Creative block

Well, these first few certainly aren't my best work, but they'll do.  I had such a bad case of creative block that I couldn't get anything done well.  I may go back and re-work some of these, or just pitch them and start from scratch!  In fact, the first one here, is my second attempt at these images.  Much better than my first (I assure you) but still lacking inspiration.

blah

very uninspired and juvenille

started with a cluster



The baseball layout, again, is not my favorite, but it's acceptable for now until I decide if I should accept it, re-work it, or just start over.  The left page of the last layout here started as a cluster element that I modified to suit my needs.  I made it a bit more elaborate by duplicating some of the leaves and flowers and  adding the glitter/pearls.  The page on the right used some of the same elements, I just arranged them differently to suit the image size I needed. 

After these 3 layouts I'm not super thrilled with, I created a truly inspired page.  one of my favorites I've ever worked on:

AAAHHHH, refreshing!  Finally a layout I am proud to put my name on!

This one really is one of my favorites.  The background paper is comprised of several transparent layers, including a few stamps, paint splatter, and paint strokes.  Each of the circles were individually layered, because I didn't have any elements that suited my needs.  The date on both pages was hand written, then scanned, and placed in the layout using a transparent layer. 

Maybe this layer isn't as great as I think, but after the previous three, it feels AMAZING!  I'm so proud of this one. 

And don't forget, you can check out all my layouts in my gallery.

Thank you,
~Digital Nicole

Weekend WIPs (Works In Progress)

Yea yea, I know it's Friday, not exactly the weekend... But I have a wedding this weekend so you'll get my Works In Progress (WIPs) early...

So I've got a lot of projects in the works, some more complete than others.  Lets start with those that are less complete:

Here I'm just working on a layout where I'd like to include 5 pictures.  Its challenging to do anything more than 3 or 4 pictures without it looking overly crowded or pieced together. Which is better???

This is a two page spread I started yesterday.  Even though I made it pretty far into the first page yesterday, I try not to complete a page 100% in just one day.  I don't just run out of time, or get distracted; I do this intentionally.  I find that after a day or two away from a project I can come back with a fresh set of eyes and see the composition in a way I hadn't seen it before.  I'll have had time to reflect on the journaling I want to add and how I want to do that.  For example, yesterday I thought that the cutout picture on the left page was okay, but now I see it's just sitting in the middle of nowhere.  I need to integrate it better.  And the little birdie on the right page, not as cute as I thought. 


Now for a set a little farther along in the design process:

As you can see I only have a general "text" block.  I decided what font I wanted, and the approximate size and shape of the text block.  I still haven't decided on the exact wording to use yet though.  Other than that, these are pretty much complete.  I'm sure I'll find a few things to tweak before I finalize them and send them off to the printer.  In fact, as I look at them now, I'm not exactly thrilled about the little "make/model/year" box on the right page.  I think the handwritten part needs to actually be handwritten; the 'handwriting' font just isn't doing it for me.  I'll probably change that before it's all said and done. 

What do you think?  Remember, I appreciate honest, constructive criticism.

~Digital Nicole

Here we go again (more back log)

Nothing to say... just some more old pages.  They're still not printed, so suggestions on improving them (as always) are welcomed!  Oh - and I think in addition to posting my back log of finished projects I'm going to do a weekly update of my in progress pieces (I usually have half a dozen or so at a time). 



Tried my hand at some transparent embellishments and stitching

Some work with layering and weaving ribbons through other embellishments

more working with layering to add interest

tried my hand at some ink splatter and torn perforations

had a lot of fun manipulating one ribbon embellishment to make
several different looks on these pages

I was working on using photographs in different ways here:
cutouts and transparent

more work with creating embellishments using clipping masks


~Digital Nicole

Back Log

I'm going to start posting some of my back log of scrapbook pages.  As of right now, I have well over 50 pages designed that are just sitting on my computer. I'm going to work my way through these, slowly, and get them all print ready.  I'm hoping to have them all completed and printed by thanksgiving (which means by Christmas in reality, lol).  And remember, as I am posting these designs, I always love feedback.  Both positive and negative, as long as it is constructive!  Seriously, I know a lot of people say "give me feedback" but what they really want is compliment.  I truly prefer honesty to false compliments (as long as it is constructive, of course).  I love doing this, and I want to get better and better, and I hope you can help me.


Just one year, and her hair was to her shoulders!

These pages were a challenge for me because the pictures themselves were
very dark and I could only lighten them so much.  So I was trying to work
with what I had.  And since I have very few pictures of my dad with us,
I was certainly going to use them.

All the embellishments on these pages were created using clipping masks



 

As you can tell by the dates, I have quite a back log!  But, I'll post a few every day and I'll have you caught up in no time, flat!

~Digital Nicole

Why I DigiScrap

I've always had a way with arts and crafts, and in my teens this was directed at scrapbooking.  I loved it, but as a poor college student the cost was prohibitive.  The paper alone cost more than I could afford, let alone stamps, ink, embellishments, ribbons, buttons, bows, cutting implements, pens, markers, etc.  In despair, I temporarily abandoned scrapbooking.

Then, I entered a design program in college.  I got a hold of my first copy of adobe creative suite and started playing with Photoshop and illustrator.  Then, in 2008 after having my daughter and being home a lot I had so much more time on my hands and started to get back into scrapbooking.  I went to the store to buy some supplies and left empty handed.  I was so disheartened that I went home and just started editing some photos.  I don't exactly remember how it happened from there, but I found a copy of some terrible 'scrapbooking' software.  I am using the term lightly... It was no more scrapbooking than a pile of ingredients is a pie.  I remember putting photos into the program and having no way to edit them!  The only thing I could do was arrange the order of elements and rotate them.  What a joke. 

Then it hit me - All I need are the elements.  I have Photoshop!  So I spent the rest of the day online downloading digital papers and embellishments.  That was the day I started digiscrapping. 

~Digital Nicole