Traditional Scrapper Going Digital---Digital Scrappers, please help!!!

[ChrisMouse]

Hi all!

I'm a traditional scrapper with a scrap room PACKED with materials and supplies. I've always loved the "hands on" scrapbooking...but my books are starting to take up SERIOUS space. (I've started having nightmares about my children arguing someday over who HAS TO TAKE my scrapbooks when I'm dead...) LOL.

Because I did a HUGE book from last year's WDW trip, I decided to just make a photopass photobook for this trip we just returned from...and I had a BLAST!!!

Now, mind you, the program was very limiting, and I need TONS more choices...but I'm starting to think I could LOVE and ADORE digital scrapping because the books are so TIDY.

Digital scrappers--what program do you use/love? If I sell some of my GOBS OF STUFF I can easily pay for a terrific digital program. What program/s have TONS of backgrounds, embellishments, choices, etc.

Also...which company do you use to BIND your books? I LOVE the idea of a row of nice, tidy bound books on my bookshelf...I think I can give up my dimensional embellishments if I buy the right program/s to make my pages and if I have them bound nicely.

Please, share your expertise!!

Thanks a million!

Chris

 

[janette]

Check out the sticky thread with the FAQ, lots of information there.

I use Photo shop Elements 7; really not an expensive program. Almost all photo programs can be used to scrapbook. I think Photo shop & Creative Memories are the most popular.

The programs don't come with the elements, papers etc. Good news is that there are tons of really great designers (a few that hang out here) so you don't have to worry about that. Check out the long thread here Digital Kits there are lots of freebies you can play with to learn what you like before you buy. The best part is that instead of boxes you'll just need extra hard drives, much less space.

There are several options to printing books, I've only printed one. I think most of my scrapbooking doesn't lend itself to bound books so I'm looking into other options. We have a scrapbook convention in town in a few weeks and I'm going to take advantage of having lots of vendors in one place to look at options.

 

[boBQuincy]

I use Photoshop CS4, probably no other program is more versatile or capable but the learning curve can be long and steep! For the most part there are no easy buttons in PS, but Photoshop Elements includes a lot of one-click solutions and is a lot easier to learn.

I don't have my books bound but if I did I would probably send them to MPix.com, they do a great job with printing. For now I print my pages 12x12 and put them in sleeves in Creative Memories binders.

 

[ChrisMouse]

Thanks SO MUCH for the info!

I appreciate it!!

 

[BrerMama]

I use PSE 7, too, and have figured out how to make it do almost anything I need. I have my Disney books printed at Shutterfly (I've got 2, and my sister has done one as well). I'm very happy with them.

 

[ChrisMouse]

Thanks so much...I'm thrilled...I just found out my husband bought a combo deal of Adobe Photoshop Elements & along with Premiere Elements & because he needed Premiere Elements for a video project!!!!!

So I can get started!

 

[VacationKicks]

If you search around you will find free tutorials on how to scrap with photoshop. Just seeing the steps with screen shots helped me so much getting that first page done!

 

[Fran98765]

Hummie's World is a great place to learn Photoshop Elements.

 

[ZiPaD3doDAH]

Thanks for starting this topic!

I'm having the same problem here!

 

[ChrisMouse]

Thank you SO MUCH For the tutorial suggestions. I'm very excited.