Lucky In Love Challenge

Digital Scrapbook Memories is having a fun challenge running from February 14 - March 17. It's the Lucky in Love challenge, and all the individual challenges have something to do with luck or love. Isn't that fun how the challenge runs from Valentine's Day to St. Patrick's Day? I know I'm posting this a few days after the challenge started, but no worries if you want to join in the fun...you still have plenty of time to participate. I have yet to start any pages yet, but I'm hoping to find some time to get busy scrapping!

Go here for more information: Lucky In Love

Me

I found this awesome piece of typography on vi.sualize.us. The artworks is originally from blog.wired.com. They have a bunch of different examples on that website, but I liked the colors on this one the best.


So I used it as inspiration for this:

What do you think? I love inspiration!!

Credits:
Background paper from Bren Taylor-Boone
Font: Micahels

Replacing a Color Tutorial

Okay, here's the scoop on replacing one color on a paper...works with embellishments as well. I chose to change the yellow star to purple stars on the cute kraft paper from the Teen Kit, Family Ties CD, Digital Scrapbook Memories. This is what the paper looked like originally:

Now, go to Image>Adjustments>Replace Color. I use Photoshop CS2, so this step may or may not be slight different for you. Okay, that goes for all the steps. You will get the pop-up window below (next picture).

Click on the top patch of color that says color next to it. This will pop-up the color picker window. You can click on whatever color on your paper you want to change when this window is open. I selected the yellow.

Now click on the bottom patch of colored labeled Result. This time choose whatever color you want the first color to be replaced with. (This is where you can put in the hexadecimal color number that CJoy2Day was referring to in a previous post) Now, adjust the fuzziness of the black and white picture. You can view the image, but I prefer to view the selection. You can choose the one you like better, these options are listed under the black and white pic in the pop-up window.

You can see in the above picture the results of the replace color. Notice that in my pop-up window, you can see more than just the rows of yellow stars. This is because my fuzziness is higher, and the color change affected the green and orange stars as well. If I lowered the fuzziness, like the example below, I could make the color change only effect the yellow stars. Notice in the black and white preview, you can only see the four lines of stars now.

However, if you zoom in close to the now purple stars, you can see some yellow around the edges (see below). It's not totally perfect because there is some yellow in other areas of paper, so it's all preference at this point of how much color change you want.

Please ask questions if you have any. I hope this is all understandable. Happy color changing!!

On the Trail

Journaling:
A few weeks ago, Katie and I went to Ogden to have lunch with Julie, who was there for work. While driving in downtown Ogden, we noticed some horses that were very reminiscent of the buffalo that were all around SLC during the 2002 Olympics. On my next day off, we decided to head up to Ogden again and take some pictures with all the painted horses. It was a lot of fun walking down 25th South and seeing up close an area of Ogden we had never explored before.

Credits:
Rusty Star, circle stitches, and spray of stars: Redy Dye #3 from Digi Chick
Maroon paper (clipped to title): Oil paint papers - nite from Peppermint Creative
Brown paper: Rainbow Joy from Peppermint Creative
Background paper: Urban Color by Michelle Coleman
Twine: Heritage Kit, Family Ties CD from DSM
Fonts: vicmodcu and You Are Loved

Go Team

I made this page for the Soccer Event for DSM's Digi Olympics.

Journaling:
This was Megan's first year playing soccer. She watched Jeff play for two years and couldn't wait for her turn to get out on the field to play. It is so fun to watch her out there on the field. She gets really into running as fast as she can, and sometimes she runs right past the girls kicking the ball the other direction. It's the cutest thing.

Credits:
Everything is from DSM's Oh Boy CD.
Font: Will

Goal

I made this layout for the Triathlon Event in DSM's Digi Olympics.

Journaling:
Jeff has really taken to soccer. He has become an excellent player. He loves to be on the defense and is usually found blocking the opponent's goal. He is no longer timid and gets right in the middle of the action. It's so fun to waatch how much he has improved since his first year of soccer. Way to go Jeff!!

Credits:
Everything is from the Oh Boy! CD, Good Sport kit.
Font: Will

Sidewalk Chalk Artists 2

This is the second half to the layout below. I made this page for the Archery Challenge for the DSM Digi Olympics. Credits are the same as the other half of the page.

Sidewalk Chalk Artists

I made this page for the cycling event of the DSM Olympics.

Journaling:
Megan and Jeff have always loved sidewalk chalk. This year Kristi bougnt some chalk that came with cool chalk holders. Jeff drew an awesome diesel truck and even wrote “trucking” on the side of the truck all by himself. Megan can write her full name without any help, and she wrote it many times around the driveway.

Credits:
Background paper: DSM Family Ties CD, Teen kit
Circle papers and grunge overlay: DSM Beginner's Series, Flower Patch kit
Fonts: Freebooters and FFF Tusj

Homemade Rootbeer

I made this page for the Tennis Challenge in the DSM Digi Olympics.


Journaling:
Making rootbeer is one of our favorite traditions. Every 4th of July we have a big barbeque and always include homemade rootbeer. Everyone loves it so much that we have to make tw0 five gallon jugs and we ran out this year 2008.

Credits:
Background paper: DSM Family Ties CD, Teen Kit

Fonts: KlinkOMite and Lesli Curve

Sisters

I did this page for a challenge on the DSM forums. The title style was a feature in the Digital Scrapbooking Magazine, which was the basis of the challenge.

Credits:
Background paper: Lilypad, Barely There Kit
Maroon photo mat: Weeds and Wildflowers, Swirling Leaves Kit
Font: Respects

DSM Torch Relay has begun!

Digital Scrapbook Memories Torch Relay

Follow these three simple rules for a chance to win one of THIRTY Digital Scrapbook Memories CDs we will be giving away in August.

1. Post the torch graphic shown above on your blog or website. If you don’t have a blog or website, you could also post it in your Facebook, MySpace, or Flickr pages.
   
2. Reply to this DSM thread with a link to the webpage where you have placed the graphic.
   
3. In the same reply (to the DSM thread) include your location city and state, or city and country. We want to keep track of the torch and see how far we can pass it around the world.

On August 8th this relay will officially end. At that time we will draw thirty participants’ names and announce them as our winners. We will collect the winners mailing addresses at that time and send them their CDs. When you complete the three requirements listed above, your name will automatically be placed in the drawing.

More Chances to Win…

Our Digital Scrapbook Contest celebrating the Olympic Games will start immediately after this torch relay ends. Participants of this contest will create layouts using Digital Scrapbook Memories CDs. Order your CDs now so that you are ready. You will have a chance to win all sorts of prizes including Adobe Photoshop CS3 (valued at $649)! We’ll post the official rules on or before Friday. Click here to read the rules.

Digital Scrapbook Memories Olympic Games

This was posted today on the Digital Scrapbook Memories Forum. It sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun, so I thought I would spread the word. Go to this thread to get more information as it is posted. Hope a bunch of people join in!



In August, Digital Scrapbook Memories will be starting a fun multi-part contest. There will be all sorts of prizes but so far the best prize will be the full version of Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Windows. It's worth $649! Wahoooo!

The theme of the contest will center around the Olympics. To kick things off we will have a torch relay starting next Tuesday. You don't have to be part of the relay to be able to participate in the Olympic Contest but I hope you will! There will be plenty of prizes during the torch relay to encourage you to participate.

I'm excited to give you more details! Check back on Tuesday (July 8th).

Independence Day Parade

Journaling:
This is the usual group that gets together to watch the parade every year. This year we had a couple extras. Leslie and Sarah came to visit me this year, because I had told them all about the 4th of July festivities in Vernal.

Credits:
Blue background and arrows: DSM, Playground CD, Riley's Sandbox Kit
Stars and Notebook Alpha: DSM, Family Ties CD, Teen Kit

Silly Roommates

These pictures are the only pictures Katie and I took of each other while we were roommates.

Journaling reads: Katie and I were roommates during the winter, so we were both wearing our beanies all the time. I always did crazy things with mine when we were in our apartment. Katie always made fun of me, but I got her into the fun eventually. We decided we better document the silly things we did with our beanies. I'm glad we did because these were the only pics we took while we were roommates.

Credits:
Everything is from the Family Ties CD, Teen Kit by Digital Scrapbook Memories.
Font: Space Woozies

4 Wheeling Fun

I finished finals yesterday. I haven't had a lot of time to scrapbook, so I have set a goal for myself. I want to make one scrapbook page everyday for the week and a half before I start school for the summer semester. I am going home for three days this weekend, so I probably won't make any pages those days, but expect to see a new page every other day until the 11th. Here's the first page from my "scrap-a-thon".

Journaling reads: This year, Kristi got a 4-wheeler, and Jenny and John got two 4 wheelers. They brought them to Grizzly Ridge for the Liechty reunion. We had a lot of fun riding around on all the trails.

Credits:
Template: Jen Caputo, Collection 23
Papers: Julia Makotinsky, Happy
Fonts: Elizabeth Skinny and Iron Man
Actions: Atomic Cupcake's pristine chipboard action used for the title.

There Ain't No Megs On Me

I made this page on April 5th, but I'm just now getting around to posting it. Katie took these pictures and called that she got to make the first scrapbook pages from these pictures. A few months later, she told me that I could make a page because she didn't know when she would get around to it. It took me a couple of months to finally make the page, but I finally did.

Journaling Reads: Megan laughed as I swung her around on my leg saying, “I have a Megan on my leg!!” When dad saw this he started singing. “There ain't no Megs on me”.

Around the edge: There ain't no Megs on me. Oh, there ain't no Megs on me. There may be Megs on some of your legs, but their ain't no Megs on me.

Credits:
Template: Jen Caputo, Collection 16
Paper: Bren Taylor Boone, Summer Afternoon
Block letters: Robin Carlton, Blox Alpha Brushes
Fonts: Monotype Corsiva, Micahels, Pero CE, Kingthings Wrote, and AppleScruffs,

Photoshop Actions

Cassie told me about some free actions I could download at Pioneer Woman's photography blog. They are all very cool, and I have enjoyed looking at the rest of her blog as well. I wanted to share the link with you (actions here), and to show you one of the pictures I have used her actions on.

Here's the before picture:
Here's the after picture:

The actions I used: Vintage, Lovely and Ethereal, Slight Lighten, and Edge Burn.

I am having so much fun playing with these actions. You definitely need to head over to Pioneer Womans blog and check out more examples, and of course, download these actions for yourself.
(FYI, these are only for the full version of Photoshop, but she says she's working on Element's friendly actions).

Recipe Box

I’m going to try to keep these instructions a little shorter than the last. To learn how to do the clipping masks/group with previous, see the instructions for the matchbook below (steps 2-3). There are just a couple tips I want to share with you for this project.

The products I used are all from the Digital Scrapbook Memories' Beginner Series CD, Flower Patch.

Download the template here.

Dimensions (check the dimensions of your box before using this template):

top/bottom: 7 5/8” x 3 3/8”

front/back main: 7 5/8” x 2 13/16”

sides main: 3 7/16” x 2 13/16”

front/back lid: 7 5/8” x 1 5/16”

sides lid: 3 7/16” x 1 5/16”

To make the paper along the front and one side to look like it is continuous (cut from the same piece of paper), follow these instructions.

1. Drag one piece of the stripped paper over to your template. Position centered on the page and over the section you want.
2. Now copy that layer by dragging the layer to the new layer button (small piece of paper in the corner of your layers palette – look at image 2 below).
3. Create a clipping mask using one of the papers over the front/back main and create a clipping mask using the other paper over the side of the recipe box.

See the pictures below for visuals on this.

*Notice the stars show that the two paper layers are respectively placed right above the front main and the right main layers.

*Notice on image two that the paper layers now have a small arrow pointing at the layer below. This shows that it is clipped/grouped to the layer below. The red arrow shows the new layer button.

I used just any recipe box you can find. It does not have to be a plain recipe box. I painted the edges with a coordinating toll paint. For the papers/design I used, magenta toll paint worked perfectly! Also, I got my recipe boxes from Michaels, so you may want to check there if you are looking for a recipe box.

Feel free to ask questions. I will try to answer as soon as I can.

Matchbook Album

Template: Download outside here and inside here.

Dimensions: 8.5”x 4”

Folds (measured from top): 3/4”, 4 1/4”, and 4 3/8”

*Note*The bottom 1/4” of the outside will be tucked behind the flap, so be aware that this area will not be visible when the matchbook is closed.

I’m going to explain how to make the matchbook album using the items I used (all from Digital Scrapbook Memories' Moods CD, Dreamy Kit). Of course, you can always try different and new things. Make sure you leave a comment with a link to your new designs here, because I would love to see the different ways you guys make these albums.

Outside of Matchbook

1. Open the outside template. The black lines along the side show the places to fold the matchbook. The red lines are the cut marks for the longs sides of the matchbook.

2. Drag the “floral orange” paper over one of the blocks, make sure the paper layer is the layer just above the block layer, and create a clipping mask.

Full Version: Right click on the paper’s layer and click on “create a clipping mask”.

Elements: Make sure the paper layer is highlighted. Go to layer>group with previous.

3. Move the paper around until it is where you want it. Now right click on the paper layer and click “merge down”.

4. Next drag over the scallop template (on the Moods CD, but not in the Dreamy kit). Position the scallops at the bottom of the block.

5. Crop the “WhiteBlue” paper to a small square of just the dots at the bottom. Move it over the scallops and create a clipping mask (group with previous).

6. Drag over three different flowers and three different buttons. Adjust the size of these to fit in one corner of the front (bottom section below the fold lowest fold line).

7. Drag over the tags to spell Mom and adjust them to your liking by rotating them.

8. For the string on the buttons, pull over the tag string. Rotate the string to align between the button holes. Use the circular marquee tool and drag a selection area between the two button holes. Go to Select>Inverse and hit delete (make sure the string layer is highlighted before deleting).

9. Save as a JPEG

Inside of Matchbook

1. Open the inside template. This template actually has two layers for each side. One layer is the size of the actual matchbook, to make sure that the text and paper are in the position you would like to appear on the back. The other layer is larger; this is to ensure that both sides are totally covered with print when you print this out.

2. To start, hide the layers called “paper large left” and “paper large right”. To hide these layers, click on the small eyeball on the left side of each of those layers on the layers palette.

3. Drag the paper “yellowFloral” onto the layout. Create a clipping mask (group with previous) over the layer “inside left/right”.

4. Adjust the paper to the position you want, but DO NOT merge these layers.

5. Type your text into the text box. This text should be upside down so that is oriented correctly when it is printed. The upside down text will be right side up when you open the matchbook.

6. Now, right click on the paper layer.

Full version: click “release clipping mask”

Elements: click on “undo group with previous”

7. Unhide the large paper layers (click in the box where the eye previously was).

8. Move the paper layer just above the large paper layer and make a new clipping mask (group with previous).

9. Save as JPEG.

You are now ready to print these out. Make sure you orient them both with the words inside or outside at the top of the page. Score the matchbook along the black lines before cutting off the white areas. After scoring and cutting off the white, fold along the score lines. Print some pictures about 3.5” x 3.5” and staple into the matchbook with one staple on the flap (see picture at top of post).

Please ask questions if you have any. I know it’s a lot of info, and many of you may be able to do the entire thing without the instructions, but I wanted to make sure that everyone would be able to complete this project. Again, please ask any and all questions you may have.

Swing

April of Digital Scrapbook Memories asked me to make a few layouts from the Beginner Series CDs. This layout and the two following it (Swing, Little Moments, and 1st Day of School) are the layouts I created. I was a scrapbooking machine last week. I made 8 layouts in 7 days. That should make up a little for the slump I was in for over a month.

Journaling Reads:
Megan had so much fun on the swings at my
apartment. Everytime she comes to visit, she wants to go play at the playground or swim in the pool. If she is lucky, she gets to do BOTH!!

Credits: All Digital Scrapbook Memories products from the Beginner's Series, The Garden CD.

Little Moments

Credits: All Digital Scrapbook Memories products from the Beginner's Series, Flower Patch CD.

1st Day of School 2007

Journaling reads:
Jeff started Kindergarten this year, and Megan started Pre-school. So far, they are both enjoying their new school experiences. It’s amazing how quicly they are growing up!

Credits: All Digital Scrapbook Memories products from the Beginner Series, Back To School CD.

Soccer 2007

Digital Scrapbook Memories has a new CD coming out in a few weeks. It's called Oh Boy! The CD is designed especially for boys. I was honored enough to get the CD early and was asked to make a few layouts to showcase some of the items in the kits. This layout and the 4 following it are the layouts I created (Soccer 2007, Stinky 6 year-old, Built Kid Tough, Big Boy Toys, and Playing Dirty). You can see a sample of each of the kits and more layouts here.

Credits: All Digital Scrapbook Memories products from the new CD, Oh Boy!

Stinky 6 year-old

Journaling Reads:
One cold day in December, Jeff came into the family room wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants, and the following conversation ensued...
Aly: Those sweats look comfy and warm.
Jeff: Yeah, they make me sweat and stink and that’s the best part.
Aly: They make you stink? You like to stink?
Jeff: Yeah!! Boys are supposed to stink.
...later that day...
Aly: Something stinks! Who stinks?
Jeff: (with a huge grin on his face): Me!! I stink!! I’m like the dinosaurs cause they’re stinct.

Credits: All Digital Scrapbook Memories products from the new CD, Oh Boy!

Built Kid Tough

Journaling reads:
Jeff and Megan went to Lowe’s on Saturday, December 16th to learn how to build pine wood derby cars. Lowe’s gave them little aprons and eye goggles. They could not wait to wear their new gear while helping Papa with some of his work on the house.

Credits: All Digital Scrapbook Memories products from the new CD, Oh Boy!

Big Boy Toys

Journaling Reads:
Jeff loves all things that have to do with trucks; especially big trucks. Since he was able to talk, he has learned the names of different trucks and heavy machines, and he will correct you if you call one by the wrong name. You can imagine how delighted he was to come home one day to find a front-end loader and a dump truck making their way down the street. They were collecting yard trash for the annual yard clean-up day. He stood outside watching every thing. When they got to Papa’s house, the man driving the front-end-loader offered to let him ride in the cab. He was so excited and had a great time watching the loader pick up all the tree branches and other trash. What a great experience for a four year old boy!!

Credits: All Digital Scrapbook Memories products from the new CD, Oh Boy!

Playing Dirty

Journaling reads:
Jeff came to see Grandma and Papa right when they got home from a camping trip. Jenny said she would wash his face and hands and 5 minutes later he would be this dirty again, but He sure had fun playing in the dirt.

Credits: All Digital Scrapbook Memories products from the new CD, Oh Boy!

Lots of new pages!!

I just added 12 pages that are either new, or I just had not uploaded yet. Anyway, you may have to click the 'older posts' link at the very bottom to see them all. (and for Katie) KaBang, KaBang!

Christmas Eve 2006

Journaling reads:
Every year the whole family meets for Family Home Evening on Christmas Eve. It's been a Rasmussen tradition since my mom was a little girl. Weread the Christmas story from the Bibleand a whoever wantsto can preform a talent. This year we even got Ryan, Scott , and Eric to do their Jingle Bells routine. It was so funny to see them do the kicks again.

Credits:
Quick page by Michelle Coleman. I changed a few things around and made a second page from the one quick page.
Font: Ace Bingham and Bodie MF Holly

Wide Mouth Frog

I made this page in November, and I am just now putting it on my blog. The Wide Mouth Frog story is one of the things I remember from my childhood, and now that my dad has grandkids, he has a whole new audience. I had to scrapbook this story so that I can remember it forever.


Journaling reads:
Story: The wide mouth frog had her first babies and was unsure what to feed them. She decided to hop around the zoo and ask the other animals what they feed there babies. The giraffe tells her she feeds her babies leaves, the seal tells her she feeds her babies fish, and the bird tells her she feeds her babies worms. To each of these, the wide mouth frog says, "oh is that so?" speaking with her mouth wide open. She finally gets to the crocodile and says, "Hi, my name is wide mouth frog. What do you feed your babies?" The crocodile says, "I feed my babies wide mouth frogs." The frog replies with her mouth open very small, "oh is that so?"
Journaling block: My dad learned the story of the Wide Mouth Frog when he was in college. He has been telling it ever since. It's hard to explain the story; you really have to watch my dad tell it. He really gets into the actions of the frog talking with his wide mouth.

Credits:
Papers: Back To School CD - Digital Scrapbook Memories (DSM)
Tag Alpha (frog): Zoe's Merry-Go-Round, Playground CD - DSM
Scallop circle template: The Garden CD - DSM
Stiching: Riley's Sandbox, Playground CD - DSM
Buttons: Primary Buttons by Jessica Bolton
Stamp Alpha (wide): Hand Stamped Brushes by Michelle Coleman
Chipboard Letters (mouth): Black Currant Cameo font - made into chipboard with Atomic Cupcake Action.
Font: Cat Krap!