As you know, the ScrapMatter Girls are going through some changes, we’ve said good-bye to many good friends and will be saying hello some new faces… but one SMG who is sticking around is Sandra!  YAY!!  I’d love for you to take a few moments and get to know Sandra!

8. Beverage of choice? Water – it does the body good .

20. Can you tell us a little about your scrappin’ style? Nope.  LOL  Honestly, I don’t know what my style is because what I actually scrap isn’t always the style I love, sometimes I just want to get the photos on to tell the story.  Maybe somebody else can tell you my style!

Welcome to the Saturday Special…and do I have an artsy, fun challenge for you!!

Today we’re going to learn how to transform your photos into pencil drawings. My friend, Maria, created a layout almost a year ago that I was fascinated with. It featured her son as a pencil drawing and it made her layout so interesting. So here’s my recreation. I used Photoshop – hopefully those of you who use other programs will be able to follow along.

1. Start with selecting your photo. Crop, resize and balance out the ligh in it first so you have good contrast. Try to pick a photo where you have clear detail.

2. Remove the color. Create a new adjustment layer by selecting Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation. When the Hue/Saturation dialog appears, slide the Saturation slider all the way to the left, removing all color from the photo.

3.  Duplicate the Photo on a new Layer. In the Layers palette, click and drag the original photo onto the Create a New Layer button at the bottom of the palette. This creates a duplicate of your original photo.

4.  Invert the Colors on the New Layer. With the new layer selected, click Ctrl+I to invert the colors in the photo. Your picture will look strange – like an old school negative.

5.  Set the Mode to Color Dodge. Change the blend mode of the new layer by choosing Color Dodge from the blend modes drop down menu at the top of the Layers palette. Dodging lightens the underlying image. The lighter the upper layer is, the more it lightens the bottom layer. The resulting image will be almost pure white because the two layers contain opposite versions of the same image.

6.  Apply Gaussian Blur. This will get some interaction between the two layers. Blur the Inverted, Color Dodged image slightly. Select Filter > Bur > Gaussian Blur. As you change the number of pixels for the blur, the pencil sketch will start to appear. The amount of blur will depend on your image. I used 5.8 pixels on my image. The greater the blur, the wider and darker the lines and shadows will be.

You can also use Motion Blur, Radial Blur or the Blur More filters. See what they do for your image. You can also change your blend mode from Color Dodge to Linear Dodge if you like the effect better. It’s personal preference.

7.  Burn and Dodge. You can stop here, or you can use the Burn and Dodge tools to lighten and darken certain areas of your photo. I used Burn to take off some of the shadow on my son’s face.

8.  Tweak your Opacity. After looking at what I had created, I wanted to bring back a little of the natural color in the photograph. I did this by lightening the top layer in the Layers Palette. Instead of using 100% opacity, I lowered it to almost 50% to get a hint of the original colors. You can tweak this to your liking, or leave it as is.

Here’s my final “sketch”

And here’s how I used it in my LO:

I hope this is a new and fun tutorial for you and that it inspires you to try something new. Post your creations here and link us up so we can leave you love in the gallery. Here’s some inspiration from our awesome CT:

By canadianmommy
(Using Sketchy by Erica Zane):

By Chel
(Using Amy Stoffel’s Only the Sky & the background is blended with a Kraft paper from Sarah Bennett (retired))

Here are the Rules…

-You will receive one point for posting in this thread & in the 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 April 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!

Another week has come and gone, and we’re back with more delicious goodies from our amazing design team.. Just take a look at what they have to offer this time around..

As always, our new releases are 20% off thru Sunday, so go get scrapping!

It’s once again time for another fun filled “It’s in the Cards” challenge!!!

Let’s get right to it!  Here is our template:

You can download the template here

My card was made using Plum Dumpling Designs’ Easter Sunday kit – I printed out the bunny silhouette in the kit and traced it onto felt.  His tail is the cut off end of a Qtip 

Here is a close-up of the details:

How about some inspiration from the team???

Hybrid Team Guest Tracy (Sunshinetk) created this fun one using Monkeying Around by Jenn Labre & Kate Hadfield :

Ami (Steami) came up with this gorgeous card using Mr & Mrs by WM [squared] & Haynay:

Jewelle (jubeejewels) did two cards with the template – one using For the Love of Girls by Stolen Moments and JadyDay Studios:

and another using For the Love of Boys by Stolen Moments and JadyDay Studios:

I just love the hot air balloon that Sarah (sporte91) used on her card – it’s from the ScrapMatters Design team collab kit Up, Up & Away:

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 gallery by the end of [COLOR="Red"]April[/COLOR] – then come back here and post it in the comment section of this post as well. Make sure to let me know if you use a new product within a week of it’s release – if you do, you get an extra point!*

I can’t wait to see what you come up with using my template!

It’s Fiona (canadianmommy) here with another Tuesday Template! This template is based on a layout I did a few weeks ago and had a couple of requests to make it into a template. But I couldn’t resist playing with it myself and did a new layout using the template!! Here it is, no rules, just have fun with it!

Download Here

Here is my original layout using Fetch! by Chelle’s Creations:

Here is my new layout using Snapshots of Life by LDrag Designs:

And look at this awesome inspiration from the CT!

From Michelle, using Andilynn Designs’ One Person Can Make a Difference and Vintage Proverbs:

From Ami, Using Band Geek Designs’ The Magic in You:

From Kairyn using Life’s Little Surprises by the ScrapMatters’ Design Team:

from Simona using Fair Are the Meadows by Andilynn Designs:

From Melanie using Erica Zane’s First Time Ever, First Time Ever {word art} and EZ Date Bits V.3:

and from Mel using A La Mode by Stolen Moments:

Didn’t they rock those?!?!

Some reminders:
-You will receive one point for posting in the forum thread & in the Tuesday Template 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 April 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!

I can’t wait to see all your wonderful pages!!

Are you ready for a new exchange challenge at ScrapMatters? This month we will be doing a “stack” exchange!! What does this mean exactly? You will create an element cluster or paper stack using the featured kit and at the end of the month you will get back all the other clusters and stacks that have been submitted! So you will be able to create your own fabulous layouts using the clusters as a jumping point. Doesn’t that sound awesome?
Our first kit sponsor for this exchange is Spring is Here by WM Squared! This kit is full of fun and unique spring elements perfect for stacking! Even if spring hasn’t quite arrived where you are, I am guessing that you have a little spring fever! I know I do. I am so excited to get outside and take pictures of all beauty that comes with this season! So won’t it be great to have a bunch of clusters to get your spring pages started?. You can pick up Spring is Here for 30% off during the exchange.  Check out more information is the forum here!

The cluster along the side is my submission!

Here is the full kit!!

I can’t wait to see all your submissions!!!

-Amanda (panders77)

So we have arrived at our last exciting interview of the day, Laurie Ann Anderson of HGD!

1. Your screen name? Laurie Ann or LaurieAnn at most shops although it’s laurieann(itsallaboutHim) at DST. Your real name? Laurie Ann J

2. What is your main job/career? When I did work outside my home, I was an Administrative Secretary. I loved creating elaborate presentations. Even with only numbers and color, I enjoyed making paper look good.

3. Are you married/children/pets? Yes, yes, and yes. I’m married to Scott and I like to call him my superman. We are blessed with two grown children, Michelle 28, and married. Joshua who is 19 and is currently in his first year of college. And then there’s Brady, our fur baby. He thinks he’s human but really he’s just a pint-sized Silky Terrier who has brought so much joy into our lives.

4. Where is home for you? Home is in New Hampshire. We are only ninety minutes north to the White Mountains and sixty minutes east to the New Hampshire coast. I think that’s pretty wonderful.

5. What are your 3 favorite foods? Healthy: 1. Spinach strawberry walnut salad with goat cheese and Newman’s Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing, 2. Vanilla yogurt with blackberries with Bear Naked Banana Nut Granola. 3. I LOVE almost every kind of veggie out there! Not-So-Healthy: 1. Lots of pasta dishes, 2. Fresh baked bread with dipping oil and 3. Home-made peanut butter cookies. I’m a carb girl that loves her veggie’s!

6. PC or Mac? PC  What program do you use? CS2

7. What is the most challenging part of designing for you? Knowing when it’s DONE!

8. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking? I love the shabby style with crystal chandeliers, cottage rose fabrics and chippy painted furniture. I would love to learn how to make shadow boxes from vintage pieces of molding.

9. What are your favorite movies/TV shows? I enjoy all Disney movies, fact based movies or documentaries and romantic comedies too.

10. Describe your “designing” environment. Music? TV in the background? Drinks? Snacks? Where? Since our computer is in our office, without a TV, I mostly listen to Pandora.com although, I have a portable DVD player in here for when I feel like watching a movie. Hot coffee or iced coffee are my drinks of choice, while I design.

11. If you only had 2 elements in a kit, what would they be? Hmmm…. A ribbon and a flourish rub-on.

12. Would you like to share a little known fact about you…? I love to cook and bake but I don‘t like food shopping at all and I put it off as long as I can. I have a craft room and I like to organize with pretty containers and boxes. J

13. When did you start designing? 2008 How did you get started? While I was a CT for Kathryn Balint of KB and Friends, she had asked me if I wanted to give designing a try and the rest, as they say is history.

14. How would you describe your design style? The best way for me to answer this question is by saying that I create what I like and I like a lot. As a mom, I like to create kits that are children related and everyday family products too.

15. Where do you get your inspiration/motivation? Everywhere. Word art ideas from commercials and advertisements. Color palettes from décor magazines and landscape photos. When I think of a new kit theme I sketch out my ideas in one of my Moleskine journals J and I also have a Wish List thread in my forum for my team to list their ideas too.

16. Which of your products in the ScrapMatters Store showcases your style the most? April Grace, since that‘s the only kit in there now!

17. What is your favorite color scheme to design with? Hands down it’s the shabby chic soft whites, pinks and aqua blues.

18. Favorite kit you’ve designed for ScrapMatters? It‘s not in there yet, but it‘s coming and it‘s called Sweet On You.

Oh boy, Laurie you are such a tease!! I can’t wait to see that new kit!!  Check out her full store here and keip your eye out for Sweet on You!  Thanks for letting us get to know you better!

-Amanda (panders77)

I hope everyone is enjoying this Sundays spotlight on all our fabulous guest designers for the month of April!  Next up is Kate Hatfield!

1. Your screen name? Your real name? My real name is Kate Hadfield and my screen name is whatkatiedid. Or Kate Hadfield!

2. What is your main job/career? I’m a SAHM and digital scrapbook designer!

3. Are you married/children/pets? I’m married to my lovely husband and we have two children – one girl, one boy – and one rather crazy dog.

4. Where is home for you? North-West England, half way between Liverpool and Manchester. Where it rains, rather a lot.

5. What are your 3 favorite foods? Do white chocolate, dark chocolate and milk chocolate count as 3 different foods?!

6. PC or Mac? What program do you use? I use a desktop PC with dual monitors (which I love!) and PhotoShop CS3.

7. What is the most challenging part of designing for you? Definitely coming up with interesting names for my doodles! I always struggle to think of names.

8. What would you like to learn to do (or do better) not related to scrapbooking?  I would really like to sew, knit and crochet properly. It has been a long time since I did anything like that and I would love to start creating with fabric and wool again!

9. What are your favorite movies/TV shows? I love Doctor Who. Everything stops in our house when it is on – all the family sits and watches it together, even the dog!

10. Describe your “designing” environment. Music? TV in the background?Drinks? Snacks? Where?
When the kids are at school I listen to audiobooks or catch up on TV programs (usually historical or arts documentaries) while I work at my computer desk. Other times we’ll all sit at the kitchen table together and I’ll sketch while the children do their homework. There’s always a cup of tea or some diet coke in there somewhere too!

11. If you only had 2 elements in a kit, what would they be? A doodle and another doodle!

13. When did you start designing? How did you get started? I started designing just over 4 years ago, almost by accident! I wanted a specific type of paper element for a page I was working on and couldn’t find anything in the shops so decided to try making it myself. I really enjoyed the creative process (I hadn’t really done much crafting since taking up digiscrapping) and it all went from there. I ended up making some more bits and pieces and gave them away on my blog. A month later, I was selling at The Lily-Pad and I have been there ever since!

14. How would you describe your design style? Hand made and colourful! I love to draw and more and more I am finding that that is what makes my happiest when I am designing. Everything I make starts life in my sketchbook!

15. Where do you get your inspiration/motivation? I love colour. Seeing a great colour scheme always sparks my creativity. I really enjoy the creative process that goes into the production of my designs; just the sight of my art materials all lined up and ready to go makes me want to start playing!

16. Which of your products in the ScrapMatters Store showcases your style the most?
Monkeying Around (the collab I created with Jenn) is very typical of my style with lots of bright colour, doodles and a hand drawn alpha!

17. What is your favorite color scheme to design with? I prefer bright colours and lots of them! A favourite combination is lime green, hot pink, orange and turquoise.

18. Favorite kit you’ve designed for ScrapMatters? The collab with Jenn, Monkeying Around,  is my favourite!

How cute are those doodles!! Wow, what a fun style!  Thanks Kate for letting us get to know you better!  Check out her store here!  Stay tuned everyone for one more interview today, Laurie Ann Anderson!

-Amanda (panders77)