Send your love to Haiti!

Our talented and giving digital scrapbooking community has joined this effort with an amazing collaborative kit: One Love. I purchased this kit and I have to say it is simply AMAZING!! What a wonderful way to support the cause of helping the people of Haiti!

114 papers

356 elements

3 alphabets

6 page templates

1 hybrid template

and a generous crew of designers

Amanda Heimann Designs
Amy Sumrall
AnnaBV Designs
Cindy Schneider
Dani Alencar
DeCrow Designs
Designs by Julie Bullock
Elegant WordArt by Bethany
et designs
Faith True Originals
Fizzy Pop Designs
FruitLoOp Sally
Holly Designs
Irene Alexeeva
Jady Day Studio
Jennifer Barrette
July Designs
Karina Designs
Kasia
Kristin Aagard
Kristin Cronin-Barrow
Krystal Hartley
Lauren Grier
Lauren Reid
LCC by Amy Stoffel
Lyndsay Riches
Mag Designs
Megan Turnidge
Melissa Bennett
Miss Tiina
MK-Designs
mle Card
NewlifeDreams
Palvinka Designs
Penny Springmann
Pixel Geek Designs
Sabrina Dupre
Scrapping With Liz
Silversword71
Studio Flergs
Studio Tangie
Susan Robinson Designs
SuzyQ Scraps
Tracey Howard
Tracie Stroud
Vera Lim
Wild Dandelion Designs
Ziggle Designs

What Is Digital Scrapbooking?

***This post was originally written and posted on my ScrapWithNikki blog on October 6, 2007. Info has been edited with updated links.***

What is Digital Scrapbooking?
Since so many of you have commented on my digi scrapping and some want to know more, I am more than happy to share!

Digital scrapbooking is scrapbooking using your computer using a program to layer your photos, papers and embellishments to get a complete scrapbook layout to be printed at any size you choose.

I started paper scrapping the week I came home from the hospital when my daughter Emira was born – March 2000. I had always been a “scrapper” per say since I had kept photos and memorabilia in what I know now to be unsafe albums. I paper scrapped every photo I took and I have over 30 albums to prove it!

Then in early 2004 I learned about digi scrapping. Of course then I thought it was kind of yucky and “digital” looking. But I played around with making my own elements and also scrapbook layouts. Then about a year later I had almost completely stopped paper scrapping and digi took over!

I had already been using Jasc (now Corel) Paint Shop Pro 7 to design web and pixel graphics, so I knew the ins and outs of the program pretty well. I still use Paint Shop Pro, version 9 actually to complete my layouts. But I also own Photoshop CS2 and use it to design digital scrapbook kits, papers and elements. I can scrap with Photoshop but since I’m so quick with PSP I prefer to use it. (I have been scrapping and using PSCS2 exclusively now since 2008

I love that digital scrapbooking is so much less expensive! Kits are usually around 3-6$ and they can be used over and over again. I don’t have to get out my supplies and put them away again, and of course there is no mess! The kits look just as real as paper scrapbooking supplies and I can add anything I want without the lumpiness. I can design a layout at 12×12 and print an 8×8 for my album and a couple of the same layouts at 4×6 for gift albums — or even smaller for mini albums, key chains, magnets, etc. The possibilities are endless with digital scrapping! Before you know it you will be hooked too! Now some hard-core paper scrappers will look down on you and say you’re not REALLY scrapbooking LOL (believe me it happens OFTEN) – ignore them and GO FOR IT!

Do you want to learn how to Digital Scrapbook too?
You will need photos (either from a digital camera or scanned), a photo editor such as PPhotoshop CS4 or Photoshop Elements (or another editing program) and some digital designs to scrap with. You can get a FREE 30 day trial of the Photoshop program or Photoshop Elements (which is a great choice and affordable!)  Also you can shop Academic Superstore for a discount if you have a student in your home. Adobe also offers discounts for students and homeschool families. I hear GIMP is a great free program but I have never used it. Might be worth a try if you can't afford to purchase Adobe or Corel products.

Below you will find some links to some really great tutorials to get you started, as well as some links to download some free scrapbook kits. But if you need more help or have any questions, please email me or leave me a comment. I would be glad to help!

Digital Scrapbooking Tutorials & Links
Jen's "Why Digi Scrap?" Article
Scrapping 101 Basics
Jen's Digi-scrappin’ Tutorial Links
Jen's Photoshop Tutorial Links

Free Scrapbook Kits
http://www.shabbyprincess.com/
Hand Picked Freebies
Digi Shop Talk Scrap Resources
Digi Shop Talk Samples & Gifts Gallery

My Favorite Places to Shop
Sweet Shoppe Designs
The Digi Chick
The Shabby Shoppe
Kay Miller Designs
Nit Wit Collections
Elemental Scraps
Designer Digitals
Scrapbook Graphics
Faith Sisters
Scrap Artist
Little Dreamer Designs
And there are SO MANY MORE!!

Don’t forget you can also print your designs for altered art!

There are also many many digi communities on the web and some very wonderful people to get to know.
It’s really a lifestyle and you will love all it has to offer! Remember if you need any help, let me know and I
will help you any way I can!

Happy Digi Scrapping!

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Printing Your Digital Scrapbook Layouts
I print my layouts at home most of the time, unless I am creating a photo book. I create my layouts at 12x12 and then print at home in an 8x8 size using my Kodak AIO printer which uses an inexpensive ink. We prefer the 8x8 to the 12x12 since the albums take up less space on my book shelf and they are easier for my girls to hold. 8x8 albums are very readily available now in most scrap and craft stores, even Wal-mart.

For printing at home I use an Kodak ESP 7 Wireless AIO printer. Ink is relatively inexpensive, less than $25 for both black and color inks, and I use Kodak paper (usually semi-gloss).

But if you want to print your layouts at 12x12 you can use a printing service. Here are some links to some really great places to have your layouts printed:
Shutterfly (Wonderful!)
ScrapbooksToShare (Great service – free 12×12!)
Scrapbook Pictures
Mpix
WHCC (Awesome – free 8×10 samples!)

And check THIS SITE for lots more info!

Shutterfly has some really amazing photo books! And if you use them, be sure to check out THIS BLOG for lots more great info on creating these albums! Or use THIS TEMPLATE or THIS TUTORIAL. You can also get calendars, cards and more!

OR you can always purchase a great 12in printer, Epson makes some really nice 17in printers! Now that would be NICE! But I don’t suppose I can afford that anytime soon LOL.

I hope this helps those of you who are wondering about printing your digi layouts. Please let me know if you have any more questions!