Iron Scrapper week 2 challenge: use arrows and diamonds (and a tip or two)

Specifically, I had to use 7 arrows (thanks for taking it down from 9!) and 3 diamonds.  All using Scrap Orchard products. I had a lot of fun making this layout of our move from Broken Bow, Ok to Santa Fe, NM. The tip here is to use kits. When I first started gathering kits, I separated them. It didn't take me too long to realize that by keeping the kits intact, not only did it save time but I also had the advantage of someone else gathering items that look good together.

Products used
-Iron Scrapper Week 2 Bundle: In the City
-Iron Scrapper Week 2 freebie template

Notes: The font I used, Archisitico, is very light and I had to duplicate the text layers about 4 times each to make them dark enough to read here. I also added a "vellum" layer under the text on the bottom photo to make the text more legible.

Thanks Rainy Dayz!

I won a free set of templates from Rainy Dayz designs (the Hello Sunshine pack) over on Facebook, so I decided I should try them out. I may go back and tweak this further, but here it is. I am finding that as a new digiscrapper I am drowning in all the product. I download freebies and kits and don't organize them very often. Then when I scrap, I know what I want to look for but my system isn't very well set up yet. So I just open random folders and by luck of the draw use what I find.  My next task is definitely to get organized so this is more fun!

I love this pic of my son taken a few years ago. I can't claim to be the photographer, but I did do some enhancements to the photo.

JS Frame Class projects

During this class we have been making framable photos, photos with frames especially for posting online, and dressing up photos to use wherever.  I have been using photos from our recent trip to Utah, Idaho and Yellowstone. Mostly Yellowstone. :)

Lesson 1: Create an 8x10 with two frames

Binoculars at Yellowstone to check out all the wildlife. We were glad to have them!

Lesson 2: Draw a black rectangular frame

This was our favorite place in Yellowstone. Amazing colors!

Lesson 3: Selective recoloring  

Yes, that is a Reese's PB Cup S'more.  You should try it sometime!

Lesson 4: Clipping mask frames
Do you know how long it took us to find these hot now? Krispy Kreme just isn't worth it otherwise. :)

Lesson 5: Burned edges
We didn't stop to see the Tetons, just drove past them and took a few pics. But they are a very impressive sight!

Lesson 6: Framing with Photoshop Brushes

OK, cheating a little here. This isn't a photo I took. My lovely sister-in-law Cate took some family photos for us a year or so ago.

Lesson 7: Polaroid Transfer clipping mask

A stream in Yellowstone. No animals, but still quite serene. The look we are going for here is the coming of spring. Granted, we were there in summer, but still. 

Lesson 8: Scuff, Tone and Bokeh

This is the base of a lodge pole pine tree in Yellowstone. We saw numerous upturned trees, many killed by the steam.  It was crazy to see how shallow the roots are on these trees. (I opted to leave out the bokeh because it just didn't look good with this photo).

Lesson 9: Aged photo with lens flare
This is Courtney on a parade float with her dance studio when she was 3. (There is a lens flare in the top right hand corner, but not much of one.) I thought this photo lended itself well to being aged.

Lesson 10: Final walkthrough and creating a pattern
I took this picture while backpacking two years ago. I can't decide if I love the final product or not. I experimented by trying the same settings on my picture that Jessica used for her sample, but tweaking them slightly. It reminds me of an old timey post card. I do like it better than the before, however.

Epic

Scrap Orchard is having an Iron Scrapper Contest. For their One Word Prompt challenge, we needed to use the current "fresh fruit" products in their store to make a layout using the word EPIC on the page somewhere. This is what I made, using this kit by Amanda Heimann called Be Brave.

My favorite part of this page is where I put score lines on the paper. I brushed white (click on one side then shift click on the other to get a straight line) and then I used the layer effects panel with bevel, emboss and blend if.  Super fun! I also recolored the paper clip and the "be" button.  As always, I also use the blend if option to make the text lay flat on the paper. Super cool effect, I think.

Jessica Sprague Self Paced Class...Digital Scrapbooking Course 1: Up and Running

I am finally getting around to posting what I have been doing with my photoshop. This is a free class I won by participating in Jessica Sprague's Arbor Day (Save the Trees with Digi Scrapping) contest. There were 10 lessons plus a bonus on black and white editing. My photo in lesson 1 used what I learned in the B&W lesson. (A couple of these first pages I made and posted before, since they are quick pages she shared in other places).  I give my own descriptions of what we learned in each lesson. (The quick pages are pre made to just drop in your own photos).  One great bonus of these classes is all the digital product you get from each lesson. Papers, textures, embellishments, alphas, fonts, brushes... Well worth the price, even if you are paying for it! :)

Lesson 1: Using a quick page

Lesson 2: A quick page with added extra embellishments

Lesson 3: Layered quick page with clipping masks and changeable background paper

Lesson 4: Using a template

Lesson 5:  Using digital brushes and playing with type

Lesson 6:  Using alphas, align and distribute, drawing

Lesson 7: Creating a layout from scratch (with people smudged out for privacy on the web)

Lesson 8: More with brushes, type and clipping masks

Lesson 9: Combining several layers, all from scratch, no premade embellishments

Lesson 10: Creating patterned paper, using a color scheme, tinting photos

New Jessica Sprague free class

I am enjoying taking the free courses on JessicaSprague.com so I don't lose all my Photoshop knowledge. This course has been on using frames and masks. She makes it all so easy and fun!