The Pin It Button

Mary here with a little Pinterest tip. I am posting this on my family blog, and I thought you guys might like to know this tip too!

I know that in terms of reality TV, news headlines, music, movies, etc. I am WAY behind the times. I mean I just found out who the Kardashians are! And my brother had to tell me! Eek! (it was maybe 2 months ago!!)

But...I know the Internet. Not the news sites obviously, but the crafty ones. I've known about Pinterest for a long time. I didn't request an invite for a while, but now that I have, I really enjoy looking at all of the fun things and scrolling and scrolling and scrolling!

Some friends of mine have talked about how they pin things and I suddenly realized...they don't have the PIN IT button! It's so easy to pin things from websites and stores that you like using the Pin It Button. So...let's get that fixed right away.

1. Head on over to Pinterest.com and log in. At the top of the screen you'll see an "About" drop down menu. Click on that and you'll see the directions for the Pin It Button!

2. Don't worry if you don't use Chrome. The proper directions pop up for whatever browser you're using...talk about cool!!

3. Once the Pin It Button is installed, you can use it to pin things from blogs, shops, websites, etc. If you are on a blog, be sure to click the title of the post that you want to pin. This gives you a direct url to that post. It sure makes it easier for yourself and others to find what you've pinned! Otherwise it may just pin it to the general url of the blog. Not so helpful if it was a tutorial from 1 year ago or something!

So. Make sure there is a direct url and then click your Pin It Button.

4. A row of images will appear. Choose the one that you would like to pin. Click Pin This

5. Now you're familiar with these next steps...put it in the right category, add a description and click the Pin It Button and you're done!

If you'd like an invite, let me know and I'll get you one. If you'd like to follow me, click on the Pinterest button on the sidebar. Happy Scrolling and Pinning!

Tutorial: Recoloring using Mat of the Month Club Papers

This tutorial will show you how to recolor the Mat of the Month papers to match your favorite kits! This tutorial is written for Photoshop Elements.

1. Open your file in Photoshop Elements. You may want to duplicate this file so you don't accidentally save over the original!

2. Insert a new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N) above your paper and fill it with the desired color. 

3. Change the blend mode to color.

4. Your paper will now look like this. Look at the areas that were black. Are they the color you want them? Not yet...they are still too dark. So we have to lighten them. Don't worry about the rest of the paper. We'll worry about that in a minute...

5. Duplicate the color layer and change the blend mode to Screen. (If you want to darken the color, you would set the blend mode to Multiply.)

6. Now to take care of the background because It's quite green. Duplicate your original paper (Ctrl+J) and bring it to the front (top layer).

7. Change the blending mode of this layer to Overlay. Now the background isn't as green as it was!

8. I decided to duplicate the Overlay layer again to see what effects it would have and liked this version better. You can also adjust opacity and other blending modes to see what you like. All done!

9. Here is the same technique (same settings and everything) using the paper with the black background.

Happy recoloring!

Storytelling: Look for a story and you might just find it!

How are you holiday preparations going so far? Things are in full swing here and I'm loving every carol-filled minute of it! I've often heard that scrapbooking holiday pages are very difficult for people. Usually it's the same old, same old year after year.

Well...this year that's all going to change!

OK, maybe not, but maybe you'll think differently about how you want to scrapbook your holidays. This year I want you to be open to a new story. While you are going about the same old, same old, try to look for a story to tell. Look for something different, something unique, something funny?! If you are looking for a story...you just might find one!

Looking back through some of my holiday LOs, I'm surprised at how often unexpected things happen! I hope you'll find some inspiration in some of these LOs.

Like the year we had a Boxing Day Christmas...

Or the Fourth of July when Great Grandpa passed away...

Finally documenting a tradition of Thanksgiving Breakfast...

Or the year we started a tradition of Homemade Christmas PJs...

I love this Easter LO to document what the kids are into and also share a little of my faith...

And the next year's Easter LO...

Maybe use a catch phrase as the inspiration for your page like this Ho Ho Ho LO...

And I still laugh every time I see this poor, poor pitiful tree! (Hey...that would have been a cute title...)

Hope you enjoyed a little holiday tour!

And remember, look for a story as you celebrate, and you just might find it!

A Holiday Trick!

Hi Plum Dumpling fans! Nikki here with a quick tip for making the most of your template collection during the holidays! I love being able to resize templates for my non-12x12 projects, so I thought I'd show you a couple of ways I like to resize in PSE, and a bit of inspiration for resized-template projects.

First, I wanted to turn a 12x12 template into a 4x4 Thanksgiving dinner placecard. I love any project that can be printed cheaply at a 1-hour photo counter! To turn this big template little, I went to Image>Resize>Image Size and changed the dimensions to width 4 and height 4. This kept all the template's layers looking exactly the same, just smaller. (This is also a GREAT trick to make inexpensive 6x6 gift albums... just set the dimensions to 6x6 and make your pages as usual, then arrange four flattened pages on a 12x12 blank canvas to send them off to print!)

I then filled the layers with papers and elements from Pieces of Fall and Indian Summer, and used the Family Gatherings alpha to put a name at the bottom of the placecard. Keep in mind that your layer elements will be much smaller, so you may need to resize your papers as well. I love the "I'm thankful for" wordart/journaling strip, which makes these placecards interactive.... and would also make them a wonderful collection into a tiny mini thankfulness album when Thanksgiving Day is done!

For my second resizing project, I wanted to make a Christmasy card, using only a part of a template. I selected the Crop tool, and set the dimensions on it to 5x7, a standard card size. I clicked on the template and moved the crop box around until the area that I wanted to use was evenly centered in the crop box.

Once I clicked the green checkmark, all the excess of the template disappeared and I was left with a perfect Christmas-photocard-sized template. I used Modern Prairie Girl, Yesterday Today Tomorrow, a button from Black & Blue, and red berry-ish brads from The Open Road to make this merry card front.

I hope these simple tricks will inspire you to stretch your template stash, and help you to create some personalized accessories for the holiday season! Happy scrapping and happy celebrating!

Tutorial: Filling Acrylic Elements

Looking for a way to stretch your scrapping stash and cash? How about filling acrylic pieces to create a completely different look?

This tutorial was from a request from my CT. When they used the grab bag, some of them filled their acrylic pieces with a paper instead of leaving it clear. I thought...what a FUN way to think outside the box. 

Speaking of stretching cash...This example was created using the new alpha available in my grab bag. The grab bag is still on sale at ScrapMatters for only $4.50! hehe...shameless plug!

Let's get started...I've created this tutorial for PSE users. Other programs may have similar features and work arounds.

1. Open your Clearly Oversized Alpha letter (or any other acrylic element).

2. We'll use the Magic Wand Tool. Be sure that the box marked "Continuous" is checked. Click on an area on the outside of the letter.

3. We are going to add the middle of the letter to our selection. While the marching ants are still going around the outside, hold the shift key and click the inside of the "a". When you press the shift key, you should get a little plus sign next to your cursor. This means you are adding to your selection. 

4. Create a new layer under your letter (Layer>New>Layer or Shift+Ctrl+N). Now select the Inverse by choosing Select>Inverse or Shift+Ctrl+I. Then fill the selection with any color. Edit>Fill Selection>Foreground Color

5. Your letter should now look like this.

6. Open a paper and clip it to your filled letter (Layer>Create Clipping Mask or Ctrl+G)

Now you have a perfectly filled letter to add to your LO! Sweet!

Storytelling: Fontaholic

Are you a fontaholic? I love finding and downloading all sorts of fonts in search of the "perfect" one. I've found though that there are certain fonts that I keep going back to for the journaling on my LOs. I find it's nice to have a few go-to fonts so I don't have to stress too much about which one to use.

I try to have a favorite font in each of the following categories: Sans Serif, Serif, Typewriter, and Handwriting. These few styles will go a long way in journaling just about any LO. I'm still on the hunt for my favorite script font...any suggestions?!

Here are some of my favorites...

1. Sans Serif (I have two favorites here)
Century Gothic - no fuss, no muss. Perfect for most any LO! (usually included in software)

Slim Sans Serif - I find this font is perfect for fitting journaling into tight spaces. Available for download here.

2. Serif - I like Georgia (usually included in software). Other nice serif fonts are Times New Roman, Perpetua, or Century Schoolbook.

3. Typewriter - One of my favorites is Traveling Typewriter available here. Other fun typewriter fonts are 1942 Report, Georg and My Own Topher.

4. Handwriting - If you don't have your own handwriting turned into a font, consider it!! I had mine made into a font a few years ago and use it quite often for LOs. I think I'd like to have it redone because the "y" looks a little silly (see below), but it was well worth the investment! I don't love my handwriting, but there is something fun about your own handwriting on a LO!!

If you don't have your own handwriting font, consider one of the many fonts from Fonts for Peas by Kevin and Amanda. You might even find one that is close to your own handwriting! Some of my favorite handwriting fonts are Pea Tara, Highland Perk, SMD CamiJo, and SMD Kimby.

I'd love to hear, what are your go-to fonts?

Storytelling: Revising Your Journaling - the easy way!

Happy Wednesday everyone! I'm here to show you how I sneak some revisions into my journaling. I know that sounds an awful lot like an English assignment, but never fear! We'll take this one word at a time.

One thing I do know is that when I revise my journaling, I almost ALWAYS like it better the second, third, fourth, etc. time around.

1. I start by choosing my pictures and placing them on my LO.

2. The next thing I do is start with the first draft of my writing. I start writing some very basic things about the event. I try to include the 5 Ws: who, what, where, when, why. I DON'T worry about font or any other little details. I usually choose a basic, readable font in a decent point size (here: Century Gothic, 14pt.).

I give the text a home on the page...Have you ever created a super cute LO and then have to work the words in...this way the words are at home and the elements can complement them and not compete with them.

Journaling: Clark was in his first Primary Program at church on Sunday. He was really prepared and even memorized his part. He did such a wonderful job as he got up there to say, "Following Heavenly Father's plan will bring me happiness." We are so proud of him and the fine young boy he is becoming.

3. Now I start adding my papers and trying to get the bones of my LO created. 

4. I keep adding elements and thinking about the story that I'm telling. I usually remember more details as I create my page. I add my shadows. I realize that I have more to say...so I make room!

5. I go back to my journaling and fill in some extra details. I like how the journaling now reflects the cute boy in the main photo and also captures the spirit of the boy in the rest of the photos! He is a funny kid! I decided here to leave the date in as part of the journaling so that it filled the line all the way to the right.

Journaling: Clark was in his first Primary Program at church on Sunday. He was really prepared and even memorized his part. On the way to church, we went over again how he needed to speak slowly and clearly. He said to me, "Mom, everybody wants to hear what I say." I don't think we have to worry about stage fright with this one! He did such a wonderful job as he got up there to say, "Following Heavenly Father's plan will bring me happiness." We gave him a little thumbs up from our seats in the back. He saw us and put his hands up like he just scored a touchdown. He spent the rest of the program picking his nose and squirming in his seat. Just to keep us humble, I suppose! We are so proud of him and the boy he is becoming. 10.16.11

6. I finish up the LO by pulling up the bottom row of pics, adding a title and giving the words a last look over. At the end of creating a LO, I try to remember to proofread for typos. There is nothing that I hate more than having to go back and fix a typo!! Ugh!

Full credits here

And that's it! I try to sneak in a few revisions of my journaling on each LO. I really think that as I go through and revise, the page always improves. Give it a try and see how your journaling improves!

Tip: Organizing Your To-Be-Scrapped Photos

For today's tip I am going to show you how I organize my ever growing folder of to-be-scrapped photos. When I first started digi-scrapping I loved to do the Power Scrapbooking challenge over at Digital Scrapbook Place. You had to create 10 LOs in one week for the challenge. They don't have the challenge anymore (not that I can see anyway), but it really helped me set up my system for organizing those pages to be scrapped.

All of my photos are organized by date on my computer's hard drive. I keep all of my scrapping supplies on an external hard drive. So when I upload photos from my camera, I instantly create a folder or multiple folders in my Photos folder of my external hard drive as well. Each one holds the photos for a page that I'd like to create.

If I have a clever title already in mind, I'll title the folder with that creative title. When I get ready to do a LO, I check this folder for all pages that I need to create. At times, I include a notepad document with some journaling or kit and template ideas or other thoughts on creating the page.

When I create the page, I simply delete the folder...without any worry that I'm deleting the originals...those are stored safely three other places, lol!!

Right now there are 235 folders to be scrapped...yikes! I keep reminding myself that this is the time to make memories...I'll scrap them later when the kids are in school!

If you are interested in Power Scrapbooking, check out this awesome article on The Daily Digi.

How do you organize your to-be-scrapped photos?

Happy Birthday to Me (last month)!

Isn't she lovely? She's  my new best friend! Sorry for the poor quality photo, but you see...I'm taking a picture of the good camera with the bad camera. Hmmmmm... DH suggested that we get this for me for my birthday (last month), and I decided to go with it...no brainer, right?!

It's been so fun to play around with. A few weeks ago, I came across a great deal on this friendly little ebook by Kristen Duke, Say No to Auto. I had read so many great reviews from different bloggers, so I decided to spend a little bit of money on the ebook even before I bought my new camera. I am so glad I did! I love this little ebook. It is formatted so that you can print it on 4x6 pics and then have it spiral bound to keep in your camera bag. The book covers 3 steps for unlocking the manual modes of your camera. So helpful. My favorite part is the handy ISO reference chart. Seriously...makes such a difference. Kristen is such a talented natural light photographer which is really where I'd like to focus my photography efforts with my own kids.

Check out the difference between auto and manual settings! I can't believe it! This is Clark's new Godzilla. Isn't it lovely? If you want details on the Great Godzilla Gala check out this post on my family blog. Hopefully I can help someone else out who has a child who wants a Godzilla party - eek!

So...if you have a DSLR (or are planning to get one), get yourself a copy of Say No to Auto!! You'll love being able to unlock the manual modes on your camera! My kids will thank me in years to come. I'm sure of it.

**NOTE: The above review is my own opinion on the Say No to Auto ebook that I purchased.