Giving proper credit ~~ some tricks

After reading this article by Michelle Thompson, I decided to detail the method I use to keep track of the credit info for my layouts. (BTW, her blog, Scrapability is one of the BEST blogs out there on the topic of scrapbooking ~~ if you haven't taken a look at it, you are missing out!)

I use a combination of the methods she mentions ~~ not so much for submitting my LO's for publication, but for proper crediting in the galleries. I have started to name my layers with the designer's name when I think of it ~~ with the font name as well.

Something I have been doing for some time is keeping a text file open while I am working. If I am doing the layout for an online chat or challenge, I will often paste the details regarding the crop in the file first (i.e., what the challenge is, link to the inspiration, link to the gallery to post in, etc.) Then as I am working, I will note Designers names, kit names and site names as applicable, along with templates, inspiration links, fonts, any notes that I want to keep with the layout.

Then, when it is time to post , I can start filling out the fields while my layout is saving (in those precious minutes that can seem like an eternity at the end of a crop!!)

I also name my .psd file, my .jpg file (the flattened, 72 dpi, 500x500 pixels file for posting on the web) and my .txt file with the same name, beginning with the date I created the layout (i.e., 20060131-firsthaircut.psd, 20060131-firsthaircut.jpg, 20060131-firsthaircut.txt) so I can easily find the text file that holds my credit information.

ANYHOW, there is part of the method to my madness ~~ hope it is of use to someone! Please post a comment if you find this useful.

The Eggers ~~ another great find

The Eggers ~~ who or what is it?

A person, group of people, a blog, a website, a challenge, a movement? You decide. I just wanted to be sure I had the blinkie proudly displayed. Sorry, I'm too sleep deprived to write anything clever or heartfelt, but discovering the Eggers just made me smile.

2 great digi-scrap challenges

I could NOT do anything else today before I posted about two FABULOUS finds.

FIRST -- Susan's AWESOME blog on the topic of DIGI-SCRAPLIFTING!! Sorry to shout but this is the coolest site I've found in a while! It's really more of a daily scraplift challenge, where Susan picks a LO she loves from the Two Peas gallery, posts it on her blog and challenges others to SL it with her and post their versions. Her intro along with an explanation of scraplifting is here. Something I really love about Susan's reasons for doing this is that it is all to help her to improve her own scrapbooking skills -- something I have being trying to do, but I've been at a bit of a loss to figure out how to go about it. Scraplifting on its own is great, a springboard to use when my own creativity has stalled out and I need something to get me creating again. But Susan's point about using it to help us to develop our skills and to learn new techniques is a very important distinction, I think.

BTW -- I'm not a regular on the pea-boards, but I noticed a message over on the DigiScrap pea-boards when Susan chose this layout by Shawn (Auntie Pea) that I had JUST added to My Favorites at SBB. I am actually a very regular tagger of LO's for My Favorites!!). That being said, I also have to admire Susan's ambition in doing this DAILY! I can't possibly keep up that pace, but I do hope to join in every now & then. (I have other resolutions that take precedence!)

NEXT -- I am so digging the new Virtual Vault Challenge over at SBB. The thread by Amy is here. I have SO many of my early layouts that I just CRINGE at when I do my twice-yearly printing spree -- this was one that I was dying to redo.

Before

After

Alhtough I didn't add all that much in the way of technique, I DID pick up some very important SHOPPING skills in the last few months! The kit in the 'new' LO is Ashley Olson's Beach Cottage, available at SBB.

Also, I learned to make stamps in PSE from .png files -- I wanted to add a starfish or something to this LO, and the 'sticker' in Julie Howard's 'By the Sea' kit,
also available at SBB, (which I LOVE!!) was too delicate for my LO, so I turned it into a stamp and "stamped" a couple of times so it had a little more weight.

This morning, I got some very useful comments from Angeloup:

"I like the new photo placement, and also your journaling (taking it off the tag makes it less "fussy" and easier to read)"

Now THAT is a very useful comment -- the kind of info I can really use to sharpen my skills!

Thanks a bunch!