True Story

Although I had dabbled in digital scrapbooking starting sometime in 2008, it was actually taking a class in digital collage which sent me spiraling into the frenzy I live in today.  I mean, I went to Michael's today with the intention of doing a memory book with paper supplies but left thinking the only thing I really needed was a scanner! lol!!  Maybe Michael's should start selling scanners?  hmmmm...

For a little history, I have no idea how I found digital scrapbooking at all, but I know that I didn't really find it.  That's confusing.  What I mean is that I learned software existed that could help you make a digital scrapbook.  It allowed much more control than using websites like Shutterfly.  (Side note: Sorry to sound snobby, but that's just not the same.  Plopping pictures into a predefined "Scrapbook" is just like putting them in a sleeve in a traditional picture book.  Don't tell me you "scrapped" anything!)  Back to the story, so I began working this way and loving how quick and easy it was.  I liked that I could change the size of a photo without preplanning and without reprinting it!  And there was a lot of digital paper and embellishments to choose from.
Well, a year or so and a few internet searches later and I discovered a whole new world!  There were classes you could take and all kinds of fun projects for digital scrapbookers.  And you could have the freedom to make things the way you wanted them.  So I dived in and purchased the Bamboo Craft Wacom tablet which came with the latest copy of Photoshop Elements and a few other things which made the price tag appealing. 
Ok, getting closer to the meat here....well, then I found reneepearson.com which is full of all kinds of classes - I've taken several - and had great interest in the offering on digital collage.  That class is what showed me all that I was missing using the scrapbooking software and taught me all kinds of fun things about Photoshop and how I could control the look of my pages, etc.  That's actually how I started this blog too!  So I could post my work and look back at how I had progressed.  Relive my excitement here.
Renee is busy working on a sequel to that class and I am excited to see what she comes up with!  On her blog she has put out a call for layouts using her Melange kit which you can grab for FREE and was made specifically for digital collage.  So, I went back to work with that kit and here is what I sent in:
























I'm hoping she likes it because I would love to win a spot in her new class!!  Hope you can find your inspiration somewhere too!

what I believe

As the photo taker and scrapbooker in the family, I'm often not the subject of either.  So it's rare to find a good picture of myself but even more rare to find an entire page devoted to ME in my scrapbooks!  So, I decided to do a little focus on me and came up with the idea to document the things I believe.  Looking at the finished piece, it seems more appropriate to call it a collage.  I used A LOT of blending modes to get this one done.  I still feel like I may make a few tweeks but I'm going to post it anyhow.  (Kit "encourage yourself" by Lucrecer Braxton and brushes by Renee Pearson)

Final Collage Work

Well, I *think* it is finished...that's kinda the thing that's both good and bad about working digitally.  You can forever change things!  I've been spending a lot of time trying to get the background colors just right. I wanted a pinky-peachy blend of colors.  I think this is what I like, but time will only tell.  Well, here it is to enjoy.  Overall, it was a great exercise and I think I'll keep trying it out.

Collage Fun

I'm currently taking a digital collage class at reneepearson.com and it is great fun.  Needless to say I've been working with blending modes and filter effects.  It is simply amazing as to how carried away you can get and how very different the end result can be even when you start with the same items.

This class has taught me many new tricks and has challenged my creativity.  For example, in Photoshop you can change the color of the shadow you apply to your objects.  Generally, I simply apply the desired effect but haven't spent much time thinking about changing the color of it!

I'm posting my first mini collage that I just completed for the class.  The papers and butterfly are curtesy of the Anna Aspnes kit we received with the class.  You'll see I even changed the shadow of the little girl in the bottom corner to purple!  Overall, not bad for my first attempt at collage.  I call it, "Dream in Color."