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A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I hosted my 24-year-old brother’s birthday at our house. Just for fun, I designed these digital scrapbook layouts using the new Skateboard Digital Scrapbooking Kit and printed them out — about 7 copies of each and then posted them around the house as part of the decorations – all over the walls, fridge, etc. 

It was like the “Hall of Jeff”, not to mention a walk down memory lane! Each digital scrapbook layout included Pop Culture Facts for each year customized to his interests (music, movies and technology) and the Cost of Goods.  I got this idea from those cheesy souvenir shops that sell the “What Happened Back in…” books.  But I didn’t buy one — I found ALL of my facts on the Internet, especially Wikipedia.

I created a layout for each of the following milestones in his life to celebrate his birthday:

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If you’re traveling to a place that has already been photographed again and again by the world’s best photographers, what do you do?  Just buy a postcard and save yourself the trouble? Right? Wrong!

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Are you stumped on what to do for Valentine’s Day this year?

Whether you are planning time with your sweetheart, children, friends or family, we have put our heads together and come up with some exciting ideas that are sure to make this Valentine’s Day unforgettable.

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Wouldn’t it be GREAT to have a Wedding Digital Scrapbook Kit with YOUR Wedding Colors?

It’s the month of love and I’ve been reflecting on my wedding photos that have been sitting in a box for 8 years. They were taken with film (I bought the negatives from the photographer) and now I need to scan them in and create my wedding digital scrapbook.

How can I make this easier?
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My husband Jared and I just moved into a new neighborhood (during the holidays no less) and we didn’t have a chance to get to do our traditional neighbor Christmas gifts. This weekend I was feeling super inspired and decided to make Treat Bag Toppers for Valentine’s neighbor gifts and share them with you!

Personally, I think the new Immortal Love Digital Kit is very Gwen Stefani L.A.M.B. meets Juicy Couture. You might even go as far to say it has a Twilight vibe (if you’re into that). Anyway, I designed a Treat Bag Topper using the Immortal Love Digital Kit and I also asked Nicole to design one using the Love Birds Digital Kit and she happily obliged.

We’re giving away BOTH templates for FREE! All you have to do is:

• Download the FREE printable templates.
• Print your favorite design.
• Cut along the lines.
• Fold along the line.
• Fill a standard 5″ sandwich bag with treats (bought or homemade, you decide!)
• Staple your Treat Bag Topper to the top.

Get your Free Treat Bag Toppers!

(cookies not included of course)

Three generations of Navy service is probably somewhat rare, but three men in my family have done just that: my grandfather, my father, and my brother (who is currently serving).

To keep our nation’s heroes in my thoughts today, I created a page celebrating these three generations of service using the Ancestry Digital Scrapbooking Kit.  Hey, I also wanted to challenge myself to make something manly too!

I’m in no way a designer like Nicole, so don’t be too hard on me. I also know that most of you aren’t designers either… You’re just like me, trying to satisfy that inner need to create. (more…)

Your toughest client to photograph will inevitably be the toddler, whether its your own, your grandchildren, or someone else’s. Most of your photos will be of the back of his head as he runs away from the camera, or a shot of her palm as she grabs your camera.

Here’s how to photograph children and babies with grace, style, and plenty of patience to spare:

1. Time of day is important. Take pictures at a time of day that the child is happy. It takes significant amounts of bribing and parental threats to get cooperation otherwise.
2. Take a few minutes to get to know the child (if he or she is not your own) before you start taking pictures. Some children will do best if they become your friend and you talk to them while you take pictures. Others will shut down if they even think you’re lookingat them. Figure this out and match your approach to the child.
3. If you want pictures of children looking at the camera, put something visually interesting on your head. You may feel like an idiot, but it works.
4. Speaking of feeling like an idiot, most children like when you (more…)

A photograph that captures raw emotion is the single most important ingredient in making your digital album stand out.

So how do you take photos that communicate emotion?

With the Get Emotional Photo Contest that Pixelbooking is hosting, I was recently asked this question and it’s made me have to stop and think through what I do. My initial response is, “you just do.”  It’s hard for me to explain because capturing emotion in a photograph comes naturally. But as I’ve thought, and thought, until my puzzler was sore, I finally came up with some advice in response to this question:

Don’t have a preconceived notion of what you’re looking for.

Be open and ready for an image that surprises even you. My friend was telling me that she was taking pictures for a family and the 3-year-old girl had “finished” cooperating. Her mom took off the little girl’s “special photo shoot clothes” and let her roam free. My friend started taking pictures of the little girl’s baby brother when the girl crawled up and laid her head on him. The first instinct was to shoo her away. After all, my friend was trying to photograph the baby and the girl wasn’t in her nice clothes anymore. But luckily, my friend ignored her first reaction and saw the great opportunity to capture an emotional image.

They should be able to forget you have a camera. (more…)

With so many images all around – in Facebook albums, on blogs, in your digital album, what will make someone stop and look at YOURS?

Learn to make your photos more eye-catching by learning the rules of composition. You’ll become more than a “Point-and-Shoot” photographer and that’s a good thing!

Learning composition doesn’t require any technical knowledge about your camera (you can still use your Auto Settings). But for some people, it can also the most difficult because it requires you to be artistic — a gift that either people naturally have – or they learn.

#1: Rule of Thirds

So, you just have to put your subject in the middle of the viewfinder and click the button, right? WRONG.

Here’s what you do: Imagine dividing the scene into thirds both horizontally and vertically.  Put the person’s eyes or the main subject near one of the intersections.

Easier still: Move the frame so the subject is slightly off-center. Ta da! An instantly more attractive, balanced and professional-looking photography.  This will ALWAYS look more pleasing than centering your subject in the viewfinder.

#2: Leading Lines (more…)