How can I best put my computer and printer to use for scrapbooking?

***angelbaby*** · 09-08-2009, 08:47 PM

And I mean in the old fashioned way, not digi

I've never even thought about it, I imagine a lot of people do journalling in word, with a variety of fonts.

But is there more? Just seen Emma's lovely folder for the Shimelle class so now I'm wondering about templates...

And is photoshop just for digi or can it help with photos for normal LOs too?

Please help, complete computer dunce here

**KatieMcF** · 09-08-2009, 08:50 PM

photo editing...eg black and white and variety of effects you can add to a photo before using it in a layout..

**cw18** · 09-08-2009, 08:53 PM

I use Paint Shop Pro rather than Photoshop - but rarely for digi work. I've got it to edit my photos

Other than that, you can download and/or design your own papers and print them off - but if you only have a standard A4 printer you won't be able to print off a full backing sheet for 12x12. (You could if you work at 8x8, but you could print off A4 sheets to chop and layer)

If I do any journalling then I'm much more likely to do in on my laptop and print it off -- normally print onto standard copy paper to make sure it's correct (spelling, font, size etc), then use repo adhesive to stick the card I want to print on over the printed area before putting it back through the printer (I tend to print journalling blocks onto scraps of card)

**{ Emma }** · 09-08-2009, 08:54 PM

I use photoshop for photo editing all the time, you can change the tones and colour casts, edit parts out you don't want (like spots!!!), smooth skin tone, convert it to black and white, convert it to black and white and leave just a little bit in colour the list really is endless!

I know Shimelle is running a class via Two Peas at the moment called Go To Press which is all about using your printer more for "hybrid scrapbooking" - where you print out elements to use in normal paper scrapbooking.

***angelbaby*** · 09-08-2009, 08:59 PM

I know I saw that class, was gutted I missed it

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, have a new printer and laptop on its way so will be putting it to good use when it gets here!!

**ScrappyDandyDoo** · 09-08-2009, 09:45 PM

I love hybrid scrapping

I use digi elements and either print them on card or printable acetate or add them to photos before printing

There are loads of freebie templates available on the net to

**hopberni** · 09-08-2009, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by *angelbaby*

I know I saw that class, was gutted I missed it

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, have a new printer and laptop on its way so will be putting it to good use when it gets here!!

You can still join in. You just have to sign up and download the prompts. If you start with the first one that you get it won't matter I don't think and then do the five from last week at the end. So far they haven't built on each other.

Come and join us

**Alison5** · 09-08-2009, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by *angelbaby*

I know I saw that class, was gutted I missed it

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, have a new printer and laptop on its way so will be putting it to good use when it gets here!!

Yes come and join us, you can soon catch up!

**yizzard** · 10-08-2009, 08:42 AM

I've always used my computer and printer for scrapping way before digi and hybrid were even heard of.

I firstly used it for titles, using a good strong font for printing out and then cutting with a knife and glass mat. Brilliant for making monograms too.

I also used it for journalling, typing my bit up in word and then printing onto journalling blocks, now I make my own journalling blocks in photoshop.

I also used non-copywrite images to make my own embelishments. For instance I once used a key image which I enlarged, printed, cut out, encrusted with glitter and then used on my daughter's 21st LO.

Now digi is popular, as already said, there are tons and tons of digi kits that can be used to print out as paper or elements.

As for photoshop I use it to repair/enhance my old non-digi photos (taken when camera's were very low quality). There are some fab plug ins available on the net for doing that.

I tend to only have one or two photos of an event (photography was expensive when my kids were small) so I also use photo shop to crop out parts of photos, or to flip pictures so that it looks like I have more than one shot, so that I can put multiple photos on a LO.

Photoshop is great for adding fancy borders to pictures, or putting titles onto photos and then printing them out. Take a look at Jessica Sprague's site for even more ideas. She has great free tuts and you can sign up for classes on digi, and hybrid stuff. Its also a good way of joining a few photos together (like in a film strip) to put straight onto a LO

I would be lost without my computer and printer!

**Nellyphant** · 10-08-2009, 09:14 AM

I too would be lost without PC and printing when paper crafting. I originally got PaintShopPro for making my own decoupage papers and backgrounds for card making 5 years ago. Digi scrap kits weren't around much then but I got some freebies that I used for card making.

I've been printing and using papers, elements etc for card making and now scrapbooking all the time. I have a vast collection of free kits that I use for scrapping and card making. Before I got a large format printer I used to print slice a 12x12 page down and print onto A4 twice and match like wallpaper for a patterned background but I love white space too so A4 is fine for 12x12 layouts. There are some awesome digital kits available and you can always add to the papers, I add glossy accents, emboss parts of them, add glitter or gems etc, etc.

**CraftyPrincess** · 10-08-2009, 10:31 AM

I've got lots of templates that you can print off and use to make embellishments. There's some freebie ones here (look under embellishment template sheets) and I do like using Embellish Buddies here to make scrapbook embellies with, I've got a piccy of some made with scraps of card, paper and felt, I'll attach it. I love finding ways of using up leftover bits and pieces