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A Tiny Templates Tutorial + a free fraction conversion chart download for you

January 23, 2012

A Tiny Templates Tutorial + a free fraction conversion chart download for you

I have a new digital product at Designer Digitals called Tiny Templates.

CZ_TinyTemplates1

The idea is very simple. Seven 3 x 4 layered digital templates that allow you to create tiny little cards containing photos and a story. I created them for use in my Project Life album, and I’ll be posting about my Week 3 of Project Life later in the week, but today the Tiny Templates are on sale and I thought I’d show you exactly how to use them, and how to size them to fit exactly into the Project Life Design A small pockets.

Pocket

I put together a 20-minute video walking you through working with one of the templates, including how to size the templates down. Just a word of caution: you may see Tiny Elvis at some point during the clip.

Tiny Template Tutorial from Cathy Zielske on Vimeo.

I wanted to include the written instructions for resizing a 3 x 4 file to fit perfectly into the Project Life Design A page pockets. You can always trim them down after printing them at full size, but heck, why not just print them at the exact size and employ the use of crop marks for easy trimming? It’s your choice!

SIZING DOWN 3 x 4 CARDS STEP-BY-STEP in PSE
1. To change the width of the card to 2-7/8 wide (the actual width of Project Life cards), or 2.875, go to Image > Resize > Image Size. In the Width field, type in 2.875. Make sure that Scale Styles, Constrain Proportions and Resample Image are all checked. Click OK.

2. To change the height of the card to 3-15/15 (the actual height of Project Life cards), or 3.9375, go to Image > Resize > Canvas Size.

3. Click on the top Anchor Point. Change the height to 3.9375.

4. This will add a small amount of extra space to the bottom of your page. You will need to adjust your elements to fit the space, including moving the Background layer clipping mask down to fit, or moving your photos or type layers down to fit.

FRACTION CONVERSION CHART
I have this nifty little chart I use all the time when working on digital and hybrid scrapbooking projects. It converts fractions to decimals and millimeters which is very handy when converting for sizing in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. Download, print and enjoy!

Download CZ_Fractions2Decimals

Questions? Comments? Post in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer. And look for my full Project Life post on Thursday.

 

 

 

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Comments

  1. dawn says

    January 23, 2012 at 5:14 am

    I love this idea Cathy, it can be used for so many ideas/themes. How cool that you did all the books being read right now, so happy your on the PL wagon and keep adding more fun ideas for us to use.

    Thanks for the video and keep those ideas coming!!!

    Reply
  2. Solgunn Finnesand says

    January 23, 2012 at 6:21 am

    I love your Project Life. Thank you so much for doing it!
    It’s very inspiring 🙂

    Reply
  3. heidi says

    January 23, 2012 at 6:29 am

    I remember Tiny Elvis but for some reason (probably since I lived in Hawaii) I keep singing “Tiny Templetas…..in the wine…” LOL

    Reply
  4. Leora says

    January 23, 2012 at 7:12 am

    Cathy,

    Just wanted to say THANKS! I love, love, love the 3×4 mini templates. I am not doing Project Life but I am making a scrapbook for Jacob who is a freshman in college this year and I am using the divided pages, so these will be PERFECT! Thanks for sharing and for inspiring!

    Leora

    Reply
  5. Irene says

    January 23, 2012 at 7:30 am

    Great idea. The mini template will be a little fun extra for those days when you want to just say a few words. (And they are CUTE!) Thanks for the walk through video and the conversion chart.

    Reply
  6. jacquie d says

    January 23, 2012 at 7:32 am

    Is there ANYTHING you can’t or won’t do? I have already used your tutorial for resizing the 3 x 4 cards, and as usual, you rock! (And so does that chart.) Thanks CZ! P.S. I would also love to see a ‘month in review’ pack.

    Reply
  7. Marty Ward says

    January 23, 2012 at 7:45 am

    thanks for these adorable little cards…love the cards and tutorial and conversion chart too.

    Reply
  8. Carrie O says

    January 23, 2012 at 7:54 am

    This will be so helpful with Project Life. Also thanks for the conversion chart this will be so helpful. I’ve already ordered my template and plan on playing with them today.

    Reply
  9. Emma says

    January 23, 2012 at 8:38 am

    I bought these over the weekend and I LOVE them!!! CZ your style is nothing short of awesome.

    Reply
  10. Delisa says

    January 23, 2012 at 8:49 am

    Thanks for sharing! I’m working along with you this year. We’ll see how it goes. My first attempt.

    By the way I LOVED 11/22/63. You need to read it when they finish.

    Reply
  11. Allison Rust says

    January 23, 2012 at 8:50 am

    How cool! Great idea Cathy. And might I say your family has very good literary taste. Just finished 11/22/63 a few weeks ago… one of my all time favorites.

    Reply
  12. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 8:54 am

    Aw, thanks!

    Reply
  13. Sarah Hofseth says

    January 23, 2012 at 9:00 am

    What a cool idea, Cathy! I wish they were landscape orientation, because I’m using the B style page protectors, which have the 3×4 spots set up that way.
    Are you considering making some of these like that, or can these be changed in PSE? Thanks for sharing such great ideas!

    Reply
  14. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 9:07 am

    Sarah, I could totally add that to the list of products! Will add it! : )

    Reply
  15. Abby P. says

    January 23, 2012 at 9:26 am

    Absolutely love this mini set – it will be making many appearances in my PL book…I was on the fence about making such a huge commitment to the project, but decided that with you and Ali’s constant encouragement, there was simply no excuse NOT to jump in and give it a whirl! Thanks much for the great ideas.

    Reply
  16. Michelle says

    January 23, 2012 at 9:29 am

    Great templates and video. Thank you.

    After watching the video though, I have question. Wouldn’t it be easier to just make the templates 3.9375 x 2.875 to start with, so that no editing was needed at the end?

    Reply
  17. Cynthia says

    January 23, 2012 at 9:44 am

    Cathy as usual you TOTALLY ROCK! Love the template and ahem, think I am making a purchase from DD today! Thank you soooo much – I just love your design aesthetic!

    Reply
  18. JayEssJay says

    January 23, 2012 at 10:26 am

    I love this adaptation of Project Life. Although I haven’t attempted yet, this idea makes the project more accessible for me, I think. Must remember for later!

    Reply
  19. Sally says

    January 23, 2012 at 10:31 am

    You do wonderful video tutorials all of which I need. Please tell me that this process of Project Life gets faster. This second week has been a steep learning curve, but I was snow bound (north of Everett)so it did not matter, but LIFE might get in the way.

    The biggest tip for me here was how to make the cut marks.

    Reply
  20. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 11:27 am

    Well yes! But the problem is that in a regular page protector, like from We R Memory Keepers, the pocket is true to size. Make sense? Its just that the Project Life cards arent true to size 3 x 4. Thats honestly the only reason. That way, if someone is using a regular divided page protector, they dont have to size up or down. : )

    In fact, if I post free downloads on my blog, Ill size them to size for the PL card size, just to make it simpler!

    Reply
  21. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 11:27 am

    thanks so much!

    Reply
  22. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 11:28 am

    It does get faster, but… i definitely approach PL actively, always looking to jot down ideas for stories to save and photos to take!

    EVERETT! My hometown, you know!~

    Reply
  23. Mary Rogers says

    January 23, 2012 at 11:28 am

    fabulous! picked these up yesterday and will hopefully try them out after work today. thanks C!

    Reply
  24. Lynn L. says

    January 23, 2012 at 11:55 am

    Thanks so much for the tutorial! I appreciate the help! I love these templates and can see using them a lot!!! Love your design style. Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
  25. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 11:59 am

    Sarah, I will have those made for the store for this coming weekend! They should be on sale on Saturday morning!

    Reply
  26. Michelle says

    January 23, 2012 at 12:24 pm

    Makes sense now(I figured there had to be a good reason, I just didn’t know what it was!)

    Reply
  27. jennie says

    January 23, 2012 at 12:36 pm

    i do this too!!!!

    Reply
  28. Rhadonda says

    January 23, 2012 at 1:12 pm

    These are great. I will add to wish list for quarterly sale! Are you saving each template you make with each week or just printing? Hope that makes sense.

    Reply
  29. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 1:15 pm

    I am saving them in each Weeks folder for my Project Life, though Im guessing I wouldnt have to, considering its printed once and done. : ) This set is on sale today through tomorrow, just to let you know!

    Reply
  30. Alison says

    January 23, 2012 at 1:54 pm

    I *love* these! Just downloaded and used for the first time today. I’d love to see a template for the 4×6 pockets, if you’re ever thinking about those! Thanks for sharing the free download too! 🙂

    Reply
  31. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 2:05 pm

    Definitely! thinking about making those. stay tuned!

    Reply
  32. Jenny B. says

    January 23, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! You ROCK! 🙂 I love the teeny tiny layouts – never would have thought to do that in the 3×4 spaces. And thank you SO much for the helpful (and pretty) conversion chart! As my 7-year-old son would say, “Woot! Woot!” 🙂

    Reply
  33. Annet Maurer says

    January 23, 2012 at 3:09 pm

    I’m not doing Project Life (the more I say it, the more I’ll believe it) but am committed to using your “The Monthly” templates. Thinking now I could use some of the PL templates that I like for adaptation with The Monthly templates. That should work, right?

    Reply
  34. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 3:43 pm

    Annet, off the top of my head, I know there are no 3 x 4 Monthly Cards. Not sure if this helps or not! : )

    Reply
  35. Jeannette_ says

    January 23, 2012 at 4:18 pm

    I bought these this weekend and LOVE them! I used four of them to show a friendly get together from Saturday. I wouldn’t have been able to share so many pics in my PL without these. They are AWESOME!!!

    Reply
  36. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 4:55 pm

    Yay! Love to hear they are being put to good use!

    Reply
  37. {vicki} says

    January 23, 2012 at 4:58 pm

    Please let us know what they think of 11/22/63
    I’ve got that book on my wish list!

    Reply
  38. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 5:03 pm

    Vicki, I plan to read it as well. Dan just finished and he really liked it.

    Reply
  39. Jo says

    January 23, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    Love these Cathy. Have just downloaded them from DD, can’t wait to use them tomorrow for my Project Life. The square photo one is perfect for instagram photos!

    Reply
  40. Janie says

    January 23, 2012 at 6:25 pm

    The conversion chart is such a great idea. Thank you! However, when I tried to print it, I was unable to. When I view it in the Print Preview function, nothing is there. No doubt it’s operator error on my part, but can you please advise. Thank you again!

    Reply
  41. goshery says

    January 23, 2012 at 6:58 pm

    Thanks for another great tutorial. I’m not doing project life but purchased the cards because I do lots of mini albums and they will work great for that. You make it sound easy . . . I’ll probably watch that video a few times! Our book club just selected 11/22/63 for later this year and I can’t wait to read it. Just finished Room – great book.

    Reply
  42. Gretchen France says

    January 23, 2012 at 7:13 pm

    Thank you so much for the tutorials! Its taking me alot of trial and error but I’m slowly learning photoshop! The tutorials are really helping so thanks! Cant wait to use the tiny templates in my project life!

    Reply
  43. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 7:45 pm

    Oh man, I didnt even think of that! : )

    Reply
  44. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 7:46 pm

    I have wanted to read Room too! Its on my list!

    Reply
  45. cathy says

    January 23, 2012 at 7:46 pm

    Yay! Glad they are helping!

    Reply
  46. Bernice J says

    January 23, 2012 at 8:34 pm

    WOW! great minds think alike….I have the exact same conversion chart hanging on a hook by my desk! But yours is so much more professional looking; I handwrote mine) so I think I’ll download yours. Thanks!

    Reply
  47. scrappysue says

    January 23, 2012 at 9:55 pm

    Thanks so much for the video Cathy; I absolutely adore the tiny templates, but thought it was my printer error when they were printing out a little too big, hee hee! They are my fav spots in PL; look forward to seeing 4 x 6 templates too!

    Reply
  48. Samantha says

    January 24, 2012 at 1:32 am

    THANK YOU so much for the conversion chart and the video! I’m not only new to Project Life this year, but I just got PSE 10 (it came on my new computer), and without your tutorials, I would certainly be lost in the sauce. Who knew PSE could be so wonderfully complicated at first and then so easy once you get the hang of it?! I’m really happy I found your blog, and I can’t wait to see what you come up with next!

    Reply
  49. Brooke says

    January 24, 2012 at 4:19 am

    Owh love these! Will need hubby’s approval first though as last time I decided to treat myself to some Designer Digital stuff the credit card company cancelled my card and called him at work! Thanks for the fraction conversions too – I’m still learning imperial (it’s metric here). Ha!

    Reply
  50. Amy says

    January 24, 2012 at 5:13 am

    thanks for the conversion chart cathy!!! i had one but no clue where it is now and instead of printing another one, i keep doing the conversions on my calculator. it would also be perfect at that 3×4 size, laminated, next to my sewing machine:O)
    a long time ago i read john krakauer’s into thin air, about everest. i’ve never forgotten it.

    Reply
  51. carlajinar says

    January 24, 2012 at 5:26 am

    LOVE LOVE LOVE these mini templates! You are amazing!!!

    Reply
  52. cathy says

    January 24, 2012 at 6:34 am

    Amy, that was one of my favorite books ever. I was really obsessed with Everest after that!

    Reply
  53. Kay says

    January 24, 2012 at 9:13 am

    Thanks for the conversion chart, Cathy. And, I just downloaded the tiny templates. I’m not doing a full-fledged Project Life this year, but still have tons of the page protectors and will do something. Love these little ones!

    Reply
  54. Megan -Best of Fates says

    January 24, 2012 at 9:18 am

    Those look so fabulous – I’ve never bought a digital template, but now I’m tempted! (Especially as Picnik is closing and now I’m going to be forced to learn Photoshop, even though it’s far too complex for my meager brain to understand!) And I love how you memorialized what everyone is reading, what a great idea!

    Reply
  55. Amantha says

    January 25, 2012 at 8:08 pm

    I started PL last year and made it through March. I am going to adapt it so I can just continue on even though it’s a new year. That’s why I bought Tiny Templates so I don’t have to worry about starting over and running out of the matching cards. They are so easy to use! I was wondering, though, how to put crop marks in and then print them. I don’t see them when I am in Photoshop. Is it because I am using CS4?

    Reply
  56. cathy says

    January 25, 2012 at 9:40 pm

    In CS4, when you send the file to print and get the Print window, look on the upper left and youll see a drop down that either says Output or Color Management. Choose OUTPUT and then below, under printing marks, choose Crop Marks.

    Reply
  57. Sherry Eckblad says

    January 26, 2012 at 9:07 am

    Thanks Cathy. First time I ever really understood how to use PSE. Here is my first attempt after your tutorial.

    http://2012throughthelens.blogspot.com/2012/01/you-are-my-superhero.html

    Reply
  58. Amantha says

    January 26, 2012 at 2:30 pm

    It worked! Thank you, Cathy! I have been trying to figure out how to do that for quite a while.

    Reply
  59. Sherry P says

    January 27, 2012 at 5:42 pm

    I think you need to set up a special entertainment blog. I agree with all of your favorite music, books, etc. You’re are a woman of many talents. I loved Into The Wild. Even though it haunts me, I wish I had the opportunity to live in an abandoned bus in the Alaskan wilderness(for a mini vacay only). Supertramp!
    Enough gushing, is the Bazill cardstock what you print the journal cards on? Even if you plan on handwriting on them, as opposed to doing the whole card digitally? I was wondering how the texture of the cardstock was to write on? Do I need to use different types of paper for cards that I just need to print vs. those that I will be using writing instruments on? Hope that makes sense.
    Thanks for all you do!

    Reply
  60. cathy says

    January 27, 2012 at 6:53 pm

    The texture is perfection. For writing on. For printing on. Seriously. I only print my printable cards on that card stock. I print all of them on that card stock. I really love it! Just ordered more of it too.

    Reply
  61. toni from says

    January 28, 2012 at 3:56 pm

    I watched your video and made my first tiny template today and I am very excited about how it turned out. I know I have told you before, but you are hilarious. I think we have a similar sense of humor (I am from Graham, Washington so maybe it is a Washington thing, lol.) I just wanted to mention something that I noticed about the video that I found especially funny, a little over 3 minutes in you say, “It’s huge man, thank you…” I was waiting for you to say in perfect tiny Elvis, “thank you, thank you very much, huhuhuh…” but maybe you can add that on your next take of tiny templates. Thanks for the great video! Much appreciated.

    Reply
  62. Tracy Moniz says

    January 28, 2012 at 9:24 pm

    Hi, Cathy,

    Thanks so much for the instructions – I followed exactly, but when I drag my finished template on to a 4×6 background (so I can send off for printing), the newly sized template is bigger than 2.875×3.9375.

    (I had created a 4×6 template for myself, with slightly smaller than 3×4 rectangles, so that I could easily clip small photos and send off for printing. I usually have to trim a little off the width.)

    Sorry to bother you with this, but thought you might have an easy answer! I am struggling with all of my “3×4” purchases for this reason.

    Thanks!! Totally love the templates!

    Reply
  63. cathy says

    January 29, 2012 at 5:50 pm

    Its totally a Washington thing! ; )

    Reply
  64. cathy says

    January 29, 2012 at 5:53 pm

    Hmmm. Trying to think of what this could be… coupla things: make sure your 4 x 6 target doc is set to 300 (Im sure it is, but just check that.)

    That is the only thing I can think of. If you size it and then bring it over, it shouldnt change size. Is your template with the slightly smaller than 3×4 rectangles possibly larger than the size of the resized card?

    Reply
  65. Tracy Moniz says

    January 30, 2012 at 9:09 pm

    You are so cool for responding! To make sure we are talking apples ‘n apples – I open a new document, change the width/height to 6×4 inches, then change the resolution from the default of 72 to 300. If that’s correct, that’s my background.

    To create my template, I turned the grid view on, and created two rectangles in slightly less than 3 x 4 that I could clip my photos to (then I save the file as a JPG and send off for printing). When I drag my resized tiny template over, it is wider than my little rectangles, and taller than 4″. I will keep playing with it!! 🙂

    Reply
  66. Kay says

    February 7, 2012 at 10:31 am

    Loving this idea . . . as an Elements instructor can you tell me the advantage of resizing the image and canvas vs straight up cropping the image? I know you must have a reason for it, it’s just not coming to me at the moment. Thanks!!!

    Reply
  67. cathy says

    February 7, 2012 at 10:40 am

    To preserve the original design of the card and its proper proportions. If you trim to size after printing at full size, youd be getting pretty tight where the small title and journaling are. Does that help to explain?

    Reply
  68. Kay Rogers says

    February 7, 2012 at 10:56 am

    It does!!! Thanks!

    Reply
  69. Pat8 says

    February 13, 2012 at 10:54 am

    Cathy, the tutorial is marvelous. I already bought all your tiny templates packets and love them. Project life is my only memory keeping project so I just love your templates that work in that format. I’m also really learning a lot in your Ten Tips for Better Type class.

    A question – when you are resizing you said to uncheck “Resample Image”, then you change the 72 to 300, then you recheck “Resample Image”. Why do you uncheck that box?

    Pat

    Reply
  70. cathy says

    February 13, 2012 at 11:40 am

    I uncheck it, so the computer will interpolate (i think thats what its called) the pixels correctly based on changing the resolution. But then, you Recheck it so that if you go to change the width or height again, you wont alter the resolution.

    Also, a senior designer that i worked with years ago just told me thats how you do it. ha! So I always have!

    Reply
  71. Pat8 says

    February 13, 2012 at 3:19 pm

    Well, since you’re as close as I come to knowing a senior designer, that’s how I’ll do it too. ha!

    Reply
  72. Pat8 says

    February 13, 2012 at 3:20 pm

    p.s. Thanks Cathy.

    Reply
  73. Banu H says

    February 15, 2012 at 10:18 am

    Hi Cathy, When you have mixed media journaling card like this which has text and photos together, do you still print them on Bazzill paper? or do you print them on photo paper?

    Reply
  74. cathy says

    February 15, 2012 at 11:53 am

    I print these onto photo paper. : ) I use a digital paper for the background where the white is, most of the time.

    Reply
  75. Susanne says

    March 1, 2012 at 9:46 am

    Hi Cathy,
    I love your mini templates and use them for mini scrapbooking of short stories: I let them be developed as a photo and collect them in an photoalbum. It’s a simple and easy way to save memories in a short time.:-)

    Reply
  76. cathy says

    March 1, 2012 at 10:01 am

    Great idea! : )

    Reply
  77. Tempate Design says

    September 14, 2012 at 1:08 am

    nice design this is called the creativity of a real designer.

    Reply
  78. haresh says

    October 15, 2012 at 4:46 am

    I like your templates and again recheck it so that if you go to change the width or height again, you wont alter the resolution.

    Reply
  79. Stephanie @ The House on Hillbrook says

    October 17, 2013 at 8:54 pm

    Read through the comments and I couldn’t find the scale down size for the 4 x 6 cards?

    Reply
  80. Anne says

    January 9, 2016 at 11:54 am

    Thank you!!

    Reply
  81. professor fazer monografia says

    September 11, 2016 at 1:51 am

    Porquê já comentei dentro de post, não me posicionei no que se refere à resultado obtido pelo TCC.

    Reply

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