Susan Ewart

Thank you Mary.  The photo does have that early morning (it was early) just-setting-out-on-the-lake feel doesn't it.  I love that early morning quiet.  I think the watercolor effect has a lot to do with it.   This technique makes even a beginner like me look like I've done something complicated.  Have fun on your travels, I'll look forward to the layouts you create upon your return.

This is so cool!  I have never done this or even imported brushes before.  This tutorial had all the instructions needed and a place to get brushes to import.  Fabulous!  I didn't know where the Edge smoothing effect was but found it and did it at 30.  I don't know what that effect does or if it did anything at all but I'll keep doing it "just in case". ?  I love this painterly effect.   I put it on a white background.

 

I put a textured background on it and added a title.  The texture will probably be lost in this smaller format.  I was looking for a sort of watercolor paper texture.  Wish they had thin the texture effects. the font is Romantic Serif from Creative Fabrica.

 

So, I noticed this on the one I posted to FB.  Carole, if you look at space between the N and I in the one called "resize" and the one called "-600" you will see the "resized" one is farther away.  I made no changes to the kerning and the psp version is closer together.  Do you know why it did that.  I went back to fix the spacing and saw the psp version was fine as was the full size jpg version.  I resaved the smaller size and it is closer.  very weird.

 

 

Finally back at it, here is my Lab Module 5-12.  

 

Arrows - loved this one and never would have guessed how to do this on my own.

 

Cogwheels - you could get lost in all the variations there is to make, really enjoyed it, but not so great at designing them into a layout, looks like a rats nest (err, uhm..I mean a Squirrels nest).  Fun to make though.

 

QR code - had some problems with this but got there in the end. on this layout I made it super small and lowered the opacity....cause well, I forgot about it until I was checking to see if I added all the elements so it's just stuck on, it doesn't look good in this layout.

 

Fonts are Masha (Creative Fabrica) and Masterfile (Google fonts).  Wood paper and overlay on the green paper from Digital Scrapbook.  Green Paper mine using texture effects.  Used texture effects on the cogwheels and arrows and main title font and inner bevels and used hue/saturation/lightness and opacity on papers/elements.  Did not shadow the "baby" word as it's meant as if I wrote it on afterward in felt pen, on a uneven surface.    Story of the new "white-tail" generation may be in the Story Time workshop coming up.  Photo is mine.

 

Everyone's layouts are so creative and a joy to see.

Heartfelt and beautiful Marie-Claire!  A new way to showcase honoring your family history

OMG!  thank you.  Yes, the blend mode was set to "paint behind".  I forgot the basic tenant: check the settings.  Voila, it worked like a charm.  the whole time it was painting behind and I had a white layer so it was doing what it was told.  Thank you again for the quick reply.

Carole I need some advice.  I am doing a layout for a lab.  I'm using a mask and following lesson 5 from the Mask workshop.  I made the new mask layer, hide all, made the selection, feathered and then when I went to flood fill with white, it would not floor fill the mask layer.  My materials palette is in Black and White for some reason and I cant seem to get it back to the color one.  That is the only difference I can see between mine screen and your screen in the video.  Sorry if this is a repeat, I typed it once, hit submit and then it got lost in cyberland.  thank you in advance as I know you will have the answer to what I'm doing wrong.

oops, sorry I let the cat out of the bag.  It's purely a once in a row thing (that I'm observant).

I logged in and saw a new header called "Calendar".  Wow! that is sweet.  I love seeing what is to come.  thank you Carole.

I just signed up too.  I also do not like to journal, this will be a challenge that I hope I am up for.  I don't really think I have any interesting stories to tell.  I have never done this workshop before.

I= Ice Climbing

 

 

Oh Ann....do tell! hahahaha...Pole Dancing, love it.

 

 

Holy Lynda, fabulous samples!  I know what you mean, that was a really amazing master class.

Ann, you pretty much nailed it (flat lay photography).  It's a birds eye view. Often flat light and no shadows, although I have seen some with shadow that is really cool. You see it in advertising a lot.  I have gone back to my first love, photography and in the midst of selling my silversmithing tools so I can buy a newer camera.  I've had an SLR/dSLR since I was 18, I get how they work.  But a smart phone is an alien object to me.  My phone had this little symbol on it that looked like a snow flake so I thought sweet, it has air conditioning.  And the phone part didnt work...turned out it was some weird setting I accidently turned on and only priority calls would be allow through.  That's how bad I am.

 

I love your 'shrooms layout. Wasn't that a great master class.  And thank you for your comments on my layout.  I love the Basic course, these extra modules were so good.

 

 

D= Dancing...before they did it "with the stars"

Thank you Ann for adding the focus stacking for everyone to see.  I've known about it for sometime as photographers use it because Tilt/Shift (aka Perspective Control) lenses are ridiculously priced ($2500 CAD the cheapest for my camera).  I've even done it, but had no skills to process it.  Corel's video sums it up well.  I would say a tripod and stationary subject is a must.

 

Here is my layout for module 7 Basic Scrap course.  I loved learning about the textures and used it on the title and the leaves as they looked like they were paper so I used an inner bevel and texture to make them seem like wood leaves.  I didnt use the warp brush because they look solid and wouldnt have the same kind of lift a real leaf would have.  I'm not great at adding clusters.  I can add a flower or button with a leaf for ribbon okay, but when it comes to clusters I think I make a "rat's nest" of it.  hahaha.  This was a really enjoyable module, I learned some new techniques I know I will continue to use.  All the papers and elements are Digital Scrapbook, the font for both the title and tags is Hoguin from Creative Fabrica.  The photo is mine from my flat-lay photo project.  The flowers came from the City of St. Albert, which I "borrow" when out for a walk with the hubby...shhh, don't tell; they looked like weeds I was only doing them a favor by helping with the weeding. The beautiful Cyan colored dish my husband remembers from his youth and came with his parents from Denmark.

Marie-Claire, I love your layout too.  Great color scheme (complementary).

 

Rene, that is a beautiful memorial.  The journaling was touching given his love for water.

 

I just got an email that PSP 2023 is out and some exciting new features (focus stacking! I always wanted to try that) and the enhanced frame tool looks interesting.  I cant wait to hear your views on it Carole.

Anne, your hot seat is funny.  I'm sure I've sat there many times.

 

Here is my layout for Module 6 Basic Scrap Course.  Ann, is correct "promoting selection to new layer" makes for a much faster work flow.  I loved doing the title.  The warp brush has a mind of its own or maybe that's just my hand.  It's hard to see on this size layout.  It was fun to create, thanks to your really thorough instruction Carole.  The photo is mine. the title is Hobo that I found at fontgeek I think.  I used it for the journaling too.  The papers and elements are from Digital Scrapbook - Jessica D Copperspice kit - plus elements from other artists.  The little green sticker (I put a frame on it so it would show against the background) says, " into nature we go".  I quite enjoyed this module and learning some new shortcuts for a faster workflow.

Thank you Nancy, I will look for that striped paper.

 

 

That is really nice layout Nancy.  Your color choices are really good, I especially like the striped paper you chose.  I've never seen columbine before, it's very pretty  and dainty looking.

Thank you Ann, I checked out her website.  She has really beautiful kits.  And some good sales on the bundled ones.  Always nice to find a new resource.

Got my votes in.  My favorites are winter (I love snowflakes and hexagons so it's a hands down winner!) and I love the damselfly.  they are all beautiful though and you have opened my squeamish eyes up to the insect world.

Corrie and Ann, lovely layouts.  I just watched the video for the Basic Scrap course, hoping to get on it soon.

 

Ann, I love the way you did your photo's in the cowbird layout and colors of the whole layout is so well done.  Where did you get that kit/bundle from?

 

 

Ann, that's awesome.  The background and the photo's really complement each other.  I didnt know there was such a thing as freshwater shrimp.  They are so vibrantly colored.

 

Anne, Foxy looks so sweet.  I love it when they have a favorite toy and they know it by name.  That is a great photo of her.

 

 

hahaha, Lynda, I do not have a vast crow/corvid knowledge at all. or much bird knowledge...I'm still calling the little brown birds LBJ's ( Little brown jobbies). I just read about the ants on my calendar.  If you love Corvids subscribe to June Hunters newsletter or her Urban Nature Enthusiast blog.  the antics of the crow groups in her 'hood (which was fairly close to my old 'hood) are highly entertaining.  She has really beautiful photography and images that you will see are close to what we do when we are blending images together or  blending with a textured backgrounds, I wish I could do that.  Sue is our resident authority on all things birds and bugs, that I am in awe of.

Thank you Sue, that's just the advice I needed.  It will give me questions I can ask myself when viewing my layouts.  I love robins, and never knew they were speckled like that.

 

Lynda and Corrie, beautiful layouts.  You both do justice to flowers.

 

Corrie, that is a really cool technique with the borders on your photo's and how they intertwine with the photo.

 

Lynda, we are lucky to have a "summer" crow family, now 3 yrs in a row.  I think they are used to us being outside and they don't even fly off the bird bath as I pass by to head to the garage to go to work.  the magpies toe the line when the crows are in the yard, but they are cheeky and push the limits.  I looked out the window Sunday morning and there was 10 magpies in the yard.  A record!  The magpies come for "spa" day as we have an ant hill in the yard this year, they sit on the ground and spread their wings so the ants can crawl on them.  the ants secrete formic acid that kills parasites an fungus (according my June Hunter City Crow calendar).  I know, ewwww.  I told my hubby he has to leave the ant nest there.  It's in an awkward spot so I cant get a good photo of it.

 

Pirkko, I agree, soul sisters we are.  I miss the country.  thank goodness for city birds, they keep me happy.  The suburban city I live in is small but I find it noisy, always sounds of traffic.  I miss the frogs I'd hear on the farm at night.