let's chat about.. scrapping!

K

KristinCB

Sweet Shoppe Designer
Not a random post! An actual legit scrapping post

What is your order in terms of scrapbooking - from start to finish..

papers first, template first, photos first?

when do you shadow? as you go? at the end?

talk about it all!

I'm getting back into scrapbooking for real and just curious what you girls do for order of things and if you have any awesome time saving tips share them here!!
 
photos, template, papers, shadows, journaling, elements, shadowing, date, stitching. That seems to be my way of doing it.
 
If you're looking for time saving tips, read my reply and do the exact opposite, LOL. I'm definitely in the running for the World's Slowest Scrapper award.

My order is always photos, template, papers, elements, titlework, shadow. Journaling is the one thing that can vary. I always have an idea how much journaling room I'll need when I choose my template, but when I actually add the journaling depends on a few things, like whether the journaling will fit easily vs. whether the template will need to be altered to allow for it and whether I'm journaling on the background paper or an element.
 
Pictures, template, papers, element, title work, and then journaling. I try to shadow as I go, but sometimes have to go back and adjust my work.
 
Well here are kind of my steps!! :D

1. Chose a kit
2. Find photos to match
3. go back to kit folder and CTRL click anything I think I might want on my page and put it in the image basket in ACDSee.
4. Open PS and drag photo into it and open a new canvas sized 12x12
5. edit my photos and decided how many I want on the page
6. Use my cookie cutter tool to make photo "masks"
7. Place photo, resize and transform
8. Drag in background paper
9. Drag in any element I want below my photos
10. Drag in anything I want above my photos
11. Right click and close all layers
12. Open just the background paper and the photos
13. Use cookie cutter tool/marquee tool ect to make "masks" for stacked paper layers.
14. Drag papers to fill those spots
15. Start at the top layers (usually my flowers) and start making each layer visible and dragging the elements around the page to place them.
15 Continue with this until all elements are placed
16. Open Alpha/Alpha sheets and make a title
17. Journal
18. Shadow.
19. Save full sized high resolution Jpeg
20. Edited journaling to remove incriminating details :p
21. Resize to 700x700 and save a SSD web version
22. Resize to 600x600 and save a web version


On the rare occasions I use a template I open it with my photos and then I still edit and clip the photos first and then I just start at the top most layer and "fill in" with elements.
 
Oh and the reason I shadow at the very end is because I do a back shadow and then I separate that shadow on to it's own layer...I have an action that does this....then I do my normal shadow work!!!
 
mine is usually something like this:

1.Open template.
2.Search for the kit I want to use.
3.Place elements.
4.Place & cut papers.
5.Do journaling.
6.Shadow.
7.Flatten all layers.
8.Sharpen.
9.Save the layout.
10.Resize to 600x600.
11.Save as web version.

In between these steps I usually browse online. Then go to play some games. They go online again. Turn on some music.
If I could cut all that^^^^ out I would scrap a lot faster.
 
Last edited:
I tend to have the kit first, so I choose photos based on that. Depending on how many photos I want to use, I look for a template that fits my needs. Then I get the photos on there and usually the main background paper on there. After that I usually do my journaling cuz often times I have to move stuff around to fit my journaling in, and the last thing I want to do is to not have space for the story I want to tell. I also try to get a title on - or at least know what & where I want my title to go. Then I finish up the papers - making sure I like the way the colors fall (I usually have a template with LOTS of papers, so I need to make sure it's pleasing to the eye; balanced). After that - ellies and tweaking of shadows. Save and upload :)
 
Mine!

Kit
Template if I use one and I usually do.
BG Paper-and any paper bits
Elements
Photo
Shadows
Journaling
 
Generally it goes
Template (if using), papers, photos, titlework, journaling, elements. And I shadow as I go.
 
Here is what i do.

I open PS then I chose a kit, find pics to match, if using template will go find one, then i open a window for the papers and another for the elements. Then i start at the bottom layer and work my way if if i am using a template. when all papers and elements are where i want them i work on the alphas and then i journal. I shadow as i go along with each item. Then I save full sized high resolution Jpeg then run my action for saving for web.
 
Photos
Frames
Papers
Clip to sizes using masks
Elements
Title
Elements
Journaling
Elements

I shadow as I go with Meeegan's shadow styles, and then tweak at the end if I feel like it.

I'm not a template scrapper, and I often vary from what I've written. If I am starting with a kit then sometimes I'll choose papers then pictures. And elements and frames get thrown in there randomly. I also throw on about 5000 papers before I decide which ones I'm using, and sometimes flip flop at the end.

Before I save my final layered file I try to delete any layers that aren't in use (like the 4995 papers that I'm not using).

If I'm using a template just imagine 5,000 papers in every single slot and thus the reason that templates take forever.
 
1. General idea of photos to use.
2. Kit
3. Template
4. Place Papers
5. Place Elements
6. Shadow
7. Choose specific photos, place them
8. Re-Shadow what needs it
9. Title
10. Journal
11. Save
 
Photos, kit, template-if using, shadows as I go, i cheat & made an action, so my shadows are exactly the same, boring. Papers, elements, title, journaling, the end.
 
I always start with a template if I'm going to use one (duh, right?)

Then I put my background paper down. Then my photos, then all other papers, then ellies - I start with paint, scatters, strings, then add flowers and other things, alpha if I'm using one. Top it off with stitching. Oh, and I always shadow as I go. Then at the end I will usually go back and "pop" a couple top layers with a deeper shadow or give a ribbon some extra dimension. Adding journaling and date are my last 2 things.
 
just depends
I alternate between all 3 of these in no particular order....
photos, papers, template
elements
title
journaling
stitching
(I also shadow as I go)
 
Mine is usually in this order:

Kit
Choose Photos
Template if using
Add Photos
Add Papers
Add Elements
Title Work
Stitching
Journaling
Shadows at the end
 
Pour a tall glass of wine
find the photos
find the kit
Pour another glass of wine
Sometimes use templates and sometimes not
pour more wine
select and place what papers i will use
place photo in frames, if using them
add a few elements here and a few over there.
pour more wine
add a title or journal
adjust this, adjust that
pour a lot more wine
add an element here and crap I need one there
i then will place my shadows where needed
remove this, add that
pour more wine
admire, trash and start over
walk to kitchen for more wine
 
Hmm... the kit first... and then the photos. I go through the element folder and pick out all the elements that I want to use... then the papers. If I don't know immediately what the page should look like, I'll pick out a template and then just go from there... oh, and I have to shadow as I go, I don't like flat elements... :D
 
mummytothree said:
Oh and the reason I shadow at the very end is because I do a back shadow and then I separate that shadow on to it's own layer...I have an action that does this....then I do my normal shadow work!!!
Click to expand...

I do the same kind of 2-layer shadow, and that's why I shadow last also.
 
Tamie said:
Pour a tall glass of wine
find the photos
find the kit
Pour another glass of wine
Sometimes use templates and sometimes not
pour more wine
select and place what papers i will use
place photo in frames, if using them
add a few elements here and a few over there.
pour more wine
add a title or journal
adjust this, adjust that
pour a lot more wine
add an element here and crap I need one there
i then will place my shadows where needed
remove this, add that
pour more wine
admire, trash and start over
walk to kitchen for more wine
Click to expand...


hahahah! maybe THIS is my problem! I need to start drinking wine :thumbup:
 
Here's my order:

Photos
Template or Sketch (been using lots of sketches lately)
Papers

I usually shadow toward the end. Definately after all the papers!
 
After reading all of these, I'm glad I'm a SBC+ scrapper. LOL! i've got all my papers and elements right beside where I'm working. I have finally realized WHY I love the program so much!
 
Process Pics, find template, remove extra layers and element spots from template. Place pics, pick kit (or two). Place papers then ribbons, Title work, then journaling. Place elements from kit(s) I'm using. Scour kit previews for elements from other kits that might work/fit. Add dates. Remove template shadows, if any and all template layers. Add shadowing last, mostly because I also seperate my shadow layer. Save. I'm not a very quick scrapper, but I don't think it has anything to do with my method, but more to do with the fact that the device I use to scrapbook is also the device I use to play online games and connect to Pinterest.
 
I'm very random and the order of things might be different each time, but basically it's like this:

1. I start with photo(s) or kit(s)/template - that depends. Sometimes a photo inspires the choice of kit(s), sometimes it's the other way round. It happens very often that I start with a kit / LO idea in mind and keep changing things in the process and end up with something entirely different from the original kit / idea. I cannot plan these things.

2. Composition (if not using a template).

3. Papers (might change later).

4. Ellies.

5. Title/Journalling.

6. Naming the layers and adding names of designer-kit to the name of the layer for credits's sake (sometimes I do this on the go, though).

7. Shadows.

8. Finishing touches (moving things, changing things, adding things, removing things). This is a long phase.

9. Remembering that I should maybe finally save the LO. I know why I wanted CS6 - because it has the Auto-Save feature. :-)
 
Last edited:
Tamie said:
Pour a tall glass of wine
find the photos
find the kit
Pour another glass of wine
Sometimes use templates and sometimes not
pour more wine
select and place what papers i will use
place photo in frames, if using them
add a few elements here and a few over there.
pour more wine
add a title or journal
adjust this, adjust that
pour a lot more wine
add an element here and crap I need one there
i then will place my shadows where needed
remove this, add that
pour more wine
admire, trash and start over
walk to kitchen for more wine
Click to expand...

Red, white, rosé? Dry, semi-dry or sweet? Tell us! :-)))
 
The beginning depends on whether it's a CT kit or not I'm scrapping with.
For CT kits it's: kit - look for matching photos - template if I'll use one - temporarly add photos, unedited - add papers - edit photos to match with papers and add them - add elements and frames and shadow those as I go - shadow papers - change papers up. :)

If I'm not using a template, I usually make a quick template myself with the shape tool before I start adding things.

If I don't start with a CT kit, I'll always start with the photos. Always.
 
It varies for me but generally it is this order

Photo edit - kit - template/challenge or other inspiration - papers - photo placement - elements - journaling - title - shadows.

Sometimes with CTs it's kit - inspiration - photo edit or kit - photo - inspiration

Sometimes it's challenge - photo - kit

But the actual page composition is always paper- photo- elements- journaling - title- shadows
 
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