Digital Scrapbooking Day

The Savvy Shopper's Guide to Digital Cameras

The Savvy Shopper's Guide to Digital Cameras

by Molly Newman, Associate Editor, Digital Scrapbooking Magazine

Is a new digital camera making an appearance on your holiday wish list this year? With so many options to choose from, it's tough to navigate the maze of competing models and find the one that's just right for you. These tips will help you focus on the right features and ask the right questions... and ensure your new camera will be a gift that keeps on giving for years to come.

Don't get tripped up by the size trap. With even entry-level digital cameras boasting resolutions of 10 MP or more, you might believe that more megapixels always means a better image. But a better indicator of image quality is the camera's sensor size. Larger sensors pick up more light, allowing you to shoot at faster speeds in lower-light situations. Plus, jumbo-sized sensors produce finer detail at any screen or print size. Check out: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

Say goodbye to shake. Many new D-SLR cameras include on-board image stabilization among their features. Image stabilization banishes camera shake, meaning your shots (especially of fast-moving subjects like kids and pets) will be crisper and sharper every time. With this feature built into the camera body, there's no need to invest in pricey image-stabilized lenses. Check out: Sony Alpha D-SLR A350

Are you going retro? If you have a large collection of older SLR lenses, make sure the D-SLR you're checking out is compatible with the lenses you already have. Most manufacturers support the use of older lenses with new D-SLR bodies; Nikon is the only major manufacturer that does not.

Don't be a kit captive. D-SLRs are often sold as complete kits with a body and lens included. These lenses, though, are often low-end and too slow to be of much use. A better choice is pairing a D-SLR body with a lens that really suits your shooting needs, whether it's made by the camera body's manufacturer or a dedicated lensmaker such as Tamron or Sigma. Check out: Sigma 18-50mm 2.8 EX DC Macro HSM

Editors Note:  all photos from Digital Photography Review (DP Review) which is a great resource for in depth camera reviews.

Digital Sneakers? You Have to Check These Out!

The second annual Digital Scrapbooking Day (DSD) is almost here, and we at Digital Scrapbooking magazine have lots of couldn’t be more excited about the chance to celebrate this creative, cool hobby with you. You’re invited to join in any and all of the fun things we have planned for both the week leading up to and including that day, such as:

On digitalscrapbooking.com

·         Video tutorials

·         Daily giveaways in the Digital Scrapbooking magazine group

·         Behind-the-scenes video

·         “Secrets of Highly Effective Brush Users” article for insider tips

·         Tips to get published

·         Q&A with managing editor Lynda Angelastro in the Digital Scrapbooking magazine group from 11-noon MST

·         Challenges to design your own sneakers and laptop skins

On our blog

·         a challenge to design our blog header with your digi skills

·         guest bloggers from PC Layers, Digi Scrap 101 and more

·         cool news & tips

·         guest blogger Rhonna Farrer

 

 

Plus, you can show off your unique digi style with the first-ever, official Digital Scrapbooking magazine sneakers. Designed by our art director Marin Barney, these adorable shoes will help you display cool brushwork as accessories for your feet as well as your pages––just in time for DSD!

 

 

 

 

 

However you spend Digital Scrapbooking Day, have a wonderful time preserving your memories with fun digital techniques!

 

 

Jennafer Martin

Editor-in-Chief

Digital Scrapbooking magazine

 

 

DSD Flair Tutorial

   We have Flair for your Facebook page for Digital Scrapbooking Day! 

Thanks to Mary Canavan for this tuturial on How to Put Flair on Your Facebook Page.  She's brilliant!

You can also just download the DSD button and use it on your blog or website.

I made the DSD Flair using FxFoto so I thought I would share a little tutorial on that too in case you want to make your own Flair.

Flair are buttons which are really easy to make.  Facebook will take your design and make it look like a button so all you need to do it create it and upload it.

First start a new collage and make 140 pixels bu 140 pixels.  To do this click on the New button in the upper left corner.  Now choose New Collage Wizard.  Select Multi-photo Collage (Scrapbook Page).  Now look at the screen below - choose Custom Page and set it for 140 x 140 pixels.  Then click Finsh.

Pick your background, add text and whatever.  You will want to make your background round so you will need to crop your papers in a circle.  To do that, click on the Crop button and choose the Pull or Adjust Oval Crop Area.  To make a perfect circle click on the Fixed Rope Aspect and from the drop menu choose 1.000 (Square).  This will give you a perfect circle.  Now crop the paper by clicking on the Crop Image button.

Once you are done save your image as a jpeg by clicking on Save Image As and put it in a folder for safe keeping.  Go to Facebook and open the Make Flair wizard.  For the add image part, browse to your created Flair and upload it.

Now go make some Flair and don't forget to send me some!  Would you like the DSD Flair?  Shoot me an email at [email protected] and I will be happy to send it to you!  Enjoy!

Making Post Cards

Here's a fun little project that is as useful as it is fun.  Did you know you can make your own postcards?  Really, you can!  It is so simple and is a great way to combine paper and digital.

You can find a compete Post Card Tutorial with all the details.  The US post office will let you mail at 4x6 card printed on card stock for a mere $ 0.27.  You can also print your cards as 4x6 photos and just mail them if you prefer a more glossy finish. 

I started making these a few years ago to send to my DD at camp.  The size is perfect for jotting a little note and sending one every day so they get mail daily.  When my older DD was at a campus program in Boston, she used them to decorate her door and wall.  Usually I use quotes but this year I've made a few for my younger one at camp which have corny jokes on them or cute animals. 

These are also great for

• invitations
• save the date cards
• reminder cards - I made some to remind people about a fund raising event
• thank you cards
• moving cards
• birth announcements
• ads for a sale or event

Here are a couple of examples from my collection:

Credit: Say What by Amy Teets; flower and words from OScraps grab bag; stamp from Picnic in the Park by Kim Hill; file tie by Kim Hill; buttons. ribbons and tag by Corina Neilsen; bent frames by Khristy Schmidt

Credits: August Shadows by Miriam Lima; I scanned some fortunes and added them

Credit: Burst of Color by Kim Hill; font is Beyond Wonderland

Credit: Teen Spirit by Kim Hill; font is Genius of Crack; the dog is my standard poodle who needs a haircut.

Creating FxFoto Friendly Templates

Many of you have asked so...here's a little tutorial with all the information you need to create sketch templates than can be used with the Quick Layouts tool in FxFoto. The templates may be made with any photo editing software (including FxFoto) and you may find it very easy to just add an FxFoto friendly page to all your current sketch template kits.

In case you haven't used the Quick Layouts tool in FxFoto, it lets users drag and drop papers into a sketch template.  The papers and photos are automatically cropped and placed in the page so they are layered without having to learn about using layers.  It makes it very easy to create a layout.  Elements and embellishment may be added by simply clicking on them and then arranging them on the layout. Text is added in the usual FxFoto way - open a text box and then move it to where ever you want on the page.  If you have never seen Quick Layouts in action, there is a video tutorial on the FxFoto website Creating Layouts Part 3 - Sketch Templates.

So here are the "rules" - not really rules, more like guidelines....