Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Lovin' the digi!

I've ventured out on a new limb -- digital scrapbooking. And wow, is there ever a lot to learn! But I love the challenge, the newness of it all -- and so far I have been able to find free digi elements all over the internet. Free scrapbooking stuff -- who'da thunk?!?

Thanks to Melissa -- she's the one who really got me started. Mom and I went to see her last week and she took us step by step through layouts and effects. This is truly amazing...it looks so difficult, but really it is easy once you get the hang of it!

Here are my first two layouts:

Materials I used for "Me & My Papa" were: Paper & Embellishments -- Reflections Kit by Jen Reed; Stitches -- by Manu70; Overlay -- Pton Designs; Font -- Batik Regular (Photoshop)
Materials used for "My Sunset": PS7; Brushes (Obsidian Dawn); Flower (Jennilyn Designs from PolkaDotPotato); Overlays (Pton Designs & Adeyeo); Papers (Raspberry Road - Java Joe & Forget Me Not)
I can't wait to experiment more...but there is a major dilemma...there is soooo much digital material out there! Methinks I'm in big trouble...LOL!

11 comments:

pton said...

these are your first digi layouts? very nice! :D

Sheryl said...

Hey Amanda, no kidding there are a lot of digiscrapbooking stuff out there. I had started to download stuff awhile back but then I also started looking into purchasing some kits and what not and that's when I said..........oh oh. So I gave up the digi because I can only justify spending $ on one or hte other.LOL..I think DH breathed a sigh of relief when I made that decision(spelling?).LOl:)
Talk soon.
oh yeah. that orange paint on my LO was done with cardboard.It turned out great I am so happy with that LO.

Julie Cortens said...

Hi Amanda, love the pages. I tried digital about two years ago and found it was really an amazing way to scrapbook. The problem was printing 12X12 pages. I did an 8X8 album and it cost $5/ page to print and they looked flat. I thought digi was great for internet posting...but when it came to actually putting them in albums for the family it fell short. Am I missing something? Do you plan to print your pages? It is definitely cheaper scrapbooking...until you print them.

kristen said...

Hey Amanda, I'm with Julie on this one too. I did some digi pages last spring...mine were alot simplier than yours cuz I created everything from scratch using photoshop, but I left the same way as Julie...great for internet posting, but expensive and not great once printed. They looked very flat. The texture you think you have in the digital doesn't come out the same. However, if you are able to do some digi work and combine it will REAL embellishments, may help with the flatness. I have given up on digital scrapbooking for now, use it for ideas only. But good luck. Like Julie said maybe you know something we don't.

Unknown said...

First of all, you are NOT idiots!! LOL And I am so glad you had fun and that I could help you learn a bit. I feel like I didnt teach you much but I think that is because there is just so much to learn!

In response to the people who dont like their printed pages - there may be a couple reasons your pages are "flat". Depending on the techniques and pieces used, you really have to go good quality pieces to get good quality printing (ie. not all freebies are worth it!). And DROP SHADOWS are KEY! I have had people flip through my albums and not know which pages are printed and which are traditional until they run their hands over it.

And printing costs have come down lately too. You can get a 12x12 printed for 3 or 4 $. I spend just as much on paper supplies for a page!

And yes - COMBINE your paper and digi stuff! It is called HYBRID! :) :) And it rocks too!!

kristen said...

Well, I'm not sure I'm sold just yet. I used many effects, drop shadows included. I have taken a course thru my photography business on PhotoShop, and well I still just prefer the "manual" type as I call it! Mind you I haven't tried buying digital items either (I created the things myself...maybe even scanning items would have helped). Hybrid would be the most I would do again, but I'm a very digital person otherwise. Nice discussion topic!!!

kristen said...

Truly, it's just personal preference. I find quilting (my partner's mom does quilting) is very similar to scrapbooking, just with different materials. She prefers quilting and I prefer scrapbooking...just liek some will prefer digi over manual scrapbooking.

Julie Cortens said...

Hey Melissa, If I can get prints for $3-4, I will seriously reconsider. Photoshop is an amazing tool and I love working with my photographs so no doubt getting into digital would be very easy and addicting...just think - all I need is my laptop and internet access...okay and my Visa. I can scrapbook anywhere. So where do I get good prints for so cheap?
And Melissa are you willing to come to Saskatoon and teach a photoshop class?

Amanda said...

OK -- I'm loving this discussion on my blog -- it's great to get people talking!

What I think I am going to do for now with the digi stuff I make is upload it to galleries -- and my blog, of course -- and perhaps get some printed. Melissa gets her pages printed through PolkaDotPotato and I have seen her LOs and they look fabulous! I don't know how mine will print because I haven't tried it yet -- but I will let you know when!
Part of the appeal digi has for me is the ability to scrap when I am at the lake in the summer. I always get "scrap-withdrawal" because I simply cannot drag my stuff along with me. There would be no room for my family in the camper, KWIM? And anyone who has seen me pack for a crop will understand completely. LOL So if I can learn to scrap using my laptop -- I am game! But I will never give up paper completely, because I just love to tibit waaay too much.

And as for the clas -- Melissa -- are you listening?? I have lots of friends who would love to talk to you! We should set something up because you, my dear, are a great instructor. I would gladly sign up for a class on digi if you were teaching it!

kristen said...

haha, that's why I went to digital too! I moved out to Fernie with the few bags I could carry onto a plane...scrapbooking gear was not making that trip! I went all spring and summer without my gear, so I did a few digital pages (they are posted on my blog). oh our addiction!

Unknown said...

LOL. I was going nuts trying to remember where I posted my big pro-digi rant - then I finally remembered and came to check on it! Glad I did!

Re: prints - like Amanda said, I get mine at Polka Dot Potato (polkadotpotato.com) - they are 3.50, but in the states so you have to consider shipping. I also get a break there because I work for her, but her prints really are awesome. I heard you can also get them at Costco, but I dont have a membership so I havent tested them yet.

re: the class - that would be SWEET! email me: melissa.buhler AT gmail DOT com. Much more fun that what I have to teach at work!! LOL