More Summer Inspiration...

I don't know about you guys, but I am always so inspired by summer colors and summer photos...there is just something about the bright colors, the carefree photos and all the fun ways to scrap them that makes we want to pull everything out and make something summery!

I found a couple of inspiring ads that might will hopefully inspire you as well. I'm loving the "colored in" look on this OP one...so much fun!

These colors just scream summer and the big burst of color and text is so cool!

Oh man, the text in this one kills me...so many possibilities!!

And check out this super fun summer font...it's called Super Delicious BTN and you can download it for free here. ETA: Sorry, it turns out that this font isn't a free font. That's what happens when you try to blog after midnight. ;) heeee!

Anyway, I found another fun summer font that is too cute! Gilligan's Island...you can download it here for FREE! :)

A Long and Winding Road?

It doesn't have to be! If you're just getting to know your Photoshop Program, whether it's a numbered version, a CS version or Elements you've probably found a few things that you do over and over. Did you know there are some key stroke combinations called "shortcuts" that will perform the action without you ever having to move your mouse or even open a menu? I've found a wonderful, comprehensive website that has a ton of information about shortcuts (and downloadable .pdf cheat sheets)!

Trevor Morris Photographics Adobe Shortcuts
here's another (specifically for Elements)
Dark Side of The Lens

Maybe you're getting more and more interested in actually scrapping digitally, or even using templates to print your photos. The following link is the learning page of a pretty cool site that contains an exponential amount of information. I caution that you might lose hours caught up in the multitude of pages offering information, tutorials and perspectives!

The Daily Digi (look to the right side of the page for more information/tutorials while you're there!)

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Jessica Sprague's wonderful digital classes. I've known many people that have come away from her classes with a wealth of new Photoshop talents!

Maybe you're really, REALLY getting into Photoshop and want even more information. I'd recommend anything by Scott Kelby or Deke McClelland. Photoshop gurus, both of them. You could even join NAPP!

Are you on overload yet? I know that Kirsty has one more surprise up her sleeve for you tomorrow, but I wouldn't be very nice if I didn't give you a little something, as well, right? I've made you a template that you can use to print your photos out, scrap a hybrid page or scrap a digital page--and if you're still not convinced that you can use your computer to scrap paper, just use it as a jump off inspirational sketch!


Wait.... Are you scratching your head about how you'd use this? Maybe you need one more tutorial about Clipping Masks? Just click here and let TaylorMadeDesigns tell you all about them!

Feel confident? Comfortable? Here's your template: Download JO_Template.zip (479.3K) --enjoy!!

As always, just email me (JennO) through the message board if you have any questions, if I can't give you an answer, I'll certainly help you find one! Happy Friday!!

Hybrid Theory

Oh I know you will be fleeing to the hills when you see this title but give me a minute or two to explain a few things!

Hybrid, in scrapbooking terms, is a mix of digital and paper. You don't have to go "full on digi" to "get" that printing out digi supplies is a simple yet beautiful thing. I am both a digi and paper girl, I cant decide which I love the most but what I do love the most is mixing them both. Over the next few days Im going to show you my favourite hybrid techniques, one using printables (today) and one using shaped text to print out on a full 8x11.5 page. But let me say this, wasn't Jenns layout yesterday just gorgeous?

So, anyway, take this layout below. Its paper based with a hybrid of digi print outs - you would never know they were not from a must have paper line from the likes of your favourite manufacturers. From the hundreds of online digi shops including free digi download sites you can print the papers to a smaller format (not everyone has 12x12 printer capability) and you can even make use of some of those fab embellishments to cut out and layer to look the part.You see the journal card, the butterflies and the rattan effect paper? Yup, all digi and whats even more exciting is if you print them onto Kraft (like I have done) you will result in a super nifty "you wouldn't think it was a digi product" effect.

So to help you recreate this layout or indeed try digi printouts yourself, I have made a little sheet of cut outs for you to download.You can download them exclusively to the Studio Calico blog from HERE and there you simply click on the download button, save to your desktop, open the zip, open the file and press print (preferably onto Kraft, if not white or cream cardstock). If you do make anything with the download, please share it with us so we can see the fruits of your labour!

So are we selling digi to you? Do you feel slightly hybrid yet? Tell us your for's and against's and we can try and convince you otherwise.