I made two layouts on National Scrapbook Day. (Okay, I started two layouts on National Scrapbook Day.)
I finished them up last week and created a new series of digital templates designed for people who say, “Hey, I have a computer but I also like to make more traditional pages.” You know who you are: you are Hybrid People.
No, I’m not talking about alien/human hybrid people like in that movie Species. I’m talking about computers plus scrapbook supplies equaling awesomeness.
I’m Hybrid People. Pretty much have been since the start. I use my computer to help me make layouts.
My computer helped me to make these two: (click on the images to see them larger)
The idea behind Hybrid Helpers is to give you a base upon which to build a page. The photo sizes are all standard. You can start each page with any stack of 4 x 6 photos and simply add them directly onto the page or trim them to fit. (The trim sizes will all be standard, too. The layout above? All 3 x 3 in size.)
Hybrid Helpers are all going to be 8.5 x 11. Why? Because most people can print them at home on their ink jet printers. If you’re a 12 x 12 scrapbooker with a large format printer, you can simply change the canvas size of the template and you’re good to go. No need to size any of the elements up because white space can be a really beautiful thing on a scrapbook page.
You simply add your journaling, change the color of the elements, turn off the photo layers and print onto your choice of cardstock. Then you add your photos and any additional elements you’d like. Done and done.
The page featuring Aidan (dressed as the lead singer of Dexy’s Midnight Runners) includes just a few assorted pieces from the Camelot Studio Calico kit (patterned paper, banner and rub-ons).
The page featuring Cole has zero embellishments. Just four 3 x 3 photos added at the end.
Each Hybrid Helper template will come with a detailed instruction sheet, geared towards users of Photoshop Elements.
I use free fonts on all of my templates. The titles on the Hybrid Helpers will be created using free fonts but will be rasterized (turned into pixels) to preserve the design intent. However, I’ll include links to download those, too, if you want to make your own custom titles.
Creating hybrid layouts has always been the sweet spot for me as a scrapbooker. It lets me have control over titles and journaling and still add a few tangible elements to complete the design.
This series will feature simple, do-able, elegant designs. This shit doesn’t have to be complicated, people.
Hybrid people.
p.s. If you want to learn more about the hybrid scrapbooking process, check out my videos on Vimeo. This one is a great place to start.
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Kristin says
Thank you, yiu are fabulous!!
ArlaMo says
Come on Eileen. Oh that just gets my 80s lovin’ heart. Perfection.
cathy says
Me too! The whole concert was amazing. Culture Club, Tears for Fears, Madonna. So fun!
Marjorie says
Thank you so much, Cathy! Do you already know how many Hybrid Helpers there are going to be, please? Will there be a bundle? Do you think you might turn this into a class at BPC ? Sorry, I got carried away by excitement! 🙂
scrapchick/Carrie says
Thanks!!!!
Lynn Herrick says
Seeing your son so grown up is really freaking me out – this is really going to happen to my little boys too, huh?
Amy says
This is an awesome idea! Thanks so much, Cathy!!! 🙂
cathy says
Marjorie, I’m working on some new ones for next weekend, which is also our Designer Digitals sale.
Have you taken Clean & Simple Scrapbooking? The whole class is a hybrid scrapbooking class, but a bit more in depth. The good news is that it will soon be available as a self paced workshop! And you can still email if you’re stuck, even in a self paced class. : ) More details coming soon.
cathy says
It is. And then they’ll graduate. And move out. Trust m… I’m working through this a little every day.
Marjorie says
Thank you, Cathy. I owned your two books but alas, no, I didn’t take the class. I think it wasn’t in my budget. I will definitively take it as a self-paced workshop!
I’m also looking forward to more of your layouts and the Designer Digitals sale. Thanks for taking the ‘crap’ out of scrapbooking. 😉
cathy says
It will be cheaper than the live class, and honestly, it’s the exact same class. I’m just not answering questions on the message boards. : )
Barbara says
I like this idea. I really want to do digital but I have so many supplies and I love to get my hands dirty with hands on crafting. This sounds like the best of both worlds but I didn’t know how to start. Also I am just starting to use templates instead of trying to make my own (why reinvent the wheel?). I’m looking for a good set of templates that will look good together in a book and make the book flow. Years ago, I found a group and used them to make a traditional scrapbook of our trip to Japan. Its my favorite book but I struggle to find a set of 4-8 templates where I feel they go together well enough to make the book flow nicely. Any ideas?
Jennifer K says
I am so intrigued by this. I like being tactile so going all digi never has appealed to me, but this seems like a great meeting in the middle. It also seems overwhelming and intimidating but it looks like you have it all broken down for us. Awesome! Thanks!
JoLynn says
“This shit doesn’t have to be complicated, people.” I. Am. Dying. Over. Here.
Holly Corbett says
I’m really liking your Hybrid Helpers Cathy! Thanks for coming up with such a useful tool for us hybrid lovin’ scrappers!
cathy says
: ) Thank you.
cathy says
Yes. Sigh. It will.
cathy says
Good question. You know, I do have some sets. One of them is called The Monthly and one of them is called 52 Weeks (http://www.designerdigitals.com/digital-scrapbooking/supplies/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=Cathy+Zielske+52+weeksx=-153y=-168). Theyre all designed to go together. Not sure if that would be a good fit for you.
cathy says
Jennifer, Ive always dabbled in the hybrid process because I always wanted to be able to get all my journaling down. When I handwrite, I misspell stuff and never get the whole story down. But, I like scrapbook products, too. So this lets me do both!
Christine says
Cathy, I use Red River Paper(awesome company) and you were mentioned with this blog post under ‘Photo Enthusiast Links from the Around the Web’ this week in their newsletter!
Very cool! 😉
Don’t know if this link will work but here is the newsletter.
http://goo.gl/cfgTuk
or their web site http://www.redrivercatalog.com/
cathy says
Cool. Wonder how they know of me. : )
Sally Kemp says
Cathy, I’m loving these 🙂 I work full time, so my scrap time is sadly limited. I was able to complete 2 layouts of my granddaughters in under an hour this morning. Hybrid rocks 🙂
cathy says
Love time savers! : )