Scrapbooking software anyone?

[KLynn]

I used to be a traditional paper and glue scrapbooker, but have lost interest over time. I have a TON of photos, though, and I want to do something with them. I am thinking about digital scrapbooking. Anybody do this? I know I need some software (I have Photoshop). I have a MAC, though, and I know most scrapbooking software is probably for PC. Any recommendations?

[blazedog]

I bought a MAC software program a few months ago but was only able to noodle around with it for an afternoon before my life became frenetic. :D I liked it in terms of what I began to see what I could do with it -- at first blush, it seemed limited to the "blech" templates but then I began to realize how I could modify and create my own effects, use my own backgrounds etc.The application I got is called iremember and you can download a demo here and read more about it.

http://www.macscrapbook.com/

There is someone on the Board who works for one of the printer companies who teaches digital scrapbooking and her recommendation was Photoshop (or its consumer equivalent) but I found the scrapbook application easier for my purposes in terms of a learning curve.

[615bride]

I don't have a Mac but I do a lot of digital scrapbooking (as well as paper). I've really gotten into the digital thing! I hope LeighTX will check in here - she's the expert!

I use Photoshop Elements but wanted to let you know that once you get your software you should check out www.shabbyprincess.com for some inspiration!

[KLynn]

Thanks for the input. I am actually a graphic designer by trade (why I have Photoshop), and I know I could make great digital scrapbook pages if I wanted to, but it is kind of a "cobbler's children have no shoes" situation. It is just not something I ever get to. I thought having a scrapbook program where I could could just plug stuff in would be great. But, I am just not familiar with them and I don't know what it out there.

615bride, are you saying you use Photoshop Elements for all your scrapbooking, and you don't use a "scrapbook specific" program? When you scrapbook digitally, do you just print the pages and put them in an album? or do something else with them?

I am trying to understand how this digital scrapbook thing works!!

[leightx]

Well heck, if you're a graphic designer with PS, you have about 90% of what you need to get started! Just go to www.shabbyprincess.com and download a few of her kits and get going.

I work in PS Elements, so some techniques might be a little different, but basically you're just going to open up one of the 12x12 background papers (crop to 8.5 x 11 if that's what you use), then use the marquee and move tools (or copy and paste) to move sections of other papers on top. Most of the elements like eyelets, label holders, alphas, etc. are saved as .png files, so again, just use the move tool to drop them onto your layout.

In general, most of the digital kits are saved at 300 ppi, so your pictures should be the same.

Let me know if you have more specific questions! My favorite site for learning new techniques is www.sbbytes.com - they have a great forum and gallery (where people post their digital layouts).

Leigh

[greysangel]

I also have photoshop, but for scrapbooking ease as far as pop in and out and templates and stuff I really like the creative keepsakes software..it's two disks and it's fun..i've made calendars, cards and I've just started on the scrapbook pages. I like the paper and glue scrapbooking however I feel I'm always spending a ton of money to get the perfect look and some times I'm just in the mood to be creative. The software I feel allows me to put stuff together faster and just doodle around more easily than obsessing about details :D

[KLynn]

I used to love Creating Keepsakes magazine when I was a hard-core scrapper. Now I look at it and seeing those complicated pages just makes me tired. I bet I would like their software, though. Do you know if it is available for MAC?

[ilikecats85]

I have Scrapbook Factory Deluxe (version 3.0) and I like it pretty well. It has loads of premade templates as well as lots of 'do it yourself' options. I don't find it the solution to every scrapbooking idea I've ever had but it's fun. I believe Amazon carries it, I got mine at Best Buy.

[greysangel]

I used to love Creating Keepsakes magazine when I was a hard-core scrapper. Now I look at it and seeing those complicated pages just makes me tired. I bet I would like their software, though. Do you know if it is available for MAC?

i dont know but you could probably check it out on their website.

[615bride]

Klynne- Yep, I do the whole thing in Photoshop Elements... Here's an example that I did for a sketch challenge on a scrapbooking board (in other words it's not for my album) but it's the only one I have in Photobucket right now...:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v149/615bride/Monkeycopy.jpg

[KLynn]

So how do you all print your pages? I have an 11x17 printer, but that is still not enough for a 12x12 page, obviously.

Thanks for posting that example, 615bride -- he is adorable! A couple more questions for you: Did you create all that from scratch? i.e. getting the monkey clip-art and creating the "push-pin"? I love your page, and I know I could do all that in Photoshop, but I think I need something more brainless where I can just plug pictures in. Looking around a bit though, it looks like a lot of the pre-formed layouts in the programs I have looked at are really cheesy.

Sorry for all the questions! I feel like I should know this stuff, but I just don't! My mind is so used to scrapbooks being on paper and graphic designer projects being on the computer, so I am trying to marry the two!

[blazedog]

So how do you all print your pages? I have an 11x17 printer, but that is still not enough for a 12x12 page, obviously.

Thanks for posting that example, 615bride -- he is adorable! A couple more questions for you: Did you create all that from scratch? i.e. getting the monkey clip-art and creating the "push-pin"? I love your page, and I know I could do all that in Photoshop, but I think I need something more brainless where I can just plug pictures in. Looking around a bit though, it looks like a lot of the pre-formed layouts in the programs I have looked at are really cheesy.

Sorry for all the questions! I feel like I should know this stuff, but I just don't! My mind is so used to scrapbooks being on paper and graphic designer projects being on the computer, so I am trying to marry the two!

Per my original post, many of the templates and background art is cheesy -- as is true with most of the consumer stuff.

However, it is all completely modifiable to produce more sophisticated looks including importing your own backgrounds, papers, decorations. At first I thought I was stuck with the templates but then discovered that I could either do it from scratch completely or use the templates and completely change them and retain only those elements that I liked -- i.e. a particular shape.

What I like about the scrapbook program is that it is very easy to then create a scrapbook page because there are the shapes to use for the photo, the layering is obvious, the feathering etc.

I am sure this is all possible to do in Elements which I have but I find it simpler to do in the dedicated scrapbook application because it is set up to do that.

As to printing that size, I believe you either need to invest in a printer or take it to a Kinkos as a digital file to be printed.

The scrapbook application I bought gives me the ability to create pages in a standard paper size which is fine for my purposes. As posted originally, to my knowledge it is the only scrapbook application for MAC's -- or at least that was true six months ago when I bought it. Print Shop for MAC's is another easy to use graphics program to create projects -- both of these are designed to interface with the iLife applications -- i.e. seamlessly work with iPhoto and iTunes.

Since you are using a MAC, you are probably aware that iPhoto gives you the ability to create a book which can then be printed.

[KLynn]

Thanks so much, Blazedog. This is all starting to come together.

I DIDN'T know about the book feature in iphoto. I am one of those people who just figures things out once for what I need at the moment -- and I have never really looked around iphoto to see what the options are. That is a cool feature. I know I can figure this out for myself if I poke around more, but can you tell me if you can add backgrounds to the photos? Also, when you order the book from them, does it actually come to you in a book form (like, bound) - or is it just the pages?

I haven't looked at the iRemember closely, yet, but it sounds like it might the the ticket. I have found it easiest to just get the things intended for MAC, rather than fight with things that aren't. I still want to check out the Creating Keepsakes software Jeanne mentioned too.

Thanks, y'all. I am loving all this help. You have saved me hours of researching on the internet!

[blazedog]

Thanks so much, Blazedog. This is all starting to come together.

I DIDN'T know about the book feature in iphoto. I am one of those people who just figures things out once for what I need at the moment -- and I have never really looked around iphoto to see what the options are. That is a cool feature. I know I can figure this out for myself if I poke around more, but can you tell me if you can add backgrounds to the photos? Also, when you order the book from them, does it actually come to you in a book form (like, bound) - or is it just the pages?

I haven't looked at the iRemember closely, yet, but it sounds like it might the the ticket. I have found it easiest to just get the things intended for MAC, rather than fight with things that aren't. I still want to check out the Creating Keepsakes software Jeanne mentioned too.

Thanks, y'all. I am loving all this help. You have saved me hours of researching on the internet!

The book is plain -- more like an old fashioned scrapbook in which there are pictures and text. It does come in the form of a book. The book is pretty elegant looking though -- beautifully printed on glossy paper and nicely bound like a real book -- For the right occasion, it would be perfect.

What I find much "neater" than physical scrapbooks is the interface of iPhoto with the .mac account. It works very seamlessly so that I can choose the photos I want in an iPhoto album and send them up to my .mac account and then "frame" them and put captions in. It's not the same as a scrapbook but is great if you are trying to share photos of a trip/baby/house or whatever with family or friends. You then seamlessly send them an email with a hyperlink to visit.

Also fun is the slideshow feature where you can create a slideshow with your choice of music and limited effects ala Burns documentaries. It then creates a quicktime movie to share with people.

I don't know about the rest of the scrapbooking applications -- When I first opened iRemember I thought the templates were so cheesy and limiting that I emailed to complain -- I then realized it was super easy to create with their tools which made it very easy because they were specifically for creating scrapbook type of effects and of course you can import anything in and use it -- I am repeating myself. At any rate, the demo is free.

[615bride]

No I didn't do it all from scratch. You can download kits from different digi scrapping sites for a few dollars each. They include background "papers", ribbons, elements, alphabets, etc. I know Shabby Princess and Scrapbook Bytes have already been mentioned on this thread - those are examples of where you can buy kits...

I print my stuff through www.scrapbookpictures.com. They do a great job IMO. My son's album is still paper but I print layouts for the grandparents albums and make cards for Valentine's Day, etc. with photos and print through them. They do TONS of sizes....

[leightx]

Honestly, I'd highly recommend the scrapbook-specific programs (like Creating Keepsakes) for people that don't know PS, but since you already do, I wouldn't bother with one. They are extremely limiting, and to me at least, actually more frustrating since I know my way around PS. I think you'd quickly outgrow them, and you can get started with digital scrapbooking for much less than you'd spend on the programs (seriously - there are many many free digital kits to get you started!). I'd absolutely recommend those programs to beginners or people that aren't sure they're going to really get into digital scrapbooking, but IMO the major advantage that they offer is that you don't have to learn PS to use them - if you already know PS, then I wouldn't start with an easier, more limiting program. Using PS allows you to resize, recolor, and change things around exactly the way you want, or even create your own elements from scratch (although I rarely, rarely do - there are millions of them out there already).

If you're looking for pre-designed templates, there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of those available as well. They range in price from free, up to about $2-3. These are layouts with a "hole" or window cut out (or layouts that you can just drop a picture on top of) - they're typically called Quick Pages or Ploppers, since you just plop your picture and journaling on and call it done! This takes literally less than a minute (well, unless you journal - that usually takes me forever!). Here are some example ones - all of these layouts were premade - we just popped in the pictures and added journaling.

http://www.epson.com/cmc_upload/printlab/lab_107_glam_560x261.jpg

(these are on Epson's website - you can download a lot of quick pages and some of the full kits for free at Epson Creative Zone (http://www.epsoncreativezone.com) - you just have to click on Scrapbooking on the right, then Designer Kits Pages Project 107 - I couldn't do a direct link).

Here's another example - this kit has a few quick pages, as well as the entire digital kit with all the 12x12 papers and other goodies (round bubbly things, label tape, alphabet, ribbons, etc.) so that you can do whatever you want. Michelle Underwood designed this kit, and has quick pages included in most of her full kits. Here's the link for the kit below: One Fine Day kit (http://scrapbookbytes.com/store/product.php?productid=17768&cat=272&page=5)

http://scrapbookbytes.com/store/files/cache/c45ce09b540869fc40ddf05bdb5bf705.jpg

Here are some of my favorite stores, with links to all the quick pages:

Quick Pages at Scrapbook Elements (http://store.scrapbook-elements.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=56&zenid=ce2267501f90bacc88c35b0b6ec95b24)

Quick Pages at Fish Scraps (http://www.fishscraps.com/Store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=66&zenid=5208225717fc515de0592d1dfc576766)

Templates and Page-Bytes at Scrapbook Bytes (http://scrapbookbytes.com/store/home.php?cat=272)

The entire field of digital scrapbooking has really taken off in the last year or so, and virtually everyone is using PS (or Elements, or some other graphic editing program like Paint Shop Pro). As a result, most of the designers make digital kits to be used in those types of programs. I also like supporting these designers because they are mostly stay-at-home-moms or young graphic artists working from home, instead of a huge corporation. :)

If you're interested in taking classes on digital scrapbooking, we'll be teaching classes in Atlanta at the Scrapbook Expo (http://www.scrapbookexpo.com/index.html) July 14-15. The class you'd probably be interested in is the one on Digital Layouts (using the digital kits to make your own layout), and maybe the Design class, where we show you how to make your own background papers and all those other elements (brads, eyelets, label holders,alphabets, etc).

As far as printing goes, if you have a photo printer, you can print the pages yourself at home. If your printer is 11x17, you can still print 8x8 pages, which are extremely popular (I actually prefer those to 12x12, since they're easier to hold when you're looking at an entire album!). You can also send your pages to Costco and have a 12x12 semi-gloss (or glossy) printed for about $3 - they'll print it on 12x18 paper, so you can also squeeze 2 6x6's on the bottom of the page (to give as gifts to someone else) or 4 4x6's photos.

Hope that helps some! Oh - and the "push pin" (or brad) in 615 brides layout - just use the marquee tool to draw a circle (hold down your shift key), fill with whatever color you want (use the eyedropper to pick a color from your photo if you'd like), then add a small simple inner bevel (styles and effects palette). That's it! Brads are also included in lots of digital kits, so you'd just open up the file and use the move tool to drag it onto your layout. Couldn't be any easier! :)

Leigh

[615bride]

I knew Leigh would pop in here. She's our resident expert and very helpful.... ;)

[KLynn]

I cannot thank you all enough for all this info! Seriously, you are taking time to type out all this advice for an absolute stranger. I love this board.

I am getting excited about getting started! DS was 2 in November and I have NOT ONE PICTURE in any kind of presentable form. My entire family is coming for Easter, and I wanted to have something put together by then. The idea of doing paper scrapbooks just made me want to cry and take a nap, but this is really manageable.

Thanks, Thanks, Thanks!!!