Clipping Masks

I've just begun experimenting with clipping masks.  What's that, you ask?  Here's an example of a clipping mask I found online:

You stick in in Photoshop and "clip" a photo or paper to it.  The results look like this:

You can use this technique with any shape your heart desires!
Here's a random clipart image I had on my computer:

Here it is after clipping some digital papers to it:

What do you think? 

Edges

As long as I'm thinking about scrapbooking, allow me to share one of my favorite tips. 

Sometimes, when you've cropped a photo and you put in on a background paper, the white edges stand out and detract from the picture.  To eliminate the contrast, simply run a marker along the edges of the picture.  Now you'll have a nice clean look.

Happy scrapping!

Father's Day 2009 page

Most of the friends who are leaving comments seem to be digital scrapbookers.  Here's a digital page that I completed today:

It's not my favorite page, but it gets that album officially up to date!  I used an 8.5x11" template, so it was super speedy.  If you want more freedom with the printed books (from Shutterfly, etc.) you have the option of digiscrapping the pics using your own papers and templates, and them uploading them to Shutterfly as if they were full page photos.  Have fun playing! 

Album Organization

I'm happy to say that the Christmas album is up to date!  I got the chance to scrapbook at church on Saturday and made a ton of progress!  All the ladies were working on different aspects (sorting and organizing photos, cropping, journaling, etc.) and it got me thinking about my process.

Here's how I normally assemble an album:
1st: Take great pictures.  If the picture isn't great, alter it and print a new one.  For example, if the colors are horrible and clash, make it black and white (or sepia).
2nd:  Choose which pics I want to scrapbook and put them in page protectors in the appropriate album.
3rd: Put a post-it note on the page protector with the date and any info I don't want to forget to journal.
4th:  Go through and choose a background paper that enhances the photos.  Slip that into the page protector with the pics.
5th: Sometimes I'll go through and put specific matching embellishments (or a coordinating paper) in the page protector. 
Finally, I put the pages together. 

How do you organize your efforts?

Album covers

This week, I've been backing up my photos and organizing my albums.  I love albums with a spot for a photo on the front cover.  For our Thanksgiving album, I didn't use a regular photo.  Instead, I grabbed a Norman Rockwell painting, lowered the opacity, and topped with some wordart.

The result:

Digital Page

The kids' birthday albums are officially up to date!  Today I worked on my Mother's Day album.   

Here's the page for 2008:

It's an 8x8 book, so I just printed it off and slipped it in a page protector! 

Back to Scrappin'

My daughter's second birthday had a little bird theme.  I couldn't resist this paper.  I put the photos together using a template, just as I had for her first birthday page.  This time, I didn't like the white border, so I cut out all the pics and glued them back in position.  The template ensured that the photos were sized and cut perfectly, so it was a breeze! 

Hybrid Scrapbooking with Templates

So by now we all know what scrapbooking is.  And many are familiar with digital scrapbooking- making "pages" on the computer and printing them as a photo book.  I've been dabbling in "hybrid" scrapbooking.  I'll print out my journaling, for example, and then glue it onto a regular page. 

I'm now trying out templates.  I downloaded a few online and they look like this:

Apparently, more recent versions of Photoshop can drag and drop into the squares.  I've found a system that works in PSE4.  I select the square with the Magic Wand.  Then open the picture you want and Select>All; Edit>Copy.  Back in the template, Edit>Paste Into Selection.  Then Image>Free Transform to size it, spin in, and place it in the square. 

My daughter's birthday scrapbook is an awkward size (9.25x12.25).  I can't print that size, so I printed on 8.5x11 and glued it to a pretty patterned paper.  Here is the result:

One thing I love about this technique is the ability to print words directly onto the photos. 

Well, I'm off to make a page for her second birthday.   How time flies....

Halloweens Past

I've been back at scrapbooking, and just got the Halloween album up to date.

My Son's Baby Book

Here is a photo collage of my son's baby book. 

I'll go back and make it better if I'm ever caught up.  : )  

Bittersweet Baby Book

I've finally completed my daughter's baby book.  She's my youngest, so it is bittersweet to be done with baby books.  Someday, if I'm ever completely caught up, I can go back and make things better.  For now, it's going into storage. 

I've made my first Photoshop collage with pictures of the pages:

Routine charts

My son used to love his My Go To Bed Book.  When my husband had to be gone for 6 weeks, I scanned some of the pages and turned them into a bedtime routine chart.  It worked like a charm!

Now that he's old enough to make his bed in the mornings and with the approaching turmoil of a deployment, I've added a morning routine chart.  We didn't have a book that fit the bill, so I had to improvise.  For "wake up" I googled the phrase "happy sun" and the kids picked this one (quite emphatically, I might add). 

To make a chart, simply print your images, glue them to 8x10 cardstock, laminate, add 2 eyelets to the top, and hang with fun ribbon.  They're extremely durable!  I might even make an afternoon chart for the things they do when they get home.  (Put shoes away, set the table for dinner, etc.) 

I can't wait to hear your thoughts!  What are your best tips for mornings/bedtime?

Update:  My son requested a green chart for the afternoon.  Here it is!