January Challenge

[spanielmom]

Wonder----you never cease to amaze me. I will have to print your instructions for this paper and try to create my own after reading it about 50 times. LOL I'm a little dense at these things.

[sacannon]

Thanks for sharing with us.

[twx]

Very creative....Thanks for letting us know how you made them. They are awesome!


Terry

[Marion]

Wow, you are not just learning anymore your are teaching us as well. You do a great job and I am impressed with all you are doing! Thanks for all the lovely templates and shaper you are making for us! I am so glad you are part of us!

Marion

[angle]

Hello Everyone,
I have really been having some fun. So much, I didn't really read enough,and realized I didn't use any of the challenge materials, except the colors. So
I made this with all the Jan. challenge kit. Sorry about that, I get overly excited........and want to do more, make more.. I have learned so much the past couple of weeks. I get ahead of the task sometimes. I also want to thank everyone who has left comments, sure gives me a warm fuzzy. I love to create, and I love to make people smile.

Well have a Scrappin Beautiful Day
I gotta make more !!
I think Im Hooked !!:p

Love and Prayers
Angle

[autisticwonder]

Angle, it is BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL!! Love the CHALLENGES much more than the contests. Contests make me nervous and too self conscience about my inabilities..We the challenges..you learn, learn, learn!!

[angle]

Wonder,
Thanks so much !! I am having a great time, and learning so much in the process. You are one talented individual !! I love your work and look forward to using the multi-template, it looks like fun. My next project is one of my boys with a music theme. Well take care !!

Angle

[sacannon]

Very nice Wonder, Thanks for sharing.

[Karey1970]

OK, hope this works!! This is my first challenge and it was a blast to create! My original file was way too big to upload. What is the best way to make the file size smaller. Hope some of you have contributed to my templates can also enjoy mine. Although I have not yet mastered (het figured out for that matter) how to go about posting or turning my layout into a template.

PS: I loved working with the PINK!

[Marion]

That is actually the easy part... Just go to file/export to template and the program does the rest. From there it take you to the folder and you just upload it just like you did with the picture.

Marion

[Karey1970]

:o Yeah! I see if I would have done the template first, it automatically creates a "screen shot" of the layout in an appropiate file size. Hey, live and learn! Thanks Marion!!!

[Marion]

Great job!

Marion

[juliehclark]

that's great!

so is anyone putting together an album w/ all these great templates??? There's enough here for a great shutterfly book!!!

[MaryL]

I have finally got round to the January challenge, I am goggling at all these posts, watch this space:)

[kristyc1994]

Karey - Your template is TOOO cute! Great job!

[OnieRN]

Julie Julie Julie, the month is only half over and look at the activity on this thread! Oh my goodness girl, you really got this thread HOT & WILD! Maybe you will need to get another HOT one going before the end of JANUARY.... LOL.

While we're at it, THANK YOU for putting these challengese together!!!!

:D

[Marion]

Julie Julie Julie, the month is only half over and look at the activity on this thread! Oh my goodness girl, you really got this thread HOT & WILD! Maybe you will need to get another HOT one going before the end of JANUARY.... LOL.

While we're at it, THANK YOU for putting these challengese together!!!!

:D

Yes Julie, this has been very fun and challenging!
Appreciate all your work!

Marion

[spanielmom]

Julie Julie Julie, the month is only half over and look at the activity on this thread! Oh my goodness girl, you really got this thread HOT & WILD! Maybe you will need to get another HOT one going before the end of JANUARY.... LOL.

While we're at it, THANK YOU for putting these challengese together!!!!

:D

Yes Julie, this has been very fun and challenging!
Appreciate all your work!

Marion


Being a newbie - this was my first challenge. I can hardly wait to check the thread each day to see what is new. I can't wait to see what February's challenge is. Come on January hurry up and end. Thanks Julie for all this fun you created for me this month.

[Tippy]

I have been enjoying Scrapbook Max for a little while but like others am completely new to challenges, so I guess it's my turn to look at that "submit" button and wonder whatever will happen if I pluck up courage to hit it!!! These challenges are sure addictive, I have actually done 3 pages but one at a time!!! Here goes......

[Marion]

Tippy this is adorable! What a great job you did on the background and what a cute baby! Fantastic for your first template! Keep up the good work!

Marion

[OnieRN]

We're looking forward to seeing the other 2 pages you did! Welcome to the forum and we hope you will enjoy our group. You will find everyone eager to help you and also eager to learn from you too! :)

[Moonbeam]

MY Goodness.. you dont need any courage girl! - with all that talent just go for it... superb presentation..its gorgeous.. love the background and the cutie is perfect

[NanaC95565]

I have been enjoying Scrapbook Max for a little while but like others am completely new to challenges, so I guess it's my turn to look at that "submit" button and wonder whatever will happen if I pluck up courage to hit it!!! These challenges are sure addictive, I have actually done 3 pages but one at a time!!! Here goes......

Absolutely adorable. great job on the LO and the pics are great too.

[Gotart]

I was just playing & liked these colors. They are from the Jan CHallenge papers that I changed effects, colors & circles are the effect elliptical on the papers. I loved these Pics of my Grandkids watching the ballons at sunrise in June.

[jazzieal]

Heres my attempt at the Jan challenge..I made some paper shapes to use in the LO and have them for you should you need something different...

[autisticwonder]

Tippy, Angle, Gotart, Jazzieal...all so BEAUTIFUL!! Love your templates!! Love all the goodies I'm getting here!! Keep up the good work!!!

[kristyc1994]

Oh Tippy - your template is divine!!!! What an ADORABLE baby, too. I can't wait to see what else you have made!

[sacannon]

I have been enjoying Scrapbook Max for a little while but like others am completely new to challenges, so I guess it's my turn to look at that "submit" button and wonder whatever will happen if I pluck up courage to hit it!!! These challenges are sure addictive, I have actually done 3 pages but one at a time!!! Here goes......



I can't believe this is your first one, My you did a great job.

[sacannon]

I think everyone did a great job at this. Ok Julie, I think we are ready for February. Maybe different colors though.

[kristyc1994]

Hi guys - I decided to do another one with the January Stuff. More white space this time....I've been liking the others I've seen with white space, so I decided to try! I thought it was funny that the colors in the January challenge kit so perfectly matched my daughter's competition leotard....

I had to put the resolution down a little on this 8 x 8 page to get it down under 5 mb - from 200 to 175...I hope it still works for everyone....

Thanks!

http://www.scrapbookmax.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7200&cat=500&ppuser=418

[MaggieMae]

Love this template! She is such a doll!

[autisticwonder]

Kristy1994
Love your use of white space and ABSOLUTELY everything else you did too!! FANTASTICO!!! Play all you want the month's only half over!!

[Marion]

Wow your are right Kristy, couldn't have picked closer colors if you had planned it that way! Very cute layout.

Marion

[juliehclark]

see? those colors do go together! ;)

i love that layout kristy!

[Marion]

We never doubted you Julie, Some of just aren't used to working with pink!
But it sure was a wonderful challenge and it took some creativity and thinking and that is what the challenge is all about!

You do a wonderful job with the challenges, can't wait till the next one!

Marion:)

[Tippy]

Thank you for your encouragement, I needed a bit of a nudge!! Here are my other 2 pages. I do seem to have a bit of a problem with No. 3. It has 2 "round" photos and the template shows this okay but when I try to add the template to a scrapbook, it keeps on showing one photo "square". I have re-done this page many times, have tried checking and unchecking the "remove photos" box when exporting, but it's always the same. Be interesting to know if others have this problem when trying to use this template.
I love what everyone is creating in this challenge and have downloaded all the templates!!!

[Tippy]

I probably have to do one page at a time....having another go...

[Marion]

Tippy this one is so beautiful, I love your floral background! Great job on these. I know it is even harder for newer members to learn to do these templates and I think it is just awesome with what you come up with!
I am impressed!

Marion

[Tippy]

Here's the second one.....hopefully....

[Moonbeam]

Tippy! Tippy! Tippy!!! - you did it again.. W-O-W
and all the other submissions.. they are fantastic

[diva231]

I know this must have been said before, but I'm stuck with the size of the template. I'm still new at this - it's my first time. Made the LO in 8x8, 200pixels/inch. Then I exported it to a template. It is 5,91mb. If you could explain in "starter" language:p Please help...

[diva231]

Please ignore the previous post. I forgot to click the optimise box when I exported the file. So here goes for my first template ever. This was such fun. Never knew I would be able to do this.
I used the sepia effect on the Photo corners and the crackling effect on the word art to match my photo's. I'll try to put the LO in the gallery as soon as I figure out how.

[juliehclark]

Oh! Very nice!

[diva231]

I put the LO in the gallery and if all goes well, here's the link... If not, could someone help me, I'm blond...
http://www.scrapbookmax.com/gallery/data/500/-Diva_s-JanC-000-Page-1.jpg

[Marion]

The layout is wonderful, but what struck me is the cute kids!!!! Look at those eyes!

Marion

[diva231]

If I knew this was going to be so much fun, I would've started ages ago. Its addictive! I can't stop. :D Here's the second one.

[Marion]

If I knew this was going to be so much fun, I would've started ages ago. Its addictive! I can't stop. :D Here's the second one.

You don't have to stop, just keep going:)

[a_nussbaum]

Okay... im gonna sound like a numphty... but here it goes...

Im still playing with the trial version, but due to snow days and no working.. gotta wait for my budget to get cushiony again! lol... anways... i did a great layout with this january challenge... can i submit a template for it that everyone can use? (ie no trial watermark if registared users download it) or is there another way around for me to pull it up in paintshop pro and make it available to all?

[sacannon]

The water mark only affects your printed copies. It wouldn't affect others who would download your templet with their pictures.

[a_nussbaum]

Okay... i redid this so many times, i think im happy with the results... please give feedback :) i'll put it in the gallery also

5130

5131

[Marion]

What a cute kid!!!!!

I like your layout very much! Thanks for trying so hard and share these with us!!!

Marion

[autisticwonder]

A nussbaum..WOW...GORGEOUS template!! Outstanding job!! You for hire???

[a_nussbaum]

ty both! I dont think youd really want to hire me. It actually took me a week to remember where i put my paintshop pro 7 cd... havnt used it in so long! So now im off to the library tomorrow to see about some books on how to do things... I cant seem to remember some layer tricks... hummmm....

[Linda]

I finally got my layout done the way I want it and can't get the size below 5.9 MB even by taking paper, pictures, elements off, optimizing, only have 1 page, saved to new file...everything I read to do. The size just won't change even when I make it 6x6. I used the sized down papers, too.
Here's the screenshot for now. (I hope!)

[makeyesup]

I finally got my layout done the way I want it and can't get the size below 5.9 MB even by taking paper, pictures, elements off, optimizing, only have 1 page, saved to new file...everything I read to do. The size just won't change even when I make it 6x6. I used the sized down papers, too.
Here's the screenshot for now. (I hope!)

Linda,when I had this problem, just opened a blank scrapbook and imported the page into it. Then when I published to a template, it was a 10th of the size. Think there might be a gremlin that saves memory. Try it, you can't lose. LO looks good.

Maureen

[Linda]

I tried that and it made it even bigger! This is sooo frustrating!

[makeyesup]

I tried that and it made it even bigger! This is sooo frustrating!

Well , sorry hoped that it would have worked for someone else. Your LO is so very pretty, please keep on trying. Maybe, the old fashioned 'Tech' response might work - 'reboot'.

Good luck

[Linda]

I think I'll just start all over. I don't know if it will help, though. I've spent several hours trying to get it fixed. There's got to be a better way!

[Linda]

Woo Hooo, I did it! I had to start all over and it's a little different, but here it is.

[Marion]

Well worth waiting for Linda. It is beautiful! I had to start from scratch to the first time around.

Marion

[makeyesup]

Glad you got through it. Many of us have been fumbling with the size issue. It is a very pretty LO.

[juliehclark]

nice!!!:D :cool:

[autisticwonder]

Just a thought to pass along about size issues...Linda..I love your template and I am so glad you managed to repost for us!! I'm sure it was alot of effort!!!
Make a QUICK page by having you template up, go to PUBLISH>IMAGES..save to your publish folder, HIGH QUALITY, FULL size..then click OK..Then open a BLANK template page, go to PICTURES...browse back to your PUBLISHED folder..pull the quick page out, resize to page and resubmit your pictures..Then go to export templates..and it is now a QUICK page without the benefits of rearranging..and if one of your previous pictures had something in front of it..resubmit that item again over your reincorporated picture..Just a thought for those frustrating moments!!

[Tippy]

It's not the end of January yet....and as I also enjoy doing patchwork, I suddenly got the idea I might be able to get a "shadowbox" effect with some of these papers. It can probably be improved on by you clever people out there....!!

[poppabob]

Very clever Tippy!

[Linda]

Tippy, I'm not sure how you did this, but I love it; thanks!

[NanaC95565]

Tippy this is great I love it.

[Marion]

Beautiful!!!

Marion

[sacannon]

It's not the end of January yet....and as I also enjoy doing patchwork, I suddenly got the idea I might be able to get a "shadowbox" effect with some of these papers. It can probably be improved on by you clever people out there....!!

Very Clever, never though about doing that.

[autisticwonder]

I TOTALLY agree!! VERY CLEVER!! how did you do that??

[spanielmom]

I love the shadowbox effect. Please tell us how you did it.

[Tippy]

I'm not very good at explaining, but will have a go....
This is really quite simple but I don't think you can do it in ScrapbookMax at the moment, please correct me if I'm wrong. I also have a great little program called FxFoto. You work in a square, first of all I cropped one paper to a narrow rectangle and put it vertical on the left side. Then crop another paper the same size and put it across the bottom, overlapping the corners. Then all you need is a tool that lets you crop a mitred corner. You then get another paper and make it the size to fill in the remainder of the square. (That's probably as clear as mud!!!) I then made a large square from the dark brown paper and put 4 of these shadow boxes on it. Will try and answer any further questions.

[spanielmom]

which part can't you do in SBM - the mitred corners?

[sacannon]

I don't think you can. I have Photoshop 2. I don't think I have a mitre tool in that either. Hmmm. Will have to look around.

[Winnie49]

Wow! all you girls did a GREAT JOB, and with this challege i had a lot of fun too, this is the first time i use another shapes, thank you all for sharing
i have some problems resizing my LO to share i modifed the page from the regular sbm (8x8) size to custom (5x5) but the image is not clear, i guess i'm doing a wrong thing, can somebody help me??? i know i'm not new here but i cant find the solution buuuuuuuuu
thanks a lot again
wendy

[Winnie49]

I attach the wrong page I'm sorry, hope this one is the correct one
wendy

[Winnie49]

wrong again i 'm really sorry i will try again
wendy

[Winnie49]

ok this one is Ok! i just need some time to attach the LO for sharing
wendy

[Marion]

Beautiful job Wendy! Keep on trying:D

Marion

[Linda]

Very nice Wendy. Keep trying and you will get it. I had a terrible time with mine. I finally just started a new scrapbook and re-created it from the beginning being careful to bring papers in as paper scraps and elements as elements. I "added" my original page and cut and pasted my shapes and then "deleted" that page. I made it 8x8. I had the same things on the page, but it turned out so much smaller the second time I made it. I don't understand the difference but it worked so I was happy! :)

[Winnie49]

Got it!!!!!!! but i guess that resizing the page it doesnt so clear i mean isnot perfect
grazie
wendy

[spanielmom]

Great Job Winnie49---stick around here a little while and you'll be scrappin like an old pro.

[Winnie49]

thank you so much! i know that here are the best of the best digiscraping team, all are so talent and generous, and ready to help, thanks again!!!!
wendy

[msdrby]

Hi everyone,
It has been awhile since I have posted anything. We started school back and I have been a busy momma! Anyway. I was up late (too much caffeine) and decided to try another challenge page/template. Here it is...

The flowers and the sun were from a watercolor picture my son painted. Everything else came from the January Challenge kit.

Darby

[autisticwonder]

thanks winnie and msdrby for the WONDERFUL templates!! This is soooo fun!! What a WONDERFUL bunch of powerful colors!!

[Winnie49]

I have a lot of fun preparing this challenge so i do another one
but i'm preparing another with my Stefania
see ya!

wendy

[Winnie49]

sorry again!!! still having problems exporting my pages buuuuuaaahhhhh:( :( but i will try again sorry girls!!!!
wendy

[msdrby]

Here is another page. This cat was supposed to be a Devon Rex, however, he had lots of fluffy hair! The pet store practically gave him away (I seriously think I paid $15 for him), even though he was pedigreed, LOL! He grew to an enormous size, and walked very much like a cow (his belly almost touched the ground). Boo was probably the friendliest cat I have ever met.

The template is 6.18 M. I am going to have to work on this one to get it small enough to post.

[autisticwonder]

Boo Radley..love the name..To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my all time favorite movies..And Boo Radley was a choice character!! Duvall's start to fame.
GREAT template!! Love making my items now..size is less an issue now!! Good luck with size!!

[juliehclark]

Can I just say that you guys have done a GREAT GREAT job this month!

We're going to do a similar thing next month with a kit from Steve.

Are you all liking the format of this challenge? (Gift given at the front end, people add to the gift by making their own embellies, sharing templates?)

Let me know!
Julie

[kristyc1994]

Are you all liking the format of this challenge? (Gift given at the front end, people add to the gift by making their own embellies, sharing templates?)

Let me know!
Julie

I, for one, love it!! I think it's a blast to see how many different incredible ideas come out of the same exact elements!!!

[autisticwonder]

I ditto Kristy!! I love it too!! The only template I didn't like in the WHOLE bunch was my first template!! FUN!! Sparked my sense of curiousity and fun with what we could all do and create!! I like making the embellishments!! Learned a lot from the experience!!! We have very talented bunch here!!

[msdrby]

Ahab's! Here we go... I had to rebuild it. Everything is the same except for the shadows. I took all the shadows off. I really like shadows :) Anyway, the file is manageable now. Here is a thumbnail and the template.

Darby

Well, I am having trouble uploading even though the files aren't too large. My connection keeps getting reset. :confused:

[msdrby]

Yay! It worked this time. I didn't do anything different, except cross my fingers heh!

Darby

[Marion]

Can I just say that you guys have done a GREAT GREAT job this month!

We're going to do a similar thing next month with a kit from Steve.

Are you all liking the format of this challenge? (Gift given at the front end, people add to the gift by making their own embellies, sharing templates?)

Let me know!
Julie

I loved it! I don't even know how many templates we cranked out together, but there sure are a lot of them, each one totally different. I am amazed each time I look at them!

Marion

[juliehclark]

Well in that case...

Here's a head start on next month's challenge!

The color swatch! (and I am happy to say, Marion, NO PINK!)

And a tiny peek at the starter kit from Steve!

[kritt]

Can anyone have a go at the challenges? what are the rules?

[twx]

Julie posts the challenge and gives us some general guidelines. We all have fun with it. The challenges were weekly and this month it was for the month. You might look at the past challenges and posts.....

We are all looking forward to February! I like the colors....


Terry

[OnieRN]

Goodness, too bad January and February was switched regarding the colors..... LOL. So maybe each month have a different swatch of colors??? Hummmmm, maybe greens in March for St Patty's Day!

Julie, I do like the challenges! It's a great learning tool for sure. I personally found the major challenge in January was working with BIG FILES and having to figure out how to decrease them. :eek:

I wonder what others found to be the biggest challenge in January.... We know working with all the PINK was also a big challenge.

:Dnie

[spanielmom]

Well in that case...

Here's a head start on next month's challenge!

The color swatch! (and I am happy to say, Marion, NO PINK!)

And a tiny peek at the starter kit from Steve!


Oooooo I love these colors. Can't wait for February. I loved January's challenge. We ended up with a beautiful kit and many templates. What more could you ask for. I loved January's colors too---but I have a boy and a girl.

[Marion]

I just posted a template in the gallery yesterday in blue an yellow. It turned out real nice and the green with it gives all kinds of possibilities!

Looking forward to it!

Marion

[Maggie]

I'm sort of new in these parts, but I save all my layouts in the program file, then export them all as JPGs to another file, then have a third file where I downsize everything for web use with a free program downloaded off the next called InfranView. You can make thumbnails with it as well.

Hope that helps someone with the sizing madness somehow?

~Maggie

[Maggie]

Okay, so I'm not sure how to do the thumbnail thing yet on the posts, but here's my shot with the pics.

Thinking on Marion's challenge of using the color pallette with boys...see what you think? I also wanted to use the "color swatch" as an element. That was fun. I got rid of the heavy pink blocks and added pics there instead. No real elements or templates so to speak...yet. But, got that far tonight! Thanks for looking.

http://www.scrapbookmax.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7559&cat=500&ppuser=4353

[Linda]

This was a wonderful challenge, Julie! Everyone learned new things and we have a very large kit and set of pages now.
I love the colors for next month! That will be sooo much fun to work with. My thanks to Steve for the kit he is providing!

[Winnie49]

We like the format????? Nooooo
WE LOVE IT !!!!!!!!!!! this one is a great challenge i can't wait for the next one, i enjoy a lot this one
Wendy

[NanaC95565]

Okay, so I'm not sure how to do the thumbnail thing yet on the posts, but here's my shot with the pics.

Thinking on Marion's challenge of using the color pallette with boys...see what you think? I also wanted to use the "color swatch" as an element. That was fun. I got rid of the heavy pink blocks and added pics there instead. No real elements or templates so to speak...yet. But, got that far tonight! Thanks for looking.

http://www.scrapbookmax.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7559&cat=500&ppuser=4353

Great Layout Maggie and A Warm Welcome to the Max Family.

[juliehclark]

Okay, so I'm not sure how to do the thumbnail thing yet on the posts, but here's my shot with the pics.


I love it! Now, can you post a template so we can all use it?

[sacannon]

Love the February colors. I agree with the idea of co-ordinating the colors each month with a Holiday or special day within the month

[juliehclark]

36 pages of posts! that's one for the books!:p

last chance to have a go at this one!

i will be taking down the links when i put the new challenge up. (the stuff that people added will stay, but the original kit will come down)

i'd love to hear from folks and know if anyone made good use of all the layouts and made a book?

[autisticwonder]

I never finished this one because my January Challenge folder with these paper creations got deleted some how. So I've finished this today to get it out of the project folder!! Love Annie!! She loved to eat!! Her favorite food was bologna.

[lila2002]

at least add my layout to the gallery ( I got in to this january challenge waaaayyyy to late,.....hopefully better next month........and I dont even know how to make a template...)
but my layout wont upload to the gallery
and I made it small
its 480 by 480 and only 173 kb
so would think no probs, even my daisy layout was bigger (i think) but
i keep ending up with just a blank white page

will figure it out
but had to say that I love the collors of this months challenge
I knew right away wich photo to pick

so I am ready to go for next month:D

take care all

[sacannon]

at least add my layout to the gallery ( I got in to this january challenge waaaayyyy to late,.....hopefully better next month........and I dont even know how to make a template...)
but my layout wont upload to the gallery
and I made it small
its 480 by 480 and only 173 kb
so would think no probs, even my daisy layout was bigger (i think) but
i keep ending up with just a blank white page

will figure it out
but had to say that I love the collors of this months challenge
I knew right away wich photo to pick

so I am ready to go for next month:D

take care all

If you are seeing blank white pages after uploading as a template, then you probably left the box checked that says "remove photos". Your paper is in as a photo so it is removed as well as the picture. You need to re-do it and uncheck that box. This will however make your layout larger again. So you may have to play with the sizes again. That is the same trouble everyone had including me.

[lila2002]

but I uploaded my other page just fine,..well ok the first one came out funny, but found out that the 'save as' settings in PSE were set really really low. so after changing that and reducing the size of the page to less than 200 kb ( it think) i uploaded it to my own gallery and its there. Now wanted to do the same with this new page but .............pfffffffffffft nothing..

??? :confused: ???

am going to try this again
Oh and were is this checkbox then?

[sacannon]

When you click on "export template" a box comes up. Right underneath the template name is the box that says "remove photos". The box is checked when it opens. Try unchecking it. Hope this works for you.