November 17, 2023: Fresh Baked

Happy Friday. Hard to believe we’re already at the middle of November. We’re starting to see some holiday kits sneak into the store.

Remember if you spend $10 in the store, you will get this great collab for free.

We’ve got some really beautiful new kits in the store this week.

Have you grabbed the November Monthly Mix. You still have some time to get it at the feature price.

How are your challenges going? You’ll get this great kit when you complete and post any 10 challenges. 

Tutorial Tuesday (Potpourri)

Two Minute Warning! Holidays Ahead!!

PDF Version : https://bit.ly/49DmZsQ

Hey y’all! Life’s about to get VERY hectic for a lot of you, am I right?? In the United States, Thanksgiving marks the run-up to Chanukah (it starts at sundown on December 7 this year), Christmas, Kwanzaa and then the New Year. Diwali was this past Sunday; I’m sorry I missed you! (But I did get to see the fireworks!) Thanksgiving’s only 9 days away, and if the TV news is to be believed, a LOT of Americans will be traveling – they’re saying record numbers! – so that means TONS of photos will be taken. I know most of you won’t be even thinking about scrapping layouts for the next few weeks, and that you’ll be making a bunch of new memories at the same time. But hear me out. Your memory-keeping can be made easier if you do some planning ahead of time. I’ve covered a lot of these handy tips before but an updated refresher is never a bad idea.

  1. Find your camera’s battery charger NOW and make sure you use it! If your camera uses disposable batteries, stock up NOW. I keep a basket filled with several sizes of battery so I have them handy when I need them. (Like Sunday at 5 am when the battery in the smoke detector in my bedroom announced it was quitting and moving to Arizona. Fun times!)
  2. Check that you have a fresh SD card in your camera and that it has a decent amount of memory available. If you’re into phonetography, you might want to trim your in-phone collection by saving them to your computer or the Cloud, then deleting them from your internal storage. I have a handy little PhotoStick where I’ve backed up my phone’s gallery. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you also have unlimited Cloud storage as part of your membership perks.
  3. Think about how your typical holiday events usually evolve. There will be some traditions that are carried out no matter whose house you’re having the celebrations at, so plan ahead to capture those moments. Make a list, if you need to. I’d need to!
  4. If you haven’t done it lately, review the manual that came with your camera. Review the settings and modes you’re most likely to use for your shots and remind yourself what each is doing while you’re shooting. I use the metadata from my most successful bokeh and full moon shots to set my camera up ahead of time so I don’t miss the shot.
  5. Refamiliarize yourself with your tripod, if you use one. I have two – an aluminum ball-head one that allows infinite adjustments but takes a lot of room and needs to be set up ahead of time and a Platypod Max, which looks like a little travel iron but is actually a very clever and sturdy tripod that can be set up in minutes on any surface. Why use a tripod? It lets you take longer exposures while keeping the images tack-sharp and it lets you be in the photo! Use the built-in timer and get in FRONT of the lens for a change. You’ll like the results much better than those you get with a selfie-stick.
  6. Practice a few creative techniques that you can memorize so that when you’re ready to take photos of the candles on your dinner table or that gloriously brown turkey, you won’t have to fumble. Practice, practice, practice! The best thing about digital photography is that we don’t have to keep the duds!
  7. Do you go all out with a gorgeous table-scape for your guests? I’ve never done it, but I love seeing what others do. (Okay, so I HAVE done a couple of table-scapes in the home decorating game app on my phone. But not a REAL one.) If you’re hosting and have your table all set well in advance (like the experts recommend for sanity’s sake 😉 ) take a few minutes to look at it with your photographer’s eye. Take a shot of a single place setting. Try and get the whole table in a shot, easiest if you shoot from one end. Take a closeup of your crystal.
  8. Don’t forget to get some shots of the dinner prep. Be stealthy and get some candids of the main cook, or if that’s you, get some of your helpers. Look for interesting camera angles of your turkey, ham or standing rib roast. Ask someone to be the carver and get some action shots. And look for smiling faces as the meal commences. When taking photos of food, get in close and vary the angles. Show the flaky texture of that piecrust, the glisten of the done-to-perfection skin on your turkey, the creaminess of your mashed potatoes, the detail of the frosting on your cupcakes.
  9. Composition is key for any photo. Remember the rule of thirds, but don’t be a slave to it. Decide what your focal point will be and compose your photo to make it so – use leading lines where possible and don’t forget white space. Crop your photos in the viewfinder – so much less work later! And don’t forget the background. Is there anything growing out of someone’s head? Take a step to one side or the other and recompose.
  10. Get in close to your subject! Even more so when that subject is a child. Get down on their level whenever possible so you capture their best smiles. Shooting from above should be reserved for those special-effect shots, not photos of kids having fun. For the most natural photos of people though, you can use a telephoto lens and shoot them from some distance. (As long as the light is right!)
  11. Don’t insist on smiles. You know what I mean… those cheesy grins aren’t going to be your favourite images. Rather than having everybody say “cheese” for your group shots, have them say “family” or “money” or “gotcha”. You could go with a made-up phrase, such as “moldy mozzarella”. Another trick is to tell everyone you’re going to shoot on “3”, then count, “1… 2… (shoot) WHOOPS 3!” then shoot a second shot right after that. You’ll get some natural smiles that way.
  12. We’ve all got a folder full of group photos where everybody is stiffly lined up and fake-smiling at the camera. So how can we take better group shots? Having the subjects doing something together is a good start. If you have snow in your area, have the group build a snowman, or have a snowball fight. Or play football in the snow. Beach ball volleyball (in sand or snow) would make some entertaining shots. But if you just have to have a posed group shot, give some thought to who goes where. If you can arrange the people so that their faces form little triangles, you’ll have a nicer image. Have them turn their shoulders toward each other or the centre of the photo so they can get a bit closer together. Make sure you’ve chosen a landscape setting so everybody will be in focus. Think about trying not to cut people’s legs off. If you can, shoot everybody down front from the waist up. Your subjects will thank you.
  13. If you’re celebrating Chanukah, there are lots of great ways to take photos of your menorrah. A series, with each night’s new candle lighting, would make a lovely layout. Look at the angles. On the last night, when all the candles are burning, an angled shot from one end with each flame visible would be incredible. Some of my favourite photos of my grandsons are of them lighting a candle, with the soft glow of the flame on their cheeks and wonder in their eyes. (Their mom takes amazing photos.)
  14. When shooting your tree, look for a different approach than the typical 8-feet-away-so-the-whole-tree-and-gifts-are-in-the-shot. Maybe take some close-ups of your favourite ornaments. Use a portrait mode to soften the background and make the ornament totally the focal point. Get down on the floor and shoot up toward the topper, or shoot down through the branches and make the presents the subject. Turn off all the room lights and shoot the tree with just the tree lights. Experiment with shutter speed and aperture to create some lovely bokeh effects. Add a human or a pet to the frame. Or take a photo of the lights reflected in a window. (If you don’t want your reflection in your photo, stand at an angle to the window and look carefully at what’s in the viewfinder.) Or take a photo of the tree THROUGH the window! Turn off your flash though, so you don’t spoil the shot.
  15. What about gifts? Well, there’re lots of opportunities around gift opening. Get down on the floor with the kids. Try to capture the moment when they identify what’s in the package. If it’s your thing, you can take some of them channeling Vanna White, holding up a favourite gift. If there’s a very special gift being given, arrange for it to be delivered when you have a moment to frame your image. I really wish I had a photo of myself when I opened a gift from my sister quite a few years ago. It was a resin frame with dragonflies on it, but what made it truly special was that it held a photo of me with my grandfather, who died when I wasn’t yet 4 years old. If you know in advance, you can be ready to catch the emotion.
  16. After the dust settles, you can relax, but don’t forget there might still be some great photos yet to happen. Like when a child falls asleep in the middle of a game, or the dog takes off with a long piece of ribbon… they could be the best shots you get all day. But don’t concentrate so hard on getting good photos that you don’t have fun! At a family reunion, my niece made a point of taking a selfie with every single one of us, and they were all fantastic. If you have mad selfie skills, give it a whirl. You might surprise yourself!

I would be remiss if I ignored those for whom the holidays are NOT the thing of loving memories and happiness. If that’s you, think about what DOES give you joy and take photos of that. Many of the above tips apply equally to photos of more ordinary events; sometimes getting out of our own heads and letting distraction help with that can be really therapeutic. Remember, if it’s something you feel, it’s perfectly okay to document it, even if it’s painful. Reality bites a lot of us, and the holidays can be really awful. Just know that I see you.

On that note. I’m going to land. Next week is Challenge Spotlight Tuesday, which is perfect timing… something that won’t require any effort from my readers. 😉

November 10, 2023: Fresh Baked

Hey Everyone. Welcome to another Friday. We have a lot of great goodies in the shop this week.

Remember if you spend $10 in the store, you will get this great collab for free.

Let’s see what is new in the store this week.

How are your challenges going? Complete any 10 challenges to get this kit as a reward.

 

Tutorial Tuesday (Potpourri)

Yes! You Can Add a QR Code to Tour Layouts!

PDF Version : https://bit.ly/3MKBAsF

And omigosh, you won’t believe how easy it is!! Last month the Journaling Challenge had two options for topics: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Or tell us about the last time you cried. I chose the latter and created my layout, as shown below.

I ugly-cried when, while watching a country music awards show with my son, I heard Toby Keith sing Don’t Let the Old Man In, looking gaunt and pale from his battle with stomach cancer. I lost a close friend 5 years ago to the same cruel disease and I found myself sobbing. I used the lyrics as my journaling but never even thought to include a QR code linked to the video of his performance until much later. Let me tell you how I did it.

First, I did some Googling to find the safest, most reliable, completely free converter out there. The one I chose to use is found here. (Click on “here”.) Or type in the URL from the screenshot below. Look at all the options for file source you can use for your code! And it’s completely customizable.

I’m linking to a YouTube video, so I clicked the YouTube icon and Copy-Pasted the URL (Universal Resource Locator, or web address) into the source bar. For this step you need two tabs open, one with your source and one with the QR code generator website. Highlight the URL on your computer screen by click-dragging your cursor over it. Right-click and choose Copy, or CTRL/CMD>C. Then go to the QR generator and put your cursor in the source box. Right-click and choose Paste, or CTRL/CMD>V. Last, click on the green bar to Generate QR Code.

Your QR code appears instantly as shown. Before you go any further, get your phone and test the code to make sure it works. Most phones these days don’t need a separate QR code scanner app, just the camera. Try mine!

There are so many options for customizing your code. I don’t want to add a logo, but the instructions are very straight-forward if you choose to add one. I DO want to make the colour fit into my layout better, so I’ll show you how I did that. Click Set Colors.

I had my layout’s PSD file open in Elements so I used the Eye Dropper Color Picker to choose a russet-brown shade from one of the flowers. Keep the Color Picker dialog box open, you’ll need it! I tried to Copy the hex code for the colour – the one with the # symbol in front of it in the blue box – into the code generator but it wouldn’t let me do it.

So I tried typing the numbers shown in the R, G and B boxes on the Color Picker into the R, G and B boxes on the code generator. It worked. Here’s a closer look at the Color Picker so you can see what I mean.

The colour of the QR code changed automatically. I verified that the hex code matches with the Elements Color Picker. It does!

I could use the code as is, but decided to add a border.

I changed the default colour to one from my layout in the same way. There’s even an option to change the text inside the border, and the font too. To save it so I can add it to my layout, I chose to go with a PNG file so it would have a transparent background.

Here it is, added to my layout next to the lyrics. I’ve tested it in its location and at this size, as shown on my computer screen and it works perfectly! I may have to do this again (a few times) for other layouts.

Does this look like something you’ll try? It can add so much context to our layouts that just won’t fit into a journal box. And it’s easy-peasy-free!

November 3, 2023: Fresh Baked

Happy Friday! We’ve had a first cold snap of the year here. We went from 85° F to 55° F in less than 24 hours. It was a bit of a shock. And we had our first freeze this morning. But no worries, it will be back warmer again in no time. That’s how our weather goes here. 

Remember if you spend $10 in the store, you will get this great collab for free.

Let’s see what is new in the store this week.

Have you gottten started on your challenges? Complete any 10 challenges and get this great kit as a reward.

 

GingerScraps: New FREE with Purchase Collab, New Monthly Mix, New Guest Designer & More!!

It is the 1st of the month and you know what that means; a huge, exciting newsletter! We have a New Buffet, New Monthly Mix, New Free With Purchase Collab, New Challenge Reward, New Guest Designer, & a New Daily Download on the GingerScraps Blog.

Let’s start out with the November Buffet. Don’t forget to check out the Buffet Bundles. One easy click to add bundles of Buffet goodies to your cart.

The November colors are perfect for those late fall pictures. And with the buffet kits, you can mix and match to get the perfect kit for you.

Remember any $10 spent in the store gets you this great collab.

“Golden Days” by the GingerBread Ladies is a captivating digital scrapbooking kit that embodies the enchanting hues of autumn. With a harmonious blend of tan, pink, and orange, this kit captures the essence of fall, reminiscent of breathtaking autumn sunsets and the warm glow of pumpkins. Each element is meticulously designed to infuse your scrapbook layouts with the magic of the season. Transform your memories into timeless treasures with this vibrant and elegant collection, and let your creativity shine as you craft beautiful pages that celebrate the beauty of “Golden Days.”

This Free With Purchase was created by Miss Fish Templates, Neia Scraps, Scrapbookcrazy Creations by Robyn, and WM[squared] Designs.

This collab includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase & Numbers}, 54 Papers, and 91 Elements.

November Monthly Mix

“Harvest Hayrides” by the GingerBread Ladies is a charming digital scrapbooking kit that captures the essence of autumn on the farm. With its vibrant palette of bright colors, this collection brings the fall season to life, featuring delightful elements such as barns, tractors, and farm-inspired motifs. Whether you’re reminiscing about hayrides through golden fields or capturing the rustic beauty of the farm, this kit provides the perfect backdrop. You will enjoy creating layouts with this playful and heartwarming collection, celebrating the joy of harvest time and the rustic charm of the countryside.

This Monthly Mix was created by Aprilisa Designs, Adrienne Skelton, Jumpstart Designs, Kristmess, Lisa Rosa Designs, and J. Conlon and Sons.

This collab includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 73 Papers, and 107 Elements.

Now to the Novembrer Daily Download Sneak Peek. This month’s Daily Download is from Scrapbookcrazy Creations by Robyn! Make sure you are checking the blog every day to get all the pieces of this kit!

We have a new guest designer for November.

Connection Keeping

BIO:

Hi GingerScraps Community, thank you so much for having me here. My name is Kelly and I design under the name Connection Keeping, because that is what scrapbooking has been for our family. We have four kids – an elementary school-aged kid, a middle schooler, a high schooler and a freshman in college. I’ve been digital scrapbooking since 2015 and I make family yearbooks every year that are a mix of pocket scrapbooking and traditional scrapbooking. On any given week, one of my kids can be seen with one of the yearbooks on their lap looking through it. It gives them the ability to remember the fun times, the family activities, their accomplishments and to see how far they have come. My latest obsession is adding QR codes to our book. I have been a stay-at-home mom for the past 18 years, but once upon a time I was an engineer and then a middle school math teacher. I love learning new things and drawing so when I discovered digital scrapbook designing in 2020 I was hooked. I truly hope that you enjoy the designs and I look forward to seeing the beautiful layouts and art and memories you create with them.

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!

“One Fall Day” by the GingerBread Ladies is the ultimate digital scrapbooking kit that captures the essence of autumn’s charm. This carefully crafted collection features a vibrant array of rich, earthy tones, complemented by cozy textures and adorable fall-themed elements. Whether you’re preserving precious memories of pumpkin patches, cozy sweaters, or crisp autumn walks, this kit provides the perfect backdrop. With a seamless blend of rustic elegance and modern design, “One Fall Day” makes your digital scrapbook pages come alive, bringing warmth and nostalgia to your fall memories. Dive into the beauty of the season and transform your photos into timeless keepsakes with this delightful digital scrapbooking kit.

This Challenge Reward was created by Dear Friends Designs, JB Studio, Just So Scrappy, ScrapChat Designs, and Sweet Pea Designs.

This collab includes: 2 Alphas {1 Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation AND 1 Uppercase, Numbers}, 59 Papers, 84 Elements, and 4 12×12 Template {png, psd, tif file formats}.

Here is a few layouts from our amazing store CT using the Buffet kits.

 

Tutorial Tuesday: Pre-empted

Happy Hallowe’en everybody! Jan’s taking the day off today and will be back next Tuesday with some fresh, new content. She hopes…

October 27, 2023: Fresh Baked

Happy Friday friends. It’s hard to believe we’re at the end of another month. The Christmas holidays are slowly (or not so slowly) creeping in on us. 

Remember if you spend $10 in the store, you get this great collab for free.

Let’s see what the designers have for us this week.

Have you picked up the October Monthly Mix? Only a few days left to get it at the sale price.

How are your challenges going? Complete any 10 challenges to get this kit as a reward.

Have you had time to check out the feature Digital Scrapper class for October? This time we are featuring a Template Mini Class called Easy As Pie. 

In this class by Jenifer Juris, you’ll be blown away by the beauty of it all.

Exclusive Sale for GingerScraps Customers

Save 35% through Tuesday, October 31, 2023, Midnight EDT. Regularly $30.

 

Check out this tip from Jenifer for using your new pie templates.

Pie Template Photo Tip:

  • Place one photo over half of the sections.
  • Doing this allows you to really make the photo the star of the template. And you can decorate the other half of the shape with coordinating papers.

And, here’s the page Jenifer created with her tip:

I hope to see you in class!

Tutorial Tuesday (Photoshop Elements)

Quick Trick – Hiding Multiple Layers

PDF Version : https://bit.ly/40foM33

Have you ever been working with a template and found yourself struggling with placement of elements because there are SO MANY LAYERS in the way and you wish they would just disappear? This happens to me a lot when I’m trying to adjust photos for size. I don’t want the clipping mat to be visible, but sometimes one or more edges is invisible because they’re underneath a cluster or another photo spot. If this sounds like you, read on! I JUST learned this trick and I can’t believe it took me this long!! I’m using a template from Miss Fish‘s Just the Basics (retired) collection. Look at all those layers…

I want to isolate the layer this bow is on. I right-clicked on the eyeball (visibility icon) and this menu appeared. So I chose Show/Hide all other layers.

And POOF! All the other layers are sleeping. It’s magic. It has to be! But this is one situation where Undo [CTRL/CMD>Z] won’t work. To turn on visibility for all the sleeping layers, just reverse the process… Right-click>Show/Hide all other layers. Of course, you know there HAS to be a keyboard shortcut, right? For the Work Smart Not Hard crowd, it’s just ALT/OPT>eyeball.

How’s that for QUICK??

It looks like autumn is here to stay. Yesterday I was doing yard work in shorts and a t-shirt, this morning we woke up to snow on the mountains (none at our altitude… yet) and the mercury is struggling to stay at 6°C (43°F). There are still lots of leaves on the trees, even though we had gale-force winds yesterday, but winter is definitely on its way. What’s it like where you are?

October 20, 2023: Fresh Baked

Happy Friday! The weekend is almost here, and our excitement knows no bounds! Fridays are not just the gateway to the weekend; they’re your ticket to discovering the latest treasures our designers have crafted just for you. Get ready to unwrap a world of creativity and inspiration. Let’s dive into the delightful offerings awaiting your artistic touch!

Remember if you spend $10 in the store, you get this great collab for free.

Let’s see the great things the designers have for us this week.

Have you gotten a good start on your challenges? We are more then half way through the month, make sure you get them all wrapped up before the month is over. Complete any 10 challenges to get this great reward.

Have you had time to check out the feature Digital Scrapper class for October? This time we are featuring a Template Mini Class called Easy As Pie. 

In this class by Jenifer Juris, you’ll be blown away by the beauty of it all.

Exclusive Sale for GingerScraps Customers

Save 35% through Tuesday, October 31, 2023, Midnight EDT. Regularly $30.

 

Check out this tip from Jenifer for using your new pie templates.

Pie Template Photo Tip:

  • Place one photo over half of the sections.
  • Doing this allows you to really make the photo the star of the template. And you can decorate the other half of the shape with coordinating papers.

And, here’s the page Jenifer created with her tip:

I hope to see you in class!