Hello everyone! Linz here with a new template challenge. I’ve gotten several nice comments lately on my original multi-photo layouts. So I decided to create one just for this challenge so I could turn it into a template for you! There is no set theme this week, so just scrap whatever inspires you.

download .psd/.tiff files HERE
download .png files HERE

Here’s my layout on which this template is based, using the Play All Day collab by Stolen Moments (guest designer at ScrapMatters) and Scraps by Jenn.

Here’s some inspiration from our fab CT and DT!

Cyndi used Everyday Memories by Chelle’s Creations & Juno Designs, Crayon, Crayoff Alpha by Denise Beatty Originals, Stitched Newspaper Alpha & Label the Date Vol.5 by Mira Designs, Doodlie Do: Shapes by Britt-ish Designs and Border Dates by Erica Zane.

Amber used used Bon Voyage and Messy Machine Stitches Vol. 1 by Mira Designs, EZ Date Labels by Erica Zane, and Say It With Tape Alpha by Stolen Moments.

Jan used Incredi-boy by Britt-ish Designs and GG Digital Designs

Finally, Emilee used Man in the Moon’s new kit, Charming Gardener.

I’m looking forward to seeing your layouts! You have  until the end of August to complete this challenge. Please upload your LO to the Tuesday Template Challenge gallery, as well as linking it up in the forum to get your point. You can also earn an additional point by using any product released in the past 7 days in the SM shop. Just make sure you mention which new product you used when uploading your page. At the end of the challenge, I’ll be choosing one random winner who will earn an extra point towards their September total as well!

You don’t have to use ScrapMatters products to participate in this challenge, but we love it when you do! Remember, no double dipping. Each LO must be created for one challenge only. Can’t wait to see your pages!

Chelle here with this week’s Saturday Special!

We may have the ability to take as many pictures as we want with our digital cameras, but unfortunately we still can’t guarantee they’ll be great shots every time.  During a family photo shoot, my husband blinked at just the wrong time:

Fortunately he had his eyes wide open in another shot:

Here’s one way to fix this problem:

Step one:  Layer the open eyes picture on top of the closed eyes picture:

(don’t add a shadow, I did it so you could see what I’d done)

Step two:  Lower the opacity of the top layer to 50%.  Carefully move the top layer (open eyes) around until the eyes are in precisely the right spot–don’t worry about the rest of the picture, just the eyes.

Step three:  Once the open eyes are in the right spot, change the opacity back to 100%.  Then using a soft edged brush and the brush select tool, Paint in a loose mask-like selection over and around the eyes, like this:

Step four:  Press Ctrl-J to copy the selection to a new layer (your top layer should now be just the eyes with a soft feathered edge.  Click on the eyeball to make the open eyes pic invisible.

Step five:  Flatten the image and TA DA!  Eyes Wide OPEN!

You can adjust/replace smiles in a similar fashion.  Here’s some inspiration from the CT:

From Krisi:

From Jeni:

So, your challenge is to “fix” a photo…eyes, smile, etc, and scrap it.  Please show us your before photo, too!

And, a few housekeeping details:

There’s no double dipping. Your layout must be unique to this challenge.

Everyone who completes the challenge will get a point in the Matter of Scrap Challenge System.

You do not need to use ScrapMatters products, however, if you use something new from the ScrapMatters store (within the first seven days of a product’s release), you get an extra point.

And, I will choose my favorite layout to get one more point at the end of the challenge.

Don’t forget to upload to the Saturday Special Gallery and link back to the Saturday Special 8/15 Eyes Wide Shut thread with your layout image and link.

If you haven’t had a chance to visit the hybrid section of our gallery lately, you should check it out! Look at some of the amazing projects that have been posted recently.

I love this card by Krisi. Those little ducks are so cute!

This tag by Kim is so cheery and fun:

Look at these fortune cookies by notes4theheart . . . so many possibilities with these!

If you’re looking for some card inspiration, check out SylviaB’s work. Her cards our stunning! Here is one of my recent faves of hers:

I love how many hybrid projects I am seeing lately.  I hope you enjoyed these projects as much as I did! Happy Hybrid Thursday!

Hi everyone!!

Natasha (bcnatty) here to bring you this week’s Grand Theft Layout Challenge!! This time we will be raiding virginiajen’s gallery for inspiration!!

I lifted Smile

And came up with this…using Britt-ish Designs and Mira Designs Totally Buggin Kit, Erica Zane’s Date Labels and Mira Designs Messy Machine Stitches

And here is some inspiration from our amazing CT!!

kimbytx lifted Friends with Blue Faces

And came up with this using Jennifer Barrette’s new Little Artist kit

Mommy22girls lifted Sweet Feet

And came up with this LO using Juno’s Dessert, Chelle’s Frame it with Words, Black Licorice Alpha by Designs by Tater and Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust Vol 2 by Britt-ish

Just a reminder of our Matter of Scrap Challenge rules:

You have until the end of the month to complete this challenge. 

Make sure you post your LO in the gallery and in the forum in this thread to receive your point.

If you use a product within 1 week of it’s release from the SM store you earn an additional point! But make sure you indicate in your credit that it is a new release.

At the end of the challenge, I will randomly choose one person to earn an additional point!

You don’t have to use SM products to participate…but we love it when you do!!

Remember…no double dipping!! Each LO must be unique to this challenge!

Have fun looking through virginiajen’s gallery!!

I can’t wait to see your wonderful lifts!!

Hello everyone! It’s Ro here to bring you this week’s Tuesday Template Challenge!  I have no specific rules or themes for you.  Just have fun!

Here’s the template.

Grab it here!

Here is the layout I did with it using “Sprinkler party” by Mickey B Designs and Man In The Moon Designs (that’s me).

Here is some more inspiration from our wonderful CT!

Suzanne used Motor Mania by Britt-ish Designs:

Stefanie used “Blessed” by Sahlin Studios:

Kim used Sprinkler Party by Mickey B Designs and Man in the Moon Designs and Plenty of Sunshine kit and alpha by Mickey B Designs:

I have to remind you a few rules.

You have all this month to complete the layout. Please upload it to the gallery, and leave BOTH the image and a link as a reply to this post in the forum to get your point! You can also earn an additional point by using any product released in the past 7 days in the SM shop. Just make sure you mention that when uploading your page. At the end of the challenge, I’ll be choosing one random winner for an extra point as well!

You don’t have to use ScrapMatters products to participate in this challenge, but we love it when you do! Remember, no double dipping. Each LO must be created for one challenge only.

I can’t wait to see what you create!

Ro (ManInTheMoon)

It’s time for SM to have a CT call!! Here are all the details!!

To be on the SM CT you must:

*create 4 LOs a month
*participate on the team blog
*host challenges
*be active on the forums/gallery

To apply, please send an email to smctcall@usa.com including a link to your best gallery, a little bit about yourself, a list of other CTs you belong to, and a link to your favorite LO that you’ve scrapped. Applications MUST be sent by midnight (PST) on Sunday night, Aug. 16th.

We look forward to receiving your applications!

For this week’s Saturday Special, I’m going to talk to you guys about lining things up. If you already know this trick then you’re awesome because it took me FOREVER to figure this out. There are buttons in Photoshop that will actually line things up FOR YOU. I always used to turn on my grid and painstakingly make sure each element was lined up exactly. Well, those days are over for me and now they will be for you too. Let me show you what I’m talking about.

Let’s say that I have 3 picture masks that I want to line up before I put my pictures in them. Notice how they’re just randomly scattered.

I’m going to go over to my layers palette on the right hand side and select all three layers. Then, with my move tool selected, I’m going to go up to the little buttons that are in the middle of the screen towards the top. They look like a whole bunch of squares. If you hover over each one, it tells you what they do. I’ve chosen the 2nd one in from the left – align vertical centers.

After I press it, voila! All three blocks are perfectly aligned!

Another way that I’ve done this is to hold down the shift key while moving things around. I started out by making one block. Then I copied it to make the second and third blocks. When I did this I held down the alt key to copy it and the shift key to keep the new block in a straight line with the original. Then when I drag it, the new block stays aligned. You can see in this screen shot the pink guide lines that show you your blocks are lined up. (In order for the pink guides to show up, you need to have the “smart guides” turned on. Go to view –> show –> smart guides.)

Or let’s say you have three (or more) things that you want to be perfectly spaced. Select all of them, and then click the button that is 2nd from the right – distribute horizontal centers. It will space all of your elements equally between the elements farthest to the left and right.

After I made the masks for my photos, I wanted to line them up. I had one that was taller than the others and I didn’t want to have them aligned by their horizontal centers as that would have the larger one sticking out on the top and bottom and I only wanted it to stick out on the top. So I chose the 3rd button in, align bottom edges, and that did the trick. (I forgot to take a screen shot after I clicked it, but you can see the result in my LO.)

Finally, sometimes when I’ve put a button over a flower or something like that, I want the elements to be exactly centered on top of each other. So I select the two (or more elements), and then click on align horizontal centers

and then align vertical centers as well. This makes sure that they are totally centered.

And here’s my LO with my perfectly aligned photos and elements…..(I used Thoroughly Amused by Haynay Designs and Plum Dumpling Designs and Haynay’s Birthday Celebration Grab Bag)

I took all of these screenshots in PSCS2. Mary (littlehiccup) was kind enough to take some screenshots of what this looks like in PSE. You can see how it offers you all the different choices – just click on align or distribute and then choose the one you want.

Here are some more examples from our awesome CT

from Cristina (using Old Glory by GG Digital Designs)

from mommy22girls (using Sprinkler Party by Mickey B Designs and Man in the Moon Designs)

from littlehiccup (using All American Superhero by Plum Dumpling Designs)

and one from Monsu (using WM[squared] Designs Birthday Grab Bag)

So let’s see what you can do! Line up some photos or elements in your LO and then link us up! You have till the end of the month to post your LO in the Saturday Special gallery and then link us to it here in the forum thread to get your point in the Matter of Scrap challenge system. Your LO must be original to this challenge – no double dipping. At the end of the month I’ll pick a random winner who will receive an extra point. You can also get an extra point by using a new (released in the last 7 days) ScrapMatters product. Just make sure you let me know in your credits. I think that’s it, so go and get started! I can’t wait to see what you create!

Andrea here! I sure hope you are enjoying all of the birthday festivities at ScrapMatters. Did you get your bingo card finished? See the previous post if you’re totally clueless about that!

Here’s the blog train master list. We’re really mixing up the type of freebies you get at each stop, for just that added element of surprise!
1. Andrea http://andilynn.wordpress.com/
2. Britt http://brittishdesigns.blogspot.com
3. Erica http://myscraptacularblog.blogspot.com
4. Maria http://scrapmuss.blogspot.com/
5. Melanie http://melanie3boys.blogspot.com/
6. Natasha http://bcnatty.blogspot.com
7. Stefanie http://stefgonedigi.blogspot.com
8. Heather http://www.haynay.blogspot.com
9. Jen www.jenuineartistry.blogspot.com
10. Kim http://kimbytx.blogspot.com/
11. Denise www.denisebeattyoriginals.blogspot.com
12. Ro http://maninthemoondesigns.blogspot.com/
13. Suzanne http://purpletulipdesigns.blogspot.com
14. Chelle www.chelles-creations.blogspot.com
15. Krisi http://adamandkrisi.blogspot.com
16. Wendy http://wendys-craftycreations.blogspot.com/
17. Sya http://scrap-stuff.blogspot.com
18. Krista http://sahlinstudio.blogspot.com/
19. Tater http://taterscraps.blogspot.com
20. Mary http://plumdumplingdesigns.blogspot.com
21. Jeni http://www.jeniscraftyblog.blogspot.com
22. Kathleen www.raisingmygirls.blogspot.com
23. Cyndi http://cyndi146.blogspot.com/
24. Anna http://annabvdesigns.blogspot.com/
25. Tracy www.trixiescraps.com
26. Christy http://thewerners.wordpress.com/
27. Kari & Monique http://karistamps.blogspot.com
28. Cristina http://cristinascrap.blogspot.com
29. Amber http://stolenmomentsdesign.blogspot.com/
30. Erica http://zane-escraps.blogspot.com/
31. Christine http://www.pressedpetals.blogspot.com
32. Kelly http://insprink.blogspot.com
33. Michelle http://mickeybdesigns.blogspot.com/
34. Kim geekydiva.wordpress.com
35. Casey http://caseykrause.com
36. Brianne www.hafencreations.blogspot.com
37. Happy http://happyscrapgirldesigns.blogspot.com/

HAVE FUN–Enjoy the journey.

Andrea here letting you know some specifics about our 2nd Birthday Bash! We are looking forward to a fun, fab, fantastic party.
I hope you will join us tonight at 9pm Eastern for the first of seven Speed Scraps to be held this weekend to celebrate ScrapMatters’ Birthday Bash! It is sure to be a great time for all! Here’s a peek at the participation prize for tonight, remember there will be seven different participation prizes this weekend–gadzooks!

Also if you haven’t made your bingo card yet, hop on over to the forum to read all of the rules and peruse the word list and make your bingo card. There will be two bingo games tomorrow, the second one will start after the first one is finished. You need to have your card finished and posted to the gallery by 7am Pacific tomorrow morning. The first bingo game starts at 7:30 am Pacific and there will be new words every half hour.

Also I am having random drawings for people who introduce themselves in the welcome forum. If you haven’t taken the time to introduce yourself now is the time to do so. So click on over to the “Introduce Yourself” topic and say hi.

Plan to chat with our hostess VirginiaJen and the SM team tomorrow…

If you didn’t get the Special Edition Newsletter with the buzz on all the happenings this weekend, you can get a copy by clicking this link.

To make sure you never miss an issue of the SM newsletters subscribe now by clicking this link. Then you’ll receive the next edition and always have the latest scoop on what’s new and what’s happening at ScrapMatters.

It’s time once again for our Project reNEWit Challenge!!  Before I share what your challenge for the month will be, I wanted to let you know of some minor adjustments we are making to our hybrid challenge lineup.  In order to allow you more time to complete the more time consuming projects we have moved our “BIG” challenges to the first week of the month!!  We will now rotate Project reNEWit, Perfectly Packaged, and Dazzling Decor on the first Thursday each month.  You will find those challenges here on the blog as well as in the MOS Challenge Forum.  The second week of the month will focus on our fabulous hybrid gallery … our Hybrid Highlights post will now appear on the blog and in the “Hybrid is Hot” forum on the second Thursday each month.  The third week will bring a continuing challenge – right now it is the “I’ll Pencil You In” Challenge where we are creating calendar pages each month to complete a calendar in time for holiday gift giving!!  After our calendars are complete look for a new continuing challenge to take its’ place … third Thursday on the blog and in the SM forum.  We are adding a Tutorial/Product Review post on the 4th week of the month.  This will be a step-by-step tutorial with photos to help guide you through a project from beginning to end.  One thing that a lot of people who are new or just starting out with hybrid want to know is WHAT supplies to use!  This post will be a great way to show how a project can be completed and what products were used to do it.  There is no challenge associated with this but it will be on the blog and in the “Hybrid is Hot” forum the fourth Thursday of the month.  Lastly, when we are lucky enough to have a 5th Thursday we get to share with you our favorite hybrid goodies in the shop!!  With 5 new hybrid designers, physical products, and many other designers dabbling in hybrid there should be plenty to share!  So to review:

First Week:  “BIG” Challenge – rotating Project reNEWit, Perfectly Packaged, and Dazzling Decor (on the blog and in the Matter of Scrap Challenge forum)

Second Week:  Hybrid Highlights (on the blog and in the “Hybrid is Hot” forum)

Third Week:  Continuing Challenge – I’ll Pencil You In (on the blog and in the Matter of Scrap Challenge forum)

Fourth Week:  Tutorial/Product Review (on the blog and in the “Hybrid is Hot” forum)

Fifth Week:  Shop/Designer Spotlight (on the blog and in the “Hybrid is Hot” forum)

Oh, and for an extra surprise, keep your eyes on the blog and forum for a special announcement of an additional hybrid challenge … not part of the Matter of Scraps Challenge System (so you won’t earn points) but guaranteed to be a lot of fun!  More details to come shortly

Now for this month’s challenge … One thing that I am certain to save when given a gift is the gift bag.  They are expensive and tend to hold up pretty well!!!  I don’t, however, enjoy worrying about whether or not I will give the same gift bag BACK to someone who originally gave it to me!  One simple solution is to “alter” the gift bags you have in your stash.  Cover the front and back with a fun digital design.  Make a topper to coordinate with it rather than using tissue paper.  Here are just a few samples that show these ideas.

First, one by Jaime (ocmath).  I love the cute design she used to cover up the front of the bag!  I’ve gotten gift bags just like this from stores that only have a logo on the front … so easy to cover up!

Here is one that I created.  I made the topper by using an 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of cardstock folded in half.  I made my design and put it on the front.  Then I marked where the bag handles would fit through and cut out a small area so the topper could fit over the handles … easy!  Add a little bling and some ribbon and you have quickly transformed your gift bag

Your challenge for the month is to reuse and transform some type of packaging … gift bag, box, tin, etc. with the idea of using it to give a gift in it!!  You have until August 31st to complete your project.  Make sure to upload it to the Matter of Scrap Hybrid Challenges gallery as well as the MOS Challenge Forum under “Hybrid Challenges.“  Can’t wait to see what you come up with!!