Organizing Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Supplies

Hello,

I want to share some knowledge that I came across this weekend that has made my life so much easier. I got the information from www.lifehacker.com. This has helped me so much.

When I started digital scrapbooking, I had a difficult time figuring out how to organize them. I tried making folders and tried organizing them with photoshop organizer and for some reason, I could not figure it out. It just wouldn't work for me. If you know of an easy way with organizer, I would love to hear about it.

On the other hand, I have figured out an easy way and hopefully a long term one too. I didn't like organizing by color or types of elements because it broke up the designer's kits and then I couldn't figure out who to give credit too or matching colors with the same kits. So, I purchased an external hard drive so that I am not using all of my space and memory on my laptop. Put all of the kits and supplies into a folder I created, named "digital scrapbooking".  I then started organizing from there. I won't get into that now. There was one thing missing from this way of organizing. It still took a long time finding supplies and things I wanted to use to scrapbook.That is when I found LifeHacker!

I wanted a way to see the kit on the folder icon of the folder so I can browse quickly through the main digital scrapbooking folder and all of the kits. The folder icon I am talking about is this one

I wanted to see what was inside of this folder without having to click on it first. I wanted the previews picture that digital scrapbooking designers usually send with their kits of what is in their kits to replace this folder icon.

So this is how you replace the folder icon with a picture of the kits or an element that is in the kits. If a preview picture wasn't with the kit, then just go back to where you purchased the kit and click on the preview icon there and right click and 'save as' that way you can use it later for the kit.

The instructions are for Mac only. I'm sure it is something similar with windows. This is the instructions from www.lifehacker.com.

1. Select the folder whose icon you want to change and press Cmd+i to open that folders Info panel.
2. Open the image you want to use for the folder's icon in Preview. Press Cmd+a (to select it) and then Cmd+c (to copy it).
3. Back in the info panel, click on the icon in the top left corner and press Cmd+v to paste your customized icon image.

I loved this so much and that is why I am sharing it on to you because it is so nice to be able to click on the main folder and view all kits. 

It is the small things that make us happy. :)

I hope this helps and makes your life easier as it has mine! Please enjoy!

#organizingdigitalscrapbookingkits   

Son's Back To School's Digital Scrapbooking Layout

I have finished my youngest son's layout of his first day of Kindergarten. As soon as I get my other son's completed, I will share that too. I'm experimenting with different ways of using photoshop elements and I learn something everyday. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it.

I hope you enjoy it! I had so much fun making it.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Coconut Tree Tutorial

Hello,

I want to share something that my son and I made together this weekend. He loves the book "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" by Bill Martin Jr. Here is a picture of the book...

Click on the picture for a link to buy the book.
Or click on the "P" to pin it to your pinterest page.

This book has been a favorite of my boys since my first son was a toddler. I love the rhythmic tune as well as it is educational. My youngest has made his own Chicka Chicka Boom Boom book that he illustrated and wrote himself and it is the cutest. It is about the alphabet going up the tree and the tree gets so full of letters it starts to lean over and finally falls over but the momma and papa letters bet them back on their feet and they get confidence to get back up that tree. It is so cute.

So this weekend, he wanted to create a papercraft of the coconut tree and so we went for it. 

I have included the tutorial on how to make our little coconut tree and the letters going up the tree. 

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

This is the final tree and what it should look like.

Supplies

• Construction paper (light green, dark green, and brown)

You might need other colors if you are going to cut the letters out of construction paper

• Craft foam alphabet letters with or without sticky back
• you don't have to use these if you want, you can use construction paper
• scissors
• glue (I used elmers glue all glue)
• paper towel roll (you need this size bc of the trunk)
• optional: circle shaped hole punch for coconuts (we just cut them out with scissors)

Instructions

1. Start by cutting several different sizes of leaves out of the green construction paper (light and dark green)

   

   Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

1. You need bigger wider ones for the bottom and they start getting smaller as you work your way up. I have included a leaf template. You are more than welcome to use it. It isn't the best drawing but it works. It worked for me. You can resize them if you don't like the sizes I made.

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

Leaf template

1. cut them out and they will look sort of like this. As you get to the top part, they need to be skinnier and the bottom needs to be wider.

This picture isn't the best.

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

Next, you need to curl the leaves with your finger. You can roll it on your finger or run your finger along it as long as it looks like this:

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

Once you have them curled, then it is time to put them on the paper roll. Don't put glue on until you have fitted it on the roll so that they lay nicely. The bottom layer of leaves will be glued on the outer roll at the top. The rest will go inside the roll. 

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

Sorry, I didn't take a picture of every layer of leaves that I did. Here is a finished picture of the leaves on the roll.

FYI: if you fit the leaves on before you glue them, they will lay and look so much better. Since the paper roll is round, you just have to fit the leaves on to get the proper shape then you can glue them on.

Next, you need to cut out your coconuts and start placing them on your tree. I had my son cut them out and so they are not completely round but that is what makes it so special!! :)

Make sure to glue the coconuts in pairs and just glue them in various places on the leaves. You can glue as many as you desire on there. Use your imagination!

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

Property of Creative Crafts

We decided not to paint the paper roll's trunk because we liked the way it looked. 

This next step is placing the letters on the tree. 

If you are cutting them out with construction paper then you need to do this now and then you can tape them on the trunk in various stages. We went along with the book and video taped it. When the book said a certain letter or letters that is when we placed them on the trunk.

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

These are the letters we used. They are craft foam sticker really work well!

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

Property of Cassie's Creative Crafts

 So, here is the final coconut tree!
If you can see in the picture to the right, the tree is starting to lean over because the letters are walking up the tree.

"Chicka Chicka Boom Boom will there be enough room"

A told B and B told C, "I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree!"

"Weeeee" said D to E, F, G. "I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree."

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, will there be enough room?

Well, I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and I hope you enjoy making it and reading the book with the child in your life! Reading is so important and making it fun for them is even better! Never stop reading to them!

If you have any questions, please ask. If you have any suggestion on other tutorials that you want me to do, shoot me an email or comment. :)


#tutorial #crafts #crafttutorial #childrencrafts #chickachickaboomboom #chickachickaboomboombookcrafts #DIYcrafts