DigiScrap Parade blog train

Thanks for participating in the May 2013 DigiScrap Parade! If you're following the Parade route from start to finish, you should have arrived here from Charm Box Studios.  If you get lost along the way, simply head back to the main DigiScrap Parade site here at http://digiscrapparade.wordpress.com to view the master list and get back on track.

You can pick up Meagan's part here.  Your next stop is Victoria Feemster Designs.  

And if you miss a stop, you can find a list of all the stops here at http://digiscrapparade.wordpress.com.

Manic Monday

Hey everybody!  Kari here to pop in quick to let you know about today's Manic Monday deal.  I want to apologize for how short this post is, and for the fact that normally Meagan has a freebie for you, but she's working like crazy behind the scenes getting ready for NationalScrapbookDay (NSD) on the 4th.  Trust me when I say she's going to have LOTS of stunning goodies for you!

Today's deal is Meagan's Wordy Temps.  As always, the preview is linked for you.

Today only you can pick up this great template pack for just $2.  Yes, that's 50% off.

Take a look at what the as always fab ladies have done!

Again, we'd like to apologize for the lack of a freebie, but there's LOTS of awesomeness coming, I promise you!

Selective Coloring

A fun effect I love to use on layouts is to do selective coloring as in part of the photo is in color while the rest is black and white. This is especially fun for me when those colors do match the kit. It really helps make it pop! Here's a picture I did in a layout recently where I loved the colors in her dress and bows and didn't want them lost with the b&w photo but I knew the background of the photo might be too much for the layout.



So start with the original photo and get out the Quick Selection tool.



Now select the areas you want to be in color and not in b&w. Use a small brush size and slowly select the areas you want.



If you accidentally get an area you don't want, you can select the wand with the (-) sign to de-select areas.



Once you have the area selected, copy-paste the selection on a new layer. Then apply the black and white action on your original photo with the selected area on a layer above it. And you're done!



Really simple! Try it out! I'd love to see what you do with it!

New release: Stand Out Temps Vol 2

Hi everybody!  How is everything going in your little corner of the world?  The weather is absolutely nuts here in Michigan.  Went from wearing flip flops and capris to rain and snow.  SNOW!!  Between the funky weather changes and all the plants trying to bloom, it's no wonder we're all under the weather (no pun intended) in this house.  Well, when the weather is all nasty, what better way to spend your time than to scrap!  Speaking of scrapping, Meagan's unpacked the Mixed Matters bag and released her part on it's own!  Take a look at the Stand Out Templates Volume 2.  And as always, the preview is linked for you.

Pretty darn awesome, right?  And so versatile.  Also on sale for 20% off til Sunday!  Take a look here at what the amazing team has done:

Every week I'm blown away.  Thanks for spending time with us today.  

Manic Monday and a freebie

Happy Monday!!  You know what Mondays mean around here!  Yep, that's right, it's another Manic Monday.  Which means lots of fantabulous deals at ScrapMatters!

Today's offering from Meagan is Rustic Autumn.  Pick this up today only for just $2.75.  (the preview is linked up for you!)

Can't you just smell the autumn air?  All this beauty can be yours for half off today!  I'll leave you with a few pages by the team!

So much fun!  And I didn't forget the freebie, a 12 inch border cluster!

Download here.  Grab it quick, it's only available for a limited time.

Blending Photos with the Eraser Tool

There's lots of different ways you can blend photos depending on the look you want. Today I am going to show you the most basic way. We will use the eraser tool. Click on the Eraser tool and then find the "Brush" Menu at the top.


Here you can adjust how big the eraser is and then you see that hardness? We want that to be low, around 30%. This means it will kind of fade away from the eraser mark instead of making a big hole. This is what helps make it a gradual blend. I like to use big brushes and very soft and just work my way slowly around the image.

Also, let's adjust the opacity of the eraser.



around 50% is good or even lower. The more gradual the less likely you will have to undo a step.

I like to work around the photo on all the edges so there is no longer a hard edge where the photo ended. And then continue as you want to focus on the main object in your photo.



Here's my finished layout using my kit, Inspired by You. (also a template by Scrapping with Liz).