Good morning and HAPPY Saturday! I always love trying new ways to add focus to my pictures and found a new one (for me anyway) that I simply love! Blurring the background of your photo…

First open your editing software and the picture you are going to use. Next select the Magnetic Lasso Tool from your toolbar:

Using your magnetic lass tool outline the image you want to focus on (the part that will not be blurred)

When you have you image selected you might need to make a few corrections, so zoom in on your picture and use the Quick Selection Tool:

When you have all of your image selected…

You might want to expand the selection just a little bit so it’s not right on the edge of your image. To do this go to Select>Modify>Expand> I only expanded 1 pixel

Then you will want to invert your selection to create the blur…to invert you need to go to Select>Inverse

Then you can create your blur. On mine I went to Filter>Blur>Gauissan Blur…but you can use any of the blurs you wish. Play around with it!

Here’s my final pic:

Here is my layout created with the picture above using So Silly by Amy Stoffel, BBQ Weather Bonus Alpha by WM[squared] Designs, and Alphlets by Stolen Moments:

and here is what the amazing SM CT girls created using this tut: (please check out the forum to see what each girl did to their picture)

Andrea:

Fiona:

Becky:

Tanya:

Aren’t they all simply AMAZING?!?! Can’t wait to see how this tutorial inspires YOU!

Challenge reminders:
-You will receive one point for posting in Saturday Special 2.12.11 thread & in the Saturday Special gallery. You can receive an additional point for using new Scrap Matters products; please make a note of new products in your post. And at the end of the month you’ll be entered into a random drawing that could earn you some bonus points!

-You have until the end of February to complete this challenge to earn MOS points.

-Remember no double dipping…your photo and/or layout must be unique to this challenge.

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

Now….get scrapping!

Look What’s New at ScrapMatters.com 02/04/2011!!

Hello! Happy Valentine’s Day weekend to you. Our designers have several wonderful new goodies for you this week, with gorgeous color schemes and template sets to help you scrap your memories.

Do you subscribe to the ScrapMatters newsletter? It went out today, and this month, the newsletter subscribers get a free mini from Scrapmuss Designs and Jennifer Labre Designs.

February Monthly Collab by the ScrapMatters Designers – 50% off thru Feb. 17th

Calendar It: 2012 11×8.5 Layered by Krisi’s Kreations

Cover It Up: Invitation {including cutting files} by Krisi’s Kreations

Scraps by Number: Yours Truly V2 by Stolen Moments

Savannah by Wimpychompers

Cupcake Frenzy by Wimpychompers

Cupcake Frenzy Add-on by Wimpychompers

Be Inspired – Liz – V.2 – Templates by WM squared Designs:

Simply Dated – V.16 by WM squared Designs:

Just a Photograph, by Amy Stoffel

Page Starters: Inspired by Tanya by Amy Stoffel

Stitch Me Down Alpha by Chelle’s Creations

Double Your Fun Templates

CU Zipper Blooms by Chelle’s Creations

EZ Templates 15 by Erica Zane

EZ Pieces Templates by Erica Zane
Pieces Of My Heart Template by Erica Zane and Denise Beatty Originals

Newsletter Alpha {freebie} by Erica Zane {free with newsletter sign-up}

The Basics 2 Page Templates v2

Made With Love by Inspirations from Day

Custom Blog Design for Designers and Personal Blogs by Jady Day Studio

Commercial Use Special Edition Grab Bag – Available 2/11-2/17

Winter Wishes by Jennifer Labre Designs

Trashy Alpha by Jennifer Labre Designs

Wanted – Hugs and Kisses kit by Jen Reed and KimB

Wanted – Hugs and Kisses BUNDLE
Wanted – Hugs and Kisses Alpha
Wanted – Hugs and kisses Word Art
Wanted – Hugs and kisses PS Styles

Page Formers 2 by KimB

Hi everyone, Sylvia here with our new IT’S IN THE CARDS challenge!

Your template:

You can download the template HERE
I made my sample using the awesome ‘Just Us Two’ kit by LDrag Designs

And here’s some great inspiration from our wonderful CT:
Our hybrid guest for February Karen aka bydelstorp created this beautiful German card which is saying ‘For You’

credits: Bedazzled by LDrag Designs

Cathy aka Scrappycath made this gorgeous card

credits: Better Days Ahead by Jady Day Studios and Stolen Moments

And look at this wonderful card from Rebecca aka Reboscraps. Adorable, isn’t it?!

credits: Precious Memories by Laitha’s Designs and Studio Manu

And last but not least our incredible LuAnn aka wildblueeyez has gone wild with her creativity and used the template only as a guidline to create this over the top amazing summer card:

credits: Wm Squared Designs’ Beach Bum kit,cloud paper from Happy Scrap Girl Designs Sunshine & Showers kit and sun doodle from Simply J Studio’s Spring Doodles

Aren’t these wonderful examples? I hope you are now ready to play along and can’t wait to see what you’ll come up with!

Remember: the rules of the challenge are:
*To earn your Matter of Scrap point for the month you need to photograph and upload your card to the Hybrid Challenge – It’s In The Cards gallery during February. Then come back here and post it in our It’s In The Cards Challenge thread in our forums (you can find the thread HERE). Make sure to let your hostess know if you used a new product within a week of it’s release – if you do, you get an extra point! One random winner will be chosen to receive an extra point!*

Happy cardmaking

Hi digiscrappers! Yari here of Jady Day Studio bringing you today’s Grand Theft Layout challenge! This is my very first one to do EVER and I am so excited about it! This week we are going to lift KayM’s wonderful gallery here and at DST! I just love the attention to detail and her way of layering. And her shadows…her shadows! {Love them!}

I lifted Winter:

Here’s my version using Denim Days by Creations by Rachael here at SM:

And here’s some more inspiration from our great creative team!

kendallt lifted Noel

And here’s her version using Missing You by Jady Day Studio (yours truly):

sm_amber (Amber of Stolen Moments Designs) lifted Paradise:

And here’s her version using A Boy’s Perfect Birthday by Jady Day Studio (yours truly):

jennv lifted Vacation:

And here’s her version using WM[squared]‘s Frosty and Chelle’s Creations Stitch Me Up: Frames:

kellig lifted Love:

And here’s her version using Cinnamon Cocoa from Ellie Lash and Stitch Me Down Alpha from Chelle’s Creations:

Aren’t they all fabulous?! Love them all!

Full rules:

*Pick one of KayM’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 but you must list that you used a new release in your post.
*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!
*You will have until the end of February to complete this challenge.

And the most important rule, have fun!

Hello everyone! Time for another Tuesday Template challenge with me, Trixie Scraps! As you might know, I love this challenge and I’m always happy to be your host. I hope you will enjoy this month’s template – there are no set rules for this month’s template, I just want you to have fun!!

Here is the template – the download will include PSD, TIF and PNG format, plus my templates now include the .PAGE file for Storybook Creator software users, too!!

Here’s my layout, using A Touch of Love by Ellie Lash and Wendy Page and Mark the Day vol 1 by Trixie Scraps (image is linked to gallery):

Here is some inspiration from the ScrapMatters CT/DT/Admin Team and from my Trixie Scraps Stars!

Layout By: Jen (jendavey)
Credits: Not sure… Jen will link her layout up for credits in the forum thread

Layout By: Carolyn (calliclaire)
Credits: Daisy Crazy by Trixie Scraps and Madame Wing

Layout By: Beth (bethie)
Credits: Sneak peek of a *BRAND NEW* collab by Trixie Scraps and a Mystery Partner – to be released this Friday!

And finally, Layout By: Amy (nicolletteknight)
Credits: Saffron Blues by Trixie Scraps and Bella Gypsy

OK, I hope those cute layouts inspired you to get to work on a layout of your own. You can download the template –>> HERE!

The “Fine Print” aka the Matter of Scrap Challenge rules:
You have the rest of February to complete the layout! Upload it to the gallery, and make sure to link it here in a reply to this post so you get credit for completing the challenge!

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).

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

Have fun – hope you enjoy the template I made for you!
Tracy aka Trixie Scraps

This original, hand-crafted heart candy box totally jumped out at me in the gallery! I love Sandy’s style and her skill just continues to amaze me!   Who wouldn’t love to receive some homemade confections in a heartfelt, homemade container!!! I also love the kit choice (Love My Guy by Trixie Scraps) to make it a little more masculine than the satin pink/red with flowery tops kind of boxes you buy in the store!!

Sandy…YOU ROCK!!  Head on over to the gallery or the forum and leave her some love!

-Lisa (kelseyll)

With Valentine’s so close and this being one of my new favorite kits I just couldn’t stop staring at this layout!  I love all the pink and red and KayM’s layering and shadowing is really well done!!

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

Congrats on LOTW!!

-Lisa (kelseyll)

1. Your screen name? Your real name? ILuvCrush. Paula Potts

2. What is your main job/career? I’m a pharmacist.

3. Are you married/children/pets? I’ve been married to my best friend, Tom, for 16 years! We have 3 kids. My son Kyle is 15 (yeah, he exists! lol! even though theres not many photos to prove it!). I have 2 daughters, Noelle is 12 and Allison is 10. We have 3 cats, a dog and a hamster!

4. Where is home for you? West-Central Pennsylvania.

5. What are your 3 favorite foods? Pizza, chocolate, and bacon

6. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Plain vanilla

7. Snacks…Salty or Sweet? hmmm I like both! But I have a harder time passing up something sweet!

8. Beverage of choice? Starbucks Caramel Macchiato….. yum!

9. What’s your least favorite food? Eggs. I wish I could like them….. but I can’t even stand the smell!

10. PC or Mac? What program do you use? PC. I use primarily SBC+ 3.0 to scrap. I dabble in some design too, and use PSE9 for that.

11. How long have you been digi-scrapping? How did you get started? I started digi scrapping about 2 years ago. I really got into it last year. I started because I was falling behind on my paper scrapping albums. Digi-scrap was so much more portable! I started out thinking I’d do some pages digi and the rest with paper. Once I started and realized I could take my laptop and scrap sitting in the car waiting for my kids to finish activities…. I was hooked!

12. What was your 1st LO about? The 1st thing I ever created was basically a ‘drop in’ album. But that was before I knew stores like ScrapMatters and galleries even existed! I printed that book…. but I have no digital images.
This was the 1st ‘stand alone’ page I created. I was so proud of it! I knew basically nothing… besides drag and drop.

13. Do you have any other hobbies besides digi-scrapping (are there other hobbies)? I love to read and I am learning to paint and draw. Scrapping makes me so much more willing to try other art forms. Even if I’m not very good at it! I also love to travel and plan big trips!

14. What is the most challenging part of scrapbooking for you? White space!! When I used to paper scap…. the thought of putting bulky 3D embellishments made me cringe! Now, I can layer on all sorts of things and i definately get carried away!! As a result, I think my pages get too overdone. I love seeing pages that are very simple with lots of white space… but I have such a hard time trying to mimic that style.

15. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking? My daughter, Noelle, and I are going to Paris France this fall to celebrate her 13th birthday. I’m trying to ‘relearn’ all the French that I forgot since high school!

16. What are your favorite movies/TV shows? I’m not a big TV buff. But I do love watching The Vampire Diaries, The Amazing Race, and Disney movies.

17. Describe your “scrapping” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where? My laptop is usually on my desk in the TV room. I have 3 kids, so theTV is always on in thebackground! I rarely scrap without a nice big mug of Java with plenty of cream!

18. If you only had 2 elements to use on a LO, what would they be? hmmm I actually like to scrap with NO elements once in a while, just paper! But if I get to use 2… I love leaves and ribbons.

19. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…? I have about 100 cookbooks. Only about a half dozen have ever been opened. I hate to cook, but I have a wierd obsession with collecting them! If I ever do start cooking…. I’ll be set lol!

20. Can you tell us a little about your scrappin’ style? hehehe… I don’t know if I have a specific style! I am so inspired by the gallery here, I have a tendency to do alot of scraplifting. I very rarely use a template… but I love layers and clustering.

21. Favorite LOs that you have done?

Thanks for letting us get to know you a little better, Paula!  Here is a link to her full gallery!  Head on over and leave some love!

-Lisa (Kelseyll)

Hello ladies my name is Lina (aka LDrag Designs) and today we are going to talk about
those awesome pages that have so many beautiful clusters in them!!
There are some ladies out there that are so great in making so beautiful layouts with so many ellies in them and never look excessive!!
How do they do it?

Well, one basic rule is balance!!! Yes, even in the craziness of so many ellies, balance is the key!! The elements you are going to use should be really matching to each other!!!! For example, the flowers should be similar and the colours to match each other!!!

Another, idea would be to have in mind the paper you use as your background paper!!! Usually this paper has to be solid or really neutral so that it won’t interfere with the colours of the cluster!!And in a way have a contrast between the cluster(s) and the paper!

Another factor to consider is the placement of the clusters!!. The clusters are there to make your page more beautiful and not hideous! So they should be placed in a way that they will not interfere with the pic(s) you have chosen!!! So they could be placed behind or on the side or on the one part of the page or the other!!! Don’t be overexcessive with the clusters and have them all over the place or the outcome will be too much and the eye will lose the balance!! Make one big cluster on the one side and small ones on the others if you wish to but not too many!!!

Also be careful on the size of the ellies!!! They should be that big as they need to be so that they won’t take over the page! Otherwise the page will look really unbalanced!

And finally you have to consider the fact that some poeple want to emphasize only the pics! So in a page with too many pics the effect of overclustering is given with the pics!! In order for this to work is simplicity!!! You cannot have 5 pics in a page and so many clusters on it!! This will really make the page too much and it will lose the total balance!! So you must have simplicity in mind!

So these are the best tips I could give you!!!!
Hope they were helpful!!!

Here is my page on overclustering!!!!

I have used Flustterby Angel by LDrag Designs

 and here is what the fantastic SM CT has made!!!

by Tanya using  A Boys Perfect Birthday Bundle  by Jady Day Studio

by Heather using  Frosty by WM[Squared] Designs

by Melanie

by Jen Davey using Erica Zane’s new kit For the Birds

by Andrea using   Chelle’s new kit : Blessings

and by Carina using Mulberry Fields by Kim Broedelet

Thank you girls they are all awesome!!!

You can post your pages in this thread here and upload them to the Saturday Special gallery!!

Challenge reminders:
-You will receive one point for posting in this thread & in the Saturday Special gallery. You can receive an additional point for using new Scrap Matters products; please make a note of new products in your post. And at the end of the month you’ll be entered into a random drawing that could earn you some bonus points!

-You have until the end of February to complete this challenge to earn MOS points.

-Remember no double dipping…your photo and/or layout must be unique to this challenge.

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

- Can’t wait to see your pages!!!!

Hugs

Lina