbers.

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5. Add your papers to the template, along with doodle brushes, then add your number tags.

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6. On a document the size of your printer paper, arrange the pieces you wish to print.

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This is my take on Erica Hite’s inspiration, although hers is much more beautiful! Now it’s your turn! Have fun!

Supplies:

**Digital**

Layout Template: Scrapbook Dimensions Planner Challenge

Paper template: Erica Hite Damask Scrap Simple Template at Scrapgirls

Papers: Erica Hite Daydream, Erica Hite Nessa

Tags: Doodle Dandy Kit from Scrapgirls; Doris Castle, Erica Hite Daydream Kit

Font: Erica Hite Nessa

Doodles: Chuckle Out Loud Doodles at escapeandscrap.net

**Physical**

Machine sewing

Title mat paper: Sasha Collection for Prima Marketing by Doris Castle

Letters: American Crafts, Scenic Route, Creative Imaginations, Autumn Leaves, Making Memories, EK Success

Pen: America Crafts Slick Writer

About Julie Ann Shahin

Julie Ann Shahin
Julie Ann Shahin is a published freelance scrapbook artist, author/editor of The Scrapbook Dimensions Week-At-A-Glance Planner, and founder of The Everyday Digital Scrapbooking Idea blog. Her digitally-infused creations feature photojournalism and meaningful content. Fellow scrappers across the country and internationally turn to her and the the staff of Scrapbook Dimensions Magazine for inspiration and help using their computer as a scrapbooking tool. Julie Ann Shahin has just accepted a promotion from Creative Editor to Special Projects Director with Scrapbook Dimensions Magazine for 2008. Scrapbook Dimensions Planner at Scrapbook Dimensions Shoppe

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By Gina Lideros Dream Team

Create your own customized titles with standard computer fonts and digital papers.

First open the digital pattern paper of your choice and go to Edit > Define Pattern.

Name your pattern and click OK.

Open up a new document by going to File > New > Blank File and type in your desired width and height.

Select the Horizontal Type tool and select a bold font from the drop down menu. Use the slider to increase the font size.

A font size 100 or greater typically works well for this.

Using your type tool, type your title and then right click and choose Simplify Layer from the menu.

Next, select the magic wand tool. Hold down Shift while you click on each letter in your title to select the entire word. You should see

marching ants around your title.

Select the Paint Bucket tool. In the Options bar at the top of your screen, choose Pattern from the fill drop down box.

Find your custom pattern and click on it to select.

Using your Paint Bucket tool click on each letter in your title to fill it.

Your title is now ready to use! Save it so that you can use it again and print.

Credits: Kelly Shults: Chicken Scratch kit: red dots and multi doodle papers, bird; Katie Pertiet: Border template

Other: Darice: rhinestones

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By Patty Debowski
The Digital Scrapbook Teacher

When I’m working on a project with multiple layers in Photoshop Elements I will occasionally hide some of my layers by clicking on the eyeball icon in the Layers palette. Hiding layers is temporary while deleting layers is permanent.

By Alt Clicking on the eyeball icon on one layer all of your other layers will be hidden. Alt click again and they’ll all turn back on.

Another way to hide layers is to click on one of the eyeball icons and drag up or down in the Layers palette over the eyeball icons.

Remember that when saving a project as a .psd file all hidden layers are saved. Hidden layers are discarded when you save a project as a .jpg file.

One great way to use hidden layers is to write yourself notes about something you did on your page and then hide the layer. As long as you save your file as a .psd file you’ll always have your notes.

P.S. If you can’t wait for next week’s Photoshop Elements shortcut tip, you can purchase my book filled with other tips like this, and then check in each week for a refresher course!

http://www.thedigitalscrapbookteacher.com/

© 2008 Patty Debowski

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By Bre Wiebe (Dream Team)
Here is a little inspiration for you to create a quick and easy hybrid page!

First create a 8.5 X 11 document in Photoshop. Add your picture, frame and any other desired embellishments of your choice.

Print it out and then add it to your favorite pattern paper with title and journaling!

Here is my page…

~Bre

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by Julie Ann Shahin

This week’s Scrapbook Dimensions Planner Challenge is to document the child in your life’s skill level with technology. Here is my hybrid layout that I created with the template for this week. You can get the free template by registering at our Social Network and getting it here.

Trying our challenge is a great way to try a graphic clean style, especially if it’s not your normal style you can stretch outside your comfort zone. The journaling challenge is a great one to document now so technology can be compared to technology of the future 25 years from now.

Step 1. After creating your layout with the layered template in your software program, merge only the layers with the circles and title. Print just this part.
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Step 2. Next print the Date box and journal strips. If you have extra room on your printer paper, add extra elements that you’ll save for a different project. Print.
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Step 3. Adhere items to layout.
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Step 5. Add any additional embellishments. I couldn’t help but add a few Prima flowers.
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Continue getting weekly inspiration for hybrid layouts and projects with the Scrapbook Dimensions Week-At-A-Glance Planner.

About Julie Ann Shahin

Julie Ann Shahin is a published freelance scrapbook artist, author/editor of The Scrapbook Dimensions Week-At-A-Glance Planner, and founder of The Everyday Digital Scrapbooking Idea blog. Her digitally-infused creations feature photojournalism and meaningful content. Fellow scrappers across the country and internationally turn to her and the the staff of Scrapbook Dimensions Magazine for inspiration and help using their computer as a scrapbooking tool. Julie Ann Shahin has just accepted a promotion from Creative Editor to Special Projects Director with Scrapbook Dimensions Magazine for 2008. Scrapbook Dimensions Planner at Scrapbook Dimensions Shoppe

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by Chere Nordstrand (Dream Team)

Here’s another example of using a mask for something other than a scrapbook page. This adorable “Belly Mask” by Lauren Reid is perfect for making a baby shower card in a flash!

Belly mask is part of the Hot Momma to Be kit by Lauren Reid available at Little Dreamer Designs.

Here’s how to make it:

1. Open the Belly Mask.

2. Open the patterned paper of your choice, drag and drop it onto the Belly Mask. Press Ctrl + G (PC) or Cmd + G (Mac) and the paper will take the shape of the belly mask, then go to Layer > Merge Visible.

3. You will need to resize to fit onto a card but the size may vary depending on how big your card is. my image ended up at about 3″x 2″.

4. Print out your belly, cut it out and adhere to the side of your card, I also printed out the title of the card which is also part of the digital kit.

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By Patty Debowski
The Digital Scrapbook Teacher

With Photoshop Elements you can remove a selection border (marching ants) several ways:

The long way - Select>DeSelect

With the shortcut - Ctrl>D

Or the super fast way - Tap the Esc key

Enjoy!

Patty

P.S. If you can’t wait for next week’s shortcut tip, you can purchase my book filled with other tips like this, and then check in each week for a refresher course!

http://www.thedigitalscrapbookteacher.com/

© 2008 Patty Debowski

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Chere Nordstrand (Dream Team)

I apologize for not doing a hybrid project this blog post. I sat down tonight to print one out and BOTH of my printers are out of ink and Staples is now closed! ACK That’s what I get for waiting until the last minute. I do however have a trick to do with your digital elements. It’s sort of along the line of one of my previous posts about Photolays using the same concept and playing with the blending modes again like this:

Here’s some examples:

On this one, the original digital element is on the top and the altered digital element is on the bottom using the Overlay blending mode.

The next one here is using one of those popular “acrylic” digital elements. The original element is on the top and the altered element is on the bottom using the Linear Burn blending mode. The element is still clear just not as bold.

This one I really liked the shape of the element and everything that was happening with it except I didn’t care for the green color. I changed the blending mode to Linear Dodge and got a lighter effect.

Next time you have a digital element that isn’t quite the right color try changing the blending modes and see what you come up with.

Credits

Sample 1: Vera Lim - A Better Me

Sample 2 & 3: We Are Story Tellers - Art Nation Imagination & Boy Wonder kits

Sample 4: Vera Lim - La Vita e Bella Papers & A Little Magic Vol. 1

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