Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Digital Scrapbooking - I need another crafty hobby like a hole in the head.


If you are a regular visitor to Naughty Secretary Club, you know that I have been teetering on the Digital Scrapbooking edge for quite some time. I always loved all the papers and accessories involved in paper scrapbooking, but my messy studio (yes it is back to messy) could not hold another hobby. I could focus my energy on something like say getting my jewelry website fixed, but ever the procrastinator I decided to pick up another hobby instead.


When I first started to learn about Digital Scrapbooking it seemed so daunting because I don't know how to use Photoshop. After a recent interview with one of my favorite digi scrap designers Danielle Thompson I decided to take the plunge. Last week I downloaded a free trial copy of Photoshop Elements and started buying some Digital Scrapbooking bling. Luckily the new baby Baxter (formal introduction coming soon) is super chill and Chris took a month off to help with Tallulah so I have been spending a lot of time on the couch nursing with a free laptop hand just waiting to digi craft with.


My goal is to learn a new Photoshop trick each day for the trial month and if I decide I really like my new passion I will pay for Elements and grow my hobby. I also like the idea of hybrid scrapping where you can use paper and digital goodies.


So far I have been learning about how to remove the backgrounds from photos, round the edges of photos, how to move layers around. On this week's agenda is learning about Photoshop Actions (I am having a Dickens of a time getting the infamous set from The Pioneer Woman working). I have also been downloading lots of elements from places like MaybemeJ, Kitschy Digitals and MiniTokoVille. I have also been scouring places like Flickr and drooling over layouts from some of my favorite designers like Itty Bitty Birdie.


I've included a few examples of the pages I have made so far. I have a ways to go, but each attempt seems to be getting better. In the meantime I am taking all suggestions, tips, hits, tricks, favorite elements and actions - you name it. If you do Digital Scrapbooking and have a pearl of wisdom I want to hear it.

8 comments:

  1. Such a cutie!!!
    Both of them ofcourse(sassi-tude)!
    Love the name Baxter!
    You get down with your bad self on workin' it out with the photoshop and digital scrapbooking!Yeah if anyone could push me over the edge it would be Danielle Thompson! Love that you are already using her loom-y flowers!

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  2. A big welcome to baby Baxter! What a cutie!

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  3. Congratulations on the new baby! So nice to see the little one.
    And these pages look awesome

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  4. I love your blog!!
    Digital is definitely the way to go to keep up with all the photos these days...especially with a new one.

    Stuggling with Photoshop myself...

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  5. Anonymous5:15 PM

    Oh I love photoshop! You should definitely invest in it!! You will never look back!!

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  6. Seriously, you should check out Celebrationstorybooks.com - it is a digital scrapbooking site with over 50,000 pieces of digital art - all available by joining my club. So cool. You can do individual pages, hybrid pages, or other projects using digital design. Like.

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  7. Thanks for the kind baby words. We are pretty smitten. I can't believe he will be a month old this weekend. Where does the time go. Passes quickly when you are busy wasting time on your computer playing Digital Scrapbooker.

    Ya I blame Danielle for all of this. Damn her for making such cute things and tugging at my kitschy heart strings.

    I agree digi scapping is a fun way to go with little ones. I'm planning on getting a photo book made of my pages every so often.

    Deb & Little Red have you guys ever played with Elements. I'm hoping it works just as well as Photosop since it is so much cheaper.

    Terry I'll check out the site!

    Anyone have any suggestions about where to store all your downloads? I'm blowing through my computer's memory quick.

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  8. Don't know if you are still interested but there is a free video podcast about using photoshop. It has a quick tip once a week. I think the guys name is Daniel Seeley(?) the podcast are downloaded on my other computer.
    Love the pics and congratulations

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