I just wanted to put out a quick reminder that the instructor led Photoshop for Newbies class begins on Wednesday May 1st. We’d love to have you join us!
No worries! I will walk you through downloading a free 30 day trial of Photoshop Elements 11!
Click on the image!
Click the image below!
Maybe you could be the hero that tells a friend! Please share on your Facebook or Twitter accounts!
Here it is my friends…the gift I’ve been asking for at least 3 years now.
And it’s mine…all mine. Bwahahahaha!! Best Birthday Present EVER!!
{Actually – last year he surprised me with a quick {kidless} trip to Disneyland – that was pretty good, too! }
Think that I’m spoiled? yea – me too! AND I LOVE IT!
I’m not getting paid to tell you about this…so you can trust me when I say that you want one.
Anything you type in any font on your computer – it cuts. You don’t have to buy cartridges.
Whatever design you create – it cuts.
If you don’t want to create designs – you can buy them – and then – it cuts
{Just a note – if you want to LEARN how to create designs in Photoshop – you can sign up for my online class HERE}
Paper
Cardstock
Chipboard
Fabric
Canvas
Freezer Paper - I will show you in future posts why this is soooo exciting!
And MORE
Go and check it out for yourself - they have a blog where people post all of the crafts they’ve made with their machines. They also have a free shape of the week to help you build your cutting library.
Start begging your husbands now – and in 2 years – you COULD be the lucky recipient like me!! Ha Ha.
So many projects to come…can’t wait!!
**Erin
It is officially Birthday Season at my house! A few weeks ago, my son celebrated his birthday – and the trend of birthdays continued with my birthday 2 weeks later, then my daughter’s 2 weeks after that and so on and on and on…
Every 2 weeks until June we celebrate every birthday in our 6 person family – AND our Wedding Anniversary. WHEW!! I’m tired just telling you about it!
Because it’s Birthday Season – I thought it only appropriate that I share fun Birthday Ideas with you!
The first one being A Photo Booth. It’s super easy, and super fun, and you get fun pictures in the end: {my funny hubby HATES cameras!! this was just about his limit…}
What you’ll need:
Props
- I found mine at kensie kate. She offers 12 pages of free printable photo booth props. (I added rhinestones to the Cat’s Eye Glasses)
**just a note – you don’t need that many – people seemed to gravitate toward the same ones**
- You can buy them pre-cut from a few places, like Etsy.
- Or you can use REAL props. Fake Mustache’s, Feather Boa’s, Vintage Eye Glasses, {visit good will – think goofy ties and hats}, or THESE GROUCHO MARX GLASSES
A Cute Photo Booth Sign
You can make your own – but why? I’ve made one for you…you can download it HERE. {sorry for the blurry photo – horrible lighting!!}
- Just print it off onto cardstock and stick it in a fabulous frame on an easel.
Taking the Photo’s
A few different options:
You can use a nice fancy camera
You can use a regular ol’ point and shoot (not gonna get the best results with this one because of the delay)
You can also just use an iphone {or other smart phone}
- Just sit the subjects on a chair {if there is more than one, picture the image square when you take the photo – leave lots of room on the edges – and make them get CLOSE!!}
- I just found a spot of wall with no decor – nothing fancy…you could hang some fabric if you’re looking for a specific color, though.
- Make sure to use the flash – because hey – photobooths are notorious for those cool washed out pictures. {I know – it hurts to even THINK about using a flash when you love photography}
To Make the Photo Strips:
You can do this a few different ways.
If you took the pictures with a smart phone:
To get the vintage photobooth look, you can process them using filters from apps like Instagram
Step 1. Process the photos
Here is my process for instagram:
Process it once using “earlybird”, then open the processed photo, and process it again using “Inkwell”
Step 2. Send them to your lab and print them in wallet size.
**NOTE – Instagram will resize the photo to a square – this is great for a photo booth – but it will look funny when you print it in wallet size. Just trim the edges off.**
Step 3. Attach your photos to a piece of card stock {make sure to leave a border} around and in between.
Step 4. Trim off excess.
If you have a nice fancy camera:
I’m going to assume that you also have Photoshop – so here’s what I did to the photos:
Steps for Processing in Photoshop
Step 1: To get the vintage look – I processed them using Pioneer Woman’s “Vintage” Action from Set 1.
Step 2: I also added a vignette around the edges {there is a “Vignette” action under “Default Actions” that comes with your copy of Photoshop}
Step 3: Mask the photos to this Photo Strip Layered Template and tell me how much you love me for doing it for you ;0)
{Don’t know a thing about Photoshop?? Then you need to take my class…I’m just sayin’…}
If you took the pictures with a digital camera – and don’t have a clue how to use photoshop {and for some crazy reason, you don’t want to take my class} then you can:
Hire it out:
Websites like photoboother will do all of the work for you!
- Just follow the sites instructions to upload your photos and they’ll do the rest!!
However you do it…you don’t want to miss out on the chance to do this with your friends, kiddos, or GRANDPARENTS!! How fun to have these!!
Enjoy!
Erin
Do you love browsing pintrest and admiring all of the amazing word art prints {Follow this board HERE}
Or the gift tags that people are giving away as freebies: {Follow this board HERE}
Or would you love to document your life through Digital or Hybrid Scrapbooking? {Follow this board HERE}
The list of what you can do goes on and on…
create your own christmas card
edit your photos to look professional
learn about actions
textures
extracting
creating a chalkboard effect
Yep, these are all things that I know you wish that you could do.
Well – stop wishing you could do it – and let’s DO IT!
First session will begin May 1, 2013. Upon payment you will receive an email to the address provided on the invoice form with more instructions. If you have ANY questions – please email me: purdueavenue@yahoo.com
{Remember to put a valid email address, as this is how I will communicate with you for the class!!}
The cost is $20 for a 4 week class. I will send you assignments via email and teach you the basics of Photoshop Elements 11 through easy to follow video tutorials.
To top it all off, not only will you receive the instruction, but you will also receive get lots of free digi-goodies included in the class – as well as links to thousands more!
Don’t have photoshop??? It’s okay – I will also walk you through getting a free 30 day trial of the program to make sure it’s something you enjoy before purchasing it.
If you know that you are going to purchase it – Amazon has a great price on Photoshop Elements 11
If this is something that you’ve always wanted to do – but felt like it was out of your skill range – let those crazy notions go!! You can do it!! And I’ll be right here to walk you through it!!
Can’t Wait!!
Erin
Thank you so much to everyone who participated in our Store Launch Giveaway! We are happy to announce the winners of each item! But just as a treat – if there was something you love – but you are not a winner – here are some BIG THANK YOU COUPON CODES (usable in both shops) valid through Saturday December 8th.
For 50% off of all digital items (card customization, digital art, paper kits, etc.) use code: FIFTYOFFDIGI
For 15% off all shippable products (Hello December Kit, Chalkboard Gift Tags, etc.) use code: PURDUEAVE15
And now to announce the winners!!
Item #1: Hello December Journal Kit
Winner: Mindy P.
Item #2: Merry & Bright Chalkboard Art
Winner: Autumn S.
Item #3: Santa, Please Stop Here Art:
Winner: Autumn S.
Item #4: Hello December Digital Paper Pack
Winner: Mindy P.
Item #5: Hello December Flair
Winner: Mindy P.
Item #1: Til’ He Appeared Handmade Christmas Cards:
Winner: Autumn S.
Item #2: Christmas Gift Tags:
Winner: Shelly T.
Item #3: Vintage Postcard Digital Download
Winner: Wendy H.
Item # 4: May Your Days Be Merry & Bright Digital Download
Winner: Jodi P.
Item #5: Merry & Bright Vertical Customizable Christmas Card
Winner: Mindy P.
Item #6: Merry Christmas Circled Flourish Customizable Christmas Card
Winner: Kristen F.
Item #7: Chalkboard Art Merry Christmas Pennant Customizable Card
Winner: Becky P.
Item #8: Bokeh Lights Digital Image or Customizable Christmas Card
Winner: Wendy H.
Item #9: Merry & Bright Horizontal Customizable Christmas Card
Winner: Becky P.
Item #10 – Merry Christmas Customizable Christmas Card w/ color choice
Winner: Wendy H.
Thank you so much to everyone that entered the giveaway!!!
**If you are a winner – please go to our etsy shop and click the “contact seller” button and leave a message with your option choices. [If that makes no sense - just leave a message and we will let you know what your options are ;0)] Still Confused? Email us at purdueavenue@yahoo.com.
**Erin & Mandi
Yes. I’ve done it again.
Gel medium transfer, that is.
Here’s my camera strap.
It didn’t go so well.
This time I have words that are less in the realm of, “Go for it! You can’t mess this up!” and more in the realm of, ” This really is easy, just be sure to…” Funny that it took me four projects to run into problems. So, here goes:
Be sure to stick your paper down fairly quickly after smearing it with gel medium. If the gel dries before it can get good and smooshed into the fibers of the fabric the image will want to peel up with the paper. Not fun.
I’m thinking I took too long washing my hands and looking for a credit card to use as a brayer type smoothing tool [I was working with an 11x17 page again for this one]. I wasn’t really prepared to start when I did, but as always, I jumped in head first without looking. And I never know where my purse is. It turned out fine in the end. Most of the peeled up places ended up being cut off or sewn into the seam. Next time I’ll make sure my gel is still wet. Everywhere. Especially the edges.
So that’s it. If this is your first glimpse into my gel medium foray you can read all about my, “Go for it! You can’t mess this up!” encouragement here and here. And, as always, click the image for product information.
I have blisters on my fingers.
I’ve been playing around with gel medium and transfers quite a lot lately. I know… I’ve talked about this before. I think there may be an never ending supply of fantastic things to make and do using the technique. And when all of the amazing papers and what-not available get thrown into the mix. Well… let’s just say that I’ve got more plans than I have blisters. Puts a little bit of a damper on the plans…
Anyways, this is a pencil case. So super simple. So incredibly awesome. I want to pack it around with me everywhere and show it off to everyone… “Hey, guess what? I made this… I know, right? I’m so very cool [ ;) ].” But really I know it’s all about that fantastic orange paper turned fabric. Really.
Now you may be asking yourself, “What’s so great about gel medium transfers when there’s printable canvas?” That’s a wonderful question. Here’s my answer. I have no idea. I’ve never used printable canvas. I can’t bring myself to buy it. I have all these questions… What if it gets wet? Is it waterproof or water-resistant at all? Who knows? Will it suck up so much ink that I’ll have to buy new cartridges after printing one sheet? Don’t know. I’ve not been willing to try it. But here’s what I know about gel medium:
So that’s it. I think a camera case for the point and shoot might be in my future. I mean, seriously, with print options like this out there, who could resist? Loving the instagram collage. And the rainbow dots? Yum.
I’ve documented it, so it must be official. The boys are back in school. It’s crazy how fast [and yet at the same time how incredibly slow] summer moves along. It’s nice to get back into some sort of a schedule. I marvel at the explosion of chaos and busy-ness that comes into my life with the addition of their school. Sheesh! It’s not like I’m in school! Next week The Girl will start pre-school. That will add a whole new dimension to our lives. Hopefully it will be a good one.
ps. click the image for product information.
My girlie is a little bit obsessed with a rainbow song she heard on PBS kids. She sings it all the time. And she claims that her favorite color is indigo. I think it’s awesome. When Dani posted up this fantastic School Daze kit [available Monday] with nearly all the necessary crayon colors I couldn’t resist. Plus, while the girl can identify colors, I thought it might be helpful if she could actually see what the words look like. This is what I came up with:
My original idea was a lace up card, then I had a misprint [somehow my printer was on draft and that makes all the whites print a dirty grayish color. Who knew?] so I ended up making a lace up card and a write and wipe card. I covered the write and wipe card with contact paper. It doesn’t work really well with black crayon. It was fine with something a lot lighter. I think it would be fine with something like lamination. Con-Tact paper is falling fast from my list of favorite products. It just doesn’t do what I want it to. Doesn’t matter though. Girlie loves the lace up card. I wondered if she would be able to manage it [especially the part where she needs to put the string through the back], but she is doing pretty well with it.
As you can see, the card is really a color match card. I wasn’t going for reading skills. That’s still a ways off for us. I was looking for familiarity with the words in relation to the colors. Hopefully it accomplishes that purpose.
She’s already done it loads of times this morning and she’s only had free rein for about a half hour. Love that.
My little girlie is a busy body. No question about it. I read this quote that said love is like a butterfly, it goes where it pleases and pleases where it goes. That is my girl. For the most part. Just last week I was making pancakes for dinner and, of all things, couldn’t find the sugar jar [how does one misplace a sugar jar?]. Well, girlie went next door and chatted with the neighbor, telling her all sorts of fanciful stories, and came back with a box of pancake mix. She told me it was, ” that white sugar stuff.” When I asked the neighbor how I came to have a box of pancake mix, she indicated that she had questioned the girl multiple times on the validity of her stories and was reassured that I did, indeed, need pancake mix. When I laughed she told me the girl was naughty. I said, ” Well, yes. But she sure is cute and you can’t help but laugh. She was just trying to help.” Love her.
That is why I scrapbook.
Also, Maybe you’re wondering how I got that cool watercolor effect on my title? Today is your lucky day. I’m going to share. And it’s super simple!
And that’s it. The nice thing about having the brush on a different layer is that no matter how many steps you take you can still delete it and start over. Also, I am working in Photoshop, but these instructions will be nearly the same for Photoshop Elements, I’m trying to remember if it has a rasterize type option… basically it’s just flattening that particular layer [in this case the type layer]. It’s been a while since I used elements… Feel free to ask any questions.
+ Click image for product links.
