Note: Tutorial written with PSPX.

Drag your background paper onto your layout.

Open the Tear Strip Template, and using the Selection Tool (Arrow 1) with Match Mode (Arrow 2) set to Opacity and Contiguous (Arrow 3) checked, select the strip (Arrow 4).

Open the paper you want to put on the paper strip and minimize it. Open the Material Palette Properties box by clicking on the Foreground box (Arrow 5) and click the "Patterns" Tab (Arrow 1). Click on the box to open the "Current Pattern" Box, you should see the paper you minimized at the top (Arrow 2), double-click on it. You can play with the Angle and Scale settings if you'd like. To use the paper "as is," set Angle to 0 and Scale to 100 (Arrows 3 and 4). Click "OK." Use the Flood Fill Tool (Paint Bucket) to fill your selected area of the Torn Strip. Then go to Selections> Select None.

Drag the white "torn paper layer" to the Tear Strip and move it below the paper layer. Use the Pick Tool to adjust how much white you want showing. When you are happy with how it looks, choose Layers> Merge> Visible.

Use the same steps to add paper to the heart. I am going to add the word "Mine" to the heart, but can't use it as an Eraser brush, so here is a trick for erasing with text or a PNG. Activate the Text Tool and type your word or drag a PNG word and place it as the top layer (Arrow 1). Click the eye on all layers UNDER the word, but NOT the word layer to turn them off. Activate the word layer and use the Magic Wand to select it with Match Mode set to Replace (Arrow 2) and Contiguous unchecked (Arrow 3). Turn the paper layer back on by clicking the eye again and hit Delete. Nothing happened right? Turn off the word layer and turn the white torn paper layer on and voila! Word in white or what ever color is below the layer you erased (Arrow 5)!

Now we are going to make it the word "Mine" look cut out! With the white word still selected (Arrow 1), choose Effects> 3D Effects> Cutout (Arrow 2). My settings are Fill, unchecked (to allow the texture of the paper below to show); Offset, V2, H3; Shadow, Black; Blur, 2; Opacity, 30 (Cutout Dialog Box, Arrow 3), but you can play with the settings until you find what you like. Choose Selections> Select None or Ctrl+D. Then Layers> Merge Visible. Copy> Paste, Ctrl+C onto your layout.

I erased the edges of my photo, added a matte, embellishments and my journaling.

Layout by Dee-Ann Decker
larger view

	Note: Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates - Layered: Tear It Up, ScrapSimple Layer Your Own: Journal Boxes and ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Mixed Media are also available.

Tutorial written by Dee-Ann Decker