I'm going to show you the steps I took to create a new template using the ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Stamped! and ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Paper Blocking 2.

 

First open all the templates and a new image sized 12x12 at 300 dpi. For this example, I used Templates 2 from both series listed above. I began by opening the flower template and rotating it 180 degrees (Image> Rotate> 180). Then I dragged that over to the new document.

 

Next, I took the large white frame from the Stamped Series and moved it over to the new document. You will notice once this has been placed the flowers need to be adjusted or the majority of them will be under your photo.

 

What I do next is select the Move Tool and adjust the flowers to the spot I want them on the new document. Also at this time, I make any adjustments I want to the frame (rotate it or resize it).

By looking at this you will see I will have a large photo surrounded by flowers when I'm done. But at this point you do not have a workable template. From working with these templates in the past, you know anywhere you have blank space, or can see through the document, your paper will not cover. So the next step will be to fill the edges around the template with black.

 

To fix this select your Rectangle Tool, and draw two black squares over the template. Make sure not to fill in your flowers.

 

After you have drawn both squares (one across the top and one down the side), click on the eye next to the frame layer (to make this layer invisible), "Select More" and "Merge Visible." This will merge the flower layer and the two layers you've just drawn. If when you click "Select More," "Merge Visible" is not clickable, that means a visible layer is not active. In this case, your frame layer is probably the active layer. To correct this, click on an active layer (flower layer or either of the shape layers) and once again "Select More" and "Merge Visible."

 

Once that's done, you can then click on the eye again and you have a completed template. You could stop there or you could keep using the layers in the Stamped! Series. For my template, I also want to add the scalloped border. The first thing I need to do is change the color of this layer since it's black and my background is also black. I choose a light shade of gray, and with the Paint Bucket, filled in the template.

 

Once that's done, I can drag that layer over to my new template document. I now have my newly-finished layout template.

For this example I used a clipping mask to merge the gray layer with the black background to give you an idea of what the finished project would look like.

Layout by Angie Briggs

I used the ScrapSimple Template Basics as my base layers. I added the photos, then placed the striped paper over the template and merged the layers. Next, I used the Tear Template from ScrapSimple Template Tear It Up 2 and added the brown paper to it. I layered the brown tear layer with the white tear template and merged the layers. Finally, I placed the brown torn paper over the template and merged the layers to produce the final look.

Layout by Angie Briggs

	Note: Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Basics and ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates - Layered: Tear It Up 2 are also available.

Don't feel you have to use the layout elements just with other patterned papers. They can be used as embellishments just as they are. Jan simply made a stroke outline in a color to match her papers around the diamonds to create a neat embellishment.

Layout by Jan Hicks

	Note: Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates - Layered: Tear It Up 2 and ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Bubbles are also available.

Use circle elements as embellishments for pages, layering the soccer paper on them to fit the theme of the page. I also pulled out just the outline of the circle to use as a frame to highlight the action in the photo.

Openings don't have to be used just for pictures. Add paper behind and use them for journaling and your title.

Layout by Jan Hicks

	Note: Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Designer Series 1 and ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates - Layered: Tear It Up Circles are also available.

Use pieces of a template to make your own backgrounds. Jan used the top and bottom triangle pieces from the Tear It Up Circle Template 3 to create this background. She flipped them and rotated them in different ways until she got the look she wanted. Jan then merged the triangle layers together, so she could do a layering mask with the lighter blue paper on all the triangles at the same time. She then layered the darker blue paper underneath, for her background.

Layout by Jan Hicks

	Note: Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates - Layered: Tear It Up Circles are also available.

Tutorial written by Angie Briggs