GingerBread Ladies

GingerScraps Fresh Baked Friday – May 23, 2025

May 23, 2025 by Stephanie MH Leave a Comment

Good morning scrapping friends. We hope you have had a great week. If you are in the US, do you have plans for the holiday weekend? Many people use this time to spend time with family and take a lot of family photos.

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

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

Don’t forget to work on the challenges. If you complete any 10 challenges this month, you get this gorgeous collab (or a variety of other choices from previous challenge collabs) as a reward!

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies Tagged With: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies

Tutorial Tuesday (Individual Style)

May 20, 2025 by Jan 2 Comments

Challenge Spotlight: Wild About Styles

Well, so far May has been… a lot. My son has been ill, needing a lot of attention, and I’m mentally exhausted. He went back to his day program today, and I was awake half the night worrying that it might be too soon. So far, so good – no calls from the coordinator. Fingers crossed.

At the beginning of the month, glee asked me if I could help her figure out how to use Wetfish Designs‘ Wild About Styles Challenge Styles, and I said I would. Then everything unravelled. Yesterday when I finally started to play with them, it dawned on me that I should let YOU be the tutors, and I’d offer some commentary. Brilliant, right? Why would I reinvent the wheel? So let’s have a look at how YOU’ve used them!

As always, the layouts to follow are linked to their spots in the Gallery so you can get a closer look, and maybe leave some praise. Just click on the Scrapper‘s user name and you’ll be transported. But before we get rolling, I should take a minute to discuss the Styles themselves. As you can see, some of them are heavily textured. They’re gorgeous as is, but aren’t scale-able – meaning the Style itself can’t be Resized. If you want the texture, but not the size, you’ll need to apply the Style to a paper or a solid Filled layer, Simplify the layer, THEN Resize. The Styles, when applied to objects, will not allow the contours of that object to be visible. They’re “flat”. This can be overcome by decreasing the Opacity of the Styled layer until the contours are revealed. And the third thing I want to mention is that what you see is what you get – solid, off-white texture. If you apply a Style from the set to a coloured paper, for example, the colour will be completely concealed. There are a couple of ways to colour the Styled layer. One is to drop a coloured (or patterned) paper on top of the Styled layer then decrease the Opacity of the paper layer until the texture appears. The second is to drop a coloured paper on top of the Styled layer then change the Blend Mode. Overlay works beautifully, but some of the others are also quite stunning. Color Burn, for example, gives a very sculpted look. So if you’re not seeing the look you want, don’t be afraid to experiment!

This is how the designer demonstrated her Styles.

Next up is this layout from VariaMoon. She chose the horizontal plank woodgrain Style, then added some paint splash and paw print Brushes to it, picking out the brick colour from her large photo.

For her layout, dhariana used a bunch! The vertical woodgrain is her base, and she’s used masks to add the floral and flourish-y textures to her background.

Here, lm44west took a similar approach. She’s added a semi-transparent lily overlay behind her photo.

01lousmith kept it simple; she used the vertical woodgrain coloured to look almost like pressure-treated lumber, and threw some paint at it. Very effective!

KatherineWoodin has recoloured the chrysanthemum Style yellow, likely by layering a solid yellow paper over the Style layer and using Overlay, to pick up her theme’s colour palette.

The chrysanthemum Style seems to be quite popular, used again here by greenfiend27. She created bilateral borders by layering lace over the Style but under her photo, all layers shadowed perfectly. The result is so pretty.

Pippin went with the flourish-y choice, creating a textured mat behind her framed photo. The original ivory colour of the Style works well with the elements she added.

FormbyGirl has a very subtle touch, using at least two Styles, blending them into the background. The result if soft and lovely.

Jill used the chrysanthemum Style and put it behind some very expertly shadowed cutouts. She also used the flourish-y Style to add dimension to her background.

The vertical woodgrain Style seems to be quite popular too; stater used it for her background with a dark blue paper blended into it, likely with the Multiply mode.

It looks like glee went ahead without me. 😀 She too went with the chrysanthemum, adding a blended deeply coloured paper border. Then she Clipped the flourish-y Style to her title. It took me quite some time to figure that darker border out.

5grand has created a sampler, with at least eight different Styles represented. She Clipped papers to some, left others as is and presented us with a visual feast!

For her layout, imafishtank kept it simple and just Clipped the flourish-y Style to her title. It gives the illusion of colour but I zoomed WAYYYY in, and it’s not!

RobynC is our last presenter. She used two of the Styles, one on her background and the other on her title.

Have you been inspired? I have!

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Challenge Spotlight, Creative Style, Digital Scrapbooking, Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, GingerBread Ladies, Tutorials Tagged With: Tutorial Tuesday

GingerScraps Fresh Baked Friday – May 16, 2025

May 16, 2025 by Stephanie MH Leave a Comment

Happy Friday Scrappers! Are you ready for the weekend? Do you have scrapping plans?

•Don’t forget to grab the May Monthly Mix – {a woman’s purse} created by our GingerBread Ladies.

•The Bake Sale is also going until the 20th. Look for a sneak peek of those kits below.

•Make sure to check out the Challenge area of the forum. You received a great collab as a reward with 10 completed challenges.

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

Let’s take a peek at some of the new items in the store this week.

Make sure to visit the Bake Sale for great deals until the 20th.

Are you getting your challenges done? If you complete any 10 challenges this month, you get this gorgeous collab (or a variety of other choices from previous challenge collabs) as a reward!

Filed Under: bake sale, Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies Tagged With: bake sale, Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies

GingerScraps Fresh Baked Friday – May 9, 2025

May 9, 2025 by Stephanie MH Leave a Comment

Happy Friday! Were you able to enjoy the sales and games during iNSD? We’d love for you to share layout made with your goodies in the Gallery.

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

Let’s see what our designers have new this week.

How are your challenges going? If you complete any 10 challenges this month, you get this gorgeous collab (or a variety of other choices from previous challenge collabs) as a reward!

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies Tagged With: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies

May 2 2025: Fresh Baked and iNSD Sales, Fun and Games

May 2, 2025 by Stephanie MH Leave a Comment

Goodness y’all. It’s iNSD time again. Are you excited? You know we always do it big here at GingerScraps. I hope you are ready for a week of sales, fun and games, and more!

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

Are you ready to see what our designers have for this great celebration?

Have you started your challenges? If you complete any 10 challenges this month, you get this gorgeous collab (or a variety of other choices from previous challenge collabs) as a reward!

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies, sales Tagged With: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies, sales

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

May 1, 2025 by Stephanie MH Leave a Comment

Hello scrapping friends — happy May!
We’re kicking off the month with all the fresh goodies you love at GingerScraps:
*A brand new Free With Purchase collab
*A gorgeous new Monthly Mix
*A colorful new Buffet
…and so much more!

PLUS — the excitement is building…
Our iNSD celebration starts TOMORROW, and we’ve got a little sneak peek to get you ready for the fun!

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

These colors are really pretty this month and the designers have come up with some wonderful kits for us.

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

Shine bright and let your creativity bloom with Be The Sunshine by The GingerBread Ladies! Featuring a vibrant palette of Kelly green, cobalt blue, mustard yellow, and salmon, this collab brings the best of spring and summer to your pages. Think colorful umbrellas, warm sunshine, chirping birds, and fields of fresh flowers — everything you need to celebrate the simple joys of the seasons. Perfect for scrapping nature walks, sunny picnics, or just your everyday happy moments!

This collab includes: 3 Alphas {Lowercase}, 52 Papers, and 89 Elements.

This Free With Purchase was created by Angelle Designs, JB Studio, Miss Fish Templates, and Scrappin’ Serenity.

Life is busy, beautiful, and full of little stories — and A Woman’s Purse by The GingerBread Ladies is here to help you capture it all! Chic, stylish, a little nostalgic and full of personality, with a soft, palette of pinks, sage green, tan, peach, and classic black & white, this collab mixes a touch of retro charm with modern flair. Packed with fun everyday essentials like sunglasses, makeup, keys, flowers, and more, it’s perfect for documenting everything from daily adventures and shopping trips to friendships, milestones, and moments on the go. Wherever life takes you, this kit is ready to help you scrap it beautifully!

This kit includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 77 Papers, and 103 Elements.

This Monthly Mix was created by Aprilisa Designs, CathyK Designs, Just So Scrappy, Kristmess, and Neia Scraps.

May’s Daily Download is provided by Heather Z Scraps, collect new pieces daily on the GingerScraps Blog.

Take a look at the new challenge reward kit. If you complete any 10 challenges this month, you get this gorgeous collab (or a variety of other choices from previous challenge collabs) as a reward!

Get ready for a season of pure fun with Silly Summer Adventures by The GingerBread Ladies! Bursting with bright pinks, blues, greens, and yellows, this playful collab captures everything you love about summertime: bike rides, belly laughs, sunshine, popsicles, juicy watermelon, sweet pineapples, beach balls, and sandy toes in your favorite sandals. Whether you’re scrapping beach days, poolside parties, or carefree afternoons, this kit is packed with cheerful vibes to bring your sunny memories to life!

This kit includes: 7 Alphas {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 65 Papers, 92 Elements, and 2 12×12 Template {png, psd, tif file formats}.

This Challenge Reward was created by J. Conlon and Sons, Jumpstart Designs, Lisa Rosa Designs, Twin Mom Scraps, and WM[squared] Designs.

Make sure to come back to the forum and store tomorrow for the beginning of a week of fun for iNSD.

Filed Under: Buffet, Digital Scrapbooking, GingerBread Ladies

Tutorial Tuesday (Photoshop Elements)

April 29, 2025 by Jan Leave a Comment

Remember that Pattern Brush?

[Link to PDF goes here when Ginger has time to convert}

A few weeks ago I showed you how to use the Pattern Brush Guided Edit to create your own scatters. And I might have mentioned I’d do another quick tutorial on adding Styles to them for an even more interesting look. Today’s the day! To make it easier for me (you… us) to see what I’m doing, I’ve dropped a piece of neutral solid paper on my workspace. There will be lots of review in this one, so you shouldn’t have to hunt down the original tut.

Click on the Guided button on the gray bar at the top of the workspace, then click on Fun Edits, then choose Pattern Brush.

Now to choose a Pattern. I went with the hearts in the upper left corner of the menu. We’ll use another one later.

Make sure the Action is set to Paint. (If we were making randomly patterned paper we could use the Fill Action.) Set the Size to about 125 pixels, which is halfway on the slider. This particular Brush changes the size and angle of each grouping. In playing with this Edit, I discovered the best way to have the Brush go where I want it, the Scatter setting must be as close to zero as possible. Otherwise there’s a REAL randomness and a lot of overlap. Keep Opacity at 100%. When you use the Paint setting, you’ll see a “ghost” outline of the Brush close to the actual size of the image it’ll create.

When you have a cluster you like, click the Continue Editing button then the In Expert button, then go down to the bottom of the screen and click Done.

Elements has created a Layer Mask with your scatter on it, plus another layer with a Layer Mask that seems to have no role in the task at hand. Feel free to bin it.

On to the fun part! Elements usually has more than one way to access a feature or a command; for Styles, you can click on the Window tab at the top of the workspace then click Styles. OR you can go to the bottom of the Layers Panel and click on the dedicated Styles button. You can see which way I do it. 😀 There’s a dropdown Styles menu attached to the button at the top of the Layers Panel once you’ve activated the Styles, so click it and start looking for the ones you want to try. I went with the GingerBread Ladies’ Indian Summer glitter gloss.

I tried all the reds and pinks, settling on this one. It’s nice, but still a little bleh. So I’m going to tweak the settings.

But before I can do that, I’ll need to Apply the Layer Mask to get to the adjustments.

There it is! Double-click on the fx there on the right edge of the layer.

These are the default settings for the Style I used. Any or all of them can be adjusted, with what’s happening visible on the screen in real time.

I changed the Lighting Angle to 120° (make sure this setting matches the rest of your layout!), added a little Drop Shadow close to the hearts and decreased the Bevel. The difference is subtle, but now the hearts look rounded, shiny and have good dimension. The littlest, outline-only hearts look like they’re glittery.

Next I played with the Star Brush. It only varies the size of the cluster, so all the stars will be in the same orientation. [There’s a way to change the angles, but it’s a multi-step process involving a lot of Cutting and Pasting, and we’re not going there.] If you’re wanting to keep your scatter on the smaller scale, you can stamp your larger “ghost” Brush on another part of your canvas like I have here.

Then I used the Pattern Eraser Tool to make the bigger starts go away. 😉

Katy, the designer Just So Scrappy/Ooh La LaScraps usually creates an array of Styles for her collections. Aimee Harrison always has matching Glitters; LDrag Designs, Wetfish Designs, Karen Schulz and Cindy Ritter too may have some Styles you like. The one I used is Just So Scrappy Lucky Me acrylic gel. Defaults as shown.

I want a bit more of a defined shine to them, so I’ll Apply the Layer Mask.

Once again I changed the Lighting Angle to 120°, added a Drop Shadow, decreased the Opacity of the Inner Glow and dropped the Bevel by 2/3. Now the stars look like they’ve been molded out of acrylic.

You can have a lot of fun experimenting with this Edit and with your Styles. Now, go get ready for [inter]National Scrapbooking Day… it’s coming up fast! Who knows, there might be some Styles up for grabs!

P.S. Thank you all for being so patient with the PDF versions… Ginger‘s been run off her feet with the server change and all the issues that cropped up for that, but she promises to get the conversions done as soon as she can.

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Creative Style, Digital Scrapbooking, GingerBread Ladies, Tutorials Tagged With: Tutorial Tuesday

Fresh Baked Friday @ GingerScraps – April 25

April 25, 2025 by Stephanie MH Leave a Comment

Hello Scrappers! I hope you had a beautiful week!

We’ve just added a fresh batch of digital scrapbooking goodies from your favorite designers at GingerScraps! Whether you’re documenting springtime adventures, everyday little moments, milestone memories, or something completely your own—there’s something new waiting just for you. These releases are designed to inspire and spark your creativity.

Have you had a chance to check out our brand new forum and gallery yet? It is AMAZING—and we’re so excited about the fresh new look and improved experience. We’ve got a few more enhancements coming soon too, so stay tuned!

Heads up! Starting May 1st, our new Gallery Rules go into effect. Please take a moment to read through [this thread] for all the details and updates.

And don’t forget—you only have a few more days to finish up your April Challenges! We can’t wait to see what you create, and we’d love to see you over in the forums sharing your pages and connecting with our scrappy community.

Remember if you spend $10 in the store you’ll get this great collab.

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

Have you grabbed the April Monthly Mix? Just a few more days to get it at this wonderful price.

How are on your challenges going? If you complete any 10 challenges this month, you get this gorgeous collab (or a variety of other choices from previous challenge collabs) as a reward!

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies Tagged With: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies

Designer Spotlight: April 2025/2

April 7, 2025 by Jan Leave a Comment

Jumpstart Designs

Okay, so I’m going to warn you right from the jump… Sheri and I have known each other a LONG time, so this post is going to be … chatty. Maybe grab a beverage and a snack!

O: Sheri, remind me again, how long have you been designing?

J: Almost fourteen years!

O: I think I started collecting your designs very near the beginning. I have some kits and templates that go back to 2012! What motivates and inspires you when you sit down to create?

J: Color (sic), and spending time on Pinterest and similar sites. I always have a bunch of ideas of what I’d like to design and do differently but finding the extra time to play around with new ideas doesn’t seem to happen very often.

O: Pinterest can be such a rabbit hole! I have to limit my browsing time, otherwise nothing gets done. Time for the favourite child question. Do you have a current favourite kit in your store? <hyperlinked to Sheri‘s store!>

J: EARLY AUTUMN WHISPERS. Fall is my favorite time of year and I wish it could stay autumn all year long! I try to enjoy every minute of this season before the cold and snow sets in.

O: I LOVE that one!! I have the whole collection. I really like the way you use colour, and how your illustrations always fit the theme so perfectly. I also love fall, once I’ve got my garden put to bed and the days are still warm. It’s like life just slows down a bit. Since I’ve just given you a compliment, what’s the nicest thing someone has ever said about you?

J: That I must be a good mother because my children are awesome! Some days I question my parenting, but I’ll take that compliment any day!

O: Same, sister, same! What one word would your family and friends use to describe you?

J: Probably smart ass. LOL. Oops, that’s two words!

O: Well, I think it’s one word. Smartass, dumbass… right? I’d be called the same. Have been called the same. And other less savoury terms. Warning label?

J: WARNING: Subject prone to sarcasm!

O: This must be why we’re friends! Super power?

J: Being able to make time stand still.

O: Ooh, that’s a good one! But it could be dangerous in the wrong hands. You’d have to be careful when choosing when to stop the clock. Would it just be YOUR time that stops, or everybody’s? Yep, overthinking it again… Have you ever thought about time travel?

J: I’d go BACK IN TIME for sure! I’m not too thrilled with society these days. I think we’ve lost our collective minds and I fear for how things will be for my children and grandchildren. I miss the good old days when most people valued self-reliance, integrity, and knew how to be respectful of others.

O: Well said! Pair time travel with being able to stop time and we could have a much better world. With the way things are right now, it’s sure not Shangri La. Seems like the people with big money are running the world and that’s a bad thing… What would you do if you had lots of cash, like a lottery win?

J: Probably buy just enough property in the mountains to build a few little homes so my kids and grandkids could all live with me forever. If I had my way, they’d be with me no matter how old they get! Oh yeah…. And I guess saving for retirement might also be good idea so I don’t have earn a living until my last dying breath.

O: Mom and Nana Jan loves the idea of a family compound where all the people I love would be in one place. Labour organizer Jan would totally approve of your second goal. It’s something I tried really hard to get through to the young nurses I worked with who complained about having to contribute to the pension plans we had, and who didn’t want to put away a little money now in a retirement savings plan that our employer would match, to have a nest egg for later. If they could see my retirement investments now, after I’ve already been retired nearly 6 years, they’d maybe understand. It’s always a good plan to save for the day when you don’t have employment income. Now, let me slink down off my soapbox. Time for a fun topic: sing or dance in the shower?

J: Neither! I’d probably trip and fall over the edge of the tub, and God help anyone who’d have to hear my voice! That’s one talent I did NOT inherit from my parents. They were both musical and had a country-western band for many years. They were even good enough to play for President Ronald Reagan when he came through town back in the day, but it’s better for everyone if I don’t attempt singing myself! LOL

O: I do both! I have a waterproof Bluetooth speaker in the bathroom, Sirius XM on my phone and a gigantic shower stall. I mostly go with 60s and 70s hits and belt ’em out at the top of my lungs. Don’t care if the neighbours hear me either! When The Drifters start into On the Boardwalk, I can’t stay still. I love country music too; maybe I’ve heard something your parents have done. Since you’re from a musical family, can I assume you play an instrument?

J: I played the piano for many years but haven’t touched one in a long time. I also bang on our bongo drums now and then and have always thought it would be fun to be a drummer.

O: My husband fancies himself a drummer, and even has drumsticks. But no drums… he just bangs on tables, books, couch cushions and sometimes (gently, with just his hands) on our son’s belly. What’s your dream car?

J: I’m and SUV sort of gal but ultimately I’d just like one that’s paid for, haha.

O: We downsized to one vehicle this time last year. We need an SUV or station wagon (I don’t think they make them any more) because of our son’s wheelchair so I put a lot of research into what we chose. We traded in my nine-year-old Escape and hubby’s six-year-old Fusion for a 2024 Kia Seltos and it’s great! We didn’t have to come up with a ton of cash either; the trades were quite generous. Even with the chair in the cargo area, I can haul a LOT of groceries! If you could only eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would you go for?

J: Homemade tacos! Actually, anything Mexican with lots of cheese!

O: Mmmm, tacos!! I love a good fish taco myself. I’m not sure what I’d choose if I had to though. Gotta watch that good old Hemoglobin A1C… getting old really isn’t ideal. Other than necessities, what’s the one thing you couldn’t live without?

J: Hugs from my grandkids!

O: Yep, that’s it right there! Speaking of, I think I hear them now. Go get you some hugs, Grandma! Thanks for the chat!!

Now, before I forget, Jumpstart Designs is providing one of the Daily Download kits here on the Blog. She’s also one of the hosts of the Designer Spotlight Challenge in addition to her regular monthly Jumpstart Your Layouts Challenge – where you get a free minikit every month Are you playing along with that one? You should!! Don’t miss out on the COUPON either!!

Filed Under: Be Inspired, Behind the Scrapbook, Challenge Spotlight, Creative Style, Daily Download, Digital Scrapbooking, Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, Feature Designer, GingerBread Ladies Tagged With: Designer Spotlight

Fresh Baked Friday @ GingerScraps – April 4

April 4, 2025 by Stephanie MH Leave a Comment

Happy Friday friends. I hope you have been finding inspiration for all those Spring photos.

Remember if you spend $10 in the store you’ll get this great collab.

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

Have you started on your challenges? If you complete any 10 challenges this month, you get this gorgeous collab (or a variety of other choices from previous challenge collabs) as a reward!

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies Tagged With: Digital Scrapbooking, Fresh Baked, GingerBread Ladies