Hi everyone! Melissa (profiler_mar) here to bring you the Hybrid Highlights for August! We have such an amazing group of hybrid artists at ScrapMatters that it is hard to pick just a few projects to show you. Be sure to stop by the hybrid gallery HERE to check out all of the gorgeousness and leave some love! So my picks for August are:

Look at this adorable treat jar from sporte91. It is a simple and fun way to personalize a treat jar and make an ordinary glass container fun:

SandyPie made these amazing butterflies, I can’t get over how gorgeous they are!

I love this shell diorama by scrappycath, it is so fun, summery, and super creative!

I loved these labeled school supplies by Geeky Diva as soon as I saw them in the gallery, it is such a fun way to personalize her daughter’s notebooks and backpack!

And this little backpack by hobbes130 is precious! I love the staging in her photo too!

So, are you ready to try hybrid now? I know those projects all inspired me! We are blessed to have three wonderful hybrid designers here at ScrapMatters and here are some new products from them to help you get started:

From Geeky Diva Designs,  That Little Hybrid Box:

From Krisi’s Kreations, Cover It Up-Paint Bucket Template:

And from Simply J Studio, this Pennant Banner Template:

I am never disappointed by the creativity of these ladies and their ability to inspire great hybrid creations! I hope I have helped inspire you today and I look forward to seeing your hybrid creations in the gallery! Happy hybriding!!!

Hey Scrappers, Leslie (aka GoldenGirls) here with your Tuesday Template Challenge today! No special requirements, just use the template and scrap away!!

DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE HERE

Here’s what I scrapped using “Happy Easter” by WM[squared]

From {Abhall76}
“I Wuff You” by Connie Prince and Bella Gypsy

From {jendavey}
Jennifer Barrette’s new kit – Sleeptight

From {jeffsamber}
Bella Gypsy’s new kit Ella Fun

From {Shari}
LDrag Designs True Blessings and True Blessings Clusters along with Sahlin Studios Blessed

from {misfitinmn}
Slowpoke 2.0 by Bella Gypsy

Just a reminder:

You have the rest of August to complete the layout! 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!

–Leslie

Hello, scrapping friends, it’s Sara here to start off another lovely week here at ScrapMatters!
While I could ramble on and on about things that matter to me in my personal life, I am choosing to ramble on and on about something that’s important and dear to us all – our scrapping habit! Something I’ve noticed in the digi scrapping community is that it can sometimes feel competitive – that you’ve always got to be the best, the most creative, or impressive. I can’t say that I haven’t been bit by this bug myself several times, but I have to catch myself and remember why I love scrapping so much. Of course, I want my pages to be beautiful and I want them to look touchable, but for me, it’s important that I have documented the story so that I can keep these memories fresh in my mind forever.

Naturally, the competitive nature really comes out when it comes to applying for creative teams. I love being a part of teams, and of course, like most everyone, I have felt the sting of rejection from my fair share of teams. It hurts, but it really is true what everyone says, that you can’t take it personally. Unfortunately, sometimes calls get flooded with a ton of applications and the designers just have to make the difficult choice, and it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ever try again! Instead, let yourself feel sad for a moment, and then hit the galleries for inspiration, participate in challenges to try things you might not have tried before, learn some new techniques and get really comfortable in your own style…and keep trying! I am a little behind the times, but I just discovered this post by Andrea this morning that I really just loved, and I think it summarizes what I am trying to say a lot more eloquently (I wasn’t exactly gifted with a way with words).
Andrea on Why I Scrap

I guess what it all comes down to is just scrapping for yourself. Try not to compare yourself with other scrappers, we are all talented in different and unique ways and that is one of the things I love the most about the digi scrapping community. Oh! And keep taking pictures! If your goal is to scrap family photos, learn how to use your camera and make your pictures the shining stars of your layout!

Okay, I am done rambling now and I will let you all get back to your scrapping!

Sara

Here is my pick for this week, “Capture This Moment” by Sasha:

I love the way the bright colors on her page contrast with those gorgeous black and white photos! And the clustering is seriously amazing. Kudos to Sasha for capturing these precious everyday moments.  Head on over to the gallery or the forum and leave her some love!

-Kendall (Kendallt)

This week I was so excited to get to talk to our two guest designers this month!! First up is Val from GeniaBeana Scraps!

1. Your screen name? Your real name?   geniaBeana, but my real name is Valerie and usually just go by Val
2. What is your main job/career? SAHM
3. Are you married/children/pets?  Married, 12 years.  2 Children.  A boy and a girl.  1 elderly Calico cat.
4. Where is home for you?   Central Texas
5. What are your 3 favorite foods?  Sushi, Cheesecake, Chocolate
6. PC or Mac? What program do you use?  PC.  CS4

7. What are your favorite movies/TV shows?  I like most of the Cable TV (Showtime and HBO) Series and have recently fallen in love with Glee.  My all time favorite movie is Young Frankenstien.
8. Describe your “designing” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where?  On the couch with TV for background noise or my desk upstairs with the cable on the Alternative music channel.
9. If you only had 2 elements in a kit, what would they be?  I NEED string and ribbons.

10. When did you start designing? How did you get started?  I started playing with designing around December of 2008.  Then got serious about learning more and doing better after the ScrapMatter’s Design Star competion.
11. How would you describe your design style?  I like realistic elements and papers that look like real paper.  Not sure how to label my style as I’ve never really given it much thought.
12. Where do you get your inspiration/motivation?  Colors usually speak out to me.  Usually they give me a very good idea of what THEY want to be.  If I try to force it into something else it just doesn’t work.  If I listen to the colors the kit usually flows right out of me.

13. Which of your products in the Scrapmatters Store showcases your style the most?  Queen for a Day

14. What is your favorite color scheme to design with?  I don’t really have a favorite scheme to work with.  I like working with brights as much as I enjoy muted colors.
15. Favorite kit you’ve designed for Scrapmatters? Boho Chic.  I just finally scrapped with it, too, and I LOVE my layout.

Check out Val’s full shop here!!

Next up here is what Sherry Ferguson had to say!

1. Your screen name? Your real name?  Sherry Ferguson, Sherry Ferguson…how original, right?
2. What is your main job/career? being a mom is my main job, designing comes next
3. Are you married/children/pets? I’m married to my DH of 10 years and we have 2 beautiful daughters. We also have one female boxer dog named Miracle.
4. Where is home for you? Texas
5. What are your 3 favorite foods? Mexican, Italian, and Home-style
6. PC or Mac? What program do you use?  PC, PSCS3 and AICS3
7. What is the most challenging part of designing for you? I guess I would say extracting. I am still so slow at it!
8. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking? I would love to learn to sew better than the basics I know now!
9. What are your favorite movies/TV shows?  My favorite TV series is Little House on the Prairie. I watched it growing up, and now I have the boxed set that I am gradually watching with my girls   And in this day and age I enjoy Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters. Movie wise, my top favorites are: The Family Man, The Notebook, Sweet Home Alabama, Titanic, and Click
10. Describe your “designing” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where?  I like it quiet. Always something to drink, usually diet sprite because caffeine makes me edgy. Always at my desktop in the front room. Not a formal office, but it has to do.
11. If you only had 2 elements in a kit, what would they be?  A flower and a folded or looped ribbon
12. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…?  Maybe that I have 3 tattoos?
13. When did you start designing? How did you get started? I started designing over 4 years ago. A friend of mine introduced me to digital kits and I was so intrigued I bought a book. The book explained a lot on how to create papers and elements and I’ve been expanding on that ever since
14. How would you describe your design style?  Clean and neat, sort of like paper scrapping.
15. Where do you get your inspiration/motivation?  My kids and music.
16. Which of your products in the Scrapmatters Store showcases your style the most? As of now, it would be Rain Showers and Flowers. I have much more I hope to add before my guest spot is up

17. What is your favorite color scheme to design with? Nothing in particular. I just really love bright colors with a lot of contrast!
18. Favorite kit you’ve designed for Scrapmatters? Well, that would have to be Rain Showers and Flowers. I’ll have another next week, but not sure yet if I like it better or not

Thanks Sherry for letting us get to know more about you!  Check out all her goodies here!

-Amanda (panders77)

We are happy to announce the new ScrapMatters Creative Team!

Hi all, Day here of Inspirations from Day!
I’m so excited to be hosting my first SM challenge! So sorry I’m a bit late posting this on the blog! As I was pondering what to show you, I was browsing my gallery (to see what I can do!) and I found that I blend a photo in the background quite often. I don’t know about you, but I take a TON of photos, and can only scrap a small portion. Therefore, photo space on my LOs is premium and I’m always trying to squeeze in one more! Blending a big background photo can be a great way of doing this!

First you have to have the right picture. You don’t want anything too detailed or fussy as it will lose a bit of detail in the blending. I generally go with a closeup shot, an artsy cool photo that isn’t quite good enough to make the final cut but that I want to use anyway, or a photo that has a small important detail with a lot of samey background (a long shot of someone in a field, or against a wall for example). Since you are going to build your LO on top of the photo, keep in mind it shouldn’t take up the whole page.
You can use either one big blended photo w/ a bit of journaling and a title, or you can choose a big photo to blend and a few smaller ones to scrap around it with.

Now you need the right paper to blend with. Nothing too strong – generally a solid although you could get creative with patterns – for now let’s say a solid. Also a neutral or coordinating color is easiest.  You can blend with colored papers too but as the blend modes can mix the colors you have to be careful sometimes. You can also use a black and white photo if you really want to blend into a colored paper and you will have a more monotone look. So many options!!  Texture and creases are great, you want something to blend into. Kraft, cardstock, lined paper or handmade paper are a few that work very well.

Once you’ve got your LO file open, drag on your background and your photos. If you are using some smaller photos, shrink them to about the size you want them and then make them invisible for now. (click the little eye beside the layer in the layers palette)

Now it’s time to blend! Make sure you have your big photo selected and start playing with the blend modes. They are in a little drop down menu at the top of the layers palette. The trouble with blending is that it will be somewhat different for each set of items that you are blending, so there is no real way to tell you what blend to set. It will depend on the photo and the paper that you chose. Some that I use more commonly than others are Multiply, Linear Blend, Overlay and Soft Light. You can duplicate your layer by dragging it over the “new layer” icon (a folded corner paper at the bottom of the layers palette) and then play with layering blend modes on top of each other. Soft Light is one I often use as a duplicate, it tends to enrich the look of your layer.
You will probably also want to adjust the opacity of your layer/s. If you don’t, then  your background photo competes with your other photos and really it is supposed to be in the background. You will probably be surprised how low of opacity you can go and have it still look good. Play around with the blends and opacity until you have your photo looking the way you’d like it.

Once you have your photo blended, it is time to take care of the sharp edges and make it really look part of the paper. Load a grunge brush into your eraser tool. If you don’t have one, there is a fab set in the store by HSG, or you can use a large round brush and soften it all the way.
Lower the opacity of your eraser to around 30. (You want to sand away the edges, not chop them!) Then start erasing just around the edges. You will need to go over and over them until you see no sharp edges, this is how you get the softly blended edge. If there is part of your photo you don’t want in there (a contrary color in the background or someone elses hand in the pic) now is the time to erase it out.

Keep doing this until your photo is softly blended with the background paper and looks a part of it.

And now you’re ready to build your LO!! Remember the rule of triangulation and the fact that even though your photo IS background, you still count it as a segment of your LO. It’s easy to over clutter a blended LO and sometimes you may even want to go back and lower the opacity more once you see it with the rest of the photos and elements on it.

Here is my final LO made with my new kit Boy I Love You.

If you have any questions, just ask! I can’t wait to see what you make! :loveshower:

A Rules Reminder:

- You have until the end of August to complete this challenge.
- Post your pages in the “Saturday Special” gallery and link it back to the thread in the forum.
- You will earn 1 point for your LO and a bonus point if you use a new release (within 7 days of release – be sure to mention this in the forum and in your credits).
- You don’t have to use ScrapMatters products, but we love it when you do!
- No double dipping, your LO must be unique to this challenge.
- At the end I will pick a random winner to receive an extra bonus point.

Here are some inspiring examples from the amazing SM Creative Team!

Bonnie using Ho! Ho! Ho!, Round The Block, & Stitch Me Up by Chelle’s Creations

Jenn using Makin’ Me Happy by Stolen Moments

Annisa using Vintage Worn & Torn Papers, Sunshine & Daffodils, and Rejuvenate by Sahline Studio, Around the World by Sahlin Studio and Britt-ish Designs, and Stitch Me Up Frames by Chelle’s Creations

Megan using Love Grows by Erica Zane

Kelsey using LDrag’s new BeDazzled kit

Hey there everyone!  Cathy (aka Scrappycath) here to host the 8/12/10 It’s in the Cards Challenge here at Scrapmatters.  I hope you’ll join in.  This is a great template for experienced hybrid artists as well as those just ready to dabble in hybrid.  The blocking makes it simple to use, yet gives some versatility for you to easily change it up and “make it yours”.

Never participated in one of our challenges?  No problem! They are so much fun and so easy!  For this challenge you get to create a card using this template. Take a photo of your finished project and upload it to the hybrid challenge gallery by the end of August, then link it to Hybrid Challenge forum thread as well.

And there’s a reward in it for you!!  For every challenge that you enter, you get a point. You can get 2 points if you use a product within a week of its release; just let me know if you used something new when you post your link in the challenge thread.

Here is the template that you’ll be using. Image is linked for download, or click the download link below the preview.

>>Download here<<

Thanks to the hard work of our fabulous Hybrid Creative Team I have some great samples to share and inspire you!

This is the sample that I made using the Scrapmatters Team Collab kit “Life’s Little Surprises”

Hybrid Creative Team member Amanda (aka Abhall76 ) made this shabby-chic-grungy version using “Denim Days” from Creations by Rachael . Aren’t these colors fantastic?

LuAnn (aka wildblueeyez) rotated the template and used “Play the Game” by Chelle’s Creations to make this version that will wow the sports fan in your life. Can you believe this is a totally digital card?

I love the way Heather (aka interstitchal) allowed her flower elements to flow on this bright card. Can’t you just see the big smile this card will bring to the recipients face? Heather used “Love Everyday” by Happy Scrap Girl and Designs by Tater. The blue stitching and buttons really bring up the cute factor on this one!

The soft colors in this card by Sylvia (aka SylviaB) give this birthday greeting the feeling of warmth and love.  She used the “Spot of Tea” collab kit by Denise Beatty Originals and Erica Zane .  I like how Sylvia added the scalloped edge punch detail and that sweet charm!

Tanya (aka TanyaH666) totally rocked this template with her card!  The Cupcakes and Candles Collab was a perfect choice for this birthday card.  I love the way she placed the purple ray paper with the polka dots.  The whole card just shouts “happy”!!!

Great inspiration isn’t it? So are you ready?  I can’t wait to see your creations!  Have fun creating!

This call is a very short one, so apply now if you are interested!

Welcome to another round of Grand Theft Layout! This week we’ll be raiding the fabulous gallery of charmedeebob! To complete this challenge, you’ll need to browse through her gallery and choose a layout to inspire a page of your own. Make sure to come back here and post your layout along with a link to the layout you chose from her gallery.

Charmaine is the person who taught me how to digi-scrap. Her scrap style is one I have always loved and I wish I could scrap as well as she does.

I scraplifted this one:

Jen

And from the Store CT

Heidi

LeeAndra

Here’s the rules:

*Pick one of Charmaine’s layouts, and lift it! Feel free to twist, turn, etc. Post your layout into the Grand Theft Layout Gallery AND to this post to get one point for completing this challenge!
*You can get an additional point for using a NEW ScrapMatters product on your lift.
*At the end of August, I will select one lucky layout as the winner of this challenge, and that person will get an extra point for the month.
* Your layout MUST be unique to this challenge, no double-dipping!
*You do not have to use ScrapMatters products, but we certainly love it when you do!
and, last but not least,
*You will have until the end of AUGUST to complete this challenge.

Happy Scrapping! I hope you are as inspired by Charmaine’s awesome gallery as I am.

Hey everyone! Trixie Scraps here and I am THRILLED I’ve gotten an opportunity to host a Tuesday Template challenge for you this month. It’s been a LONG time… I think my last one was all the way back in April!!! lol

Usually I turn one of my own layouts into a template for these challenges, but due to my recent hard drive crash, I don’t have any layouts to do that with. But, it’s okay because it inspired me to just play with some shapes and I had this idea rumbling around in my head for a while… hope you find the template to be fun to work with! No set rules – just scrap what you love So, here is the template:

Now for some inspiration from the amazing SM Creative Team!

By Cathy (scrappycath) using At the Beach (Design Girl), Sail Away (Erica Zane) and Life’s Little Surprises & Coastal Getaway (SM Team Collab kits). LOVE the pops of pink and red on this one and how she replaced the paper strip area with an amazing element cluster.

By Cheryl (gonewiththewind) using Gone Fishing (Creations by Rachael). This one just made me catch me breath because its so gorgeous! Notice how Cheryl replaced the paper strips with ribbons and moved them up under the photos. Love her take on it!

By our guest Lisa (kelseyll) using Old Glory (Trixie Scraps & Sarah Bennett). I love how Lisa balanced the busy bottom left corner of the layout with some journaling on the top right.

By Jenn (jennamy82) using Nature Girl (Trixie Scraps). Jenn pretty much went with the design of the template, adding in a couple extra elements and some ribbons on the bottom right. Looks awesome!

And because I love them, I gave my personal CT a chance to play with the template a little early… they were enthusiastic about this challenge and a BUNCH of them played along… too many to show off here, lol! But, I had to show a couple of the layouts to you because each has a unique take on the template and I love them! The rest of my girls will upload their layouts today and link them here so you can see them – they’re each awesome!

This one is by Beth (bethany) using Nature Girl (Trixie Scraps). I am showing it to you to because I love how Beth swapped out the paper strips for the photo and the photo spots for papers. Awesome idea, right?

And this one is by Trista (scrappyt), who is one of my brand new Scrap Stars! She jumped right in and made this layout using Sunday Afternoon (Trixie Scraps & Sarah Bennett). I thought her flip of the template was very creative! Love how she made one of the strips into a frame for some wordart!

Okay… after all that, are you feeling inspired?? I hope so!!! **Click here** to go download your template and get started on this challenge!

The “Fine Print” aka the Matter of Scrap Challenge rules:
You have the rest of August to complete the layout! Upload it to the gallery, and leave BOTH the image and a link as a reply to this thread. Please make sure to link your image or include the link to the gallery in your post so that I can give you credit for completing the challenge!

You will receive one point for completing this 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.

Have fun!
Tracy