If you’re anything like me, you’ve had that “uh oh” moment when you realize that your title is misspelled only seconds after flattening your layout.  If you are lucky, you catch it that quick, and you can use the handy dandy History menu to revert back and fix the mistake.  What happens if you’re not that lucky though?  I’ve not noticed errors until months after, when browsing my photos in a gallery.  I’ve found things I left off only after I have saved and shut down Photoshop.  It’s a sinking feeling in your stomach….that thought that you want to fix it, but there’s absolutely NO WAY for you to do so.  If you’ve ever been there, you know the panic that I am talking about.

After having that happen to me a number of times, I started putting together a list of things that I would personally check before flattening my layout for saving.  The list has saved me on a number of occasions.  If you’ve had this problem before, you are probably wondering what I have on this checklist, what things do I check for before I flatten my layout.  Wonder no more, after using this list for months on my own, I decided to create a handy printable checklist that you to can check before you flatten your layout.  It’s available for you to download for FREE!

9 Things to Check Before You Flatten Your Layout

This list is made up of the 9 most common mistakes I have made in the past when flattening a layout.  Yours may be different, but these 9 things I check before I flatten my layouts will be a good starting point to make sure you never find yourself in that “uh oh” position again.

What would you add to the list?  What would be your #10 Thing to Check?  Let’s share in the comments below!

• Any files I don’t need any longer go to the recycle bin.  This goes along with the ideas from yesterday’s post, but if I don’t need it any longer, adios!  Last time I did a clean up, I found lesson plans from three years ago, when I was teaching a whole different grade.
• Move files to where they belong.  I am famous for leaving files in my To Be Unzipped folder because I am too lazy to figure out where they really should go.  This is the time to do that.  Once you have cleaned out what you don’t need, put what you do need in it’s right place.
• Consolidate folders where you can.  I do this in my Pictures folder.  Each time I upload it creates a folder with the date.  At the end of the year, I put them all together in one folder for the year.  It helps me keep everything together, and easy to navigate if I need to find something.
• Make sure files are named so you’ll know what they are.  I can’t tell you how many “Untitled” files I have.  They are absolutely useless when I am trying to find something I need.  When I am going through cleaning up my files and folders, I take the time to rename anything that needs to be renamed.
• Make a list of any larger tasks you come along while you are working.  Often times, when I am cleaning up my files and folders, I find something that I had been meaning to work on.  When that happens, I add the task right to my Google Tasks list so that I won’t forget it again.  I can’t tell you how many tasks I have “remembered” like this.
• Remember, it’s all about making it work for you.  Whatever organizational system you find to be the most productive is the best for you, whatever rules you have for keeping files is best, as long as it works for you.  I always try to remember how good it feels when everything is all clean and organized, that usually prompts me to do these types of tasks again.

Do you go through and clean up your folders and files?   What strategies do you use to keep your folders and files clean and organized?  Let us know in the comments below.

• You can’t get a refund. Sure, you may find yourself feeling guilty that you want to get rid of something that you purchased (especially if you never used it…oh the horror!).  The thing is, keeping it isn’t going to make the money reappear.  When I purge, I usually start deleting things that I haven’t used in a year or so (much like my closet).  If I keep the supplies just because I bought them, and I’m not using them, there is really no reason to keep them.  You have to let go of the guilt, and that will give you the freedom to let go of your supplies (even ones you never used).
• Stop kidding yourself. Realistically, if you haven’t used the product in over a year, you probably aren’t going to use it again.  The last time I purged, prior to my most recent purging, I had left products that I hadn’t used in a year, but I was sure I was going to use soon.  Guess what happened….when I went back and did my most recent purging, those products were still there, unused.  The digital scrapbooking industry is one that is constantly putting  out new goods.   There will always be something you want to use more, something newer, something that better fits your style.  I’ve learned that the hard way.  Now, the steadfast rule is: if it hasn’t been used in a year, it gets deleted.
• Just because you have the room, doesn’t mean you need to use it. I’ve talked to so many people who say, “I don’t purge, I’ve got a 1TB EHD, so I have plenty of room.  There isn’t a need for me to get rid of stuff.”  I used to think like that too, but recently, I’ve been exploring this idea of living with less – if you don’t need it, get rid of it.  Our lives get filled with clutter so easily, it becomes necessary to start surveying what’s around you, and getting rid of what you don’t need.  The same goes for digital scrapbooking supplies – if it’s not necessary, why keep it around?  Freeing yourself of that clutter will help you feel more organized and pulled together.

How do you go about purging your supplies?  What hurdles do you face, and how do you overcome them?  Let us know in the comments below!

When I started digi scrapping, I was sure that I was going to save boatloads of money not buying ridiculously expensive scrapbooking papers, and all the tools I needed to put together a decent scrapbook page. Funny thing is, shopping for digi is a lot easier than running to Michaels to pick up a few things. I can shop whenever I want. It’s not a big deal to pick up one thing that I need right away. I can shop multiple times in one day. It’s so easy, in fact, that I usually find myself painfully unaware of how much money I am actually spending on digi supplies.

I won’t scare you and offer you numbers, but I can tell you, I scared myself. Digi was costing me WAY more than paper scrapbooking ever did! Changes needed to happen, and they needed to happen quick (mainly before the wife found out HOW MUCH money was being spent!). These are five tips for cost effective digital scrapbooking that I try to abide by.  Try.

• Buy basics – I often shop for stuff that I know I can use over and over again without it looking the same each time. I feel that if you have a good set of basic materials, you are able to flesh it out with some more fancy stuff as you go.
• Shop sales and New Release days – It sounds simple, but it was hard for me to stick to. I often would be in the middle of a layout and find myself shopping for the “perfect” alpha to go with what I was using. Now, I try to stick to the days that the products are on sale, unless it’s a digimergency.
• Subscribe to newsletters and “Like” Facebook Pages – These two forms of communication are the best way to stay on top of deals from your favorite designers. Some designers even offer exclusive discounts to newsletter subscribers or Facebook Fans. You can sign up for my newsletter HERE or “Like” my Facebook Page HERE.
• Buy kits you can stretch – when I am shopping for kits, I often look at the papers and elements to see if I can use the kit beyond it’s intended theme. For example, when I picked up Kristin Cronin-Barrow’s Hippity Hop, I knew that I would be able to use the kit beyond Easter layouts.  In fact, here’s a non-Easter layout I did with the kit:

• Set a budget….and stick to it – This is where I most often fall down, but it’s one of the most important tips I can give you.  You have to set a budget from the beginning and stick to it.  Maybe it’s monthly, or weekly, or yearly – it doesn’t really matter.  What matters is that you are staying within your pre-determined limits.

What are your tricks for saving money when digital scrapbooking?  What cost effective digital scrapbooking tips can you share with me?  I need all the help I can get!

That’s why I am excited to be part of their DOTW series. You can check out my interview with them HERE, and even have a chance to win a $10 coupon to my store. While you’re there, take a minute and explore all the neat things Persnickety has to offer. There’s so much to explore…make sure to check out their Hybrid section, where you can create and order awesome cupcake holders like these!

So I bet you’re wondering what the giveaway is.  The awesome people at Persnickety have given me a $25 gift certificate to give away!!!

Persnickety Prints Giveaway!

1. All you have to do is check out the Persnickety Prints site HERE.
2. Decide what you would get printed if you had $25 to spend.
3. Come back HERE, leave a comment & tell me what you’d print!

One thing that I know I am using “the cloud” for right now is backing up. I have been backing up my files to offsite for some time now. I had been using Mozy, but since their enormous price increase, I have switched to Backblaze. Backblaze takes all of my files from the computer and backs them up to “the cloud.” That way if anything insane happens here, my files are backed up “in the cloud.” I also started backing up my blog using a WordPress Plug In, and sending it to my Dropbox account. Again, I am taking my files and backing them up to “the cloud.” Recently, I’ve been looking for ways to back up my email to “the cloud” as well.

So, I guess while I don’t know exactly WHAT “the cloud” is, I am using it to my advantage.

Are you using “the cloud”? How are you using it?

1. My favorite pair of shoes
2. One song I can’t stand is…
3. A time I felt special was…
4. My morning routine
5. My secret hideout
6. If I had a theme song, it would be…
7. A time I helped someone special
8. Games I like to play
9. What my BFF and I have in common
10. One thing people usually don’t notice about me is..
11. My favorite sounds
12. My favorite words
13. One time when I got in trouble…
14. If I had a time machine, I would…
15. The day of the week I look forward to the least
16. What “trustworthy” means to me
17. If you looked into my closet…
18. My favorite Tweet is..
19. The last thing I posted on Facebook was…
20. If I were a color, I’d be….
21. My most prized possession is..

Hopefully these will help you get a jumpstart on doing some awesome “About Me” layouts!!  Make sure to come back and link us to the ones you do!

Scrapbooking Experiment #1: Clean and Simple Scrapbooking

So I figured my best bet for creating a clean and simple scrapbook page was to dig into my template archive, specifically my Janet Phillips templates.  I like her clean, linear style so I knew that I would find a template that would work for what I was trying to achieve.  I decided on using one of the templates from her Collection 29, from when she was still selling at The Daily Digi.

I had a bunch of pictures from a day when the girls were playing restaurant, and I knew I had Kitschy Kitchen by Jennifer Barrette and Sahlin Studio to use, so I gathered my materials and got started.  After a bunch of moving things around and experimenting, this is the layout I ended up with.

After going through the process, these are the things I came up with.

The Pros

• This layout came together pretty quickly.  I just put the papers and the pictures on the layout and then made the adjustments.  It was very different than my usual process, which involves adding elements in and shadowing over and over.
• I like the simplicity of the page.  The linear design appeals to me, and I feel like the simplicity keeps the focus on the photos.
• I was able to keep the simple design, but still use some great patterned papers.  I didn’t want to have to use a bunch of solids in the design.
• I was able to incorporate a few choice elements that supported the theme.

The Cons

• I really wanted to layer more.  There is so much great stuff in the kit, that I wanted to include more.  I found myself thinking about tucking stuff behind papers and piling the elements on.  I had to restrain myself from doing this.
• There isn’t a lot of depth created by this style of layout.  I like to really enhance the dept of my pages, so that they appear realistic.  This layout didn’t give me many opportunities to do that.

I guess, overall, I am happy with the results of the page.  I got a nice looking layout done in a short amount of time, one that keeps the focus on the photos and tells the story I was setting out to tell.  Will I start doing this style scrapbooking all the time?  No.  I don’t think it will fit the “look” I want all the time, however, it’s an option for “branching out.”  I would like to experiment more with this style of scrapbooking, and see if I can make it fit my own style.

Do you do clean and simple scrapbooking?  What techniques and tricks do you use? What advice would you give me to help me do this style of scrapbooking?

People often ask me what inspires me to create digital scrapbooking kits.  A lot of times, I am inspired by the world around me.  Sometimes, however, I am inspired by colors alone.  As a scrapbooker, I also find myself inspired to create layouts with certain color combinations that I really like.  There are a few places that I go to for color inspiration.

Colour Lovers – I love the abundance of palettes available at Colour Lovers.  I also like there is the opportunity to design your own palettes, which I have done from time to time.

Inspired Bride – I absolutely LOVE creating kits from Wedding Palettes because often, the images with the palette are as inspiring as the colors.  Inspired Bride has some of the classiest palettes I have seen.

Design Seeds – I am new to Design Seeds (thanks to Pinterest), but I can already tell that we are going to have a long and fruitful relationship.  Everyday, there are multiple palettes, and I have a hard time deciding which ones I like best.  All based on beautiful photos, these palettes have rich, fun colors.

Those are the few places that I find color inspiration.  Do you use color inspiration in your scrapbooking?  Where do you find your color inspiration?

As we wrap up January, and the dust begins to settle on all the “New Year” hoopla, I’ve really started thinking about what things I want to try out in terms of scrapbooking this year. Performing scrapbooking “experiments” helps me to keep my scrapbooking fresh, and stretch myself as a scrapbooker. Sometimes, I know the things that I want to try out, and sometimes these things come to me. Today, I thought I’d share the three experiments I am looking to try out this year.

1. Clean and Simple Scrapbooking – over the last year or so, as I have discovered Cindy Schneider and her templates, I have really grown into the layered and clustered style of scrapbooking. I still love it, and think that it’s a great representation of me, but I really would like to branch out a bit more this year. I have a bunch of Janet Phillips templates that I am hoping to give a try to this year. Maybe I can switch it up a bit.
2. Adding Lighting to my Pages – Last week, I happened upon a tutorial on Traci’s Hawt Mamas’ Blog about adding lighting to your scrapbook pages. I was intrigued as to how the completed layout looked, and knew I had to try it. I am a little weary, the lighting effect really dabbles into the idea of fantasy scrapbooking, and personally, that doesn’t fit my style. I am excited to try this tutorial out and see how I can make it work for me.
3. Scrapbooking without a Template – This may possibly be the scariest one to me.  I have come to rely on templates to help me get my pages done and look good.  This year, I am going to try and take what I have learned and see if I can put together some layouts on my own.  I’m not sure how they’ll come out, but I think that I need to give it a try to help myself grow as a scrapbooker.

So those are the three experiments I am looking to try out this year in my scrapbooking.  What are you looking forward to trying this year?  What are your experiments?