Shabby Sage is Here!

It's been a long time in coming but it is finally here! Usually I release my new kits on Thursdays but normal life interfered so I am releasing this kit on Sunday. I think in future, all new kits will be released on Sunday.

I hope you like this one! It's a little bit shabby, a little bit frilly but a whole lot of fun!

Shabby Sage, by DreamScrapper, is kit that you will love to use for all your feminine layouts as well as being suitable for heritage pages. The 8 papers of this kit have been lovingly created in shades of sage, olive, rose and cerise. Papers include an assortment of lightly textured solids and patterns. Papers are created at 12" by 12" at 300ppi and saved as high-quality jpg files ensuring excellent print quality. Contained in "Shabby Sage" you will find 2 sets of lace photo corners, a set of silver photo corners, a set of charm-embellished photo corners (due to the complexity of the shadowing needed for realism, these have been pre-shadowed) with two extra sets created at angles for use with angled photos, 1 silver paper clip, 1 silver brad, 1 silver eyelet, 1 beaded flower, 3 sheer twisted ribbons, 2 ric rac, 2 dotted grosgrain ribbons, 1 green bow and matching ribbon, 1 border of chipboard flowers, 1 round frame made from ribbon and lace and embellished with a bow, and one folded flower cluster. Several items come in both shadowed and un-shadowed format so you may best choose which suits your needs. Completing this page kit is a silver rimmed glass alpha. Alpha has a complete upper set, numerals 0 to 9, as well as 9 other punctuation marks. Alpha is provided as individual letters so you may open only those that you need. All elements are created at 300ppi and saved as png files to preserve transparency. Drop shadows are applied only where layering of pieces makes shadowing necessary for realism. Thank you to Tandika Star and DigiScrapDesigner for items used in the creation of this product. Special thanks to Atomic Cupcake and Monica Larsen.

Here's a layout I created using the kit. Click image for larger size and full credits.

I also haven't forgotten a coordinating freebie for this kit! Click on the image for download.

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Please leave me a comment below so I know how you like this kit!

Come and Celebrate!

Did you know that there is a National Digital Scrapbooking Day? Well there is! This year it is on November 3rd and digital sites are gearing up for the celebration with various sales and contests.

I decided that it was just too exciting and couldn't wait!

Layouts, Layouts, Layouts!

Well, I have had a good weekend scrapping some of my own photos. It seems that as you make the transition to designer, you have less time to scrap yourself! You really have to schedule things to get some time to just scrap.

First, I completed a heritage layout using my newest kit, Newsworthy.

 

Click image for larger view/full credits

 

Then I created a two-page spread, using my kit, Snuggle.

 

 

Click images for larger view/full credits

 

Lastly, I have a wonderful layout by Scraptigz using my Bounty in Burlap page kit. Please click on her layout to be taken to her gallery so you can leave her a comment!

 

 

If you have some layouts that you have created using DreamScrapper products, please send me a link so I can showcase them here!

As always, I love hearing from you! Leave me a comment below.

News Flash!

Just released . . . my new kit, Newsworthy! Hope you like it!

Newsworthy, by DreamScrapper, is a unique page kit that is a little bit funky, a little bit grungy, yet can still hold its own with classic heritage kits! As well as being suitable for heritage pages, it contains elements that lend themselves to embellishing autumn layouts. The jewel tones of the saffron, indigo and teal textured solid papers contrast well with the aged and grungy newsprint found in the 8 papers of this kit. Included in the 8 papers is one special paper that stitches together curled-edge newsprint with a textured paper. Papers are created at 12" by 12" at 300ppi and saved as high-quality jpg files ensuring excellent print quality. Contained in "Newsworthy" you will find 1 double bow, 1 string bow, 2 flourishes touched with newsprint, 4 leaves with touches of newsprint, 1 unique newsprint flower, an inked-edge overlay, 1 fall cluster, 1 elaborate metal frame, 1 textured newsprint ribbon, and 1 string ribbon. Completing this page kit is a stylish, two-inch alpha with copper edging. Alpha has a complete upper and lowercase set, numerals 0 to 9, as well as 10 other punctuation marks. Alpha is provided as individual letters so you may open only those that you need. All elements are created at 300ppi and saved as png files to preserve transparency. Drop shadows are applied only where layering of pieces makes shadowing necessary for realism. Thank you to Tandika Star and DigiScrapDesigner for items used in the creation of this product. Special thanks to Atomic Cupcake and Monica Larsen.

I have also created a second alpha that you may download as a FREEBIE. Click on image for download.

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Leave me a comment to tell me what you think of this kit! The style is a little outside my usual so I'm hopeful that it is a style that you will like, too!

Take Your Layouts With You!

For those of you who like gadgets, you may be interested in the new Pocket Album by Digital Foci. This is a slick little number that holds up to 74 pictures that can be scrolled manually or shown via slide show. The album has a 1.5" color screen and runs on a lithium battery designed to give 9 hours battery life.

The Pocket Album comes complete with user-friendly software needed to convert JPG or BMP files from your computer to Pocket Album. The software lets you view, crop and rotate photos you wish to transfer before it automatically resizes them for optimal storage and display on the unit. Pocket Album can be recharged with an included AC adapter or via USB attached to your computer. The album comes complete with built in clock with automatic on/off timer and LCD contrast adjustment.

All this for $39.95! You can bet this will be on my Kaboodle list! Just think . . . you can buy a few of these for Christmas presents and pre-load them with your favorite layouts! How sweet is that?

 

Using Sketches as a Launching Point For Your Layouts

In a previous post, Style or Rut, I challenged you to try something new in your scrapbooking . . . a new technique, a new layout style, new colors, etc. Unfortunately, I haven't received any feedback from you as to whether you were able to meet this challenge. I would still welcome links to your layouts, both old and new, showing something new that you have tried.

To help you in this process of trying something new, I would like to suggest the book, Quick & Easy Sketches for Scrapbookers, available at Amazon.

 

Click image to be taken to Amazon.com

 

Though this book primarily features paper layouts, the book is designed as a resource for all types of scrapbookers, with the ideas and concepts presented easily applied to layouts created digitally.

To begin with, the main concept of the book is that you can use a sketch as a starting point to create very different layouts that utilize different scrapbooking styles. The book is then divided into chapters, according to the number of photos to be scrapped . . . 1, 2 to 3, 4 and 5, and finally 6 or more photos. Each chapter presents a variety of layout sketches with accompanying completed layouts showcasing three different styles:

1. Simple - These pages are supposed to be uncomplicated yet stunning and could be completed in less than one hour.
2. Graphic - These pages are more linear and follow the principles and concepts of graphically-inspired design on scrapbook pages.
3. Enhanced - These pages showcase innovative techniques and elaborate designs.

This book should definitely inspire you to branch out and try a new technique or arrangement on your layouts.

I encourage you to leave me a comment below and/or links to your layouts. I look forward to hearing from you!

Time to Snuggle!

The cooler days of autumn are upon us and it’s time to think about snuggling inside, perhaps in front of a warm fireplace! Snuggle by DreamScrapper is a wonderful reminder of the warm flannel pajamas and comfy blankets of our childhood! The 8 papers in this page kit have a soft flannel texture, some with patterns (plaid or tiny hearts), some solids, and one very special “quilted” paper. Papers are created at 12" by 12" at 300ppi and saved as high-quality jpg files ensuring excellent print quality. Contained in "Snuggle" you will find 4 delightful flowers, an antique gold frame, embellished with flowers, ribbon, and lace, a ribbon-wrapped frame, a folded piece of lace, 4 antique gold photo prongs, 4 button photo corners, a delightful plaid bow and matching ribbon, a beaded heart on a cord, a strand of beads, a beaded, antique gold safety pin that spells out “Snuggle,” and a cute, cuddly teddy bear! Completing this page kit is an uniquely textured alpha that can easily be recolored to match your layouts. Alpha has a complete upper and lowercase set, numerals 0 to 9, as well as 10 other punctuation marks. Alpha is provided as individual letters so you may open only those that you need. All elements are created at 300ppi and saved as png files to preserve transparency. Drop shadows are applied only where layering of pieces makes shadowing necessary for realism. Special thanks to Atomic Cupcake, Monica Larsen, Tonje Gram, and Stacy Carlson (Gotta Pixel).

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Leave me a comment below to let me know how you like this kit!

Feedblitz Update

Those of you who have signed up for email notification of blog posts may be wondering what has been happening lately!

For some reason, the updates stopped going out and though I kept trying to solve the problem, I couldn't ever find a workable resolution.

Finally, I was able to get it going so you should be getting regular email updates from now on! Thank you for your patience with this.

Reader Input Needed

I have come to the conclusion that you never stop working when you become a designer! If I am not working on the computer physically designing a new kit, I am designing in my head or brainstorming kit themes and colors! Even when I lay down to sleep, ideas keep rolling around in my head!

What would really help me out would be to know what you, my readers, would like in a kit. What kinds of elements do you want to use? What types of papers would you like to use? What color schemes do you need for the photos that you wish to scrap? Are you looking for quick pages where you just need to add your photos, a title, and journaling? Leave me a comment below so I can accommodate your needs!

Today I will leave you with a layout created using my newest page kit, Maximum Impact, available at DreamScrapper.com.

All Talk and No Action?

One of the major differences between Photoshop and Photoshop Elements is the ability to create actions. Actions are like one-button shortcuts for a repetitive, multi-step task. Actions do things like create torn edges, create ribbons, create photo effects . . . almost anything you can think of can be done with an action!

Photoshop Elements users, to a certain extent, also have the ability to use actions but they will be found in the Styles and Effects palette. Elements users do not have the ability to create their own actions.

For those designers using Photoshop who wish to create actions that are useable by Photoshop Elements owners, there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Actions cannot call another action.
2. Action sets may only contain a single action.
3. Some Photoshop functions and modes are simply not available in Elements and actions which contain these will not work in Elements.

Additional steps must be taken to prepare an action for use in Photoshop Elements. For further information on this, visit Sue Chastain at About.com: Graphics Software.

Now That I've Got It, Where Do I Put It?

If you use Photoshop Elements for your digital scrapbooking, there are a wealth of add-ons that you may either download for free or purchase. These add-ons come as brushes, layer styles, shapes, patterns, gradients, custom color swatches and actions. However, knowing where to place these items so that you may actually use them in Photoshop Elements can be somewhat confusing!

If you are relatively new to using Photoshop Elements, the above terms themselves may be overwhelming . . . learning a new program is a bit like learning a new language, isn't it? To add to the confusion, there are many versions of Photoshop Elements being used and the places to install the various add-ons differs from version to version.

Sue Chastain at About.com: Graphics Software explains where to put all these great add-ons, no matter what version of Photoshop Elements you are using. In addition, Sue offers links to some freebies that you will want to download. Be sure to bookmark this site so you will have it when you need it!

Maximum Impact and a Freebie!

I have a new kit ready for you today! It's big and bold and I hope you like it! You can find Maximum Impact at DreamScrapper.com. It will be at the introductory price of $4.68 until next Wednesday.

Need to add a bit of “punch” to your layouts? This is the kit for you! Bold colors of red, white, and blue work well all year round and would be especially nice for any 4^th of July photos you haven’t yet scrapped. All 8 papers are highly textured and are a little on the grungy side. Papers are created at 12" by 12" at 300ppi and saved as high-quality jpg files ensuring excellent print quality. Contained in "Maximum Impact" you will find 1 striped ribbon with attached bow, 1 white textured ribbon with attached gold hoop and beads, separate gold hoop and beads, 1 knotted ribbon, 3 bright plastic flowers, 4 assorted fabric flowers, 1 flower-embellished ribbon cluster, a plastic, hinged frame that will accommodate two photos, and 2 sets of fasteners - one red, one blue - (4 photo corners, 4 photo prongs, 1 paper clip, 1 brad, 1 eyelet). Completing this page kit are TWO glossy plastic alphas trimmed with gold . . . one red, one blue. Alphas have a complete upper and lowercase set, numerals 0 to 9, as well as 11 other punctuation marks. Alphas are provided both as a single sheet and as individual letters. You will also find a special bonus in this kit! You will receive a 3” striped monogram alpha with 26 uppercase letters. All elements are created at 300ppi and saved as png files to preserve transparency. Drop shadows are applied only where layering of pieces makes shadowing necessary for realism. Special thanks to Atomic Cupcake and Monica Larsen.

This download has expired.

I have loved reading your comments about the kits I have released! Please leave me a comment regarding this new release.