Help!! Overwhelmed!

[MJS]

Hi,

This is my 1st post on this site. I've been "experimenting" with digital scrapping for about 6 months now. I have PSE 7 and I don't know too much about using it. I have done some quickpages, recipe cards (premade layouts), etc. I have soooo much to learn. I've looked at some tutorials but I can't seem to stick to anything. There is just so much advice out there and so many ways to do things.

If anyone can give me a basic way to stay on track that would be great! Also, has anyone ever heard of actual "live" classes of this stuff? I live in CT.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

MJS

PS I love all the work on this site!

[Hummie]

Ahh....then I'm the one to help you! They call me the PSE Queen! Okay...I don't call myself that, but I've been called that a lot by other people. Giggle.

Um, yeah, well, not sure it's okay to tell you about my site here or not...I don't like to practice doing that, but I do have a site where you can get lots of free tutorials and also for a very small price get all the tutorials and videos.

If you ever have a question, just find me and ask...I'll help....for free or not for free...that's just the way I am.

[Harmonystar]

Along with what Hummie said, I would say the very first thing you need to know to do digital scrapbooking is knowing your program. I would suggest googling "PSE7 beginning tutorials" to learn the ins and outs of the program. Adobe often has free tutorials on their site as well. Once you know your program digital scrapbooking has endless possabilities, You can also check out the more advanced tutorials after that.

Great to have you with us!

[Jodi]

I found an article on ehow on how to use templates in PSE. It's a good one too.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5250634_star...-elements.html

Of course you need a template to start so I suggest going to

IkeaGoddess

And snagging a few freebies to start you off. Or check out our store here, we have a few templates.

Once you get the hang of scrapping with templates, and after you have learned how to use PSE7 you will get better at making your pages from scratch.

Welcome! Hope that helped.

[Granny Judy]

MJS, forgive an ol lady for butting in.. but know exactly where you are at.. frustrating isn't it.

#1. set up your "files" first so you can find what you want. I have a complete MY PSE file in MY document files. Inside it I labeled folders for what they contain.. brushes, actions, shapes, styles..and a huge folder of files full of elements, papers, etc. Think how you scrap and set up files accordingly

#2. Take your time and work with one tool at a time..I have PSE6 for almost a year and just found the Shapes--not to be confused with the cookie cutter tool. (cookie cutter didn't have the styles and other options that the Shapes have)

#3. If you are a visual person..find the tuts using them.. It helped me the most to see what tool they were using and where to look for it. Plus all the things that tool could do.

#4. You don't have to load every brush, shape or action into your program, you can keep it in your PSE folder then when you want it..there is a way to grab it in each tool box..just ask Hummie or one of the other great users here. I don't want to give you the wrong information since I am still learning myself..

Hope this helps... granny Judy

[meggersjm]

I would suggest enrolling in one of the programs such as gingerscrap's boot camp (this is over, not sure if they are doing it again), swimming lessons at scrapable.

Sites such as gingerscraps and scrapable also have forums that they teach a monthly "technique"- you can go back through the months at your own pace. If it isn't for your program, you can just google the technique for your program. But I find the tuts on the scrap sites really apply to scrapbooking specifically.

[Harmonystar]

Great idea Megan! We will do scrapping boot camp again, but not for awhile. I do a monthly photo editing technique tutorial. Some are pretty advanced so I suggest you learn your program first. Then check out all my tutorials here: http://www.gingerscraps.net/forums/f...c&daysprune=-1

[GingerScraps]

OK- Hummie RULES!!!! When I started that was the place that saved me!! I was lost in a sea of tutorials. And totally confused!
For a very small fee Hummie will teach you more that you dreamed you could learn! And quickly too!
I TOTALLY recommend her site!
Then take all your knowledge- and come over here and do all our fun challenges!
Don't be shy to ever ask questions! No such thing as a dumb question for real!!

And you should totally do the next boot camp! be on the lookout for sign ups it is going to be a while.. but still- so worth it!

[auddymay]

I agree totally. Hummie has it all, from beginner to advanced, and all points in between. I use her video tutorials. I hate trying to follow instructs, so it works great. She also has the written instructs you can DL. For a small fee, you can make that program do exactly what you want. She also has some tutorials on just starting out in scrapping and how to organize.

Her site is here. While I understand not linking to other sites, Hummie's is instruction driven, and as such is more like a school than a sharing site like this one (though there is sharing, and you will also have access to over 50 templates you can keep).

[Hummie]

Okay. I'm going to go over hear and hide. Oh, blush blush....hide from attention.

I had absolutely NO idea that my tutorials helped you Ginger! Am I bad? I know AudddyMay is doing them as I'm checking off her assignments all the time, but....

......you know.....I wish I knew how many people got their start at my site. Every once in a while I read of someone who tells me that and it blows my mind because I had no idea! Mean of them just use the free tutorials and never say a word at my site....which is okay...that's what they are there for....just blows my mind sometimes and really humbles me.

I praise God for allowing me to do what I do and to touch so many lives. The tutorials are not only touching the lives of the scrapbookers, but each person who is touched by the layouts that they create....it's so far reaching! God is good!