[kasey lewis]

I have tried and tried! I loved the SS Curled Edges and Scruffy Flowers so much that I joined the club! May have jumped the gun a bit on that... Anyway, I have read all the instructions, cruised the MB and University and no matter how hard I try, my curled edges are ugly with no texture and weird colors. Is there a more in-depth tutorial available that I can use? How about the e-books in the boutique? Are they as great as Ro's videos? I re-watched More Secrets revealed but it didn't really address the issues I'm having. Any direction is much appreciated! I'm just dying to use these little beauties!

Thanks so much!

[Heatheranne]

Welcome to ScrapGirls. There was a tutorial in the newsletter about how to colour the templates. I've looked for it, but haven't found it yet. I'll keep looking and in the meantime I'm sure that someone else will come along who can use you with this. You haven't said the program that you work with, but I play with PSP right now, so can't really help you, because you likely use PSE.

I have found links in the University that may be what you are looking for. Here's the main link.

I've also found a newsletter tutorial, about this months SS Club, called Scrap Girls Club Concepts Mini Tutorial: How to Create the Look of Hanging Charms

If you haven't signed up for the newsletter yet, you can find the sign up link here. It always has lots of interesting information in it, including; layouts for inspiration and shopping ideas, class information, tuts, freebies and lots more. :-)

I hope that you can find what you're looking for with at least one of these links. I'm sure someone who knows how to explain the process, will come along and give you a hand. Have a great day and happy scrapping. :-)

[MLLatscrapgirls]

I am sorry you are having trouble with them! I have not tried the Scruffy Flowers yet, so can't help you there.

I did try the Curled Edges. I ended up making the curled edge its own document, and putting it all together there (except for the photo underneath) and then dragging that up from the photo bin onto my main document.

How are you trying to add/change the color or texture? Which software are you using? Knowing that will help someone more expert than I am assist you.

In the meantime, I will go play with Scruffy Flowers! Always glad to have an excuse to play!

[kasey lewis]

Thanks, Heatherann, I am a die hard newsletter reader and I know there have been some really good tutorials in them about SS products. I'm still searching for the right one. I tried applying lots of different lighting styles to bring the texture through but it doesn't really make a difference. I wonder if i'm applying them to the wrong layer? Not sure. I would like to apply paper to the background of the ribbon and then color the ribbon. I have tried adding color using the hue/saturation and color variations. Both did not yield very good results.

I am using PSE 6 on a Mac.

[Heatheranne]

That's how I add the colour to the templates, then use the adjustment to change it a little more. I have been known to duplicate the layer that I'm working on and using overlay, burn or some other setting on it to heighten the colour more. Sometimes duplicating twice, gives a terrific effect. Use overlay on the top layer and burn, dodge, luminance, whatever on the second layer. Changing the opacities will also make a difference.

I have coloured the layers with the paint bucket as well. Using the patterns is fun! I think it works in your program as well but not sure of the right buttons. As long as you're familiar with your program, you'll be able to figure it out. I drag a paper that I like into the program - yes you could just layer and trim it, but the paint bucket is interesting because you can also resize the pattern. That said, let me try to explain what I mean. I have a paper with big flowers that I really like, but want tiny flowers on my embellishment. I place the patterned paper into my program, then click on the pattern for the paint bucket and the window will open for choices. I use the drop down and find the paper, which should be near the top of the pile. I then change the 100 % to 10 % for it and I have tiny flowers, in my paint pattern selector, after I've clicked okay. I pour the pattern, onto the embellishment and voila, tiny flowers, which can be further enhanced by the settings of opacity and burn or dodge, etc. Does this make any sense? Can you do it with your program? I must start to play with PSE, so I will know. lol :-)

[CRS]

Try experimenting with Blending Modes. That will change the look of the color and allow the textures to show through. It's a matter of playing around, looking for the right look.

[kasey lewis]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm getting closer... I still feel like it's a bit flat and not as beautiful as the examples, but it's much closer than it was. It takes me FOREVER to fill in each flower a different color witht he paintbucket tool. Is there a better, faster way? I did the alt+delete comand for the layers that I wanted everything the same color, but I can't do that with the flowers. Any suggestions? This is that my ribbon looks like now (see attachment):

Attached File(s)

•  ribbontry1.jpg (468.15K)
  Number of downloads: 41

[Heatheranne]

I think that it's looking great! Perhhaps if you add small drop shadows to your flower layers and a little larger one to your bottom layer to see if you like the effect. Shadows are one of the best ways to add some dimension to your layout. :-)

[caprimom]

Kasey, I think you're on the right track w/your ribbon. There are some great styles in the Boutique to give the appearance of real stitching and is a great way to add some dimension to your template. Here are some I found after a quick search: MST_Stitch 1801,ASO_Stitchin 6401 Mini

[MLLatscrapgirls]

I played around with the Scruffy Flowers yesterday and tried several different ways to color them in. I liked the results best using the Color Replacement brush, but some of the other ways worked also. I ended making a reference sheet for myself - I will post it in the gallery later and put the link here.

Your flowers look beautiful on your border!

[lorac]

I too have been having problems with using the tears templates. It just never seems to work right. I use PSE8, and I'll have to check out some of the suggestions in this thread.

Thanks for everyone's in put.

[kasey lewis]

MLLatscrapgirls, on 22 April 2010 - 09:05 AM, said:

I ended making a reference sheet for myself - I will post it in the gallery later and put the link here.

Your flowers look beautiful on your border!

That would be awesome!! Thank you!

[kasey lewis]

caprimom, on 21 April 2010 - 09:34 PM, said:

Kasey, I think you're on the right track w/your ribbon. There are some great styles in the Boutique to give the appearance of real stitching and is a great way to add some dimension to your template. Here are some I found after a quick search: MST_Stitch 1801,ASO_Stitchin 6401 Mini

Thank you, Ashleigh! I ended up buying the stitches style because I have several uses for it with other projects too. It definitely helps. It doesn't look exactly like I thought it would, not quite as clean as I'd like but I am learning how to play around with the effects settings and get it how I want it. Thank you for the link!

[goodqueenbee]

In my efforts, I have clipped a paper to a layer to get some texture, also some patterns to the petals.

So many options, but sometimes its just too much work and I go look for ready made! LOL

[StephRN]

Yours looks wonderful. I really like the fun, festive colors. WTG.

[caprimom]

kasey lewis, on 22 April 2010 - 05:23 PM, said:

caprimom, on 21 April 2010 - 09:34 PM, said:

Kasey, I think you're on the right track w/your ribbon. There are some great styles in the Boutique to give the appearance of real stitching and is a great way to add some dimension to your template. Here are some I found after a quick search: MST_Stitch 1801,ASO_Stitchin 6401 Mini

Thank you, Ashleigh! I ended up buying the stitches style because I have several uses for it with other projects too. It definitely helps. It doesn't look exactly like I thought it would, not quite as clean as I'd like but I am learning how to play around with the effects settings and get it how I want it. Thank you for the link!

Glad I could enablehelp you out Kasey! I love searching the Boutique so thank you for the excuse! Be sure to post your LO in the gallery once you're done so we can leave some love for you!

[ScrappingForever]

Hi ladies. Sorry you're having so many problems with my Curled Edges. Let me see if I can help you a bit here by telling you how I do it. I don't think I saw this described above, but please forgive me if this is a repeat.

1. Put the paper you want on the layer above the Curled Edge and hit Alt (Opt) + Ctrl (Cmnd) + G to clip it to the Curled Edge layer.
2. Change the blending mode to one that works for you. The ones I use most frequently are Linear or Color Burn, Overlay or Hard Mix.

Now if you want to just color the Curled Edge or one of the elements, this is what I would do:

1. Hold down Ctrl (Cmnd) and click on the thumbnail of the Curled Edge layer. This will put "marching ants" around the Curled Edge.
2. Create a new layer above the Curled Edge. Pick a color that you want in the color picker then dump that color on the new layer. It will only fill the area selected with the marching ants.
3. Now hit Ctrl (Cmnd)+ D to deselect and play with the blending modes again.

HTH! I'll keep checking in to see how you're doing.

[grambie]

This forum is just awesome. I also purchased this set and appreciate the various methods that can be used to reach the same goal. My thanks to everyone for their advice and to Jan, a special hug. (I am a recuperating quadriplegic and use speaking software to type. He has brought me a mighty long way, because I can use my hands to do minor things. I just returned to scrap girls this year because of hospitalization for over two years. I definitely have to stay out of that boutique!:} LOL). Once a scrap girls member, always a scrap girls, member! It's addictive.