Tips, Hints, Links and a Tut.

I thought I would post today and share a few little things that may help you on your scrapping way!! I have found quite a few interesting bits spread around the web and thought you might like to share them. Before I give you those links I have a couple of tips for you myself.


My biggest tip is make the Shift Key your best friend. If you use Photoshop then the shift key is your best friend believe me!! Here's how you can start making friends with it:
a. When you resize an element hold down the shift key at the same time and it satys in proportion, with no distortion.
b. If your using a brush and want a straight line - click once where you want the line to start and then Hold the shift key down and click again where you want the line to end..easy a straight line. The same thing works when you using the eraser, click once where you wnat to start erasing and then shift and click where you want it to stop...bingo its done!
c. If your using the marquee tool and want a perfect square or circle - hold down the shift key as you drag it out.
d. It works with the crop tool too to crop a perfect square.
e. Customs shapes turn out in perfect proportions too if you just hold down the shift as you drag. f. If you want to select several layers in the layer palette at once and they are all together, click the first layer and then go to the last and hold down shift and just click...they will all be selected.


Shift has an other friend for us, the Ctrl Key. It's an other great little helper!
a. If you hold down Ctrl and click on a layer in the layers palette it makes a selection of everything in the layer.
b. If you've made a selection on a layer and you want the item you have selected to be on it's own layer then hold down Ctrl and press J and you have the selection all on it's own in a new layer.
c. If you find your photo or an element is not quite where you want it on your layout, then hold down Ctrl and use the arrow keys to nudge it, up, down, left or right.
d. If you want to select several layer in the layers palette but they are not all together, click on the first layer and then hold down Ctrl and click on each layer you want to add.

I think you get the idea!! Two great little Photoshop friends to get to know!!



Now here are some links for great ideas or tuts that I ahev found in my travels around the web.
a. The first one is a free action for Photoshop that saves time, it quickly transforms double-paged layouts into two single-paged layers in order to print, while preserving your original double-paged layouts. This is great if you create your layouts in double-paged spreads. This action creates single-page printable layers for layouts in the following sizes: 12 x 12 8.5 x 11 8 x 8 6 x 6. It's by Bonnie Covel and I think it's a great addition to the stash You can get it here!!


b. If you like torn edges and you use PSE then there's a tutorial for you at Cottage Arts. You can make your own and wow everyone!!


c. There's a good tut here for Paint Shop Pro by Arizona Kate on creating a seamless chequered "tablecloth"pattern that you can use for background and so much more. Seamless patterns can be a pain to make so this one should help you get the basic idea.


If you want to know how to make your own Seamless Pattern from scratch then download my tutorial in pdf here.


Hope you enjoyed the tips and see you tomorrow with a freebie!!