Oscraps

Hello from a Kiwi living in Australia

debdux

Member
Hi there,

I am just learning about digi scrapping. I bought PSE7 probably closer to two years ago and tho I have been playing a bit with my photos, I have been a bit intimidated by digi scrapping.

I am a traditional scrapper, Mum of three grown up kids with an interest in genealogy and handcrafts. Biggest focus has been scrapping recently. Have lived in Sydney for three years now (brought here by hubby's work) and have recently qualified as a massage therapist.

Family still in NZ (mostly)

so that is a bit about me.

Cheers

Debra
 

CookingMyLife

Well-Known Member
:welcome:Welcome Debra!
Be patient with yourself as you learn and trust me you'll get there. I really suggest starting with a psd template and learning your layers that way. That is one of the basics in digi scrapping!

But mostly, Have Fun!
 

tinamarie

Well-Known Member
HI Debra!!!
Thank you for playing the Harvest of Memories Challenge!
Your layout turned out great!!!

Welcome!
Tina
 

Blue Bell

Well-Known Member
Welcome Debra.

I agree with Maureen to use templates - I wish there templates when I started. Let me tell you I had frustrating moments. That is why I make templates now (I have a free one on my blog every Thursday). But there are also so many wonderful tutorials that are available now, too.

Definitely don't beat yourself up if it isn't perfect. You will get there. This is such a great hobby.
 

annaaspnes

annaaspnes
Designer
Hi Debra,
Welcome to OScraps. I think you'll like it here.
Such a supportive and helpful group of ladies.

Anna
 

sue.falstaff

O'chOir extraOrdinaire
:welcome: to Oscraps Debra! YOu've cOme tO the best place in digi-land when it cOmes tO suppOrt, challenges, shOpping & chatting ... Oh heck, let's face it ... the "O" is O sO fabulOus in sOOOOOOOO many ways!!!
 

debdux

Member
Thanks everyone for being so welcoming. i have collected free templates and in theory know how they should work. LOL! I have so far started playing with a kit and just thrown things around onto a page and then tried to figure out what I can do with the elements in PSE once they are on the page. I think I probably approach digi as a paper scrapper! LOL! I did my first page by joining in a chat during a speed scrap in response to an e-mail newsletter I had subscribed to, randomly on a Sunday afternoon in August I found people in the chatroom as I am in Southern hemisphere. Chatting and learning I thought, I can probably do this (instead of just talking about how to do it) and so I tried to follow along the instructions and came up with something not too bad. Then I got busy and before I had a chance to digi scrap again I managed to break my poor old laptop and lose nearly a month of freebies - I had intended to back up to my hard drive the same day ;-(

This challenge at O Scraps was the first thing I did after re-loading PSE on the computer I am currently using. My digi stuff is on a seperate hard drive now and I write to it every few days. I was much more diligent with my purchased supplies I am happy to say.

So templates are the easy way ... ok time to try and figure them out.

Cheers

Debra
 

Bush Girl

Well-Known Member
Hey there, Debra, and :welcome: to the O!


I was a paper scrapper turned digital - I kind of took it one LO at a time, but I was certainly helped along by jumping in and playing challenges - and amazingly no one laughed, they were all really supportive (you know who you are, girls :kiss:) and these tutorials. I still dabble in the odd paper page, which is satisfyingly messy - but not so quick!
 

LaurieW

lOve the O!
:welcome: to the O Debra- and check out our designers generous freebie section to rebuild your stash!
 

faerywings

The Loopy-O
CHEERY O
Hi Debra- sound glad that you started your digi-journey at Oscraps!
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. My biggest tip for learning your scrap program is to play and play and play. Duplicate your photo first (don't want to mess up the original) and the have fun with everything. Try out brushes and blending and all that good stuff. I love how you can undo it all or not save your work, or save it and work on it again.
 

Katherine B

Well-Known Member
Hi Debra! Welcome!
Waving.gif
 

5angels

Well-Known Member
Kia Ora fellow Kiwi, but one across the ditch :) I won't hold that against you though. It is always a major buzz to meet other Kiwis' who share the love for this incredible art. If you ever need any help just yell :)
 

debdux

Member
Having a bit of fun trying to find my way around the forum, I think I finally figured out that the challenges are posted in designers newsletters, and the forum contains the chatter but not the actual challenges. I played with a template by Sue Cummings which was awesome fun, but then could not find the details of her challenge a second time. After I posted my layout I figured out by looking at others that I should have used all products by this designer in order to meet the challenge, so I think I posted my layout in the wrong place technically. Hopefully i will un-weave the web around here, and find what I need to know, a bit easier as time goes on.

still a bumbling newbie

Debra

PS. Nice to see some others from Kiwi land (I miss home and family heaps, but hubby and I are wherever his work is at the moment)
 
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Ellen

Well-Known Member
welcome Debra you'll have lots of fun here and the girls are ever so helpfull
one thing I learned is not to be too scared of using the buttons on your program . I was always afraid I'd break it :)

the challenges are posted on the forum there are 6 every month and besides that there is a different designer in the spotlight with her own challenge.

I can understand you're missing Kiwiland and the family.. mine are on the other side of the pond too ( but a different pond)
 

debdux

Member
Thank you for the welcome. I have figured out another thing since yesterday - I was reading the forum wrong - the challenges I couldn't find are actually there LOL! only just figured out that in this forum the newest replies are always at the top so I had to scroll back for the info that was eluding me. I also discovered I could shift my layout (that I put in the wrong slot) into my own album quite easily so I did that too.

Still feeling very new and clueless, but at least I can laugh at my own mistakes.

Think I will look at the challenges a bit more seriously next month

Debra
 

tylertooo

aA Creative Team Member
Debra - welcome. You will learn amazing things. There is so much out there in the way of tutorials, etc. Before you know it you will be wondering how you could have ever scrapped with paper before. Digital is so great.
 

clarabear

always chatty at the O!!
Debra - Welcome to the O!! It takes a minute to get the hang of things but once you do you'll be a pro I'm sure. We have a Kiwi designer here too...Kathryn Wilson along with a bunch of scrappers from Australia. They're all fabulous.

Just take scrapping one step at a time. Once you get the hang of it don't be surprised if you never look at your paper again. I haven't touched paper since I started 4 years ago.

Templates are a great place to start for beginning and advanced scrappers. I've been doing it for over 4 years and still most always start with a template. The templates are just a way to get started and while some people think they are limiting I think of them as a springboard to my creativity. A lot of the time my LO looks nothing like the template I started with. They are only as limiting as you let them be. If you have any questions about your program or how to do things check this thread out: https://ozone.oscraps.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=20
You may find your questions already answered or you can feel free to just ask what you need to know.

If you are not yet ready to commit to buying stuff we have a fabulous freebie section: http://www.oscraps.com/shop/home.php?cat=287&treem=1
Most scrappers start with freebies until they just can't contain themselves and have to start buying fun new products as they come out.

Good luck with your new hobby...but beware...it is highly addictive.
 

wombat146

ONA - Administrator
CHEERY O
Hello Debra and welcome to the O!!! I live in norther NSW and my sister lives in Peakhurst. Where abouts are you in Sydney? I was once a paper scrapper as well but now I have a HUGE room of paper stuff that I have used since I start digi in 2008!!! ONE day I have to gather it all up and get rid of it!!! Anyway, please just holler if you need any help with anything! To ask a question, use the thread that Clara posted in the post above this one, just start a new topic and someone will be sure to pop in and give you a hand!! :)
 

mrstoa

mrstoa
I agree with everyone who suggested beginning with templates - In fact, I didn't know you could scrap without them :)

Yes, be sure to check out the freebies section in the store - you'll find lots of goodies there.

Oh, and a BIG WELCOME!!
 
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