Hey guys! :o)  SP here with a fun and new TEMPLATE CHALLENGE!  We are now beginning TEMPLATE CHALLENGE 10!  Though I’m really happy with how this template turned out…boy, it did not come together easily, lol!  Have you ever just had a layout like that…that you just couldn’t seem to get into a groove with?  Well, that was me on this template, lol!  Finally, things started meshing and I was super relieved :o)  As always, feel free to edit and ‘tweak’ the template!  And, remember that just because we show flowers on this one, that doesn’t mean that you have to scrap with flowers (read more on that below)!  This template could easily just be a very simple and straight-forward layout if you choose to remove some of the embellishments!  If you are not a fan of ‘clustering’ or ‘scattering’…simply remove/delete a few of those layers.  Of course, if you like more…by all means – ADD, lol :o)  Also, as you can see on this template…there are several places for journaling!  If you work with a solid background paper…you could even add lots more journaling in the left and right ‘margins’!  Of course, there are also lots of opportunities for fun title work here, too…so just experiment and have fun with it :o)  Hope you enjoy it…CLICK HERE to download the template (or simply click the preview image)!

 Before we get to the inspiration…how about the GUIDELINES?!

The ‘deadline’ for this challenge is MARCH 31st :o)  I will announce the template challenge winner on April 7th, when we share Template Challenge ELEVEN!  As you probably know, we now announce the winner on the same day we debut a new template challenge.  The ‘winner’ of the challenge will receive a $25 gift card to the Shabby Shoppe!  Please note that for our template challenges…we select the ‘winner’ randomly – so everyone has a chance to win…beginners and experienced scrappers!  It’s a great way to jump in and give digi scrapping (and templates) a try :o)

In order to be entered into the template challenge – you must post your layout in the Shabby Shoppe’s gallery (in the SHOPPE BLOG CHALLENGES gallery) and then post a comment HERE at our blog (on this post only) with a link to your layout in our gallery.  This will enter you into the challenge :o)  Please keep in mind that all layouts must contain at least 75% SP product (purchased or free).  To be eligible for the challenge – you must scrap with the easy-as-pie layered template!

We also have several fun ways for you to obtain ‘EXTRA’ entries to the challenge (please note that in order to qualify for any EXTRA entries – you must first complete a layout with our easy-as-pie template and submit that to our gallery and blog) :o)

• For an extra entry, leave a SEPARATE comment letting us know that you have one of our blinkies (available by clicking on the blinkies link in the sidebar) either on your blog or in all of your forum signatures (be sure to include a link to your blog or signature in your post).
• For an extra entry, leave a SEPARATE comment letting us know that you have facebooked or twittered about our template challenge (don’t forget to include the link in your post).
• For an extra entry, leave a SEPARATE comment letting us know that you have blogged about our template challenge (again, be sure to add your blog link to your post).

So, that means that you have the possibility of entering the challenge up to 4 times! Just be sure each entry is a separate comment, as we will be using a random number generator to choose the winner.  Be sure to get your entries in by MIDNIGHT (eastern time) on MARCH 31st, and again…the winner will be announced in early April (the 7th to be exact)!

 So again…here is your newest Easy-As-Pie Layered Template! <–click this to download OR click the preview image at the top of this post :o)

Your download includes:

–12×12 Layered psd template with drop shadows (you can opt to turn them off or use your own)
–12×12 Layered TIFF template with drop shadows

In the event this is your first time scrapping with a layered template – I created a quick and simple tutorial on how to use our Easy-As-Pie templates in PSE and PS. You can find it HERE. I tried to cover the basics, but if you have any questions, please let us know and one of the Shabby Team Members will do their best to answer it.

Now, I think it is time for some inspiration, lol :o)  You can always visit the Shabby Artist Gallery for more information about each layout – we will be uploading throughout the day/night)…

I created two layouts for this challenge!  I really wanted to show that you can work with this template without using ANY flowers, lol :o)  The flowers on the template are just to show or indicate ‘clusters’ of elements!  Of course, those clusters can be flowers…but they can also be just about anything you can think of!  So, here is my ALL BOY page… 

 And, of course, I had to work on one with LOTS of flowers and other girlie stuff (seriously, I don’t think my two layouts could be more different), lolol :o)  So, here is my adorable niece in an explosion of flowers and hearts, lol…

The super fabulous Kylie also created two layouts with this new template…YAY!  Both are equally GORGEOUS…I mean WOW :o)  I am absolutely ‘taken’ with the photos on this first one (not to mention the design)!  I even showed my little man and we decided that we MUST move to Australia, lol! 

 I love how Kylie rotated the template here…it is hardly recognizable and just goes to show that you can totally tweak and edit the templates to suit your needs (or just to make them stretch for more layouts)!  ADORABLE :o)

 And finally, sweet and talented Anna created this BEAUTIFUL layout…how ADORABLE are those pics (and the journaling, too)?  Just sweet as can be and I LOVE the color scheme she chose!  Perfection…

Thanks again for the wonderful inspiration, girls :o)  As always, now that you’ve seen our layouts…we hope you have fun scrapping your own!  We truly look forward to seeing your pages in the gallery!  HAPPY SCRAPPING :o)

{Remember to link up to this post only to enter template challenge TEN}

And, finally – let’s not forget about TEMPLATE CHALLENGE NINE’S winner!!!!!  Yay…this time, the ‘lucky’ number was FIFTY-TWO…and that means that number1colba’s precious ‘SILLY BOY’ layout was selected :o)  I had somehow missed this adorable layout, so I’m so happy that I got a chance to admire it :o)  Congrats, number1colba…you should have received a $25 gift card to the Shabby Shoppe in your email box (be sure to check spam folders) this morning…ENJOY and thanks for joining in the fun!  and, A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who joined in the fun… 

Alright ladies!  That does it for today :o)  I hope you are pleased with this latest template and are inspired to scrap some gorgeous pages with it!  I’ll be back in the next couple of days (not sure which day yet, lol…still icky sicky here…more the little man than me now!) with a project SCRAP check-in!  And, of course, we’ll be here on Monday with LOTW!  So, have a great ‘end of the week’!  XOXO — SP

Shabby PrincessFree (not desktops), Template Challenges, Uncategorized 53 Comments

Hi all! TRISH here to bring you our newest Tips and Tricks post about selective editing!!

Now, I won’t lie, this was a tough one to bring you because a.) This is one of my biggest secrets to my photo editing and b.) While it’s not hard at all to do, it was pretty tough to try to explain, lol. I’ve been bugging a few of my friends for a few weeks now getting them to help me fine-tune this by making sure things were understandable. So I really hope this works. :o) Also, though I hate to admit it, I have yet to find a way to do this in PSE. The whole trick is based around being able to use layer masks, which as far as I know, PSE does not support. One last thing (then I promise to start explaining things, lol) all edits are done by going to Layers>New Adjustment Layer – this is necessary to do the selective editing.

What, I’m sure you’re asking, is selective editing?? Selective editing is where you apply edits to just parts of your photo, not the entire photo. This is really helpful when you have just bits and pieces of your photo that need a little extra correction. Say the color on most of your photo is correct, but the skin is still wrong. Or say you have (as my example does) a high contrast photo and you want to edit it without blowing out other parts of the photos. I use this in editing about 99% of my photos in one way or another, even when it’s not to do something dramatic, but just a sort of fine tuning.

NOW… onto the tutorial!!
Here is my straight out of camera photo:

Color-wise, I really just want to edit the red tone on the legs, all of the other colors are about 100% accurate already, but the red in the wood floor and curtain give her legs a red cast. While doing the edit, I am not going to worry about what the edit does to anything except the legs. It can make the rest as funky as be but I don’t care.  After doing my edit, I’m going to set my foreground color to black.

Go over to your layers, select the color balance edit layer, and click ONE time on the white box. Select your paint fill tool, go to your picture and click it like you want to fill it black. Your edit should no longer be visible, BUT your picture should not be all black either. If it is, undo, go back to your layer palate and click the white box ONE time again, then go back to your picture and click it as if you were filling the layer black. The white box in your layers should now be black.

Go to your brushes and select a soft brush and then set your foreground color as white. Again go to layers and click the black box. I’m going to go back to my picture and brush over all the skin in my picture. The color balance that we did should now show up only where we go over with the brush.

Next, I want to darken the shadows and slightly increase the brightness of the light spots, but I don’t want to overdo it so that I lose detail in certain spots. I do, however, want to get rid of the detail in the background. I’m going to do this by first adjusting the lighting curves. Once I get those how I want them, I’m going to select the white box on the curves level, then set my foreground color to black and select a soft brush. Last time we painted white onto the black box to make the edit come back. This time by painting the black onto the white we remove parts of the edit. First, I’m going to erase it over the window to bring back some of the detail. Next, I’m going to paint over the curtain and the toy. The curtain, because I still want to be able to have the slight see-thoroughness of it, and the toy so that it brings back the detail to it. Lastly, I’m going to paint over some of the shadow on her leg and shirt, again to bring back details. 

Lastly, I’m going to edit the contrast of the photo. I still want the background darker and I want to try to lower the amount of glare from the window. After I do it the way I want it, I’m going to use a black brush to brush out bits of it again. I’m going to go over all of the same spots I did last time.

That’s it! Really, it’s not that hard to do. I promise, lol. And here is a comparison of the photo if I had left the full layer edits that I did, and then my final version using just selective editing:

Tomorrow, SP will be here to bring you the latest Template Challenge – we are already up to number TEN…can you believe it! :o)

TrishTips and Tricks, Uncategorized 8 Comments