We have a 5th Thursday this month so we are going to take this opportunity to show off some of the new (and old) hybrid goodies available in the shop.   Our new hybrid designers have been busy bee’s and have loaded the shop up with some serious hybrid goodness.

One of the new designers we have in the store is Kristie of Snipettes Inc. and she has created these templates which work perfectly with our new Kaiser file tab albums.

Here is a completed project – isn’t this just fabulous? Be sure to click on the image as she has detail images of each page in the gallery posting. Don’t forget to leave her a little love too! You can also pick up this album as quick pages ready to place your photos and place on the Kaiser Craft File Tab Album, you can see that in the store here.

If you are wanting a different type of album be sure to check out the other Kaiser Craft albums available in the store here.  But if you are wanting another already prepared ready to put together album here is another option for you, created by Sharon Dale.

This fits with the Kaiser Craft Scalloped Tag Album found in the store. Here is a picture of finished project (linked to the gallery).

Here are a few other hybrid products that can be found in our store. These “Paper Dice” and Shopping Bag template are great for party favors, wedding favors, giving small gifts, etc.

And just one last thing , who likes to give homemade cards? I know I do but they take time. Well Kari has created these card templates to help speed the process up!

With so many great new things in the shop we are seeing lots more in the hybrid gallery. So head over there and see for yourself all the hybrid stuff in action!

Happy hybrid Thursday, friends!  It is really exciting to see what happens as pixels dance with paper – our gallery is slowly but surely filling up with some drool-inducing projects!  Shall we take a peeky?

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Tracie (TracieK) ushered Spring into her home with this wall decor she created for our  Dazzling Decor  challenge.  She used GG Digital Designs’ Just For Mom  kit.

Look how beautiful it looks in her home:

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 Emilee (emileem) is making girls around the world swoon with her ballerina hair bow holder, created with the Tiny Dancer collab kit by Britt-ish Designs, Designs by Jeni Hopewell, and Fluffy Bunny Feet Designs:

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For the Project reNEWit Challenge, Krisi (Krisi616) made these cute matchbook scribble pads using scrap papers and Britt-ish Designs and Suzy Q Scraps’  Tale As Old As Time collab kit:

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Jen (jentapler) created these vibrant bookmarks using Sya’s Blueprints’ Bookmarked!  templates:

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Kari (karistamps) stated that she has no one to give these adorable onesies to  - anyone having a baby soon?  Kari used Haynay Designs’ Angel Baby Combo Kit to gussy up the onesies:

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Perhaps the recipient of Kari’s onesies can use an insanely beautiful, zero-calorie diaper cake too – Chels absolutely rocked the Angel of Mine charity collab kit by GG Digital Designs, Megan Turnridge, and Designs by Jeni Hopewell:

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All images are linked, so go leave some love!!!

Keep on posting those hybrid gems – who knows, your project might be featured next month.  Until then, my friends – have a beautiful Thursday!

Hello friends, Heather (hedderlee) here. I want to let you in on a fun little project that some of the ScrapMatters creative team members and designers were involved in recently. 20 of us participated in a worldwide Valentine’s Day Swap! From Malaysia to Australia, to all corners of the United States, we exchanged personalized hybrid gifts with a secret pal. As Valentine’s Day approached, each of us anxiously checked our mailboxes to see who our secret pal was, and what goodies she had sent. And every time a gift arrived at one home, photos were gleefully posted for the rest of us to marvel at. We really became more connected to one another through this act of friendship.

Mailboxes and love notebooks were the most popular gifts, as well as an overabundance of chocolate. Who can do without chocolate? Certainly not this group! There were also magnet sets, an address Rolodex, a Countdown to Valentine’s Day calendar, shirts, you name it! Take a peek at the amazing goodies – inspiration oozes from each lovingly created project.

This personal touch to gift giving is what I enjoy most about hybrid scrapping. Once paper meets pixel in your life, you may never be the same again.

Be sure to upload your hybrid projects to the ScrapMatters Gallery – who knows, it may be highlighted here soon!

Happy Thursday !! Kari here to share another hybrid project with you! Today we are focusing on Happy Hybrid Holidays … a little inspiration to get your mind racing on things you can create to celebrate and share during any holiday season. With Halloween around the corner I couldn’t help but create a project focusing on the “spooktacular” holiday that is just a few weeks away.

One thing that my family loves to do for almost every holiday is make “secret” deliveries to friends and neighbors. In October we call it the “Family Night Phantom.” We put together some type of treat and take it to a few families on Monday nights. This year we decided to do a “BOO” chain … where you leave a sign that they post on their door saying they’ve been “BOO’d” so that others know not to deliver to that family again and instructions for them to create a treat to deliver to someone else – causing a chain effect of spreading Halloween fun! I found a poem online and decided to alter it to fit our purpose (there are several poems to be found online … just Google “BOO” poems).

I used Ellie Lash’s Boo! kit to create the tags and door sign that we would use … it was perfect! But how would I package all of it? I decided to create a box out of 6 x 6 black chipboard coasters that I had picked up on Ebay.

I created 2 different “layouts” to use on the sides of the box. I sized them 5.5 x 5.5 to allow a layered effect with the black coasters. I printed 2 of each page (I like using Epson Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte), trimmed them, used a corner rounder on the corners, and ran them through my Xyron machine to put adhesive on the back. Then it was time to attach the pages to the fronts of the coasters. I *LOVE* my Xyron for projects like this – a quick and easy PERFECT application of adhesive!

After applying the pages onto the coasters I had to punch the sides. You will want to punch holes along the right and left hand side of each coaster. I marked them .25 inches in from the side and 1 inch apart (marking on the back with pencil). With a 6 inch coaster I ended up with 5 holes along each side. I used my Crop-a-Dile to punch the holes.

Once you’ve got your holes punched you are ready to tie them together! Make sure your coasters are in the order you want them going around the box … for me I alternated the two designs. I chose to criss-cross my ribbon for more of a “shoelace” effect but I have also done them by tying a single knot through each set of holes. Have fun with this – there are so many amazing ribbons to choose from!

We’re almost there. After you have your 4 sides laced together to form a square you need to add a bottom to your box. Take another coaster to use as a base and add a strong adhesive around the outer edges – not too much or it can be messy!! I used QuickHOLD Craft but have also used E6000. The bottom coaster should fit inside of the box that you just stitched together. Make sure to allow the glue to dry before stuffing your box with goodies

Here is a photo of the completed box, “BOO” tag, door sign, and instruction sheet that I created.

I love to make homemade caramel corn in the fall so I thought it would be the perfect thing to fill my box with . I added my “BOO” tag to a cellophane bag stuffed with caramel corn, tucked the door sign and instructions into the back of the box, and added purple and white shredded paper – along with some silver for the “bling” effect. I hope our friends enjoy receiving it as much as I enjoyed creating it!!

Here is another example using the same tag and instructions but using a store bought tin (from the dollar spot at Target). This is what is so great about hybrid projects … they can be as simple or as complex as you want them to be!! All I did for this was print out my tag, put it on some black and purple cardstock, attach the tag to the tin with matching ribbons, placed the instruction sheet inside the tin, and stuffed it with candy – 15 minutes TOPS (since I had the tags and instructions already designed)!

My challenge to you is this: Create something to deliver to someone you love. It doesn’t have to be a “BOO” theme. It might be similar to what I created or it might be something completely different – it’s up to you!! Make sure to snap a photo of it before you drop it off so you can share it with us! Upload your photo to the gallery in the Hybrid Layouts & Projects section and then link us to it over in the Hybrid it Hot! forum.

I hope this has given you a bit of inspiration for the many upcoming holidays. I can’t wait to see what all of you come up with!! One last sample of a goodie I worked up for our Christmas deliveries using Erica Zane’s A Touch of Cherry Kit ….

Until next time -

Hi (scrappy)kate here for my first post here and the first Hybridology 101 post from ScrapMatters new hybrid creative team. How exciting! I hope these posts in the months to come, will encourage you digi-only-scrappers out there to give hybrid a go! It’s so much fun and nice to have something to physically hold once you’ve finished!

Just remember, hybrid can be as simple or as complex as you can be bothered with! I’m going to take you through, step by step the makings of my recycled cardboard album “felix’s day at the zoo”…

Firstly I chose scrap’it designs “zooLander” kit to make something with, I also used “flutter by me stamped alpha” for the titles. I used some photos of a trip to the zoo and it evolved into a story book for my son. He loves that mummy made him something special and he has read it (wanted it read!) every night since I gave it to him!

I made up my digi-pages in 5×7 size and used the cookie cutter tool (in PSE6) to create a rounded corner rectangle to fit each sheet of the album. I made it 5×7, because it was for my 2.5yo son and being made from cardboard too – I was after that big and chunky look, great for small hands. I added bits and pieces from the kit, photos and finally the journaling. I was able to print two to a sheet (A4), so that worked well (and I saved on card!). I was able to print two to a sheet (A4), so that worked well (and I saved on card!).

Cut out your digipages and punch holes through the sheets. Be sure to match up the front and back of each page!

Find yourself a box. I used a nappy (diaper) box… we have a number of them. I knew I had saved a few for a reason! Then trace your cut out pages on to the cardboard and work out how big you want your border. I did mine by eye, but it was about 1cm or a bit less than 1/2″. Then used the first one as a template to cut the rest out.

Get to cutting all your sheets of cardboard out. I did one piece of card per digipage, so each page of the album was double thickness. Again for that chunky look. I went the tedious route and peeled away all those edges, to reveal the rustic corrugated look. I used a hook to drag through the top layer on top of the corrugations and some tweezers to pick off the little bits!

I roughly sanded the glossy side of the cardboard to ensure a good stick with some thinly spread pva glue and then stuck the digipages on with some roll-on glue tape.

I laid them all out on some newspaper and gave them a spray of clear latex enamel – matte finish. Just to stop sticky fingers ruining the pages! About 10 minutes later I gave it another coat.

I then added fabric grade eyelets (they are thicker than the craft/scrapbooking ones and usually a lot cheaper too) to the punched holes, for reinforcement when turning the pages. I added coordinating ribbons to two album rings to secure the pages together and assorted buttons, ribbons and staples throughout with hot glue to make it pop and add a bit more interest. I could have also printed extra copies of the digipages to cut out and adhere with foam dots, but I was pretty sure my son would want to have a look behind them and end up pulling them off (we have already lost a couple of buttons!). But that would make it really POP!

And the finished product…

images clickable for credits!

I hope I have inspired some of you to give something like this a try, remember… you are only bound by your imagination! And by using digipages and cardboard (as opposed to chipboard, for example), you can make it any shape you’d like… hearts, brackets, stars, diamonds etc!

If you decide to make one like this, don’t forget to post it (and any other hybrid projects you do) to the gallery so we can leave you love!

Have a great Thursday!
Kate

Hello everyone! Jeni here with another Theory Thursday post. Well, it’s that time of year again. Back to school – WAHOOOOOOOO!! I’m just a little excited. ; ) So I decided to celebrate with a little back to school hybrid fun!

I made each of my kids a little backpack tag with their picture on it so they can find their bags easily in the SEA of backpacks at school. That was so much fun that I also decided they needed some cuteness in their lunchboxes as well. These projects were both super easy! Here’s what I did:

First I created all my projects and then printed them out on matte photo paper.

Then I cut out all my lunch box notes – easy peasy!

I mounted the two backpack tags onto some chipboard that I recycled from the packaging of some patterned papers I had bough – yes, ACTUAL papers. : ) I mounted the tags using my trusty Xyron machine so they would be completely adhered to the chipboard. Then I switched out the cartridges in my Xyron machine and laminated the two tags for more durability.

Then I cut them out – very carefully. I also colored in the white edges of the tags with Sharpies to help them blend in a little more. Especially on the black tag – the white paper core was VERY obvious.

I punched holes in the top of the tags and placed eyelets in them for durability.

I attached the tags to the backpacks with a jump ring I got at my local office supply store. And that’s it!

Thanks so much to Leslie of GG Digital Designs for letting me use her goodies {School Days} and {Flower Power} to make my notes and tags. I’ve got a little goodie for you too! I made a template from my backpack tags so now you can make your own! We’d love to see what you do with it so be sure to post your completed projects in the gallery so we can all “ooh” and “aah” over them. Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD TAG TEMPLATE HERE

Hi friends, Heather (hedderlee) here to share one of my tried and true Photoshop tricks, a lighting effect!

Take a look at this layout:

I put the focus on my daughter by brightening up the paper behind her. After all, she is being a light wherever she goes, right? I used Misschifis’ Groovy Kinda Luv kit.

In another layout using Matahati Designs’ In the Greens kit, I put the spotlight on the lantern:

Let’s take a closer look at the extra oomph added with the lighting effect, shall we?

Before the lighting effect:

After:

How did you do that, Heather, you ask?

Here’s a new project to outline the how-to:

I’m using Andilynn Designs’ Little Lovebirds kit here. The couple is such a cute element, isn’t it? I actually want to focus on the kiss, so I will run the lighting effect on the bride & groom.

I hit ctrl-J to duplicate the bride & groom layer:

Then Filter>Render>Lighting Effects:

It takes me to this:

I usually use omni the most out of the drop down menu, and in this case, it is the best one. Position the circle right on the kiss by grabbing the middle button. Then you can grab the other buttons to make the circle bigger or smaller. You can adjust all the sliders until you get the desired effect.

The screen should now look like this:

The lighting seems a bit strong for me, so I dropped the opacity to 50%. THIS is why I run the effect on a duplicate layer, although you don’t have to. Better than having to redo mistakes!

Look at before and after shots:

You can also run the effect on the background paper, right behind the kiss, for a variation.

(Sorry about the wonky photo sizes – can you tell I’m still a newbie?)

Have fun with this trick!

Until next time,

Hey there! Rhonda here to present all you lovelies with this week’s Tuesday Template Challenge. Ok, here it goes! I LOVE to use templates and always seem to be drawn to the ones that are sweetly simple. So, for this week, I would like to see you use only two of the photo squares(I don’t care which two) and fill the other two squares with a coordinating paper or maybe a neat little frame with some cute embellishments inside of it. But I would like to see at least six embellishments throughout your layout as well. I’m such a mean ‘ol thing! LOL! I can’t wait to see what you all come up with! And don’t forget to make the template your own!

Download the template HERE!

Here are some examples:

by me…

Credits: I used Brittney of Britt-ish Designs’ Got a Date Strips and her new kit Mermaid Lagoon

by Jeni

by kateypie

by kissncontrol

by henriette

by Brittney

and last but not least this one is by sassypixie

Originally I had a lot of ideas for stuff to put in today’s blog.  Unfortunately it has coincided with two weeks of night duty (i am a midwife) so I have ended up with the brief version. I have absolutely no claim to fame as a designer.  I have never made a paper or an element from scratch. But I really enjoy altering things and making them my own.  I get the kit and I want something that’s not there.  So I go and find something similar and make it fit the kit.  For instance I have a real love of edges on my page.  Grunged edges, inked edges, glittery edges.  And I worked out that you can create an edge that perfectly coordinates with your kit like this: First of all, open the paper that you want to use.  Duplicate the layer.  Now use the rectangular marquee tool to make a big square on the paper.  I would usually leave about 1cm round the edge.  I use the shift key to keep it square.  Next go up to selection and in feathering choose 50.  Your square should now have rounded corners.  Now hit delete.  And again if you want.  The more you delete the softer your edge becomes.  Now move that layer onto the page and you should have a coloured edge, which coordinates perfectly with the kit.  If you wanted to play with it some more you can put shadowing, or add a style like a glitter style.  Totally easy 5 minutes work and so satisfying

So it certainly isn’t rocket science, in fact it is quick and easy.  Have a go…

Hi, Kate here with Theory Thursday for this week.  I thought today I would summarise what I think are the essential tutorials out there for making a great page!

Constraining proportions

In my opinion there is nothing that ruins a page faster than stretched or warped photos and embellishments.  What may not look obvious whilst creating the page, is immediately obvious once it’s up in a gallery.  What do I mean?  Take a look at one of my earliest pages here:

I think it had potential, but I had no clue about how to not get my photos stretching like that!  I think I gave up this page in a huff because my husband said “Um love, the photos are really stretched”.  Haha! Here is a great tutorial to learn how NOT to do this, from Teresa.

Shadowing

Shadowing, or realistic shadowing is something I am still learning, but thanks to the tutorials on the ScrapMatters blog, I’ve learnt that it REALLY makes a difference to your pages. I quite like this page, but I think it could have been much better with some good shadowing.  As it is, the only shadows are the ones that were already on the embellishments (i.e. the frame).

Here is a great tutorial by Britt, which shows you how to get some really realistic shadows happening on your pages, I quite often check back to this blog post to get some more tips.  It’s one of those things that gets easier with practice.. and it’s quite nice when people start asking “is that a paper page or digital page?” – I think that’s the aim.. to make your pages look less flat!

Overlapping elements

Here is an example of a layout I used this kind of tutorial for (although now I look at it, it could have done with some realistic shadowing, LOL)

Here is a great SM tutorial about this.

Creating lines

Britt has another excellent tutorial about creating a line in your layout for your eye to follow.. it’s fantastic for making you think about the overall effect of your layout.  There are some great examples in her post, but here’s one I did this week that I think is a good example of making your eye follow a line.

There are so many great tutorials out there for almost any trick you can think of for scrapping.  I really encourage you to pick a few and give them a go.  I’m always surprised when I do a tutorial, even if I only use that specific skill once or twice, the little tips along the way really help me to keep learning more about Photoshop, and expanding my scrapping skills.