Welcome to another Friday! We’re almost at the end of May already and it’s a long weekend if you are in the US. Three-day weekends are always a bonus.
Remember if you spend $10 in the store, you’ll get this great collab free.
We’ve got some really cute kits in the store this week!
Have you grabbed the May Monthly Mix? Only a few more days at this great price.
How are those challenges going? Complete any 10 challenges and you will get this great kit as a reward!
Challenge Spotlight: iNSD Mini Kit Challenge
Yep, I know. May is 2/3 over already. It seems Spring is a little behind for us this year; it’s quite cool and damp – I can’t complain about rain though, given the extreme drought we’re stuck in here. But I digress. This month I’m taking us on a bit of a different path for the Challenge Spotlight. Rather than going with one of the usual monthly Challenges, I chose the iNSD Mini Kit Challenge, hosted by CarolW. This was part of the week-long (inter)National Scrapbook Day celebration and it was VERY well-received. The kit Carol provided for the Challenge is beautiful! [editor’s note: There’s an entire BUNDLE that matches the mini in Carol‘s store…] The mini was so well-received, in fact, that I had to stop snagging images from the Gallery when I hit 20. Can’t lose the audience, you know! The layouts appear in the order they were posted to the Challenge thread.
As always, I’ll be linking each of the layouts to the Gallery so you can get a closer look at them and leave some comments, should you wish. Just click on the Scrapper’s user name and you’ll be zoomed right to her layout. Now let’s look at how each Scrapper has used the exactly same mini kit to create a very individual layout…
First up is this clean-and-simple layout from deej. She’s kept her focus on the photo with her minimalist use of papers and embellishments.
Katherine Woodin‘s a scrappin’ machine. She participates in EVERYTHING while also documenting all the moments of her life. She’s augmented the mini with bits and pieces from the full kit to create her layout. By blending her desaturated photos into the background paper, she was able to use photos that might not coordinate colour-wise with the kit while reflecting the theme. I like the precision of her perfectly-spaced button border.
LovelyMissKait makes her first Challenge Spotlight appearance with this beaut! [Welcome!!] The design of her cluster is perfection. The shadows on those papers… the paper looks like it’s lifting a bit in spots. Very effective.
For her layout, greenfiend27 blended some of the papers, threw some paint splashes on, then clustered the elements to draw the eye to her images. That star bokeh adds an almost mystical look. The quote is the perfect addition.
The yellow patterned paper is surely a hit! Here, aquaris has used the wire heart as a frame, anchored by her floral cluster. [Should I tell her I see hummingbirds out my living room window all the time?]
Ah! The grungy, gesso-smeared paper takes its first starring role! The photo of the crocus was a brilliant choice, andastra; it coordinates with the kit’s colour palette beautifully.
There it is again! But this layout looks very different – individual style, amirite? That tumble of paper rounds created by pagefrocks provides movement anc keeps the eye traveling across the page.
And we’re back to the yellow patterned paper again. But that’s the only similarity to the other yellow layouts. KarenDiamond has chosen a photo that coordinates perfectly, then blended it over a paper frame. Her use of brushes and word art to draw the eye while remaining true to the theme is quite skillful.
I see mum23ms has used elements from the full kit for her white space layout. Can you pick them out?
What an artsy look dhariana has given her layout. That grungy paper is the perfect background for this style. She’s made expert use of white space and created a strong horizontal aspect with the arrangement of her elements.
This just screams JOY at me! LidiaG has designed a gorgeous cluster to anchor her photo, and is the first to use the most neutral of the papers for her background. On (much) closer inspection I see she’s also used a mask to blend in the striped paper with a very subtle touch. Love it!
It’s so interesting that two Scrappers can use identical backgrounds and yet have such unique looks. I can see where trinanne got her inspiration – the carriage flair! So far she’s the only one whose extracted the hummingbird from the ephemera.
Cool!! Look at how the way jenasz used the star bokeh sparks her photo! It adds such a magical touch – almost like fireflies. The other unique touch is how she’s twined the vine all the way around the photo, like a frame.
Ooh, where do I start with this? The splotchy ink is gorgeous, the masked photo is perfect and to be honest, it’s really hard to tell where the photo ends and the elements pick up. This is a masterpiece, biche77!
I adore how bagheertje has blended her papers for the background. It looks easy, but getting it right isn’t! She too has extracted the hummingbird and used the loop of twine as a frame, but brings her own style to that beautiful central cluster.
There’s the star overlay again, but with a completely different look. Pippin‘s spray of flowers draws the eye to her photo beautifully blended into the ink splotch. See how the hummie ephemera almost seems like an extension of the ink?
I think this is the first layout to make prominent use of the raffia twine loops. I very much like the font demma_b13 chose for her title – it has an old-world feel, evoking thoughts of European colonization in the late 15th century. The yellow flowers bring a sunny warmth.
How clever is wvufan04? Using the ink splash as the background for some word art in a font very similar to the one on her male subject’s t-shirt… so smart! I like the tiny pops of pink too.
I like how jirsev has amped the ink splashes against that grungy paper. Her layout pops right off my screen.
Our last peep is muted and filled with luscious white space. AJsRandom opted to emphasize the yellow end of the colour palette for her layout and kept her cluster very simple. Lovely!
If you participated in this Challenge and your layout isn’t shown above, I apologize for the omission. It doesn’t mean your layout isn’t stunning and deserving, it means I ran outta gas! I’m functioning on very little sleep ATM and just couldn’t go beyond 20 today. I feel like my brain is melting… But I’ll pull it together and come up with a Quick Trick for next Tuesday!
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?
How are you doing on your challenges? Complete any 10 challenges and get this great reward.
Introducing Adrienne Skelton Designs
Adrienne Skelton is one of GingerScraps‘ newer designers, but that doesn’t mean she’s new to designing, as you’ll see when I let you in on our conversation. I wonder if she’s nervous… it being (inter)National Scrapbook Day on Saturday. What pressure! Let’s get to know her better.
J: Adrienne, thank you for chatting with me today, and congratulations on your very first Designer Spotlight! Let’s get the bread-and-butter stuff out of the way first. How long have you been designing?
A: I started to design back in the early 2000’s . In 2010 I had to take a health break due to illness. I have been back since 2021 and love every minute of being back!
J: I’m glad to hear whatever your health issues, you’re not letting them hold you back any more. Distraction can be as good as medicine sometimes. What brought you to designing in the first place?
A: I used to do paper scrapbooking, but at the time I had young kids and being able to afford buying scrapbook kits was expensive, so I decided to put my art skills to use and design something digital using paint shop pro and from that point on I was hooked!
J: Oh, if I had a buck for every time a designer (or digiscrapper) told me the same story… My kids were already grown when I started paper scrapping, and I went right down the rabbit hole. I have a whole room full of paper, stamps, ink, punches, dies, embossing folders and cutting tools. Then I found digiscrapping – no mess, reusable everything, very cool techniques that elevate my layouts… and derailed my own train. But don’t feel bad for my paper supplies – I’m making greeting cards with all of it. What tools do you use for your work?
A: I use Photoshop and Procreate on my iPad, sometimes I will hand craft items and scan and use them.
J: I almost threw my printer/scanner/copier off the mountain the other day. But we don’t need to talk about that. Here’s one of those impossible questions. Which of your current kits in your GingerScraps shop is your favourite, and why?
A: That IS a very hard question! If I had to pick one it would be She’s a Wildflower. I just love how this kit came together. I designed all my drawings and doodles using Procreate ( I love to draw even if it’s digitally) and put it all together with Photoshop. I think because this kit reminds me of nature so much! Being out among the wildflowers.
J: Beautiful! One of my favourite songs from my teenage years is Wildflower by Skylark. “She’s a free and gentle flower, growing wild.” Same mood! And what a segué to my next nosy question… can you play a musical instrument?
A: I am a self taught pianist although I am not very good, I still enjoy plunking on the keys every now and then.
J: I took piano lessons for awhile as a child. I sometimes noodle around on my son’s electronic keyboard, but only when I’m alone. <winkwink> So not into self-humiliation. My friends and family call me a Type A. What one word would your friends and family use to describe you?
A: LOYAL, very faithful and sincere to a fault. I can sense others emotions and am very supportive.
J: Ah. You’re an empath! What would you do if you won the lottery?
A: First I would make sure my family was taken care of. Secondly I would buy a house where I had a lot of land, a lake and plenty of nature.
J: That’s sort of what we did with my husband’s inheritance, but without the land. We lease it, and have a beautiful view, surrounded by wildlife, flowers, birds and bugs. I fall asleep at night being serenaded by crickets and bullfrogs, punctuated occasionally by a coyote choir. So, does your desire to be rural influence your perfect vacation?
A: My perfect vacation would be laying on the beach somewhere listening to the ocean waves, feeling the cool breeze on my face, Or that could also be somewhere/anywhere in nature where I can be at peace with my thoughts.
J: Sounds a lot like my sister’s place! What would your super power be if you had one?
A: I’d LOVE to be able to see the future.
J: Not me! I can dream up the most catastrophic of events without a crystal ball. Nope! If you came with a warning label, what would it say?
A: Be careful and stay away when she is angry!
J: The more angry I am, the quieter I get. My kids were always more afraid of me when I didn’t say anything than they were when I was shouting. On that fine note, I’ll let you get back to your day. Thanks again!
Now, the rest of you, don’t go anywhere! In addition to her Spotlight, remember that Adrienne is providing this month’s Daily Download – the sneak peeks aren’t doing it justice, I swear! I hope you’re picking up each day’s bits; the download links are good for 5 days, so if you’ve missed one, don’t worry!
Adrienne is also hosting the Designer Spotlight Challenge in addition to her regular All About Me Challenge. I’ve linked them so you can check them out. And……
Have a great Spotlight Month, Adrienne!
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, & a New Daily Download on the GingerScraps Blog! And make sure you read all the way to the bottom to see a Sneak Peek at the iNSD celebration.
Don’t forget to check out the Buffet Bundles. One easy click to add bundles of Buffet goodies to your cart.
I love how this has both bright and muted colors. So many possibilities.
Remember any $10 spent in the store gets you this great collab.
Get ready to fiesta with ‘Fiesta Fun,’ a dynamic digital scrapbooking kit bursting with vibrant colors and festive flair! Inspired by the lively spirit of a fiesta, this collection captures the essence of celebration with its bold hues and playful elements. From zesty oranges to spicy lime green, every color in this palette embodies the excitement of a fiesta, transporting you to a world of salsa-dancing, piñata-smashing fun! Dive into a fiesta of creativity as you embellish your layouts with taco motifs, colorful confetti, and whimsical sombreros. Whether you’re commemorating Cinco de Mayo festivities or adding a dash of excitement to your Taco Tuesdays photos, ‘Fiesta Fun’ is your go-to kit for creating joyous memories that sizzle with energy and warmth. Let the festivities begin!
This Free With Purchase was created by J. Conlon and Sons, Just So Scrappy, Neia Scraps, and Scrappin’ Serenity.
This collab includes: 2 Alphas {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 45 Papers, and 90 Elements.
Unleash your inner joy with ‘Laugh Loud,’ a delightful digital scrapbooking kit designed to make your memories sparkle with laughter and fun! Infused with soft pink and mint green hues, this charming collection radiates a playful vibe that’s sure to bring a smile to your face. Embrace the whimsy as you adorn your layouts with quirky doodles, whimsical embellishments, and adorable emojis that capture the essence of laughter. Whether you’re reminiscing about hilarious moments with friends or documenting silly escapades with loved ones, ‘Laugh Loud’ is the perfect companion for adding a touch of silliness to your scrapbook pages. So go ahead, let out a giggle, chuckle, or LOL—because with ‘Laugh Loud,’ every memory is a joyful celebration!
This Monthly Mix was created by Aprilisa Designs, JB Studio, Jumpstart Designs, Miss Fish Templates, and Twin Mom Scraps.
This collab includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 61 Papers, and 104 Elements.
Now to the May Daily Download Sneak Peek. This month’s Daily Download is from Adrienne Skelton Designs! Make sure you are checking the blog every day to get all the pieces of this kit!
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!
Indulge your creative spirit with ‘She’s All That,’ a captivating digital scrapbooking kit exuding the essence of feminine energy. Bursting with vibrant hues and elegant motifs, this collection is a celebration of womanhood in all its glory. From bold pinks to tranquil blues, this color palette ignites inspiration, inviting you to craft timeless memories with a modern twist. With its eclectic blend of patterns and elements, ‘She’s All That’ breathes life into your digital creations, allowing you to capture the essence of beauty, strength, and grace. Whether you’re commemorating cherished moments or expressing your artistic flair, this kit empowers you to curate stunning layouts that reflect the true essence of femininity.
This Challenge Reward was created by CathyK Designs, Kristmess, Lisa Rosa Designs, Sweet Pea Designs, and WM[squared] Designs.
This collab includes: 1 Alpha {Uppercase, Lowercase, Numbers & Punctuation}, 67 Papers, and 94 Elements.
And now the promised Sneak Peek. Make sure to check back on Friday for the start of iNSD. You know we like to have a big party for iNSD and this year will be no different.
Happy Friday! I hope you have all had a wonderful week!
Remember if you spend $10 in the store you’ll get this great collab.
Let’s see what we have new this week.
Have are your April challenges? Complete any 10 challenges to get this kit as a reward.
Happy Friday scrappers. It’s time for the Spring Cleaning Retiring Products sale. This sale runs from today (April 19) through Thursday, April 25 at 11:59 PM Eastern. Note that after this sale ends, all products in this category will no longer be available so grab them while you can. Take a look a the end of the newsletter to see a sampling of some of the retiring items.
Remember if you spend $10 in the store you’ll get this great collab.
Let’s see some of the new items in the store this week.
Have are your April challenges? Complete any 10 challenges to get this kit as a reward.
Challenge Spotlight: Daily Download
Today I have a selection of layouts pulled from the Daily Download Challenge Gallery. There’s a bit of a discrepancy between the Gallery and the Challenge thread in the Forum, so not all of the layouts posted to the Forum are here. Sorry! For those of you who are seeing a Challenge Spotlight for the first time, let me fill you in. On the third Tuesday of each month, I choose a Challenge from the long list of options we have here at GingerScraps and put the Challenge participants’ layouts in the Spotlight. Over time, each of us develops our own particular style, sometimes to the point that viewers know without looking whose layout is on their screen. My comments about each of the layouts I’m sharing will point out something specific that reflects the Scrapper’s Individual Style. What makes a Challenge well-suited for this type of Spotlight is that all participants are working from the same starting point: a kit, template, brush, mask, font, word art or image. Where there are too many variables, a Spotlight is a bit more difficult, but not necessarily impossible. Each of the layouts to come will be linked to the Gallery so you can take a closer look and leave a comment, if you’re so inclined. Just click on the Scrapper‘s user name and you’ll be whisked right to the layout in the Gallery. I chose the Daily Download today; this Challenge requires the participant to use the previous month’s Daily Download kit to create a layout, topic of their choice. Last month’s DD was supplied by Connie Prince and it looks like this:
Now, let’s look at how this kit inspired our GingerScrappers. Up first is makeyesup. She has created a minimalist desktop calendar, with what I think is one of the papers clipped to a grid brush. She has also clipped a coordinating paper to a font to create the month header. It has a bright, springy look.
This is the work of domino44. She’s added a solid white paper (included in the kit but not visible in the thumbnail) to her paper stack to provide her neutral background and changed the wording of the title tag. (I feel like that title needs some context. 😉 ) She’s shadowed the paper doily to perfection!
How eye-catching is that embossed brown cardstock lulumoon has used for her background? Her command of white space is stellar; her single photo is very much the focal point. I like that she clipped the same striped paper she framed her background with to the perforated heart; it pulls the layout together into a complete whole. If you look reaaaallly closely, she’s also threaded the ribbon through one of the heart-shaped punch-outs in the heart.
For her layout, katt chose to keep it simple… the maps, location pin, photo and title all tell the story suggested by her journaling.
Here, photocrazy has chosen patterned papers that read more like solids – I usually do that too! That choice lets all the spring elements draw the eye to her photo of hyacinths in bloom. I need Smellovision©!
I LOVE what austin_kellie has done with her layout! The kit coordinates with her photos so beautifully, and her use of the peeling painted wood paper background is brilliant. Her clusters compliment her photos without taking away from them, leading the eye around the page.
CathyS had me puzzling for a second, then I realized she’d used one of Connie‘s papers clipped to a mask for that cheery background – which I think is a blend of two solids, toning down the brightness of the yellow. Keeping the add-ons to a minimum makes that technique even more effective! I even thought she’d created an out-of-bounds look with the sunflower in the upper left… very skillful use and placement of the elements!
DianeInOz has created a beautiful travelogue with her layout. I think this type of layout is perfect for using bold patterned paper in the background. It holds its own with multiple photos but doesn’t distract. I have to give her family props for travelling at a time when COVID was still a major concern (not that it’s gone, it’s just laying low right now); I’ve only done short day trips by car. I’m too chicken!
Now THIS is genius! Look at how chigirl has turned patterned papers into ribbons, then wove them into a frame for the heart of her layout. Her clusters echo the brightness of her photos, making them pop off the page.
The simplicity of willow‘s layout is its strength. By decreasing the saturation of the green curly ribbon, she’s given it a supporting role. The mask she’s used is absolutely perfect with her almond blossom photo.
Clean-and-simple is how I describe alexandergirl68‘s style here. Her photos are driving the bus! The bright pops of yellow really bring the layout to life.
Pocket-scrapping is great for travel photos, or really, any layout with multiple photos. Kristi Martin‘s sparing use of embellishments keeps the layout crisp while the pops of yellow add warmth. The addition of white borders on all her paper blocks is intriguing. I may have to borrow that…..
To round out our baker’s dozen, this layout from trinanne puts a huge smile on my face. I’ve mentioned before that one way to achieve cohesion when your photos don’t quite work with your chosen kit is to convert them to black and white. I might have tried to keep the bunny ears in full colour, though.
There won’t be a Tutorial Tuesday post next week. I have some stuff going on that will need my attention. Details to follow…
Happy Friday! Are you ready for another great batch of Fresh Baked goodies?
Remember if you spend $10 in the store you’ll get this great collab.
Now for the fun new kits in the store this week.
Have are your April challenges? Complete any 10 challenges to get this kit as a reward.
A Little Crisp Around the Edges
PDF Version : https://bit.ly/3JeXrGz
Today’s tutorial is, once again, pulled from the GingerScraps Challenges. When I started thinking about how I’d meet the criteria for the Inspiration Challenge, which is to create a junk journal page, I started imagining how I could use the lyrics from one of my current favourite Lainey Wilson songs. They resonate with me on a lot of levels – although I don’t really think I’m a redneck. The chorus goes like this:
If I look a little drunk, it’s ’cause I drank some;
If my neck’s a little red, it’s ’cause I am one.
Heaven’s where I’m gonna go, the Bible says so on my shelf,
But if I smell like smoke, it’s only ’cause I’ve been through hell.
So then I was thinking about how to really sell it. And I came up with the idea of altering an element to look like it’s been singed. I ran with it! Let me show you how I “burnt” some paper. I used this stack from Aimee Harrison’s The Work in Between – which is part of a mega-collab kit created by Aimee, Cheré Kaye, Cindy Ritter and Connie Prince. (Click their names to see their kits.) The collab is an ideal choice for junk journal pages; there’s a goldmine of ephemera in there. As you can see in the screenshot, I’ve dropped a blank layer with a transparent background underneath it. You’ll see why in a bit.
First step is to “tear” the area of the paper that will have the scorch marks on it. I Zoomed in on the upper left corner of the papers and chose the Eraser Tool. Set with a hard, round brush from Elements’ Basic Brushes, about 30 pixels in diameter and full strength Opacity.
I just nibbled away at the corner of the paper, with some sharper and some rounder bits. It’s not going to be perfect.
Now you can see why I put that layer under the paper. As much as I’d like to think I got it all when I was removing the corner, with very little contrast between the paper and the background, it’s hard to be sure. And leaving the odd little bits there would show up later, and not in a good way. So I dumped some black into the bottom layer with the Paint Bucket.
That made it really easy to clean it up.
I decided the opposite corner would be another good place to scorch my paper. Fire will spread to the bottom sheet in this arrangement, so I “burnt” both.
It doesn’t look quite right to me.
Easy enough to fix!
Time to play with fire! If you think about how paper burns, it changes colour first, as heat spreads through the fibers in the paper, taking on a brown tinge. So I chose this as my first scorching colour. The hex key is #883102, if you’d like to just type it in.
After I turned the black background layer off, I chose the Brush Tool, set to a SOFT, round Basic Brush at 300 pixels and 35% Opacity. It’s a good place to start, and allows for adjustment later. The Basic Brush set is one of the Brush collections that is included in Elements when you install it. To see what Brushes you have, click on the thumbnail – the squiggle with the little triangle to its right – and the list will open up. To locate the one I’m using, click on Basic Brushes, then scroll down past all the hard-edged ones until you get to the soft ones. The thumbnail will look like it fades from the centre. That’s what you want.
Say it with me… ALWAYS PUT BRUSHES ON THEIR OWN LAYERS!!! If you were to just run a Brush over the edge of the paper ON the paper layer, there’s nothing you can do to adjust that Brush that won’t also affect the rest of the things on the layer. So **BRUSHES ALWAYS GO ON THEIR OWN LAYERS**. Now, I simply ran the Brush over the edge of the paper as shown. It’s fine that there’s a mess in the background. It’s temporary.
With the same Brush active, I dropped the Opacity to 17% and dragged the Brush over the edges again, this time not overlapping the background too much. This step deepens the scorch closer to the actual burnt area.
To further deepen the singe look, I changed my foreground colour to the darkest brown in the same family of orange-brown. The hex key is #010000.
This time I made no changes to the last Brush settings and brushed over the edges again – this time with MORE of the brush OFF the paper.
See how the colour blends and fades? That’s exactly what I was trying to achieve.
Smoke show time! I used the same process as before, the same Brush but with different settings: 150 pixel diameter and Opacity at 57%. **…** The black Brush goes on its own layer.
Now to clean up the background. Select the edges of the paper stack. You can click the Select tab and then Select All, or you can CTRL/CMD>click on the paper layer’s thumbnail. That’ll turn on the marching ants.
To make the areas NOT inside the paper the active bit, Select>Inverse or CTRL/CMD>ALT/OPT>I. Don’t forget this step!!
With both the brown and black Brush layers active, to remove the brushed area that spilled over the edge of the page, Edit>Cut or CTRL/CMD>X.
And like magic, all that spillover is gone.
So I adjusted the Brush layers. The brown one drops to 47%.
The black Brush layer dropped to 45%. It looks pretty darned good!
As my faithful readers know, I can never just *be done* so I went ahead and used a tiny, soft, round black Brush to add a little more dimension to the spot where the two sheets of paper overlap. It’s a subtle thing, and totally unnecessary, but I did it anyway. I changed the Blend Mode to Multiply so the paper underneath shows through better, and lightened it to 29%. Now I’m happy!
Lyrics credit: Derek George, Lainey Wilson, Lynn Hutton and Monty Criswell.
Now, I have a question for you… As you can see, I’ve changed the Elements background to blue. Is it easier to read the text on the blue, or do you prefer any of the various shades of gray that are options?
