Free Digital Scrapbooking Template Number 043

{Webajeb-Template-043 - 2-page layout!}

It's been awhile since I gave away a freebie, so here's a cool 2-page digital scrapbooking template FREE to my blog readers!  This template was inspired by Sketch #23 in the January 2010 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine.

Get it in PSD or TIF format (or download both, if you like).  You'll get the 2-page layout as one file AND as individual right and left pages,so you can work with the template in the way you are most comfortable.

These templates include all of my "Easier-to-Use" features: numbers on each photo spot so that you can quickly locate the layer where you want to drop your photo; a plus sign (+) in front of the layer name for layers that are clippable, AND font names included in the layer names for text in case you want to use the same one.

Download in PSD format here or TIF format here.

Visit my online store for more templates, as well as lots of other fun digital scrapbooking products!!

Enjoy!

Revisiting Artsy Quick Pages

 

{My niece, Megan, on her 21st birthday}

After my last post, Go Big or Go Home, I was surprised to receive numerous comments and emails from people who agreed with me!  I truly believed that I was one of just a few people who dislike the current trend of putting one very small photo on a layout, and leaving lots of "white space" around it.  It's one thing when people are using this technique on their own layouts - that's all a matter of personal style.  But the trend has also extended to many, many of the Quick Pages available for download.

So it was nice to know that I'm not as alone as I thought!  Even nicer? I got some suggestions on a couple of really cool ways to use those Quick Pages.

Lisa of Mama Llama Designs mentioned that the more "artistic" Quick Pages look great when printed on canvas and hung on a wall.  I can envision that very well, and totally agree.

Amber and Belle both wrote to say they use the "artsy" QPs to scrapbook low resolution photos, such as those taken with a cell phone, and which will only print well at a small size anyway.  Awesome idea!

My layout, above, uses a low-res photo that I downloaded from Facebook.  It printed beautifully.

Wouldn't it be great if Quick Pages were customizable?  If you could change the size and/or position of the photo window, the elements, the paper, even the text?  Check out my first ever (and perhaps the only one of its kind anywhere) Layered Quick Page. 

It's a free download, too!

FREE Digital ScrapbookingTemplates

{Webajeb-Template-042}

It's been too long since I've posted templates so here are a couple freebies for you.  Use them alone, or together.  The one on the right was inspired by a traditional page layout in the Scrapbooks Etc. magazine (february 2010, page 21).  I created the layout on the left as a companion page, and as a place to put a large title for the 2-page layout I had in mind.

I love the grid-style layout, not to mention spots for up to 9 photos on one page!  This would be perfect for a Year in Review layout, too, for 2010.  There are 12 spots for photos, and a large section for title and journaling.  Or use the larger space for a photo, and one of the smaller ones for title and journaling.

As with all of my templates these include a layer with numbers so that you can quickly see which layer to highlight before dragging your photo in.  (You'll want to hide or delete this layer before printing or posting.)  All clippable layers have a plus sign (+) preceding their name in the layers palette.

Here are the layouts I made with these templates:

{click on either image for a larger view}

Download the templates from 4shared in .PSD format here or .TIF format here.

Enjoy!

FREE-Webajeb's First LAYERED Quick Page!!!

 Webajeb-Layered-Quick-Page-001

Introducing...the very first....LAYERED QUICK PAGE!!!  WOOT!

This is not just a template, and it's not just a quick page - it's BOTH!  Each element is still on its own layer in a .PSD or .TIF file (download either or both!) and has NOT been flattened to a .PNG file.

You can choose to either pop your own photos into the spaces provided OR move any of the elements around, resize or recolor them, change the title, swap out the elements with your own or another designer's, pull the individual elements out to use in other layouts, whatever your little heart desires!  The paper and elements are created by me, and are copyright-free, so have fun with them!  Giving credit to me is appreciated, but not required.  {The ONLY thing I ask is that you do not rename them and sell them as your own.}

I'm VERY excited about these . . . even though they are going to take longer to create than regular templates . . . hm, they'll take longer to create than regular quick pages, too . . . still, I'd love to have found something like these out there in digital-land myself, especially when I was a beginner digital scrapbooker (and in many ways I still am since there's always so much to learn).

The inspiration for this first layered quick page came from a layout I did for a client a year or so ago.  I've always loved the bright, pastel colors and the sticker look of the sun and title elements.  The fun background paper is one I created using a photo of my Mom's parquet entryway floor as a texture, then playing with color overlays.  The sun is a standard Photoshop Custom Shape and the font is Flowerchild, available free at urbanfonts.com.  To make them look like stickers (with the white border) I added a size 16 white stroke on the outside.  Add a drop-shadow and you've got the sticker look. It works with pretty much any custom shape and or text.

Here's the original layout:

I do have a problem, though, and I need your help.

I don't know what to call these!  I don't want to just call them "layered quick pages."  Boring!  So that's where you come in.  If you've got an idea for a fun & catchy name, please leave a comment, or send me an email.  If I pick yours, you'll NEVER pay for a Webajeb "Layered Quick Page" - Ever!  I'll simply send you each new file in an email when I post it!  I'm hoping that bribe will prompt you to put on your thinking caps and hook me up with an awesome name.

The other thing I'd love is feedback after you've tried using this.  What worked, and what didn't?  What should I do differently?  I want these to be as useful as possible for you, so any and all critique will be welcome!

Download the file from 4shared as a .PSD here, or as a .TIF here.

Two Free Digital Scrapbooking Templates

It's another double-double day!  Here is a double serving of free templates and they each come in both .PSD and .TIF formats!

Download Webajeb-Template-031 free from 4shared here.

 

Download Webajeb-Template-029 free from 4shared here.

As a demonstration of how versatile templates are, here is a 2-page layout I made using these two templates:

As you can see, I modified both templates pretty drastically!  Sometimes I use a template exactly as it comes, other times I modify them to suit what I have in mind for my layout.  It was fun to combine these two unrelated templates, and I love how the 2-page spread turned out.  Here are the individual pages, for a closer look:

 

Enjoy the templates!

If you'd like to see more templates like these click here to visit my online store!

Template Freebie and Converting Rectangular Format to Square

{papers by Catherine Designs; ribbon by Summer Driggs}

Wow, I actually made a layout for my OWN scrapbook, LOL!  I have been so busy with client work that I have not done that in ages.  I used one of my own templates for the page; one that I have not posted yet, or given away as a freebie.  So I am doing that now.  Here it is, in its original 8.5 x 11 format:

{Webajeb-Template-037}

I converted it to 8 x 8, since that is the size I use for my own layouts.  It is not hard.  I simply opened the template and a new 8 x 8 document.  I highlighted all the layers in the template except for the white background, then dragged them into my new document.  Did you know that if you hold down the Shift key while dragging the layer(s) will land smack in the middle of the document?  Try it; it's SO cool!

I then resized the text boxes just a bit, and moved the title to look more balanced.  That's it, really!  You could drag the whole shebang into a 12x12 document, too, and then while the layers are still highlighted, resize to fit.

Going from square format to rectangular is just as easy.  Experiment a little, and see just how versatile templates can be!

I decided to go ahead and include both the rectangular & square formats in the download file.  Be aware that the square one is not my usual 12x12, but 8x8. I also did not include the font names for 2 out of the 3 fonts  because I had created this template before I began doing that, and now I don't remember what the fonts were.

Download the template in PSD format from 4shared here.

Download the templates in TIF format from 4share here.

Double-Double Freebie Day - 2-Page Template AND WordArt!

Yay, it's double-double day!  A FREE double-template (2-page layout) AND a FREE bit of Word Art!  First, the template:

Webajeb-Template-040

This was inspired by a sketch in the may/june 2007 issue of Scrapbooks, Etc., a magazine I still receive even though I'm nearly 100% digital.  I say "nearly" because I still do some hybrid projects, and I still get tons of layout ideas from the paper scrapbooking world which I then convert to digital.

Here are the two individual pages of the template.  {All three are included in the free download links at the end of this post.}

 

{left page}

 {right page}

Here is the layout I made today, using the template:

{background papers by Cottage Arts and Kim's Scrapping}

A closer look at the individual pages:

{left page}

{right page}

I custom-designed the word art for this page because I felt I wanted another circle somewhere, and also needed a title, so this is what I came up with.  I hope you like it because it's today's FREE word art, and it's INCLUDED in the template download!  For you font-collectors, the font I used is Downcome which you can download at dafont {one of my fave font sites}. Here's a closer look at it:

Download the templates (plus word art) in TIF format from 4shared here.  

Download the templates (plus word art) in PSD format from 4shared here.

Of course, as is the norm, these templates include all my Easier-to-Use features! 
Feedback is appreciated so I can continue to improve my digital scrapbooking products, as well as come up with the new stuff you are longing for!

Enjoy! 

FREE Digital Scrapbooking Template by Webajeb

Webajeb-Template-038

Here is one of my latest templates, free to my blog readers; you'll find the download link at the end of this post.  For those of you who are keeping track, yes, the most recent templates have been posted totally out of order.  I have at least a half-dozen that I have not yet posted, but am hoping to get them up very soon.  So keep an eye on this blog!  Subscribe to it, or Opt In to receive e-mail notifications when it's updated; that way you won't miss any!

And, of course, some of them (all?) will be offered FREE here first, then eventually uploaded to my online store.  Right now I'm pretty slow about getting stuff into my online store - I don't know, lately I just haven't felt like doing the techie stuff but I'll get caught up one of these days.  Oh, and don't forget, as of this post, the links to freebies on my blog never expire!  {As I wrote in that earlier post, I haven't had time to go back and re-link all the freebies from all my earlier posts, so if you find a freebie you want and the link has expired, simply email me, tell me which item you'd like, and I'll send you the link.}

Ok, back to today's free template.  It's a double-header!  LOL, I mean a 2-page spread.  I do LOTS of 2-page spreads - I love to have a unified look across both pages, especially in albums of specific events, like weddings.  I use a 24 inch wide by 12 inch high document to create the 2-page spreads.  I did the same for this template.  The template document size is 24x12 and, as you can see, the title runs across the center divider.  The template file includes a layer with a thin divider line - you'll want to hide or delete this layer before you print or publish the layout, the same way you hide or delete the layer with the photo numbers on it.

For those of you who prefer to work with single pages, I'm also including the template as two separate 12x12 documents (with the title moved to one page).  Here they are:

left page

right page

Oh, and something new!  In addition to the Easier-to-Use features I've already added to my templates, I am now also including the name of the font that I've used in any text layers.  I know how frustrated I get when I'm using a template someone else has designed, and they've used a totally cool font for their title and/or journaling and I want to use the same font, but don't know its name.  So from now on in my template files that info will be included in the name of any layers that use fonts.

Here is today's template as I used it for a double-page spread in an album I'm currently working on:

{flame element by Amy Hutchinson}

Isn't that fun?  You can see that I haven't hidden the divider line yet.  I like to wait until the very last minute to do that so I don't inadvertently allow it to run through someone's face, or through some other important element.

Here's a closer look at the pages after separation:

left page

right page

If you've never scrapbooked in the double-page format you're probably wondering how you're gonna print that thing.  Obviously, you've got to split it into two documents first but doing that is a LOT easier than you might think.  Here's how:

First, hide or delete any layers you don't want to print including the divider line and the numbers layer.  Next, flatten the document.  Answer 'yes' if you are asked whether you want to discard any hidden layers.  DO NOT SAVE.

Select your crop tool and set its Width and Height parameters each to 12 inches, type 300 in the Resolution box and select pixels/inch. Hold down the CNTL key (CMD for Macs) and press the hyphen (-) key so that there's some room around the borders of your document.  Position your mouse a little up and to the left of the top-left corner of the document.  Drag it toward and past the center bottom of the document, then release the mouse button.  Double-click inside the selection to accept it.  You will now see ONLY the left page.

Select File, Save AS, and save your layout under a new name (I usually just add an A to the existing filename), and in .JPG format for printing.  Your new file will go into the folder you indicated, and the original .PSD file will remain open.

IMPORTANT STEP!  In the History palette, go back to the step before Crop (keyboard shortcut: CNTL-Z will take you back one step).  Now repeat the cropping process, this time starting with the mouse position a little up and to the right of the top-right corner and dragging, again, toward and past the center bottom.  Select File, Save AS, and save under another name (I usually just add a B to the existing filename), and in .JPG format (with Quality = 10) for printing.

Now you can Close (don't save!) your original double-page file.  When asked if you want to save changes, choose No (else you'll end up saving your .PSD or .TIF file in the flattened format).

Download the double-page template from 4shared here for .PSD and here for .TIF.

{UPDATE: the individual page templates are included in each downloadable .ZIP file; sorry for the confusion!}

Let me know if you have ANY problems; I'm here to help!

Free Digital Scrapbooking Templates with Easier-to-Use Features!

Webajeb-Template-026

Here's one of my latest templates.  I say "one of" because I've got a dozen or more new ones created, I just haven't had time to get them uploaded.  I will be doing that over the next week or two, so be sure to check back here frequently or, better yet, subscribe to my blog so you don't miss a single one!

Here is today's template used in a layout:

Since the photos I wanted to use were all landscape-oriented I turned the template on its side, added a textured background, an overlay on the arrow element, and finally, got a little creative with the title.  Next I created a simple, one-photo layout to use as a facing page for a nicely balanced 2-page spread:

So - What are the new "Easier-to-Use" features of my templates?

First, I'll now be offering all my templates in both .PSD and/or .TIF format. The two formats will be packaged separately in downloadable .ZIP files; you will be able to download EITHER format or, if you like, BOTH formats.  I will no longer be zipping the two formats together, as I have done on occasion in the past, because it makes a downloadable file that's just too big for many user's systems to handle. (NOTE: I'm looking into also offering the templates in .PNG format if I find there is enough interest, so if you are interested, be sure to let me know!)

The second feature has been an integral part of my templates for awhile now but many people either don't know about it, or don't realize its significance.  Simply put, the name of each layer in my template files that is meant to be used for "clipping" begins with a plus (+) sign.  For example, in today's template there are 10 layers meant to be used for your photos, so the layer names would be as follows:

+ Photo 1
+ Photo 2
+ Photo 3

and so on, with the presence of the Plus Sign to indicate that this layer is suitable for clipping a photo (or paper).  I can't claim this idea as my own; Jessica Sprague began doing this with her own templates and she wrote {in a blog posting, if I remember right} that she hoped other designers would do likewise.  I loved the idea so am more than happy to include it as a feature in my own templates. I think you're going to love it, too!

Third, all of my templates will now include a topmost layer with numbers to identify each subsequent layer.  As far as I know no other designer is doing this.  This layer can be turned on or off as you desire, while you are working with the template, and then it should be either hidden or deleted before printing or publishing your layout. The first image of today's template posted at the beginning of this post shows the template with the numbers layer turned off, or hidden.  Here is the template with that layer turned on:

No more trying to figure out which layer is which in the template file!  The numbers correspond to the layer names in the .PSD or .TIF file and make it easy to select the exact layer where you intend to place your photo.  Just click on the numbered layer you want THEN drag in your photo.  The photo will automatically land just above the layer you selected.  Clip the photo to the layer, resize it, and it's done!

Ready to try out the new Easier-to-Use features?  Download Webajeb-Template-26 in .PSD format here or in .TIF format here.

Enjoy!

Birthday Card Digital Photo Collage

I made this card for my son's 32nd birthday {wow!} and wanted to share it here since some of my family and friends who knew I was working on it, wanted to see it. Now that the birthday is past I can post these pics. By the way, the card was very well received. Rodrigo's dad, and wife, Dianna, probably enjoyed it just as much as Rodrigo; Dianna because she loves to see photos of her hubby when he was little, and his dad because he remembers those days well.

I create custom-designed greeting cards, to order, for any occasion!}

I also made the envelope {how cool is that?} using two pages torn out of a travel magazine and these directions by wikiHow. It was super-easy, eco-friendly, and added a really fun touch to the card. Not to mention, since I had neglected to make my card a standard size, I didn't have an envelope to fit! However, I liked the end result so much that I will probably be making envelopes for all the cards I send from now on.

I located some of my favorite photos of Rodrigo during his first year of life and scanned them into digital format. I restored the faded color {these were originally stored in the now infamous magnetic photo albums!}, cleaned up some dirt and scratches, sharpened them a bit, and then popped them into a collage template {a modified version of Scrapbook Etc.'s SBEQuickCollage303 which you can find here}.

I added the arrow in the top left photo pointing to my pregnant belly, and a bit of text to each of the other photos.

To make the card I simply printed out the photo collage and then adhered it to a folded piece of cardstock using black photo corners, for a bit of an old-fashioned look. You can either type up a sentiment, print it out, and glue it inside, or just hand-write it. Easy!
Seeing the photo on the top right really brings back memories. I hadn't the first clue what to do with a baby! It's pretty obvious by the look on my face. Rodrigo's dad didn't know any more than I did, we were just kids ourselves, but we managed; we just figured it out day by day.

I especially love the bottom left picture where Rodrigo is covered with the yellow-and-white gingham tied quilt I made for him, and which he carried around for years {his blankie}. What you can't tell from the photo is that Rodrigo is in an infant seat on the floor of the front passenger seat of our 1960 VW bug {as seen in the top left photo} - that's where he rode whenever we went anywhere. Every time we went around a corner too fast he would tip over!!! Yeah, no car seat laws in those days, I guess it's a miracle he even survived, but I'm SO GLAD he did!

Happy Birthday, Rodrigo! Love you!!

Digital Word Art Freebie and Template 24

Whoohooo, another digital template ready for you! Number 24. Yeah, templates are just about my fave thing to create because once they're done, I use them over and over for all types of layouts. They're the perfect tool to jumpstart creativity any day!

This is a 2-page template; each page is in a separate .PSD file. Create 2-page spreads, or use just one of the pages for a single page layout. Swap the two pages around, if you like, flip 'em upside-down, it's all up to you. Make 'em your own!

As usual, I've included a layer with numbers corresponding to each of the photo shape layers in the file. This makes it easy to find the layer you want to clip your photo or paper to. It's so easy! Simply click to highlight the shape layer where you plan to place your photo. Then drag your photo in. It will drop right on top of the correct layer. Awesome!

Here's a layout I made with this template:
Clean & classy, perfect for a wedding layout, but by using different background paper and adding elements you could easily make a layout for pretty much ANY occasion. And bonus! You can include LOTS of photos! Put a single photo on each layer, or cover two or more template shapes with one photo, the way I have. It's easy: decide which shape layers your photo will cover, merge those layers, then clip the photo to the merged layer. Done!

Did you know you can email me with any questions you may have? Sure! So if you have questions, or want more detailed, step-by-step directions on using my templates, e-me! I always get back to people ASAP. The last thing I want is for you to download one of my templates and then not be able to use it. I'm here to help!

I also created that lil' bit of word art that you see on the left page of my layout; here's a bigger view of it:
I've decided to not only include the word art with purchase of the template, but to also offer it FREE to my blog readers. Download it at 4shared.

Oh, and you how I usually go back and disable the freebie links 'cuz they're only available free for a limited time? Well, I'm just too busy for that these days (thanks to all my new clients!) so from now on, I'm just going to leave the freebie links forever! Whoohooo! I love freebies as much as anyone, and I have to admit I've often gotten annoyed when I'm reading through blog posts and there are freebies, but the links have expired. I hate feeling like I've missed out, lol!

Of course, I don't have time to go back now and RE-link all previous freebies either, but if you'd like one that I have posted in the past, just email me, tell me which one(s) it is, and I'd be happy to send you the link(s).

Visit my online store for lots of other templates, paper, kits, word art, and more. If you prefer, go straight to the Templates section for today's template!

Now go let {your creativity} all hang out!

New Digital Scrapbooking Template!

Webajeb-Template-023

I'm just having way too much fun creating templates lately! Luckily, since I try to also create a layout using the new templates I'm also making progress (finally!) on my son's wedding album!

I've also started something new with my templates. I've added a layer in the file with numbers on each photo layer. You can see the numbers in the template above. As I've been working with the templates, especially the ones with lots of photo layers, I found having that reference makes it much easier to select the layer I want before I drag in my photo. (Because, as you know, when the correct layer is selected before dragging in the photo, the photo will land on top of that very layer, eliminating the hassle of moving the photo up or down in the layers palette.) Just be sure to hide or delete the Photo Numbers layer before printing!

I'm still also including the plus sign (+) in front of the layer name on each layer that is clippable. This makes them easy to identify and also reminds you to use that method (if your digital software program supports it) when sizing your photos to fit.

So, on to the layout I created using the template:

When you have tons of photos for an event (like a wedding!) it's great to be able to fit in lots of photo on some of the pages!

Get this template, or any of my previous ones, in my online store here!