Husband needs help with digital scrapbook program for wife

[cerberus]

Hello, I am posting this under my wife's name without her knowledge in hopes that someone can offer some advice. I am desperate for a Christmas present for her and I know she has been looking at wanting to do digital scrapbooks. She loves making scrapbooks of our girls, but just does not seem to have the time to lay it all out and get it done so she has been making photo books instead.

I want to surprise her and get her a program, but I am totally lost and really want it to be a surprise. She has no programs that she is familiar with or that we have, other than she did just learn to use powerpoint.

Can anyone tell me where to look for an easy to use program and what other things I may need to but her?

Thank you, Andy

 

[janette]

I'd get samples of the Photoshop Elements and the Creative Memories Storybook. They are free but she could take a look at the programs and see which she'd be more comfortable with.

 

[mommyofthreeboys]

The Creative Memories Storybook Plus is on sale right now for $48. You have to order through a consultant or website.

 

[cerberus]

I looked at the Creative Memories Storybook, will that allow her to save pages and print them to a place like shutterfly or can they only be printed through Creative Memories? I know this is probably a dumb question, but I know nothing about all this stuff and she is very hard to surprise. I just hope she doesn't check this forum!

 

[Disney Baby]

I looked at the Creative Memories Storybook, will that allow her to save pages and print them to a place like shutterfly or can they only be printed through Creative Memories? I know this is probably a dumb question, but I know nothing about all this stuff and she is very hard to surprise. I just hope she doesn't check this forum!

The pages can be saved and printed anywhere they print the size she needs

 

[Fran98765]

I would advise on a graphics program, rather then a scrapbook program. She will have so much more freedom to create, in the long run. The most popular are:

Photoshop (very expensive)
Photoshop Elements (cheaper version)
Paint Shop Pro (even cheaper, but still very powerful)
Any graphics program that works in layers (above 3 are most popular)

All three have a learning curve. Paint Shop Pro is probably the easiest to learn of the three.

There are hundreds of digital scrapbooking websites and many of them have hundreds of tutorials to get started with, or classes you can pay for as well.

I have a bunch more info on this topic in the sticky post: Digital Scrapbooking FAQ.

 

[ilovemickeymost]

1st let me say that I'm a computer idiot & the thought of scraping digitally gave me the shivers. I was watching QVC & they did a demo of "Memory Mixer". It looked sooooo easy, but they have to to make the product sell. So, I googled Memory Mixer. Not only did I find their website, but reviews of the product line & directions on how to do the basics. I still wasn't convienced. I took a peak at their website & they had a free 30 day trial. The 1st time I tried it I did 12 pages in an hour. It is so simple. They have predigned pgs or you can do it all on your own. And any detail already on a predone page can be changed or removed. The thing I think is the neatest is you can use any photo as background paper for a page. I used a pic of the castle & then added the pics of the kids to a predone page. It turned out amazing. They have a weekly email that gives tutorials on how to do extra features & create certain pages. You can order photo books, pages, calendars, prints, from them & they are about the same cost as shutterfly. I recently tried the free creative memory one & it took me about 1/2 an hour to realize it was way harder than the one I have. I was really hoping to like it too b/c they have digital disney papers & elements. I only gush about things I absolutelely love & this is one of my favorite scrapbook items I have. Good luck. If you have any questions PM me.

 

[cerberus]

Again, thank you everyone for your suggestions, I did not realize I would have so many choices.

Fran98765 your FAQ was great, even I understood it.
I am leaning towards Photoshop Elements, but worried that it will be hard for her to learn


ilovemickeymost, I like the look of the memory maker, so I will research it further also. Can you also print to places like shutterfly or only through them?

I am checking with her mom to see what she thinks about these choices.

 

[cerberus]

ilovemickeymost, nevermind on the print question, i just found out you can from the website. thank you

 

[labdogs42]

Another vote for CM's SBC+. It is an easy and rather inexpensive way to start. If she wants to get more fancy later, get her PSE next year! I have both, but I find myself using the simpler SBC+ more often. It really depends on her personality. Is she a bells and whistles kind of gal (gotta have it all and the best of it all and willing to put in the time to learn the tough stuff) or a just get it done kind of gal? Bells and whistles = PSE, just get it done = SBC+, IMO.

 

[TeresaNJ]

I use Paint Shop Pro and after going through the learning curve, find it very easy to use. On the other hand, it seems alot of products such as brushes, etc., are made specifically for Photoshop Elements. For those who use PSE, do you think it's worth it to have both programs?

 

[wenrob]

I use Paint Shop Pro and after going through the learning curve, find it very easy to use. On the other hand, it seems alot of products such as brushes, etc., are made specifically for Photoshop Elements. For those who use PSE, do you think it's worth it to have both programs?

All you need to look for is png files that usually come w/the brushes to use for PSP.

Another vote for Corel Paint Shop Pro. It's the 'poor man's' Photo Shop. Very user friendly and easy to learn especially if you use the tutorials that are everywhere. Also plenty of the tuts for Photo Shop can be translated easily for Paint Shop once you learn the program. And if I can teach myself how to use it anyone can, lol! In my humble opinion you have much more leeway with Paint Shop then PS Elements. Being able to shadow on a separate layer, text paths etc are a few things that Paint Shop can do that Elements can't. If she really gets into it she'll want those things eventually. For less money it's much more flexible. Now if you have serious bucks then Photo Shop all the way!

 

[cerberus]

Another vote for CM's SBC+. It is an easy and rather inexpensive way to start. If she wants to get more fancy later, get her PSE next year! I have both, but I find myself using the simpler SBC+ more often. It really depends on her personality. Is she a bells and whistles kind of gal (gotta have it all and the best of it all and willing to put in the time to learn the tough stuff) or a just get it done kind of gal? Bells and whistles = PSE, just get it done = SBC+, IMO.

She is a get it done now kindof person, she is really busy with our kids plus trying to work. I have not been much help since I have been working 60 hours a week or more. I am not sure she has time to learn photoshop right now. I downloaded the creative memories and even I figured out how to use it. So I think it will be easier for her to start with. besides the creative memories plus program is there anything else I need to get her started?

Thanks for everyone's help with this, now I know why my wife is addicted to this place.
-Andy

 

[DisneyCruiser2008]

I think she will love SBC+.... She'll be up and digi scrapping in no time... There are a lot of freebies on the CM site she can download... plus she can use any other (non CM) digi products she finds out there... send her to the thread below to get some guidance... and some inside tips about special techniques, etc... we are constantly adding more info... and tell her to feel free to ask any of us questions. What a nice husband to go to all of this trouble to get her such a great Christmas gift!!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1826831