Sunny Flowers Digital Stamp Set plus a tutorial

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Cathy

Hi all!

I thought I’d share a little tutorial post today – using the new Sunny Flowers Digital stamp set. The tutorial is a little long, but its mostly pictures…. so hopefully that is OK….

The stamp set contains a variety of different files to make it more versatile and easy to use.

You can use the images like traditional “digital stamps” by simply arranging either the JPG or the PNG files and printing them like I did in the card above. I printed the sunflower image and name and colored it with my beloved Copic Markers. Here are the colors I used…..

Coloring with Copics… fun, fun, fun….

But, in case you want to try something different, also included are Photoshop PSD files of the images. The PSD files allow you to quickly “color” the images with digital papers. I’d like to show you one way to use these files with Photoshop or Photoshop elements. I’m doing this tutorial in Photoshop – but its the same process in Photoshop Elements.

Here is the card I made with this method:

In this sample, I used digital papers and elements from the Wishing Well Creations Summer Garden Digital kit – a super fun and cheerful new release at the DigiChick (except the green – which came from the Country Love Digi Kit by Etc. by Danyale – another amazing new release that I just had to have ).

Then you open the PSD file, you will see something like this, with the background of each element of the image on a separate layer and the image lines on another layer.

To use this, simply select digital papers in the colors you want your image elements. The big advantage to this is that you can choose a digital kit for your project so the image and the elements and patterned papers coordinate. Plus – its a perfect excuse to buy this lovely Summer Garden Digi kit (which I really wanted badly – I love the little birdies!).

Ummm… tutorial…. right….

First, save your PSD as a new file using “save as” so you don’t over write your original. To add a digital paper, select the layer where you want to add the paper. Bring the paper into your file – it should come in right above the shape layer you wanted to fill.

In the layer pallet on the side, hold down the ALT and hover the cursor on the line between the paper and the shape layers. When you get the double circle cursor shape, click the mouse to clip the paper into the shape (these shapes are called “clipping masks” by the way).

The paper layer will indent and the paper will conform itself to the shape. Repeat this with all the shapes, using your choice of papers.

Now, that looks pretty good and was so quick and easy. But you might want to refine it a little by adding some shading and highlights. One easy way is to use the burn too to darken areas where you want shading and the dodge tool to lighten areas where you want highlights. These tools are found in the left set of icons a little more than half way down.

Choose a soft (fuzzy) edge brush and make it whatever size works for your image. Make sure you lower the exposure (less than 25%). Its better to darken or lighten a little and then go over it again if you need to. Each time you pass the cursor over an area it will darken or lighten a little more.

Its important that you are on the paper layer, not the shape layer or nothing will happen. Then just rub the cursor over the areas to darken/lighten until you get the shading you like. Then switch to the next paper layer and repeat.

The burn/dodge tools are here in Photoshop Elements:

For my image, I would like my stamp lines to be a dark brown instead of black. So, I chose the brown I wanted using my foreground color picker. I select the stamp lines layer. Then I choose Edit, fill layer. When the dialog box comes up, I make sure Foreground color is chosen and the preserve transparency box is checked. Then click OK.

The lines are changed to brown.

Another thing I want to do is create a solid border around my image so that it stands out more on the front of my card. So, with all my layers selected, I drag them to the create new layer button to create copies of all of them (at the top of the layer stack in Elements, at the bottom in Photoshop).

All the copies will be selected so just go to the top and select Layer -Merge Layers to create a merged copy. You could also just merge all your layers, but by making a copy its easy to undo it if you want to change something.

Now, CNTR+click on the image thumbnail of your new merged image. You will get “marching ants” around the outside of the image.

Create a new layer under the image.

While on your new blank layer, choose Select – Modify – Expand. When the dialog box comes up, choose a width to expand. I like 20 pixels for most things. Then decide what color you want for your border and put it in the foreground color picker box.

Use the bucket tool to fill your selection with your chosen color (just click with the bucket in the middle of the sunflower). Use CNTR D to deselect and remove the marching ants.

So now you have your completed image. You can print it as is, place it on a digital scrap page or use it to make a digital or hybrid card. Its very quick to do this and the finished image can be used over and over (to make all those teacher thank you gifts!).

I chose to use my image on a hybrid card. I like to create digi or hybrid cards right in Photoshop.

I usually create my pieces and make them into clipping masks (maybe a tutorial on that in the future?). That way I can see the finished card and the clipping masks let me try 10 different papers easily. I just take one out and put the new one in. Here is my compiled card.

I can just print this and place it on a card base, but that would just be too easy right?

I like to add a little dimension and layering, so I pull the card apart on a 8.5″x11″ document. This allows me to print one page and cut out all my elements. Then I layer them on the card so they have physical dimension and look more handmade. For my card, I popped the sunflower up on foam tape.

Whew! Anyone still out there?? If you are, I think you deserve a little reward!

So… Comment on this post and let me know either “yes, I’d like more Photoshop tutorials and templates” or “no – knock it off with Photoshop already and go back to the Copics”.

If I get at least 20 comments by June 5 – I’ll select one random comment to with this Sunny Flowers Digital stamp set. How’s that?

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Super Exciting News! (and a freebie)

Posted on March 31, 2011 by Cathy

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I’m a DigiChick!!

My digital designs are now being carried over at the DigiChick.com. I’m so excited I can hardly stand it! Its an amazing store overflowing with digital goodness and an amazing creative team – and they let me come in and play! “squeal!”

All Paper Garden Projects designs over there are 20% off…. so feel free to go check it out

I thought I’d celebrate by sharing a digi-hybrid project and a little template freebie.

I made these 2 treat holders by simply clipping some digital papers and digital stamps into the template. Easy-peasy…

You can download the free template here – it is a PSD file for use with Photoshop Elements or regular Photoshop. If you are strictly a paper scrapper, the measurements to make the treat folders by hand are at the end of this post.

When you unzip and open the PSD file in Photoshop, it will look like this:

You can see all the layers on the side. Each layer is a “clipping mask”. All you need to do is position the digital paper you want to use above the mask, hover your cursor on the line between them and click down when you get the little snowman symbol. The paper will conform to the clipping mask.

For my projects, I used the wonderful new Digi Chick April collaborative kit called Wishes Hopes and Dreams.

What is a collaborative kit? All the designers get together and create a kit with the same theme and color scheme. It is simply amazing – 71 gorgeous papers, 96 digital elements (like frames and flowers and tags), 2 alphas plus templates. I got to play with it – somebody pinch me!!

You can see some of my papers clicked in here.

A couple things – you can resize the papers to make the pattern smaller if you wish – just make sure it covers the area you want to clip into. In this template, you need to flip the paper upside down for the back piece if it is a pattern where direction matters. When you fold the treat holder up – the back will then be right side up.

Here is how the holder looks with the papers clipped in. You can choose to use the scalloped circle, the scalloped square or no frame just by clicking the little eyeballs on the layers on or off.

Last, you can add the stamp images of your choice to the white windows. I use the Loving Critters Stamp set (bunny) and the Spring Blooms 2 stamp set (Daffodil) in my samples.

Target the white window layer and drag the stamp image on top. You can resize it to fit in the white space or you can “clip” it into the window just like with the papers.

Once you are happy with your project, just print it out. I used the X-Press It Blending Card and was very happy with the result. The digital papers printed beautifully and I was able to color my stamped images with Copic markers easily.

Note that not all printers print to the very edge. You might need to tell your printer to “size to fit” in order to get a complete print.

Here is my printed, folded piece. I also cut out around the image so the jelly beans would peek through.

For the jelly beans, I added a clean piece of card stock to the back of the bag just to keep my beans from slouching (its hard to get beans to sit up straight!). The bags are the Wilton Chocolate Lollipop covers available at craft stores.

Assemble the holder (I added a small piece of adhesive to the back to help keep the bean bag in place). Punch the holes at the top. Thread a ribbon through to the back (like shown) and then feed the tails through the opposite hole in the front and trim.

Done!

I hope this simple tutorial is helpful for those of you who are new to Photoshop. If you like digital images, seriously consider saving your pennies and getting Photoshop Elements. It it an awesome tool. Adobe has a free 30 day trial if you would like to check it out.

If you are a “just give me the paper – I don’t want no pixels” crafter, here are the measurements for all the pieces for the treat holder so you can make it by hand.

Stay tuned for more fun digi news….

Fourth Friday Fun Challenge for November

Posted on November 25, 2010 by Cathy

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(I know – I’m posting a little early. But I don’t want to forget with all the partying going on here )

Its another 4th Friday… you know what that means… So – if you are not out there shopping… come join the fun!

This month our challenge is “Tag – you’re it”.

Create a project the is a tag, contains a tag, or could be used as a tag… we want to see them all!

You prize? This month its my all time favorite Kraftin Kimmie stamp – Clara and the bird.

The rules – pretty simple. Please include only newly created projects (although feel free to combine this challenge with others out there in blogland). For this month – feel free to enter as many projects as you’d like. Please link back to this challenge if at all possible. You have until midnight (EST) on Monday, Dec. 6 to enter.

To enter, just use the little froggy face at the bottom of this post to link up your creation.

For my tag project, I created a tin full of tags.

Its no secret that I adore Eat Cake Graphics images. I got to use a whole bunch of them to create my tags. So fun!

The tags are small folded cards and I sized them to fit in the square tin. The kraft base is 2 3/8″ by 4 3/4″ – scored in the middle. Then I layered a scalloped square Spellbinders die on top. The images were stamped and cut out using a smooth square die and then colored with Copics. I also added a little Burlap Distress ink around the edges of the white squares. With the images layered with foam tape (as I did here), the tin holds 9 tags.

Some of the images I wanted to use were larger than the square. So I just cut and embossed my paper, and then stamped the part of the image I wanted before removing the die. I find I get the best impression when I do this with a pad beneath the paper. I use a sheet of craft foam. (Make sure you clean your die after stamping so you don’t get ink smudges on your next project).

For the tin itself, I covered the outside with a strip of kraft cardstock and then wrapped ribbon around it. I added the sentiment from the Mr. and Mrs. Clause cling set, also cut with Spellbinders dies. Last, I wrapped twill ribbon around the lid of the tin.