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

It’s time for another edition of the Saturday Special. Are you a blocking junkie? I certainly am a fan of blocking! Do you ever wonder how to make a row of ellies perfectly line up on a page? Today I am going to show you how to align elements/papers on a page. Let’s get started.

This little trick saves loads of time when used for lining up the alphas in a title.

1. Place all of the elements on the page that you want to align.

2. Link all of the layers together in the layers palette. You can do this by highlighting at least one of the layers to be aligned, then clicking the link button on all of the other layers to be aligned.

3. Next click one of the align buttons from the tool bar. I generally use align bottom edge. This will line up the items that are linked.

There you have it. Perfectly aligned ellies! Note: It is sometimes necessary to unlink the layers to adjust for spacing.

Okay, now it is your turn to give this technique a try. Join us in the forum to play along! I can’t wait to see what you create. Go forth and align!!

Challenge reminders:

-You will receive one point for posting in this thread & in the Saturday Special Gallery. You will 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 August 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 remember your SM gallery must contain at least 50% SM product beginning July 8, 2011.

How often do we see a kit in the store and think, WOW, this kit has the perfect colors for certain photos you have don’t they don’t match the theme of the kit at all?!?

You would be surprised at all the different ways a kit can be used just by thinking a little outside of the box.

So many of the kits have several elements that can be used in a variety of ways. Themed…yes, but useful in so many other ways. So many times I see boys kits that are perfect colors of some pics I have of my daughter, or a summer kit that matches fall pictures I have. Use the colors of the kit to work to your advantage!

Here is an example of a layout I created using these very themed kits:

see how the colors match my photos perfectly, yet they clearly do not match the theme of the kits.

So remember, when you see a kit don’t let the name or theme scare you away. If you like it, challenge yourself to make it work for your pictures. You will love the creativity it takes and will probably love the page even more when you are done.

Here are some pages from our CT, using themed kits for their photos not the theme:

Ophelia:

Chel:

Kayla:

Cara:

Trista:

Amanda:

Come join the fun in The Saturday Special forum thread. Can’t wait to see what you created!!

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.

Hi there, Simona here! I am so nervous because this is my first challenge ever as a SM CTM!

For this challenge I thought about something which was challenging for me as well. This week I am challenging you and myself (!) to do a layout using a photo collage. What’s the difference between a photo collage and a multi photo layout? Well, basically, a multi photo layout can be more well ordered than a photo collage. Image yourself with a bunch of photos in your hands, leave them falling on the table, the way they naturally land on the table, overlaying each other, that is my meaning of a photo collage.

For this challenge you have to use at least 7 photos, the photos can be all different or the same ones repeated. Each photo must be touching at least one other, no singles allowed!

Since I am normally a single photo scrapper so this one was out of my scrapping comfort zone and a way to get a page with lots of pics done for my 2009 vacation album, too!

Using Capture a Memory by Stolen Moments Designs:

And here’s some more inspiration from the amazing ScrapMatters creative artists!

By Kelli using Belle of the Ball from Band Geek Designs:

-

By Ami using LoveBirds by Jeanine ~ The Kit by Jeanine DeOre:

-

By Fiona using using Heartbreaker, Retro Clear Alpha and Round About Alpha, all by Stolen Moments:

-

By Kim using Great Escape and Family Matters Alphas by WM[squared]:

And by Trista using Autumn Splendor Collab from the Scrap Matters Design Team:

I really hope you were inspired by these amazing creations and willl play along and overwhelm me with all your pages full of pics!!

———————

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 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!

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!

Happy Saturday Everyone!  I hope everyone has something exciting (or relaxing) planned for this Memorial Day Weekend!  Since summer is drawing to a close, I thought it might be fun to go “back to school” just like our kids and scrap a page using 3-4 techniques from past Saturday Specials.  I personally find myself going back to tons of the techniques I learned and when I am in the Saturday Special thread I notice a few I forgot I learned!  So it’s test time everyone!  Let’s see what we learned this year!

To help you remember all the awesome tuts we have had on Saturdays, here are two of my ultimate favorites.  I refer to them every time I want to do these techniques!  They are making a sepia tone photo and shadowing on transparent elements.

I decided for this LO I would use techniques that I haven’t used in a while (along with a few of my favorites that I use on EVERY layout!)  I used EZ Blocking, Shadowing 102, using the grid, stroking, layering via cut (I know that is my tut..but I use it ALL the time!), and adjusting curves/hue/saturation.

Credits: Woodland Fairy and Backyard Friends by Erica Zane

Here are some examples from our awesome CT!

Jen used:
Black & White Photos
Using Patterned Papers
Shadows with Guassian Blur
White Space

Credits: Jenn Barrette’s Vintage Charm

Christina used
Clipping Masks
White Space
Intertwining

Credits:
Land of Fantasy by Britt-ish Designs and Sahlin Studio
Font: Pea Olson

Aren’t these great!! I love to see the Saturday Specials in action!

Okay, now for the rules…
This challenge will run through the end of September (9/30).  Please post your entry in the Saturday Special Gallery and here in this forum post (be sure to link your LO). No double dipping, your LO must be unique to this challenge. One MOfS point will be awarded for participating, one point will be awarded for using a new product (within one week of it’s release),and one lucky winner will get an extra point at the end of the month!  If you are using a new product be sure to mention it in your forum post!

Okay, head on back to school and show me how smart you are!!

-Amanda (panders77)

I posted a thread in the forum over the past couple of weeks asking what YOU in the community wanted as a tip or tutorial and of the ideas expressed I was intrigued by the request from Neeny! She asked how to shadow elements when using a dark background. I’m not a shadow expert since I cheat and use styles for my shadows and since we’ve covered shadows three or more times as a Sat Special I figured it would be a fun Sat Special to challenge you to cross over to the DARK side and ask you to use a dark background on your page!

Tips: I found it best to use a darker shade of blue for my shadow colors to give my shadows more depth. There are some great tutorials here, here and here about shadows that might help you. And there are a set of shadow styles from Jennifer Barrette for sale in the store here.

Becca shares this tip as well, “I know that when I shadow I often change my blend mode to Linear Burn. On dark backgrounds linear burn is way too dark though, so I stick with multiply, but I’ll often darken the opacity of the shadow to 85 when I do that b/c it seems that the shadow doesn’t show up as well on the dark background.”

My page:

And here is what the wonderful Creative Team whipped up…
Fiona made this page using After Dark by Sahlin Studio and The Cutting Edge by Chelle’s Creations:

Becky’s page using Adventures in Reading & Iconology by Plum Dumpling Designs, Round the Block Template by Man In The Moon Designs, Paper Cuts from Designs by Sarah Bennett, Garden Party from The Design Girl and Sweetest Days by Erica Zane:

Becca made this using After Dark by Sahlin Studio :

Kat’s page using After Dark by Sahlin Studio & Jennifer Barette’s shadow styles:

Amber made this page using All For One Template & Made in America by Britt-ish Designs, Polka Dotty Alpha by Wimpychompers and Glass Pebble Alpha by Sahlin Studio:

Lori’s page using Miss Kitty by Britt-ish Designs and Jubilant by Connie Prince:

scrappurple made this 2-pager using Make a Wish by Sahlin Studio & Valorie Wibbens and Birthday Word Art by Sahlin Studios:

Challenge reminders:
-Post your pages in the “Saturday Special” gallery and link it back to the thread in the forum. 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 August I will choose my favorite layout for a bonus point!

-You have until the end of Aug to have your page count for points!

-Remember no double dipping…your 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 your DARK side pages!
-Jami

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)

{posting this for emileem}

Hi Ladies! I love the Saturday Special challenges here at SM. I always learn a new technique, a new way to do something or an idea to improve composition. Some Saturday Specials I end up using on nearly every LO and many could be repeated each year. One of those techniques I use on nearly every LO is the Visual Triangle Mary (Plum Dumpling Designs) taught us in April 2009. Here is the text from Mary’s post–>

There are many design principles that we can use to create beautifully balanced layouts. One of those principles is the visual triangle. Stay with me! Don’t worry if you failed geometry or can’t remember the difference between a scalene and an isosceles triangle. Surprisingly enough, this concept is very simple. Your challenge is to use three of the same (fill in the blank) to help guide the viewer’s eye around the page. You can be creative and have fun deciding which “three” you are going to use. Here are some examples:

• three of the same element (or variations of the same element)
• three pops of the same color
• three areas of text – font or alpha
• three pieces of the same patterned paper

There are many more ways you can incorporate the visual triangle into your layouts. Go where your inner mathematician takes you.

And here is some inspiration from the SM CT–>
from Jami (alansrock) using Sunday Afternoon kit Designs by Sarah Bennett & Trixie Scraps Designs:

from Lina (ldrag2004):

from Jen (jendavey):

And here is my LO using Bee Happy by Connie Prince. I loved her word art strips and used them to create my visual triangle:

Your assignment is to create a LO using a visual triangle as Mary described. Then post your LO in the Saturday Special gallery and the coordinating forum thread.

The deadline for this challenge is June 30th, 2010.

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).

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 to go toward their July total.