Happy Saturday! I hope everyone’s had a great week! Day from Inspirations here and today I’m going to share with you one of my favorite tricks for making a quick title to coordinate with any page or kit you are working with!
I’ve worked this in PS CS4 but you should be able to do similar with other programs

1. Choose a chunky font and type out your title in the size you want. Don’t worry about color as that’ll be changing! Once you’ve got it, right click the layer in the layers palette and choose “Rasterize Type” (This is called “Simplify Layer” in PSE)

2. Pick a paper to fill your alphabet with and drag it onto a layer above your title. Right click the paper layer in the layers palette and choose “Create Clipping Mask”. (In PSE group the layers by pressing CTRL+G with the paper layer selected)

3. You should now see your paper in the shape of your title. You can move around the paper layer to get whichever part of the pattern showing that you like. When it looks the way you want it, right click the paper in the layers palette and choose “Merge Down” to make your title all one layer.

4. Now you can use your title as is if you like, but you can also play around with some effects to make it pop a bit more. In the effects menu (the little round f button at the bottom of the layers palette) inner or outer glow or shadow, bevel and emboss and stroke would be my main choices.

5. For this I’m using a stroke to give the alphabet a sticker-like look. Adjust the size of the stroke, the placement (in the letters, out or straddling the border) and the color.

6. Now add your title to your page, give it a drop shadow and finish your LO!

Here’s mine, I used the colab kit Vintage Surf Shop, a few elements from my kit Catchin’ A Break and my Tiny Alphabet

and here’s some inspiration from the SM creative team!

Kayla

Tamara

Ophelia

Hi everyone and welcome to another “issue” of the Saturday Special. The thing I like most about this challenges is that I often find some tutorials and tips that are new to me and teach me more tricks for learning scrapbook deeper.
This Saturday I also have a small tutorial for you. Some time ago I bended a lace into a circle for a CT layout and some CT member asked me how I did it. So I thought maybe it will be useful to someone out there, too, to see how to do it!

Let’s start with our small tutorial! First pick the lace, ribbon or element you want to bend and drag it into your empty page.

Now you should increase its height a little… well, you will learn it from experience, anyway, I increased my height to 160%.

Now in the top bar look for the Filter Menu –> Distort –> Polar Coordinates

It will open up another little window: Rectangular to Polar (yes, if you have a round object, for example a frame, you can convert it to a straight line with the other option!).

And voilà:

Your nice lace turned into a super cute circle to be used as a frame or a different element of your taste.

Your chance for this Saturday Special challenge is to create a layout using a bended element, so simple!

I hope you enjoyed the small tut!

This is how I used my new circle lace:

Credits: FuchsiaLime : sweet deal by LDrag Designs

And here’s more inspirations from our wonderful CT ladies!
Ophelia (navaja77) picked a scallop and used the technique in GIMP. It created a flower type element:

Credits: In The History of Ever by Amy Stoffel

Melissa (prettypeaches) used the technique on the stitches:

Credits: Lovebirds By Jeanine DeOre

Kayla (keepscrappin) turned a white ribbon into a circle:

Credits: Holly Jolly from Band Geek Designs

Fran (Fran98765) took a straight scallop clip of one of the papers and turned it into a circle for the scallop mat under the journal mat:

Credits: Summertime Fun – At the Zoo by Jady Day Studio

Amanda (dznyscrapper) turned a ribbon into a circle:

Credits: Summertime Fun – At the Zoo by Jady Day Studio, Around the Block Template Pack by Haynay Designs

———

Challenge reminders:

-You will receive one point for posting in this thread & in the Grand Theft Layout Challenge 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 July to complete this challenge to earn MOS points.

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

-You don’t have to use Scrap Matters products, but remember your SM gallery must contain at least 50% SM products.

Hey there!  LuAnn here with this month’s Home Matters project.  But first, an update on the Home Matters postings.

Starting in May, there will be only one Home Matters post monthly – these will occur on the 2nd Monday of the month.  Our goal is to give you some new ideas on how to incorporate your scrapbooking talents (and digital supplies!) into your home.

Let’s get started with this month’s Home Matters project!  This project is one of the easiest projects to do if you are wanting to give Hybrid a shot!  I know, I know… I’ve said it before in my postings, but this one is really easy!!!!

Today, I’m going to show you how to create some decor that is perfect for a nursery or young child’s room.

My niece just recently had her first baby.  He was two months early and his nursery isn’t quite ready for his homecoming.  Erin sent me a photo of the bedding that she had for the nursery.

I decided to create some wall decorations for the nursery as my gift.  And Chelle’s Creations’ kit Zoo-pendous – combo was a perfect match with both theme and colors!

And here’s what I created to match the nursery bedding:

To create the wall art, I picked up three 8 x 10″ brown photo frames from a local discount store.

Next, I opened my photo editing program and created an 8.5 x 11″ blank canvas – this is the size of regular paper/cardstock.

note:  I always create my own “template” whenever creating a project.  After I create my template, I then go about filling the template much like a scrapbook page layout until I have the results that I want.  You could print full sheets of the paper of your choice, cut an 8 x 10 piece of from the patterned paper and then a 5 x 7 piece with the focal element centered, layer them and be done!

Using the rectangular marquee tool, I drew an 8 x 10″ shape on my canvas.  After adding a new layer, I flood filled the 8 x 10 shape with black.

Next, I drew a 5 x 7 shape, added a new layer and then flood filled the 5 x 7 shape with white.  Center on the black layer.   This will be my template.

After adding the giraffe element from the kit to the center, I picked out the background paper for the matting of my pictures.

I decided to leave the 5 x 7 area white as I had special paper I wanted to print the giraffe.

Before printing, I added some slight contrast and saturation to each layer. This helps tweak the printed color a little.  I then added a shadow to the giraffe.

I printed the background patterned paper on Epson Matte presentation paper and the giraffe element on a piece of Red River paper canvas paper.  Below, you can see the texture of the paper.

After trimming my papers, I adhered the paper canvas with the giraffe in the center of the background paper to create my picture before slipping it into the frame.

note:  you could also add a shadow the the giraffe element and also to the white 5 x 7 area before printing and then print as a flattened digital image to slip into the frame.

I designed the elephant and lion pictures in the same way as described above except that after creating my template, I rotated my canvas to the left so that those pictures were landscape.

Here are all three of them individually:

Didn’t they turn out darling? And I have to say they match the bedding nicely!!!  I’m totally stoked about how they turned out and can’t wait to mail them to Erin.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and are inspired to use your digital supplies to create something beautiful!

Woo Hoo! Tiff here with my very first challenge… hopefully you like it as much as I do!

The instructions here are for Photoshop, The techniques may be slightly different depending on your program.

Find something you’d like to make into a sticker. For my page, I extracted myself out of a picture, but you could do any element, draw a shape and clip something to it, or even make your own word art for a title. Just use the type tool and then rastersize the type.

1. Add a stroke. Click the little fx icon at the bottom of the layers palette, and choose Stroke. (My background is blue so you can better see the stroke).

2. I chose 35 px, an outside stroke, and I changed the color to pure white. Just click on the color box and choose your color.

3. If we just added a drop shadow, it would be hidden under the stroke. We need to make the stroke part of the original layer. Check to see that your original layer is chosen, and then go to Layer > Layer Style > Create Layer. Now you should have two layers: one being your photo/element, and the other is the stroke.

3 a. I forgot to get a print screen of this, but you need to combine the two layers into one. Click the top one (mine is the photo of me), and hit Ctrl + E. It will merge the two layers into one.

4. Now add a drop shadow. (Click the little fx at the bottom of the layers palette again and this time choose drop shadow.)

Now just drag your “sticker” layer into your layout.

Here’s my finished layout:
(using BFF by wm[squared])

And here’s another one I did – this time changing the colors of the stroke:
(using Couch Potato by Jennifer Labre and Vintage Summer Bonus Alpha by wm[squared])

Here is some more amazing inspiration from the lovely creative team:

Kendall (kendallt) made her title into a sticker to help it stand out a little more:
(using Spring into Easter by Jady Day Studio & Sweet Spring Templates 1 by True Blue Studio)

Amanda (dznyscrapper) made her title and date into a stickers, and I love how even a small stroke and drop shadow can makes them stand out:

(using XoXo by Amy Stoffel, Handwritten Dates by Haynay and Just 4 Mom Templates by KimB)

Are you inspired to make some stickers? I can’t wait to see them… And if you have any questions… don’t hesitate to comment or PM me! I’m happy to help!

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 March to complete this challenge for March MOS points or wait to post in April for April 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!

Hello everyone!  Today I am going to talk about another photo trick I use constantly (especially since I am trying to shoot in manual these days..lol!)  I often will load all my pictures onto the computer and discover that some of my favorites are way too dark to be “useable”.  But fear not!  Really the more I learn the more I realize that as long as you have an image recorded somewhere it is fixable!

So lets get to it, shall we?  Here is my original picture:

First I go to Enhance>adjust lighting and select shadows and highlights.  Here is what that does:

Then I play with the color curves a bit.  To do this I go to Enhance>Adjust Color>Adjust Color Curves.   I have Photoshop Elements so the screenshot I am going to show is from that program.  I know big girl photoshop is a little more complicated and Mickey B talked about curves here if you need to read about it.  In PSE, I just select increase midtones. 

Now you want to duplicate the photo twice (control J) and then change one layer to screen and the top layer to soft light.  Adjust the opacity of the layers until you the photo looks right to you.   And of course if you have a prefered way to brighten your pics feel free to do it that way!!

Here is a close after all of these edits..notice something?  It looks really pixelated right?  This is called noise and happens when the picture is underexposed.

[IMG]http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu69/amandamsheehan/noisy_pic.png[/IMG]
So how can we fix this?  We need some kind of noise reducer.  I use Noiseware Community Edition which can be found here.  Just scroll all the way to the bottom and find the stand alone community edition.  I like it because it is free(always nice) and has many different options on how to reduce the noise in your photos.  It is outside of PSE so I have to save my image and reopen it in the Noiseware program.  If you want to pay you can have it installed directly in PSE or PS.  It is pretty magical.  (Unfortunately if you use a Mac this program is not free.  I have yet to find an easy free program out there for the Mac.  But if you know of one, please let me know in this thread!)
Here is the image after I ran the noiseware. (I like full supression the best)

All fixed!  Here are the two side by side to you can see the difference.

And here is my LO using Jenn Barrette’s Frolic (in full disclosure once I got the edited pic on my LO I noticed there was too much yellow so I adjusted the Hue/Saturation a bit too..):

And now for some inspiration from our CT!
Check out the difference on Canadianmommy’s photos!

And her awesome LO using Lakeside by WM Squared and Stolen Moments, and Elements Included V.3 by WM Squared..

Kimbytx brightened her photo and turned it black and white:

She used Brittish Designs I’m a Dreamer and I’m a Dreamer Revisited.

Scrapurple used LDrag Designs  to scrap this magical photo!

And finally Becca lightened and brightened her pic for the adorable LO using Bella Gypsy’s new At the Dropoff kit!

Here are the official rules:
You have until the end of the month to complete this challenge.

Please post your LO here in the forum and in the Saturday Special gallery here.

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 Scrap Matters 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 LO as the winner to receive an extra bonus point.

So go dig up some photos you thought you couldn’t use and scrap ‘em!  I am so excited to see what everyone does with their photos!   See you in the forum!

-Amanda (panders77)

I love the 3-D look of elements intertwined with other elements, alphas and photos on my digital scrapbook pages.  It just adds a lot of dimension to a page AND it is so easy to do!!

I’m using PSE7 in this tutorial, but I’m sure this simple technique will also work in the other programs out there.

For this layout, I want to overlap some ribbon over my photo/text.  I position the ribbon where I want it BEHIND my photo.

After I have the ribbon in the right spot, I duplicate it in the layers palette and then move this new copy to ABOVE my photo.  Make sure to link your 2 ribbons together so they don’t accidentally get shifted from each other.

With your “ribbon copy” layer selected, begin to erase it.  Erase the ribbon over the entire photo part, so when you’re finished it looks like the ribbon is underneath the photo and then weaves up over the “J”.  I used the “block” eraser next to the edges so I can have a nice clean line when I go to add shadows.

How easy was that! Your challenge is to intertwine and overlap like crazy on your layout.

Here’s my LO using Paint Me a Picture by Denise Beatty Originals…

And I have a  few examples for you from the ScrapMatters CT…

Linz has used All Things New by Tracie Stroud.  I love how the red string goes through the alpha and wraps around the frame!

Because this challenge begins at the end of April, it will run until the end of May.  You receive 1 point for completing the challenge, another point if you use a newly released ScrapMatters product and one lucky and talented gal will receive an additional point for knocking my socks off with their intertwining abilities!!

Have fun!

CT Member Kim here with the new Saturday Special Challenge!

Erica Zane’s Woodland Fantasy and Sya’s Blueprints Dynamic Duo Set 3.

By Stefanie using MickeyB Designs Winter Birthday and Sya’s Blueprints Kristin-spiration

Hey everyone, Leslie (goldengirls2) here with your Photography Phriday post! I’ve got a simple little trick for you today to help add pop and contrast to all of you photos! I love playing with the different effects Photoshop has to offer to get fun new looks for my photos. One of the “go-to” techniques I use all the time is called “levels”. The best way I’ve found to describe it, is it makes you “darks darker” and you “lights lighter”. You’ve got a lot of room to play with this to get some really fun effects from drastic to just a slight color pop! Here’s how you do it…it’s super easy!!!

In Adobe Photoshop Elements, simply go to >Enhance  >Adjust Lighting  >Adjust Levels. You’ll get a screen that looks something like this…

Take the “lights” slider and slide it toward the middle…this makes your “lights lighter”. Now take the “darks” slider and slider it toward the middle…this makes your “darks darker”. Pretty cinchy huh? Here’s a little sample of a picture I took that was WAY too dark but after I did levels, it looks pretty good huh?

So, go play with YOUR levels….and HAVE FUN!!!! Have a great weekend!

Stroking. Have you ever used this fun little technique? Stroking a photo gives it the look of a mat. Stroking an element or word art gives it the look of a sticker. I’ve stroked plenty of photos, but when I saw this layout, I wanted to try out stroking a title like Krista did (and she used GG Digital Designs adorable kit, “Ain’t She Sweet)!

Using PSE, this technique is super easy! If you use a different program and are able to do this technique, please share with us how to do it in your program!!

First, select an element. I used the cute little deer from Erica Zane’s kit, Woodland Fantasy.

Now, with the deer layer selected in your layers palette, go to <edit> and select <stroke (outline) selection>.

Here is where you can play around a bit with the stroke. Change its width (I like 20-25 px) and color (I made mine white). I kept the stroke in the center position, but try the other settings to find your preference. You can also play around with the blending modes to add your own flare!

Click <okay> and see what you came up with. If you don’t like it, then <undo> and play around with it some more.

Try it with some text. After you type out the text, simplify your text layer and then follow the above steps.

Now all you have to do is include some stroking in your layout. Can’t wait to see what you’ve done.

Here’s what some of the Scrap Matters CT came up with…

I used Erica Zane’s Woodland Fantasy

Monique used Flirt Mini Kit, Stitches from Kelly’s Apple Farm, WaterColour Doodles and Paint strokes (all by Happy Scrap Girl)

Melanie used Jeepers Creepers by Jeni Hopewell

And for a recap…You have until the end of the month to complete the challenge. You receive one point for participating in the challenge (don’t forget to link up your layout in this forum here). If you use a newly released Scrap Matters product in you layout and mention that in the forum, you will receive another point. And because you all make it so hard for me with your awesome layouts, I’ll chose one random winner at the end of the month to receive an additional point. All of the nitty-gritty, fine details on the Matter of Scrap challenges can be found here.

Have fun with this one!! Can’t wait to see your layouts!

Andrea (a.k.a chia)

Hi, this is Monique (a.k.a. monsu) with today’s Saturday Special Challenge!

I love playing around with photos! I’ll try different blending modes and opacities in order  to make colours deeper or instead get a nice faded effect, as if the photos were taken in the Seventies! I find new possibilities every time. Photoshop Elements also has some ready made effects for you to try in the Effects Palette. It took me a while to try anything but drop shadows, but no harm in trying, as long as you play with a copy of your original photo! (And there is always Ctrl z to undo, right?)

Today I’ll show you a few simple steps to create a subtle sketch art effect on your photo!
The screen shots are made in PSE 6.

1.    First open a photo.
2.    Duplicate this layer (Ctrl J on PC, Cmd J on Mac)
3.    Change the blending mode in this copy to overlay
4.    Reduce the opacity in this copy to 60%

5.    Rename this layer Overlay 1
6.    Duplicate Overlay 1 and rename it Overlay 2
7.    With this layer selected, choose Filter from the top tool bar on your screen
8.    From the drop down menu, choose Stylize, then Find Edges

9.     Duplicate Overlay 2, rename it Overlay 3
10    Repeat steps 7 and 8 for this layer.

If you like the subtle edges you have now, go ahead and make your page with the picture you have created! If not, you can go on repeating the steps to make it look more and more like a sketch. Here are two photos I used the technique on:

5 layers

3 layers

Your challenge today is to create a layout using this technique in one or more photos. The rest is all up to you!

Remember that you will have until the end of the month to complete this challenge. When you complete the challenge you will earn 1 point! If you use a newly released product (within the past 7 days) from the Scrap Matters store on your challenge layout, you earn an additional point!! How good is that – 2 points!
And my favourite layout at the end of the month will earn another point!

You don’t have to use Scrap Matters products (but we sure love it when you do) and once you post in the Saturday Specials Gallery, don’t forget to post the link to your layout in the appropriate thread in the forum so we can leave you some love and get you your points! If you want extra credit for using a new product, please mention that in the thread and your credits too! No double dipping! Look in the forum for more details on our challenge system.

Here’s my layout, using Kelly’s Apple Farm by Happy Scrap Girl Designs, The chosen One set 2 templates by Sya’s Blueprints, Floral Grunge Border from Frentree Fairies by Scrap’it Designs

Here are some examples from our CT members:

By Cyndi, using Pretties by Jeni Hopewell, Friday Flea Market Collab kit, Worn Out Overlays by Happy Scrap Girl, Stitches by Britt-ish Designs, frame by GG Digital Designs

By Mary (littlehiccup), using Fall Splendor by HayNay Designs and a template from the November Grab Bag by Sya’s Blueprints

By Christine (alamama) using Falling Dusk Kit by Erica Zane

By Kim (kimbytx), using Reach for the Stars by Simply Sweet Designs, The Big Picture templates by Sya’s Blueprints

By Krista (sahlink), using Paint Strokes by GG Digiatls Designs, Strawberry Days (paper) by Simply Sweet Designs, Benjamin (lines) by Jeni Hopewell

I can’t wait to see your layouts in the Gallery!

Good luck and have fun!