August 2012 - Digital Scrapper

August 2012
Take me to the Premier members’ area
Welcome to the August 2012 Digital Scrapper Premier!
Watching the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics was entertaining
and fun, but what really impacted me were the commercials and interviews that
featured Olympic athletes.
I began to wonder what would happen if I were to apply some of the same Olympic
principles to my life. Here are some principles I gleaned from the athletes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pursue your passion. Every one of these athletes participates in a sport he or
she loves, and that makes all the effort worthwhile.
Narrow your focus. You can’t be good at everything. If you’re going to get good
at one thing, you probably need to let something else go.
Schedule time to practice your “sport.” Not much will happen if you don’t put it
on the calendar—and then make sure you actually do it.
Early is better. Most of the athletes get up and practice their sport
early in the day when they are the most fresh. However, if later is the
only time you have, you can still discipline yourself to make daily
progress.
Dedication is what sets you apart. Most of us stick with a goal until
it becomes inconvenient or difficult. The champions don’t let their
feelings dictate their actions.
Don’t give up. The only way you can lose is if you get discouraged
and give up. You may not get an Olympic medal, but if you keep
at your goal day after day, you will reach a place of excellence few
ever experience. That, and enjoying the journey to get there, is what
makes it all worthwhile!
Speaking of Excellence...
I’m always proud to introduce our Premier video tutorials because our
instructors are so good at what they do!
Jan Walker will teach you how to make
an imitation Instagram that can be
used a variety of ways, whether on the
web or in your scrapbooking. You’re
going to love the cool frames and
overlays she includes to give you that
special Instagram look!
Christina Rambo will show you how
to create a chalkboard background, and
then she’ll teach you how to simulate the look of writing with chalk by using
pattern overlays and smudging.
Susie Roberts will give you some great techniques for recoloring the papers and
elements from a kit to make them perfectly match the photos you
want to scrap.
Jen White will demonstrate how to create a large multi layered
bracket mat that will make your page standout in a gallery or
scrapbook album. She also teaches how to wrap a ribbon around
the mat so it looks touchably real.
I hope these videos will inspire you to set some goals to move
ahead with your scrapbooking skills this month!
Love and scrapbooking success,
Top Picks
We Celebrate - July 2012
I almost missed Little Surfer Girl by shorebirds because it was posted late in the month (see our new deadline for Top Pick
below), but when I saw it, I knew it was the one I wanted to feature. I love the large background photo using Jan Walker’s
Mood Changer technique, and I love the fact that Surfer Girl is facing away from the viewer, which draws our eye to the
beautiful ocean view. The photos on the left are great examples of good photography and are lined up perfectly with
just a touch of elements to set them off. Very nice work on your page, shorebirds!
New Deadline! Please post your page by the 25th of the month if you want to be considered for Top Pick. Thanks!
Top Pick Layout by shorebirds
“Template, Papers - July Premier kit
“Celebrate” by Julie Mead
Fonts - Angelina, Adobe Caslon Pro
Large photo - Mood Changer technique by
Jan Walker with sunset purple color wash
bichonmom
JobaScraps
Kimmer
I finally got time to play with Jan Walker’s
Mood Changer technique. I had fun with
this beach photo of DGD and added a
purplish color wash to add to the sunset feel
of a hot July evening.”
Congratulations to the other top picks,
pictured to the left in alphabetical order.
Click on each of the thumbnails to see
the gallery pages for these great layouts
and images.
lanamichelson
mariah
shari
Carefree
by Amanda Heimann
This kit contains:
Relive those long, carefree summer days of your youth as you scrap some favorite memories with
the playful Carefree kit by talented digi-artist, Amanda Heimann. The fresh, vibrant colors of this
beautiful kit will add pizzaz to any scrapbook page, and you’ll find a variety of colorful papers
and perfectly textured elements that will make this kit a great addition to your scrapbooking
collection.
12 patterned papers
8 solid papers
lowercase alphabet
2 word art quotes
(2 as plain png and 1 with style added)
blank label
2 brads * 6 buttons
5 fabric flowers
1 ribbon flower
3 paper flowers
5 ribbons * 2 bows
buckle * 2 clouds
circle scatter
fastener * grass
5 frames
tag string
2 tags * 4 hearts
2 labels
2 journal shapes
journal strip
fabric leaf
paper leaf
2 ric rac * sun
pinwheel * knot
trim * staple
stitched circles
3 signs * 7 words
Meet this month’s talented designer:
Amanda Heimann
I am from Texas and just recently moved back to the area where my husband and I grew up. I met my husband
in college, although we grew up in towns next to each other, and we were married almost fourteen years ago.
After college we moved around before getting settled in the Houston area. We have two boys (ages nine and
seven) and a new puppy. The boys keep us very busy with soccer, football, basketball, baseball, Scouts, and
school activities. I am also involved with the PTO, Scouts, and other committees. When we aren’t at a game,
practice, or meeting, you can find us working in the yard or remodeling something in our old home. We also
enjoy going to the beach, swimming, camping, and hanging out with our families.
I started scrapbooking in high school and would create memory albums of pictures that I embellished with cutouts from teen magazines. Throughout college and early in my marriage, I would put my pictures into albums
and add little labels with information and thoughts. It was after my first child turned one that I discovered
paper scrapping and the local scrapbook store. I became addicted to buying supplies and doing a little bit of
paper scrapping. Once I had my second child, I realized that it was impossible for me to paper scrap with a twoyear-old and a baby. Sadly, I put my scissors, glue, and paper scraps away.
When it came time to make our traditional photo Christmas card, I was unable to find anything that suited the picture I took. I searched
mommy boards looking for ideas, and somewhere in that search I saw the phrase ‘digital scrapbooking.’ That was all it took! Once I discovered
digital scrapbooking, I never looked back. I sold my paper supplies and learned all I could about my program. Back then I was using Microsoft
Digital Image Pro and soon realized its limitations. I started teaching myself how to use PSE5 and eventually moved up to Photoshop.
After scrapping for a couple years, I began to get bored and burnt out. I could not find a specific product I was looking for so I thought I would
try to make it. The challenge motivated me to learn more and more. Eventually I was asked to sell in a store and it blossomed from there. I
designed for a couple years and recently took a small break from it for an opportunity to learn web design. We also moved during that time.
After being settled for a couple months, the design bug bit me again. I am back to designing full time and love it!
I currently design and scrap on my iMac (love the 27in screen!) or our MacBook Pro. I have CS5 and always have Photoshop, Illustrator, and
Bridge open when I work. I could not design without Smart Objects and Mini Bridge! Sometimes my Smart Objects have Smart Objects! I use
a Wacom tablet and hardly ever touch my mouse. I also need to have music or Law and Order in the background while I work. My favorite
program to use (well, besides PS) is Evernote. It holds my life together!
Check out Amanda’s beautiful kits at her store here.
Read more about Amanda on her blog here.
August 2012
Carefree
QuickPages
by Carol Gilmour
This month’s inspiring
collection of 10 QuickPages
(available in 12x12” and
8.5x11”) can be downloaded
along with the coordinating
Carefree Premier Kit.
Creative Team
Finished
QuickPages
Classic Templates
Versatile grayscale templates in layered PSD format
August 2012
Carefree
Templates
by Carol Gilmour
Video Lesson 1
Video Lesson 2
Imitation Instagram
Chalkboard
by Jan Walker
Create extraordinary Instagram style images with
that distinctive Lomography look. All you need is
Photoshop or Elements, along with some creative
blending and the eight fabulous frames included in
this lesson.
Page: Jan Walker
Rounded Corner Frame: Jan Walker
Photo: morguefile.com
by Christina Rambo
Create a chalkboard background and the look of
chalk writing using pattern overlays and smudging.
Page: Christina Rambo
Photo: Christina Rambo
Kit: Carefree by Amanda Heimann
Video Lesson 3
Make it Match
by Susie Roberts
Learn how to recolor papers and elements to make the
kit you love match the photos you’re scrapping.
Page: Susie Roberts
Photos: Susie Roberts
Kit: Carefree by Amanda Heimann
Ribbon: A Mother’s Heart kit by Susan Bartolini
Stitched Mask and tab: Susie Roberts
Font: Lavandaria, DilleniaUPC
Video Lesson 4
The Bracket Box
by Jen White
Create a designer bracket box scrapbook page from a
custom shape and two contrasting solid papers.
Page: Jen White
Photo: Jen White
Kit: Carefree by Amanda Heimann
Font: Helvetica
Extra Tidbit
Decorator Clips by Susie Roberts
Make your own decorator clips to match any
kit.
• Download the clip-gmiller-grey.png file here.
• Create a new 5 x 5 inch document (File >
New) at 300 ppi. Get the Move tool. Holding
down the Shift key, drag the clip onto the
document.
• Open a patterned paper (File > Open) from
any kit. • In the Menu Bar, choose Image > Duplicate.
Click OK. Elements: Choose File > Duplicate.
• Close the original paper.
• Change the size of the patterned paper to 5
x 5 inches. In the Menu Bar, choose Image >
Image Size. Enter 5 inches for both the Width
and Height and click OK. Elements: Choose
Image > Resize > Image Size.
• Holding down the Shift key, drag the resized
paper onto your document above the clip
layer.
• Position your cursor between the two layers,
press the Alt key (Mac: Opt key) and click to
group them together.
• Change the Blending Mode of the paper
layer to Overlay. Some papers may require a
different Blending Mode, such as Hard Light.
• If you want the pattern to be smaller: With
the paper layer active, press Ctrl T (Mac: Cmd
T) to get the Transform options. Holding
down Alt Shift (Mac: Opt Shift), click and
drag from a corner handle inwards to resize.
Double click inside the Bounding Box to
commit the transformation.Elements: Hold
only the Alt/Opt key when resizing.
• With the Move tool active, in the Layers
panel click on the paper layer and then Shift
click on the clip layer to activate both layers
at the same time. Press Ctrl E (Mac: Cmd E)
to Merge the two layers together.
• Add a Drop Shadow with a Distance of 5
px, a Size of 10 px, and an Opacity of 63%.
August 2012
Posting
Bonus
Looking for an extra treat this month?
Be sure to post a layout in the Premier
gallery using the Carefree kit,
QuickPages, or templates and you’ll
receive these clusters as our thankyou for being a Premier member!
For more information, check out the
Posting Bonus thread in the Premier
private forum. Don’t forget that your
layout must be posted in the current
Premier Gallery during the month of
August.
Potpourri
Introducing Premier Membership
Every month you’ll receive:
• A deluxe scrapbooking kit including at least 10 high
resolution coordinating 12 x 12 pages, and a generous array of
matching elements
• A set of QuickPages and grayscale templates made from the
same kit. We’d love to see your pages using this month’s kit!
• PDF manual for each video with all the step-by-step written
instructions, making it easy for you to follow along and try out
the techniques yourself.
• Access to exclusive members-only bonuses, archived Tips
of the Week and Bonus videos, and of course, the exclusive
Premier Forum.
Premier Membership - all this for only $8.99/
month
•Four in-depth training videos for both Photoshop and
Elements, plus any associated files, such as layer styles, photos,
brushes, etc. used in the lessons. You’ll learn:
* How to fix or enhance your photos
* How to use Photoshop tools for scrapbooking
* Digital scrapbooking techniques used by the pros
* Design tips for making exceptional scrapbook pages!
© 2012 Digital Scrapper. All rights reserved. This content is for
current Premier members only. If you have friends or associates
who are interested in this information, please refer them to www.
digitalscrapper.com where they can sign up for their own Digital
Scrapper Premier subscription. Do your part to prevent digital piracy
so we can continue to offer you valuable products like Premier.