Good Morning to you all on this glorious Monday! It’s Cyndi here, to bring you this week’s What Matters Monday.

From here on out, these Monday posts will take on a more “tips & tutorials” type of feel. And while tips & tutorials may not be what matters MOST, we can all admit, that when we feel good about what we’re creating and we’re comfortable with the process, it’s much easier to concentrate on the important things… the memories.

When trying to decide what kind of tip to leave with you this morning, I realized that there are so many new scrappers to Scrap Matters… and so many different skill levels. So if this week’s post is too simple for you or if another is too hard, don’t fret… there will be a new one each week. And I’m sure there will be plenty to stretch and improve your scrapping skills.

So this week I’m going to keep it short and sweet. And EFFICIENT!!! When I first started scrapping digitally, I remember it taking me so long to go through all the steps needed to make a simple command. But there are shortcuts you can take. I remember hearing about them but I think I was so overwhelmed from all the new information that it just went in one ear and out the other. Over time, I’ve picked up quite a few and have really noticed my scrapping time being used much more efficiently.

Here are just a few of my favorites (I am a PSE user):

Ctrl/C = copy

Ctrl/X = cut

Ctrl/V = paste

Ctrl/E = merge linked

Shift/Ctrl/E = merge visible

D = return colors palette to black & white

X = switch background & foreground colors

Ctrl/+ = zoom in (you can do this with a dialog box still open)

Ctrl/- = zoom out (you can do this with a dialog box still open)

Ctrl/O = Open

V = Move tool

W = Magic Wand tool

M = Marquee tool

Ctrl/D = deselect

Ctrl/G = group with previous (used when clipping papers)

These are just a few that I use pretty much every time I create a page. There are lists and lists of shortcuts you can use to make your process speedier. There are lists for PC users and lists for Mac users. There are lists for Elements users and every type of PS user. And if you don’t use any of these programs, I’m sure you could google the program you do use and find lists of shortcuts for yourself too.

Here’s the link to an UBER list of shortcuts with specific lists for the Photoshop program you use — http://morris-photographics.com/photoshop/shortcuts/index.html

Hope this has been a help to you. Have a wonderful week and happy scrapping!

Cyndi

Happy new week scrappers! I’m Emilee (emileem) from the Scraps Matter Gang and we’re kicking off the week learning a little more about Jen (virginiajen) from the ScrapMatters CT. Jen is a talented scrapper and a great asset to the SM Community.

1. Your screen name? Your real name?
My real name is Jennifer, everyone but my Mom calls me Jen. My screen name is virginiajen.

2. What is your main job/career?
Right now I am a SAHM to two kids: Alexandria, 6 and Zachary, 4. And CEO of the house (saw that on Oprah), LOL. But it’s true! Before kids, I was a Financial Analyst for a cell phone manufacturer.

3. Are you married/children/pets?
Guess I answered the kids part in #2, I am married to a wonderful husband, Todd. We have one dog, my first child, a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Rupert.

4. Where is home for you?
Right now the Navy has us in Virginia, we most recently moved from the D.C. area, I grew up in San Diego and was born in Chicago, so take your pick!

5. What are your 3 favorite foods?
Mmmmm, for dinner…spaghetti, pizza and pork chops. For dessert, German Chocolate cake, chocolate cream pie and Napoleons. For snacks, puffy Chee-tohs, croutons and cheese!

6. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Mint Chocolate chip.

7. Snacks…Salty or Sweet?
Both, alternating between the two!!!! LOL

8. Beverage of choice?
Diet Coke

9. What’s your least favorite food?
Cooked Carrots! YUK!

10. PC or Mac?
Mac all the way!

11. How long have you been digi-scrapping? How did you get started?
I have been digi-scrapping since last August, 2007. I got started because my Mom, chigirl, was into digital card making. She kept trying to get me to try and I thought I didn’t want another hobby!! I was a paper-scrapper that couldn’t find the time to scrap! I couldn’t imagine giving up all my “real” stuff and then having another hobby that I never had time to partake in. Now here I am a year later and I now know the true meaning of addiction!

12. What was your 1st LO about?
A trip to the children’s museum…here it is..

13. Do you have any other hobbies besides digi-scrapping (are there other hobbies)?
Well, I am a jack of all trades when it comes to arts and crafts…I have dabbled in a lot of different crafts over the years…paper crafts, fabric crafts, crafts with the kids; I really enjoy cooking and baking. I am not as “loyal” to any of them as much as digi-scrapping though.

14. What is the most challenging part of scrapbooking for you?
Choosing photos! i have PLENTY of them, but I have a hard time picking which are the best or tell the story, etc. Once I get past that, it all flows pretty easily. It was the same for paper scrapping.

15. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking?
Well, photography would be my #1 answer, but since that does relate to scrapbooking, I’ll choose two… play an instrument.

16. What are your favorite movies/TV shows?
I regularly watch Oprah, Grey’s Anatomy, NCIS, Heroes, Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters and Army Wives, all in TiVO of course! I also really like Law and Order and Lifetime movies whenever I can catch them.

My favorite type of movie is Romantic Comedy…and my favorite movie ever, which totally contradicts my favorite type, is Shawshank Redemption.

17. Describe your “scrapping” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where?
In my home office, with my iTunes on, with a Diet Coke and some chocolate or Cheetohs or both! Usually between 8PM and 11PM.

18. If you only had 2 elements to use on a LO, what would they be?
Flowers and Staples

19. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…?
Well….for those who don’t know me…I am a roller coaster fanatic, I am a kid when it comes to Disney World, I think Todd and I will be going there when we are 70 holding hands and riding rides! And sadly, it’s little known that I have an MBA.

20. Can you tell us a little about your scrappin’ style?
I almost always scrap one photo. I love clustering. I think I would call my style simple in layout but well decorated, if that makes any sense.

21. Favorite LOs that you have done?
This is hard!! Here are a [couple] going from oldest to newest…

Thanks Jen! Wasn’t that fun? Now go check out Jen’s gallery and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Hey All!  Holly (a.k.a **Holly**) here with your Saturday Special!  As you know, the Saturday Special is now more focused on techniques. One of my favorite techniques to do is photo extractions. They are a great way to make a certain subject pop right out of the picture.

So for this week I want to see you use extractions on your page. I found a great tut on how to accomplish them here. There are many more tut’s out there if this one doesn’t help. Make your extraction the focus of your page!

I can’t wait to see what you come up with! At the end of the challenge I will choose my favorite layout to earn an extra point! Pretty awesome huh?!

You will have the entire month to complete the challenge!!  When you complete the challenge you will earn 1 point!  If you use a newly released product from the Scrap Matters store on your challenge layout, you earn an additional point!! That’s 2 points! Yipee!!

Here is mine…

Layout done by sahlink

Layout done by Stefanie

Layout done by kimbytx

Remember, you don’t have to use Scrap Matters products (but we sure love it when you do) and once you post in the gallery, don’t forget to link up your layout to the thread so we can leave you some love and get you your points! You also have one whole month to complete the challenge and no double dippin’!!

**If you use a new product in your LO, don’t forget to mention it here in the forum, so you can get your extra point!!**

Hi Everyone.

Denise here to bring you another edition of Photography Phriday.

I am so excited to be writing this post, although, let me say right up front, that I am strictly an amateur when it comes to taking photographs.

I love it, but I am constantly learning…and in the process of learning I take LOTS of just so-so photographs. LOL!

But, without photographs, there are no scrapbook pages (or at least, not very many!) So, what do you when you want to scrap something but your photographs aren’t great?

Here is a photograph of my son Josh and his friend Jared.

This is a photo of Josh’s fifth birthday, and although I took many photos that day, this was really the only one that seemed worth scrapping. But, I didn’t love it!

So, what should I do?

Well, I tried cropping it.

But, I still didn’t feel like it was great. So what now?

Well, it occured to me, that I could crop this photo twice, and create two separate photos that I really liked, instead of trying to keep one photo that didn’t thrill me.

This is much better already!

And, then, with a little color pop (which Erica showed us how to do here), and a defog (which Britt is going to show us in the upcoming October newsletter), I wound up with this:

I am so happy with these photos now, and I really feel like they captured the day.

I hope that this got you thinking.

The next time you have a photo that is just so-so, be creative…and find a way to make it work for you.

Happy Scrapping!

Denise

Happy Thursday !! Kari here to share another hybrid project with you! Today we are focusing on Happy Hybrid Holidays … a little inspiration to get your mind racing on things you can create to celebrate and share during any holiday season. With Halloween around the corner I couldn’t help but create a project focusing on the “spooktacular” holiday that is just a few weeks away.

One thing that my family loves to do for almost every holiday is make “secret” deliveries to friends and neighbors. In October we call it the “Family Night Phantom.” We put together some type of treat and take it to a few families on Monday nights. This year we decided to do a “BOO” chain … where you leave a sign that they post on their door saying they’ve been “BOO’d” so that others know not to deliver to that family again and instructions for them to create a treat to deliver to someone else – causing a chain effect of spreading Halloween fun! I found a poem online and decided to alter it to fit our purpose (there are several poems to be found online … just Google “BOO” poems).

I used Ellie Lash’s Boo! kit to create the tags and door sign that we would use … it was perfect! But how would I package all of it? I decided to create a box out of 6 x 6 black chipboard coasters that I had picked up on Ebay.

I created 2 different “layouts” to use on the sides of the box. I sized them 5.5 x 5.5 to allow a layered effect with the black coasters. I printed 2 of each page (I like using Epson Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte), trimmed them, used a corner rounder on the corners, and ran them through my Xyron machine to put adhesive on the back. Then it was time to attach the pages to the fronts of the coasters. I *LOVE* my Xyron for projects like this – a quick and easy PERFECT application of adhesive!

After applying the pages onto the coasters I had to punch the sides. You will want to punch holes along the right and left hand side of each coaster. I marked them .25 inches in from the side and 1 inch apart (marking on the back with pencil). With a 6 inch coaster I ended up with 5 holes along each side. I used my Crop-a-Dile to punch the holes.

Once you’ve got your holes punched you are ready to tie them together! Make sure your coasters are in the order you want them going around the box … for me I alternated the two designs. I chose to criss-cross my ribbon for more of a “shoelace” effect but I have also done them by tying a single knot through each set of holes. Have fun with this – there are so many amazing ribbons to choose from!

We’re almost there. After you have your 4 sides laced together to form a square you need to add a bottom to your box. Take another coaster to use as a base and add a strong adhesive around the outer edges – not too much or it can be messy!! I used QuickHOLD Craft but have also used E6000. The bottom coaster should fit inside of the box that you just stitched together. Make sure to allow the glue to dry before stuffing your box with goodies

Here is a photo of the completed box, “BOO” tag, door sign, and instruction sheet that I created.

I love to make homemade caramel corn in the fall so I thought it would be the perfect thing to fill my box with . I added my “BOO” tag to a cellophane bag stuffed with caramel corn, tucked the door sign and instructions into the back of the box, and added purple and white shredded paper – along with some silver for the “bling” effect. I hope our friends enjoy receiving it as much as I enjoyed creating it!!

Here is another example using the same tag and instructions but using a store bought tin (from the dollar spot at Target). This is what is so great about hybrid projects … they can be as simple or as complex as you want them to be!! All I did for this was print out my tag, put it on some black and purple cardstock, attach the tag to the tin with matching ribbons, placed the instruction sheet inside the tin, and stuffed it with candy – 15 minutes TOPS (since I had the tags and instructions already designed)!

My challenge to you is this: Create something to deliver to someone you love. It doesn’t have to be a “BOO” theme. It might be similar to what I created or it might be something completely different – it’s up to you!! Make sure to snap a photo of it before you drop it off so you can share it with us! Upload your photo to the gallery in the Hybrid Layouts & Projects section and then link us to it over in the Hybrid it Hot! forum.

I hope this has given you a bit of inspiration for the many upcoming holidays. I can’t wait to see what all of you come up with!! One last sample of a goodie I worked up for our Christmas deliveries using Erica Zane’s A Touch of Cherry Kit ….

Until next time -

Hey Everyone! Its Heather (Haynay) here welcoming you to the first Word Up! Challenge! Our “Words for Wednesday” blog posts have morphed into the “Word Up!” challenge.  I am not one to worry about journaling on the page, or even a title, but I do know how much words bring to a page! I wanted something a bit different since I am not a very good journalist. I have come up with something fun, something I can remember doing in Elementary school-and that I remember teaching also! I have decided on an Acrostic Poem!!! Yeah! How fun is this. Pick any theme for your LO that you want. But, I want a one to two word title. From that title, you will write a poem (or you can journal). Each line of the poem needs to start with the next letter of your title! The challenge is located here in the forum. Here is my example!

I used: Sya’s Blueprint: Revised Set 1 from October Grab bag; Andilynn Designs: Felt Flowers and Autumn Sojourn; GG Digital Designs: Felt Stitched Alpha

Now, here are a couple of examples from the great girls on SM’s CT!

Andrea used: Leave the World Behind, Fairchild splat, Used and Abused PP, date strip and clips (Britt), Dog Ate My Alpha (Erica)

Cyndi’s son wrote this acrostic. She used Sya’s Dynamic Duo template; Witchy Woman, Used & Abused paper, It’s Christmas Time in the City, Boys of Summer (Britt); Inky Brushes (Happy); Fancy Pants (Haynay); guitar is a public domain clip art which I turned into a brush.

And Christine did this girly one using Erica’s Magical Escape, Britt’s Used and Abused paper & stitches

I cannot wait to see what everyone comes up with! Now–go and create!

Good Morning to you!  If you love templates as much as I do, then you’ll love this one by Scrapmuss.  There is no theme for this one.  Surprise us!  Get creative!

http://www.4shared.com/file/63480259/ab30037/muss_temp01.html

Here is some inspiration by our AWESOME CTs!!

By Shutch

By Lisa

By Cyndi

By **Holly**

By Hallstephr

By Kimbytx

By Sharon Dale who turned it.

By The Werners (Christy)

And mine

I’m excited to see what you all come up with.  Remember to post your LO’s in this forum.

Thank you!  Have a great day!

Happy Monday! Tgmousechick Kim here with today’s blog entry!

Today were going to talk about milestones.

I have lived in a number of places as an adult, and getting to many of them usually means driving through Pennsylvania. It is a beautiful, friendly state, but I am telling you that it gets longer every time I drive it! The only way I make it through is to watch the gradual ticking of the mile markers, each one getting me a little closer to the next state border. The big looming goal of the state border, overwhelming until you break it down mile by mile.

Isn’t that the way it is with our daily lives? I think it’s magnified once you have children in your family. All of the firsts, birthdays, and holidays. The indicators of where we have been, how far we’ve come, and how much farther we have to go. I’m tuned in to milestones- I am mom to an 18 month old toddler and a 6 year old as of last Friday. I’m in the throes of a blossoming vocabulary and learning to run, and the thrills of loosing baby teeth and starting kindergarten. It’s a busy time at our house!

Sometimes, life can get so busy. And scrapbookers, with the mission of documenting the details of our family (no matter how it’s composed), get overwhelmed by details and hit a roadblock. For paper scrappers, it the inches of photos and folders of maps and ticket stubs. For digi scrappers, it’s gigabytes of photos stored on hard drives or external websites. The constant lament of never being caught up.

Remembering milestones can be a way to work through the dreaded scrapper’s block. If the thought of getting through each one individually is overwhelming, why not make a list and summarize? If nothing else, a summary buys you time, getting important events documented in some form until you have the chance or the inspiration to really tackle them. I used Natalie’s birthday as a great excuse to point out the highlights of the past 366 days, and give props to the milestones she achieved (all digital products are from “Flutter By Me” by Scrap’it Designs by Brianna Cox, available right here at ScrapMatters):

I need to remember this piece of advice the next time I’m driving through Pennsylvania, and remember to enjoy the scenery when stopping at the rest areas!

Have a great week!

We interupt this interview…to bring you these important announcements (drum roll please…)

The September Layout of the Month (LOTM) was voted to be “My Boy” by One Happy Mama. Click the image to see credits and leave her some love. Ashley (One Happy Mama) will receive a $5 Gift Certificate to the ScrapMatters shop. Congratulations!

AND we also have a new Layout of the Week…

Our first Layout of the Week for October is “Thankful” by rxdawg97.  The image is linked to her layout in the gallery, so you can check credits and leave her some congrats.

Back to our Sunday Spotlight…

Happy Weekend! Krista (norton94) here with a Spotlight of one of our own…a member of the Scraps Matter Gang, littlehiccup.  This talented scrapper is also on the ScrapMatters Creative Team!  You’ll see why if you check out her gallery.

1. Your screen name? Your real name?
My screen name is littlehiccup. I always get the hiccups! I get them when I am hungry, I get them when I am full, I get them after any dairy product, and sometimes I get them just because! And I used to be littler…hence…littlehiccup! Real name: Mary

2. What is your main job/career?
I stay at home with Clark now, but I used to be an ESL teacher.

3. Are you married/children/pets?
I am married to my best friend Jason, have the little guy Clark, and a dog named Cutlass – cruel name for a cute little terrier girl! It was my husband’s idea!

4. Where is home for you?
Sweet Home Chicago!

5. What are your 3 favorite foods?
Gina Portillo’s Chocolate Cake, Cafe Rio Barbacoa Pork Burrito, and Lou Malnati’s Deep Dish Pizza

6. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Straight up Vanilla

7. Snacks…Salty or Sweet?
Definitely SWEET!

8. Beverage of choice?
Root Beer…seriously I have a problem.

9. What’s your least favorite food?
Fish of any kind

10. PC or Mac? What program do you use?
PC, I currently use PSE 5

11. How long have you been digi-scrapping? How did you get started?
I started in Feb. of this year. I had been wanting to start for a long time, so I just sat down and went through a tutorial for my first LO.

12. What was your 1st LO about?
My graduation when I got my Masters in June 07.
Graduation – My First LO

13. Do you have any other hobbies besides digi-scrapping (are there other hobbies)?
I read quite a bit, sew, and enjoy storytime with Clark

14. What is the most challenging part of scrapbooking for you?
I’m terrible at clustering and layering, but I LOVE the way it looks. (Krista adds – Yea right have you seen Daddy and Me or Jacob and Stephanie LOL)

15. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking?
I’d love to learn how to play the guitar. I bought one a few years back, but never learned how to play.

16. What are your favorite movies/TV shows?
Movies – Italian Job, Meet Me in St. Louis, Pride and Prejudice. TV Shows are easier…Bones, Criminal Minds, CSI:NY

17. Describe your “scrapping” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where?
At the computer desk in the family room with the songs of Clark’s toys playing in the background. Drinks, snacks, sure…whatever!

18. If you only had 2 elements to use on a LO, what would they be?
I think I use paper as an element quite a bit, and maybe an alpha. I really like using alphas these days.

19. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…?
I am currently writing my first children’s book. Hopefully someone will want to publish it someday!

20. Can you tell us a little about your scrappin’ style?
I’m pretty sure my style is template style! I LOVE templates!

21. Favorite LOs that you have done?
Baby It’s Cold Outside

Just Like Dad

22. What is your favorite part of being a member of the Scraps Matter Gang?
I love leaving comments for everyone and seeing the great LOs! It’s almost self-interested because I glean a lot of my inspiration from all the LOs I see when I am leaving love!

I just wanted to add that Mary is about the nicest person you’d ever meet.  She is always a ray of sunshine to interact with.  I enjoyed getting to know her better by interviewing her and viewing her gallery!

**If you’re here for the World Card Making Day freebie blog train – scroll down to the next post!!**

Hey All! It’s Andrea here (a.k.a. chia) with your Saturday Special! With all the fun changes and challenges going on here, the Saturday Special Challenge is now going to take more of a technique approach. We’ll teach you a new trick, tip or technique to improve your scrapping skills and you will use that new found skill to scrap a layout for the challenge.

You will have the entire month to complete the challenge!! When you complete the challenge you will earn 1 point! If you use a newly released product (within the past 7 days) from the Scrap Matters store on your challenge layout, you earn an additional point!! Wahoo! 2 points!

AND my favorite layout at the end of the challenge will earn another point! WHAT??? How crazy cool is that!!??

So are you ready for this week’s Saturday Special? We are going to work on selective coloring…when you have a bit of color showing on your black and white photo. After “googling” how to do this, I found several different techniques. Some more difficult and involved then others, but today I’m going to share one that I thought was nice and s-i-m-p-l-e!

A few weeks ago, Erica gave a great tutorial on how to make your photos POP! Pick a photo and do that…or if you want to go super simple, just pick a colored photo. Here is the photo I selected and here is my final result:

Now, I use PSE6 so keep that in mind (you may have to make some adjustments)…Once your photo is open, right click on the layer in your layers palette and select “Duplicate Layer.”

Next, with your duplicated layer selected, go to “Enhance” and select “convert to black and white.”

You should now have two layers in your palette—your b&w and your color photo. You’re going to want to now zoom in close on the object that you want to be colored. Find your handy dandy eraser tool and choose a pixel size that you are comfortable working with.

With your B&W photo selected, slowly begin to erase carefully. You will see that the color will show underneath!! Remember the “undo” feature is your friend!!

Your challenge for this week is to use selective coloring in your layout. You can use this technique here or try another. I just want to see some pop of color on you B&W photo! Remember, you don’t have to use Scrap Matters products (but we sure love it when you do) and once you post in the gallery, don’t forget to link up your layout to the Saturday Special thread in the forum here so we can leave you some love and get you your points! You also have one whole month to complete the challenge and no double dippin’!! If you have questions about the new point system, check out this thread in the forum.

Here is what I’ve created and a few layouts from some of our creative team members…

by Cyndi146

by monsu

by Stefanie

by winkasheart

Can’t wait to see what you create! Happy Scrapping!