Hi again, it’s Casharina here and for today’s Tips and Tricks post I’ve chosen to share how I use Photoshop CS5 to change the colors of various elements in my kits to make them match my page.  When I learned this trick it really gave me a whole new perspective of how to mix and match various elements from different kits into my layouts.

 To apply this trick, you need a program that will allow you to select colors, such as a magic wand, adjust the hue/saturation and then colorize.  Really it’s that simple!  Here you can see how I was able to change the colors of the layout to match this new layout…

 First, choose the element you would like to adjust the colors of.

 Now, find your magic wand tool on your tools sidebar and be sure that the option “contiguous” is NOT selected (this will be found at the top of your tool bars).  This will allow the tool to pick up the color throughout the FULL element.  This is a great tool to use when you are changing only ONE color to a piece, such as the sand bucket seen below.  (I used the tool to ONLY change the orange to a brighter pink, and then made another adjustment to change the green to a brighter green.  I also used this to change the color of the large flower on the above page to the purple, and then I did another layer to change the center green pearl to a pink.)

 Next, choose the NEW color. To do this you will want to use your color picker tool (just hit I on the keyboard).

 Now, click on the Hue/Saturation box. (It’s the box that has three horizontal lines in it).  Or in your menu options you’ll find it under Image -> Adjustments -> Hue/Saturation.

Here you will find the option to “colorize” the selected portion. (It’s near the bottom of Hue/Saturation dialog box.)

 After you click on colorize the color will show up…it may not be the right color at first, that’s where this process takes a personal touch and you manipulate the hue, saturation and lightness to the point where it matches the color you want.  If you find that there are areas that you’ve missed just go back to the element layer and use your wand tool (W on the keyboard) to select the missing parts and then go back up to your hue/saturation layer and press delete, which will then mask out the former color.  Continue this process until you have the look you want to achieve.

Lastly, you can merge any layers/mask layers you’ve added together by pressing CRTL+E.

 There are times that I like to duplicate my hue/saturation layer for future coloring so that I am sure that I get the SAME color combination.  I do this mostly when I’m working on an alpha that I’m coloring such in the below “ballerina” alpha where I changed the pink to an aqua, or if I’m using elements with the same color scheme and I want to change them all to the same color like in my “drinking nectar” layout. Here are a few more examples of how I use the color adjustment tools to complete my layouts…

*This trick doesn’t always work using the colors as is, if I have trouble getting an element to work with the color I want, sometimes I first change the whole element to black and white and then adjust the hue/saturation or colorize.

There are many different ways of adjusting colors with each of the different software programs each of us use…this is just one (so be on the look out for more of them in future Tips & Tricks posts).  What’s your favorite tip?  Feel free to share it in the comments  - we’d love to here about it! 

So that’s it for this topic (for today, at least)…if you have any questions feel free to leave a reply and I’ll try my very best to answer them!  Don’t forget to check back tomorrow as SP wraps up ProjectSCRAP 2011 and to download your COVERS…they’re awesome!!  Goodbye! 

CasharinaTips and Tricks, Uncategorized 18 Comments

Hello Shabby Shoppe readers, Rosy here with a product spotlight for you!  Do you have winter pictures to scrap, but don’t want to use the traditional cool colors that come in most winter kits?  Then the Tropical Winter kit will be just what you need!  This is one of SP’s first kits, designed in 2005 :o)

With the pretty pinks and oranges, this kit is perfect to scrap any girlie photos too, whether they’re winter related or not.  And, it’s on sale for a limited time, for only $4.50!

Lots of fun and textured papers…digi stamps and word art!  So many fun details in this kit – and how cute is that snowman?!

Now for some inspiration…

I created a layout about my daughter.

and I couldn’t resist designing this cute snow themed thank you card as well!

Here’s what the rest of the team did with Tropical Winter.

Thanks for checking out the blog today…and we’d love you to stop by tomorrow when Casharina offers up some fun Shoppe tips and tricks!

RosyProduct Spotlight, Uncategorized 6 Comments

Happy Monday everyone…Kylie here!  Hope you all had a happy scrappy weekend!  Now, the best way to start off the new week is with Layout of the Week, of course!  So here it is! :o)

6 months by lala777

ADORABLE, huh!!!  The sleeping baby pics are just too precious!  And I love the way lala777 has re-worked one of our challenge templates to suit both her photos and the her milestone journaling.  I’m a big fan of all the layered polka-dot papers too…oh and the paper pinwheel and folded hearts are the sweetest additions!  You must check out lala777‘s gorgeous gallery and all the cute, cute month-by-month baby album pages…awesome scrapping!

Congratulations lala777!  Thanks so much for sharing your adorable layout and talents with us! You have been emailed a $10 gift card to the Shabby Shoppe (be sure to check your spam folders)!  Have fun shoppe-ing!

A big THANKS to EVERYONE that posted to the Shabby Shoppe Inspiration Gallery last week (it was a true joy to look through them all!)…and thanks for stopping by the Blog today, we’re so happy you did!  Our sweet Rosy will be here with you tomorrow and spotlighting a lovely, lovely digital kit that I know you’ll LOVE!

KylieLayout of the Week, Uncategorized 12 Comments

Hi all…it’s me Casharina, bringing you another Food Friday post.  Not too long ago I had a Christmas Party with several of my friends (which I mentioned in my last post!) and we decided to do a “Soup Party.”  Some of us brought a soup, some brought the fixin’s and some brought bowls, cups, etc.  One of the soups was White Chicken Chili, and honestly it was the first time I’d ever tasted it, needless to say I LOVED it!!  It’s very similar to Taco Soup, but different at the same time.  My friend gave me the recipe and I decided to try it over Christmas break while my family was in.  It was a hit!!  This soup is another easy and delicious crock pot meal for those busy filled days, or just a wanna be lazy day!

To make it for my family of four I used the following:

• 2 cans of chicken breast (I used generic from Sams, any type of chicken pieces would work, so use what you have!)
• 2 packages of White Chicken Chili mix (I have since then used generic and it works GREAT too!)
• 2 cans of white beans (I used generic Great Northern beans from Wal-Mart)
• As an afterthought I added 2 cans of corn to the mix, and a can of chicken broth

Now you simply open up the cans, or get your hubby to do it :o) and then dump them in the crock or on the stove if you prefer!  To reduce the sodium, you may choose to rinse and drain the beans before adding to the pot!

 Cook until thoroughly heated.  Aprox. 4-5 hours on high or all day on low.

 Can be served as is, or over crackers.  We also opted to include sour cream, cheese, and a little garlic powder!  I could see cilantro being a yummy addition as well.

click HERE to download the free, 4×6 recipe card (or simply click on the image above)!  ENJOY!!

Thanks for stopping by the blog this week!  We’ll be back on Monday for LOTW…until then have a wonderfully perfect weekend!

CasharinaFood Stuff, Free (not desktops), Uncategorized 5 Comments

hey guys…and a HAPPY new year to all!  SP here…still getting back into the swing of things…after a wonderful and blessed holiday vacation!  I truly hope that you all enjoyed your time with family and friends…and were able to relax and take it all in!  We had a bit of both…total stress and chaos and busy-ness…but THANK GOODNESS it was balanced with a decent bit of ‘down time’ and taking it easy (yay!)!  We did the ‘usual stuff’ – lots of presents and celebrating and visiting with family and friends (and let’s not forget the EATING, lol)…but we also tried some new ‘stuff’ – like ZIPLINING, lol!  oh my – what a rush…so happy I did it – though I doubt I will do it again (never say never).  And, after that, I’m pretty sure that the itch I have been having to go skydiving…is GONE, lolol!  We’ll see :o)

But enough about all of that…I really just want to quickly move through this FINAL ‘monthly’ check-in of project SCRAP 2011!  Why, you ask?  Well, because I am rushing around to finish my album so I can have it printed and back in time for the FINAL FINAL 2011 check-in, scheduled for next Thursday, lol!  That is when we will be sharing the templates for the album cover and ‘officially’ saying GOODBYE to project SCRAP 2011 :o)  Then…the following Thursday (January 26th, in the event I’m losing you here, with all these Thursdays, lol) – we will be kicking off project SCRAP 2012 – woohoo!  Sooooo…spend this next week finishing up ALL of your 2011 album pages (don’t forget any ‘extra’ pages for birthdays, vacations, holidays, events, etc.)…and that way – when we share the cover…you’ll be READY TO GO!  I wish I had done that myself, lol!  Right now – I keep adding page after page after page as I go through all of my photos (this year…I will do that monthly…lesson learned…well, I kinda DID do that last year, but I still keep finding more to add lol!).  Why oh why do I take so many pics?  lol!  Anyhoo – I hope to finish my album up asap, so I can take pics to share with you next week!  Very excited to wrap it up and see the final product!  Alright – more on that NEXT WEEK!  For now…let’s finish with our December check-in (you can find the December templates HERE) :o)

As I mentioned – it was a crazy, beautiful month for us…and these pages barely even scratch the surface, lol…but they are my December pages (my albumwill have another spread with more…big surprise, lol)! 

 Next up…Kylie (who I am missing like crazy as she has been away for the holidays, lol)!  I loved checking out her holiday photos…looks like so much (summer) fun :o)

 Kim always makes me happy with her pages…can’t you just SEE what a wonderful December they had? 

 Amber ‘got me’ with the gingerbread houses – LOOOOOVE them…and such sweet photos for the entire month!!

 Rosy’s pages are absolutely beautiful and inspiring…and I really love how she included a ‘mini’ image of their Christmas card – GENIUS!

 Finally, jltanner’s pages, so full of family and fun – really spoke to me!  Especially love the PERFECT family photo :o)

Girls, thanks so much for sharing these with us!  And, as per always – be sure to check out the rest of the project SCRAP gallery for more inspiration!  And…of course, do not forget to upload YOUR pages for all of us to see!  That’s what project SCRAP is all about…inspiring and motivating each other to get the year SCRAPPED!

Alrighty – I better wrap it up…so I can get back to scrapping!  Remember – let’s FINISH UP OUR 2011 albums so that we can move on to TWENTY TWELVE :o)  I can’t wait to check back in with you next week and share my album!  But more than that…I can’t wait to see ALL of YOURS!  I am hoping the gallery will be filled with photos of 2011 albums :o)  Until then – have a GREAT week/weekend!  xoxo – SP :o)

Shabby Princessproject Scrap 2011, Uncategorized 8 Comments