Scrap Shanty Challenge Blog

I thought I’d write a little today on the topic of hybrid scrapbooking. We are a diverse and mixed group of scrappers at the Shanty (which is one of the reasons I love it here); some of us create paper layouts and some of us are “die-hard” digital fans. Many paper scrappers are intimated by the thought of dabbling in the world of digi-scrapping (and some may even feel that the digital girls are out to convert them to making 100% digital layouts!). There are many ways that traditional paper scrapers can use digital products to spice up their photos and layouts without fully immersing themselves in the realm of pixels and dots.

Take for instance this collection of digital tags from designer Jen Wilson:

These are easy to use on a paper layout. Here’s how!

1. After downloading a digital product, “un-zip” it. Usually when you right-click on a zipped file, you’ll see an option to “Extract Here.” If you don’t see anything, then try this free program: 7-Zip.

2. Next, open up the files you’d like to print in a photo-editing software (like Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, PaintShop Pro, etc.). If you don’t have a photo-editing software on your computer, I highly recommend this free program: Paint.NET.

3. Now, using the photo-editing software, arrange the items you want to print to fit in a document that is 8 1/2 x 11. Then, you simply print them off onto a piece of white cardstock (available at local office supply stores and even mega-stores like Wal-Mart).

4. Once you’ve printed them out, trim the images. Now they are ready to use on your next layout, like so:

Another thing you can do with digital supplies is use them to decorate your photographs before you print them out, like I did here with this brush created by Jessica Sprague:

Advantages of using digital supplies on your paper layouts include:

- You will purchase them only one time, but you’ll be able to use them over and over again.
- You can create your own personalized titles with fonts on your computer.
- You can use your photo-editing software to recolor any element to coordinate with your layouts.
- Many digital designers offer freebies! How often are you given free scrapbooking supplies? (For a listing of some of the best shops that offer freebies, check out this site: Digital Scrapbooking Freebies - Where to Find the Good Stuff.)

There are so many reasons to give it a try! Would you like one more incentive? Here is a freebie I’ve created just for you to use! Just click to download:

So, download and play around with these things… and then be sure to stop by and upload your layout to the gallery, so we can all see what you’ve created! I can’t wait!

Enjoy! And happy scrapping!

Filed by Nicole at 2:37 pm under Articles, Digital Scrapping, Freebies