Day 4 & 5: Meet Mom and Dad... and some yummies!

Hi everyone!  Me again... yup... like it would be anyone else... lol... just playing!  I always seem to start my blog posts with Hi Everyone!  Can't help it!  I enjoy blogging, but can't properly start with out that beginning!

Day 4 -- Meet My Folks... ok... I have a couple of layouts that I MUST share!  They mean the world to me, and I wouldn't be who I am if I didn't have them!  Good and Bad... it made me... me!

Geek Chic Scraps -- Thankful For You
Graham Like the Cracker Tuesday Template 10/5
Font is Pea Steele

Geek Chic Scraps -- Thankful For You
Graham Like the Cracker Tuesday Template 10/5
Font is Pea Steele

Day 5 -- MUNCHIES!!!!

MY all time favorite snacky recipe is Pizza Squares... I know it sounds normal... but there is NO sauce?!  lol... Here is the recipe... when I make them next, I will take a pic and post the recipe again...

You will need:
1 10 oz. Refrigerated Pizza Dough
2-3 cups of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (at least 2)
1-2 oz. Shredded Parmesan Cheese (at least 1)
2 Tbs. Fresh basil Leaves OR 2 Tsp. Dried basil Leaves
2/3 cup Mayonaise (I use the Fat Free, Low Cal one)
2 Garlic Cloves, Pressed
6 Plum Tomatoes (may need more depending on size)

Oven should be set to 375*.
Spray pan with non-stick spray.
Roll out pizza dough onto a 13x9 baking pan.
Press pizza dough toward the edges, try not to make holes like me! (lol!)
Sprinkle about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese all over the pizza crust.
In a separate bowl, combine: 1 to 1 1/2 cups remaining mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, basil, garlic.  Add any other spices you would like...
Mix really well.
Slice and arrange tomatoes in a single layer - covering the pizza dough.
Spoon the cheese mixture onto the tomatoes. (I put some on each tomato, and then in any bare spots).
Bake 20 minutes - or until the top of the cheese is a light brown, bubbly, yummy mess!
Slice into squares with a Pizza Cutter!

EAT!  :)


I love that, and I bring this along with Guacamole to almost EVERY party I go to... I have one more really yummy recipe, but that will be another blog post - just reading it makes you gain 10 pounds!


Hope you've enjoyed your visit... and that you'll come again!
Jenn (jk703)

Huh? Typative wha? and First Love... (Cue: Awwwwww) ROFL!

Hi Everyone... I'm back (albeit late) with Day 2 and Day 3 of the 30 day Blog Challenge... Woot!  After this I can say I'm 10% there!  HA!  Just kidding!  I am so corny... anyway... onto my posts... and guess what... both have scrapbook pages associated with them!  Where's that blink smiley when I need it!?  (Shari?! - lol!)


Day 2:  Behind the Blog
My blog is named... The Typative Scrapper.... I can be the biggest chatterbox!  BIGGEST... when I have time... or run of the mouth!  I spend a lot of time on the computer, e-mail, facebook (check out this page... The Typative Scrapper FB Style!) forums, and just about anywhere where my happy little fingers can type so.... I said I'm so typative... as in a typing chatterbox!  That is the gist of it... I even made a page about it...

The Typative Scrapper, Included In the November Artisan Notebook
Jennifer Fox Designs - Rough and Tumble
Fiddle Dee Dee Template for November Artisan Notebook.
Font is CK Cooper

Yup... that is it in a nutshell... a chaterboxish scrapper with a keyboard!  LOL!


Day 3:  Awww.... My First LOVE.... (*gag*)....
OK... just kidding... My lucky husband is Peter... and he and I met in college.  It was actually pretty funny!  Here is the LONG back story:

I had met Peter one afternoon, when my sorority sister introduced us at the college apartments we all lived in.  I thought he was cute, friendly, and funny... great qualities, but didn't think about it much...especially when he was all googly eyed over my "sister!"  KEY:  I had blond hair.

Fast forward about 6 months and we headed out to a fraternity party.  I was DD, so I was looking for something to do, that didn't need a drink!  :)  I found a pinball machine, but I was unable to get it working... I went up to a couple of the brothers that were having the frat party and asked for help.  Well, Peter was in the group, and offered to help me out.  We went and he got the pinball machine working and we played a few games.  Time to go...  Peter and a couple of his friends needed a ride, as well as my friends.  I drove his drunk rear home, along with his friends and mine... Night all... and again, didn't think anything of it...

Fast forward a couple more weeks, and I saw him at the bar across from my now off-campus apartment... we chatted, had a couple of drinks, played darts, just hung out.  At the end of the night, I wrote my number on his arm... from mid arm to his wrist!  LOL!

I found out the next morning that he got up and SHOWERED!  lol... he ran down to my sorority sister's apartment and asked for my number... they didn't give it out... but called me to ask!  I said it was ok... and we've been together ever since...

OH... when we met again after the first introduction... I had gone red!  We still joke to this day that he ignored me because I had blond hair and my friend had brown.  Obviously, I wasn't too impressive as a blond! :)

Here are two layouts that I have done for DH!  I bet you can see which is a favorite!

Spinky Dink Scraps -- Take a Chance 
Fiddle Dee Dee Designs & WM[squared] Template Collab
Font is Times New Roman

Mad Love Full Kit by Pixel Gypsy 
Lists and Lines Stamps by Pixel Gypsy 
I am not sure what the font is! Sorry!

That second page is my FAVORITE!  It is a double spread, but I don't need to bore you with more layouts, lol!  So... There you have it!  Day 2 and 3 done!  Yeah!  I've gotten 10% done!  Tomorrow I will be posting about Day 4: Parents... and Day 5: Recipe!  

What would you like.... figure friendly Tex Mex Turkey meatloaf, crock pot EASY Turkey meatballs, or snacky stuff?

Can't wait! rofl!

Thanks for visiting!

Jenn (aka jk703)

30 Days of Bloggity Blogging! ;)

Hi everyone! I've just found an awesome thread over at ScrapMatters about 30 days of blogging!  You can find it right HERE!  This will be challenging, and to be honest - with the two kids, full time work, CT commitments, and other various things going on... I might combine a couple days for one post!  lol!  I'm going to try!  Here is the list of the 30 days prompts:


Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts
Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3-Your first love
Day 4-Your parents
Day 5-Your favorite recipes
Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you've traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends
Day 10-Something you're afraid of
Day 11-Favorite TV shows
Day 12-What you believe
Day 13-Goals
Day 14-A picture you love
Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house
Day 17-Something you're looking forward to
Day 18-Something you regret
Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-What's in your makeup bag
Day 23-Favorite vacation
Day 24-Something you've learned
Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out
Day 29-3 Wishes
Day 30-a picture

So... to get started... I get to yabber on about ME!  lol... that shouldn't be difficult!  My name is Jenn or jk703 around digiland!  Here is a pic of me... um, just like the one to the right!?!

Interesting facts... well... I can list facts easily but interesting?!  Hmmm... 

1. I have two middle names; one is Ann (the other is a secret, lol).
2. I met my husband in college, twice.  The first time I had blond hair and I was ignored.  Six months later, I had gone red... and was noticed!  lol!
3. I love these.... yes... those periods... and I use them a lot!  
4. I started digiscrapping in late February/early March in 2010.  Almost one year of this obsession!  I think I've gotten pretty good.  :)  (lmao)
5. I would love to stay home and not work -- as long as my kids were still in daycare and school! (They learn more there than they would at home!)
6. I am a night owl, and hate getting up!  
7. I love animated Disney/Pixar type movies!  Love... and could watch over and over and over!
8. I used to be a PC girl... but once we got a Mac... I'm never going back!
9. I have 3 grandparents still alive, and they are so special to me!  Love them!  
10. I can write upside down. 
11. I have the ability to the the "worm" - yes, that breakdancey thing... though I haven't done it in years! 
12. I hate to talk on the phone... drives me nuts... not sure why.
13. I am a spoiled rotten only child.  
14. My favorite shoes are sneakers... I love them!
15. I really don't think that I am an interesting person... oh well!  :)

There ya go.. Post 1 done!  Woot!  I'm going to share this on my Facebook page too!  Great idea Heather!  

Thanks for visiting!

Jenn

(jk703)

Tool Time: The Eyedropper Tool!

Hi Everyone!  I am back with some information about your Photoshop Tools!  Today I am going to share a really cool technique to be used with the Eyedropper Tool!  

First, this is the tool itself, and it's sub-tools:

I am focusing on the Eyedropper Tool itself, otherwise this blog post would be pages long!  LOL! Basically, the eyedropper lets you sample colors to use them in other selections. When you click on the Eyedropper, you should also see a menu regarding point size.  The point size is referring to the amount of pixels the tool will be sampling!  Changing this changes the amount of pixels the tool will look at for your color sample.  Here is the menu:

Here is the Point Size drop down menu:

You can match colors exactly by using the Color Picker.  The Color Picker shows the information of each color, as well as the color libraries, and swatches.  Here is what the Color Picker looks like:

Tool Tip: If you have the Brush tool selected, hold down Opt key (Cmd on a Mac) and it will quickly activate the Eyedropper tool.  If you hold down Opt + Shift (Cmd + Shift for a Mac), it will activate the Color Sampler Tool.

Setting the Foreground and Background colors using the Eyedropper Tool is really easy.  Here is the Foreground and Background icon on the Toolbar:

Click anywhere on your photo to select a color.  You’ll see the Foreground color chip fill with the color you have clicked on. If you press the Alt key (Option key on a Mac) as you click to select a color for the background.  Easy, right!!! 

To switch the black and the white follow this step -- press X on your keyboard.  To get back to the default setting all you have to do is press the D on your keyboard.

The Color Swatches panel is also an easy way to choose colors! To get to the Swatches panel, just choose the Window on the Menu bar.  Then choose Swatches or Color Swatches, depending on which type of software you have! 

No matter what tool you might be using, when you move your cursor over the Color Swatches, it will automatically change to the eyedropper.  Just click on a color to select a new Foreground color.  Again, just press Ctrl (Cmd for a Mac) as you click to select a Background color.

Now for a cool trick!  What if there is a color that you see on the web, or in a photo that is NOT open in Photoshop!?  Grab that color!  It is really easy!  Just a note that I have made my screens small to be able to take screen prints!

1.  Click on the Eyedropper Tool.  

2.  Next click inside your photoshop file, and hold it. 

3.  Now drag your mouse cursor - the eyedropper - over to the color that you want to sample. You should see a large circle within your photoshop document. This is what your screen should look similar to :

While you are dragging the cursor, the eyedropper returns when outside of photoshop!  Unfortunately, my grab function on my Mac does not grab the actual cursor! So...imagine it on the image above!  LOL!  

4.  When you let go of the mouse, you will have a new foreground color.  I had clicked on the bottom of the sun glare, close to the sand.  The eyedropper tool grabbed this pale orange color:

So, there you have it!  Some basic uses of The Eyedropper Tool and a great technique!  Hopefully you found something helpful or learned something new! 

This post was originally created by me for Jennifer Fox Designs Blog:  Here!

Thanks!

Jenn

(jk703)

Lasso Tool Tips!

Hello, Hello! 

I'm here with a quick post about the Lasso Tool!  Just a few pointers and tips about that cool tool!  Here goes!  First, the Lasso Tool looks like this:

The first tool is the Lasso Tool and allows you to draw free form selections.

The second is the Polygonal Lasso Tool and this one allows you to draw selections, but they will consist of line segments.

The third is the Magnetic Lasso Tool and allows you to make selections based on the edges; almost as if you are tracing the edges.

The same selection tools available for the Marquee Tool are available for the Lasso Tools.  This allows you to add, subtract and change your selections.

One great tip for me helps with lines.. To Create straight lines hold down the ALT/OPT key as you draw the path. What this does is -- it toggles between the standard tool and the Polygonal Tool. Presto - straight line!  Woot!

What can the Lasso tools do for you?  Here are two easy things it may help out with:

Creating your own custom Shape:  

Create a new transparent layer by clicking the Create a New Layer icon in the Layers Panel, then you can click on the Polygonal Lasso tool. 

In the Menu Bar, set the Feather to 0 and choose the New Selection icon in the Options bar. (A Feather at 0 is a basic hard edge, while the higher the number, the softer the edge will be).

Click four times (or however many you need for your shape) on your new document to create the four corners of your shape and then double-click to close the shape.

Next, you will choose the Paint Bucket tool and click inside your shape to fill it with the foreground color.  Press Enter. 

Here is the Feather at 0, with the marching ants, and then filled with the Paint Bucket:

Here is the Feather at 5, with the marching ants, and then filled with the Pain Bucket.  As you can see... it really takes the hard edges off with just a little higher feather!  Play with the settings and find your perfect number! 

Press Ctrl D (Cmd D) to remove the selection.

You can use your new shape to clip papers or photos, or make and edge template!  

Many times you will get Alphas or even embellishments for kits on a single sheet.  This sometimes helps to see everything.  How do you move things from that sheet to your page... Here's how:

Alpha Full Pages:  Moving Single Letters

First, you need to open  the png Alpha file.

Select your Lasso tool (or your Marquee Tool -- whichever you prefer).

Click and draw your lasso around the letter you want to use in your layout.

Once selected, you should see the marching ants around it (meaning it is the active selection).

Choose the Move Tool and drag the letter onto your layout. It will be added on its own layer.

Repeat the steps for additional letters.

One Tip when moving letters... as with any moving in Photoshop:

If you want your letters to be centered on your layout, hold down the Shift key as you drag it from the png file to your layout. 

Hope you enjoyed my bits about the Lasso Tool! 

The tutorial was created originally by me for Jennifer Fox Designs:  Here!

Have a great day!

Jenn

jk703

P52: Week 1 Bits

Project 52 has begun - I’m starting to record all the details of our weekly happenings for the rest of the year!  We started out with a late New Years Party at the Fallon’s, where Peter and Shayne smiled for the camera!  Laughter and fun with some good friends!  This week we got some more snow! So far for 2011, we’ve had over 20 inches of snow!  Wow- that’s a lot! Looking out our slider doors, you can see a slight covering of snow and some flakes falling from the sky.  The snow is always so pretty when it is fresh fallen.  As I took pictures this week, I also realized that I really should learn more about my camera and all the cool, fun settings!  The picture of my favorite soda, Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi, was trying the Macro function!  Peter just looked at me funny, wondering why I was taking pictures of a soda can! A nice relaxing weekend at home ended the week. Shayne and Peter played Wii Sports, while I played and wrestled with Colin with an fun tube!  Giggles galore!  It was a great start to 2011, and I look forward to the rest!  January 1-7,2011 

Here is the thumbnail:

Page 1:

Page 2:

For this kit, I used Family Reunion by Suzy Q Scraps and Jady Day Studio -- which is an awesome kit that has such rich colors!  I used a fantastic template pack by Fiddle Dee Dee Designs, the Verbosity Album that you can get to help you make your layouts, and it has plenty of room for journaling.  

I'd love to see what you are creating to make your P365 or P52 layouts... so link me up! I've taken some pics this week, but still have a few more days to get through... but I can't wait to do this again!  It is fun to be excited and look forward!  


Happy Wednesday! 
Jenn (jk703)

Tutorial: Easy Peasy Vignette!

Hi Everyone! Another tutorial for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements and the tools!  I hope this one is a bit interesting!  

I had previously focused on the Marquee Tool, and promised to show you how to create a Vignette, PLUS save the Vignette for future use in your scrapbooking projects! Here we go:

First, open a photo that you would like to work with. Then you will now create a new layer above your photo. Next, I chose the new layer, then chose the color I wanted the vignette to be. For this example, I chose white.

I clicked on my paint bucket, and filled in my new layer white. You can pick whatever color you want, by using the eyedropper tool, and moving and adjusting what color spectrum you want to use. You can also pick a color from the photo itself.

After my layer is white, I turn off the visibility of the white layer, my to-be-Vignetted layer!

You should now be looking at your picture again, and your Layers Palette will look like this:

On the toolbar, choose the Elliptical Marquee Tool:

Now, Click in the Top left of your picture and drag to the opposite corner of your picture. You should have an oval of moving ants on your picture. Once you have this, you can nudge and move the oval around to where you would like to Vignette to be placed on your photo. Under the Select Meanu Heading, choose Modify and then choose Feather. You will start with a feather of 30 pixels. You can play around with this number, depending on how much of a vignette you would like.

Now with your To-Be-Vignetted Layer selected, all you have to do is click on Delete. It should remove the selection inside the oval that you created. Your oval should show off the portion of the photo you wanted in the Vignette. Here is mine:

How easy was that?! You can change the shape, the opacity, add a pattern, whatever you want... try using a paper! Here is one with a tan color, and 170 feathering.

One last item... Say you spent a lot of time on your vignette, used different opacity levels, colors, and more... and you want to use it on another photo... You can save it for future use! Just turn off all the layers except the Vignette Layer in the Layers Palette, and Save As. Remember to save as a .png, and where you saved the file to!

Originally created by me for Jennifer Fox Designs: Here!

Thanks for visiting!

Jenn (jk703)

Tips! Tips! and More Tips!

Hi Everyone! I have decided to visit you all again -- like I'd visit you anywhere else, lol! --  with some more great time saving tips for Photoshop! I started Digital Scrapping in March 2010 and I've been um... obsessed! I love it! Since I've started to spend time with my software and computer a lot, lol, I decided I needed to learn some useful tips! Through the last few months of using the software, I have learned a few tips that have helped me a lot! I thought I'd share some more of my top tips!

For my layout, I am using Chelle's Creations awesome kit, Choo Choo! It is such a fun, fantastic and versatile kit and definitely not just for train pictures! This is the preview:

Tip #1: Quick Fit

Sometimes, I like to view my whole layout, but I am working too closely. To quickly fit the image you are working on to the screen you are working in -- just click on that little hand 2 times! Presto! Fit to your view!

This is the Hand that I am referring to:

This is what my layout looks like after I double clicked. Perfect fit to my screen, and I can take a quick look see!

Tip #2: Selections are a Drag!

When I create a layout and make a selection, sometimes it is just not in the right location. If you click and drag your cursor using the Marquee Tool, and notice that you are not in the correct area, don't let that mouse button go! Just press the space bar, and then you can drag your selection to the correct location!

My bad selection... (see I didn't get the whole title included):

If you hold that mouse button down, press the space bar, and drag -- you can move it to the correct location you wanted!

Tip #3: Journaling Preview

I pick and choose so many fonts for my journaling that it takes forever! I used to stare at the font, or try it out and then not like it! Well, how about seeing your journaling in every font, and just deciding by looks which one you like!? No more agonizing!

OK, first step is to have the Type Tool your selected Tool. Then click on your journaling to see the dashed box around it, like this:

Next, you will highlight the text that you have written. It will look something similar to this:

Last, you will click on the Character Menu, and locate the font drop down menu. Click inside the Font name, where it says CK Cooper below. Now, just use your arrow keys and scroll through your fonts slowly. Your journaling will change every time you press the arrow key up or down. So easy to preview! You can also change the size and leading as well!

There you go... some more great tips for scrapping quicker! I hope that you've enjoyed these tips, and come back for more! I'd love to hear some of your great tips, so post them in the comments below! Thanks for visiting!

I created this blog post originally for Chelle's Creations: HERE!

Hope to see you visit again soon!

Jenn

Project 52: Started! Wooties! :)

Hi Everyone!  I've decided that I'm going to give myself a project for 2011!  I was contemplating doing a P365, but that is just a little daunting right now.  I don't really want to set myself up to fail, and want to keep upbeat and excited for my project. So, P52 came about in my mind as the solution!  So, I've made my album cover, and I LOVE it!  


Here is a picture of it, linked to my Gotta Pixel layout:

2011 Album Cover using Spinky Dink Scraps Capture Life Kit and Buttons

I just love this, and originally had the buttons as the words (Stop, Pause and Capture Life - 2011 Rewind), but my brain kicked in that I wanted it a little different!  I asked Lindsay (the awesome Designer behind Spinky Dink Scraps) for some help, and presto chango she agreed!  Woot!  Thanks Lindsay!!!! The buttons were created, and they are FABULOUS!!!!!  My plan is to use some similar items on each page, and these buttons might be perfect!  I guess I need some in more colors and a general neutral set!  LOL!  So that is how I got here -- to my Stop, Pause and Capture Life,  2011 Rewind P52 Album Cover! 


I hope you join me and my weekly quest to create a double page layout for each week!  It will give me a way to showcase some awesome products as well as getting me to scrap my year as it happens!  


SO... do you want to join me in my quest!?  Every week I would like to post on my blog about my week, along with my layouts, and some chattery randomness! Hope you will follow along!  I would like to provide the information to the kits I use, and if I can get permission, give away my pages as quick pages! That will be determined by the designers that I CT for though!  I hope to have a wonderful and completed layout for 2011! If I am able to, I will come back and add an entry for the Album Cover!  So, keep watchin or press that little button and FOLLOW ME! :)


The products I used to create this wonderful album cover are:


Capture Life by Spinky Dink Scraps

Capture Life Buttons by Spinky Dink Scraps:

Thanks for stopping by to check out my chattery randomness, and see my album cover!  I hope to see you again... and would love if you showed me YOUR albums!  Link me up!  
Have a great night, and a great start to the New Year!  


Jenn
(jk703)