Love Story Challenge 2021

[laurie solaas]

Using masks has become easier now! Thanks Cassel! Creating a kaleidoscope background was interesting and fun. I created the project two different ways.

[Annie Tobin]

Nice work on both Laurie, well done. :)

[Annie Tobin]

Day 4.  I had forgotten about this way of masking ... so much to learn and keep in the head, refreshers are the way to go.  Went with bits and pieces for this one, most of which I have had forever!  The photo is from Unsplash.  Thanks for takin a peek my friends.  ;)

[Sue Thomas]

Wonderful job on the masking Annie, you can barely see where the photo merges with the background.  I use masks a lot,  even for extractions of images.

 

Thank you for your kind comment on my girls page, they are my pride and joy.  Meg is now 21, I've had her since she was a 2yr old. Nell is 11,  I bought her as a yearling.

[laurie solaas]

So many beautiful designs! I especially love itsanewdawn, Londyn, and love-2-resized! You guys inspire me!

[Shirley]

Hi here is my day 2, my daughters baptism day.

 

I usually and like to work in psp 2020but have had to compromise this time. I have lost the row with the working options on it and for the love of my it just doesn't want to return. If anyone else has this problem and can help, it is the row that has the icons to, open page, save as, undo, etc.  It is very annoying. Usually I can fix it but I have tried all I can think of and it is not budging.

[Shirley]

Nice to see you back Annie and I see you have a new profile. Super work too  lovely lady.

[Anita Wyatt]

Here is my try at Love Story Challenge Day 2. I could not quite get the 2 pictures on the bottom to work as masks. I will keep trying, though.

[Cassel]

Annie T., glad you are getting more comfortable with the masks. They can be so useful and so versatile. And then, it will also help you use templates if you ever need to complete some projects quickly. I would have one suggestion on your Backyard Romance: the element on the bottom left is under the mask. As the photo ends up with edges that are not as sharp as a regular paper photo, it might be more realistic to have it on a layer above the photo. The last page has such perfectly matching elements for that photo! Subtle colors.

 

Shirley, did you use a regular gradient to create your background? I find the colors very happy and great with black and white photos. Check your email to help with the toolbar issue.

 

Sue, simple is often better (and easier) than trying to overload a page. With fewer elements, we have more time to look at everything. I always love your wordarts!

 

Lynda, such a great way to showcase that important day. Images, words, and feelings. All in a page. Great page 4. You are having fun with those masks and the white frames.

 

Jnet, you are bringing a great question for saving the mask. I should make a tutorial. But in short, here are some steps:

copy the mask group

paste it as a new image

replace the photo by a black layer (you should now see something that looks like a black mask shape)

Right-click > Merge > Merge all (Flatten)

Ann S., your background has such a rich color to match the softness of Magic's photo. I am not sure I would want to get too close to that skunk love!!! :)

 

Barbara, sometimes, if you want to use a plaid that is subtle, just choose a segment of the photo that does not have many colors or color variations. But making it tiny is also another way to get a different result. Are you going to make this a double page?

 

Wanda, beautiful love page!!! You have an amazing way to showcase black and white photos.

 

Jennifer, great way to tell their story. Simple and elegant.

 

Minka, that sunset (or sunrise?) is beautifully framed. You made a great mask for it.

 

Linda, you can always create a new plaid if that one is not making you 100% happy. Pick a different area of the photo for a completely different result. If you kee the page in layers, you can replace it later, when you find a plaid that you like better.

 

Mary, that tag is perfect for a date! The photos are beautifully showcased. I am glad you experimented. Interesting how you left the plaid without an angle. Again, it makes a different effect.

 

Corrie, breath-taking images you are sharing with us. You make us travel while nobody can do it in real life.

 

Donna, that is a great photo, and I am glad you displayed it that way. You made a really interesting frame with the snowflakes.

 

Anne L., that is a funny story to tell in picture!!

 

Gerry, a black and white photo with a black and white background creates a stunning effect!

 

Laurie, more comfort with masks means more use. And then, you will have fun exploring even more tools. Was the Happy Birthday written on the plate itself?

 

Anita, for the bottom images, it would be the exact same steps as for the top one and you did it correctly. Just make sure you work on the correct layer, and not the frame or the shadow. You did it once, so you can do it again.

 

For those who never posted anything, are you having difficulties? If so, don't hesitate to post your questions.

[Barbara Hall]

Day 3:  I remember the first time I tried the kaleidoscope effect a couple of years ago. I had no idea what I was doing and it was hard.  This time I understood which felt really good (though I still don't like the way it looks).  Also, I've just begun to use the "paste as a new image" command in the last couple of days.  Wow-that makes saving bits and pieces that I've made and like so easy and it's only taken two years for me to discover it.  What will I know in 2022 I wonder?

 

So my dress is sitting by a pond.  I thought it would be fun to add a little interest by inserting the alligator. (My grandson and I went hunting alligators to photograph when he was about 8, and this is taken from one of his shots.)

[Shirley]

Carole, I am not sure if you are referring to Day 1 or day 2 backgrounds, but they both were papers from my collection. I did have quite a play around to choose the backgrounds, it is a bit different when you have black and whites. I thought I would use the bootcamp to start my No 2  daughters scrapbook. Just trying to get the old black and whites presentable is quite a mission on its own. You know we didn't take as many photos in the day and the quality left a lot to be desired.

[Minka]

Carole warned us that making our own masks might become addictive. But it might be healthy, too! LOL I had a little fun using one of her puzzle scripts. I bet I am not alone in thinking throughout this long pandemic -- that I thank goodness for having a lot of hobbies and interests. When you are alone, time passes pretty slowly without "busyness" to keep you occupied. Cooking and baking used to be included in that list of interests ... but I quickly found I sure didn't need those extra trips to the refrigerator! I almost always have a puzzle going somewhere in the house. Carole's puzzle scripts are as much fun to play with as the actual puzzles themselves. No extra calories involved!

[Annie Tobin]

Thanks Carole, I can see that now. It just goes to prove there is always room for improvement ... much appreciated. ;)

[Annie Tobin]

Thanks Sue, always appreciated my friend. Wow, you have had Meg for 19yrs! What a wonderful relationship you must have with both Meg and Nell. They both look so fit and healthy and that is a sure sign that love is behind their care. :)

[Susan Caron]

Day 4

 

My maternal Grandmother when she was in her late teens, early 20's. Isn't she beautiful?

 

I didn't put any shadow on the flowers because they have an illustrative look to them, not real.

 

I just wanted it to look very soft and ethereal.

[Mireille Beaudet]

Projet No. 2

 

Un peu en retard mais je persévère.

[Lynda DiGregor]

Yes Susan, she is quite beautiful .  Isn't it nice to have these old photos of our family. Even though we didn't know them when the photos bring us closer and we realize they actually had a life before us.

 

Lynda

[Lynda DiGregor]

Annie,

 

Funny you should say that about Selleck and Loren. That has actually been said before. Not so much anymore.  :-)

 

Lynda

[Lynda DiGregor]

Minka,

 

Love your puzzle layout. Very clever and well done. I am thinking you used Carole's puzzle script. It's a good one.

 

Lynda

[Minka]

A fun way to play "outside the lines" which I have NEVER in my life had a problem with. LOL Or the sentiment on the piece, either. We all walk in our own shoes and for the most part make the decisions that form us. Obviously there are exceptions and we can accept those as well. I tried to use a brush that looked a little fuzzy like fur. I also had to change the size of the brush for the "out-of-bounds" part due to the size of the picture below.

[Jennifer Leighton]

Thanks for the kind words.  There are so many beautiful pages on here.

[Jnet Allard]

Another day with lots of new layouts! Well done everyone! I too had forgotten a lot of things about the masks. I'm going to have to get to work making my own masks now.

 

Thanks Carole for the backup instructions and thanks for those who highlighted my work. It's very appreciated!

[Lynda DiGregor]

Day 5

 

My subject here are two of my grandchildren. Tony is in college now and Haley, the only girl of 5, is in high school. These photos were taken on a visit to Texas, where they live,  at the Shawnee Trail. They have a baby brother , Max, who is 10 now.

 

I'm going to use Carole's instructions on how to save masks.

[Lynda DiGregor]

I tried Carole's instructions for saving a mask and it worked perfectly. Thanks Carole

[Sue Thomas]

Here is my day 5.  My big boy Tomi will be 14yrs old this year, on the 7th September in fact.  I forgot to mention Carole, that the  corner font is called  Decorazo.  I used a different design  in this page.