I've been fielding a number of comments and emails lately asking me a variation of the following question: "Hey Cathy, what's up with all the digi stuff? Have you left traditional scrapbooking behind?"
The short answer: no. The long answer follows…
I remember when I started scrapbooking like it was yesterday, mostly because I was totally freaked out that I was so insanely in love with something I swore I would NEVER partake in. Scrapbooking? Me? Yeah, RIGHT.
But then I made the layout below, and there was no looking back:
From the very first magical day, I was a girl who tapped into my digital side to make layouts. By combining my love of design, type and computers with stuff in the real scrapbooking world, I found a way to make something with my hands that had components created and taken from the digital realm. In other words, I started as a hybrid girl, and for the most part, that's where I've been for most of my scrapbooking days.
I never thought I would make all-digital pages. Even though I loved the techie aspect of choosing type and making digital sketches, I always loved printing it all out, cutting it apart and re-assembling it in the real world.
The hands-on part of it actually forced me to move away from my computer and work in a different creative realm. I liked what that did for my creative process; that it added a tactile component beyond simply using a mouse and a keyboard.
But a funny thing happened over the summer as I started dabbling a bit more in straight-up digital designs: I felt inspired to tell stories again in a way I hadn't in quite a while.
Rather than wait until the time was good to pull out my photos, and pull out my scrapbooking stash of goods, I simply opened iPhoto, pulled out some photos and started designing right here, on my computer—the place where I spend a large majority of my work day as it is.
Suddenly, I was finding both the time and the inspiration to tell stories again.
So back to the question of "what's up with all the digital stuff?" I guess my answer would have to be: I'm following my inspiration right now. I plan to keep one foot in the "real" (edited to add: as in paper and glue) scrap world, one in the digi scrapworld, and a third in hybrid land, which might actually be trickier than you'd think, as I am currently only in possession of two legs.
I'm trying to find the best way for me and where I'm at now to keep telling stories from my life.
Talk to me about your traditional/hybrid/or digital leanings. I'd love to hear from you, the blog readers, on where you are and what percentages you put your own creating at.
Don't be shy now. The phone lines are open…
Sarah B says
I too want to have it all! I do digi for projects like albums for grandparents and relatives that are going to be gifts, i do hybrid wherever I get the chance (cause it’s one fee and use it as many times as you like 😉 ) and then paper when I can. I love that we have so many different avenues as scrapbookers, and that really, it’s whatever takes your fancy/suits your budget/matches your project. They’re all tools for telling the story.
kate says
I could have written this post! I love all the scrappy, messy, textured, layered look that comes with traditional scrapping, but don’t always have the time for it. I long to scrapbook, to get my stories told, and lo and behold, I’ve mastered digital this year, not well mind you, but I’m getting there. I’ve decided the things I love most about scrapping are the pictures and the stories. I love quick scrapbook pages and digital is mess-free and quick. OK I love embellishments too but I can add them at a later date when I’ve got time! 🙂
Mariangeles_Spain says
I love to put my hands between paper, scissors, glue, etc I don’t feel comfortable doing a digi LO. But I have tons of digi files to edit my pics (frames, embellies, etc) and print them out (journaling spots, transparencies, etc).
So, I should say I’m a little bit of an hybrid scrapbooker 🙂
Judy in Huntsville AL says
I, too , have always used my computer to create titles and journaling for my scrapbook pages, now I only dabble in digital [but do play with and create digital pages when I’m working out of town] and I love the color-matching best, and type and brushes on photos too. But I know in my heart that I’ll always be a paper and scissors girl…
Juju says
I’m more a verbal than a visual thinker, so when I began to do paper scrapping, it was a love-hate relationship. I loved the finished pages in my albums, but I agonized over every step of creating them: cutting, arranging, gluing, writing. I had never thought of myself as an artist, so I doubted every decision (and in those early pages, some of my doubts are heartily confirmed!) When I learned about digital scrapping, and that it allowed me to have infinite control and tweakability, plus the ability to do my journaling in type rather than handwriting, I was hooked. In the past year, however, I’ve noticed a turn toward the hybrid–still doing digital layouts, but I now like to print them a tiny bit small, then back them with colorful cardstock and add an embellishment or two. I like the flexibility of hybrid scrapping most of all–digital layouts with a little snap of texture on the page.
Sam says
I hear ya, Cathy. Me, too. I swore I would never do digi (that’s not scrappin’, right?) I’ve always used the puter for journaling, some titles, etc. but go all the way — no way. But, one day last spring – I tried it and liked it. No, I loved it! I still play with glue and scissors for altered things, but LO’s? It’s all digi, baby.
Brooke says
I like to think of myself as a scrapbooker, but truth be told I’ve only ever created two albums, which I’ve given as gifts. So I guess, that really just makes me a card maker.
I’m so envious of the digital realm at the moment, probably because I’m so very lacking in knowledge/talent when it comes to all things digital. I’m wishing I could mix it up a little and actually edit my photos, round the corners and get some text on there. That would be fantastic, but little old me is stuck with Neo Office.
Judy Lucas says
You inspired me to buy a mac, a better photo program and try this. I will never ever give up my paper, scissors and glue – but maybe I can learn how to edit my pics instead of just printing….
So, just how hard is a Mac to learn?
Laura says
My first experience with (modern) scrapbooking was with paper and was a disaster–I hated it. When I discovered digi, I fell in love. But I have learned a tremendous amount by doing digi, and that has built my confidence, and now I dabble in hybrid. So I’m a little bit backwards in this regard! My full pages are all digi, but I love doing hybrid mini books and cards.
Jen D says
I’ve recently started in on the digi scrapbooking and love that it saves me time and makes the whole process less overwhelming. I am 2 years behind on scrapbooking my daughter’s life, and have another baby on the way, so I wasn’t sure how I was going to get it all done. I love that I can create a page on my laptop anytime, anywhere. The one thing I still am not sold on is that I love the textures of paper and embellishments, as well as that part of the creative process. For now, I think sticking with the hybrid method is what works best for me – although it does take a lot longer. Although I love simple, I just can’t get over how “flat” my digi only layouts look. Any ideas on how to overcome that?
Maureen says
Not hard at all. If you are near a store, go to the Switchers classes. ‘Editing’ will get you started on a wonderful path and btw, you’ll never miss the constant virus scares!
Melissa says
I loved to scrapbook, but the mess! I had to put it all away so the kids wouldn’t get into it, haul it all out to go to “crops”. I spent way too much money at the scrapbooking store. Then, in 2004, I discovered a very small community of digital scrapbookers. That was it. I sold and gave away all of my scrapbooking supplies and never looked back. I had my own digital scrapbooking business for 5 years (PhotoBookMemories) and now I can have digital scrapbooking just as my hobby. I do sneak in a little digital scrapbooking how to in my classes – I teach Photoshop.
cathy says
Amen, Sister. They ARE all tools for telling the story. Damn. That’s a GREAT quote.
cathy says
Pictures and stories. That’s basically my feeling too.
cathy says
You know, that whole “agonizing” over choices is something that a lot of scrapbookers face. I too, like the idea of the ability to tweak and play, and not have to worry you’re going to ruin a page by placing something down and then thinking, “ACK! WHY DID I DO THAT?”
cathy says
Hey Brooke, you should consider putting Photoshop Elements on your Christmas list. For the price (I believe you can get it for around $79 with rebates at adobe.com) it’s a serious bang for the buck. Then, take a class at reneepearson.com or jessicasprague.com. They are both excellent places to learn!
cathy says
Judy, Macs are not hard, but they are a little tricky at first because you work differently in the way you organize your machine. If you buy a Mac, you can take classes at Apple stores that are excellent, and usually for free. And seriously, once to Mac you never go back. ; )
cathy says
I think it really does click for some people (no pun intended!) LOL!
cathy says
I do get the “it’s so flat” effect. I think if you keep the following in mind: you are documenting stories from your life. Your stories are the thing that matters, you know? How you package them (flat or bulky) might not be as important! : )
cathy says
i have to say, the idea of online shopping, and having ALL your digi supplies on your computer… i love the ease of that!
Cheri says
drop shadows and purchased embellies from the designing pros. I’ve seen (and created) digi pages that you have to actually touch to believe that they aren’t paper!
Maureen says
My designs are always limited by the pre-printed size of my photos. I like the idea of creative cropping freedom that digi provides, then again I am afraid that the endless possibilities will paralize me.
Cheri says
I started out eleven years ago as a paper scrapper. I was introduced to digi about three years ago and embraced it slowly for limited projects. This year I decided to overcome my fear of technology and learn Photoshop Elements. With the help of Jessica Sprague online courses, I am now doing about 60% digital, 40% paper and am fully prepared to acknowledge that had I started with digital, I don’t think I would have ever gone to paper. I still enjoy playing with scissors and glue, but there are creative possibilities with digi that don’t exist within the limitations of the physical world and I’m loving the process of discovering them all!
Laura says
I have a room FULL of supplies but now I find myself doing ONLY digi scrapping. I also feel like I can do it right now with the pictures that were just taken. I am completing so many more layouts which means I am doing so much more recording of our lives. I do have the need to have physical scrapbooks, so I got myself an Epson R1900 after selling off just enough supplies to pay for it 😉 So I print the digital layouts out and stick them right into my scrapbooks. My scrapbooks are filled with paper AND digital layouts. I ♥ digital scrapbooking, it really changed everything for me! No more feeling behind and just not doing anything…
cathy says
I can’t say enough good things about Jessica’s classes!
cathy says
No more feeling behind is awesome!
AngieS says
Growing up in Australia I was always fascinated with the “American” art of scrapbooking, I even bought books on it. But since I spent most of my adult life living in foreign countries where it wasn’t easy to get a hold of supplies, I was never able to do it. I had my camera, my photos and my computer, but it wasn’t until I bought Photoshop Elements to edit my photos that I discovered DIGITAL SCRAPBOOKING and I was instantly hooked!! The answer to all my prayers…I could be in any obscure country in the world and provided I had had internet access, I could get products!! Now I live in London and paper scrapbooking is far more popular worldwide, but I really don’t have any desire to try paper…I am strictly digital!!
Cynthia Friese-Hassanein says
I am hybrid all the way:) Love this post and stream of conversation:)Thank you for sharing the topic:)
cathy says
I never really thought of the access to product factor. That’s definitely not an issue with digital.
YvonneP says
Cathy, when I read your post on the Blog Grab and saw your templates, I literally said out loud – You read my flipping mind! Although I don’t have a blog and I don’t digitally scrap, I love writing and I love photography. I have an amazing number of photos and pretty much journaling (on my computer) about every day for the last couple of years and that is a good thing. But they are not combined and I would be happier if they were. Right now I feel behind because I haven’t scrapped all this stuff.
Your Blog Grab style of pages would be perfect for me to put them together … I’ll just have to figure out how to use them! Please do more of your templates that allow lots of journaling, like your one-three page above, and your By One Day page as well and even your Bedtime Rituals page. And then maybe if I can’t get myself to go totally digital with all of the ‘papers’ and ‘elements’ etc, I can at least work on figuring out the basic templates!
And that will allow me to ‘give myself permission’ to spend more time paper scrapping as well!
Elisabeth says
I’m hybrid and the best of both worlds.
Digital:
– There is no real-life analogy to brushes. You can stamp them anywhere, even overlapping onto the photo and page. Rhonna Farrer really opened my eyes to making designs that are simply un-doable in the real world.
– You can plan a page, even a hybrid one, and play with the placement until it is just right.
– It’s clean: You can leave your photos on your computer until you are ready to scrap them (no photo boxes).
– It’s uber-flexible: you can change the colour of anything, anything, until it is just perfect.
Paper: I don’t get why I would waste time trying to “tie” a digital ribbon? I would just glue one down on the printed page. Looks better too. I do love the tactile feel of paper: especially textured cardstock. And I still cover my journals and notebooks the old-fashioned way.
No one ever said you had to choose…so why should you?
Tammy Moore says
I’m like you, I follow my inspiration. I was totally paper for a while, then went totally digital, then hybrid, and now I’m mostly back to paper. I still love to make hybrid mini albums and do so often. I’m sure my creativity will swing toward digital again soon! 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
Michelle (from KY) says
Great post, Cathy. I am mostly a paper girl, because scrapbooking for me is an creative outlet and I enjoy spending lots of time on a layout. Mind you, I don’t have kids so I amy have a little more free time, but I put some of my pictures in photo pocket pages and I scrap the stories that I want. I have never put pressure on myself to be ‘caught up’ or anything like that.
What I love about the new digi stuff is snazzing up my photos, printing text, and all the cool add ons you can print out.
I have a point and shoot camera, so one of these days I want to learn photoshop to really make them look professional.
Noemi says
Hi Cathy,
I have to say because of your classes I was able to start learning a bit of photoshop elements and how wonderful you are with explaining things. Again thank you for inspring me to start in the digital world.
Kristi B says
I used to be a paper scrapper but like you, didn’t want to haul everything out. I also have type A personality and wanted it to be perfect & sometimes I was a little nervous to cut that picture! So, I have joined the ranks of digigoodness & LOVE IT. I still do little mini albums & stuff with paper but I love that I can do a digi layout so much faster, no mess & nothing compares to being able to change a color of something to make it match & having fonts/brushes available at the click of a mouse!
Kay Gregory-Clark says
I am hybrid but flip back & forth from fully paper to fully digital to combo. Started w/digi from being a graphic designer, already using a Mac & PhotoShop. Anyone remember PageMaker? That used to be my go-to program. I do know that w/digi I can work so much faster, cranking out a page in a fraction of the time it would take w/paper. But I love the tactile aspect and have always been a paper junkie from the days I was able to get printer’s sample papers. At first I shunned stickers, rub-ons (why would I do that when I could use any font I had in my computer?), & other embellishments. Then I discovered the scrapbook stores & my friend was a Creative Memories consultant. Enter more paper! And Cathy, I have to add that when I discovered you & your style, it was a solid thumbs-up because it so reflected my own simplistic, graphic, linear style. It was then that I realized I could call myself a “scrapbooker.” Thanks for the conformation!
Melanie says
After collecting paper products for far too many years … and producing – oh – nothing. I stumbled on 2Peas and decided to give digi a try. Loved it. I was a new mom with a bazillion pictures and I wanted to remember every moment.
I went along for a few years, creating pages, but still struggling a bit with a “style”. I was drawn to the artsy, messy pages – but when it came to my own – I couldn’t find the way to incorporate that and still tell the story.
Until DYL. SUCH a lightbulb moment for me. I was creating pages, telling the story, and doing it all with minimal effort. They just all fell in to place … and I was happy with the results.
Now I know … I’m simple and I’m proud of it! I like structure and straight photos. I like color and pattern. I’m documenting meaninful events with journaling (properly spaced, may I add).
I’ve tried a few hybrid projects, though I have a hard time finishing them. Every year, that dang Ali and her December book make me want to make a fresh commitment … but {sigh} something always manages to get in the way.
Leslie says
I definitely like paper scrapbooking better. I think because it fills that tactile need. Digital come easy for me as a graphic designer as well, and when I do it and love the results. I feel slightly tied to the paper output because of the money I’ve put into the supplies and my devotion to Studio Calico kits!! I do wish I did a better job of hybrid. Other than printing journaling, I rarely do it.
Rachel Smith says
I started with traditional scrapbooking and have amassed quite a collection of product, and like many others, I like to get in there and cut and paste and play with the stuff, but it’s a mess and I have to have photos in hand to do it, which can be a pain. I got PSE awhile back and wanted to try digital but it didn’t click with me until I saw your video tutorial on Ali’s blog this summer…then it literally CLICKED! I was inspired to get in there and really figure it out. I love that there are so many free supplies all over the web. I love that I can scrap pictures I took today. I love that I can recreate pages and templates easily (sorry, Cathy…why buy them if I can make them myself…love your designs, though). I WANT to paper-scrap, but it’s just so much darn easier to do it digi. I am totally loving it right now, but I will always paper scrap some too. My ration right now, though, is 95% to 5% digi to paper.
Tracy says
I have resisted digi for a long time – in fact, I had ZERO interest in it. But, I find myself being pulled towards it more and more lately. It would be great for me to create without lugging all the stuff…just my laptop! I don’t have a lot of space for my scrapping supplies, so maybe it is for me? I have two hurdles to overcome! 1. Where/ how do I start?? 2. What do you do about printing your pages? do they live in the computer forever or do you get them printed? What size?
Rachel Smith says
I meant “ratio” not “ration”, and I also wanted to comment about the pages being flat. I love the challenge of making it look like a regular scrapbook page. I want someone to look at it and think “how did she make it look so REAL!” I love it!
Michelle says
Cathy,
Right now I mostly do traditional layouts, with some portion of hydrid. One barrier for me doing more digital stuff is the printing–what printer do you use and recommend?
Thanks!
Rachel Smith says
I print my pages out at ScrapbookPictures.com. I have heard they are cheap to print at Costco, but I don’t live near one.
Delisa says
I’m a 90% paper scrapper, but have taken several classes at JessicaSprague.com. I’m asking for the Photoshop Elements upgrade for Christmas, still working on version 3 and it is a bit more difficult to use.
Things I’ve done digi are a page from you DYL class, you know the one where we did the reverse print to get the white letters on the colored background. I also have successfully made my own version of those 2 inch squares that you taught us how to do on Ali’s blog.
Jessica and you make it easy to understand. Thanks so much.
D says
I mostly scrap for my son’s great-grandmothers – which means two copies of each page. Doing that in paper was really tedious – as I had some idea I had to copy the pages in case the great-grands ever met [for some reason I kept thinking they’d fly to Iowa and exchange books in the airport and compare how many pictures each got or something]. So, while the books were loved, I was ready to never do it again [too much work! and things to store and I can’t cut straight lines even with a paper cutter!]. Then my Mum discovered digi-scapping and it was like a huge moment – use the computer to do this. Wow … I get that, I grok it … and it’s so much easier to hit the print button twice …
Iara says
I do lot of hybrid scrap. I love traditional scrapbooking but do not own lots of supplies so I just print my digital supplies to mix with the things I have and create layouts. I do also digi scrap and I am a digi scrap designer as well. My albums area good mix of hybrid and digi layouts. I love the freedom of having a good printer, and the HD full of digi kits to search and find what I want to have to make a layout without need a whole room in the house and tousands of dollars in supplies.
anna aspnes says
Totally! You’ve put intowords how I feel. Love Love Love the change in pace of paper but digital is so much easier for telling my stories. It’s jsut what works for me the best. Great post!
Leora says
Cathy,
Thanks for sharing this topic. I guess I was mostly a traditional scrapper, though I always enjoyed doing the journaling and titles digitally. I must say that you have been pulling me to the “dark side.” I loved MeTav and have now moved to a MAC and am trying to get the hang of things. In the end, I think I like hybrid the best. I love being able to design on the computer and the concept or resizing and masking photos is HUGE. But I am not sure what I think of digital “paper.” I am collecting some of course. It is beautiful on the screen.
That said, I would love more help with using the templates and such in a hybrid, cut and paste, setting. I am struggling with what margins or borders to leave on elements and how to think out the measurements for a given page. Does that make sense. You help our hand so nicely with that in METav.
Wherever I end up, I am enjoying the journey. Thanks for all the inspiration!
Leora
Lara says
I am a traditional scrapper, through and through…I love the way digital looks and it probably is more economical but I love the texture and the ability to play with real items.
Kayla Lamoreaux says
I remember in the Fall of 2002 I had just taken my first Photoshop class and I was in your Scraphic Design Class in Mesa, AZ and you mentioned that you used your computer to design your layouts and then I asked you what program – at that time it was Quark. I asked you if you could do your layouts all digital and you explained basically what you wrote in this post. But for me, a mom with baby twin girls and two other young children at home, it was the only way I was going to get any scrapbooking done! The twins were into everything and with my computer I could scrapbook and have nothing out for them to get into. Digital was survival. Over the years it just became so much of my routine that I did less traditional. And even though I have had the digital geek stigma for much of the last 7 years at every traditional crop I have attended, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Scrapbooking is a way that I share my stories and for me, doing it digitally fits my crazy busy life. When you get down to it, I believe Scrapbooking is about the stories and any way that people find to tell their stories with their photos should be something congratulated. So I guess you could say I am 100% digital and completely happy! Although I do admire the creations of my hybrid and traditional scrapbooking friends – it is all good!
erinrussek says
I was a more traditional scrapper, back in the day, but I realized that my stories get told when I’m digi or hybrid so I’ve switched. I’m mostly a quilter so I have that tactile make stuff with your hands thing covered plus my workroom was getting a little crowded with two hobbies
Hugs
Erin
Carol says
Cathy, I don’t believe you mentioned what time your chat is tonight at Renee’s site. Or did I miss it?
Also, I watched your video on making rounded corners on a photo. My first thought was “wow, that’s time consuming and hard” (I’m a newbie with elements). Then I thought, why didn’t you just cover up the rounded corners with a box and merge the layers? That would work too, wouldn’t it?
Shannon Riggs says
I’m so torn. I just started doing digital and I do like it. It is so much faster for me. However, I still love my paper and supplies and I don’t necessarily like the flat look of digital pages. I will continue to do both, I am sure but I just don’t know how much of each.
Kari D. says
I am a 100% traditional paper scrapper all the way! I love my mac computer, but I do nothing on the computer when it comes to scrapbooking. I don’t even type my journaling! I use my own handwriting EVERY time. I love to cut and paste and create something out of those little bits and pretty pieces. I’ve got nothing against digi scrapping. In fact I am in awe of the creations people make and the lack of need for storage space is a dreamy idea. But I love to touch my paper, poke my brads through the paper, and write the words. I guess I’m just old school. It brings me back to my childhood! I feel creative and it’s a great escape!
cathy says
I agree. Both worlds have such great pluses!
cathy says
Kay, i started OUT on Pagemaker. Sigh. Those were the days!
cathy says
Melanie, there is definitely an ease for me too—that whole minimal effort—of being able to quickly and simply tell a story that i love.
cathy says
But Leslie, i know exactly what you mean. For me, as a designer, the real world stuff was what made it so fun for me to start scrapbooking. I still adore the products too. And yes, a new Studio Calico kit just arrived on my doorstep yesterday, so i feel you!
cathy says
Rachel, the cool part of it is that you can make your OWN templates! I love that. It democratizes design, baby. It’s all good.
Elisabeth says
Forgot to mention: one great thing about digital is being to line up the pictures PERFECTLY STRAIGHT. I love to do multi-photo collage layouts and I cannot line them up straight in the paper world for the life of me.
On a digital page, that lovely “align” tool makes my heart sing…for the OCD in all of us!
cathy says
I would say you start with a basic intro class at jessicasprague.com or reneepearson.com. Then, you print your pages at places like scrapbookpictures.com, or costco, or walmart.
Size wise, i am an 8.5 x 11 girl for easy storage. I do 12 x 12, but i haven’t printed those in digi. If i did, i’d size them down to 8 x 8 probably, so they’d fit into my regular albums.
cathy says
I have an HP Photosmart 8750—an older model now—but it will print 12 x 12 full bleed. It has been awesome! I recently printed out my Halloween page you see in the first pic in this post and it looks amazing. Great brand of printer, in my experience.
cathy says
You’re welcome!
cathy says
Leora, you know what i love in digi papers? the cardstocks! The pages i’m making are SOOO simple. Cardstock and hardly anything else. Katie Pertiet at Designer Digitals makes the BEST cardstocks. I have been collecting them like crazy!
Stephanie R says
I’m a traditional scrapper, but I’ve started dabbling in digi since I bought Photoshop Elements 8. I’m really learning a lot from you, Cathy 🙂 I think I’ll be hybrid scrapper because I really like elements from both worlds!
cathy says
The hands on thing IS one of the great things of traditional!
cathy says
Kayla, that is CRAZY. Oh, i was so green back then. I apologize for moving around so much in that class! LOL! One of my good friends took that class and she told me afterwards: “You need to CALM down and stand in one place… you made me dizzy!”
LOL!
cathy says
Oh, i didn’t! 9 p.m. EST!
cathy says
Old school is good! : ) The best part is how it makes us feel. Creative. That is a good thing!
cathy says
Tell me about it! ; )
lisacohen says
I echo your sentiments. I started out paper scrapbooking – still using the computer to print my journaling – and managed to complete a few pages. But only a few. When I realized that I could use my computer fully and use Photoshop, which I already loved, I was so inspired that I found myself creating TONS of layouts and capturing the stories that had been held in for so long… and also the ones that were unfolding before my eyes. It helped that my photos already lived on my computer and I didn’t have to wait to print them out and wait to get them. There’s nothing like having to wait for your photos to kill inspiration.
With paper I think I didn’t want to cut into that crisp sheet of paper only to realize I wanted it a different size and it was too late because it was already cut and I didn’t have another one. Digital scrapbooking allowed me to make mistakes without anything being consumed or wasted. That gave me the freedom to PLAY and that felt GOOD! Long live Ctrl/Cmd + Z!!!!
Most of my pages are completely digital now, though I do love art journaling and hybrid projects as well. I tend to go in and out of phases with these latter two (love me some fabric and chipboard and all the gorgeous traditional scrapbooking products).
I figure as long I am able to get my stories down it doesn’t really matter how I go about it. If you’re into creating video slide shows with words and photos and music then go for it! If you want to stick your photos in albums and write a little note about the event and have no embellishments, that’s good too! All of these are various tools to draw from.
Lately I’ve been loving digital templates because I’m busy living life and fitting lots of things in and I also want to get a lot of that life documented before I forget the details, thoughts, and feelings behind the photos.
This world is big enough to encompass all of the various memory keepers in our fold. What a great time this is!
cathy says
Amen!
Karen says
I have sworn, repeatedly, that I will not go digital. I use my computer for journaling and I have PSE7, but I have just refused to go all digital. Now, that having been said, I also am not scrapping much. My middle child, 11 year old boy, commented the other day “You really need to scrapbook mom”. When I aske why, he stated that he likes it. Well, isn’t that what it is all about?
I am seriously contemplating trying to do some “digi”. I believe I will need to finish the pages with “touchable” items or it just won’t feel right to me. I’m still thinking, still nervous about it. I scrap in 12×12 and I don’t want to change that, but I also don’t have that awesome R1800 printer.
What is a girl to do. I am only getting farther behind and that isn’t working either.
And Cathy, you upgraded to PSE8, didn’t you? How are you feeling about it? Is it worth the change from PSE7 to 8? Thanks, and keep this going. I am loving all the information I am getting.
Karen says
I guess I can call myself a hybrid scrapper. I frequently do my journaling on my Mac, often create photo collages (or use templates) to print my photos, but am happiest when I add those to the real paper. Interestingly, I’m not big on embellishments, but I do love a bit of real patterned paper, some textured cardstock and am a huge fan of chipboard alphas. I recently purchased several of your templates from Digital Designs and am hoping to figure out how to use them in a hybrid way. Seriously thinking of signing up for DYL as an alum. Those layouts are my favorite and if I could be sure I could use the new digital templates on traditional paper layouts I’d be there in a flash!
Jen Strange says
a scrapbook page is a scrapbook page. they mix perfectly well together in an album. I’ve been trying to tell people this for years.
ah, well — if it takes someone as cool as you to convince folks, so be it. 🙂
love all the page examples in this post.
jen
Jen Strange says
are you adding drop shadows? once I add drop shadows, I can barely tell from the print-out if the elements are digital or real.
also, you might want to look around more for new designers – maybe the designers you’re currently using just have stuff that looks flat?
good luck.
Jen Strange says
seriously. I can’t even cut a straight line with a paper cutter.
candice12 says
I began digital scrapbooking at the beginning of 2006 and traditional 3 years later. I love both. I love the simplicity of digital and the photoshop grid : all is straight ! but I don’t like digital embelishments. It’s the reason why I switch to traditional/hybrid.
Susanne says
I love going to the scrapbook store.. the papers, the embellishments… my basket overfloweth! However, with an active schedule (not to mention the toddler and the dog who LOVE adhesives) digital gives me the opportunity to be creative with less mess. Currently 100% of my scrapping is digital but I’m still buying traditional supplies in the anticipation of the day I’ll be able to spread them out and scrap again.
Lauren says
I am in an interesting place, thanks to you Miss Cathy!
I’ve taken your Everyone Can Write a Little and the Me A to Z classes and as soon as I get some extra dough, I am signing up for 2010 DYL.
I started scrapbooking back in 2006. I know, crazy, right? Only three years ago. Well, actually, I started in about 2001, but HATED the lack of option of embellishments, etc. And I had NO CLUE back then that the very computer I loved for chatting, emailing and even editing photos in Photoshop could come into back. So, I ditched the hobby after 3 very frustrating page attempts.
Fast forward to 2006, and I meet my soon to be SIL and she’s a scrapper. PLus, she sells product and I’m in love with all the goodies in her basement. So, I decide to create a wedding album. Don’t know why, just do. That was 100% traditional. But a few months later, I created a mini album about our honeymoon and it was totally hybrid in the sense that I typed full pages of journaling up and printed them out and put them into the album. LOVED that and ever since, over 1/2 of my layouts have had printed journaling on them.
Then comes 2009. And I meet two crazy awesome design ladies at BPS – Ali E & you, Cathy! Between your classes I am SO much more hybrid and LOVING it! I’ve even created a few digi pages, but haven’t had them printed and I need to TOUCH THINGS! But I love how I can get out a nice, long story on a hybrid layout… yowza!!! Though I wouldn’t be surprised if after Ali’s YT class and then DYL 2010 if I go mostly hybrid/part full digi. We shall see.
Hmmmm… a lot of words to say I LOVE hybrid, am embracing the digi side of life, but still like to touch things in real life. Clear as mud??? LOL
Michelle Adams says
I started out in paper and found myself going to the computer for the ease of designing the page. I could move things around until I had them where I wanted them and then go recreate it in paper. Then I went to a hybrid – printed out the journaling and then added photos and such. I got to thinking that there had to be digital stuff out there, went in search, found a ton and never looked back. All digital, baby!
With the addition of digital camera and having PS already, it’s just a natural to me to do it this way. Of course, life gets busier and busier and I haven’t scrapped much lately. But the photos are being taken and the stories told, just on my blog instead of a page! 🙂
Di says
I could have written this post! Like you I started as a hybrid scrapper, moved into digi and have a foot in both. I design templates too, and the last couple of years digital kits. BUT I will always love the tactile element of scrapbooking. Why do people think it has to be one or the other, I’m having them all and loving it!
heather says
Hi Cathy! I have ben a traditional scrapper for 10 years and have recently just switched to digital. My work is now 90% digital layouts, may 1 or 2 a month I will do a paper one. I am an all or nothing kind of girl, don’t ask me why, lol. I love the freedom of digital, the fact that you can really do anything you want with photoshop is so intriguing to me. I love that i have a lot to learn and that when i do learn a new trick I am giddy and anxious to use it!! I was difficult to move away from paper because it is gorgeous and i have a few fave companies that I just love, but in the long run, the digital books take up way less space and I can do a lot of layouts and not worry about running out of Kraft paper ( God forbid!) or whatever. And the other great thing is that although there are a ton of fabulous digital supplies out there, there is no pressure to run out and buy them before the store runs out!
cathy says
Karen, to me, the upgrade seems like not much has changed, but… keep in mind, I only started using PSE last winter. I’m pretty new in that respect. (I only ever used PS).
: )
cathy says
Karen, this has long been my way too. Computer for titles and journaling, collages. Then combine simply with papers in the real world. : )
I am going to be putting out more things for hybrid scrapbooking at Designer Digitals. Just gotta get going on them!
cathy says
I wish my last name was the same as yours. : )
cathy says
: )
Clear as mud, Lauren!
cathy says
I do think blogging falls firmly into the digital scrapbooking category. I even heard Dooce.com once refer to her blog as a digital scrapbook. thought that was pretty cool!
cathy says
Again, the supplies are limitless for digi, and so easy to access. I love that too!
Karen in Brookville says
Thanks for the reply. It is so hard to pass up a new upgrade on a program, but I think maybe I’ll sit this one out.
Maybe I’ll just take the plunge into some digi stuff and see what happens. Oh know, the nail biting is starting just thinking about it!
Susie says
A few years ago when I discovered digital scrapbooking, I thought that you, Cathy Zielske, would be the perfect fit for it. So I’m thrilled now that you are dabbling more in digi and even selling products! I always love to see what you’ll come up with next.
laurie says
I got involved in scrapbooking through rubber stamps. Now I can’t remember what inspired me to buy my first rubber stamp – but it was truly an obsession. I would buy stamps back in the wood mount days, peel the stamp off the wood, put a foam backing on it & store in a binder. I probably have 20 binders full of stamps I no longer use. My ink collection is impressive too.
There was a lot of guilt surrounding this obsession. First – it was expensive, second – it was messy. If I started a project – the mess seemed to expand to fit the size of the room I was in. Unless I finished the project in one sitting – my house was a disaster zone.
I got into digital scrapbooking about 4-5 years ago. At first I felt bad about not using my extensive stamp and ink collection anymore. That guilt quickly faded though when I realized how much flexibility I had with digital designs. I could walk away from them for weeks, months, years and not lose any sleep over the mess. I didn’t need to make copies of photos – or regret cutting one into some strange shape.
I find now that I seldom make layouts. Somehow posting a photo on facebook or my blog is taking the time that I used in the past to create a layout. I am beginning to realize how much I miss playing with all of the elements and creating pages.
A few weeks ago I got out some of my stamps for the first time in several years. I used my water pencils and colored for a few hours. I had forgotten how much I loved the feel of the paper.
Didn’t mean this to be a novelette. Sorry. Right now I have no idea if I can even call myself a scrapbooker.
Laurie
senovia1.blogspot.com says
I was a paper scrapper for 7 or 8 years. I still have the scrapbook room to prove it. 🙂 I found typing journaling, then titles. I once swore I wouldn’t go digi, too. But then I bought PSE 5, and took my first digi class with Renee Pearson at BPS…. The rest was history.
I like that cleanup is simple. I like that I can change out papers with a few clicks and really find the one I like. I love that my squares and rectangles are perfect for once. 🙂 I love that I don’t have to make a layout for me and a layout for my Mom about the same subject anymore (DH is military and we live far away from “home”.) I like the undo button. I love being able to share my pages on my blog without taking photos of them first. 🙂 Now when I go back to my scrapbook room to do anything with paper, I find it HARD. I can’t make anything I like. I get frustrated, sad, and depressed. So it’s back to digi!! 🙂
Michelle W. says
You know, I took a couple of Jessica’s classes and LOVED what I learned there, but I just keep gravitating back to my table full of scissors and punches and stickles and mists and paper.
I tweak my photos in Photoshop, I blog (and I’m currently taking Shimelle’s Blogging for Scrapbookers class – which is fabulous BTW) and I do some journaling on the computer here and there, but I think I’m really a paper girl at heart. I must say that I have been awfully tempted by your recent Designer Digital work…might have to do some digi projects for the grandparents.
Melissa says
I am mostly a traditional scrapbooker. Ocasionally I will print embellishments off of the computer from some digital things I bought. I would like to try more layouts completely digital, but just haven’t quite gotten there yet!
susanna says
Hi Cathy! I’ve been a hybrid scrapper for a long time. I’ve found to be consistent in recording our family memories I need to be flexible. Because so much of my time is spent on the computer there are times when even being in close proximity to a keyboard will make me shutter and it’s all about the glue, stamps, paper and experimentation. Then there are other times when I need to keep it simple and get the story on the page without a lot of fuss and mess. In either case my family always loves the results and I’m much happier because the important stories for our family are being documented, shared and are fairly current. Ha!
But what I really want to share with you today is a BIG, heart felt thank-you! A couple of weeks ago you introduced your “message to my girl” templates and it was just the inspiration my family needed to put together the perfect gift my mother’s 70th birthday. I purchased the template and with a few alterations we now have an album with individual and group photos along with personalized letters from her children, grandchildren and in-laws on what she means to each of us. You and shutterfly…totally awesome! We can hardly wait to present it to her this weekend. You’re always such a great inspiration, especially when it comes to sharing the things that really matter!
LoriHudson says
As a fellow graphic designer, I used to spend all day on my Mac. So, when I scrapbooked, I wanted to do something different than what I did all the time! Plus I have this crazy notion that one must suffer for their art. Digital was easy for me. I had to learn about papers and embellishments and glue.
Now, I have realized that my stories just aren’t getting told. Digital scrapping it just so much faster for me. I still mess with paint and paper, but more on a “making art” level. I wish I had gotten on the digital design bandwagon sooner. I could have been doing stuff for Designer Digitals!
Kayla Lamoreaux says
I don’t remember that at all -it was my favorite class there – I remember it fondly because everyone asked so many questions about digital/computers/software that for me it was the moment the lightbulb went off – when I began to grasp that digital would eventually be a very permanent part of scrapbooking. Now, seven years later you are a huge influence in the industry and with digital we are going to get to learn even more from you!
PS – I think all that moving around kept my attention – that is probably why I don’t remember it! 🙂
Jen Strange says
ha! it IS pretty awesome. (Husband wanted me to take his name when we got married, and I was like oh HELLZ no!!!)
Kayla Lamoreaux says
If you are on the Windows side, one of the biggest options for PSE8 that is cool is the Face Recognition tool for organizing your photos in the Organizer.
If you are on the Mac side you get Adobe Camera Raw with Bridge CS4. Even better is that you can open Bridge without being in PSE – something I think Adobe forgot to disable… 🙂
That said, if I weren’t doing tutorials, I would probably only upgrade about every three upgrades unless the upgrade included features I felt I couldn’t live without. 🙂
TracyBzz says
I started out 100% paper. I couldn’t be bothered to print out journaling or titles. Now I like to type my journaling if it’s a long story. For captions I still love to handwrite, plus it’s quicker for me. I’ve started dabbling in digital…through your BPS classes and some Jessica Sprague classes. I don’t love the all digital, I like some texture and I really do like to play with product. But I love the idea of sizing pictures and making a title, then cutting that apart and making a paper page. But I don’t print at home and th nearest photo lab is an hour away, so it kinda kills the creative process.
loishouston.wordpress.com says
Funny that you write this post now as I was having these same type of thoughts just this past week. I have been a die-hard “traditional” scrapbooker for 16+ years. I had gotten to a point where I only scrapped at retreats or events where it was “worth it” to pull out all my stuff and work for more than a few minutes here and there. My scrapping started to suffer – I just didn’t have the drive to do much unless I was sitting in one place for 3 or 4 hours at a time with nothing else to do (and what mom these days has that time?)
Then I started playing in the digital world this summer. I work for a software company so I’m on my computer all day long. I wondered if doing digital scrapbooking would take the “fun” out of it for me. I have found, like you, just the opposite. I love being able to sit down when the inspiration strikes (at lunchtime or on a break from work) and do a page or two while the thoughts are fresh in my mind. I’m doing about 5-6 pages a week now, where I had only done 1-2 in a month before!
I’ll never give up traditional scrapbooking. I love cutting, pasting, and the imperfect perfection you find when you piece things together to tell a story. But, I’m loving the digital world, too.
KittyMama says
I’m still in the early hybrid stages. I’m learning how to do templates and brushes in photoshop. Not ready for a full on digital page yet, I’m still just trying to make my photos look good.
Laura says
I’m just starting out and my inclinations are hybrid all the way. I’ve been working on a small album about the special months when we were expecting our daughter and included some printed-out emails between my sisters and myself as part of the journaling. I just made a simple Thanksgiving card for someone and included a digital image of an old postcard on which I “typed” the sentiment. Perfect!
Natalie C says
I’m a digital girl all the way. After paper scrapping for over 10 years, I noticed layouts that were so beautiful….and they were digital. Once I found the digital path, I never looked back. I have soo much more creative freedom being a digital girl.
Laura says
Oh, thank goodness, I’m not the only one? I have the hardest time cutting straight and lining things up straight. (And I’m a bit of a perfectionist.) 😉
Verbena says
When I first started scrapbooking, I was a 100% paper kind of girl, and the more embellishments, the better. Two years ago, I received PSE5 as a gift from my husband, but it took me a year to get around to
installing it and see what it was all about. I still was at a loss until I stumbled upon Amanda Dykan’s “Digi-Scrappin’ 101” book which opened up digital scrapping to me. Since that time, I have amassed files full of digital templates, papers, brushes, and embellishments. I also am a huge fan of Jessica Sprague and Renee’ Pearson and of their classes and tutorials. When I retired 18 months ago, they asked me what I would like for my retirement gift. Without hesitation, I chose my HP Deskjet 9800 printer which allows me to print my 12×12 pages here at home. I love it! I currently do about 40% paper scrapping, 30% pure digital, and 30% hybrid. I find that I turn to digital when I want clean, crisp lines, when I want to focus on the story, and when I have multiple photos that I want to work creatively into a layout. Cathy, I really am pleased that you are now sharing digital templates which are based upon sound design principles!
Cathy P. says
Here’s my long story:
I started scrapbooking about 9 years ago. This was way before I had children so my husband and the trips we took were my main topics. I was a traditional/paper scrapbooker and bought my supplies at QVC – thank Lisa Bearnson!
A few years later I joined TwoPeas and I started seeing digital scrapbooking in the gallery. I remember thinking to myself that digi scrapping wasn’t “real” scrapbooking and I would NEVER try it. In fact, I was pretty adamant about it and remember saying this to my husband. But at 2ps you can download kits for free. Who can pass up a freebie? There was one by Rhonna Farrer that I loved so I tried it. I made my first all-digi page in April 06. It took a while to learn the ropes (thanks to 2ps tutorials/challenges and Jessica Sprague’s Photoshop Fridays). Plus, I was using PSE 2.0 at the time even though I think the latest version was 4?
But a funny thing happened. After we moved to Washington state, my husband met one of his best friend’s friends at a party of a mutual friend’s son’s birthday party. This new friend happened to work for Adobe. My husband managed to finagle a copy of Adobe CS3 for me! After that, my digi scrapping took off. And hybrid not long after.
All the while I’m still paper-scrapping and still obsessed. I can’t give up paper. I love fondling the supplies too much! But now I’m obsessed with all THREE forms of scrapping. And I can say that Photoshop is one of my favorite things. Ever. I make our Christmas cards and birthday invitations and birth announcements using PS. I even edit my daughter’s preschool newsletter with it. Between editing photos and digi scrapping, I use PS every day. Who knew?
Janaina says
Loved the post Cathy, I feel there is this kind of pressure from both sides when we begin to post digital layouts in our blogs,What matter is art, and doest matter how you want to express it.
To me I love my paper, and my stuff, love to play of mixed media and paints, but sometimes when I want to tell a story and be playful I go digital, I maybe go hybrid. I have a 8 month old baby and I have no time to document in paper what I want and digital can give us that short cut we need.
I buy templates like yours and if I feel like I want more embellishments I print them than stick to a 12×12 and do my thing with embelies.
But sometimes to tell more stories is easier digitally.
A example for me was your Message to my boy templates I want to begin to journal specific messages to my boy and I know if I have to do a mini album in paper it will take forever for me to commit to it.So I know now doing digitally I will finish and accomplish it all.
What matters is doing what you like and documenting your life.
Thanks for you help on that Cathy!
katemeri says
I like it all but mostly hybrid for me personally. I’m a simple scrapper. I usually do my journaling on the computer because my handwriting is large and I can fit more on a page when it’s in a cool font on the computer. I still enjoy playing with paper, glue, brads, flowers, stickles, etc… I really like your new digital templates and Ali’s too but I don’t have Photoshop or Elements so I’m limited to what I can do. I love all the tips and techniques you share.
scrappysue says
How fun, I thought I was the only person on earth who used Pagemaker; I LOVED it and created a works magazine each month using it. Maybe if I had remembered how much I had loved it way back, I would have taken up digital scrapbooking in the beginning, rather than filling up a room with paper supplies (lets not even mention how much money these cost to ship from the USA to Dubai). I loved to look at them, but oh boy just never quite got the hang of all that cutting and pasting and trying to get everything perfect. Don’t get me wrong, I have spent many a year admiring other’s work, even making the odd mini albums now and again. Then I discovered digi (took some classes at Jessica Sprague’s web site) and just fell in love with the ease of it all. I am still a crappy designer, but thank goodness there are plenty of talented gals out there who make templates. Even happier that you are creating templates too Cathy!
I have only made albums that have been printed at Shutterfly so far, and I wasn’t so keen on the 12 x 12 size. I took Shimelle’s “Learn Something New Every Day” and made that into an 8 x 8 album, which was super cute. I may create them in 12 x 12 from now on, with the option of reducing down.
Its been lovely to read everyone’s thoughts! Sue
Becki says
CZ, I love ya but ya got my hackles up a little bit:
“I plan to keep one foot in the real scrap world, one in the digi scrapworld, and a third in hybrid land”
Digi scrapping is real scrapping, 🙂
I know you didn’t mean it that way, just had to tease you! 😀
Ali Edwards says
Photos and words – that’s the heart of it. Paper, digital, hybrid…”designed” or not…just get those stories told to go along with those lovely photos.
Jen Strange says
I also burn myself when I try to make toast, but that’s a whole other story. 🙂
At this point, I’m a “good enough” scrapper – I don’t think most people notice the imperfections. Or if they do, I don’t care. In reality when someone’s flipping through an album, they look at each page for what, 5 seconds? I’ll even scribble out a mistake when I’m hand-writing something. I’m a rebel that way.
Robyn Meierotto says
I design products for a scrapbook company & believe it or not I have no time for traditional scrapbooking! At the beginning of this year I started buying up some digi stuff here & there & jumped in. I have to say it’s just easier with 3 young kids to not have to pull out all the stuff! I love the traditional, but since I don’t get to it very often, I find myself spending hours looking at a page, wondering what to do…then I have to clean up the mess! With digital, I can just jump off of a work project & into a page quickly. As others had mentioned the “non-committal” part of me loves being able to move stuff around easily in the digital files too! I’ve had some of mine printed at scrapbookpictures.com, if you don’t want to print them at home or don’t have a 12×12 printer.
DawnS says
I used to do traditional scrapping for years, but what I really loved about it was collecting the paper…the colors/patterns/texture…I would almost hate to cut them up. (silly huh?) And then 2+ years ago I found Jessica Sprague & Photoshop and I haven’t looked back once! The best thing about it is that I can use the digi-papers over & over again. I’ve done more LO’s in the past couple of years of “doing it digi” than all of my years of paper scrapping combined.
And that’s themost important thing…getting the story told (it doesn’t matter how you do it)!
Missy Gener says
Let me first say that I love this discussion! That being said, I was the person that when digital scrapbooking became mainstream about three years ago, I was one of the biggest opponents that you would ever meet. I would debate a person for hours about how it was “not Real Scrapbooking” and how it is ruining the craft for “really creative people”. Fast forward three years and two kids later. I LOVE digital scrapbooking. I am almost completely a hybrid scrapper. I love the options that the digital elements give me and I have found a way to use almost all of the digital scrapbooking elements and templates in a “traditional” manner. Me three years ago, would totally get in an argument with me today. I will probably never convert to completely digital, mostly beacuse I love the cutting and pasting and the feel of the supplies in my hands, but truly digital scrapbooking has changed the way I scrapbook!
Karen M. says
It’s a wonderful world huh – back in the days of black pages and photo corners did they ever think of the possibilities we have now??? What will our grandchildren use to tell their stories? Boggles my mind. I use it all. I did my first scrapbook in 1971 when I was a senior in high school! Needless to say that still needs to be put together again! LOL. Anyway, thanks to BPS and Renee and Jessica Sprague and Ali and CZ and others we can have and learn it all. I love it all. I am learning everyday more Photoshop Elements tricks and embrace how I can give my pages that wow factor with writing on photos, grid printing and wait for it…size and line things up to my hearts content! There is room for both and I love both worlds. Kudos to those who have led the way! Thank you.
Carmel Keane says
Fabulous thread – thanks everyone. I am at present a paper scrapbooker but only been going about 3 years. I do sometimes type some journalling in a simple Word document and then print it out; cut it up and glue it on – but that is it. However would love the option to tweak photos; resize and add some great journalling spots etc. Am seriously thinking of asking Santa for Photoshop or Photoshop Elements – but I don’t even know the diference bewteen the two. What would people suggest?? I don’t think I would ever be totally digital because the cost of printing out (here in NZ) is too high!
Heather Johnson says
I considered myself a scrapbooker–but what I really was was a collector of cute papers, embellishments, and tools. Every once in awhile I would complete a page–but they were few and far between.
Then I googled digital scrapbooking and bought some tutorials off of designer digitals. Then I started finding designers I liked, then I made pages. And pages, and pages and pages.
I actually told my stories.
Although I love messing around with paper and glue and the like–I just don’t seem to carve out the time with a family, school, work, and the like. Right now digital feels good–and I am staying true to what it is I wanted to make sure I was doing in the first place.
Telling the stories!
Marcie L says
I’m having a very hard time learning digital stuff on line. I think I need to hire you to come to my house and teach me in person, lol. I can’t even follow your video tutorial, and it’s not because of you! I am photoshop elements impaired and I have to admit, part of me was a little let down to see you heading so much into the digi world….I took it personally, like I’m the only one left back here in paper land. But I’m not giving up. I haven’t finished, or make that started, my album yet from your class last month…but I will!
jillconyers says
There are so many things about digi (the convenience, my Mac, the exactness for the OCD in me, learning new things, etc.) and traditional (my stash, hands on, creating with my daughter, textures, etc.) that I love. So where does that leave me? I’m still trying to figure that out. Being fairly new to digi beyond brushes, I’m trying to find that hybrid balance that keeps me motivated and excited about scrapbooking again.
Deb says
I love the texture of traditional scrapbooking, but I travel alot. I can’t haul it with me for the nights when I’m in a hotel room. So…I’m moving toward digi. Am struggling a little with Photoshop and would love a class or book recommendation to help me learn.
Deb says
I do a lot of traditional because of the texture, I like the dimensions. But since I travel ALOT and can’t haul it all, I’m moving toward digi. PhotoShop is a mystery to me. Can anyone can recommend a class or book to unvravel it?
cathy says
Laurie, why worry about labeling it. You’re Just making stuff that’s cool, right? : )
cathy says
Digi is very addicting. I have to agree. That whole Undo thing… love it.
cathy says
I hope your Mom loves it~ what a great gift!
cathy says
Hey there Lori! Just wanted to say hi!
cathy says
Printing at home DOES help in the hybrid process, definitely.
cathy says
: ) I do love the fact that i can make templates using what i know as a designer. It’s part of what is inspiring me again!
cathy says
That’s the thing that’s cool. You can do so much stuff with PS, and bring it into making real world stuff. CS3 does rock.
cathy says
You’re welcome!
cathy says
I know, I know. Foot in mouth, now removed! LOL!
cathy says
Again, i have to echo that sentiment: whatever your “vehicle” for sharing the story… it’s all good.
Laura says
I do everything too, Cathy! Digital, paper, hybrid – love it all! I am really into digital right now too. It is easier and quicker for me to do things digitally with my five month old son than it is for me to drag out all of my supplies. Clean up is a breeze with digital, and you can use everything over and over again!
Just like life isn’t black and white, I don’t believe scrapbooking is either. I get really disappointed and sad when other scrapbookers knock digital scrapbooking saying it is not “really” scrapbooking. Who are they to decide what scrapbooking is? After all, isn’t scrapbooking photos and stories? Digital pages can be pages in real life too. You can get them printed and they can sit right next to your traditional ones. I love having those different elements in my album. I think it makes it all the more interesting. 🙂
Cammy says
I started out playing with paper and photos about sixteen years ago. I enjoyed the process, but I came to a point that it was all just so overwhelming. The new paper lines, the new tools, the new stickers. What about the old stuff? How do I store all of this STUFF? It was just too much. Digital scrapbooking works better for me because it doesn’t take up much physical space. I like to fiddle around with fonts, and backgrounds, and embellishments. And when I’m done, everything goes back to where it belongs. No mess!
Jennifer says
I print all my layouts through Scrapping Simply. They have fantastic customer service and the quality is always great.
cathy says
“Me three years ago, would totally get in an argument with me today.” —that made me giggle! I hear you!
cathy says
Photoshop Elements really does have most of what you would ever need to be happy. I think. Anyone else is welcome to weigh in.
(p.s. say hello to Neil Finn for me!)
cathy says
Marcie, have you tried either ReneePearson or JessicaSprague? both are SUCH good teachers!
cathy says
This is what i love… that i feel so inspired about story telling right now.
I’m still learning as i go with digi!
cathy says
JessicaSprague.com or ReneePearson.com both have excellent beginner courses.
books? Hmmmm. Maybe other will weigh in!
cathy says
When it comes to telling stories, it all counts. You know? 🙂
cathy says
the no mess part works so well for so many women who are busy today, you know?
Ellen says
I’m probably the odd girl out but I thought when I started I’d do more digital scrapping and less paper but in fact it’s exactly the opposite. I work full time and then some, and much of my work is on the computer and related to art and design, so when I get home and have a little time to myself after the evening routine ends and the girls are asleep the last thing I want to do is spend more time on the computer. In fact when I first started and was doing digital scrapping I found I couldn’t sleep – the intensity of focusing on the screen late at night just jazzed me up worse than a double espresso. So, despite the fact that I worried that it was almost embarrassingly cliche and kitschy I started scrapping with traditional materials – occasionally typesetting my journaling. As it turned out, it brought out the inner kindergardener in me – which was a good thing. The playfulness of cutting paper, inking things, embossing, the bling, the girly girl embellishments – well, they offer just the right balance to work which, as awesome as it is, can be pretty intense. I find it interesting that my own inclination is toward a style completely different from the aesthetic I oversee at work. I’m not sure that I’m really preserving memories, or if I am, if it’s really all that important in the long run. Am I any diminished by the fact that my mother doesn’t remember much at all about my childhood – probably not though I am curious. What is important is that it’s fun for me – so I’m not too hung up on what I have or haven’t scrapped or how productive I am. The idea that maybe one day my children might look at my very amateur efforts and recognize something of the life that made them the people they turn out to be – well that’s an added bonus. Maybe that’s a little selfish of me… ah well, if you can’t be selfish when the rest of your family is sleeping when can you be?
ginny says
Paper scrapping is still my favorite, but with four children eight and under, digital is the way for me at this point in time. Learning how to use PSE gives me a high. It isn’t very often I get the chance to learn new skills!
Sara-Jane says
I thought I would never like digital scrapbooking because I liked the feel of paper too much. Then one day recently I had a lightbulb moment. It was actually the ‘feel of the paper’ that was keeping me from scrapping, actually getting the stories recorded. This is because to me everything had to be perfect, all papers cut exactly the right size and straight, placed exactly right on the pages and it would take me a long time and a lot of wasted paper to get it to the standard I wanted.
And then you strted doing digital templates. Perfect. I have scrapped more pages in the last month using your templates for fully digital pages than I have done in the last two years.
As for the flatness of the pages, once I had decided that these pages were like a magazine page of our lives, these are my most favourite pages I have created. Simple and perfect. I have never used many embellishments anyway, and the digital cardstock backgrounds, I just love.
Converting your templates to A4 size has helped me to learn more about Photoshop too and I thanks you for that.
So, I see in my future 90% digital and 10 % hybrid pages to use up what I love in my stash and to make gifts. I also see me doing photobooks as gifts for extended family.
Thanks for sharing your talent with us all, I am in a happy place thanks to you.
One question I do have is how to recolor the brads in some of your DD templates while retaining the texture ? When I have recolored I get a very flat looking circle.
Kim K says
We turned my husband’s office into a dedicated scrapbooking room for me. (OK, there’s an unused elliptical in here too…). The room has been done for about a year now, it’s filled with tons of great product, and yet I’ve only made a few pages in it. Why? It’s always a mess. I hate the mess involved with paper scrapping. (I love the mess, too…double-edged sword?)
Anyway, here I sit at my mac, doing my photo-a-day (365) blog, and taking a few photography classes (the best are at JessicaSprague.com). I LOVE what those classes are doing for my photography! Now I have literally THOUSANDS of rockin’ photos sitting in iphoto. I would love to scrap them and desperately NEED to go digi! Your templates are pushing me to the edge. I just need to make the leap. Get elements, take a photoshop class, and I’ll be ready to enter the next phase. I don’t think I’ll give up paper scrapping altogether…but it sure would be nice to get those nice clean layouts I love without all the mess!
Thanks for listening. Do you get paid for all this therapy you’re giving out today? ;D
Kim K says
Cathy Does Digi—you write it…I’ll buy it!
cathy says
Playing with paper is just a good thing, whether you feel like you’re preserving or not. I think one of the best and most exciting parts of this hobby is how it makes us feel. I know it’s that way for me. 🙂
cathy says
Sara Jane, email me! You change those brads via Hue/Saturation. It’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it!
Sara says
I’m going to say something kind of unpopular, but I’ve steered clear of digi so far not just because there was a learning curve I wasn’t ready to tackle, or because I love paper and glue, but because I think a lot of digi papers look, well, digital. And cluttered. I’m coming around a bit not that I’ve seen some more streamlined, simple templates from you and Ali.
But, the cost and hassle of printing full pages is a bit of a barrier for me, especially since I’ve invested in so many traditional scrapbooking supplies. But as you said, it’s getting the story told that counts and whatever tools work, go for it!
cathy says
Not for the therapy. For the templates, you bet! ; )
I think it’s interesting to read what everyone has to say though. They are the ones offering up the therapy.
Sheen says
I, too, have been doing a bit of both. Before I fully understood digi, I often would format a bunch of photos in a grid in elements as a 8 x 10. Sometimes I’d include journalling, sometimes not. I’d get it printed at my print shop and then “finish the page” by popping it on a 12 x 12 bazzil and maybe adding some embellishments. EASY!
Earlier this year I did a Jessica S class – AWESOME – I jumped into digi scrapping and loved it! Although I now know how to do layers and make my own templates, I have bought a few of your (Cathy) and Ali E’s templates – LOVE them – so much faster than doing it myself! The thing I love most about digi is “command z” and the ability to get so many photos on a page – cropping, zooming in on parts of a photos, etc – so easy!
The thing I am puzzled by is whether to print them or leave them on the computer?? I like the idea of having them in a physical album for people to look at – that the idea right – to share your stories?? BUT I am having trouble in Australia finding someone who prints both 12 x 12 and 8 1/2 x 11- (for a reasonable price) Do you print your digi pages Cathy??
Anyhoo….apart from the printing issue and the fact I have about $1,000,000 worth of “real” scrapping stuff and the fact that a scrapbook weekend (with the girls all sitting around a computer each) doesn’t have the same feel to it – I think I may be a digi girl in the making!!??
Sheen says
Another question i have is… where do you get 12 x 12 photo paper to print from your printer?? I haven’t seen any here in Australia – I have a wide format printer so I could print at home I guess?!
Laura Umphenour says
I think “scrapbooking” has completing evolved over the past few years. I think the real evolution has been the toolbox continues to expand almost daily. We still have photo albums whether created using traditional, hybrid or digital methods; but we also have blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other means to share our stories. It is completely liberating to be able to post to a blog about something that just happened and know that the kids are thrilled to see their pictures right now and not have to wait for the layout to get done. It’s about making the tools work for us… where we are in our lives right now – so we don’t constantly feel like we are “behind” in our albums. This is my life and I want to live it, really feel it and experience it, and not just feel like I’m watching and documenting it. I say embrace what works for you. Right now I’m almost 100% digi and use a template on almost every layout… super fast. I rarely print them out, I usually post them on my blog. But they are all organized on my laptop for easy printing in the future – another reason I love digi. I do still have all of my traditional supplies which I use for the mini albums I give for gifts. Great discussion!
Cindy H. says
After reading everyone’s posts, I can see that I am in good company. I have actually been paper scrapbooking for 15 almost 16 years. (Before Creating Keepsakes and the first magazine, Memory Makers). I was introduced to Creative Memories and loved the paper and the concept. I now have a ton of tools and paper and embellishments both in real world and the digital world. I created a SMilebox album and DVD for my mom’s 80 birthday and our family reunion. It was so easy. I have taken digital classes and love the freedom and opportunity that digital gives you. But I love the tangibility of paper. So I am one of those scrappers that goes between the two and hopes to continue.
Marie Tretiakova says
I want to learn how to get moving towards digital…and I know it makes sense on so many levels, I am resistant to spend more time on the computer (8 hours a day + as a librarian & on-line grad student) so I haven’t invested the time for it to be fun and productive. But I do wander to the digi-sites now and again…and plan all the awesome pages I could make. Like everthing else…it’s a process.
falwyn says
As far as multiple albums go, nothing beats digi. I made a reunion album that I love – but there’s no way I could’ve EVER made 1 for my grandparents, 7 for their kids, and 40+ for me and my sibs and cousins if I were doing it paper. As it is, whoever wants one can order a copy (this particular one I made for a bound Shutterfly book, 8×8), and it’s fabulous. 🙂
Kathleen says
I too remember how immediately I fell in love with scrapbooking. Instant and total love! Started paper scrapping 8 years ago. But then I tried digital in Feb of this year, and completely fell in love with that! I’m still totally geeked out over it. Haven’t done any paper creating since, but still haven’t given away my paper stuff either. It’s just silently waiting for me to dip back into it, I guess. But in the meantime, I am totally loving creating photo books with my digi pages and calling those my albums. Love love!
DawnS says
A little off topic here…but just in case anyone is interested GLEE is on tonight (finally)!
cathy says
Sheen, i am printing mine, but it’s easier to do over here. I think. I want them in my albums, you know?
But i haven’t printed any of my 12 x 12s yet.
cathy says
Oh yeah, i will be missing Glee tonight! doing an online video chat at reneepearson.com. thank goodness for Hulu!
Barb says
One of my Simple friends (who’s a paper and glue gal) accused me of jumping ship when I figured out how to use templates last month. No names will be named, since I’m sure she reads your blog too, but I had to chuckle at the notion of me switching solely to digital. I am so NOT patient enough to do digital. lol
I have to add, though, I am LOVING digital scrapping… and I’ve done a number of hybrid pages where I’ve printed out the page and finished it off with real embellishments that I didn’t have in my digital stash.
And to think, it was Renee’s recently released eBook from Ella Publishing that got me hooked on digital scrapping. Hurray for Renee! 🙂
Bree says
I started out hybrid, before I knew it was hybrid, in 2001. My little ole Performa, Quark 3.32 and StyleWriter 1200 designed many a journaling block. I dabbled in digi in 2005, but didn’t like the quality of the early digital items, and wasn’t sure I wanted to spend more time staring at software.
I finally embraced digital when pregnant with #2 – I was too sick and exhausted to drag out the paper stuff.
So now, I use whichever method fits the story or project I’m working on. I still visit my LSS, and have a few favorite digi shops.
I still wonder why do we care, why do we label? A story is a story, with or without the photo, the stuff and the glue. Both camps use extreme, defensive language — “you’ll pry my (insert: glue/patterned paper/Photoshop/graphics tablet) from cold dead hands.” It’s scrapbooking people!
Bree
(using ALL the scrapping tools available to tell our story)
P.S. Like the new tagline on your blog 🙂
lynne moore says
I just can’t get past the mess of reall paper and supplies…. I Love It. I have done some didgital books but the sitting and working on the computer just frustrates me and takes up the same amount of time.
But I do consider my self a “hybrid” as I will journal and update pix and print off things to use IRL.
You can’t beat the digital for multiples book for family.
Elizabeth W says
OK, this is so lame – and a sign that I think about this hobby of mine a bit more than is healthy – but I find myself sort of afraid of liking digital scrapbooking! I’ve spent such a fortune on paper supplies – it almost seems shameful to start creating a digital stash…But I also love the idea of duplicating layouts (with some changes in the journaling or photos) for my 3 kids’ albums…I need to get to where you are: just giving yourself permission to tell a story in whatever mode happens to suit your mood.
Dana says
When Ali started designing for Designer Digitals I started playing around with it. Now that you’ve been desgining for them I find myself doing more and more all digi pages. I love the templates and how you can customize them. I love hybrid though and would miss palying with paper and glue. Can’t wait for the chat. You are always a hoot!
Jenna says
I LOVE traditional scrapbooking! The glue, scissors, stamps, ink, ripping and tearing, punching… love it! But, I have to say that it’s rare that I do much of this anymore. Digital is just so much easier, cheaper, cleaner… so many “-er” words that make me turn to my Photoshop rather than haul out my boxes and boxes of traditional supplies. Also, I get a such a kick out of what you can do digitally! I learn something new about Photoshop every single time I do a project and with all the great digital supplies out there, I find myself constantly sitting at my computer and giggling at what I can make it do! Maybe when my kids are older and I can turn the playroom into my craft room, I’ll get back into traditional scrapbooking, but for now digital is such a much easier way for me to save my stories :~)
debbie says
Someone in an earlier comment said that once she thought of her digi pages as a magazine page, she was OK with it. I totally agree. I am new to digi scrapping and am pretty low on the PSE learning curve, but I love that my pages look like a book. I am no longer SCRAPbooking, I am writing and designing a BOOK about my life.
Gutsy Mom says
I do most things with good old paper and adhesive, but thanks to DYL I now also do a bit of hybrid stuff, i.e. titles and journaling on the computer. But I am just as likely to handwrite these. I relish my scrap time as time AWAY from a screen.
I really appreciate your taking the time to explain to us all why you are doing so much more digitally. I was wondering. And, I have to say, YOU GO GIRL. WHATEVER IT TAKES, is all I’m saying. A story is a story is a story.
kimberly says
so far I am a 100% traditional scrapper, love my ink-stained, glue-caked, scissor/exacto nicked finger tips, love cutting-gluing, ripping up elements that I want to move after I have permanently adhered them and covering the rip with something else.
but I say never say never to trying digi or hybrid scrapping.
Sara Spencer says
At this point I only stamp and make cards, but with two sons (one born just last week!) I am really itching to get started on scrapbooking. Your blog is really inspiring as you focus so much on simplicity and the story behind the photos. It has helped me to narrow down the style I would like to attempt as I get started. There is so much out there so I’ve been taking my time studying the different styles rather than just start to buy product. I also just purchased PSE 8 so that I could begin to learn how to use that as a tool alongside my stamps. So I guess I will be a hybrid scrapper once I get started. =) Thanks for posting links to jessicasprague.com and reneepearson.com. I was just wondering where I might learn more and now I know. I am so excited to finally begin.
Donna says
Ya know, lately I have been overwhelmed with the amount of physical “stuff” I have in my scrapbooking world. So much “stuff” that I don’t actually “do” anything … I just sit and look at my “stuff.” I think I’d like to try the digital world … don’t need all that much “stuff” for that … just my computer and my creativity. I think I’ve been hesitating because I’m unsure about the non-dimensional look of a printed page vs. a traditional page. How or where do you print your pages? Do you print matte or gloss?
cathy says
Performa, Quark… oh, be still my old school heart! 🙂
cathy says
Oh, i get that. It’s an investment. I have an entire dining room to attest to that. Full to the gills with stuff.
I make myself feel less guilty by giving stuff away to church, and friends. Then i don’t feel as wasteful! LOL!
cathy says
See you there. I will be the one in pajamas.
cathy says
Sara, good luck! Those are great places to start!
cathy says
Donna, i print my pages at home and i’ve ordered some from scrapbookpictures.com. I always get matte. It’s just a preference. I think the digital pages look really nice in my albums. Just another way of telling a story!
Laurel says
I love, love, love digi scrapping. If I hadn’t found digi before my DD was born, her baby book would definitely not be up to date. I’m very proud that each monthly page I did for her first year was done within a week of her monthly “birthday”. She’s now 14 months old and I’m not doing the monthly pages anymore. I’m doing pages for the funny things she does and new things that she learns. I still use regular paper stuff for cards, but all my scrapbooking is digital. LOVE IT!! 🙂
Terry says
I’m ALL digi, baby! While I liked the design aspect of traditional scrapbooking, I hated cutting paper and adhering it. Now I can do the boring, laborious part with a mouse click. I would also often waffle between pictures or patterns of paper and lay one down stare at it, pick up another, lay it down, stare at it, etc. Now I just hide the one I don’t want to see and click to show it again. Makes waffling much easier.
I love the flexibility, too. I can buy a pack of digi paper and use it as many times as I’d like, and I can change the color, blend it with other papers, make the pattern bigger or smaller, and much more. Plus, it really appeals to my anal-retentive side that likes things lined up perfectly and colors to match exactly. I was never able to put on a perfectly spaced, straight title on any of my layouts with letter stickers or stamps.
No turning back for me, and I am thrilled that you and Ali are working with Designer Digitals!
Terry
Shannon says
I agree. That should be their slogan. Is it their slogan?
LambChop00 says
I started traditional for many year. Then I dabbled in hybrid thanks to your classes. That spurred me to learn more about PSE (which led me to jessicasprague.com) and now I do a lot of digi scrapping.
Lisa VanderVeen says
I was an avid paper scrapper from 2003 – 2006. Then we moved across the country, I went back to work and we downsized from a big house in the country to a townhouse in the city where I have a scrapcloset that does not compare to my old scraproom. Between going back to work and downsizing, I just lost my muse. I didn’t have time to do the painting, inking, sewing, stamping and other mixed-media scrapping that I used to love. Plus, my new scrap area just isn’t conducive to a lot of printer-work and xacto’ing, etc. I grew increasingly more frustrated and just gave it up altogether, saddened by the fact that all of my supplies were collecting dust.
Then this past summer I signed up for one of Jessica Sprague’s free classes. It wasn’t even a digi scrapping class, it was the one on frames and special effects. But I LOVED what I learned and felt more proficient w/ PhotoShop than ever before. I then signed up for her first digi scrapping class (Up and Running with PhotoShop) and I could not BELIEVE how easy it was. All of a sudden I could create the same look I loved with my paper pages – I could customize titles and fonts w/out the need for xacto or complicated die cutting systems. I could stitch without pulling out my sewing machine, which is not stored in a particulary convenient place. I could type my journaling without having to get out my printer and format my computer.
Bottom line: DIGI IS EASY. It’s convenient. It’s clean. I can go on vacation and take my laptop and scrap. I can sit in the family room with my family and scrap while we watch TV. I can fit 100 LOs in an album, for goodness sake!!!!
Yes, I do sometimes miss the texture. For sure. But really, the ease in getting the look I want without spending 6 hours doing it is TOTALLY worth it to me. I have been so inspired for the past 4 months or so since I started learning digi – I have created way more LOs than I did in the past 3 years combined. And that’s worth it to me, because I’m telling stories that would otherwise go untold.
zalaine says
While I will always love the feel of paper, digi has captured my heart.
There is just Something about the recoloring, resizing and love that has grabbed my heart. Layer after layer, the workflow fills my creative need like paper never did. I was born for digi. my name is zalaine ( hello zalaine) and I am hopeless, completely addicted to digital scrapbooking…
Cheri says
Yes, I would recommend them to anyone who wants to learn Photoshop. Her instructions are so clear and with the videos it is really like she is standing over your shoulder telling you step by step what buttons to push! I’ve done several classes there and learn new stuff every time!
Joc says
Just give me digi baby. The only paper scrapping I do these days is my kids school albums after dropping a large amount of cash on three Becky Higgins School KOTM.
Everything else I do on the dark side. It means I scrap more, I can scrap anywhere, I can shop anywhere in the world at any time of the day or night, and best of all there is always CTRL Z when I screw up lol.
Elaine says
Started with paper and past few months have layouts are all digital still love my paper and elements but love the no mess in digi and can use items more than once. Just left you live chat at Renee TV what fun
Thanks!
Elisa Bohm says
I love digi. I too have always used my computer for tittles ect. But the thing I love most about digi-is the ability to reverse “mistakes” and reuse supplies over and over again. It’s budget friendly and good for the planet too!
I love traditional scrapbooking as well. I just made my December Daily album and loved all the tactile quality of the paper/elements.
As a busy mom of 3 digital enhances my ability to document the little things. I love that.
Cindy Welch says
As a scrapbooker, I loved to put the layout together, but hated to journal. I hated my writing and took to long to use stickers. I then discovered adobe elements and I was in love with story telling and I love love coumbining both traditinal and digital. I have a traditional scrapbook room at work, thats right work (love my boss) and a digital place at home. My husband loves the “less mess” of digital, and I love both options.
senovia1.blogspot.com says
I’m willing to go back 🙁 My MacBook Pro is a lemon. 🙁
Corie in Indy says
I have been doing digital in a small percentage of my layouts since 2006, but recently I would have to say that about 90% of my layouts are all digital. Because I am YEARS behind in printing my digital photos (which have stacked up in the tens of thousands – about 11,000 – 12,000 per year), I find that digital is much easier to manage! I don’t have to have prints made. I can make the photos whatever size I please. I can edit and resize and recolor and reuse however many times I please. I can do it without dragging everything out and cleaning everything up like I do in the paper world. And there are about 10 other reasons why I’ve leaned this way, too. So… now my plan is to do all of the pages for our family albums all-digital and continue to do my kids’ album pages paper-and-adhesive style. That way I get a good mix of both. (Although, I have to admit, there are increasingly more all-digital pages creeping into my kids’ books, too!). Anyway, thanks for the constant inspiration. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your clean and simple style and I can’t get enough!
Noell Hyman says
How did you get a lemon for a MacBook Pro? Sorry to hear that…is it fixable? I’m on my third year I think with mine and I love it. LOVE. IT.
Nicky from Canada says
Cathy I must tell you – I love your work and you are ever inspiring. I am almost done my All about me – and will print it at shutterfly when done – went completely digital on that one. I love them all, I am really starting to lean toward the digi world – only because now that I am getting to know photoshop and me new MAC – WOW – and I can get the stories told quicker and feel like I get more accomplished, however, I love paper and tools and the feel of it in my fingers so I won’t give up that end – so truly a hybrid girl!!
Love the templates you are creating at designer digital – great job and a good addition to the team
cathy says
Thanks, Terry! i am too!
cathy says
Lisa, that’s the part that i love… getting to telling the stories faster.
cathy says
It’s all about the options, isn’t it?
cathy says
I think doing a mix is a good thing.
cathy says
Thanks, Nicky!
Susan Raihala says
I think it’s great that we all have so much choice. Personally, digital and hybrid hold no interest for me. I’m a paper and glue person and take kindergarten joy in all the cutting and arranging.
Susan Raihala says
Oh, I wanted to add that just because DOING digital and hybrid doesn’t appeal to me doesn’t mean I don’t like them or gain inspiration from them. (Double negatives there…sorry!) I often buy mags and visit websites that are for digi scrappers because the pages are such lovely inspiration!
My style is very clean and simple, and I can often improvise traditional techniques to get similar looks to beautiful digital/hybrid pieces. Having digi/hybrid inspiration makes my traditional scrapping more creative. It’s ALL good.
Kropster says
I seem to be stuck in a digi rut. I have been doing “real” scrapbooking for over 12 years (actually since Jr. High in the 1970s), but took Renee’s class a few years ago and love the ease and simplicity of digi.
Although I really prefer the look of my “real” pages and want to do more of them it is always so much easier to just do in digi. I like that I can make the photos any size and that all my lines and corners line up perfectly. Sometimes I “design” in PSE to see what it looks like and then do the page with “real” supplies.
cathy says
Susan, are you any relation to Ross Raihala, the local music critic in st. paul? just have never seen the name anywhere else!
Kasandra says
Love all the ideas….I need to get to work! Have to admit I started scrapbooking reluctantly when a friend gave me a bag of supplies for my birthday but loved it after I started. Years later I ran into a CM consultant who is a digi expert and I was intrigued! I committed to scrapbooking with her one morning a week and within a year I had learned soooo much and absolutely love it…..even more than traditional!! I am 43 years old and have found my passion! I get up in the morning happy because there is story waiting to be told and not only do I want to tell it but I want to make it fun to read. I absolutely LOVE being able to experiment, undo and create all on the computer. Cathy, you’ve helped me to remember that it really is the story that’s important and to keep it simple. I love your pages and especially your journaling…..I plan on taking more classes because I want to get better at photoshop and not just cm storybook creator. Keep up the good stuff, love your blog!
HeatherC says
I meant to comment about this yesterday and time slipped away — the truth is I am basically traditional — My “real” books are traditional — however I enjoy creating digitally — but truth is, I have NEVER PRINTED the pages I have created! Do it mainly for design practice, creating a computer desktop or sending photos to relatives. Hybrid does not work well for me either because my computer is upstairs and scrapping room in the basement — too far to create titles. Like the hybrid look, but just not practical for me.
Tiffani says
I didn’t read all the previous comments due to lack of time, which is also what hinders me in any area of scrapbooking! I like the traditional style and the kids have said they like the pages because of the texture, but am a “hybrid” scrapbooker in the sense that I use the computer for a lot of journaling and title elements. Digital appeals to me because it doesn’t take up space, and could be done anywhere with only a laptop, and is something I’d like to become more capable at doing if ever the time was available to do so!
Deonne Beron says
Great discussion on here. Thanks to Cathy’s METAV, Ali’s Yesterday and Today (both on Big Picture Scrapbooking.com) and the addition of a MacBook Pro and finally (oh yes baby!) a lovely Nikon DSLR to my life, digi is becoming more and more attractive every moment. Since having discovered Designer Digitals in the last 2 weeks, I feel like I’m on the verge of a digital buying spree. I’m totally in the honeymoon phase right now- excited that I can size, crop and print journaling and photos in a much more precise way than ever before (hey, I am a first born!)
But it’s ironic that I’m just now discovering this world after having finally been able to get a scraproom of my own where I can now finally organize and access this massive collection of hard copy (v. digital) toys I’ve collected. For that reason, and for the fact that I just love tactile creating because it relaxes me and feels so unlike my job, I will always be a hybrid at some level. It’sjust that PSE is a WAY better choice for journaling and photos than Powerpoint, which is all I could afford till now, but always annoyed because it tried to control so much and I had specific ideas I wanted to execute.
I’ve also noticed that my obsession with rubber stamps, and in particular alphabets (so versatile) is parallel to my long standing obsession with fonts. (Yes, I come by graphic design work honestly too from my journalism degree, newspaper experience, and the days of Pagemaker). It’s also interesting to me and I think worth noting that as the economy has forced many traditional scrap stores to shutter, a lot of us have had to go online for our tools, inspiration (take a look at how many idea books CK and SS used to produce for a few key years- got nearly all of them- vs. this year) and even classes (can’t find a good one near me anymore). When you contemplate shipping and handling on a punch, digital starts to look pretty interesting. 🙂
The other big benefit for me and the reason I too have long been hybrid in the sense that I used my computer for journaling and titles is that it gives me much more flexibility in sizing things to the space so that my creative self fights less with the part of me that has a story to tell. And by virtue of the fact that I work in book publishing and have been a freelancer, the good stories usually start out long, so I either end up editing- much easier on a computer- or telling the short, more facts only story when I try to handwrite journaling.
Thanks for such a great discussion topic Cathy and for helping me get started adding more digi to my repertoire- learning masks in PSE alone has been a godsend and was worth the whole cost of the class. 🙂
Mary Rogers says
what a fabulous discussion….read all the comments when I should have been doing something else.. : )
for me it is now 95% digital, for the convenience of it. I still hoard supplies (both paper and digital) but find it is so much easier to scrap a bit here and there when I can find time without having to actually be in my scrap room. I have scrapped more in the past two years digital than in the past 10 traditionally, and because we don’t know how much time we all have here that is what is important to me….getting down the stories so that my children can “remember”
Lisa Kisch says
I love hybrid because I can get the ease of the computer with the creative boost of paper products. Try as I might, I just don’t get the same creative satisfaction from digi. I really identified with what you said about just grabbing some photos and telling the story, though. Digi is great for that, and I look at it as a way to get more stories told– because who has time to scrap every picture? It also means I can scrapbook on the streetcar on the way to work. That is pretty cool.
P.S. Loved your template tutorial on Ali’s blog. I’ve pulled that up a couple of times, and now I’m starting to save my own templates for future use. Brill.
falwyn says
I don’t know why we have to choose between paper and digi (and hybrid). I love doing some of all. 🙂 I will admit to doing a lot of digi the last couple of years, and I will resume as soon as I work out my crashed-external-hard-drive problems. (Please everyone, BACK UP YOUR PHOTOS AND ALL.) I love undo, and especially being able to resize photos in the moment. Also I’ve never had a printer I really trust, otherwise perhaps I would do more hybrid.
I have met some people who seem so opposed to digi though. Again, I figure, if it’s not for you fine, but why feel you have to choose between “modes” if you don’t want to? But here’s my favorite quote about it, from Lynda Angelastro, on the question she got asked about digi most often at the time:
“But is digital really scrapbooking?” My reply? “Well, do you think digital cameras take real photos?”
Bwahahaha! Love it!
Holly Murphy says
hybrid, all the way. I think its important to take a timeconsuming and expensive hobby and use every possible way to make it more time consuming and more expensive ;o) Actually, I love the ease of digital but the daughter and wife of printers, I don’t feel like I am finished until I have ink on my fingers!
hugs,
Holly
Gina says
I don’t feel skilled enough at the programs necessary to create digital layouts or digital aspects even to do digital scrapbooking. I do not learn well from tutorials unfortunately, more with an actual class and have no knowledge of a digital scrapbooking class nearby (or if there are any digital scrapbooking courses anywhere).
I do enjoy traditional scrapbooking though. (Do wish my Canon printer was wide enough to accomodate 12 x 12 paper though! Heh!)
christina says
Hi Cathy, I am a semi-regular visitor of your blog and over the weeknend I read your classic Clean & Simple book. I am very drawn to your controlled style. However, while reading your book, I thought why bother with cutting up cardstock and getting things messy with glue for this graphic style. On the other hand, the little embellishments that you used to add, simple flowers or tags or whatever, added substance to them which a purely digital layout simply does not have. Also, although I am attracted to the whole clean concept, I also love to get totally messy and lose control because I am generally a control freak and I find that I learn to be more accepting of life and myself and my shortcomings when I try not to control a layout too much. Accept the chaos and randomness in life. I am not a native speaker of English, Sorry about my clumsy style. I love your writing. You should write a book. Seriously. Best wishes from Germany. Christina
cathy says
Thanks for your comment, Christina! : )
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