Hi all, I’m Tracy (aka SnaprebelX), new to the ScrapMatters Creative Team. I can try to make myself feel better by saying that it is still Friday SOMEWHERE.  Our internet went out on Tuesday and they had to send us a new modem, which they said would be here today  by 5.  Well it showed up near 6 and then the studpid new modem wouldn’t connect to the net.  ARGH.  My husband finally got it to work, so here I am.  I hate that my first real assignment was so late.  But Im sure you can all understand the woes of internet loss    I was asked to share some of my photo tips.  So here I am, jumpin in with my 2 cents. Im really not that good at writing but I hope you find it helpful and/or interesting J

A photo can be worth a thousand words right? But do they tell the whole story? Sometimes yes, most times no. There are generally so many other things you want to say. Sometimes that can be taken care of in your journaling. But sometimes a good detail shot can say so much. Im a wedding photographer and there are so many details in a wedding. When the night is all said and done, you are going to remember the vows, the fun, the dancing. But are you going to remember the center pieces that you and your bridesmaids spent hours making? Are you going to remember the arsenal of makeup supplies that you used, or the beautiful flowers in your bouquet before they wilted? Those small details are going to slowly disapear, until you you can no longer recall that the edges of the roses were a darker red then the rest of the bud. Things like that deserve to be preserved. I recently gained a new wedding contract because the bride liked all the detail shots that I had in my presentation. She said that the others that she met with had close to none, and that those details were important to her.The same can be said for your scrapbook pages.  Those little things deserve to be remembered and cherished. Because before you know it, those tiny little baby toes are gonna be gone.

Hey everyone–Andrea here.  Since Leap Day only happens every four years–I thought we should take advantage of it and have a sale! I mentioned in last Saturday’s post about the sale, but in case you missed it…

TODAY ONLY–everything at ScrapMatters is on sale for 40% off.  All kits, elements, templates, quick page albums etc!  And even more exciting is the fact that today marks the beginning of our week long–“Grab It While You Can” Grab Bag Sale.  Our designers have put together some pretty fantastic grab bags overflowing with fabulous never seen before designs.  These bargain-priced grab bags have a value of at least four times the cost of the bag.  So treat yourself this LEAP DAY–it only happens once every four years. Enjoy! 

It’s Theory Thursday and I’m sitting here trying to think about what to write today.  I’m sick, my nose is running, my back aches, and all I want to do is go climb back into bed.  But at the same time I want to write something great that will help us all be better scrappers.  So how about a REALLY quick tutorial . . .

This tutorial is for Photoshop CS3, but I think its pretty similar in other programs.  Let me show you the way I turn my pics black and white.  I love black and white photos.  I know there are tons of ways to make black and white photos.  Actions, effects, pre-made settings, lots of ways.  But this is how I do it.

I usually place my photo on my LO first.  The I open “Hue & Saturation” and turn the saturation all the way down (to the left).

I could leave the photo here.  But I want it even more crisp.  I like a really strong black and white.  White lighter faces and a strong black.  To get this I used “Brightness and Contrast. ”

Then play with the settings, turn the brightness and contrast up, until you get the look you like.

And voila!  A really pretty black and white photo.

I know this is just one method to turn a photo black and white.  But for me, it’s really easy and quick and I can get the look just right for each photo.

Anyway – hope this helped someone!  haha

Have a great Thursday!

xoxo,

Hey, Stacy (shutch) here. This is my first post here at the ScrapMatters Team Blog and it is a bit daunting, to be honest. I have recently been given the opportunity to be on the CT here and am very excited about that.  Apparently Brittney was looking through the gallery and needed a post for Words for Wednesday, she saw a LO that I did a few weeks ago where I used a definition and she had a bright idea – lightbulb moment – so here I am to write about using definitions on your LO.

Here is the LO that inspired this post:

I use definitions every once in a while in my LOs – usually, to be honest, when I can’t think of a title or journaling for a picture. In the LO above I couldn’t remember the actual name of the lighthouse (really not good when scrapbooking I know) but I needed something to add to the page. I just wondered what the actual definition for a light house was. I simply went to dictionary.com and wrote the definition down.

I have always had a fascination with what words really mean. Especially since I have had children. They often ask me what words mean and I find it interesting that I don’t usually know an exact definition. For example, my little boy asked me the other day what tree meant. All I could think to say was, “Well it is a tree, you know what a tree is.” It is times like this when I wish I was smarter and knew all the answers. However, thanks to the internet I can be the smartest mom on the planet – as long as the kids can wait a few minutes to get an answer.

I would challenge you all to use more definitions in your LOs. What does your child’s nickname really mean? What does your family name mean? What is the definition for your favorite pet, such as dog, cat, fish, etc? It is so simple to find a definition and you can easily use it to add a different touch to your LO.

Brittney and I have made you a freebie – we know how much everyone likes a freebie – using some definitions. I have had these funny definitions that I found in a magazine three or so years ago. I have been waiting to use them, so I was excited to get this chance. It is another side of definitions you might not think of. You can make up a definition that fits your LO. Is there is a funny saying in your family or do you have a different definition than others? Add that to your LO too. It will make it more personal.

Click HERE and go snag your freebie!  Leave us some love here on the blog if you like it!

Here are a few examples for your viewing pleasure. Now go out and think of definitions for your LOs!! For a great place to start go to the shop and get the freebie!

and one from Brittney

Shari here…If you haven’t seen the winners of last weeks Tuesday Challenge it’s posted right after todays entry so make sure you check it out. Now for this week’s Tuesday Challenge…

Who says just because we’re adults we know all the answers and we never make mistakes? Certainly not me. I’ve always considered myself a rebellious soul so to me each new day is like a “do-over”. Every morning I wake up and feel blessed to have another opportunity to get it right this time. I try to get through my day with a positive attitude, kind words for my family and a patient approach to life. Every night before my head hits the pillow I realize I’ve not quite made it and I know I have to strive a little harder to be the person I want to be.

So what does all this have to do with digital scrapbooking. Well, everytime I open up my blank canvas and think about how I want to lay out a page it is a fresh start. I start with a stark white background and, with the talents of others I can design my page to be whatever I want it to be. The next day, when I take another glance at the previous nights work, if I don’t like what I see or if it just doesn’t reflect the real mood I was feeling, I can do it over again. That is the beauty of digital scrapbooking. An example of this is in mikelinz’ gallery. She totally re-scrapped a LO about one of her children’s home births and although the first page was wonderful there was a definite flare added to her “do-over” version.

So my challenge to you is to go back through some of your LO’s, pick one that maybe just doesn’t quite come across the way you wanted it to and do it over.

This was kind of tough for me because I really like most of what I’ve done but there was one page that just didn’t feel right and maybe because it was a page about me and I’m never really comfortable scrapping that subject. Anyway I opened it up, laughed at my ealier attempt at shadows and then started over with a clean canvas.

Here is my “do-over” of the same photo. (I love this photo by the way. My 12 year old took it. I love how it represents the real “Mom” in me. My hands filled with belongings of my family.)

I love my “do-over”, for now anyway. Who knows, maybe in a month or two I’ll be looking through my files and I’ll come across this newer LO and it just won’t feel right anymore. Yep, it will be time for another “do-over”. Isn’t life grand? And for anyone out there like me…well those “do-overs” are the greatest gift around because I’m still striving to be the person I want to be.

So my challenge to you is to go back through your LO’s, pick one that just doesn’t come across the way you wanted it to and do it over.

Here are a some great LO’s from our wonderful CT. The top LO is the original and the bottom is the “Do-Over”.

We’ll start with Brittney who I have a hard time believing would ever need a “do-over” but I must admit as much as I like her first LO I really love her second one.

Here is Tracy’s “Do-Over”. I love the story behind these LO’s.

Next we have Zakirah’s. I love the first one but the second one has real pop to it.

Kate’s first LO is darling but I love how she brought the color back into the photo in the second one.

Katie’s “do-over” goes from bright and bold to calm and peaceful and adds some wonderful journaling.

Moving on to Sya’s LO’s. I love the additional journaling that reflects Sya’ hopes and dreams. The new style of her “do-over” helps reflect her feelings behind the journaling.

Melanie N. “do-over” shows a real change of style and technique. Her first LO was a little flat but notice the shadows and added depth of the second one.

Stacy Hutch’s entry is a fun one for me because I have had the priviledge of seeing her very first digital creations to her current ones. It has been fun to watch her learn and make changes that reflect what she learns. I love how she enlarged the photo, in her “do-over” to make it the main focus and then added a punch of color to truly draw your eye to it.

Lindsey, who was my inspiration for this blog with her first “do-over” in the gallery, submitted one for the blog too. I love how she designed her first page with all of the children’s pictures up at the top but when you read the journaling in her “do-over” you can draw from her inner feelings about her choice to be a mother. She still included the pictures and the names and dates but the added journaling really touched my heart.

Krista was a brave girl and submitted her very first LO. I love this because to me this is what the challenge is all about. Looking back on where we started in this journey of digital scrapping and making the changes we need to make to newly express ourselves with the talents we are developing.

Tater too submitted her very first LO. Same darling photo only now just a little more focus on the photo by simplifying the rest of the LO.

Melanie F. thinks her very first LO was “boring” so she decided to do it over and jazz it up a bit. I would say she did a wonderful job of it.

Last, but certainly not least, we have Dacia’s entry. I love how her “do-over” has that roughed up rugged look just like you know it would feel riding your dirt bike out on the trail.

Wendy submitted her LO’s and somehow I missed getting them into the blog so here they are for you to enjoy. Sorry Wendy.  I love how she added the heart felt journaling on the torn note paper. It gives the viewer a better idea of what the photo represents to her.

Well there you have it. Do we have a great CT or what? Okay we have shared our “do-overs” with you now we would love to see some of yours.

To enter the challenge, post your layout in the Scrapmatters.com gallery and make sure to link it to the Tuesday Challenge under Forums. At the end of the week we’ll be selecting 2 winners of $5 gift certificates to the shop, one randomly selected and one “do-over” that just really catches my eye. Now off you go. Seize the moment and take this opportunity to make your “do-over” really count. Make sure you hold onto that original. It’s always nice to look back every once in a while and realize just how far you’ve come down this road of creating self expressive, memory preserving, journal writing, and artist inspiring digital delights.

Happy Saturday everyone–Andrea here.

Hey I just wanted to remind everyone that our February Quick Page Exchange ends Friday February 29th–yep that’s right the 29th.  Here’s some more info.  Don’t know how to make a quick page? Check out this team blog entry.  We have some terrific pages to share, but we can always use more.  Hope to see your quick pages soon.

Leap Day is just around the corner. So I have some great news for those of you who aren’t quite sure how to celebrate. SHOPPING!

The official ScrapMatters’ Leap Day Celebration will begin on Friday February 29th. Our designers are putting together some terrific GRAB BAGS, priced at either $2, $3 or $4! They will be available February 29th through Friday February 7th. All grab bags will have at least FOUR times the grab bag cost in fantabulous new products.

On Friday, February 29th everything in the store (except grab bags) will be on sale for 40%–40% because Leap Day only comes around every four years–and 40% off sounds a lot better than 4%!

Also starting right now, I have a little freebie to start the celebration a little early. You can pick up the below Leap Year word art from the shop here.

So have fun with the word art. Make a card for someone who’s actual birthday is February 29th–I bet they’ll be very surprised. Hope to see you on Friday.

Happy Scrap Girl here today…

 It’s  Photography Phriday again, and I’ve got a fun, but little known resource for you!   I’m sure you’ve seen some fabulous layouts in the digital scrapbooking galleries, with beautiful black & white or sepia photos.  Ever wonder how they do it?  Well, today’s photography resource is a plug in for Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and Paint Shop Pro that will help you instantly transform your photos to give them a professionally finished look. 

Virtual Photographer by Optik Verve Labs is an amazing tool that will help you apply “professional photographic styles” to your photos.  It’s simple to use and install and are you ready for the best part??? It’s FREE!!    First, I’ll show you a few things you can do with it, and then I’ll show you were to get it. If you want to get the plug in first to play along, just scroll down to the end of this post for the link. 

The first thing you’ll need to do is to make a copy of your original photo so that we don’t make any permanent changes to it.  I just duplicate the layer in the original file and play with it here.  I’ll drag it into its own file once I have something I think I want to save. I’m using PSE 5.0 for my examples, but you can use PS, PSE, or PSP with this plug in. 

Now, we can open Virtual Photographer and PLAY!!  In PSE, go to your filters menu, and at the bottom, choose “OptikVerve Labs” and then Virtual Photographer. 

The plug in should open up as a pop up box.

Look for the “Presets” drop down box and select any style you want.  You can see the effects instantly in the plug in preview box.  Click the “Process” button and watch the magic happen!  It takes about 15 seconds. 

It’s really just that simple – it’s a really fun tool to play with.

Here are some examples using different presets.

Here’s an example of another photo.  This time I duplicated the original layer and applied the Reminiscing preset to it.  I then changed the blending mode on the new layer to overlay – I think it gives it a very fun look!

You can find Virtual Photographer free, here: http://www.optikvervelabs.com/default.asp   (be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page and get the additional settings too!  To install, you need to unzip the file, and follow installation instructions here:  http://www.optikvervelabs.com/vph/help.html#Installing%20and%20Starting%20virtual

** For PSE users (5.0 & higher), here is the path to place the file folder:  C:/Program Files/ Adobe/Photoshop Elements 5.0/Plug-ins

Once the file is installed, you can open your software and play!

Good afternoon scrappers!!   It’s Theory Thursday here on the SM Team Blog, and I decided that it was time for another Hybrid Project!  I wanted to get some of our cute SM products out of the computer and into real life!

As I was surfin’ around the web trying to find a fun project to do, I came across this awesome free template for a little CD jacket offered by Scrapartist.  BINGO!  Just the right kind of project for me.  Remember making mixed tapes for your friends or your boyfriend in high school?  I love to make mixed CDs to my friends now.  So – go grab that free template and let’s get started.

What you’ll need:

*The digi-template
*A printer or somewhere to send it to be printed
*scissors
*scoring tool (optional)
*stapler
*glue/adhesive
*ribbons
*various other embellishments of your choice

Step 1: Open your template and start playing.  I decided to make a “Love Songs” CD for my mom and Sunshine Digi Scraps’ kit “All My Love” was just perfect!!  I made my mom a Love Songs CD a few years ago and she LOVED IT.  So, I thought a new one with some fresh songs would be lots of fun!!  One thing I did to alter the template slightly was to bump in the little side flaps just a bit so that when I printed this they didn’t get cut off.  Just something to think about.  Follow the direction on the template as to what side up to make everything.  The front and back covers have to go one direction, while the inside pocket fronts go the other direction.  Otherwise, when you fold those up, they’d be upside down.

Step 2:  Once it’s JUST right, get that puppy printed.  My home printer is not-so-good.  So I sent mine out to a local print shop, Alphagraphics.  They are sort of like kinkos, only better.  I’ve printed stuff with them before so I knew exactly what paper I wanted and I could just email it all over and then go pick it up the same afternoon.  I printed it on 100 lb. Super Smooth Cardstock, just in case you wondered.  It’s nice and heavy and very smooth.  It cost $1.12 after tax.  Perfect!

Step 3:  Cut out the template all around the edges.  I’m not the best cutter, but its ok, it still looked fine.  Then use a bone folder, scoring tool, or even a butter knife and a ruler to score all the places where you’ll be folding.  If you aren’t using a heavy paper, you don’t really need to score, but if your paper is heavy, I recommend making the scores.  It made mine look much better when I folded it.

Step 4:  Start folding your case.  I decided I didn’t want those flaps on the outside of my pockets so I folded them in and stapled my ribbon to the top of the flap.  Looking back, I wish I would have stapled it right at the top of the flap so that when I closed it the ribbons were more right in the middle of the case.  Dummy Brittney!  OH WELL!

Step 5: Before you glue the sides, embellish the covers however you might want, if you want to at all.  I just added a little flower to give the cover a little real-life depth.

Step 6:  And finally, run some glue along those flaps and press them shut.  And that’s pretty much it!

This template leaves space for two CDs, or 1 CD and a little note like I did.  Here’s my finished project.  I think my mom is really going to love it!!

It was soooo fun to scrap this project.  Its different to scrap something that’s not going in your books, or that’s not for yourself.  I have actually been thinking about the NEXT CD I’m going to do!!

Have fun!!  And if you make a CD case, post it in our gallery and let us all see!!

Have a great day!

xoxo.

Hi all, it’s Monica again.  When I was asked to do words again I naturally said yes.  Of course it all ended up being so much deeper than I expected it to be.  When I started thinking about my entry for today I got a little nervous.  My last entry was kind of good, could I actually do that again?  Well, I thought and thought and thought and could come up with nothing.  I think it was performance anxiety.  But since Wednesday is specifically for words, lets talk about them.

When I first started scrapping I was afraid of words.  I could never figure out what the perfect words for a layout should be.  It took me a while to realize that maybe there isn’t “perfect words” but words from the heart was just as good.  So I began adding titles to my layouts, just letting them be what I felt they should be.  Journaling was still difficult for me, but that’s why I save all my PSD files.  That way when I figure out the right words I can add them or change the ones I already used.  It was actually Brittney, here at ScrapMatters that taught me not to fear journaling.  I do it a lot now.  I don’t always post those pages because they can become so personal, but I love doing them just to have them.

So when I journal I write what I feel.  And that’s the way it should be.  So what if the grammar isn’t just right and maybe others don’t like the exact words I used.  None of that matters.  What matters is those words that came from you heart that you want to share with others or maybe keep to yourself.

Being the procrastinator that I am I didn’t put all this together until last night.  Of course I didn’t even write my words down.  I just waited until this morning and let them flow on their own. I did get a chance to look though our great gallery at ScrapMatters and snatch up a couple of layouts with those words from the heart in them.

Here is one by Linz.  She talks about the birth of one of her children.  This is in my opinion one of the absolute best moments in one’s life.

I love this one by Marcistar.  Finding that perfect someone.  Another great moment.

A touching layout by Kateypie.

And sometimes maybe someone else wrote the perfect words for what you are feeling.  Here is a layout by Tater.

Alright, maybe I’ve gone on long enough now.  So the next time you complete a layout and you feel that there is more you want to say than just with pictures, then just do it.  They don’t have to be perfect, they just have to be you.

Let me leave you with a quote I found and just couldn’t get out of my head.  The quote is anonymous.  “The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.”

Today I wanted to talk about the final step in the digi-scrap process. PRINTING. It’s something I have to admit I’ve only dabbled in. I have been sort of saving up my LOs in order to make a great big book on Shutterfly. But, the more I think about doing this the more I start to weigh the pros and cons in my head.

Pros:
-A slim professionally bound book. It won’t take up tons of room on a shelf like a binder would. Plus it just looks cool.
-A customizable cover. Now that is nifty!!
-While it seems expensive, if you add up the cost per page, its really not!
-I’ve heard wonderful things about the quality at Shutterfly and I know my pages would look gorgeous.

Cons:
-The pages are only paper. If someone (even me) was looking through it and turned a page funny and one ripped, I think I’d have a stroke. The pages are unprotected, which is fine for me now, we don’t have kids yet. But when I want to let my kids look at it, that could be a big problem.
-While I’m finishing pages and completing a full time period that I would want to bind together, I’m not getting any of my pages out of the computer and into real life.
-The cost is all at once, where if I was printing page by page I wouldn’t have to spend all the money right at the same time.

So, I still can’t decide. I’m so torn. I emailed some scrappers who I know have printed to see how they did it and why. I learned a lots of little tips and tricks as well as some good information about printing. I thought I’d share how some other team members here at SM print!

Our chief here at ScrapMatters, Andrea, is a home printer. She resizes her 12×12 LOs to 8×8 then prints them on an Epson CX4200 and/or a CX4800 with matte heavyweight paper and/or cardstock. For brag book pages or 4x6s she uses her small Kodak printer with Kodak glossy paper. She uses the Epson for things she prints for hybrid scrapping because the ink is waterproof and can handle the Modge Podge without bleeding.

Shari says she hasn’t printed much, but has printed a few things (like those cute candy bar wrappers we saw on the blog last week) on her good old HP Deskjet printer. She said its not even a photo printer, but she was pleased with how well they printed out. The ink isn’t waterproof, but for disposables (like the wrappers) or pages that go into protectors, she’s not concerned with that.

Happy Scrap Girl had LOTS of really great info on printing! Here’s what she said:

“I have a crummy printer, so I always send mine out. However, I do print in black and white on my printer first, just to make sure everything is readable, and that I didn’t make goofy mistakes.” (What a GREAT idea! Duh! Why didn’t I think of that?!)

“I’ve tried several online printers, most of which are no longer in business – for good reasons! When I look for services, I look at price per page, shipping costs, page sizes available, paper maker (ie Kodak, Fuji, etc). I also check to see if they brag about any new printing equipment and if they offer a sample of their work.

My favorite place is Scrapbookpictures.com. They use Kodak paper – it’s thick & sturdy. The pages always come out wonderful. I’ve also emailed with the owner a few times, and their customer service if wonderful. They have many sizes from a 2×2 to a 16×16. They have a flat rate international shipping fee of $2.00 per order, and their square pages are all on sale now (12×12′s are on sale for $2.49 each).

I have also ordered Shutterfly Books – I love the quality, and how easy they are to customize. I use these for gift albums because I don’t trust my DD’s little hands on those unprotected pages They use Fuji paper. They also now do square sizes, but are on the pricey side.

I have personally seen pages from adoramapix.com. They use Kodak paper, the prints are good. They occasionally have sales.

Once I printed a LO from my local LSS, but they had their own large format printer (don’t remember brand name), and only had cardstock to print on – the images bleed a bit, so I won’t use that again!

One thing I have learned from all of the places I’ve tried out, is to only send a small order the first time to be sure you are satisfied with the quality. Also, shipping adds up, so be sure to figure that into the equation.”

Thanks so much Happy for all this info!! VERY useful!!!!!

I asked Teresa about what she does to print and here’s what she said:

“I print at lot of layouts through Costco . . . $2.99 for a 12×12.” (That’s what I’ve done too, and 8x8s are only 1.50. I also heard someone say that since 12x18s are the same price as 12×12 that they add a couple little things in that extra 6 inches and just order 12x18s. Then they cut off little extra things, which I thought was a very good idea!! Ok – back to Teresa)

“I have used Shutterfly for one book. The first one was awful because they color corrected the files so some of the red pages were the red they were supposed to be and others were neon red. I called and they reprinted and set my account to DO NOT COLOR CORRECT since I set the color in Photoshop myself. They said most customers are loading pics straight out of the camera and need the color correcting. So that would be a tip to give any digi scrappers printing books.”

Thanks so much for that tip Teresa!

And finally, I asked my sister-in-law Marci about printing because I LOVE looking at all her digi-pages when I go over there. She prints her LOs all the time and puts them into page protectors and binders. It’s because I saw her pages printed out that I started to have doubts about my own Shutterfly plan. Seeing the pages in real life, not long after she scrapped them was so much fun!! Here’s what Marci said:

“I just print my all my 12×12 LOs at Costco. I have printed little brag books at Shutterfly and it was very easy and straight forward. I’ve printed holiday cards at Shutterfly that I scrapped. You just have to get their template. It’s very step by step!

“I have been printing my LOs from the very beginning of when I started scrapping! I always print them at Costco because they have great prices and they do a really great job! When I print my LOs I print them in 12X12 because I love a big scrapbook. When I printed my first batch of LOs I found some fun surprises . . . In one of my pages I had used staples all over and didn’t realize how big they actually were until I printed the page!! They were HUGE!!! It made the page look so funny! So, always make sure you realize that the supplies you’re using and everything will be so much bigger when you print! Just a little heads up! I really like printing my pages because it gives me a sense of accomplishment . . . I can actually go and look at my pages. I can see what I love and things I think I need to change about my scrapping.”

So, I wanna know . . . how and why do YOU print your LOs? Have you done any printing yet? I suggest you print some of your LOs now. Like Marci said, there are things you’ll learn about your scrapping that you can only learn from printing those pages. Like size for example. 12×12 is bigger than you might think. Bigger than your monitor in some people’s cases (especially if you scrap on a little lap top). So when you’re putting big flowers and things like that on our page, your jaw might just drop when you get that page back and actually SEE how big it is on the page. Use those rulers and really think about what size things are!

Anyway – let’s have a chat about printing. I would love to hear more about your experiences with printing sites and Shutterfly. Join in the discussion here in the forum!!