Thursday, February 4, 2016

Photoshop and Brushes

Hello scrappers!

I thought I would talk about brushes today. Brushes and/or stamps are the fundamental elements that are used for digital scrapbooking! Photoshop lets you manipulate brushes in so many different ways, actually too many for me to list here today.  I love to make brushes to go with my kits and, when I was scrapping more, I would go out prowling in my favorite shops for new brushes on a regular, almost daily, basis! Brushes can be used in most, if not all, of the digital photo enhancement software programs today. If you do not have access to brushes or cannot use Photoshop brush files (.abr) you can always use .png files which are considered 'digital stamps.'

The advantages of being able to use the .abr files over the .png files are numerous but the most notable advantage is that you can resize a brush smaller or larger and it does not lose its crisp edges or distort in any way. The .png files can usually be reduced in size but when you enlarge them, most of the time, you end up with an inferior element.

I use brushes to make background papers too.  You can repeat a brush or stamp on a layer above a solid or print layer, add a style (or not) and end up with a beautiful background. Try reducing the opacity of the brushes layer and/or the blending option for the layer, the possibilities are almost endless!

When I make a brush for a challenge in the ScrapBird forum, I always include the .png file format for the brush so anyone can join in on the challenge. So it makes no difference which software program you use to create with, you can always join my challenges!

Here are a few of this month's Brush On! Challenge entries for you to see how the brush was used in three different ways.

In the first layout, smikeel, used the brush as a template and clipped the brush layer to a paper layer to get the multi-colored and textured look for her awesome page,  A Rose:

 

Kim, smikeel, also used one of my templates,  For The Love, and my kit Bright Love; all available at ScrapBird.

In the next layout, by twizzle, you can see she resized the brush and duplicated (also mirrored) it several times to make a border treatment for her photo grouping in her outstanding page, Brothers:

 

 Chris, twizzle, used my kit Afternoon Delight to make her page; it is also available at ScrapBird.

In the third layout, by betsyfru, she recolored the brush and added glitter to the edges and added it as a part of her cluster focal point, to her cheerful and bright page, Candy Love:



Betsy, betsyfru, also use my new kit Bright Love for her page.

When I make a brush for a challenge in the ScrapBird forum, I always include the .png file format for the brush so anyone can join in on the challenge. So it makes no difference which software program you use to create with, you can always join in the fun!

Please drop by the ScrapBird forum and get your free February Brush On! Challenge brush and make your brush masterpiece to share with us!

So I hope these tips and layouts shed some light on the use of brushes and encourage you to include more of them in your scrapbooking layouts! 

Thanks for dropping by and come back soon!


Saturday, January 30, 2016

An Invitation To Fun!


Hello Scrapbookers!  

How are you? Do you have the seasonal doldrums and need something to spark your creativity or just to keep you awake? LOL! Will you come and join me and others in the ScrapBird forum for camaraderie, scrapbooking information, tutorials, games, and challenges? 

Free Products

We want to welcome you and encourage you to join in and receive free products just for registering in the forum!

Here is the kit you get just for registering in our ScrapBird Forum:



Here is the kit you get by posting 30 times:



Scrapbooking Challenges

Don't know what a scrapbook challenge is? Don't be shy, as none of us knew what they were until we familiarized ourselves with the scrapbooking sites! Scrapbooking challenges are a giant array of scrapbooking projects to participate in from Brush Challenges to Progressive Scraps!  At ScrapBird each challenge is listed in the forum index and you can find all the instructions and help you need right in the thread (topic/subject) you are interested in. 

My Current ScrapBird Challenges
    
    Brush Challenge:  For my brush challenge, I will give you a free .abr (Photoshop file) or .png (other generic digital programs) brush/digital stamp and you make a layout, greeting card, desktop, or artist trading card (ATC) using my brush and my products!  You then post your finished project, in reduced pixels, in your personal ScrapBird Gallery Album and in the thread (topic/subject) you made it for. I not only give you the free brush, you also get a Loyalty Stamp for participating in the challenge: get 6 to 8 stamps a month and trade them in for free products of your choice! A real Win Win situation!

Here is the free brush/digital stamp I'm giving away this month: 



  You can use this link to go to February’s Brush Challenge:  http://forum.scrapbird.com/viewtopic.php?f=245&t=42357

    Desktop Challenge:  For my desktop challenge, I design and give you a desktop template (blueprint for a personal layout you use on your computer's monitor) that you use to make yourself a pretty and colorful monitor desktop! So, you get the template for free and I also give you a Loyalty Stamp for this challenge to go with your monthly collection! 

Here is February’s free desktop template:


Use this link to go to February’s Desktop Challenge: http://forum.scrapbird.com/viewtopic.php?f=240&t=42356

Not Familiar with Forums?

Don't worry about registering in the Forum or for a Gallery Album, we have all the instructions you will ever need right in the forum, in plain English! If you should have a question, speak up! We'd love to answer and talk with you either in the forum or via PM (Private Message) in our forum. Questions are always welcome because your question could lead us all into a new technique or thought pattern!

Special Forum Links

ScrapBird Forum:  http://forum.scrapbird.com
ScrapBird Gallery:  http://gallery.scrapbird.com/
Gallery and Forum Guidelines and Instructions:  http://forum.scrapbird.com/viewtopic.php?f=133&t=40685
Country Liv’s Challenges:  http://forum.scrapbird.com/viewforum.php?f=208
Creative Team Challenges and Information:   http://forum.scrapbird.com/viewforum.php?f=160
ScrapBird Store:  http://scrapbird.com/
CLGraphics Shop in the ScrapBird Store:  http://scrapbird.com/country-livs-graphics-m-179.html

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Happy December!

Hello Y'all! 

How have you been? Are you getting ready for the holidays or have you finished? I used to get all my preparations done before December but now that I am older and the children don't expect too much from me, I put it off as long as possible. Have you been scrapbooking your photos? Don't let them get too far behind because once you let it lag, it isn't that easy to catch up! I have years and years worth of photos to scrap; I hardly ever get a chance for some down time and scrapping like I used to do. Once in a while I will get a photo that makes me drop everything and scrap it, I really enjoy those times. LOL! The last time that happened was with Dawn Romance and a photo of little James Cooper, my best friend Chris' grandson. What do you think? He is such a cutie!


I just released another new romantic kit called Moonlight, Velvet and Roses. I just put it in the shops yesterday so I hope you will take a look to see if you would like to scrap with it. I made a tiny gift for you of a cluster from the kit; I hope you can use it! Oh, here is a layout that Chris made with Moonlight:


Here is the ScrapBird preview of Moonlight:


Here is the gift I was telling you about:

Click HERE to download!

I hope you enjoy it! Come back and check on me once in a while, okay?

Hugs,


Saturday, October 31, 2015

All Aboard the Berry Applicious Blog Train

Hello Scrappers,

Come hop aboard the Berry Applicious Frosted Winter Blog Train.
Train Rolls 1st Nov.
Please Leave The Designers A Little Love If You Download There Products
Remember we are all in different time zones, so if a part is not posted, 
please check back later.
Here are the train stops:

Here is my contribution to the blog train. Hope you like it!

You can download this gift HERE and use the Password: Winter

Hope you enjoy this little gift!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Hello Scrappers!

Liv here to let you know I'm still alive and designing. This has been a rough couple of years but I am hoping for the best in the years to come. I still have my little Minnie and we have added 3 more great grandchildren so that makes 4 great grands now! Gavin is the oldest, he's 4, then there is Jase, he's 2, and then we have Willow and Xander, our twins, who will be one in January. Kim is still struggling with her diabetes and how it has ravaged her body but she stays in pretty good spirits and continues to work and take care of her grandchildren too! Suzi and Tim bought them a house last year and they are doing well and are very happy that their grandson, Jase, has moved back to Virginia. Tabitha is doing well as are Joshua, Timothy, and Suzanne. Joshua is now old enough to drive and the other three are old enough to order a mixed drink!

There is a Berry Applicious Blog Train coming in November and I have a mini kit for you, so be sure and come by!

Well, that's all for now. Just a bit of catching up. Oh, I updated the new products and commercial use product tabs (above) if you'd like to see my latest creations. All can be found at ScrapBird, most at Berry Applicious, and the commercial use is also available at Raining Digitals.

Take care,

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Sunday, September 14, 2014


Hi friends! So sorry for the late posting. Things have been out of my control again today but I finally got a minute to myself and made you a page border that goes with the upcoming ScrapBird Birthday, Download-A-Day, freebie that you can get in the month of December. The free collab is called Hot Chocolate; I hope you like my work and this gift and will come back soon!


Sorry Expired!







Sunday, September 7, 2014

Sunday September 7, 2014!

Oh my goodness! Do you realize it is almost 2015? I have barely gotten used to using 2014 on everything :) The older you get, the faster time goes by. Birthdays, Christmas, and the school years tumble into each other at such a pace as to go by as a blur when you are in your sixties! One good thing about that is when you get a cold or the flu, it is just a blip in your time frame!

Sorry about last week's post.  My sinuses were acting up again and I couldn't see out of my right eye so you got the freebie, but not the post! Hmmm . . . that could be a good thing too!

I have some new products spread around my digital stores; the last three are only available at Digi Style Designs this month.  Here are the previews.



Today's freebie is a stacked paper and a frame. Click on the link below the preview to download. Enjoy!



Thanks for coming by!


Sunday, August 10, 2014

8/10/2014 Sunday Blog Gift

Hello friends!  Hope all is well with you and that you have been treating yourselves well. Minnie is doing fine, though, rather perturbed with me since I haven't been able to take her for long walks. I have still been having some health problems, but life goes on, so I did do some designing this week; I made another set of layout templates. These templates are more versatile than the Song In My Heart templates simply because they do not have hearts on them. Hope you like them and will go to your favorite store and purchase them!



This week's blog gift is a set of full size Gingham papers in the smallest of checks. There are 7 in this group and 7 more in tomorrow's newsletter :)  Be sure and sign up for the newsletter and confirm your subscription.



This is the newsletter set:



Thanks for coming by!

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Sunday Gift Time

Hello Friends & Fans! Time for your weekly blog gift. This week's gift is a set of Halloween brushes and png images; the newsletter will have the other half of the set tomorrow. Speaking of the newsletter, if you haven't signed up and confirmed your address you will not be able to participate in the Loyalty Lottery so sign up today!



No new products this week, I have been sick the entire week :(

Come back and visit soon.

Hugs,





Sunday, July 27, 2014

Sunday Blog Gift

Hello Friends and Fans! How are y'all doing? It's summer here in the Southern US and we have been inundated with late afternoon thunderstorms; it certainly keeps us aware of Mother Nature's power! They cool things down a bit but also necessitates powering down the PC, which is very irritating to me. Minnie has been doing well. My daughter, Kimberli, is getting closer to the date of her major eye surgery which is to take place on the 30th of this month and has us all stressed. I am doing fine.

I completed a set of layout templates and am currently working on another set. This first one has lots of optional goodies for you to choose from! Please visit any of my personal use shops, linked in the sidebar, to get yours.


This week's blog gift is another mini-kit for you :)  Just click on the link under the preview photo to download.



This is a preview of this week's newsletter gift; hope you are subscribed and have confirmed your email address!


Thanks for coming by! Please visit my stores!




Sunday, July 20, 2014

Just A Little Bit

Hello Friends and Fans!

Well another week older and not much to show for it, how about you? My home is still a wreck from the termite treatment and waiting around for people to help out is evidently a waste of time! :)  I will take care of it all eventually and of course no one is going to come by and rob me of the work!




Minnie is still doing fine. My great grandsons are doing well too. My little Gavin won his Power Wheels race last night! At three years old (just barely) he is amazingly focused and purposeful and one of the sweetest little boys you would ever want to meet. I am looking forward to seeing what an awesome young man he will be.



My other little one, Jase, is growing up out west but we do get photos of him almost daily thanks to camera phones and email.



My friends Chris and Richard are back from their vacation to the Isle of Wight and sent me some beautiful photos too.




I uploaded a template this week and have been working on a set of layout templates.


I have a little mini kit for you this week; just click on the link below the preview to download.


Come back soon and remember . . . have your pets spayed or neutered.

Hugs,