Digital Scrapbooking - Page 2

[MamaBug]

Beth could you post some links?

thanks so much everyone. My boys are back to school on the 25th and my plan is that when dd is napping I will first organize my digital pics and then get busy.

Keep those links coming, this way we have many page choices to choose from!

[Jess A]

I LOVE digital scrapbooking. Here are some of my recent pages:

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/mycontent.asp?cmd=lay

I've bought lots of stuff and I get tons of stuff for free. IKEAGoddess has a blog that she updates daily with things she finds for free (designers only ask that you leave them a thank you). And Simply Yin makes awesome templates that I've been using lately.

I find that I'm able to get tons more done . . . for me, digital is much faster than paper. I haven't printed many pages yet, but I'm thinking of doing a scrapbook of the kids for the grandparents that I can burn to CD so they can view it on their computers if they like.

[Polliwog]

Jess, your link won't work because it accesses your "My Content" section.

Here's the link for Scrapbook Pictures. Com: http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/res_pictures.asp

I've printed a bunch of stuff through them and they do great work.

[PapayaVagina]

Ooh! Just what I was looking for! I saw a commercial today on TV advertising the Polaroid My Memories Suite software and thought scrapbooks would be perfect Christmas presents. I'm also interested in possibly scanning old family photos and having them made into books.

Has anyone tried the Polaroid My Memories Suite software yet? It seems pretty easy but is $60.

[MommyMichele]

I haven't heard of that software.

Have you checked out Shutterfly? They have a lot of options for digital scrapbookers. You don't even have to have any software of your own; you can create a photo book at their site.

I'm partial to Adobe Photoshop Elements. It seems complicated when you first look at it, but once you learn how to use the basic tools and the layers pallette, it's so fun and you have a lot of freedom of creativity. For instance, you can change the color of anything you add to your page. Lumapix Fotofusion is my second favorite software and only $30. I love its auto-collage function, which makes it easy to scrapbook several photos on one page. My third favorite scrapbooking software is Broderbund's Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Designer, although I use it more for making signs and cards. It's just like Broderbund's Print Shop, very easy to use and was about $30 iirc.

Did you read my blog essay linked up thread? It's full of links to all this stuff. Gotta go, my baby is waking. Have fun!

[MommyMichele]

Okay, I took a look at the Polaroid My Memories Suite website. It looks just like one of the online photo-developing websites, ie. Shutterfly (the best), Snapfish, Kodakgallery, Winkflash, etc, except that you work on your computer instead of online. They all allow you to put your pictures on products such as photobooks and cards. This Polaroid software costs $60-90, however, while the websites are free (and store your photos for you, which is good backup). If you prefer working off line and don't mind being limited by the templates the software offers, then software such as this Polaroid one may work well for you. Having used the websites I mentioned above myself, I think they would be a much better deal. Check them all out. I think Shutterfly offers the most templates to choose from, but the others are good too.

Another software I've tried is HP Creative Scrapbook Assistant. It's like the Broderbund one I mentioned but it offers more creative potential in exchange for ease of use. I think it was also $30 or $40.

[MommyMichele]

I was wondering about the pricing for the Polaroid software's photobooks printing service and finally found it.
Size Hardbound Softbound WIRE-O
6×6 $19.99 $9.99 $9.99
8×8 $29.99 $17.99 $17.99
8 ½ x 11 - Portrait or Landscape $29.99 $17.99 $17.99
12×12 $49.99 N/A $29.99
Additional Pages $0.50 $0.50 $0.50

All prices include:

* Choice of photo, leather, or linen book covers. Linen and leather are available as hardbound covers only
* 26 internal pages (1 sheet printed front and back = 2 pages)
* Photobooks require at least 7 days processing

That is a little cheaper compared to Shutterfly's 8x8 albums, which are $20 for only 20 pages to start, and then a whole $1 for additional pages. And it looks like the Polaroid My Memories has a lot of choices.

It's looking better to me as an option for someone who doesn't want to learn Photoshop Elements and isn't interested in online back up storage of photos that the online photo-developing sites offer. I see there is even some more creativity possibilities than I thought, now that I've watched the videos on their website. Of course, Photoshop Elements offers unlimited creativity for not much more $$.

Can you tell this is one of my favorite topics?

[beka1977]

This place has some GREAT, and relatively cheap, tutorials that you can purchase.

http://www.designerdigitals.com

[PapayaVagina]

Wow MommyMichele - all of your info is very helpful. It's great to hear opinions from someone who has tried a lot of different places. I'm definitely going to be looking into Photoshop to see what exactly what is. I've never worked with Photoshop before at all, but have heard that name over and over again so it must be great .

What about scanning old photographs in to be printed - is there a way to ensure that the scan is high quality? I have a Kodak scanner but wasn't sure if there was something better I should use. Maybe my local Kodak shop would be a better place - can they scan photos onto a CD ? It would be great to give my parents several books over the next couple of years that have all of our old photos in them

[MommyMichele]

Adobe Photoshop is the photo editing and design software professional photographers have been using for a long time. Adobe Photoshop Elements is for those of us who don't need quite so many bells and whistles. Having said that, I've been using it for a year now and still haven't mastered every technique possible. It is mentioned so much because it's excellent. There are many people who prefer its competitor, though: Paint Shop Pro. Be sure to check out Lumapix Fotofusion too. It's much cheaper, easier to use, and you have just about as much freedom of creative expression as Photoshop. I used Fotofusion a lot until my husband gave me Photoshop for Xmas.

I'm sorry I'm not very knowledgeable about scanning photos. I've only been digi-scrapping my digital photos because I managed to get most of my prints in albums before I switched to digital. However, I believe you want to scan photos at 300 dpi to get good resolution for your scrapbook pages. That is the resolution of most digital scrapbook elements available online too. Ask for more infor at whatever digital scrapbook forums you decide to visit. I recommend scrapgirls.com. And yes, I have seen there are some photo developers who will digitize photos for you. They might use negatives rather than prints though, I'm not sure.

[jackie0109]

I like doing scrap book and I have lot of fun doing it...actually i have lot of it...but haven't tried doing digital scrapbook...thanks for those links above I will now experience those things...

[momtoS]

I just got the digital software for Creative Memories....I have NO idea how to use it yet...but I am excited to learn!

[MommyMichele]

Have fun! I just started two challenges to increase my photography skills and the amount of scrapbook pages I create.
Project 365 at scrapbookgraphics
Jumpstart January at scrapgirls

[Teensy]

I have decided to switch to digital scrapbooking for 2009. I have been doing traditional Creative Memories 12x12 scrapbooks for about 7 years, but I am excited about making the switch this year.

I will still have to finish up my 2008 (and 2007, yikes) paper scrapbooks, but I am already thinking about what I want my first digital pages to look like (and plan to work on the current and old books simulanteously).

I ordered Photoshop Elements, so once I receive it I'll be ready to get started.

If you get the pages printed at Costco, what book do you buy to put the pages in?

***

I made a photobook on Shutterfly for my DN and my kids for Christmas using old family photos. My FIL died in October and I asked his siblings for their old family photos. I scanned them in on my home computer, uploaded them to Shutterfly, and made a photobook of all the old pictures with captions. It was time consuming, but not difficult to do. The books turned out nicely, and I sent the link to purchase the book to other family members so they can order one if they want.

[MommyMichele]

Originally Posted by Teensy

If you get the pages printed at Costco, what book do you buy to put the pages in?

There are a lot of albums available wherever scrapbook supplies are sold. You can find 12x12, 8x8, 6x6, and other sizes with plastic page protectors in which to slide your pages.

[Justmee]

:

I want to come back and read all your tips later. I use paint shop pro, I also have a scrapbook program (but I can't remember what it is, I did make a page on it once though).