Today’s layout is a celebration of a few things:
1.) Cole and his fabulous junior year in life and in ultimate.
2.) How amazing a sport ultimate is in general.
3.) How amazing renting big assed lenses can be.
4.) How much I love my new printer.
First, let’s look at the page:
There is nothing I love more than a simple scrapbook page. I think you probably have picked this up by now, yes? One glorious photo (and yes, if you click back to this blog post, you’ll notice I magically erased that mystery woman in the background using Photoshop CC’s nearly magic Content Aware fill feature.)
Notice the three gatherings of stars on the page? This creates a nice repetition across the page, leading the eye and adding a bit of energy to the simple design. I cut those stars and the title using my Silhouette Cameo. But the coolest thing about this page—and yes, I’m about to reference glitter as being cool, so please hold me—the Wink of Stella pen brushed over the title and stars to add a bit of shimmer! This answers two questions, the first being 1.) Can you use glitter on a boy-themed page, and 2.) Has Cathy lost her glitter-fearing mind? The answers? Yes, and oh HELL NO!
The coolest thing about Wink of Stella is that is that once it dries, there is no glitter falling off whatever you brushed it onto. I love the subtle sheen it gives the yellow stuff on this page. It’s hard to see in the shot, but trust me, it shimmers. Proof:
The good folks at Epson America recently sent me a PM-400 photo printer. This came on the heels of me posting about not loving my big mama printer, the Epson SuerColor P400, only because I have not been able to get accurate color since I purchased it over a year ago. The good news is that tomorrow, I have a phone date with an Epson tech dude named Eddie Murphy (true story) and he’s going to help me troubleshoot. I will post in the coming weeks to share whether or not it was a user error that has been making my photos look so dark on that particular printer.
In the mean time, I have a one word review for the Epson PM-400: love.
I took it out of the box and was printing wirelessly within just under 8 minutes. I only tell you that because I have never successfully gotten any printer to work wirelessly and this one was up and running in a snap. Many of you may or may not know, but I’ve been using a Picture Mate Charm or a number of years and have loved that little printer, too. I use it for almost all my scrapbooking these days. But the fact that the PM-400 prints 5 x 7s as well makes it a really great all-around model. As a scrapbooker whose primary page size is 8.5 x 11, that’s the perfect enlargement size for me, and I can also create 5 x 7 collages, too.
For my layout, I’m using the 5 x 7 Ultra Premium Glossy paper and I have to say, for a girl who doesn’t use a lot of glossy paper, I was really happy with how it printed.
So for now, this will be my main photo printer and I’m looking forward to giving it a major workout in the next few weeks because I’m working feverishly on…
Design Your Life 2.0, my brand new e-course dedicated to teaching scrapbookers how to create beautifully designed layouts through the use of core graphic design principles, is coming soon to CZ Classes! I’m knee deep in the hoopla of getting all the materials and videos ready for this class, so watch your email for details on when registration opens.(Not a subscriber? Click here!) Note: if you took the original Design Your Life course back in 2008, I will be offering an alumni discount! Unfortunately for me, I do not own the email lists from that course, so I’ll be asking my alumni to email me directly when registration opens for a special registration link. So if that is you and you’re thinking of taking this new course (and it is a brand new class with new assignments!), all you’ll need is some proof that you took the class. Again, details are coming soon! I’m hoping to open registration at the end of this month. This will be a live class, in that new content will be delivered each week. That said, you will still have access to the materials after the four-week class period ends, and I’m planning to run it again in late Fall. Again, details and registration information will be coming in the next few weeks!
LAYOUT SUPPLIES:
Vivian says
Thanks for this post. I have the Epson Workforce 2650 and the color is horrible. It prints B&W beautifully though. I will check out the PM-400.
Jane says
Count me in on the class! I loved the first one and could use a fresh take!
Jane
Cathy Zielske says
Yes! You know that what I’m teaching is not new, in the sense that design is evergreen! The principles don’t change! But I really am excited about creating a more focused, do-able class. And the layouts are really cute, if I do say so myself!
Audrey says
Hi Cathy, I’ve so enjoyed watching you delve into card making. Mainly because your excitement is so refreshing and you can still manage to make those new techniques seem clean and simple. However, your scrapbook pages still have my heart. Wow, you can make 1 photo, 1 word and some stars look awesome!
Cathy Zielske says
Aw, thanks Audrey! You know, scrapbooking IS still my heart, too. Mostly for what we do with it: tell stories and save life. This page made me happy, too. 🙂
Ingunn Markiewicz says
Design Your Life was an amaaazing class, can’t wait for the next one!
MaryJ says
I have used the Epson Picturemate 225 for years but it was starting to print poorly. I bought the PM 400 about a month ago. Love is right!! Awesome little printer and I love the ability now to print 5×7. So cool!! Looking forward to the new class!! Thanks for the alumni discount!! And I seriously love the layout of Cole. Perfect with all the stars…the colors…love everything about it. And I may or may not have just bought the Wink of Stella pen. 😉
Cathy Zielske says
WINK OF STELLLAAAAA! Lol. You know, I’m not a glittery girl and I bought it to use on stamped and die cut images. i just never made the connection you could shimmer up a die cut shape or letter! So fun!
Kay says
I have several Epson printers & have loved them all, including the PM Charm which I bought on your recommendation. Check Atlex.com for papers & ink—I get all my supplies at a nice reduction from there. I don’t know if they yet carry the PM400.
I’m anxious for DYL2, but will have to wait until fall because I’m traveling all summer. But I’ll definitely be on the (alumni) list!
Wink of Stella: I’ve never been able to get mine to work. I even tried squeezing it like you first did! Apparently it was dried up when I bought it. I got a tiny trickle, but no shine.
Deneen says
I did quite a bit of research before buying my little epson pm-400 and like you I fell in love immediately with it. I use it for my project life pages and just printing my favorite photo’s to display at work too. What I love most about it is that it prints a true 4×6 unlike some other small format printers. And Wink of Stella oh how I love it too 🙂
Kathy says
Oh, my stars! My great, glimmering stars! Cathy, you never fail to amaze and entertain. Love the layout!
Lynn says
Thank You! I have been trying to figure out how to scrapbook for my son who is completely in the digital world!!
Wink of Stella…a MUST!
Anne says
Cathy – I’m pretty sure my DYL was after 2008 (like 2010???) but I have lots of “proof”, including emails from you about the class. 🙂 Will that qualify as “alumni”? SO SUPER excited about class!
Cathy Zielske says
Yep! I forgot that we ran it twice!
Jana says
Thanks for the recommendation for the Epson PM-400 – although it’s output is smaller than I’d prefer. After fighting my old Epson CX4800 which even with new ink still can’t seem to print a decent image without lines… I’m ready for something new…
Also, being someone that detests glitter, I’m slightly intrigued by the Stella pens… You’re doing well Ms. Enabler…! 😉
Cathy Zielske says
Believe me, there is NO other glitter in my home… that I know of. lol!
Janice says
I love the quality of the prints from my PM Charm, but the way it does borderless printing is driving me crazy. I just printed a photo that I cropped in PSE to an image size of 4×6. When I print from PSE to my Charm, the image is expanded and the edges of my photo are cut off. I have been able to get a proper print of the image by adjusting the positioning in the Epson Easy Photo Print software, but I don’t want to waste time, paper and ink adjusting my prints. Has anyone else had this issue and found a resolution? Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated!
Cathy Zielske says
Hmmm. I have never had any issues with borders printing to my Charm. Have you checked whether or not you have the right photo output size? In the Print window? In PSE, you know how it has 1. Select Printer (you pick your printer, 2. The paper size (4×6 Borders) and then three, under Select Print Size, choose Actual Size.
I normally don’t print from PSE, so I literally just went through the process and it worked like a, no pun intended, charm! Double check those settings!
Also, i’m using PSE 13.
Janice says
Thanks for your help, Cathy. I double checked my print settings, and all are correct. I have the same problem when I print from Epson’s Easy Photo Print software, so I suspect the problem is on the printer side. I changed the Expansion setting under the Setup menu, but that did not correct the issue. I may need to try Epson Support.
Kelly says
I have this problem any time I get my photos printed where I’ve done something (like text, or borders) where it is critical it prints 6×4 – just how I size it before printing. It seems almost every printer (home or print machines at the shops) enlarges it a small bit – and it drives me NUTS!!
Cathy Zielske says
Hey Janice, I know this sounds silly, but have you tried restarting computer and printer? Epson is really helpful on support, I have found, so I would definitely recommend giving them a call. I had a call with them yesterday and learned SO much about my big printer, and how to get the results I want from it. I’m very impressed with their commitment to supporting scrapbookers!
Janice says
I appreciate your responses, Cathy. You motivated me to dig deeper and I finally figured it out. Although I had Expansion set to Minimum on the printer itself, the Print settings in the software were overriding that hardware setting. I discovered where to change the borderless expansion under the Print settings in PSE 11, set that to Minimum, and now it prints fine. Yay!
JoLynn says
A) I love my Epson Photo Mate. Love, Love, Love. I have a larger Epson for bigger shots. My only regre is that I did not order wireless and was too lazy to go through the very simple Amazon return process.
B) I kid you not: as I was listening to Ali’s Type class (because typography), I actually kept thinking of layouts I did for DYL! I am for sure signing up for 2.0!
C) Do you use Adobe Creative Cloud? I would love a class on that as well. I know I don’t use it to the fullest—well, to any—extent.
Cathy Zielske says
Hey JoLynn! I do use the Cloud but only for access to Illustrator, InDesign and PS. I could probably use a class myself on how to really use the libraries that work between all programs. One of these days I’ll figure it out!
Carol Anne Wall says
After a major Sticks fail this weekend, I am going to look into that Wink of Stella.
Kathy Graybeal says
Hey CZ…cannot wait for Design Your Life 2.0. That’s it. See you then!
Cathy Zielske says
Yay! Me too! I’m working hard to get everything ready! 🙂
Anne says
Do you still use just the glossy paper from Epson for your PM-400? I’ve never been a big glossy paper fan. Have you tried any other paper in the printer?
Cathy Zielske says
I am using the Epson Semi Gloss right now and LOVING it. It basically is like a matte coated photo paper, similar to a lustre finish!
Sue I says
I’ve taken several of your classes and I’m wondering if design your life is the one that uses photoshop elements. If yes, what version will you use for class? I need to update because I think I’m on 10 or 11. I can’t wait for a new class to motivate me!
Cathy Zielske says
Hey Sue! It does, but it is not required to complete the assignments. I make sure to have the assignments do-able that are not PSE dependent in Design Your Life. You could use 10 or 11, honestly. The functions are the same. I don’t use any of the new bells and whistles of the newer versions. They just look different!