This past week at work I had a very busy schedule. I work at a grade school and I am in charge of scheduling and carrying out many of the after school activities as well as bringing in assemblies and programs from the community into the school.

As I went about my week I took a number of really great pictures of kids and other participants in these activities knowing that at the end of the year, I will be required to put together a project that displays what I have done during the year to promote literacy in the school.

I always look forward to putting this project together at the end of the year. I put the photos I take together into a PowerPoint presentation.

Here is my secret, for the backgrounds on the PowerPoint slides I use digital scrapbooking pages! It makes my presentation really impressive! Everyone thinks I am a genius, but really it is only using scrapbooking! First, after I get the photos, then I scrap the pages in Photoshop Elements!

It is an easy assignment for me because I have the advantage of using Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Digital Scrapbooking kits and Training to help me out.

Then I save the digital scrapbooking page in the JEPG format, and then just insert it into my PowerPoint presentation… yes, it really is that easy!

As I said, this past week was a busy one. I had three major projects going on in one week. One project was “Art Mom’s” . This is a new program to our school. It takes some major work but has so many “pay off’s” that it is well worth the work. I organize mom’s to create, put together, and teach an art class to 22 classrooms of children. This was a really great event to take pictures of. The children were so thrilled to have a “mom” in the classroom teaching. The art was terrific and the smiles on the kids faces were the biggest pay off. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The next project I worked on was a celebration assembly for the kids for making AYP this year! Our school was in AYP trouble so this was a really big deal. AYP is the government standard that schools have to meet and if they don’t, consequences that are really negative may come to the school, so this was so important.

My contribution to the assembly was bringing in the Bengal Tiger Mascot “Benny” from ISU to cheer the kids on. It was wonderful. He came in and the kids cheered and clapped and had a great time giving him five as he went through the crowd of students. The kids then were presented with the reading program that ISU has set up for kids to earn free tickets to athletic events. Great program, great event!

The next event was an after school Family Math Night. We had games set up in every pod of classes, in the halls and library. We had candy in jars that were guessing games that were given away as door prizes. This went off without a hitch and we had around 250 participants. Families came and went all night and all of the kids had a great time showing off all of their math skills.

The pictures of all of these events were adorablele. It was also Red Ribbon Week so we had the kids dress differently every day in things such as backwards day and hat day themes. So at some of the events the kids had on fun hats etc.

I take pictures of these events that I am in charge of and then one event at a time I scrap them with the help of Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Digital Scrap Kits. When the time comes at the end of the year and I am asked to account for the programs I have produced during the school year, it is as easy as 1,2,3. It’s already complete!

One great way I use Digital Scrapbooks and More Digital Scrapbooking Supplies is by making a scrapbook page of each of these activities, I love to scrap these pages and then turning them into a PowerPoint slide with music to match the digital scrap page and photos.

It is wonderful! It is easy and I look amazing, with the scrapbooking pages added to the PowerPoint slides. It is something different from just using the basic PowerPoint backgrounds those most people use!

The State Department of Education in my state keeps these presentations to encourage other schools to create programs such as the ones I have created. So you know they love them too! They also share these presentations with other states, so just using scrapbooking page can make a nice impression.

Maybe some of you can benefit by using Digital Scrapbooking Supplies to make your presentations delightful and useful for years to come.

I hope so, because they sure have made this part of my job stress free and a joy rather than “Just a Job”.

Happy Scrapping, Denise

Learn Digital Scrapbooking Today!

Get training to learn digital scrapbooking, Photoshop or Photoshop Elements ~ buy the Getting Started Series for Digital Scrapbooking in either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

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Get School Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Supplies:

The Back to School Sticker Embellishment Set is an adorable set of school-inspired digital embellishments that add a bit of fun to all your school digital scrapbooking projects!

This kit is filled with school scrapbooking essentials that can add a little excitement to school projects, like: a school bus, backpacks, crayon box, note pad and MORE !

Digi Scrap Tip: Use this Back to School Digital Embellishment Kit to easily make your own stickers! It’s easy, inexpensive, and fun! The best part about making your own stickers is that you can make stickers as many times as you want to, without having to purchase a new set! Make your own adorable stickers inexpensively this year by buying some sticker paper at a local office supply store (sticker paper not included) and then printing the Digital Embellishment Kit on the sticker paper! Use the stickers on cards, coloring books, or anywhere else that could use some school themed images!

The Back-to-School Digital Scrapbooking Kit 2 (12×12″ papers) is a kit that is great for Digital Scrapbooking Pages dedicated to the start of a brand new school year, or other school-related themes! This kit comes with 12×12″ digital papers, School-themed digital embellishments and WordArt too!

Add embellishments, text, and coordinating digital photos to the school-themed digital scrapbooking kit, and you have gorgeous, finished digital scrapbooking pages!

The Back-to-School Digital Scrapbooking Kit 1 (12×12″ papers) is a super-fun kit that is perfect for Digital Scrapbooking Pages dedicated to the start of a brand new school year, or special classes, or favorite school subjects, getting ready for school, and other school-related themes! This kit comes with 12×12″ digital papers and several School-themed digital embellishments!

Use special photos of back-to-school shopping, your child walking towards the bus on their first day of school, or your favorite classroom photos and combine them with this school-inspired kit to create fun, back-to-school digital scrapbooking projects!

Add some WordArt to the Your Digital Scrapbooking Pages too!

Digitally scrap all of your school activities with the Back to School WordArt Kit for Digital Scrapbooking. Use the Back to School WordArt Kit to add extra detail and complete your pages with school-inspired sayings!

Use the beautiful golden bronze WordArt within this kit to decorate school photos, class activity photos, and all your back-to-school digital scrapbooking pages! Use the bronze-brushed WordArt for the start of the year, as well as graduation!

Add some fun to your digital scrapbooking projects by adding WordArt to your digital scrap pages! Use this WordArt Kit to sprinkle detail on your projects and to add a some personalization to you and your kids’ digital scrapbooking pages.

The Back-to-School Brushes for Digital Scrapbooking are a super-fun set of digital brushes, perfect for Digital Scrapbooking Pages dedicated to the start of a brand new school year, special classes or favorite school subjects, getting ready for school, and other school-related themes!

Custom Brushes are just one of the many exciting things to do when Digital Scrapbooking within Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Custom Brushes can be used as a digital version of a rubber stamp, and can be “stamped” on Digital Scrapbook Pages, for a more traditional scrapbook look!

Special Note: If you would like more detail on how to use and install custom brushes please see our training in ~ Photoshop or in Photoshop Elements .

Celebrate Thanksgiving the Whole Month of November by Giving Service to others!

Thanksgiving is around the corner and before we know it we will be rushing around the grocery store, baking up a storm and visiting with family and friends.

Sounds like fun, however for many family members, neighbors, and acquaintances the holidays are anything but fun.

Some of these wonderful people don’t have family close by to share a meal with, some may have lost a loved one during this time of year and it brings back those memories, and some may have financial struggles that keep them from celebrating in a manner that brings them peace and joy.

How can we make the holidays pleasant for those around us that may struggle through them for one reason or another.

We can start looking around right now to see whose life we can try to brighten up and whose load we can lighten before the holiday is here.

Some suggestions I would like to make are simple but meaningful.

Giving service to a person in need is a wonderful way to lighten a burden. Rake leaves, sit and visit, invite them for a family activity or meal.

Maybe help someone by offering to babysit while them go to the grocery store. Do a Craft with your children and then take a neighbor a simple gift such as a homemade placemat made from autumn leaves and contact paper.

Read someone a story or how about helping a child with their homework? There are so many things we can do to be of service to people of all ages that are around us.

So as I think about how busy my life is and how insanely busy the holidays become, I have a goal to slow down just enough to serve somebody else.

More ideas might be as simple as making cookies for a friend, and take some time to talk to them, listening to what they have to say —which is sometimes the greatest gift!

Ask about their family and sit and look through old photo albums with them, offer to scan some of those photos for them.

You might put some of the scanned photos on a digital frame for them so they can enjoy their photos!

Also it is big help to help someone organize their digital photos, maybe even offering to scrap some of digital photos for them, and show them how to get them printed out into albums!

(Note: see the training for fixing scanned photos, training for organizing digital photos and see a mobile scanner that is handy to take to out – see these at bottom of this blog!)

Maybe in the process of doing service we will make a new friend, for sure making a happy memory, and will spread some sunshine around.

Get your children involved, get your whole family part of the service, and when it is possible gather your friends to help out too!

Remember that no matter what your holiday looks like, it will always be happier if you can bring a smile to someone else’s face.

Also remember to take a camera to capture their smile, and yours of course!

Denise

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Want Training on How to Fix Scanned Photos?

Wondering how to make these improvements in your scanned photos?No problem, get the training that would help you do all of these things!

Get this Photo Edit Training for fixing scanned photos using Elements! Have you just scanned some precious photos and have them on your computer? But sadly they have are damaged, have dust, need to be rotated, cropped and fixed but you don’t know how? Well then we have the training for you! Photo Edit Training for fixing scanned photos using Elements, can help you get the training you need to fix those scanned photos!

This training, Photo Edit Training for fixing scanned photos using Elements 10 contains 4 downloadable video tutorials, and a Cheat Sheet for helpful tips and quick reference.

Scanned photos have special needs that other digital photos might not need so take this training to learn how to:

* Duplicate
* Rotate
* Straighten
* Crop
* Separate
* Fix — (Red Eye, get rid of dust, clean up blemishes, and fixed some damages!)

After all that scanning don’t ruin your original photos, make a duplicate copy to work on!

Many scanned photos need to be rotated and straightened after the scanning learn how in this training! Sometime while scanning you pick up parts of extra photos or the album, so crop these unnecessary items out of your photo!

Save time and scan several photos together, now learn a quick way to separate them! The scanned photo needs to be fixed, lean these first fixes in this training — take out Red Eye, get rid of dust, clean up blemishes, and fixed some damages!

Buy this training now!

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Get a Mobile Scanner to turn your old photos into digital photos!

Need to scan some old photos too? Get a mobile scanner to turn your old photos into digital photos to add to digital scrapbooking pages today!

If you would like to see more about this scanner visit Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner Website and check them out!

Also, see this article for more information about this neat little scanner – Scan your Photos with a Mobile Scanner for Digital Scrapbooking Projects

Or see this article: Get Rid of the Clutter and Scanning Photos and More!

Or check this article for scanning ideas: Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner Helped me turn Old Photos into Digital Photos for Digital Scrapbooking!

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See the training you can get to help you organize in Photoshop Elements:

How to “Get Organized in the Organizer: A Simple Start in Photoshop Elements, Lesson 1” is a great Intermediate 3-part tutorial set that will teach you all about the basics of using the Organizer! This Simple Start Lesson Set teaches you easy and simple ways to begin organizing with the Organizer in Photoshop Elements!

Now that you know how to use Photoshop Elements in the Editor Mode, there’s no doubt that you have plenty of photos and edited photos, digital scrapbooking supplies, and digital scrapbooking projects! After a while, all your photos, supplies, and projects can become a nightmare to sort through and find. So what do you do, you ask? You can easily clean up the digital mess using Photoshop Elements’ Organizer!

That’s where Organizer training comes in! Learn the basics about the Organizer and how to use it. Learn simple, but helpful, steps to get your photos, supplies, and projects neat and tidy within the Organizer with this 3-part tutorial training!

How to “Get Organized in the Organizer Using Organizing Features in Elements, Lesson 2″ is a great Intermediate 4-part tutorial set that will teach additional tips and organizing features within the Organizer!

Lesson 2 takes your digital organizing to the next level, by pushing past the basics of the Organizer! Make your digital photos, digital scrapbooking supplies, and digital scrapbooking projects neat, tidy, and incredibly easy to find with more secrets revealed about the Organizer!

Get this coordinating all-about-the-Organizer training and learn how to do more advanced organization within the Organizer, like add keyword tags or create albums and categories to bring some much needed order to all of your many digital things! While other companies may focus their Organizer training specifically on photos (and only photos!), Digital Scrapbooks and More reviews organizing both digital photos and digital supplies – for the best of both worlds!

Continue your organizing training with How to: “Get Organized in the Organizer Using Organizing Advanced Features in Elements, Lesson 3.” This 4-part tutorial set will teach you all about advanced Organizer secrets!

Lesson 3 is a great fit for anyone interested in advanced organizing techniques within the Organizer. Learn how to rate your favorite photos, or even find your photos with actual faces! Find out how you can easily compare similar photos side by side to decide which ones are better with additional Organizer tools. Advanced organization within the Organizer can make your digital photos, digital scrapbooking supplies, and digital scrapbooking projects incredibly easy to find and use!

Get this coordinating all-about-the-Organizer training and “go to the next level” in your organization skills using the Organizer! Learn how you can use the Organizer to help you make much-needed back up copies of your most-treasured photos in case of an emergency or computer-crash, or learn how to make a back up copy of your favorite supplies to use on a newly purchased computer or separate laptop.

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Buy the Digital Scrapbooking Supplies for Fall Scrapbooking:

See this Autumn Digital Scrap Kit used in this blog:

See the Orange Pumpkin Spice Digital and Lace Scrap Kit 1 features a digital scrapbooking kit filled with beautiful autumn colored-inspired digital papers, embellishments, and WordArt! This kit you can use for Fall Events, Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Autumn digital scrap pages! Also you can use this kit to scrap Tea Party activities, or Fall recipes! Use this digital kit for journaling too, as this kit has some journaling blocks and pen as a bonus to record all those Fall thoughts on your scrap pages! Paper size is 12×12″. This size of paper is great for large scrapbooking albums. Comes many digital items including a digital recipe card, WordArt, and Bonus Journaling Embellishments!

Get FREE Digital Scrapbooking Supplies:

Start Scrapbooking today with FREE Digital Scrapbooking Supplies!

Get some good digital scrapbooking tips and FREE Digital Scrapbooking Supplies when sign up for the FREE Newsletter that gives FREE tips and Free digital supplies too – Sign up today!

Also buy training to start learning Digital Scrapbooking too!

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Want a great night for your family or a fun evening for your kids friends?

Why not host an outdoor movie night?

An outdoor movie night can be fun for themed parties, birthday parties, kids sleepovers, cub scout meetings, pool parties, couples nights, or just a quiet family night.

Pop some popcorn, grab some soda and invite your friends to join the family in the backyard.  All you need is a movie screen (or sheet), a projector and a dvd player to make a backyard movie night.

Before you start your backyard movie night, make some invitations to let your family and friends know they are in for a special treat!

Making your own invitations for your backyard movie night,  means you’re in creative control when it comes to the photos included, the design, and the  card messages, event directions, RSVP requests, or other information needed inside (or outside) the card!

And making a personalized invitation that’s designed specifically with your movie night in mind can be filled with personal photos or other personal touches making it an invitation that’s likely to be treasured and saved- instead of eventually thrown away in the trash!

Get Training so you can make Movie Night Invitations!

How to Make Invitations, ‘Thank You’ Cards, and Note Cards in PSE 8 training is the best way to learn how to make your own personalized cards- for any occasion!  Creating customized invitation cards is a great way to make a card with a lot of personality and meaning… not to mention, it can save you a whole lot of money too! Store-bought cards are so expensive! Why not easily make your own and include all the photos, information, and messages that you really want it to have- all at the same time! Bonus: Digital Scrapbooking Supplies, Photoshop Card Templates are all included in this training too!

Don’t forget to scrap your backyard movie night too!

Have lots of fun with your backyard movie night, and don’t forget to get photos and scrap your event too!

Here are a few scrapbooking kits that you can use to make the invitations or to scrap the movie night later on.

The Movie Night Digital Scrapbooking Kit 1 is a super-cute kit for celebrating a passion for film, the fun of going to the movies, or a special tradition of watching movies at home. Make some popcorn, cuddle with someone special, and scrap all the movie night fun with this adorable movie-inspired kit!,This kit comes with 12×12″ digital papers, WordArt, and Movie-themed digital embellishments!

Filled with movie tickets, popcorn, and more, all you need is your favorite photos of friends gathered around to watch a favorite show- and you’re good-to-go! Mix and match adorable movie-themed papers and digital supplies to preserve special movie date nights.

The Be a Star Digital Scrapbooking Kit 1 is is an adorable kit that is perfect for becoming your own celebrity! Make a scrap page of you and your friends and turn into a digi-superstar!  This celebrity-inspired kit is filled with star-filled papers, cameras, and director-accessories that would make any actor and actress proud! This kit comes with 12×12″ digital papers, WordArt, and Movie/Star-themed digital embellishments!

Be a Star Digital Scrapbooking Kit 1 is also great to use for movie-themed digital scrapbooking pages or albums. Filled with cameras, director boards and chairs, even film, you can create a super-cute digital page all about a special movie night with friends and family! This kit also works well to celebrate birthdays or other special occasions to make someone feel special!

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Here are some family movies that might be fun to show at your backyard movie night:

• The Princess Bride
• Finding Neverland
• Hook
• Babe
• School of Rock
• The Parent Trap
• Cheaper by the Dozen

When backyard movie night is treated like an event by sending out invitations, it sets the mood and makes great family memories for both young and old!

Enjoy!

Since my move from southern California to Nashville, Tennessee (or what I like to call NashVegas- haha!) I have had to adjust to colder winters and harsher weather. That’s why I am so ready and definitely looking forward to Spring 2010! I’m ready to warm up!

Besides warmer weather, spring also makes me think of spring cleaning. It’s a great time of year to come out of our dark caves, clean up our surroundings, and get organized again!

Do you ever feel the same way about digital scrapbooking? As less-messy as digital scrapbooking is compared to traditional scrapbooking (thank goodness it’s all on your computer and there aren’t real photo, paper, sticker, and ribbon clippings everywhere right?!), as your digital scrapbooking collection grows, things can feel a little crazy and overwhelming! As you collect digital scrapbooking kits, how do you even know what you have anymore? Looking for a blue digital scrapbooking paper but not even sure where to look in your massive folders filled with miscellaneous supplies? Yep- it’s easy to feel totally out of control and unorganized!

Maybe this spring you should also include the goal to do a little spring cleaning when it comes to your digital scrapbooking kits and supplies!

So, how do you get your digi-stuff organized? Well, if you use a PC computer and Photoshop Elements- we have the solution! Use Organizer Training from Digital Scrapbooks and More!

There are three Organizer lessons that are critical to learning how to use the Organizer within Photoshop Elements.

How to “Get Organized in the Organizer: A Simple Start in Photoshop Elements, Lesson 1” is a great Intermediate 3-part tutorial set that will teach you all about the basics of using the Organizer! This Simple Start Lesson Set teaches you easy and simple ways to begin to organizing with the Organizer in Photoshop Elements!

Now that you know how to use Photoshop Elements in the Editor Mode, there’s no doubt that you have plenty of photos and edited photos, digital scrapbooking supplies, and digital scrapbooking projects! After a while, all your photos, supplies, and projects can become a nightmare to sort through and find. So what do you do, you ask? You can easily clean up the digital mess using Photoshop Elements’ Organizer!

That’s where Organizer training comes in! Learn the basics about the Organizer and how to use it. Learn simple, but helpful, steps to get your photos, supplies, and projects neat and tidy within the Organizer with this 3-part tutorial training!

This “How-To” Training Set, Getting Organized in the Organizer -A Simple Start in Photoshop Elements! Lesson 1, is the first lesson within the Organizer Tutorial Training and contains 3 downloadable videos tutorials and 3 Cheat Sheets for a quick re-cap of the lesson’s steps!

How to “Get Organized in the Organizer Using Organizing Features in Elements 7, Lesson 2” is a great Intermediate 4-part tutorial set that will teach additional tips and organizing features within the Organizer!

Lesson 2 takes your digital organizing to the next level, by pushing past the basics of the Organizer! Make your digital photos, digital scrapbooking supplies, and digital scrapbooking projects neat, tidy, and incredibly easy to find with more secrets revealed about the Organizer!

Get this coordinating all-about-the-Organizer training and learn how to do more advanced organization within the Organizer, like add keyword tags or create albums and categories to bring some much needed order to all of your many digital things! While other companies may focus their Organizer training specifically on photos (and only photos!), Digital Scrapbooks and More reviews organizing both digital photos and digital supplies – for the best of both worlds!

This “How-To” Training Set, Getting Organized in the Organizer-Using Features within Photoshop Elements! Lesson 2, is the second lesson within the Organizer Tutorial Training Series, and contains 4 downloadable videos tutorials and 4 Cheat Sheets for a quick re-cap of the lesson’s steps!

Continue your organizing training with How to: “Get Organized in the Organizer Using Organizing Advanced Features in Elements 7, Lesson 3.” This 4-part tutorial set will teach you all about advanced Organizer secrets!

Lesson 3 is a great fit for anyone interested in advanced organizing techniques within the Organizer. Learn how to rate your favorite photos, or even find your photos with actual faces! Find out how you can easily compare similar photos side by side to decide which ones are better with additional Organizer tools. Advanced organization within the Organizer can make your digital photos, digital scrapbooking supplies, and digital scrapbooking projects incredibly easy to find and use!

Get this coordinating all-about-the-Organizer training and “go to the next level” in your organization skills using the Organizer! Learn how you can use the Organizer to help you make much-needed back up copies of your most-treasured photos in case of an emergency or computer-crash, or learn how to make a back up copy of your favorite supplies to use on a newly purchased computer or separate laptop.

This “How-To” Training Set, Getting Organized in the Organizer -Using Advanced Features within Photoshop Elements! Lesson 3, is the third lesson within the Organizer Tutorial Training Series, and contains 4 downloadable videos tutorials and 4 Cheat Sheets for a quick re-cap of the lesson’s steps!

Happy Scrapping & Happy Spring Cleaning!

-Jennifer

One of my best moments is a tradition that my mother did with me and my grandfather did with her: cuddling on the couch with a warm blanket, a good movie, and a yummy bowl of buttery popcorn once a week or so.

A delicious bowl of fresh popcorn instantly reminds me of my mom- in our PJs, watching a suspenseful show, yelling at the characters to watch out, or to get out of a room (scary movies), and just having fun just being silly girls.

I continue this tradition with my own family. It’s an incredibly simple but surprisingly special way I spend time with my husband. I’m also pregnant with my very first child and can imagine myself sharing this simple, but bonding, once-a-week ritual with my son.

The very best moments often come disguised in plain packages. They don’t have to be rare or exciting adventures, activities, parties, trips, or events that cost a fortune.

That’s why I decided to digitally scrap this special and simple tradition of mine. It’s a ritual that makes me feel calm and comforted. It’s great way to sit close and cuddle with the sweetest man on earth, my husband. And when I go back to visit my parents, my mom and I always make sure to make time for this special girl time. Not to mention- it’s cheap! As small as it seems, it’s something that means so much to me; which means it’s a moment that deserves to be scrapped.

What’s a hobby or tradition that takes you to your “happy place?” What do you like to do for yourself or with the people you love that gives you peace and lets you relax?

Well, this March, digitally scrap it! Turn on your computer and let your feelings guide you to design a beautiful digi-page of your favorite simple and special moments.

You can find gorgeous digital scrapbooking kits and supplies for your “happy place” scrapping at Digital Scrapbooks and More.

Happy Moments & Happy Scrapping!

-Jennifer

Sign up for Digital Scrapbooks and More’s FREE Newsletter! Get FREEBIES, learn more about all-new digital scrapbooking training, digital kits & supplies, and receive subscriber-only discounts and sales!

Want Digital Scrapbooking Training? We’ve got it! Get the #1 Selling Digital Scrapbooking Training, Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Getting Started Series for Photoshop or the Getting Started Series for Photoshop Elements.

But with space quickly running out on your fridge, walls, and countertops, what do you do with the never ending piles of kid art that come home day after day?

Well, no need to despair (and no need to resort to the trash can!)… turn your kids art into a neat, tidy, and organized Art Book! Here’s how:

Step 1: Make a Happy Compromise with Your Child. Talk with your child and make the decision together that all art that comes home will go into their very own Art Book. Their Art Book will be a book that will save all of their masterpieces into one organized location. They can even keep this book in their room and look at all of their creations any time that they want. Make a deal that this is how all art will be kept, and all artwork originals will be recycled. That way everyone wins- they can keep their art, and you can keep your sanity.

Step 2: Scan Drawings & Paintings. Take your child’s paper artwork and scan their masterpieces to your computer.

Step 3: Take Digital Photos. If the paper artwork is too large to fit entirely in the scanner, take a digital pic! Or if your child has created a craft that won’t easily go into the scanner, taking a digital photo will also create a solution. Save the digital photos to your computer in a special “Artwork” folder.

Step 4: Resize Pages. Open Photoshop or Photoshop Elements and resize all scanned paper artwork to 8.5 x 11 inches or 12 x 12 inches (depending on the size of the Art Book that you want to create. Either dimensions are fine, just make sure that you stay consistent and choose one or the other so that all pages are the same size). See Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Getting Started Series Digital Scrapbooking Training to learn how to resize pages within Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

Step 5: Digitally Scrap Pages. You may want to actually digitally scrap each page, especially the pages that were once digital photos of art or crafts. For example, if you did not want to format a single photo of your child’s artwork to 8.5 x 11 inches or 12 x 12 inches, you could add one (or several photos) of the art to a New Document and add details- like text! The text that you add could include the name of the art project, the teacher or class it was made in, the purpose behind the artwork or craft, and the date it was made. Any explanations or stories associated with the art is always a nice addition to any page; you may want to even include these text details on your scanned artwork pages too!

See Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Getting Started Series Digital Scrapbooking Training to learn how to use Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, digitally scrap pages, and add text to scanned documents!

Step 6: Create a Art Book & Print. You can create beautiful (and professional-looking!) art books wrapped in leather or linen by going through an Online Printing Company.

See Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Getting Started Series (specifically, Lesson 6) in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements to learn more about saving, printing, and using an online printing company.

Upload your resized and scrapped pages to your online printing company account, and follow the instructions to buy and print your child’s very own Art Book!

It’s that easy! Now your child has his or her very own Art Book that holds all of their special drawings, paintings, and crafts that are condensed down to a small, organized book that they can keep in their room!

It’s a happy situation for everyone: their artwork is preserved and your walls and countertops are visible again… yay!

EXTRA TIP: Convert your child’s Art Book into a PDF file that you can email to Grandma and Grandpa! Take the all-new Digital Scrapbooks and More PDF training to learn how!

Happy Scrapping!

-Jennifer

About two years later, in third grade, I rediscovered the journal in my room and read the last entry- the one I wrote. I found it so difficult to read (it was filled with 1^st grade spelling mistakes) that I translated that entry and then wrote a new one on the next page!

Every few years I would stumble upon this special journal and write a new update of my ever-changing life. And while I actually used to be an avid, almost every day “journaler” in my teens, I always seemed to lose this one particular journal and find it somewhere completely unexpected years later. I think that was what was so special about it. With just a turn of the page, I could see how much my handwriting improved, how my vocabulary advanced, and how my thoughts, feelings, and life evolved.

Some entries were long, others were really short, but in the end- it was just exciting that a new entry was there. Some years were good years, other years were hard, but again, it was great to see that as bad as things can get, a page later, life had a way of working itself out and I was happier than ever.

As much as I don’t tend to live in the moment, I do feel sometimes that I live day by day and forget the big picture of what a year can bring. I think may of us do this. But a journal like this can remind you of the big picture: that no matter what the ups and downs of life in a year may be, we all grow and change and can become better as people.

I think everyone should keep a similar journal, where there’s no obligation to write every day, but perhaps check in once a year to write a new entry (I think anyone can commit to that!). A simple update on how you’ve grown and changed, new experiences or challenges you’ve faced, and an overview of a good, bad, or average year. Nothing has to be “deep,” poetic, or perfect- just a simple reflection of what has happened and who you are every year.

As we approach the end of 2009, it’s time to take a minute to tell your story and say what this year has been for you. Digital Scrapbooking is a great way to journal your “2009 Journal Entry.” Try these ideas for your end-of-the-year digital scrapbooking reflections:

· Create a two page digital scrapbooking journal entry. Make one page all text: write about what this year has taught you, goals you’ve accomplished, and just an overview of your year. You may even want to include new goals, hopes, and dreams for the year ahead. On the second page, scrap a digital scrapbooking page with photos of favorite or meaningful moments throughout the year: a special birthday, a meaningful reunion, or a happy, simple day of doing absolutely nothing with friends and family. Add captions with dates, times, places, and people in the photos, or even include mini-stories explaining certain photos.

Like this scrap page? Get the Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Happy New Year Kit and make your own end-of-the-year digi-masterpieces!

· Make a one-page digital scrapbooking page with photos (real photos of you & events throughout the year, or perhaps photos/paintings/pictures of things that represent the year and what it means to you). Add meaningful quotes by a favorite poet or person, inspirational sayings, or other captions that represent the completed year and what it has been like for you.

· A quick way to remember the previous year in the year after is to digitally scrap the new year’s calendar with photos from the previous year. Fill the digital calendar with special pics, phrases, and memories from each month of last year to remind you of the wonderful moments made the year before. Do this every year with your yearly calendar and reflect on happy times each month from a previous year well-done!

You can make digital calendars fast too, just by using Quick Pages. Quick Pages are basically pre-designed digital scrapbooking pages. All you have to do is add your photos (and perhaps a little text, if you want) and you’re done! Use Digital Scrapbooks and More’s 12 Month Calendar Quick Pages to make your own super-fast 2010 calendar! Just add your best 2009 photos each month, and within minutes, you’re done and ready to print!

It really doesn’t take long to create an end-of-the-year digital scrapbooking reflection entry or calendar. An hour or two (though with Quick Pages it can take a few mere minutes!), and you have a priceless masterpiece that sums up an entire year of your life.

A journal like this is a treasure- for yourself or maybe even for a special little first grader somewhere down the line…

Happy 2009 and Best Wishes for 2010!

-Jennifer

Ps. If you want to begin Digital Scrapbooking in order to digitally scrap moments from 2009 and new adventures in 2010, get Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Getting Started Series for digital scrapbooking training for beginner’s!

Also, you might try some digital scrapbooking pages designed for Journaling like the Journaling Pages Digital Scrapbooking Kit

This kit is the perfect outlet for journaling your thoughts, feelings, activities, or adventures-digitally! This kit was specifically designed for large amounts of text, providing a wonderful outlet for you to include stories or memories of important moments within your digital scrapbooking projects. This kit comes with 12×12″ digital papers and several digital embellishments!

Add text and coordinating digital photos to this pastel and polka-dotted themed digital scrapbooking kit, and you have gorgeous, finished digital scrapbooking pages! The Journaling Pages Digital Scrapbooking Kit is a perfect kit to start creating your very own digital diary, with its large, designated spaces! Made just for journaling!

This kit is also designed so that you can have the pages face each other for a more continuous feel, if you are going to turn the digital scrapbooking pages into an album or book! This Digital Scrapbooking Page can hold a very lengthy story. Sometimes a scrapbooking pages need more than just photos …they need WORDS too!

Enjoy!

I felt that way after spending thousands of dollars on my photographer. She was brilliant, and it was definitely worth the expense (she took beautiful photos!), but we paid for photography service and that’s it. All the adorable “perks” she offered after her photography package, yeah… we just couldn’t afford any of it. One of those additional perks was a wedding scrapbook that she would create for you. Although her wedding scrapbook-example was beautiful, I was stunned by how much she was charging for it. Being a digital scrapbooker, I knew just how easily and inexpensively it was to make one just like it!

It made me realize that although it’s great to have a professional photographer, and not a day to miss out on that important wedding service, there is no reason why you can’t make your own wedding scrapbook afterwards- of equal quality for that matter. The cost of her wedding scrapbook was more than a thousand dollars. The cost of your own wedding scrapbook at the same quality? Anywhere from $50- $200. Really, that’s it. Again, anytime you can save yourself a little money and still get the same benefit around your wedding day, is definitely a time that it’s worth it.

3 Reasons you should make your own Wedding Digital Scrapbook:

1. Cost. The cost for your photographer to put together a wedding scrapbook can be absolutely insane. Like I said, my photographer was brilliant, but I could not afford a thousand-dollar scrapbook, I’m sorry. Between digital scrapbooking supplies, the book, and the printing, you can make a beautiful leather or linen-bound book for $200-max. Not bad.

2. Look. When you make your scrapbook, you get to decide what photo is on the cover page, and what photos go inside. Your favorite photos may not be your photographer’s favorite photos, and it’s important that you decide which photos bring back special memories and hold sentimental value. By taking charge of the project, you can feel proud of the look and design of each page and every photo that is included.

3. Effects. Your photographer may apply certain effects to photos, but might not use them in other photos. But what if you want to convert a favorite photo to black and white, or perhaps even add a touch of color back into the black and white photo- and it’s not already done? Well, you can easily apply these effects to your wedding photos yourself, at less than a fraction of the cost for your photographer to do it!

So why do brides-to-be waste thousands of dollars for someone else to make them a wedding scrapbook?

I think that those that can afford a high-priced book pick that option either A.) Because they feel overwhelmed and tight on time- and want someone else to do it. Or B.) They don’t know how to make their own wedding scrapbook and are afraid that any attempt that they make at creating their own would be disastrous. I think both of these issues are incredibly easy to solve.

First things first, as crazy, hectic, and stressful as wedding planning can be, most brides want nothing more than to have a break from planning. It seems so convenient to have someone do all the work, especially when you’re just so busy getting ready for your big day! But remember, after the wedding, what typically comes next is the relaxing honeymoon, and then it’s just every day, regular married-life! After your wedding, it’s so much fun to reminisce over the photos, watch the wedding video, and talk about all the special moments! It’s the perfect time to start making your own scrapbook, because you’ve had time to rest, but are still so excited about your wonderfully special day! So, even though it may seem overwhelming to make a wedding scrapbook before the wedding, just remember, you’ll be making it at a time when life has slowed down and reminiscing about the wedding is fun!

Second, it’s easy to make your own wedding scrapbook. Sign up for the FREE Digital Scrapbooks and More Newsletter and learn how to begin digital scrapbooking. This free newsletter will teach you what you need to get started, which digital scrapbooking software you should buy, and much more! It’s the very best way to start as a beginner to digital scrapbooking.

Next, get Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Digital Scrapbooking Training: The Getting Started Series. It’s available in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. This will teach you how to create beautiful scrapbooking pages and even print your finished album through an online printing company.

Once you know how to digitally scrapbook, get Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Photo Editing Training. Photo Editing will teach you how to apply beautiful effects to your photos (or even give them a virtual makeover!).

And just because you go digital doesn’t mean you can’t add real physical items to your wedding day scrapbook. Lace real invitations, dried flowers, table name cards, etc throughout your special book. Combine the best of both worlds: digital and traditional!

With digital scrapbooking and photo editing, your wedding day scrapbook can be just as stunning as any photographer’s version, at a ridiculously inexpensive price. And after a day like a wedding day… every penny that you can save counts!

-Jennifer

Ps. If you liked the paper in the example above, get Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Heavenly Blooms Kit!

Kids are so excited to host their own Halloween party, and just like my mom, you can always set them up in the garage if it’s not too cold (I have to admit, I was spoiled, as we lived in sunny San Diego!), family room, or a rec room. A few, simple (and inexpensive) Halloween decorations, along with some yummy, Halloween-inspired snacks, and you really can create a fantastic “room of terror” for your own kids this Halloween!

The awful news about my own Halloween parties is that we didn’t take any pictures! All the photo ops of decorating the garage together or playing in the garage? Yup, we don’t have any pics and it’s such a shame! The good news? You can learn from our mistake and make sure to take plenty of Halloween party pics at your own ghoulish party!

There are a few must-take photos opportunities that you must take advantage of at your kid’s next Halloween bash:

First, take photos of the final set up. After adding a spooky Halloween decoration here and there, a table or two with black or pumpkin-orange-colored table covers, and made a few oh-so-frightening Halloween snacks, you must take photos of your super-scary garage transformation! Even better? Take “before” pictures of the room, and then take “after” pictures of the room of terror! You’ll want to remember your adorable Halloween set-up, and these kinds of pictures are great for digital scrapbooking pages! Make sure you ask your kids to pose in the pictures too!

You’ll also want to take pictures of the kids playing in the room of terror! As each of your child’s friends come over, ask them if you can take two posed pictures next to your child. Make sure you take pics of your child and their friend next to some adorable decorations in the room of terror, and ask for a simple smile. The next photo, ask the kids to be wild and crazy- do something fun for the cameras (like a silly face), or make a fun stance that matches their Halloween costume. Doing this will create fun memories, great pics, and will ensure that your child has plenty of photos (that you and/or your child can digitally scrap with!) of each friend!

Make sure you also take some posed group shots of your child and their friends. Same thing- ask for a few smiles and a few silly faces. As you leave them to enjoy their Halloween party, you may want to leave a few disposable cameras (if your children don’t have their own digital cameras). Leave a few on the tables, and encourage them to take their own pictures. Getting silly, adorable pictures from their point of view will be a fun addition for Halloween digital scrapbooking projects. It also ensures that you have some posed pics (that you took) and some fun, kid’s pics (that they take) from two, wonderfully different perspectives!

Last but not least, after the party is over, and you are ready to scrap all the Halloween photos, add some “spooky” Halloween effects to favorite photos using Digital Scrapbooks and More’s Halloween Photo Editing Tutorials! Convert a favorite photo to black and white and then add a touch of color, for an exciting Halloween photo-effect!

 If there were some scary kids’ costumes, add even more dramatic effects by emphasizing “scary” eyes in the pics! Play with Digital Scrapbooks and More’s special seasonal tutorials for adorable Halloween photos for digital scrapbooking projects or “thank you” cards for all the kids that attended the party!

Happy Halloween & Happy Scrapping!

-Jennifer

1. Play Before the Full Moon Comes Out. To capture the true, vibrant colors of special costumes and makeup within your Halloween photos, you may want to take pictures of your little trick-or-treaters before it becomes dark outside. Taking photos while the sun’s still up will ensure great photos and will offer additional pictures of your kids in their costumes if your digital camera’s flash or other settings are less than ideal when it becomes dark outside.

2. Set a Spooky Scene. Use carved pumpkins, Halloween decorations, and holiday candy as props in the background of your exciting Halloween photos. Ask your children to pretend as though they were ringing the doorbell at your own doorstep or pose with a favorite black cat for additional “action” trick-or-treating photo shots.

3. Use a Super-Shutter Camera on Your Little Super Heroes. Costumes and candy can make for excited trick-or-treaters and blurry photos. Lose the blur by either using a faster-shutter digital camera, or setting aside some special time before the holiday activities begin to take photos with a slower-shutter camera. Remember: With slower shutter cameras, the kids and the photographer need to stay completely still for three seconds after clicking the button.

For fun photo-editing tutorials, see the Digital Scrapbooks and More Digi Makeover Madness Tutorials and make Halloween pics extra “spook-tacular!”

For Halloween-inspired Digital Scrapbooking Kits, check out the Scrap Shop and get digi-ready for a very happy Halloween!

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