Write. Click. Scrapbook.

14 Reasons to Love Digital Products | Digital Kits

Welcome back and thanks for joining me all week!  I've enjoyed showing you some of the ways I love using digital products in my own papercrafting and I hope you've all come away with a little more knowledge and appreciation for the benefits that digital products have to offer you.   

We've discussed some of the most popular types of digital products available over the past few days and these products often make up some of the most important components of Digital Kits.

Digital kits are a group of coordinating digital papers, embellishments, word art, stamps and more that are bundled and sold for one affordable price. And just like paper scrapbooking kits they can offer you an awesome  hand-picked selection of digital products to begin playing around with in your pages and projects.

It is possible that you may require a bit of digital scrapbooking knowledge if you wish to layer or cluster elements together before using or printing them, however for printing individual items the basic programs that we've discussed previously should suffice.        

 

Two Reasons to Love Digital Kits  

Aside from the previous twelve reasons that I have shared with you throughout the week, there are two more reasons for you to love digital kits:

 

No 1. - Digital kits are just like paper scrapbooking kits, with the exception of only needing to print off what you'll need for your page AND with the added bonus of being able to print off multiples of items if necessary.

I made the page below for an article I wrote on hybrid scrapbooking at Get It Scrapped. This article showcases several layouts made by the team members there that all utilize the same papers and elements in a set of coordinating products by One Little Bird.  I'd invite you to check it out and see just how many different ways you could use the elements in a digital kit on your paper scrapbook pages.   

 

 

No. 2 - Digital kits can offer you a great solution for dressing up your blog.

Digital papers make great blog backgrounds, while digital word art, stamps and/or embellishments can help you to create the perfect header, tabs and more for your blog.  Granted a bit of digital scrapbooking knowledge as well as some html is required for some alterations but this post by digital designer Dani Carter, is a great place to start if you're interested in learning more.  And while many digital products allow for their use in personal blogs, it's always a good idea to double check their Terms of Use.  

Fellow Write.Click.Scrapbook team member Laura O'Donnell has used digital products by Valorie Wibbens, Creashens and Jessica Sprague in her blog's design over at It's All Rosie. 

 

 

And Carey Bridges has used digital kits by Jen Allyson and Robyn Meierotto in the design of her blog at Queen of Unfinished Projects:

 

 

Thanks for joining me!

I had a blast sharing all of the ways that I love using digital products in my paper scrapbook pages and projects with you and if I've helped even a few of you to fall in love with the possibilities that digital has to offer, well then I've completed my mission. Thanks for joining me and have a great weekend!

 

14 Reasons to Love Digital Products | Digital Papers

Hi All! Welcome back for Day 4 and thanks for joining me! Are you ready to take a look at how you can use Digital Papers in your paper pages and projects?...Great let's get started!  

Digital papers, like physical papers come in a variety of colors, patterns and styles. Most digital papers are sold in coordinating packs as opposed to individually.  They are typically sized 12 x 12" and come in .jpg format. 

Printing out digital paper is really no different from printing out a photo. You can use your basic editing software to crop your paper to a size that is approriate for your printer and/or project. Just make sure that your printer's settings are set to the highest quality possible and adjusted to accommodate borderless printing.

 

Three Reasons to Love Digital Papers  

Below are few reasons for you to fall in love with using digital papers in your paper scrapbook pages and projects:

 

No 1. - You can use digital papers to print your own patterned vellum and/or transparencies.

Transparent layers can bring a whole new dimension to your scrapbook pages and using digital papers to create your own vellum and transparencies can really open up your options.

In my page "Stay Gold" I printed this bold stripe pattern by One Little Bird onto vellum in an effort to dial back the pattern's impact just a touch, while bringing a soft dimension to my page.  

 

 

No. 2 - Digital papers offer a great solution for making your own coordinated party supplies and decor.

Digital papers are especially handy for making diy invites, treat bags, favor boxes and other party items which are needed in bulk, because you will only pay for the papers once but can print them out time and time again.

I used this fun paper pack by Celeste Knight to make my own trendy invites, glassine bags and an adorable party hat for the birthday girl. 

 

 

No. 3 - You can print digital papers onto fabric from your home for small sewing projects.

Printable fabric sheets and rolls are available in a variety of finishes including soft cotton, silk, heavy-duty twill and more.  I personally use the Crafter's Images brand which is available at my local Joann's. It's affordable, of good quality and quite easy to use.

I printed one of my favorite patterns from Gennifer Bursett's Julep Papers onto cotton twill at home on my inkjet printer to make this cute little bag for my makeup.  

 

 

Now it's your turn...

Which of these ideas for using digital paper will you try out first?  To get started you can check out the paper packs I've linked to above or you can try looking at digital papers offered by your favorite paper scrapbooking manufacturers. 

I'll be back tomorrow with a few final ideas for using digital products in your paper scrapbook pages and projects. See ya then!

 

14 Reasons to Love Digital Products | Digital Journal Cards

Hi All! Amy here and I'm back for Day 3 with more fun ideas for using digital products in your paper scrapbook pages and projects.

Today I'm excited to share some fun ways for you to put Digital Journal Cards to use in your papercrafting. 

If your a project-lifer you may already be utilizing digital journal cards in your process.  They offer an especially affordable solution for cards that you might use over and over each week in your spreads.

But for those of you who are less familiar with digital journal cards, they are often bundled together in sets that include a variety of styles and a few different file formats which typically include jpgs and/or pngs and pdf printable sheets. Common sizes for digital journal cards are 3 x 4" and 4 x 6."

 

Three Reasons to Love Digital Journal Cards  

Below are a few of the reasons I love using digital journal cards in my paper scrapbook pages and projects:

 

No 1. - Digital journal cards offer a simple solution for adding typed journaling to your scrapbook pages and project life spreads.

If you're anything like me and have the tendency to misspell the occasional word or aren't in love with your handwriting then you have probably explored a few different ways to add typed journaling to your pages.  If so, add digital journal cards to your list of things to try.  

I used these journal cards from Oh Snap Boutique to record our family's holiday traditions on in my December Story album. The best part--there are no crossed out words or spelling errors!  

 

 

No. 2 - You can repurpose digital journal cards as gift tags or note cards.

Next time you sit down to wrap gifts or send off thank you cards think about the time and money you could save by simply printing off a a few sheets of "theme appropriate journal cards.  

This birthday cake journal card by Valorie Wibbens was the perfect addition to this gift for my friend.

 

 

No. 3 - Dress up your recipes, contact info and more by printing them out on digital journal cards.

Do you have recipes, addresses or other digitally-stored info that you'd like to convert to a more tangible format.  Why not try printing these resources onto digital journal cards so that you can store them in index boxes or pocket albums with style!

I'm currently working on printing off all of the recipe's I've saved in various places on-line onto these 4 x 6" journal cards by Mye De Leon.  I've was even able to use them to make my color coded dividers.   

 

 

Now it's your turn...

Excited to try out one of these ideas on your own?  Then head over to Pinterest and search for "free printable journal cards" or check out the selection of digital journal cards offered at your favorite digital scrapbooking store. 

I'll be back tomorrow with ideas on using digital patterned papers in your paper scrapbook pages and projects. See ya then!

 

14 Reasons to Love Digital Products | Digital Stamps

Welcome Back to Day 2! Amy here and I've got more fun ideas to share with you for using digital products in your paper scrapbook pages and projects.

Today we're taking a closer look at Digital Stamps, also referred to as "brushes."  Digital stamps can come in a variety of file formats dependent on where they are downloaded from but will almost always be offered in an easily-accessed file format like .png or .jpg.

Digital stamps can range from handdrawn outlines, to full illustrations,to being offered in black, white, gray or even full color.  Some digital stamps are distressed to mimic the appearance of actual rub-ons or stamps, while others have a cleaner look to them. 

 

Three Reasons to Love Digital Stamps  

Below are a few of the reasons I love using digital stamps in my paper scrapbook pages and projects:

 

No 1. - You can use digital stamps to replace stamped images and sentiments on your handmade cards. 

Now I've never been a big stamper or card-maker, I just don't have the patience that is often required of these two skills. However, once it occurred to me to try out digital stamps on my cards I found that I was much more likely to take the time to make a card, rather than buy one.  

I made this no-fuss hybrid card, by simply printing a hand-drawn digital stamp by Creashens onto textured cardstock and adding a few simple embellishments.  However if you're someone who prefers to put a little more effort into your handmade cards, digital stamps can also pair nicely with mediums like watercolors, copics and more (though laser printing is usually recommended to prevent the ink from running).   

 

 

No. 2 - You can use digital stamps to make your own stickers, rub-ons or even fabric transfers.

There are a wide variety of printable mediums available to crafter's today, including sticker paper, transfer paper and rub-on film--just to name a few.  Digital stamps can be paired with these products to make affordable gifts as well as physical embellishments for your scrapbook pages.

The minute I saw this adorable ice cream cone digital stamp by Celeste Knight, I knew that it would look great on a cute little tee for my niece.      

 

 

No. 3 - You can use digital stamps in lieu of real stamps on your scrapbook pages.

There are two things that appeal to me about using digital stamps over the use of acrylic cling and wood mount stamps in my paper scrapbooking: 1). Digital stamps are less expensive and take up less physical space and  2). With a digital stamp, I feel like I have more control over the final result.  

In my page, Coming Into Focus, I printed this awesome f-stop digital stamp by Shannon McNabb onto a vellum mat which I layered over my patterned background.  The digital stamp acts as a foundation for my design and creates a striking focal point, that captures and guides the eye.

 

 

Now it's your turn...

Get started today by picking one of these ideas for using digital stamps to try out in your next page or project. You can find a large selection of FREE digital stamps hand-drawn by Michelle Houghton over on the Get It Scrapped blog or try searching "free digital stamps" on Pinterest.

Join me tomorrow for ideas on using digital journal cards in your paper scrapbook pages and projects!

 

14 Reasons to Love Digital Products | Digital Word Art

Hi everyone! Amy here and I'll be with you all week long sharing simple, yet fun ways for you to use digital products in your paper scrapbook pages and projects.

 

Why Digital...?

Some of you might be wondering why you would be interested in using digital products if you're not a digital scrapbooker. And as someone who has been scrapbooking in both formats for the past 6 years, I can assure you that digital products have plenty to to offer papercrafters. 

Aside from being inexpensive and re-useable, digital products can also help paper scrapbookers to save time and and energy on their scrapbooking and over this week I'd like to showcase a handful of digital products that are known for their accessibility and versatility.

 

Digital Word Art

Digital word art can offer papercrafters a great way to add titles, quotes and typography to their scrapbook pages, as well as being a fun addition to photos and handmade projects.  Most digital word art comes in the form of png files--a format that can be opened and edited in a variety of programs including Adobe's Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, Corel Paint Shop, Picasa or even MS Word.

Word Art by Amy Kingsford

 

Three Reasons to Love Digital Word Art  

Below are just a few examples of how you might be inspired to use digital word art in your paper scrapbook pages and projects:

 

No 1. - You can pair digital word art with your electronic die cutting machine to make your own stickers and die cut titles for your scrapbook pages. 

This "You Light Up My Life" word art by Wilna Furstenberg turned out to be the perfect title for this page about my boys.  While I chose to simply cut the outline of the word art from textured cardstock for this page, you could also try printing your wordart onto adhesive-backed cardstock and then cutting around it to make your own stickers.   

Layout by Amy Kingsford

 

No. 2 - You can easily turn digital word art into wall art for your home or office.

I fell in love with this word art by Valorie Wibbens and couldn't wait to get up on the walls of my craft room.  So I printed it up on medium weight presentation paper and placed it inside of a few inexpensive frames from Ikea.  

 

No. 3 - You can use digital word art to add captions to your photos.

Adding word art directly to your photos is becoming a fun trend and it is also a great way to supplement your photo's story.  As the popularity of Instagram and other photo sharing apps continue to grow, more and more digital designers have started offering "mobile ready" versions of their digital word art.  I especially love this mobile-ready word art by Karla Dudley.

 

Give It a Try...

Inspired to give digital word art a try in your next scrapbook page? Great! You can find a large selection of FREE word art over at Get It Scrapped--available in both png and pdf formats! 

I hope you'll join me tomorrow for a look at the benefits of using digital stamps in your paper scrapbook pages and projects!

 

Sunday photo + words

scrapbook!

What a month we are having! I had so much fun learning to incorporate other crafts into my pages from Francine. Then Olympic week put me to work--in a great way. Next, Diane blew my mind with how very many cards came from just one sketch. Holy guacamole! Such fun!!

And now it's my favorite day for scrapbooking! The day we put our gallery to work. I am so glad you are here with me today. Let's get started.

 

SKETCH

The sketch this month comes from Monika. I loved the centrality of her layout and thought it would lend itself to including more than just two photos!

 

Here is how the sketch turned out.

 

And here is my layout. 

I left the journaling at the top rather than putting it on a side tag as I liked the stars making a diagonal line from corner to corner. I also separated the photos a tiny bit so that the title was in the middle rather than overlapping as it was disappearing into the white of the photos. The splatters soften and balance.

If you would like to use the sketch as a layered template, you may download it here. Please let us know if you do!

 

ROYGBIV

I am so hungry for spring, that I couldn't resist the colors in Sam's layout. They are so pretty.

 

Here is how the color palette came out.

Blue sky, new leaves, flower buds, and cement. That's what I see. (Hopefully soon I will see these colors in real life and not just my mind's eye.) Thank you, Sam, for putting together such a great inspiring layout! 

 

And here is my layout.

I even added some little flowers to bring out my mood for spring! (Only 27 days til spring's arrival!)

As I look at my layout next to Sam's I realize that I need to study her layouts more--I love her tiny bits and use of dark elements that pop against the light. I think I could improve mine by doing what she does. But I do love my new layout, too!

 

CHERRY ON TOP

And here is the layout together with the colors! Monika + Sam = Samika. Meet my Samika layout...

I turned the photos on their side so I had to relocate the title. I was a bit sad as I liked it between the photos. But when I tried to make it vertical it didn't feel right with the photos--it seems better down below the photos. And the scrapbook police don't mind if I relocate a title. :)

 

I love the movement of this sketch! I really hope you will try it!

 

Thank you for taking the time to stop by! I am glad that you, too, enjoyed out TechLove gallery! Don't forget that our Olympic week also showcases layouts inspired by the February gallery! As always, if you make a layout using the sketch or the color palette, (or both!) please leave me word and a link. I love to see what you do!

One Card Sketch, 5 Themes - Thank You

Hello everyone! Welcome to the final day in our card sketch theme week. Today I'll be sharing some thank you cards. Like birthday cards, you can never have too many of these on hand. I like to keep them in my desk at work so I always have one on hand to give to someone going the extra mile.

This first card is from Amy. I like how she added the embellishment cluster and gratitude quote on top of a die cut background.

Laura shared this beautiful butterfly thank you card. I like how the greeting is extending in from the right side of the card, surrounded by the butterflies.

Valerie added some fun with mixed media to her card and placed the greeting in a tab along the top...so clever.

On my thank you card I kept one large embellishment along the bottom and added the smaller embellishment cluster and greeting towards the top.

On my last card, I used one large focal embellishment and moved my greeting to the side and added a smaller subtitle to the bottom.

Thank you so much for joining me for card week. I hope you can use the sketch and these ideas to create a card stash for any occasion.

One Card Sketch, 5 Themes - Congratulations

Hi everyone! Welcome to another day in our card week. Today I am sharing congratulations and good luck cards. I always like having these on hand to let someone know I'm hoping for the best for them or to let them know I'm happy for their accomplishments! All cards were made using the sketch I posted on Monday.

Stars are one of my favorite embellishments and perfect for a congratulations card, like Laura used on this card. 

Jennie also used stars on her congratulations card. She kept the layers of the sketch the same and moved the greeting to the bottom creating room for the wonderful star/circle grid.

Kate shared this next card. Kate, followed the sketch closely but I like how she converted it to a square card and moved the greeting up.

Sue  created the colorful butterfly card. I like how she simplified the embellishment triangle to one large butterfly atop a washi background.

For my first card, I rotated the sketch. I created the top layer by using washi tape for the background, then added my greeting in embellishments.

My next card features my favorite...stars, and follows the sketch almost exactly.

For this next one, I used the exact same design elements but switched out the stars for circles and added a "good luck" greeting instead.

For my last card I switched out the three embellishments for one large one and again added a "good luck" greeting.

Thanks so much for visiting. Come back tomorrow for our final card day.

One Card Sketch, 5 Themes - Birthday

Hello everyone! Welcome back to the third day of card week. If you are just now joining us, we've been creating cards in a variety of themes using a single card sketch. You can see the sketch right here. Today we are focusing on Birthday cards! This is one of my favorite types of cards to make and in my opinion you can never have too many in your stash.

This first card was shared by Francine. The soft circle background is gorgeous and perfect for holding those cute little birdies full of Birthday wishes.

Jennie's card features a fun combination of colorful circles and glittery stars and follows the sketch closely.

Sue also followed the sketch closely and created this beautiful butterfly card. The yellow background is perfect for a cheerful greeting.

Valerie, used a trendy color combo of navy, orange and yellow for her Birthday greeting. 

The next two cards were made by Lisa.

I love the circular card and those bees...so cute!

Here Lisa stuck closely to the sketch, but moved the greeting to the bottom.

I flipped the sketch horizontally and replaced the butterflies with a cupcake and scattering of buttons and brads, leaving the greeting in the middle.

For my next card, I followed the sketch with the greeting between the embellishment grouping.

For my last Birthday card, I placed the sketch horizontally, inspired to use a butterfly and a doily banner across the length of the card similar to the strip on the sketch.

Thank you so much for joining me today. If you haven't already, I hope you'll join in the fun and create a card or two.