Goodness! Where did April go? We are already 1/3 of the way through 2022. I hope you have had a great week!
Have you gotten the Free With Purchase kit for April Spend $10 in the store and get this great kit for free.
Look at these beauties from our designers:
Have you grabbed the April Monthly Mix?
How are your challenges going? Just complete 10 challenges and get this full kit as a reward.
QuickTrick: Improving the Work Flow with Templates
PDF Version: https://bit.ly/3EUJdHB
Hey ladies! I was led to an absolutely amazing resource for “secret” tips on using Photoshop Elements (thank you Kathi, aka granny5pics) and it gave me an idea. The fourth Tuesday of each month, I’m going to show you something I learned from it, complete with screenshots, and I’m calling it QuickTricks. Most of the things I’ll show you will be really streamlined but detailed enough for beginners to get the hang of right away. Today, our topic is an Elements workaround for something easily done in Creative Studio Photoshop versions. I’m still deciding whether I’ll be making it a habit, but I do think it’s Working Smart, Not Hard.
I love using templates as a springboard for creativity. They make a lot of the decision-making less complicated and produce predictable results. And I do find I work quickly when I’m using a template. So you’ll understand when I tell you learning there’s a way to make templates do even more of the work shook me right up! It represents a shift in thinking for me, which is why I’m not sure it’ll be a permanent change for me… but I said that about custom shadows too. So who knows? But enough gabbing. Let’s get to work!
I chose this template from Tinci Designs for this tut because it’s got a few paper shape layers and a couple of photo spots, but not too many. (It’s a freebie from several years ago so I can’t link you up to it. Sorry.)
I work from the background up, just as I would if I was using paper and glue. If that’s not how you work, you’ll see it’s easy enough to adapt the process to your preferred method. The active layer on the template is the very first paper shape layer. Click on the sheet-of-paper icon at the top left corner of the Layers Panel to add a new blank layer above the paper shape.
Now, right-click on the blank layer and choose Create Clipping Mask – yes, with the blank layer! Seems a bit unusual, but trust me. If you’re a keyboard shortcutter like I am, you can click CTRL/CMD>G if you’re using versions 14 and lower, or CTRL/CMD>ALT>G for PSE 15 and more recent.
The blank layer is now indented, and that’s how you know a layer has been Clipped to another layer.
Here’s where the work flow changes. Rather than dragging and dropping a paper onto the canvas then Clipping it to the layer below, we’ll use the File>Place… command. When using this method, it’s not necessary to open all the papers and photos into the Photo Bin. But it does pay to have all the papers, photos and elements in a dedicated-to-that-layout folder.
Elements will go to the last folder you opened anything from; in this example it’s my Perfectly Paired challenge folder. I make a new folder for every layout, adding into it copies of the template, photos, papers and elements I want to use. Everything is in one place. When the layout is finished, I delete all but the layout’s PSD and 2 sizes of JPG to save space. That’s worked well for me and it’s second nature now. Plus, it makes this trick a lot easier to manage that if I had to search through a bunch of folders. Let’s use this gray and white patterned paper from Just So Scrappy‘s Puppy Love for the first paper shape, then click Place.
Like magic, Elements has automatically clipped the paper to the shape; see the paper where there was a blank layer before? It’s so simple!! The paper has a bounding box and crosshairs, as shown in the screenshot. It can be resized, rotated and repositioned however you need it to. Then click the checkmark to Commit the Operation.
Now, this next step is 100% optional. I’m just showing you how to do it in case it might help you with organizing work flow in your mind. Color-coding layers can provide a visual reminder of the task at hand. Right-click on the pertinent layer just under the eyeball icon. That activates the label area and opens this pop-up menu. (Notice what all is in there. We’ll revisit that on another day.) Choose a color you like. Let’s do blue. 
The next couple of screenshots are a review. Activate the paper shape/photo spot layer, add a blank layer above it then clip that blank layer to the paper shape below. File>Place… to add the actual paper.
Choose your paper/photo from your folder and click Place.
Make any adjustments you might want to the paper/photo. Then Commit the Operation.
Optional step: Add a label to the layer. To provide yourself with another reminder of the process, you can also change the name of the blank layer to “PLACE paper here” by double-clicking on the name in the layer box and typing it in.
I labeled the photo layers green to distinguish them from the paper shape layers. You can see I’ve renamed those layers too.
Now, to really make this shortcut work for me, I’m going to Save the template. This step would come BEFORE I’ve Placed anything onto the layout but AFTER each of the clipping layers have been added. File>Save As… (CTRL/CMD>ALT>S)
I changed the template’s name, leaving in the designer info but indicating I’ve set it up for auto-clipping. Then I chose PSD as my format, although you could choose TIFF if that’s your method. And there! You’ve got a template ready for action the next time you want to use it. It takes a few minutes up front to get the clipping layers in there, but I think in the long run it’ll save time later. Thoughts?
It’s been a rough week for us here. One of our dogs had a partial bowel obstruction requiring treatment, antibiotics and hand-feeding to prevent vomiting. That was fun… 🙁 She’s all back to normal now, so it was worth it. Then our disabled adult son developed an infection in his foot and isn’t standing on it. He’s heavy and we don’t have lift equipment; moving him around while not injuring anyone is a challenge. More antibiotics, analgesics and frequent position changes for him have kept me on the go. I’m tired… but not too tired to be excited about National Scrapbooking Day coming up on May 7th!! See you in a week.
PDF Version: https://bit.ly/3EUJdHB
It’s a big week at GingerScraps. It’s time for our Spring Cleaning Retiring Products Sale!!
Check out the Free With Purchase kit for April Spend $10 in the store and get this great kit for free.
Now, let’s see what great new items the designers have for us this week.
How are your challenges going? Just complete 10 challenges and get this full kit as a reward.
April Quote Challenge with CathyK
PDF Version: https://bit.ly/3vkBOym
Yes, we’ve made it to the third Tuesday of April – time for the monthly Challenge Spotlight! Last weekend we had a rare confluence of high holy days with Easter, Ramadan (which is ongoing until May 1) and Passover. I daresay a lot of us were busy!! But even so there are some great examples of individual style in the Quote Challenge Gallery. Each month CathyK provides a quote around which the layouts are to be based. In the past she’s created word art with the quote, and the last couple of months, she’s had some very cool message boards with the quotes on them. If the quote isn’t actually used in the layout, the scrapper must explain how it inspired her. Let’s take a look… [narrator’s note: Each layout is linked to the Gallery; click on the scrapper’s user name and you’ll be whisked off to the layout so you can indicate your admiration.]
This layout from poki04 is stunning! She used the quote as a border around that amazing long-exposure photo of the night sky. The use of muted cool colours creates a beautiful, monochromatic layout.
I like how at first glance this layout of dragonstarr‘s looks quite abstract, with so many repeating shapes. then, once you read the text border, you see beyond the obvious.
khoskins‘ layout just POPS! She’s got starry skies everywhere. I love her use of complimentary colours, blue and orange. Eye-catching for sure!
What does one do when one hasn’t any photos to match the quote’s theme? Go photoless and let the quote do all the heavy lifting, as Got2Scrap did!
NHSoxGirl really ran with the rainbow theme! We lived in Montréal for 3 years, but it was before the Biosphere was constructed. My daughter has visited it with our grandchildren, who loved it. Here it’s showcased by both the rainbow and the elements arranged around it. Cleverly, the dark navy band of paper hints at its location on Ile-Ste-Hélène.
Look at how nimble4u has used some symbols in place of words in the quote. It’s pretty clear from the photos they’re looking for rainbows.
It’s not often one is able to see both ends of a rainbow, and gmae even points that out in her journaling! She’s created a journal card with the quote to support the theme.
Look at all that white space! 01lousmith has highlighted her whimsical photo so perfectly, and the use of the paint swatch as a journaling tag is genius.
DianeInOz has taken the rain angle and run with it. She kept the embellishment to a minimum, which is a good idea when the background paper is boldly patterned as this one is.
Is there anything more joyful than a child jumping in puddles? Windswept has captured that joy in so many ways. Her nod to the quote is the sticker she created. 
And finally, this masterpiece by hichchei… it’s so moody and just a little spooky. The stars are there, but not obviously so, which works beautifully with her vision and with how she’s used the quote.
Don’t forget to let the ladies know you like their layouts! See you next Tuesday.
PDF Version: https://bit.ly/3vkBOym
Happy Friday everyone! I hope you have all had a wonderful week.
Have you seen the Free With Purchase kit for April? Spend $10 in the store and get this great kit for free.
Now, let’s see what great new items the designers have for us this week.
Who is ready for the $1.00 Bake Sale!? Here are the $1.00 deals we have for you this month:
Have you started your challenges yet? Just complete 10 challenges and get this full kit as a reward.
Making Your Own Messy Edges
PDF Version: https://bit.ly/3uGCI7Z
I had a request from Lorri: “Would you consider a tutorial on making custom paper edges? I’ve thought about how I can do this after viewing the rather simple edges using masks against background papers. But as I look at some more recent edges and the increased complexities, it seems that masking alone is not the technique to use (at least alone).” She provided some examples from the fabulous Connie Prince so I’d know what she was talking about. My response? Of COURSE we can do that!! So here we go…
[Before we start, there are lots of screenshots for this, but they’re not all steps in the process. I want these tutorials to be achievable by everyone; visual and verbal instructions along with repetition help the majority of learners, and that’s why there’s always a review. I don’t assume anyone reading my tutorials is an expert at using Elements, so if you ARE an expert, I know you’ll be gracious. 😉 The other thing I want to mention is that any text you see bold and in colour will contain a hyperlink to the source of whatever I’m showing.]
Okay. Let’s roll! This technique uses Brushes. or digital stamps. I have a huge collection of brushes from various sources, but I know lots of people don’t so I’ll show you a dozen free sets I’ve curated for you. They’re all from Brusheezy.com and I’ve linked them all for you so if you see something you like, go grab it! First is this set of funky corner brushes.
Corners make the process simpler so here’s another group of swirly ones.
These corners are a bit more classic.
How do you feel about art deco?
Enough corners! Here are some brush strokes.
These grungy brushes might not be specifically suited for edges, but boy, they can add some amazing texture to a layout!
Same for these heavy grungy paints.
When I saw this set I was hooked! One-stop cursive and crackles? YEAH!
I wasn’t sure about these crosshatch scatter brushes, but once I used them, I’m in love.
Splatters are also high on my list of well-loved tools.
And these paint stroke brushes look very promising for messy edging.
If the whole thought of DIY edges is too overwhelming, try these pre-fab edges. You can add some solid colour layer masks or Clip some patterned papers to them to customize them to the kit you’re working with.
Start off with a blank canvas in your favourite layout size. I like 12×12, so that’s what I’ll show. Open some of the elements you’re planning to use for your layout to give you colour-matching capacity.
Review time: To pull a colour from a photo or element, grab your Eye Dropper Tool and zoom in on your colour source. Decide what colour you want for the brush layer and click on the image. See the crosshairs?
Review time #2: Loading Brushes is easy, but if you’ve never done it, it might be a bit intimidating. You’ll need to know where your brushes are kept on your system though. Click on the Brush Tool, then in the Brush Picker, click on the icon that looks like a stack of lines at the upper right corner of the menu. Then click on Load Brushes…
I’m going to go off on a tangent here for a second and tell you what I do with my .abr files. After I’ve extracted the zip file, I rename the .abr file to make it easier to recognize later. A lot of times, Brusheezy files don’t need this step. I’ll use something like Grungy Paint, and if there’s a specific number of brushes in a set, I’ll put that number in the name. Then I Copy the .abr file to the folder Elements uses to hold all the loaded brushes. On a Windows system that’s This PC>OS (C:)>Program Files>Adobe>Photoshop Elements (version)>Presets>Brushes. (It’s not as complicated as it sounds.) Then the brushes are ready to Load. BUT…!!! You don’t have to do any of that. If you’ve got a brush (set) in a designer folder, you can Load right from there. Find the brush set you want to Load and click it.
I like to start my messy edges with a corner brush. That takes a lot of guesswork out of positioning. But each of us will have our own ideas about what we like and how we like it, so I’m only offering guidance here. If you’re not a corner-lover, feel free to skip ahead. This whole process is one of experimenting. Try something. If you don’t like it, Undo [CTRL/CMD>Z] it and try something else.
A word about brushes: Many of them are created with a maximum size of 2500 pixels. If you’re a 12×12 girl like me, they’ll need to be resized after use, so keep that in mind. In the case of corner brushes and 12×12 [3600 pixels x 3600 pixels] canvases, going full-size isn’t going to work. Reminder: putting your brushes on their own layers gives you power!
The next couple of steps are for those who want to have corner brushes in all four corners. Rather than try to wing it and hope for the best, using the brush and adjusting Angle and whatever, just Duplicate the brush layer you’ve already made. Right-click on the layer then choose Duplicate Layer>OK. Or use the keyboard shortcut CTRL/CMD>J.
To create a mirror image of the corner, grab the middle handle on the side of the Bounding Box closest to the edge of the paper and drag it horizontally across itself. That’ll flip it. Use the Tool Options to get the size exactly right by typing -100% in the W: box as shown. Or simply go to the Tool Options and type in the -100% in the W: box and not bother with the dragging.
After you’ve nudged the second corner into its spot, click>SHIFT>click on the two layers. Right-click and choose Merge Layers or CTRL/CMD>E.
Now Duplicate the corners layer again by repeating the steps above.
Only this time grab the middle handle of the top of the Bounding Box and pull vertically. Key in the -100% in the H: box and nudge the second pair of corners into place.
Merge the two layers together for a single layer with all four corners in there. CTRL/CMD>E
This is the brush set I used to create the corners for my messy edges.
I know I’m a broken record. I won’t deny it! If you DON’T put your brushes on their own layer, you can’t make any adjustments to size or orientation without affecting whatever else is on that layer too.
I chose a new colour a bit darker gold that for my corners, and another brush to add to my canvas… on its own layer. This time I’m not going to Duplicate because I want it to look more casual. The corners are my anchors. If you hover your brush over the canvas, you’ll see a preview of what you’ll end up with once you commit. If it doesn’t look the way you want it, you can click on the Brush Settings bar and make adjustments, like the Angle as shown.
I’m more or less happy with this, although I think some of the stars extend out too far into the layout. I’ll just Erase some. All four of these star brushes are on one layer, with the corners layer not currently Visible.
For reference purposes.
Now I want to use a paint smear brush. At default settings it’s pretty wide, and that might be too much for my border. So I clicked the Brush Settings bar and this time I adjusted the Roundness of the brush. (Yes, I realize the brush isn’t “round”; I’m making it skinnier.)
Here are four examples of the same brush but with different amounts of “roundness”.
Remember when I mentioned the maximum size of the brush? Well, this paint smear has a max size of 2500 pixels. I’ve used four different brushes from the same set, with their widths adjusted, all on a single layer. Now I can resize the whole layer to fill the canvas edge to edge.
Here’s how the three brush layers look all together. I’m not sure it’s finished, but it’s coming along.
Hmm. Better. But still not there.
I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE this set of brushes! And I think this is just what the doctor ordered.
The messy edge is done! I could use it exactly as-is and it would be great. For those who like a little more oomph, let’s see how adding some Layer Styles looks. I added a green fine Glitter Style to the crosshatch layer. The colour is a little different, but I like it.
To give the dusty rose paint smears a bit of weight and texture I added a Bevel Style. The Simple Sharp Outside Pillow Emboss Bevel makes it look like dried latex paint. But too clumpy.
The Bevel default Size is 21 pixels. By double-clicking on the fx on the layer, I can adjust that. I want just a suggestion of texture here, so I pulled the slider over to 2 pixels and left the Direction Up.
The star scatter got the Chrome Style treatment. It adds some Bevel, some sheen and some colour. The gold is really close to the colour I chose from the flower, so I’m happy.
Here’s a tight shot of the layers with their Styles.
My finished messy edge looks like this. Easy-peasy and so much fun!
Will you try this one? Don’t forget to share your finished work in the Tutorial Tuesday Gallery!!
PDF Version: https://bit.ly/3uGCI7Z
Happy Friday everyone! I hope you have all had a wonderful week.
Have you seen the Free With Purchase kit for April? Spend $10 in the store and get this great kit for free.
Now, let’s see what great new items the designers have for us this week.
Have you started your challenges yet? Just complete 10 challenges and get this full kit as a reward.
Importing a Tear
PDF Version : https://bit.ly/38jCIlt
I’ve been eagerly waiting for an opportunity to share this little trick with you but certain aspects had to fall into place. And now they have. This technique is so easy and rewarding that I think you’ll use it right away…
Have you ever wanted to add a paper tear to your layout but felt overwhelmed by all the steps to get there? Then this one is for you. There’s a way to import a paper tear from a template into a layout-in-progress that only takes a few easy steps and very little time. However, you must have a template with a paper tear on its own layer, or a commercial-use paper tear template. They have their own limitations, and may not give you the look you’re after. So try this.
I started out with this template from Tinci Designs’ Second Chances V.2 collection. I resized all of the layers (except the background paper) to allow for adding a tear.
I was waiting to find a template like this one from CarolW Designs’ Spring Dawn. That tear is moveable!! But how can I move it onto Krizstina’s template?
There are a couple of steps that need doing first. But to start, I found the tear layer in Carol’s template, right-clicked on the layer and chose Duplicate Layer from the dropdown menu.
Now Elements needs to know where to put it. The new menu shows all the files currently open in the Photo Box, and offers the option of creating a New Document. That’s what I’m going to do.
This step is completely optional. I chose to give my new document file a name, Paper Tear Mask, for clarity.
And this is what happens.
But look at that Bounding Box! I was thrilled to see there’s more to the tear that can be used just by Resizing it.
Now to make it useful and not work too hard while I’m at it. I added a new blank layer underneath the tear layer. Just hold down the CTRL/CMD key and click the sheet-of-paper icon at the upper left of the Layers Panel.
Next, I used the Paint Bucket Tool to fill the whole of the blank layer I just created. Pick any colour you like (but not white) for this step.
To turn the coloured part into a Layer Mask so papers can be Clipped to it, I used a hard, round brush within the Eraser Tool to remove the coloured part above the tear. This can be done quickly because as long as I don’t cross over the tear into the lower part of the coloured area, I can just scrub it away.
And that’s it for creating the tear mask! To move it over onto Krizstina’s template, I’m going to Activate both layers by click-shift-clicking on each of them, then right-click to open the dropdown menu to Duplicate Layers…
This time, I’m going to send them onto the Tinci template.
‘MKay. there are the tear and the mask, placed on top of the background paper and underneath the rest of the layers.
I don’t like the tear up there, just to be a non-conformist. So I’ll move it.
And all that’s left is to add the papers. I’ve used North Meets South Studios’ March Daily Download kit, When Life Gives Lemons. (It’s not available in the store yet, but if you weren’t able to collect all of the files last month, don’t worry. It’ll be in the store soon.) I want the woodgrain paper to be my background and the yellow gingham to be a tablecloth, sort of – maybe one of those vinyl ones with the fuzzy background and now it’s torn 😉 . By Clipping the woodgrain paper to the coloured part I added to the tear, that’s what I get. Cool, right?
Now, if you’d like to do this technique again sometime, you can Save your work As a .psd or .tiff file and reuse it again and again. By having all that coloured area, you can pretty much put the tear anywhere!
This is my finished layout, photos courtesy of Pixabay.
Last week I forgot to mention that Ginger-the-Magnificent has created a special Gallery where layouts you’ve created with these tutorials can be shared. You asked, she answered!! I’ll be swinging by every so often to check it out and leave some love.
PDF Version : https://bit.ly/38jCIlt
It’s Miss Fish!
Oops! I meant to share my conversation with Juli, aka Miss Fish, with you over the weekend but I fell down a genealogical rabbit hole and spent the weekend reading barely legible military service records looking for proof of a hitherto-unknown marriage in 1915. ( I was successful!) Of course, that opened up a bunch more avenues for research. It’s like a snowball rolling downhill. But I digress again. Let’s get to know Juli. (Since we have the same initials, for clarity I’ll be “O” today.”)
O: Thanks for chatting with me, Juli. Let’s get the mundane stuff out of the way first. Can you describe your work space?
J: I have several workstations. I have a laptop that I move around. I have a desk area in the bookcase of our family room where I spend most of my time designing while my husband watches TV. That way we can talk. I also have a hook-up in my home office and when I have to travel for my full-time job I work from the hotel at night with an extra portable monitor to make it easier.
O: Holy cow! How many hats do you wear?? Don’t answer that. It’ll make me feel really lazy. What motivates you when you’re designing?
J: I am inspired by designs that I would use myself to document our travels. I’m also inspired by ideas I get from my Creative Team and my customers.
O: Admirable! I love to scrap my travel photos… I’m sure the Sugar Cookies are very sick of Ireland by now. What one word would people who know you well use to describe you?
J: Kind. I am a people pleaser and I always try to make everyone feel well taken care of and loved.
O: Hmm. I bet your Enneagram is 9. And what a segué into asking you what you’d do if you won the lottery.
J: Is it bad that I already have this planned out? I would quit my full-time job and travel full time between houses all across the globe. I would spend my days exploring and taking photos and my night making travel albums. That would be heaven!!
O: Is it bad? NO! Especially when you’d do something so life-changing with the money. In a perfect world, I’d do something similar. Okay, time for the really stupid question of the convo… Are you more likely to sing, or to dance in the shower? (I have a HUGE shower in my bathroom, big enough to have a party in, so this question comes from that.)
J: Sing and badly. I’d probably slip and kill myself if I tried to dance in the shower.
O: I understand! But nobody can hear me dancing. The neighbours would complain if I sang. Now, if time travel was a thing, would you go back into the past, or ahead into the future?
J: I would want to go back to the early 1900’s just to experience life as it was so I had a better understanding of the history that created America and the cities I’ve visited.
O: I’d be happy if I could make more than one stop. I’d tell my younger self a few things that would change the future. But I’d love to go back to maybe 1930 and visit my Swedish great-grandmother, about whom I know only basic facts. She would be around the age I am now, and would have so many stories to tell. But let’s move on. What colours are your most, and least, favourites?
J: My most favorite color is blue. I always want to buy blue shirts when I’m shopping for casual wear. My least favorite color is orange. I only like certain shades more in the coral range.
O: I’m with you on the orange! I don’t love it at all. Yellow is a close second. You can bet if there are flowers of either colour in my garden, somebody else planted them. Are you a sports fan?
J: I love to watch American football and I often listen to games while I’m designing.
O: I’m glad you clarified without me asking if you meant FOOTBALL or FUTBALL. I don’t enjoy soccer at all. What did you want to be when you grew up?
J: When I was small I wanted to be a teacher. Probably so I could tell everyone what to do. I liked being the boss (still do!)
O: I can relate. One of the things I really loved about nursing was the opportunity to explain what was happening with my patients to their parents. It’s the only way they can make good choices for their kids. The boss part was what drew me to critical care, where nurses have a lot of autonomy. And there I go again, back to you. Aside from necessities, what’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
J: My cell phone! I use it non-stop to communicate with my kids, work, my husband plus it’s the best way to check in with my fans and my Creative Team while I’m at work.
O: Uh. Necessity!! I know you’re busy with all the jobs you have so I won’t keep you any longer. Thanks for the visit!
Ladies, Juli has put her entire store on sale at 30% off, from April 3rd to the 30th! If there’s a template set (or 6) in her store that you’ve been eyeing up, now’s the time. In addition to this sale, she’s also providing the Daily Download this month and hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge. You don’t want to miss a minute!
See you all again soon! (Tomorrow. I have a nifty trick for y’all!!)
Hold onto your spring hats my fellow scrappers, it’s a big day at GingerScraps. When the first of the month falls on a Friday, it’s always a big deal. But when it’s on April 1st, it’s even better.
REMEMBER THIS SALE WILL END ON APRIL 2 AT 11:59PM EASTERN TIME!
Make sure your checkout is complete prior to the close of the sale, as soon as the clock strikes midnight the sale prices will disappear.
Now, let’s look at the April Buffet. Don’t forget to check out the Buffet Bundles. One easy click to add bundles of Buffet goodies to your cart.
These colors are so pretty as you can see from the themes in the kits below. The designers did a great job with these.
Remember any $10 spent in the store gets you this great collab. I love to read so I’m going to have to make sure I get this one.
What a perfect kit for those Easter pictures. It’s a {farmhouse easter} for the Monthly Mix.
Now to the April Sneak Peek. This month’s Daily Download is from Miss Fish Templates (but it’s more than templates).
Take a look at the new challenge reward kit. If you complete any 10 challenges this month, you get this gorgeous collab as a reward!
Did you make it through all of that! Have a great April 1st!!
