Happy New Year!

Have a healthy and happy New Year!

In case you missed it...

the first e-version of Digital Scrapbooking magazine can be found here.

Leave a comment here and let us know what you think!

Whatever you celebrate this season, happy holidays from Digital Scrapbooking magazine!

Online Palette Generator

At the Big Huge Labs site you can generate a color palette from any photo. Just upload a photo, or point to one on Flickr, and this tool comes back with a palette of 20 colors that match your photo. The picture above shows the one I created.
Because it's designed for web use, the colors are all in hexadecimal, but you can download an Adobe Swatch Exchange (ASE) file to load into Photoshop or Photoshop Elements where you can add it as a new palette.

renee

Holiday Blog Banner

Here's a quick and easy tip for creating a holiday banner for your blog. This one took me only 10 minutes to create using Wordle and Photoshop, but any image editing program will work. How I did it:

1. Create a word cloud at Wordle. The size of the word in the cloud is determined by the number of times you use the word in your text. I made a list of holiday-related words, then duplicated the ones I wanted to have more prominence. My blog's title had the most duplicates.
2. Modify your cloud. I changed the layout to Horizontal so it would be easily readable as a banner. I also modified the color palette. (Hint: Try using a color palette from Kuler or Colourlovers. That's what I did.)
3. Take a screenshot and open it in your image editing program. I adjusted the size of the cloud to match the width and height for my blog.
   
4. This step is optional if you're satisfied with the banner the way it is, but I decided to use the Shape tool to create the little snowflakes, reducing their opacity so they wouldn't overpower the words.
5. Upload your new banner to your blog!

I like this so much that I'm sure I'll do more as the seasons change.

renee

P.S. You can see the lifesize version at my blog.

online image editing

I'm always amazed when I see another sophisticated online app doing things that once could only be done with expensive software. And they're doing it for free! Modern memory keepers will enjoy the features offered at FotoFlexer, who bill themselves as "The world's most advanced image editor." Try it and let us know what you think!

renee

give a laptop. get a laptop. change the world.

As I was surfing the 'net recently looking for gift ideas, I found that one of my favorite causes has resurrected a campaign from last year. The One Laptop per Child organization's mission statement reads: "To create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning." For $399 you can give a laptop and get one for a child in your life. Or, if you'd just like to donate a laptop, the cost is $199.

happy holidays! renee

Digital Greetings

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is the greetings we receive from friends and family. This year, one of the most delightful is also a digital greeting. It's by our own Anna Aspnes and I hope this inspires you as you create your own digi cards. How many of you are doing digi-greetings this year? I'd love to hear about it.
Thanks, Anna, for letting me share!
renee

Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have a New Format!

Thanks to each and every one of you who offered suggestions for Digital Scrapbooking magazine’s future. While we’re saddened that, due to the current economic conditions, the February-March issue will be the last printed version of our magazine, we’re very excited to announce that the tutorials and inspiration you’ve counted on from DSM will continue in electronic format.

Starting this month, you can get the columns and articles you’ve loved (including Sure Shot, T3, Make It Now, Hi Concepts and more) from DSM experts in your inbox every other week! We’re moving to an e-newsletter format that continues on our website. We were so excited about the e-newsletter’s dynamic capabilities to present tutorials (think video, audio and screen-cast tutorials) in addition to the written tutorials you know and love that we couldn’t wait until after the last printed issue goes on sale (January 13) to start it.

Don’t miss a single issue! The first version of this exciting e-newsletter goes out December 23. Send an email to webmaster@ckmedia.com and write “subscribe me to Digital Scrapbooking’s e-newsletter” in the subject line today.

Thanks again for your continued support of Digital Scrapbooking magazine!

It’s like she's right there tutoring you!

"She" is former Digital Scrapbooking Magazine Creative Team member and Art Director Chris Ford. And she's offering remote tutorial assistance on Photoshop, Elements, inDesign and Wordpress. You can read all about it at her Creativity Included web site.

A lucky few of Chris' digi friends are giving away one free hour with Chris on our blogs. This is one contest you definitely want to enter.

renee

They've done it again!

Wacom, that is. They've just announced the new Pen Scrappers contest. The theme is fall and winter and this is your chance to win a brand new Wacom Bamboo Fun. Several of our digital scrapping friends and I have contributed layouts and ideas to help get your creative juices flowing. We can't wait to see what you come up with!

UPDATE 12/03 from the Wacom press release: Digital or hybrid scrapbookers can upload their fall or winter themed layouts and enter to be the scrapbooking champion. The top ten entrants will receive a Bamboo Fun pen tablet from Wacom. The grand-prize winner will take home a Bamboo Fun, digital camera and printer. Voting takes place online by community members visiting the site and choosing their favorite scrapbooking work of art. The contest runs through January 31, 2009.

renee

Gift Giving Simplified

Giving a gift that makes the recipient's eyes light up is one of my favorite parts of the holidays. But knowing just what that gift should be is often tricky. If you're not a mind reader, then there are online tools that can help you know just what everyone on your list wants. Check out these tips from Stever Robbins, the Get It Done Guy on the Quick & Dirty Tips network, to get that perfect gift for everyone on your list.

Happy holiday shopping!