Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Tutorial - Basic Layout in PSP by Janette Padley

Basic Scrapbook Layout 

By Dragons Lair Designs April 29th 2013 – Any Similarity to any other
Tutorial is coincidental, DO NOT DISTRIBUTE WITHOUT MY EXPRESS PERMISSION
If you would like to use any tutorial please ask me first.


Starting out in scrapbooking can be daunting, you see all the awesome Layouts (LO's)
created by seasoned scrappers and think Ohhhh Myyy I am really not good enough
to do this I can't share anything it's not good enough !!!!!!!

Sound familiar ? Well have a go at this basic layout all you need is some papers and elements there are free items all around the www (and in store if you look around) and a photograph

Instructions are for Paint Shop Pro but this should work with most programs you will just
need to adjust to your programs settings
This is the picture i am using





The kit i am using is a Free Kit called Gabrielle by AnaFlor Designs

This LO will be 8 x 8 but you can work at any size you wish just re size your paper
and then sharpen it to restore crispness

The most popular page sizes are 12 x 12, 8 x 8 and 8.5 x 11 you may want to
browse some albums and decide what size you want to work at first.

PLEASE NOTE YOU NEED TO WORK ON LAYERS, EVERY ITEM YOU PLACE
ENSURE IT IS ON A NEW LAYER SO YOU CAN ADJUST IT AS YOU GO

This is the layer pallet every time you add something to your layout a new layer will
appear this enables you to moves the items around as you go so make sure you always
Paste as NEW LAYER when adding to the layout.


 Open your paper and re size if needed - In this case we will re size to 8 x 8
O


Now we will duplicate the paper (Shift & D) to work with the original is then
safe and ready to use again at a later date, now go to Layers and
Promote Background Layer we are now ready to start putting this together.

Ready ok lets play :)

Start by right clicking on the bar above your photo and copy


 Now go to your layout, again right click on the bar above your paper
and choose Paste - Paste as New Layer you now have your photo
ready to move into place, choosing the tool, move your photo
into the desired position.

looking at your layer pallet now click on the background layer, now
with the background selected right click and choose New Raster Layer then OK

Now choose another paper and open it in PSP making sure your new blank
layer is selected in the layer pallet create a shape with the selection tool
In the Selection Type choose the shape you want I am using Rectange.


We now want to flood this shape so choosing the Materials Pallet
click on the box ( in this example the one with the swirly pink pattern)
and find your paper then click OK 


Now click the paint can left click the mouse into your selection
to flood fill the area, your layout should now look like this, Selections
Select None to deselect.

Add a Drop shadow to add realism ( The Arrow shows you the button to
press to access the Drop Shadow Option) 




At this point i am going to repeat this step to add more papers
just keep going until you are happy with how it looks, then we will
move on to the elements

Ok Ready this is mine so far 


Now lets get some elements on there have a look at what you have
and decide what you would like to add.

now a couple of things before you start layering them on
if somthing is too big or a little too small you can resize it easily

Choose the PICK TOOL to resize - When finished just change to the Move Tool




Also if you find something you wish to alter in this case I want to
reduce my Photo you can do this in place easily

Select the area you want to KEEP make sure the layer you want to
change is highlighted in your layer pallet then use Shift & Control & I
to Invert the selection and hit delete - Selections Select None to deselect

DON'T FORGET YOUR DROP SHADOWS AS YOU GO

Everybody Scraps differently some like lots of elements and papers
Some like the simpler look, so let the layout talk to you, YOU will know
when it's finished as it will feel right.

Don't forget to check out the Shortcuts Page for a list of
Keyboard Shortcuts 
to make working easier.

 I hope you enjoyed this tutorial if you need any help or have any questions please feel free to contact me and I will help you as much as I can.

Sunday, 12 May 2013

Interview with DT member Angela Deasy

Morning bloggers..

Here is an Interview with one of our DT members,
Angela is our digital expert on our team. She does cards & scrapbooking but all digitally.

Tell us a bit about yourself..
My name is Angela, I am married to the brilliant Patrick and Mum to the fabulous Ian. I started this obession with crafting when I first moved to Germany where I could not find greeting cards for English speaking family and friends. I have recently returned to Ireland from living abroad and the family is hoping to settle in the South East of Ireland, where we can enjoy the 'Sunny' South East and I can finally make good on my intention to set up my card-making  and  scrapbooking business.

* How long have you been crafting?
  I've been crafty since my son was in junoir school, making decorations for Easter, Chriatmas  and so on, but  it really got hold about 10+ years ago. Since then it has been a hobby that has grown and grown, and I am supported  and encouraged in the madness by my ever supportive family and friends.
* why did you start?? 
It was the first birthday card for my God-daughter Emma that sowed the seeds of crafting. It went  from a show -box full of papers and embellishments to my own craft-room and all the paraphernalia that goes with it.  I suppose this is not a million miles away from how a lot of crafters started.  I love it !!!!

* What is your favorite craft/style/tecnique?
I love working with stamps and inks. Profoundly influenced by artists like Tim Holtz and Jennifer Mcguire who have opened my eyes to some wonderful techniques and styles.  I have also recently become infatuated with digital crafting, teaching myself how to use Photoshop and marrying some of the traditional crafting to the digital to (hopefully) create some mixed media projects.

* What are your crafty plans for the future??
Like I said earlier, I would dearly love to have a business that is centred around handmade cards and crafts. I have always appreciated the time and skill  it takes to make a hand-blown glass, a fired-clay pot, original art that inspires. I want to get my craft space sorted in our new home, which should signal the start of this venture. I love the feel of a piece that has not been through a mass production process, where you see the makers thumb-print in the paint or ink or clay. and I believe there are lots of people who feel the same.  I have recently signed up for a caligraphy course and I am waiting to for a place on a Letter-press printing course with the Irish Print Museum.  Owing a hobby printing press would be heaven for me. I just nedd to find one that doesn't cost the earth. 

Show us some of your DT work for Stamping Dagon.. 
Here is a few pieces of what I have made for Stamping Dragon Designs so far.
If you wish to see more of my work please visit my blog.



  

And that is it from us today. Hope you enjoyed getting to know Angela a bit better.
Thank you for stopping by.
Janette & Marleen xx

Friday, 10 May 2013

New challenge is LIVE...

Good morning everyone..

A little post to tell you all about the new challenge that has just, this very morning, gone LIVE over on the challenge blog...

Do pop over to join in HERE..

We thought we would show you what goodies the DT has been using for this challenge..

 




 






These are just some of the few products we have in the store. All designed by
Janette Padley.
Do pop over to the STORE to se the full range.

Thank you for stopping by.
Janette & Marleen xx

Sunday, 5 May 2013

Flower tutorial..

Morning everyone..

We want to share a new tutorial today.

Our DT member Tina Teasdale has once again been busy over in our Facebook group.
Tina is our altered Arts Crafter and for this weeks DT day she has created a flower tutorial.
Here it is.. Enjoy..

Here is a few things that I will use to create a selection of flowers.


Flower 1
 Roughly tear 4 circles slightly differing in size from your selected paper & spritz them with a little water.


 Fold or screw the circles up and leave to dry. Drying can be speeded up by using a heat gun. Take each piece in a pair of tweezers when using heat gun to prevent burns.


 When dry gently open out each section.


 Put a small amount of glue in the middle of each section & glue together inside each other. 
All done! xx


Flower 2
Using the papers you have selected punch out or tear circles. Ive used a 1" scallop edge punch


 Tear or cut each circle into a spiral, Ive torn these.


 Starting from the outer edge, roll the spiral until it reaches the end, put a blob of glue in the centre and using a pair of tweezers expand them out if you wish.

Here are the finished flowers.


 Heres a very basic quick card using the flowers I've shown. 
All of the paper used is from the Spring In Bloom collection. available in the 

And that is it from us today. 
Hope you enjoyed.
If you wish to see more of Tina's work please visit her blog HERE.

Janette & Marleen xx 

Friday, 3 May 2013

New Angel Digi Stamps

I finished these before i went in hospital and never had chance to get them up, but i have managed to sit long enough to do it today, so here we have a cute Angel in Frame design in both ready to color and ready colored.




Guest blogger of the month..

Hello Dragon fans..

Welcome to the Dragons Den..

Today we are starting a brand new feature.. Guest bloggers..
We are very excited about this. The idea is very simple. Each month we will show & tell about one of our Dragonettes.. Dragonettes you ask??? Well to become a Dragonette, all you have to do is to join in with the fun over on our Facebook Group..

Once you join in with the fun there you can add your name to the list and become a Guest blogger here on the Den..

All you do to be a guest blogger, is to make a project for us to show, and then just tell us a bit about yourself..

Here is our Very First Guest blogger:


Hi my name is Sharon King and I share my life with my wonderful husband and 4 beautiful children.
I have been cardmaking for about 4 years although I have been crafting since the age of 4 when my mum taught me to knit with a little pair of red knitting needles and a ball of yellow wool. It seems like only yesterday.
I like all types of  techniques in my crafting. Decoupage, digital crafting,cd roms, and I am really getting into stamping both with rubber stamps and digital images which is where I discovered Stamping Dragons. The images are so cute and  easy to colour with whatever medium you choose. For my card I have used promarkers but would love to try watercolours with them as well.
Thank you for choosing me to be a featured guest designer I feel very honoured.

 Here is what Sharon has made.

Thank You very much for being our very first guest blogger Sharon. 
We love you card. Its super cute.

Sharon has used the Image called "Penny with Bag" for her creation.
It can be forund in the STORE along with all the other fantastic images from

And that is it from us for today.
Have a good day.
Janette & Marleen xx

Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Vintage Look Tutorial from Tina Teasdale

Hello everyone and welcome to The Dragons Den.

Grab a cuppa, pull up a comfy chair and have a browse..

Today we want to share a tutorial made by our DT member Tina Teasdale.
Do pop over on her blog to see more of her fantastic work.

This tutorial is all about the vintage look.
Hope you enjoy.


What you need to begin:
Pot on right is Tea , Pot on left is coffee, white paper ( I used A4 paper torn in half and half again ) washing up sponge. Make a cup of tea, a cup of coffee and leave to go cold completely.


 I've screwed up two of each of the different sizes of paper and put them in the pots for a few seconds until they have been completely covered, take them out and gently open them and leave to dry. The drying process can be speeded up with a hairdryer or heat gun.


 Papers on the left have been dipped in coffee & on the right in tea.


Here is a piece of paper quickly dipped in tea and some rough torn shapes dipped in coffee and left to dry.


 Here I sponged the edges of a shaped card blank with coffee.


Showing dry card blank


Here is the finished card. I used a velum sentiment dipped in coffee and blasted with my heat gun. I crumpled up some of the torn shapes to make flowers & added twine to the left side.
(tutorial to follow on the flowers)


Close up pic of the flowers.


 This pic is a little bit dark but shows the crumpled effect of the paper.

And that is it. A fantastic project from Tina. Thank you very much Tina.
If you facy having a go at this tut, do come and show us the result over in our FB group. We love to see what our members get up too.

Thanks for stopping by.
Janette & Marleen xx
 

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