help a first timer w/ digital scrapbooking

[Mrs.viv07]

i am so sorry if this has all been asked before but i am getting so confused looking thru previous posts with the search that i figured i just post my own

so after reading all your raves about digital i have decide to give it a try, i checked some sites and got some basci ideas on how to start. i currently have in my computer the following programs : microsoft Picture It, Microsoft digital image editor, i think i also have a trial version of ulead photo editor and i have the trial version of corel Paint shop pro XI,
now will ANY of these be useful? or do i need to purchase another type of software to be able to do the digital LO? and if so about how much should i be looking to spend?

any help is so welcomed seeing that i have no clue how to do this. I also looked at the tutorial on two peas in a pod but some of the things make no sense to me ( mind you i just started editing with corel so i am not all that familiar with all its tools) like when it says to use your loop tool???
please anyone guide me!!!! i need serious help! i have a ostco near me me so printing isn't an issue, i need to be able to make the pages first also i know this is getting ahead of myself but once i do a page do i save it on a disc to be able to take it to cotsco? or do they have a website to upload to like snapfish w/ in store pick-up?

sorry to sound so naive but i am really interested and really clueless

thanks!

 

[Caitsmama]

Viv, i pm'd you.. but you should definately do the paint shop pro if that's what you have a trial of. Also , another would be photoshop elements, i know you can get that on sale for under $100, mabye even closer to $50. But, you can download a free trial at www.adobe.com . Then, look at www.scrapbook-elements.com , they have step by step EASY to understand tutorials that walk you thru each step. I used the one for photoshop elements, and figured it out in no time..
Good luck!!

 

[msr709]

I'm subscribing because I've tried to digital scrapbook and I found it very difficult. I also went to the tutorials at 2peas and scrapbook-bytes but I still didn't understand it. I finally gave up and continued paper scrapbooking, which I find quite therapeutic. I work in NYC with lawyers and it can be very stressful and scrapbooking is my way of winding down. When I was trying the digital scrapbooking I was getting all frustrated and stressed out so it doesn't seem to work for me.

But I will follow your thread and see if anything makes more sense to me. Thanks for starting this thread.

 

[Caitsmama]

mrs709, like i said, check out www.scrapbook-elements.com . I found theirs easiest to understand. what program are you using? (or trying to? LOL)

 

[Faerie]

I've tried digi-scrapping with both PSP8 and a scrapbooking software my BF got me for Christmas. The second is far more user friendly but I'm still not "getting" it which is unusual since I'm pretty technical. PSP8 just confuses the heck out of me.

 

[Fran98765]

We've been discussing digital scrapbooking quite a bit lately... I searched through and found some of the posts for you to look at, many have a lot of really good info. I may have missed a thread or two, but I think I got all of the ones with information to share.

I use Paint Shop Pro X. I find it very easy to use, although I was confused at first. I started with the tutorials at www.digitalscrapbookplace.com and www.scrapgirls.com, I found theirs the most helpful. It really helped me "click" into getting the whole digital thing, once I realized that the layers are just like doing paper scrapbooking. Your bottom layer is a background and then you add your pictures and embellishments on top of that, each of them is on their own layer, just like on paper. Both the sites above have forums and chats, which they call crops, that can really help you out and understand the process a lot more.

Hope this helps, feel free to ask more questions, we will gladly try to help out.

Digital info:

About printing: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1333429

About programs: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1340902

About Disney stuff digitally: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1310733

About clip art: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1341414

About scanning: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1342171

Digi scrapbook links: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1334762

 

[Mrs.viv07]

Caitsmama

the last LO you did for the handiwork post look great, what is the stictching thing you did around the red polkadot paper called?
boy i just realized i have SOOO much to learn!

Fran98765

Thanks so much for this link! www.scrapgirls.com, i love their tutorial and i actually understand "most" of it, the fact that it comes with pics is even better!

 

[Caitsmama]

Viv, Actually, that whole 12x12 sheet of patchwork mickey paper that i used is FREE, by one of our own dis'ers!! Her site is http://www.seebeesfreebies.blogspot.com/ , she has amazing disney related free stuff!!
And scrapgirls is one of my fav sites.. they are acutally having a sale 14.5% off everything up til today, pm me if you want the discount code. Also, don't forget, www.designerdigtals.com is also having a sale til tonight at midnight.. 25% off everthing..
See my other post in the scrapbook forum for the code..

 

[beasleybear]

Mrs. Viv, if you like the stitching look, my favorite kit with stitching is Tia Bennett's Joined At the Hip kit, available at www.twopeasinabucket.com . That's not what I used in the Patchwork Lady Mouse paper, though; I just used a simple stitch brush I had created. The stitching in Tia's kit is on .png format in long strips, so you just drop it onto your layout. I personally think her stitching looks great; it makes me want to drag out our sewing machine & scan in some stitches. (Not that I'm that great of a sewer!)

 

[Caitsmama]

Chris - OT for a bit-- how was your vacation??

 

[beasleybear]

It was pretty good. We had some rough patches due to my son. He's at a tempermental age, I suppose. But I got to do everything on my must-do list, including finally trying a Mickey Ice Cream Bar! And it only took four trips to finally get one! My son was hooked on them. He's already asked for one since we've been home.

Soarin' was great, Everest was fab, and we tried (and enjoyed) the Garden Grill character lunch this time. I also got to eat at Earl of Sandwich 4 different times, so maybe that'll hold me off 'til the next trip.

 

[Olaf]

I use Photoshop Elements. I ordered some training DVD's from Scrappers Guide. The DVD's really help. I can go back and review them as I'm working along.