Life Lately in Snapshots

1: Vintage sewing patterns from my mom's old sewing stash / 2: Saw Iron Man 3 on opening weekend and it was awesome / 3: Naked Lunch in SF with friends- their Roasted Brussels Sprouts Sandwich is amazing / 4: Maple & Bacon Shake from Hi-Mountain Drug in Kamas, Utah / 5: Gennifer Bursett's cuddly St. Bernard / 6: Pixels & Company Retreat in Utahthis April - this was the view out our front door / 7: View from PB's rooftop - I'm gonna miss having lunches up here / 8: Ggorgeous bride-to-be ready for her bachelorette party / 9: Jeff and I "nerded it up" playing Zelda over the weekend

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Ok, I'm officially in love with my camera phone. I never thought I'd end up using my phone camera more than my real cameras, but it's now the standard. Over the past 3 months I've transitioned to reaching for my phone instead of my SLR or even my small digital camera to capture a moment. It wasn't a conscious decision, it's something that just sort of happened.

And I guess it makes sense. My phone is really portable, easy to use, takes less time to snap a photo and the quality is still pretty great. Oh and did I mention its portable?? It seems the laziness in me has won out. But I'm totally embracing it!

How about you – do you prefer your digital camera or your phone? Are you on Instagram? If you are, be sure to leave a comment with your website URL or Instagram username so I can check out your pictures! You can view the rest of mine here.

Patterned Paper 10 Ways - #7: Ombre Effects Using Gradients

Wow, I was busier than I thought - I just realized I hadn't done a MFYM posting in over a month! Well, this week I'm back with a fun little tip about gradients.

The layout for this tutorial might look a bit familiar. It's the same layout I used for #2: Blending Overlay on a Photo. But what you may have noticed is that it also sports an "ombre" look in the background paper. And that's what I'm going to cover today.

First off, you need two paper layers. For this particular layout, I extracted the flowers from patterned paper. That served as my top layer with a solid cardstock layer below it. However, you can create an ombre affect using any two papers, no extraction required.

For this week's tutorial, I thought I'd do things a little differently. Instead of giving you step-by-step instructions in written out text, I decided to make one infographic that covers all 3 steps. This way you can easily pin the image to Pinterest or save it to your desktop to make it easier to find later on.

And the good news is that steps are exactly the same for BOTH Photoshop and PS Elements:

And to fully illustrate the range of looks you can achieve by adding a layer mask gradient to paper, here are three more examples:

The best part of this technique is really just having fun and playing around with different gradient combinations.

Did you like this tutorial or have any questions about it? Please check out my Tutorials Page for more easy tips and tricks. I also love feedback, so feel free to leave your comments below and I'll do my best to answer any questions you might have.

All papers used in the extra examples are from my More Than Just Mom Kit.

New Release | More Than Just Mom + A Good Cause

I'm going to be honest, this has been a difficult post to write. Not because I don't have anything to say, but because I have too much to say. My new release is very personal which made it hard to find the right words. So I'm not gonna lie, this post is pretty long. I ramble even more than usual and it might be a little depressing, but that's just part of the story behind the kit.

My new release, More Than Just Mom, is more than just another Mother's Day kit. It's an idea I've had ever since I started digi designing. I wanted to honor my mother with a kit – something that represented her spirit and our relationship as mother and daughter. I started and stopped working on this kit several times over the past 2 years, but every time I picked it up again, I'd be flooded with the same emotions.

But this time was different.

Usually, I'm a really slow designer – I've been known to tinker on patterned paper for days. So I was surprised when the whole kit came together in less than 48 hours, especially after I had "given up" on this idea many times before. I couldn't help but feel like it was the right time to put this kit out into the world and that someone was watching over me and guiding me. And I knew that someone was my best friend.

The whole experience of losing her is still so surreal, even 9 years later.

The phone call that changed my life. The rushed drive back to my hometown in the middle of the night. The grim diagnosis – only months to live. Taking her home to live the rest of her days in peace. The flood of friends coming over to give their final goodbyes. Holding her hand as she drifted away from us just 3 weeks later.

I lost my best friend to cancer when I was 20 years old, she just happened to be my mother as well.

A page from my paper scrapbooking days, 2006

We were so much alike. We had the same body type and the same wide smile. The same love for chocolate, Disneyland, and traveling. There was not a single day in the summer when we wouldn't walk around barefoot, even outside. We scrapbooked together. Shopped together. Our minds even worked the same way – analytical, passionate, creative, sometimes slightly obsessive.

So losing her felt like a piece of myself had disappeared. But after years of trying to deal with the loss, I realize now if anything, the opposite was true. I am more complete because part of my mother's legacy lives on through me. Certain things I do, like scrapbooking, would never have been a part of my life if she hadn't been there first. And I'm grateful beyond words for that.

So this kit is dedicated to my mother, Scotty, and her memory.

More Than Just Mom

Because the idea behind my kit was so personal, I felt it was essential to "pay it forward" with it. Too many amazing people are affected by cancer – those who battle it and the loved ones that are left behind.

Over the past 100 years, the American Cancer Society has sought to increase the odds of survival and the quality of life of those who battle it. Today, 2 out of every 3 people diagnosed with cancer will survive. But there's still more research needed. That's why I'm donating 20% of all proceeds in 2013 of my More Than Just Mom products to the American Cancer Society. Even if you don't digi scrapbook, I hope you will consider donating directly to ACS. Every penny counts.

And if you'd like to see some inspiring layouts using More Than Just Mom, visit my Facebook page and click on the album.

iNSD 2013 Blog Hop

It's time for International Scrapbook Day, one of my favorite days of the year! I love how our community celebrates the utter awesomeness of this hobby.

You should be arriving here from Crystal's blog. However, if you're here from somewhere else, be sure to go to the Pixels & Company blog, so that you don’t miss out on the full blog train and our schedule of iNSD events for this week!

And if you're new to my blog, please take a minute to sign up for my newsletter. You get my Happy Day Freebie, plus discounts and freebies only available to subscribers.  

Also, 2 lucky newsletter subscribers will receive a $10 gift certificate to my shop. I'll be drawing names by random on Saturday, May 4th!

Ok, now on with the show!

First off, here's the beautiful collab by the Pixels & Company designers, More or Less. And I'm sure you've heard already, but you can get this entire kit FREE! Just continue to follow the blog hop to grab all the letters for the coupon code, find the kit in the Pixels & Company shop and then download.

But before I give you my letter and send you on your way, I have a quick tip for you.

Using the Distribute Tool
If you love having your photos perfectly aligned and the thought of your photos not being evenly spaced is enough to give you a mild panic attack, then using the Distribute tool will make you VERY HAPPY.

The Distribute tool evenly distributes objects evenly across the page – it's awesome!

Perfectly spaced photos are a cinch! Layout Credits

Step 1: Make Your Photo Masks
First, setup your guides where the outside edge of your photo grid will sit. Mine is approx. 1 inch from the left and bottom, 2.5 inches from the top and 4.625 inches from the right.

Make a photo mask (mine are 2" square in the layout above). Then duplicate that layer 3 times for a total of 4 photo masks. To duplicate a layer quickly, use the shortcut Command + J (or Ctrl + J for PC users).

Image 1

Step 2: Distribute Your Photo Masks
With your top layer photo mask selected, move the mask until the top of it touches the guide you created. Your layout should look something like this:

Image 2

Making sure the Move tool is selected in your Tools Palette, find the Distribute tool (as shown below).

In Photoshop, the Distribute tool is in the upper right corner just below the menu options. In Photoshop Elements, the Distribute tool is on the bottom of the window.

Now, select all 4 photo mask layers (as seen in the layers palette in image 2) and press the horizontal Distribute icon that says Center for PS Elements (for Photoshop it's the 2nd icon from the left).

And immediately your photo masks should look like this:

Step 3: Group Layers
Now we've got one vertical column of photos, but the final layout has 3 columns of photos. First, we need to group the 4 layers we already have.

In Photoshop, Go to Layer > Group Layers
OR use the shortcut Command + G (Ctrl + G for PC users).

Photoshop Elements currently doesn't support the grouping of elements. However, there is the Elements + kit. Once downloaded, it allows grouping along with other actions not available in PSE. You can download the demo or purchase it for $10-25 depending on what PSE version you own and your operating system.

Once you've downloaded the patch, use this tutorial to group layers in PS Elements.

Step 4: Duplicate & Distribute
Duplicate your grouped photos twice, so you have 3 groups total. Take the top group and move it until it touches the right side guide as shown below.

Now, select all 3 photo groups and press the vertical Distribute icon that says Middle for PS Elements (for Photoshop it's the 5th icon from the left). And voila! All 12 of your photos are now evenly spaced.

I hope you enjoyed my little layout tutorial. If you liked it, visit my Tutorials page for more quick tips and tricks.

And before you go, make sure to grab your letter (and remember to keep them in order) – you won't be able to get More or Less free without it!

Your next stop is... Karla's blog. 

Here's the full lineup of the blog hop in case you have skipped any thus far:
P&Co Blog, hosted by Mindy
Jennifer
Tiffany
Jan
Jaimee
Mye
Dawn
Rebecca
Robyn
Karen
Crystal
Shannon <<< You are HERE
Karla
Shirley
Deena
Celeste
Shen
Leah
Jeryn
Gen

Summer Movie Mania

I may be a bit of a movie buff. I've been known to surfs IMDB for an hour just looking at movies and actors. My movie collection is alphabetized and I can recall dialogue from every single movie in it.

So I'm really excited for this year's summer movie season. Some years are better than others, but I don't think this year will disappoint. I thought it would be fun to share a few that I'm looking forward to – but I'd also love to hear about the movies you are excited about as well.

#1: Star Trek Into Darkness – May 17th
When the first JJ Abrams Star Trek movie came out, I was a little skeptical. I wasn't sure they could do the original cast justice. But after 127 minutes in the movie theater, it made me a believer. From the moment I left the theater, I've been waiting with bated breath for the sequel. Now, my only fear is that it won't live up the epic awesomeness of the first one. Although there is one consolation prize in case it doesn't – JJ Abrams will also be directing Star Wars 7. WOOHOO!

#2: The Great Gatsby – May 10th
Of all the books that were required reading in school, The Great Gatsby was my absolute favorite (followed closely by Of Mice & Men and The Giver). With how often Hollywood has been borrowing film ideas from novels, it surprises me it's taken this long to make a Gatsby movie. But I have a feeling it will have been worth the wait. Leonardo diCaprio is one of the best actors in the business – he proved that in What's Eating Gilbert Grape at the age of 19 – and I can't wait to see him play Gatsby.

#3: Iron Man 3 – May 3rd
Great sequels are hard, but great trilogies are harder. The first Iron Man was incredible – it's the kind of movie I would have no problem watching on a weekly basis. And although I wasn't a huge fan of Mickey Rourke as Whiplash, I still really enjoyed the sequel. So I'm really curious to see if Iron Man can go 3 for 3.

UPDATE: We saw on opening weekend and Iron Man totally nailed it. Even though the first one is still my favorite, this was a great way to end the trilogy. I would definitely recommend it :)

#4: Man of Steel – June 14th
I was too young when the original Superman movies came out to really appreciate them (although Jeff remembers them fondly, calling him "Choo Choo man" as a kid since he couldn't pronounce "Superman"). So why would I be so excited to see the newest Superman flick? Two words: Henry Cavill. I usually don't get so excited for a movie just for the drool factor, but I absolutely swooned at the thought of Cavill playing Superman. If you haven't seen The Tudors (where he plays Charles Brandon), I HIGHLY recommend it!

#5: Monsters University – June 21st
I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about liking MU because Pixar sequels are a mixed bag. In my opinion, Toy Story 3 was one of the best follow ups in movie history. Cars 2, not so much. But because Monsters Inc is still one of my favorite Pixar Movies (along with Ratatouille and The Incredibles), I'm still excited to see it. The fact that it's a prequel to the original movie also intrigues me. Guess I'll have to wait two months to find out how it measures up.

#6: The Lone Ranger – July 3rd
According to Wikipedia, The Lone Ranger started all the way back in 1933 as a radio show. The story has been around a long time but, to be honest, I don't know that much about the characters. But I have a feeling this will be a great action movie. Why you ask? Because Johnny Depp plays Tonto and Gore Verbinski is directing. Gore was the directorial genius behind the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies – and anything he directs has my vote!

So what about you? What movie are you most looking forward to this summer?

Project Life: March

I'm pretty proud of myself – I took 177 photos in March.

That doesn't sound like a LOT, but it's a big improvement over how many photos I took each month in 2012. And even though I wish I could include almost every single photo in my PL spreads, I realize that it's only supposed to be a small overview of our everyday life.

MARCH SPREAD

Credits

LEFT SIDE DETAIL

RIGHT SIDE DETAIL

I think my favorite part of this spread is the before and after shots of Jeff's beard. He decided last year that he wanted to grow it out for 6 months just to see if he could do it. Both of us got pretty tired of it near the end, so I was relieved when he shaved it off right before his birthday. I have some funny outtake shots too, which I'm saving for a dedicated scrapbook page.

How's your scrapbook projects coming along so far this year? Getting more done that you anticipated? Less? Well as long as you still have fun with it, I don't think the quantity matters much :)

An Interview with Wild Blueberry Ink

Today I'm excited to share a glimpse into the design and scrapbook life of Shirley from Wild Blueberry Ink. For those of you who don't know Shirley, she's a sarcastic, down-to-earth North Carolinian who lives with her husband and her sassy daughter.

1. How did you get started in scrapbooking?
It was my husband's 30th birthday party and I needed a gift. I went on Shutterfly and saw the albums there and found one called 30 things from 30 people on your 30th birthday. IT WAS AMAZING and I wanted to do one for him. At that point I started googling how to put these albums together and discovered the world of digi scrapbooking!

2. Where do your best kit ideas come from? 
It is funny by about 80% of my latest products have been inspired my daughter's clothes, toys or books. The colors, the slogans on the shirts, etc.

3. Describe your design style in 3 words.

A la carte :)

4. Sum up your personality into one sentence.

Well I would say AWESOME but those around me my not be in total agreement.

5. What are 2 things you couldn't live without (besides your beautiful family)?

My animals (3 dogs & a cat) and my phone which has email, Instagram, Facebook and most importantly Temple Run 2.

6. Finally and most importantly, what's your favorite ride at Disneyland or Disneyworld?

Space Mountain - it was the first roller coaster I ever rode and it started a tradition with me and my dad. No matter what amusement park or how old we were we always rode together!

Big thanks to Shirley for letting us get to know her a bit better. Be sure to check out her blog for lots of great scrapbook inspiration, especially her Project Life layouts. You can also like her on Facebook – she has 2 great freebies available on her page!

Featured Designer Week

I'm really excited to be one of Pixel & Company's featured designers this week. Not only because my entire store on sale, but because I'm sharing my feature week with Shirley of Wild Blueberry Ink.

I've known Shirley for a couple of years – we originally met as artists on Etsy. Shirley was actually the one who convinced me to move my scrapbook designs from Etsy to a dedicated digital scrapbook store. I have to say I owe her a lot – that single move has made a huge difference in my design career.

And until very recently we've sold at different stores. Then in January, we both joined the ranks at Pixels & Company and it gave us the perfect opportunity to work together. We finally had a chance to collaborate this month and we had a lot of fun! I can definitely say I hope there are more collaborations in our future.

But enough of me jabbering on! Here's our fabulous collaboration kit, The Good Life:

We also made a set of coordinating journaling cards. And from now through Friday, they are FREE when you purchase the collaboration kit.

During my feature week, I'm also having daily dollar deals where one random kit in my shop goes on sale for $1. Each day is different, so make sure to check my Facebook page to see the new deal of the day!

Patterned Paper 10 Ways: #6 - Masking Other Patterned Paper

Time for another installment of my More for Your Money series. This week, we'll be combining two methods I covered in previous tutorials – extracting & masking.

First, here's the final layout:

The hearts were extracted from my Be My Valentine hearts paper.

Step 1: Crop the Pattern Using the Magic Wand tool
Select the portion you want to extract with the Magic Wand tool. In my example, I wanted just the red hearts.

Important Note: Make sure that the Contiguous box is UNCHECKED. "Contiguous" in Photoshop means it will only select the like color surrounding the point where you click. Leaving it unchecked makes the magic wand pick up all spots of like color (all the hearts instead of just one in this example). Here's my Magic Wand tool bar for a visual reference:

If you want to learn more about how to extract a single element from a paper instead of an entire pattern, be sure to check out my previous tutorial on extracting elements.

Step 2: Extract the Pattern
With the portion of the pattern you'd like to keep selected:

In both Photoshop & Photoshop Elements, go to Select > Inverse
OR use the shortcut Shift+Ctrl+I (Shift+Command+I for Mac users).

Then press delete. You should now be left with only the pattern you selected:

Notice now how the coral background paper of my layout shows through.

Now I could leave the pattern as-is, but I wanted the hearts to be an accent instead of all over. So, I selected all the hearts I wanted to get rid of with the Rectangular Marquee tool and pressed delete.

And I ended up with this:

After fiddling with my layout, I decided I preferred the hearts to peek out from under the photos instead of off to the left as it's shown here.

Step 3: Create a Clipping Mask using the Pattern
Add the patterned paper you are masking (the white grid paper in my case) directly over the extracted pattern layer (my hearts). With the top paper layer selected (grid):

In Photoshop, go to Layer > Create Clipping Mask 
OR use the shortcut CTRL+ALT+G (Command+ALT+G for Mac users).

In Photoshop Elements, go to Layer > Create Clipping Mask
OR use the shortcut CTRL+G (Command+G for Mac users).
Need more of a refresher on how to do this step? Click to my previous tutorial to find out how.

Now you're patterned paper should be clipped to the extracted pattern. I just added a few embellishments and my journaling and was done. Easy peasy!

And in case you've missed any of my previous tutorials for this series, here they are:
Tutorial #1: Brushes & Overlays
Tutorial #2: Blended Overlay on a Photo
Tutorial #3: Paper Blending Styles
Tutorial #4: Make Your Own Washi Tape
Tutorial #5: Extracting Elements

Have any tools you'd like to know how to use in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements? I'd love to help! Feel free to write questions below or email me at scottygirldesign(at)gmail(dot)com.

Time for a Honeymoon

I'm really excited for the rest of 2013 because we've got quite a few trips planned. We've got weddings, business travel, and trips to visit family lined up for the year. But what I'm most excited about is our honeymoon late this summer!

Jeff and I took a brief 4-day vacation after our wedding last August – we dubbed it our "mini-moon". But now that the dust has settled and we've adjusted to married life, we're finally ready to take the trip we always wanted.

So after much deliberation, we're taking a Baltic Sea cruise. One major influencer on our decision was that it had to be to a place neither of us had been before. It was really important to us that wherever we decided to go, we could experience it for the first time together.

The trip is now just 150 days away. All arrangements have been made and the flights have been booked.

This is really happening.

Our first "real" trip together. I could not be more excited!!

And I've had so much fun researching our ports of call. Plenty of palaces, churches, parks, museums and shopping to keep us busy! Here's all the major ports of the trip:

Photo Credits: Copenhagen, Helsinki, Tallinn, Stockholm, St. Petersburg

At this point, I wish the trip was twice as long so we could spend more time exploring each city. It will be difficult fitting in all the must-sees at each port.

Plus, it will be the first cruise Jeff has ever taken. Any advice for traveling a first time cruiser?