Hi everyone, Jill aka Juno here to bring you a brand new Grand Theft Layout challenge. This week we’ll be lifting kathleena. Check out her gallery here. I’m sure you’ll have a hard time chosing just one layout to lift.

I lifted:

And here’s my layout, using So Grateful by Sahlin Studio and Sugarplum Paperie:

Courtney lifted Winter Walk:

And here’s her layout, using Erica’s Sweetest Days and Britt-ish Designs’ Pocket Full of Templates 4:

Li14 lifted Bring It:

And her layout, using Sense of Adventure by Happy Scrap Girl:

Jenn chose to lift One Day Apart:

Her layout, using Baby Mine By Becca & Tuck N Wave Templates by Sahlin Studio:

Wendy lifted Tumbs Up!!:

Here’s her layout, using Bookworm and Strawberry Swirl by Kaye Winiecki:

Before you go and check out kathleena’s amazing gallery, be sure to remember the rules:

-You will receive one point for posting your layout in the challenge thread, as well as in the Grand Theft Layout gallery. You can receive an additional point for using new Scrap Matters products! Please make a note of new products in your post.

-You have until the end of January to complete your layout for your points to be counted towards January points. Otherwise post your layout after the first of the month to be counted towards February points.

-No double dipping! Your layout must be unique to this challenge.

-You don’t have to use Scrap Matters products, but we love it when you do!

-Have fun!

It’s Tuesday Template time! Wendy here with another template! It’s nearly February, which is crazy talk!

There is no specific theme or set of rules for today’s template, just have fun!! Use the template as is, or switch it up…it’s all up to you!

Here is the template:

Here’s *MY* LO:
Credits:
Date Stamp: “Simply Dated – V.4″ by WM[squared] Designs, All other items: “These Are The Best Days” by Connie Prince

Here is some inspiration from the ScrapMatters CT/DT:
Layout By: Jillyfish
Credits: Boogity Boo by Tater

Layout By: Julie
Credits: Enchantment by Britt-ish

Layout By: Jenn
Credits: Make a Wish Collab by Trixie Scraps and Stolen Moments

Feel inspired? Good! Now go download the template –>> HERE! and lemme see what ya got! I’ve included both  the .psd and .png files for you!

The “Fine Print” aka the Matter of Scrap Challenge rules:

You have the rest of January to complete the layout, and all of February as well, since this challenge starts the last week of January!  Upload it to the gallery, and leave BOTH the image and a link in the challenge forum–>>  HERE!

You will receive one point for completing the challenge. You can earn an additional point for using a new product from the ScrapMatters store (PLEASE indicate you have used something new when you leave us the link in the forum), and one lucky winner will receive one more point – I will be doing a random draw!

Remember, no double dipping…your layout must be unique to this challenge.

Happy Scrapping!!
Wendy

We are almost 1/12 of the way through the new year! Can you believe it? I’ve spent a lot of time this month reflecting on this past year and thinking about what I want 2010 to look like. I try not to set too many goals for myself at the beginning of the year – I hate to fail – but I do love the feeling of a clean slate, a new beginning, a fresh start. This year is a little different because I’m pregnant and I can’t add weight loss to the new year’s goals! I’ve been forced to shift my focus into other areas of my life that need improvement. I’ve really enjoyed taking the time to really discover what I want to improve and then setting up systems and routines to help me get there. Research says it takes 21 days to develop a habit. Today’s a great day then to look back at those goals and resolutions you set for yourself and see how you’re progressing. Remember that habits don’t develop overnight…they take time and usually encounter some set backs. Don’t get discouraged – get RE-motivated! (and maybe scrap a little bit about your experiences!!) Have a lovely week!

-mary aka Plum Dumpling Designs

This is my first time picking LOTW and I gotta say it’s a TERRIBLE job!!!  How do you pick?!?!  They’re all so great in their own way — beautiful kids, funny stories, their moments….ugh – so hard to choose.  I finally decided on Soulmates by alahnasmommy.  It’s a super v-day page with some really cool stuff going on.  Makes me smile!
 

Congrats Alahnasmommy!! Head on over to the gallery or the forum and leave her some love!

-Amber (Jeffsamber)

This week I got to interview AlliJ2008 who is one of our awesome CT members.  It was so fun to learn a little more about her!

1. Your screen name? Your real name? AlliJ2008 (not very original but when I first used it I didn’t realize it would turn into my screen name at all these different sites forever).  LOL.  My real name is Alli (shocking I know).

2. What is your main job/career?  I am an educational diagnostician for a public school district specializing in assessments of children with Autism.

3. Are you married/children/pets? Married, yes.  Children, yes.  Pets, no.  It is enough work taking care of the people. (That was a joke).

4. Where is home for you? My true home will always be Houston, Texas.

5. What are your 3 favorite foods? Do I really have to narrow it down to 3?  Um, cheese enchiladas, ice cream, and guacamole. 

6. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Crème Brule from Ben & Jerry

7. Snacks…Salty or Sweet? Yes!  Both, together!

8. Beverage of choice? Really good coffee.

9. What’s your least favorite food? Um, I pretty much love it all!

10. PC or Mac? What program do you use? PC but I am dreaming of a Mac.  I use PSE 7.

11. How long have you been digi-scrapping? How did you get started? Consistently since Jan 2009.  I can’t remember how I got started but I haven’t looked back since.

12. What was your 1st LO about?  This one was done in Oct. 2008.  Don’t laugh at the drop shadow on the text.  Ack.  A very nice digi scrapper sent me a PM when I posted this & suggested that I didn’t need to put a shadow on text! 

13. Do you have any other hobbies besides digi-scrapping (are there other hobbies)?  Photography is quickly becoming a favorite hobby and it just goes hand in hand with scrapping, doesn’t it?  I run, read, and cook but not always in that order.

14. What is the most challenging part of scrapbooking for you?  I like to try new things so that I don’t get stuck in a rut but it can be hard to scrap outside of my comfort zone.

15. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking?  I am always striving to be a better parent.

16. What are your favorite movies/TV shows?  TV shows:  Dexter and Gossip Girl.   Movie: Pretty in Pink

17. Describe your “scrapping” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where?
Sitting on the couch with my laptop.  Usually TV on in the background but I often end up with it on mute. 

18. If you only had 2 elements to use on a LO, what would they be?  stitches and bubble paint (or whatever it is called when you can stamp on the paper like paint)

19. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…?  Even though I now live a pretty typical suburbia life at one point I was pretty adventurous.  I have lived in Guatemala, gone skydiving, almost joined the peace corps but got married instead, and have owned three Ford Mustangs consecutively in a row (even though I now drive the family friendly Honda).

20. Can you tell us a little about your scrappin’ style?  I think I am all over the place!  I love the clustered LO’s but mine usually end of pretty clean cut even though I have given the clusters a good try!  I have found that my style has just continued to change throughout the last year as I keep learning new tricks and trying new techniques.  One reason I love templates is that they give you the chance to scrap something different from your usual style.

21. Favorite LOs that you have done?

Thanks Alli for letting us get to know you better!  Check out her full gallery here.  Head on over and leave her some love!

-Amber (Jeffsamber)

Hi everyone this is Liz, I have taken over this challenge for Jen so here is her tutorial:

This week, our topic is using an extraction to highlight a portion of a photo using color.  You start out with a photo that has a particular part that you want to highlight.  I wanted to highlight Zach’s blankie in this photo…

My lesson is done using PSE6.

First, I brought my photo onto my canvas and then made a copy of it and left the copy directly on top of the original.  Then, I got to work on my extraction.

There are several ways to extract.  You can try Amanda’s method from her Jan 2 Saturday Special using the eraser tool or you can try what I do using the Quick Selection tool.

First, I select the Quick Selection tool.  It looks like a magic wand pointing at a “dancing ants” rectangle.  If you hover your mouse over your tools, their names pop up and you can find the Quick Selection tool that way too.  Once you’ve selected it, roughly outline the part of the photo you are trying to extract.  Dancing ants will start to make an outline on the photo.  It won’t be perfect.  Now, to refine your ants, in the upper left hand corner of your screen there are three little mini quick selection wands…one with a “+” and one with a “-” and one with nothing.  If the dancing ants are missing a part of the photo you want to extract, choose the wand with the “+” and go back to that area and run the wand just inside the portion you want to add to your selection.  So, if I want to include someone’s arm that was missed in the initial selection, I would run my wand ON the arm, not the outside of it, to add it to my selection.  And the opposite goes for the “-” wand.  If there are parts that it did select that you want removed from the selection, use the “-” wand to take them out.  In both cases, the “ants” line will move as you go to show you the new selection line.

Once your selection looks good and you want to cut the rest of the photo away, choose Layer/New/ Layer via Cut in your menus and the photo will now be in two pieces, the part you extracted and the rest. Delete the rest of the photo.

Now, we’ll work on the other copy of the photo that is still whole and layered behind your extraction.  We need it to be B&W…so make that layer active and choose Enhance/Convert to B&W from the menus.  Now, your extraction pops on the photo because it is in color!  Merge those two layers.

You can edit both photos as you usually do by playing with their shadows and sharpness and brightness and saturation until they both look good.

Here’s mine…

And here’s more fab inspiration from our CT:

From Andrea:

From Emilee:

From Jan:

Tip:  You can use this same technique to make a part of a photo stand out in a different way.  Maybe there’s a distracting backgroud…  Do the same steps above except instead of making the photo behind B&W, blur it by choosing Filter/Blur/Gaussian Blur from your menus and playing with the radius number…10 is a good place to start.   Now your extraction stands out because it is in focus and the distracting background is blurred, but they are both either color or B&W so there is less contrast.  With this method you will want to choose the Refine Edge option at the top of the screen after you’ve done your Quick Selection and play with the Feather number.  This will make the edge of your extracted photo blend well with the blurred background photo.

Ok–you’re turn, let’s see what you can do!

You don’t have to use SM products but we love it when you do! To get your challenge point, please post your LO to the Saturday Special gallery and post it here too in this thread.  You have until Jan 31st to complete this challenge.  You’ll receive one point towards your January total. If you use a New Release for an extra point, PLEASE NOTE IT IN BOTH YOUR CREDITS IN THE GALLERY AND YOUR POST TO THE THREAD in order to receive your extra point. At the end of the month, I will pick a random winner, who will receive a bonus point on February’s total. Now go out there and be extracting maniacs!