I DID IT! Printed My 1st Album! & RadLab

Hi Everyone.... Lots to share... SO... I actually bit the bullet, and had my 2011 Rewind Album printed!  Yes... printed!  I was waiting as patiently as I could wait, and it arrived on Monday afternoon!  I was sitting at work, itching to leave and rip open the box! I LOVE it!

It is so awesome to see it IRL rather than my computer. No matter how much anyone tells you that it is great - you need to print to realize what they mean!  The pic on your screen is nothing like the real thing! Actually seeing it and holding it is weird and so cool! Seriously!

OK... I am not the best scrapper ever, not the best speller, or the best at thinking things through. BUT, I love my album, and what mistakes I notice are mine and mine alone. Most are really silly and make me laugh at myself - like the HUGE staple, or a Misspelled Title (Litte instead of Little, lol!) and the numerous spelling/typing errors in my journaling. For me, it's sort of like "It is what it is..." I wasn't able to fit all my pages so far into this album, so I made a first chronological album, and may print pages for a second album... yes, I scrapped a lot! :)

It was 98 pages long, and I got a nice brown leather album, and had a peek spot for an image. Each page has a nice thickness, and my kids loved looking at them already!  My oldest wanted to take pieces off the pages, and loved that they looked real to him!  Made my night when he said that!  He already asked if he could take it to school!  LOL!  Um... not yet, I have to show it off first!

My images are not the greatest!  I haven't replaced my camera, so I had to use my distance lens, and I put my book on the floor!  I was standing on my couch up high, trying to get the pictures!  I couldn't take a picture for every page, but I got a bunch! Here are some pages... All of the images are linked to my layouts in the gallery if you need credits.

Spinky Dink Scraps Kit

Spinky Dink Scraps Kit

Chelle's Creations Kit, Happy Scrap Girl Watercolor 

Textures and Scrapping with Liz Template

Chelle's Creations Kit, Happy Scrap Girl Watercolor 

Textures and Scrapping with Liz Template

mle: Scraps by the Brush Kit and 

Scrapping with Liz Templates

Jennifer Labre Designs Kit

 Crossbones Cuts Kit and 

Scrapping with Liz Templates

LCC by Amy Stoffel Kit and 

Scrapping with Liz Templates

Tracie Srtoud Designs and Captivated Visions 

Kit with Scrapping with Liz Templates

Designs by Kat Kit and 

Fiddle Dee Dee Templates

LCC by Amy Stoffel kit and 

Fiddle Dee Dee Templates 

Tracie Stroud Designs Kit and 

Fiddle Dee Dee Templates

Tracie Stroud Designs and 

Fiddle Dee Dee Templates

Stolen Moments and Flergs Kit with 

Templates by Fizzy Pop Designs

Chelle's Creations Kit with 

Scrapping with Liz Templates

Chelle's Creations Kit with Scrapping with Liz Templates, 

and my handwriting font - Typative Tall by wm[squared]

Awesome!  I love it!  I'm so glad this venture into digital scrapbooking has really made me proud of my creativity!  My husband loves it too!  He sat for a long time and read each page, and really loved looking at the book!  Made my night!

On top of that wonderful album... I can share that I am a RADvocate!  WOOT!  This means if anyone tried and eventually buys a purchase from Totally Rad, I can ear a comission!  No pressure there... especially if you give it the 30 day trial of the RadLab... you will not want to use anything else for photo editing!  Check it out here!

Well, there you have it!  My Album, and Totally Rad!  YAY!  Thanks for visiting and I hope you come back soon!
Jenn
jk703/The Typative Scrapper

Hello... Hello... anyone there? Catch Up & Tutorial

Hey everyone!  Yes.... I intended to start the year blogging away, but things got away from me... and I seemed to take a long break.  Well, I've decided that I need to get commited and back to at least a weekly post!  Even if it is just layouts to share.

So.... I have about 15 tutorials that you have to check out and I must continue to share... whether of not anyone reads these, I know I have used my own blog as a reference!  Just last night, I was looking at the Cross Processing Tutorial, and I was laughing at myself!

Plus, today - I signed up to be approved for a RADvocate. I know... what?! is going right through your mind!  OK... I'll explain!  Totally Rad is an awesome photshop plug in that transforms your photos in as few clicks as possible - and it is that easy!  Check out this video from their website: Watch RadLab in Action!  Hopefully, I am accepted as a RADvocate. That means that anyone who purchases something at Totally Rad, from clicking on a banner or from my posts, earns me a commission.  Actually, I'm not too worried about a commission - but sharing this awesome feature is really cool!  I already know of two friends that got it when I told them about RadLab!  Plus, you can try it before you buy - so people know what they are getting beforehand!  Awesome in Photoshop Plugin form! Check it out and keep your fingers crossed for me! :)

Anyway... there is lots going on in life.... My boys are getting bigger, my life crazier, and my work even more boring-er!  LOL!  Making lemonade here!  :)  I'll share the good stuff - kids, and scrapping!  I've completed my first digital scrapbooking album!  Yes... my first and I've been doing this for two years. the first was learning, and the second had a goal - and I completed it!  Yay!  Check it out! I'd love to know what you think!  :)

See it larger, click HERE!

It is iNSD, WOW... there is lots going on!  Check out Scrap Orchard, ScrapMatters, Scrapbook Graphics to get awesome goodies. Those are the stores my designers sell at, lol! There are some awesome deals going on this weekend!

Here are some favorite recent layouts.... 

First one I wasn't even sure of - it's a double, 12 x 24, and that large photo is not the norm for me, but I love it and got a Gallery StandOut at ScrapMatters!  That sure makes you feel better about a layout you aren't sure about, lol!  Colin at the beach with the NYC skyline in the background - April 2012. 

Mix and Match by Scrapping with Liz
Fiddlesticks by Amy Stoffel
Font is SNF Journaling Bold.

Here is one more... I just love the outcome of this layout and no template - which is unheard of from me!  LOL! Here is Colin (again) smiling from the pool last summer. 

I need to look for favorites with Shayne in them for my next post! :)

The Mane Even by Chelle's Creations

Worn Out Pieces from Happy Scrap Girl

Font is LD Thankful (Catch) and The Chuck Wearer by Heather Hess. 

Now... I'll end with a tutorial.... one of my favorites!  Adding Texture to Paint...

I find that I really like my pages to look as paper-like as possible. I love great textured papers, felties, scatters and paint. Paint stumped me for awhile, especially how to make it look like it was painted on my paper. Today, I'm going to show you a technique to get paper "painted" on your layout.

I'm using Chelle's Creation's Home for the Holiday Bundle, Scrapping with Liz's 3's a Charm template pack and Watercolor Overlays 3 by Happy Scrap Girl. I'm in the middle of working on my layout, and added a paint swatch to my layout. I want to give it some texture, but I really didn't like the textures that Photoshop has, so I dug into my digital scrap supplies, and pulled out a watercolor overlay.






Step 1:
Open the overlay that you would like to use as your texture in a new photoshop file. Then File > Save As a .psd file. I leave the name of the file as is, so that I can give credit to the designer when uploading my layouts. Remember where you saved your new overlay.

Step 2:
Once you have that overlay saved as a .psd file, click back into your layout. With the paint layer selected, choose Filter > Texture > Texturizer.

Step 3:
A new Texturizing screen will pop up. On the right side of the pop up, you will see a small triangle pointing down with some lines. Click on this, and choose Load Texture.

Step 4:
A second new pop up menu will appear and you should choose the overlay .psd file that you just created a bit ago. Now, under the small triangle, there are 2 sliders. Play with those, until you like the look of your paint. This is a more personal option, and choose what pleases you. For mine, I left the scaling at 50, changed my Relief to 21. There is one more option called Light, and you can change this depending on how you shadow and your angle on your layouts.

Step 5:

Here is what my paint looks like after applying a watercolor texture.

My Final Layout - share YOUR LAYOUT using this technique in the comments - I'll be sure to visit and leave some love! 

I know.... I know... that was a long post!  LOL!  Lots goin on!  Hope you come back soon, and I'll be back maybe to share some iNSD goodies... 

This tutorial was created for Scrap Orchard, originally by me. You can view it: HERE! 

Thanks for visiting!  Hope you decided to come back and take a look see - I'm glad to have you!  

Jenn/jk703

The Typative Scrapper

Guiding Me.... er... you! :)

HI Everyone!  I'm had a chance to stop in on Liz's (Scrapping With Liz) blog during my guestie month of May!  After May, i got to stay on as a perm member!  So excited!  I decided to share some info about guides and why I use them in my layouts.

Guides are a easy and smart way to be able to line up items on your scrapbook layouts.  They are non-prinatble, and available in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.  In the Elements version, they are only available as presets. Whether you are working on a row of flowers, a title or keeping inside of the guides, they are a great tool to use.

For my example below, I used Liz's Blocked Templates and Jennifer Labre Designs, Color Me Happy Kit.  I am slowly working on my P52 album, and this is my week 4 double spread.

My own personal use of guides is for every layout, and help me to get my pages ready for printing - from before the page is created or the first paper placed! I know that when printing pages, approx 1/4 of the edge will be cropped on my pages.  So, since I create double layouts, I've created a template document with guides placed at a 1/2 inch interval at every edge of my page.  Here is what it looks like as I am creating:

See the blue lines on my pages... I try to keep everything inside of those lines that is important.  My journaling is just on the edge, but should be fine, since my guides are set at 1/2 inch.

By using guides, I can get my pages ready for an album upload right away!  I save a web version, and I also save an album version right after I've completed the page!  Saves me more time later on!

So, here is how you can add a guide to your layout. Click View > New Guide on the top menu bar.

Next, you can choose where you want your guide placed on your document.  Choose Horizontal or Vertical as well as the location using inches within your document. My guides are vertically set at  .5, 11.5, 12.5, and 23.5 for my double layouts. Horizontally, my guides are .5, and 11.5. 

Click on OK... and you are done!!!

Another way to add guides is also just as easy.  If you have the Move Tool selected, as well as enabling the Rulers and Snap items, you can just drag a guide from the ruler to the spot you need one at.  Just click and drag... easy.  

 One last tip... If you work with guides and you are zoomed in close to your document, but need to see the whole document in your window, just double click on the Hand Tool. Instant  view of your whole document. 

Hope you've enjoyed this!  I'd love to know what you think too!  :)

Originally created for Liz on her Blog:  Scrapping with Liz: Here!

Have a great day, and thanks for visiting!

Jenn (jk703/The Typative Scrapper)

Layouts... Layouts and some more Layouts.. oh... and 2 CT Calls!

Hi Everyone!  I'm always posting tutorials... so I'm going to share some recent layouts that I have done... and then 2 CT calls that you should send your apps in... RIGHT AWAY!  :)

All images are linked to my gallery.... hint, hint.... lol!  :)
First up are my layouts (that I am behind in making) for my P52 project!  It doesn't bother me that I am behind, because I have every intention of working on them... time just goes a lot faster than I can scrap!  You might have noticed that my continuous theme for this album is paper blocking.  I try to add a little color and some cute ellies to each P52 layout, and paper blocking is an easy and fun way to make it pop!  What do you think?

Week 4 Layouts, credits between the pages.  Jenn's papers are just awesome and pop off that pale BG... I love them!

Color Me Happy - Jennifer Labre Designs
Scrapping with Liz - Block Templates
Font is The Pencil by Heather Hess

Week #5 Layouts, credits between the pages.  Amy's kit was a fun flea market kit and had great little ellies with a shabby feel.  I used a photo treatment to match my pics to the kit!  Another little tidbit... see the pale, pale brush on the creme background?  That is an awesome grunge spot from Inspirations from Day... a perfect little boost to add to any BG!

Saturday Flea Market by Amy Stoffel
Grunge Smears by Inspirations By Day
"Zine" Style Templates bu Scrapping with Liz
Font is Throw My Hands Up In The Air. 

ScrapMatters introduced a fun idea in April... the Mix A Kit!  It ties all the designers together with the same palette.  You get so many things to choose from, and basically make the kit you want!  So custom made!  Here is a layout that I made with A LOT of the pieces!  :)
Credits below, and my page is linked!  :)

Spring Stitches by Inspirations by Day
Springy: The Elements by WM [squared]
Footloose and Fancy Pattern Papers by Graham Like The Cracker
Letterpress Paper Pack by Chelle’s Creations
Sprung: Little Bits by Stolen Moments Designs
Spring Punch Alpha by Jennifer Labre Designs
Spring Punch Papers 2 by Jennifer Labre Designs
Blueprints Set 3 by True Blue Studio

I love scrapping double pages... I know they will fit nicely together in my printed books, and it also allows me to use the supplies a little more!  We all have that big a stash that it makes me feel better that I've used things a couple extra times, lol!  My most recent page... I'm waiting on summer to come, so I thought I'd scrap it!  Plus, this kit is sooooo girlie... I mean, c'mon... It's A Chick Thing... .just called out a challenge to show off the masculine side of the kit!  Credits between pages.

It's a Chick Thing by Spinky Dink Scraps and Daybreak Scraps
Sweet Spring Set 2 by True Blue Studio
Font is Teletype.

Thanks for checking out my pages... remember, hint, hint... I love love!  LOL!  Up next will be some sort of tip or tutorial.... I have a couple ideas!  IF there is something that you would like to see, please share!


I almost forgot... check out these two CT calls over at ScrapMatters.... So, get those apps in... and fast!

AND...

Again... Thanks for visiting!
Jenn
(jk703/The Typative Scrapper)