BRAND NEW at this!!!! Need help!! Anything!??!

[casonsmommy28]

:o Hi guys and gals (mostly gals, I assume!):o ,

Just wanted to give you a tid-bit of info about myself. I am new to the whole digital scrapbooking world... as a matter of fact, I recently saw a DS magazine in Wal-Mart - and found it very intriguing - bought the magazine, and have been diligently studying it since then! However, I am no stranger to PhotoShop and have it both here on my computer at work, and at home. I have never used Elements, but am thinking of getting it. I've been working with PS since I was a freshman in college (4 years now!!--I'm 22!), and have mastered quite a few techniques... or at least I think so!! I mainly play around with it here at work when I'm bored! I used to be a Graphic Design major/Fine Arts minor! I also use it at my work currently to do "color-ups" for our clients... I work with a set of drawings (for a proposed subdivision, building, or business) and actually color them in using different PS elements, and plot them out for clients! It's fun, yet can be very time consuming and tedious!
Anyhow, since I am very familiar with PhotoShop, I figured that Digital Scrapbooking would be right up my alley - once I get the hang of it. That's why I'm on here! We just recently had our first baby boy - Cason Robert - on December 4th, 2007, therefore, I'll be taking LOTS of pictures and need to turn them into a masterpiece for the little on to have once he is older!! I really don't want to spend a lot of money on this hobby either. Ideally, I would love to make all of my elements with the help of PS and will need lots of help doing so!! Well, I'm ready to embark on my DS journey! Wish me luck!! I will always appreciate any advice/help anyone can give me, so don't hesitate! I'm wayyyy too new at this!! :) Thanks guys!!

~Allyson~

[Wendy]

Hi Allyson ...

Oh you should be just fine with scrapbooking ... mastering using Photoshop is a big part of it.

... and it sounds like Cason Robert is going to tbe an ideal scrapbooking subject :) Congratulations !!

Look forward to seeing your pages

Wendy

[SharLamb]

Allyson, you are way ahead of so many of us who didn't start scrapping our babies until we already had grandbabies, and who came to this with no knowlege of PS or PSE. I just started this whole journey in November. The two biggest helps I've had have been this group, INCLUDING becoming a Premier subscriber (priceless) and subscribing to the weekly e-zine, and getting Patty Debowski's book, "Digital & Hybrid Scrapbooking & Card-Making" (I got the version with the organizing system...worth every nickel!). Linda's video teaching with written reminders are thorough, easy-to-follow, and gentle. Both Linda and Patty make you feel like this *can* be done. So I did have a little up-front expense, but every hobby has a price to pay, and this is a lot less money than traditional scrapping (or playing golf).

The next thing you should do is make a simple layout and post it in the gallery. That will seal your commitment and give you a lot of courage. The biggest problem I have now is discovering the depth of this subculture on the web, and being tempted away from actual production as I learn and explore and download. Don't be tempted to download every freebie out there just because you can. Sounds like you'll be making a lot of your own goodies anyway. And before you get too far along, figure out how you're going to organize your stuff so that when you make LO's, you will be able to give credit where credit is due (for this I love Patty's organizational system). There are many threads discussing organization.

I am still so new to this that I can't give help very often (still more of a taker than a giver), so it gives me pleasure to welcome those who are even newer than I am from time to time.

Shar