Postcards from the Edge

Shutterfly Savvy

I'm REALLY excited about my latest class at Get It Scrapped! I'm a huge fan of Shutterfly photo books ... there is nothing quite like ripping the packing material away from the postman's delivery and finding my layouts contained inside a professionally bound book. BUT, I remember the disappointment I experienced when I received my very first book with portions of the text cut off in the gutter and my carefully edited photos rendered in bright, garish colors.

At the time I didn't understand Shutterfly's size specifications or realize that I had to turn off Vivid Pics. Through no fault of Shutterfly, my album was less than what I had hoped for. Judging from the number of questions I see asked on a regular basis in the digi scrapping forums I participate in ... MANY scrappers are intimidated by the process of creating a photo book with their own layouts ... and there are LOTS of questions out there! My new class will walk you step by step through the entire process -- from creating and sizing your layouts to ordering your completed photo book.

AND (insert drum roll here) the gracious folks at Shutterfly have provided me with coupon codes for the participants! Sign up for the class and receive a FREE 8 x 8 hard cover photo book ... good until December 15th, 2009 ... while supplies last.

Here is some more detailed information about the class. I hope you'll consider joining me!

Would you like to make photo books laid out to suit your photos? Would you like to use backgrounds, frames, and other charming details that are tailored to your album subject? Shutterfly Savvy, taught by Pattie Knox, takes you step-by-step through the process for installing the necessary software (a free trial copy of Photoshop Elements for PC and Mac), using digital templates to arrange your photos on the page in ways standard photobook formats don't allow, adding digital papers and embellishments of your choice, and getting all of this uploaded and laid out at the popular photobook service Shutterfly. This class comes with more than lessons! It also includes 4 digital page kits from DesignerDigitals, 16 page templates by Pattie Knox, and one 8"x8" 20-page Shutterfly photobook (with a photo hard cover to be ordered by 12/15/09; shipping and handling not included). Come on over check out out the many many details about what this class covers and includes and get ready to get not only "Shutterfly Savvy" but digi-scrapping savvy!

And the winner is.....

These are just awesome, Patti. Always glad to have great inspiration

Posted by: sawdust (Barb) | July 11, 2009 at 02:51 PM

Congratulations Barb! I've sent your email address off to Tania and Debbie. You should be hearing from one of them soon. Enjoy the class!

When you care enough ....

I don't know about you, but when I find a greeting card in my mailbox it lights up my whole day. And if it's handmade the warm glow lasts all week!

Take a peek at these ... arent' they lovely?

Cards: Beautifully Handmade
with Tania Willis
July 13 - July 30

Join Tania for a 6-session course, over 3 weeks, where you will learn a diverse range of card making techniques. Not only will you have increased confidence in yourself for making beautiful handmade cards, but you’ll also increase your stash of ‘ready to be used’ cards for every occasion along the way. She’ll also share her knowledge on postal rules and regulations for mailing your embellished cards and those card creations that are unique in shape and size.

Tania is not only amazingly talented ... she's generous too! I've got a free pass to her class to offer one of my readers ... yep, FREE!

Just leave me a message here including your email address and I'll draw a winner on Sunday the 12th ... just in time for some lucky guy or gal to make it to Tania's classroom on Monday the 13th.

Product Pizazz 102 at Get It Scrapped!

My friend Doris Sander has a new class Product Pizazz 102 starting at Get It Scrapped this month that is sure to inspire you ... check it out!

 

(8 classes over 4 weeks)
May 12 through June 2
$25

Design principles, technique lessons, and challenges will have you using it now!

Doris Sander is a master of combining product on scrapbook pages and she's developed a series of lessons that show you how to apply design principles and crafting techniques to a variety of products. You'll find new and pleasing ways to use up your stash--and if you're looking for excuses to shop, she'll give you a few of those, too.

Product Pizzazz 102 covers

• chipboard
• thread, floss, fiber
• labels & tags
• specialty paper
• stickers
• acrylics & overlays
• small things
• tiny things

Class includes:

8 lessons in downloadable pdf format posted on Tuesdays and Fridays over 4 weeks.

Each lesson covers the following:
- product usage
- design principle
- craft technique
- use it now challenge--with weekly chances to win goodies

A private class forum for interacting with other participants and Doris.

A private class gallery for sharing your work and seeing what others have done.

I'm really looking forward to the start of my new class
Mad Digital Skillz, on March 9th!

When I discovered the joys of scrapbooking digitally I quickly realized that my number one priority was creating pages that were realistic . . . the type that caused people to exclaim "I would never have guessed this was digital!" :) I've been on this journey for over 5 years now and I spent a good portion of those years searching for information on how to accomplish techniques in Photoshop. I searched the internet, spent a fortune in books, and absorbed every tip and trick shared with me by the gifted digital artists I met along the way.

Mad Digital Skillz will introduce you to some of my favorite techniques for creating realistic digital layouts. You'll learn how to use layer masks (yes. . . in Photoshop Elements too!), how to create your own digital stickers and custom papers, the secret to adding custom drop shadows, tips and techniques for installing and using Photoshop brushes, combining, layering and attaching elements such as paper clips (and more), my method for creating a stamp pad or painted look over page elements--and much more!

This class is designed for users of all versions of Photoshop Elements from Version 3 up to Version 7, and instructions are included when needed for users of the full version of Photoshop from Version CS up to Version CS4. Some familiarity with your software is needed--but not much! :-D If you understand how to create a layered document and have a rudimentary understanding of the tools, you're good to go. All of the lessons include detailed step-by-step instructions!

And--saving the best for last (akin to dessert!)--IF YOU REGISTER BY THE END OF THE DAY MARCH 8th, you'll be automatically entered into a drawing to win a fantastic new package from Wacom: the Bamboo Fun Craft tablet! See a full description of the package on my blog. Register even earlier (by midnight EST March 2nd) and be entered into a drawing for a Shutterfly $25 gift certificate.

I hope you'll consider joining me on our next journey into the world of digital design, and if you have any questions about the class give me a shout out here.

Beginning Photo Editing at Get It Scrapped!

One of the reasons many of us have switched from film photos to digital photos is because we’ve heard it’s possible to edit them—to make them better!

Editing photos . . . hmmmm. How exactly do you do that? What software should you use? What’s it mean when you go to crop and you have to decide on the resolution? Is it actually possible to brighten up a dark photo or sharpen a blurry one? If you’ve been meaning to figure all of this out, now’s the time.

My buddy Lynn Weber’s Beginning Photo Editing class starts Monday, February 16, at Get It Scrapped! and she’s already answering questions in the class forum and sharing a “Getting Ready” lesson that tells you how to get a free trial version of Photoshop Elements installed and set up so that you’re good to go when class begins. If you’ve never taken an online class, this is a great one to start with. Lynn will post lessons 3 times per week. The lessons are pdf files with step-by-step instructions and screen shots from Photoshop Elements. You may download, print, and follow these lessons at your own convenience then post questions and photos in the private class forum and gallery to get answers and feedback from Lynn.

We hope to see you there.

The New Math

This made me smile. Smiling is good and I firmly believe it should be shared ... so I hope that this will turn up the corners of YOUR mouth too. (And what mother can listen to this and NOT relate to the poor mother on the other end of the phone?) :)

Have a happy weekend!

Wacom WOW!

Last week I received a package in the mail from my friends at Wacom and I've been eagerly waiting for the contents to be revealed on the Wacom site today so I could share the news with all of my digital scrapping friends! What am I so excited about? This package full of goodness that is TRULY designed for the digital scrapbooker and/or photo enthusiast!

 

Seriously, when it comes to a great deal, it just doesn't GET any better than this! Along with the Bamboo Fun pen tablet the box contains:

• A 26-session training DVD from Jane Conner-ziser and Software Cinema showing you how to use the you pen with the software included in the box
• A 28-page instructional book called Scrappin' With A Tablet by Amanda Dyken to help you jump right into digital scrapbooking and art projects
• A fun Digi-Scappin' CD of complimentary embellishments
• Adobe® Photoshop® Elements (6.0 WIN/5.0 MAC), the perfect application for editing photos
• Corel® Painter™ Essentials 4.0 for designing you own artwork and embellishments
• Nik® Color Efex Pro™ for adding unique photo effects to your digital photos
• Free 1-year Subscription to Scrapbooking & Beyond Magazine
• Free 8" x 8" hard-cover, professionally-bound Photo Book from Shutterfly
• Free online store so that you can sell your artwork or creations with Café Press and $15 off you first purchase of $50 or more

Whether you're looking for an easy way to improve your digital photos, make your own scrapbook embellishments, or take the leap into digital scrapbooking, Bamboo Craft is the perfect tool to help you touch up digital photos, draw by hand, create artwork and paintings, and even write in your own handwriting.

When I got my first pen tablet I have to admit that it served as an expensive paper weight for some time ... simply because I didn't understand what I could do with it ... or HOW to use it. Judging by the messages I saw posted in various scrapbooking forums, I wasn't alone either. The introduction of the Bamboo Craft package is an indication that Wacom listened ... and answered our pleas for help!

I really can't say enough about how impressed I am with this package. If you've been intruiged by the idea of working with a pen tablet now is the time to act! The Bamboo Craft is a limited edition package and currently only available for sale via Wacom's site here.  With Valentines Day just around the corner it might be time to start dropping a few hints! :)

Double D Days of Christmas Have Begun!

The DD Days of Christmas 2008 are beginning today.

What does this mean?  

1.  Starting at 7pm EST on Wednesday night the best selling item from each designer will be marked down 20%. These items will marked down until 6am EST Friday morning.  Each day after that the count and percent off will increase.So at 7pm EST on Thursday evening the next two top selling items from every designer will be marked down 21% until 6am EST on Saturday morning.  So on and so forth so on until Christmas day where there will be 15 items from each designer marked down 34%. This means that you can get the TOP 136 best selling items from every designer marked down from 20 – 34%.
If you want to see what the items are ahead of time, just search by each designer and sort the results by Popularity (just click on the title to change the sort).

Note:

• Michelle Martin's items will not be included because she just started at Designer Digitals.
• Designers who do not have 120 items in the store will have their items spread out through out the sale
• There WILL NOT be extra Thrifty Thursday items during this time.

AND

2.  Also starting on Wednesday the 10th at 7pm, we will have a new item FREE for 24 hours in the Freebie gallery. After the 24 hours the item will go into the store at full price. This will continue until Christmas day.

AND

3.  We will be having chats through out the DD days of Christmas also with freebies so watch the calendar for dates and time!

Happy Holidays from the Designer's at DesignerDigitals!

If you log into your account in the gallery/forum you can request an e-mail reminder for this event. Sign up once and get an email reminder every day!

 

I've got a couple of new goodies going up on Sunday that are sure to put you in a holiday mood too!

 

 

 

 

 

Be sure to stop by our Chat Room at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 11 for the Speed Byte Chat I'll be hosting. Here's a sneak peek at the freebie that will be provided:

 

 

 

Hope to see you there!

 

   

Getting in the SPIRIT!

 I can't think of a better way to get the Christmas spirit kicked into full gear than with a new class by Torm (Sharyn Tormanen/Live from Tormville). This year make your holiday scrapbook pages about more than the photos. In "Souvenirs of the Season" Sharyn Tormanen will show you what to gather and how to incorporate your "souvenirs of the season"--from gift cards to wrapping paper, holiday programs, postage stamps, special recipes and more—into your albums. Learn how to connect holiday mementos to the stories of your celebrations and get them onto pages that you’ll treasure now and in the future.

But there's more! Everyone who registers by midnight this Friday, Nov 21 get a 20% off coupon at IdeaBooks4U.com AND have a chance to win a copy of "Telling Your Story" by Ali Edwards! Holy wow...that's sort of like Christmas coming early isn't it?