Adapting Digital Layout Templates
Thursday, January 5, 2012

IN TODAY'S ISSUE:

• 25% off Coupon! Today only!
• What's New in the Scrap Girls Boutique?
• Scrap Girls, Etc.
• ScrapSimple Club
• Tips from the Pros: Do the Twist!
• Designer Freebie
• What's Happening at Scrap Girls?
• Ongoing Opportunities for YOU

Syndee Nuckles

Adapting 12x12 ScrapSimple Digital Album Templates to 8.5x11

Do you prefer to scrap in 8.5x11-inch layouts and wish you could adapt some of your favorite 12x12-inch ScrapSimple Digital Album Templates? Would you like to be able to print out your completed layouts on your home printer?

Both are possible with our ScrapSimple Digital Album Templates. Today I am going to show you how to adapt our 12x12 templates to make 8.5x11 layouts!

Let's start out by opening up a template. I have used a template from ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Album Series 11 by Angie Briggs.

ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Album Series 11

Create a new, blank 8.5x11-inch document.

Now we begin to drag the pieces of the template over to our newly created 8.5x11 document. Drag over the background first and then each layer that you want to include on your new template. That's one of the best things about all our template line - the ability to pick and choose which pieces you want to use. I have chosen to layer the pieces pretty much the same as Angie has on the original template, but you can arrange them any way you would like.

I didn't need to resize anything on this template, so it was quick and easy for me to adapt it. Once you are happy with the look, hit Ctrl+T (PC) or Cmd+T (Mac) to trim the document. This gets rid of the areas of the template pieces that are extending beyond the 8.5x11 boundaries.

Another fun thing is to use a calendar template for a non-calendar layout! Here I have used ScrapSimple Calendar Templates: 11x17 Blenders 2012 by Brandy Murry.

ScrapSimple Calendar Templates: 11x17 Blenders 2012

Start by opening up one of the templates and a new 8.5x11-inch document, but notice that this time it's a landscape layout so the width will be 11 inches and the height will be 8.5 inches.

Now, drag over the background layer to your newly created document and hit Ctrl+T (PC) or Cmd+T (Mac) to trim the background. Holding down the Shift+Ctrl (PC) or Shift+Cmd (Mac), drag the mask layer over to your new document. This will place the mask in the right spot. Since I am not using this as a calendar page, I won't be dragging anything else over to my new document.

Now the fun begins! Drag a photo over to the background layer and resize if necessary. Clip a coordinating paper to the mask by hitting Ctrl+G (PC) or Cmd+G (Mac). You can add journaling and embellishments to pretty it up even further!

For the final layout sample, I am using ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Absolutely Blended by Amanda Fraijo-Tobin.

ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Absolutely Blended

Start by choosing a template and opening up a new 8.5x11-inch, blank document. Drag the background layer over first and then the mask layer. Move the mask layer around until you are happy with the placement. Hit Ctrl+T (PC) or Cmd+T (Mac) to trim the background and mask layers.

Next, holding down Shift+Ctrl (PC) or Shift+Cmd (Mac), drag the photo mask, frame, and shadow over to the new document and position it. Remember, you can place the pieces anywhere you want and if you want more than one photo, make a duplicate of all the photo layers.

Now, select all the title and text layers in the Layers Palette, and while holding down the Shift+Ctrl (PC) or Shift+Cmd (Mac) keys, drag them over to your new layout.

I left the title alone but needed to resize the text box. Just hold down the Shift key while resizing to constrain the proportions.

Now we are back to the fun part! Layer the template pieces with papers and photos, add some embellishments and journaling, and viola! A completed, printable layout ready to print on your home printer!

Happy Scrapping!

Layout by Syndee Nuckles

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 Absolutely Blended, Basic Textured Paper Mini and PS I Love You Collection Biggie are also available.

Scrap Girls, Etc. is a weekly column pulling bits and pieces from all over Scrap Girls. Stay tuned each week as Scrap Girls' team members bring you tutorials, musings, recipes, interviews, design/software tips and tricks, layout walk-throughs, and who knows what else!

		Join the ScrapSimple Monthly Club and you can enjoy the newest ScrapSimple looks while saving! (A $13.95 value for $6.99 or less!) The new ScrapSimple Club contents are released on the 15th day of the month (or the closest business day to the 15th). A commercially licensed version of the ScrapSimple Club is also available here. With the ScrapSimple Club, you will receive: 1 ScrapSimple Paper Template Set 1 ScrapSimple Embellishment Template 1 Brush Set 2 Designer's Choice Item CLUB EXCLUSIVE! Nano Collection CLUB EXCLUSIVE! Designer's Choice Item CLUB EXCLUSIVE! 2 Tutorials December's ScrapSimple Club has been created for you by Laura Louie and Melissa Renfro Club Exclusive! Nano Collection Club Exclusive! Designer's Gift
Layout by Laura Louie using December's ScrapSimple Club larger view	Layout by Melissa Renfro using December's ScrapSimple Club larger view	Layout by Laura Louie using December's ScrapSimple Club larger view

Do the Twist!

Tutorial created using Photoshop Elements 7.0 with Windows XP

Scrap Girls' JIFFY Easy Page Albums are designed so that you can achieve customized, designer-quality digital scrapbook layout pages in a "jiffy"! These albums are super special because our fabulous designers have done all the hard work for you. You receive an album's worth of finished layouts, complete with PSD layered files! All you have to do is drop in your pictures, and you're done!

A further advantage of the JIFFY Easy Page Albums is that you can alter and twist your layout around any way that you like. The PSD layered files allow you to adjust, move, delete, rotate, twist, recolor, or duplicate any portion of the layout that you like! (This is different from the Easy Pages as those are flattened JPGs and are not able to be edited.)

Here is an example to show you how easy it is to twist up a page from a JIFFY Easy Page Album. I have started with layout 5 from JIFFY Easy Page Album: 12x12 ABC Fun 1.

First, I rotated the entire layout 90-degrees clockwise. Then, I placed a large picture in what was intended to be a journaling block. I adjusted the position of the title and subtitles to better suit my photo placement. Then, on the scallop border at the top, I duplicated the layer and adjusted the border positions so that a solid scallop border was across the top of the page.

In the small portion at the lower left corner of the original layout is a piece of decorative paper. I chose to make this a photo mask instead. Then I clipped a duplicate copy of the background paper to the large circle, which became my journaling block instead of a photo. I left the small photo spot unchanged from the original layout with a photo.

The bows were rotated and adjusted slightly to better suit my journaling and small photo. One small arrow was made with the Shape Tool in Photoshop, which I colored and added a shadow. Shadows were placed on the title and subtitle, and my layout is complete.

By twisting up the layouts that you receive in your Scrap Girls JIFFY Easy Page Album, you can create even more layouts with only the components that you receive with the album! That makes these albums an even better deal for your scrapbooking budget.

Plus, JIFFY Easy Page Albums are a great starting place for your own designing creativity!

Layout by Amy Flanagan
larger view

Article written by Amy Flanagan

Learn to make digital scrapbooking layouts and more! – Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed Find out how easy it can be to learn how to create digital scrapbook layouts, edit photos, use and make brushes, recolor papers and embellishments, make your own simple backgrounds and embellishments, save and share your layouts and much more! Ready to learn advanced techniques? – MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed Learn to use paper templates, embellishment templates, custom shapes, styles, and brushes to make your own supplies. Learn advanced clipping mask and lighting blend techniques. Learn to make and use patterns. Learn to make brushes from your own doodles. Learn to extract images from photos. Learn work flow techniques that will speed up the layout creation process and advanced photo editing skills and much, much more!

Layout by Laura Louie
larger view

Designer Freebie by Laura Louie coordinates with
her ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Signs of Times,
part of this month's ScrapSimple Club offering!

Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Signs of Times and ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Calendar Cubes are also available.

Today's freebie designed by Laura Louie

* There is a "free download" button on the details page for each gift. You don't need to put them in your shopping cart unless you are shopping for other items. Also note that if you are slow reading your newsletter, you may find this freebie has already been retired, as the freebies are only available as gifts for about two newsletter cycles.

Use Your Stash Chat
Thursday, January 5th - 6:00PM MST

Join Theresa (tiza126) and Shannon (tinkerbell11) at 6pm MT for this month's Use Your Stash Chat. We will challenge you to use something in your digital supply arsenal that you haven't used before. Don't just collect supplies, use them! See you in the chat room.

Journaling Chat
Monday, January 9th - 6:00PM MST

Join Carla (CRS) and Lei (Bride) for a Journaling Chat at 6pm MT on the second Monday of each month. Struggle to find the right words for your layouts? Are your layouts more decorative than descriptive of the moments you're trying to capture? Then you won't want to miss this chat - we'll have a special challenge to encourage you to journal on your pages more! See you there!

Quote Challenge Chat
Monday, January 9th - 7:00PM MST

Come join Pat (PBarnes) for the Quote Challenge Crop at 7pm MT. Including a quote on your layout can be a touching and meaningful addition, especially if you use the quote to create your own word art. Here's how it will work. Early on Monday, Pat will post a thread on the Chat section of the board giving you the quote that you will use to make your own word art. It's not hard, and she will have a layout with a Word Art example in the gallery. Then we'll meet in the chat room to have fun, chat, and create our Word Art layout! Everyone can participate and create a layout, even if you can't make the chat. Hope to see you there!

Project SG Chat
Tuesday, January 10th - 6:00PM MST

Join April (April Showers) and Shannon (tinkerbell11) in the chat room Tuesday, January 10th at 6pm MT for the first Project SG Chat of 2012! Come learn the details of this year-long challenge. You can even win fantastic prizes for joining in!

New Member Chat
Tuesday, January 10th - 7:00PM MST

Join Pat (PBarnes) and Theresa (tiza126) for the New Member Chat at 7pm MT in the Live Chat room lobby. This is a great place to ask questions about getting around the Scrap Girls site or about digital scrapbooking in general - and a great place to make some new friends. All are welcome, new and long time members included. You will need to have Java installed on your computer to access the Live Chat.

January Message Board Game: Jumpstart January!

It's time to kick off the new year with fun and focus on scrapbooking! And a few prizes thrown in never hurt, right? Join us on the message board this month for "Jumpstart January!" This is a message board game and challenge to start your year with fun and focus on taking time to scrapbook regularly despite the little speedbumps of life. When the month is over, you'll have completed several layouts and been challenged and treated to some fun along the way.

A member of the Welcoming Committee will post a mini-challenge/task every Monday through Saturday during January. Some tasks will require message board participation, email responses, or gallery posting. Those who complete all tasks and submit or post required participation by 11:59pm MT on January 31st will be entered in a drawing to win one of three $10 Gift Certificates to the Scrap Girls Boutique! Those who complete just the layouts will be entered in a drawing to win one of two $5 Gift Certificates. Those who complete just the speedbumps will be entered in a drawing for one of two $3 Gift Certificates. (Those who complete all tasks will have their name entered in all three drawings!)

For complete details, visit the Monthly Message Board Games folder on the Scrap Girls Forum.

January Monthly Layout Contest: With the beginning of a new year, many people set aside some time to set goals. It might be an exercise plan or establishing better eating habits. It might be getting your life more organized. Or maybe you set goals for your digital scrapbooking output for the year. Post your layouts in the January Monthly Layout Gallery before Midnight MST on January 31st. Be sure to list your layout's product credits in the description or under the EXIF Properties. Two layouts will be selected to win a $10 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

Club Concepts Layout Contest: Post your new layout using the current club selection (either the Scrap Girls Club or the ScrapSimple Club) in our Scrap Girls Club Members Gallery or the ScrapSimple Club Members' Gallery. Be sure to list all of the Scrap Girls products you used. If your layout is chosen, it will be showcased as a Club Concepts layout winner, and you will win a $5 Gift Certificate to the Scrap Girls Boutique!

Check our message board calendar if you have any questions about what is happening at Scrap Girls. All event times are given in Mountain Time Zone unless otherwise noted. Need help converting time zones? Check out the World Clock - Time Zone Converter. (Use 'USA-Utah-Salt Lake City' as the location for the Mountain time zone.)

Haven't received your prize as a contest winner? Please send an email to prizes@scrapgirls.com and we'll get it out to you right away!

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