Oh my.....where do I begin!? I just found your site this evening and I believe i've been sitting here browsing for something like 4 hours......LOL. I am an avid traditional scrapbooker and have been for over 6 years. There are some amazing things going on here in the CG layout world!!! I happened to get Photoshop Elements on the advice of the camera store where I just recently purchased my first digital camera. I got a Nikon D100 and bought a Canon S9000 13 x 19 printer thinking that I would have more versatility for printing my own pictures to use with my scrapbooking and even went and got a new puter so that I wouldn't have to share with my 11 yr old son. I had mentioned to dh that I wanted some scrapbooking programs for x-mas maybe after I learned how to use all my other new toys. As I started learning to play with my photos in PE I began realizing that I could actually do layouts there. I started working on a layout today earlier but gave up after a several hours of trial by error...lol...and went in search of advice. Looks like maybe I've found just the place to get it! I am proud to say that I had the settings for my 12 x 12 set up correctly with the 300 dpi and I started working with the layers. I hope to share something from PE soon. It looks like Photoshop Elements is commonly used here. Are there some major differences between it and the full blown Photoshop that I might have preferred? Do any of you have a camera or printer like mine? I found it interesting in reading some of the posts that you can take a CD of a layout into a photo developer and get a large format layout printed for you....I never really thought about doing that. I really am kind of computer/camera/printer illiterate so any advice I receive will be soooooo very much appreciated! I'm looking forward to making some new friends here. I'm blown away by all of your talent!!! ~Christina~ P.S. can we print the tutorials???

Welcome! Your enthusiasm makes me smile. I'm so glad you found us. I, biased as I may be, think this is the BEST site for CG scrapping advice.

I have a Canon Powershot G2 (4 megapixel) and an HP Photosmart printer. I'm SO jealous you have hte large format printer. I'd love to have an idea of the print quality of those.

It sounds like you're off to a rousing start. I'm a Photoshop 7 user (dying for Photoshop CS) myself. I think you're good with Elements. PS7 has a number of bigger features...but really, people here do amazing things with Elements. I think Elements is more user-friendly too. You can always upgrade later if you feel like you're outgrowing Elements.

I can hardly wait to see your first CGLOs. You're more than welcome to print out the tutorials! (Just don't publish them somewhere else and take credit for writing them. ) I think you'll find that SBB members are very friendly and very knowledgable. Feel free to ask any questions and post your progress.

Once again, Welcome!

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Suzanne

Welcome!! You're going to love the community here & everyone is very knowledgeable.

I have PS Elements & I like it. I think that (for me), the biggest function missing is an easy way to select part of a picture. If I want to separate people from the background, I have to use the l***o tool, or eraser. This works, with practice, but I think it is supposed to be much easier in PS 7 or 8.

Now, there are many other features in 7 & 8 that I don't even know I wish I had....

Can't wait to see your layouts!

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Enjoy Life
Beth Ann

Visit My Gallery

Hi! Glad you found us!!!

Sounds like you are all set! New camera, computer, printer and programs? NICE!!!

I am a PS 7 user, but I also have PS Elements (the first version) - and have been surprised at what Elements can do! If you play around with it, you'll find a way to do ANYTHING! Check out your local library for an Elements book or two!

Welcome!

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My layouts!

Thanks for the warm welcomes! I haven't had much time lately to get back here and enjoy this site like I would like to but I will hopefully soon. I'm trying to figure out how to upload the first CG layout that I completed. It is a 2 page 12 x 12. I have to admit that this really isn't exactly the first computer type item that I've ever done. I've done lots of cards in the past with various programs and also some certificates with photos on them and even some collage type layouts. But I don't have any of them saved anymore it was a while back and this is really the first that I've done with my new program and printer, etc. Let me know what you all think and any suggestions you may have for me! Thanks ~Christina~

I can't upload my layout successfully. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Can anyone help me out. Thanks

Make sure your web version is 72dpi .jpg about 450 pixels wide and under 125K

Ok, Thanks Amanda. I must have had it too wide since it was a double 12 x 12. It's uploaded now.........