The new frame brushes over at ScrapNfonts this week have some fun potential! If you've never used brushes before, don't be scared! Each set comes with a brush file for Photoshop and Photoshop Element users, but it also comes with .png images that can be used in virtually any photo editing program (including free programs, like Picasa and Photoscape) and other design programs.

Here's a quick walk-through on using the new frame brushes on photos.

First, let's start with a photo. Which one should I pick... Ah, here's one with the most beautiful baby girl ever (according to a biased new mom, which I whole-heartedly admit I am). This picture is just begging me for a frame.

Next comes the brushes. If you're working in Photoshop, all you need to do is double click on the .abr file, and the brushes will automatically be added to your current list of brushes.

Photoshop tip: If you want access to the brushes through your Photoshop
Library, you can also go to "My Computer", then go to C:\Program
Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [your version]\Presets\Brushes and drop the .abr
file there.

If you're working in a different photo editing or design software, open your photo and the .png you want to use in the program.

Now is the fun, artsy part. Every photo program is a bit different, so take time to play with your program to familiarize yourself with it. If you have Photoshop, select the brush tool, then pick your frame brush, pick the color, scale the brush to the size you want in the Brushes window, hover it over your photo where you want it, then stamp. With other programs, you might have to open a collage option, or copy and paste the .png into the photo.

Here is the photo as if I just layed the .png on top of it.

If your program allows layers, I recommend putting the frame on a different layer than the photo. You can play with frame options better that way. With the frame selected you can adjust the hue (the color) the saturation (the brightness/dullness of the color) or the lightness, OR do a color fill if your program allows.

For this next picture, I set the lightness as high as it would go so the frame is white.

I want a softer look, so I'm going to adjust the opacity on the frame layer to 65%, and this is what I end up with.

Once you have the basics down, you can really set a mood with the right frames and effects. This picture is ready for my blog or facebook, or a scrapbook layout. Hmm... I think a scrapbook layout. I'll keep you updated.

In most of my scrapbook layouts, I think it crucial to mark the date. I'm all about the historical documentation. Maybe it makes me feel more important, I don't know. For about a year now, my favorite way to mark the date was with the Post Stamps. Love them! They easily were winning the race in the dating game.

My personal favorite was the middle "Good times" stamp with LD Post. It's irresistible!

But now there's another competitor in the field...

It may take a few more layouts, but I think DB Captured Calendar is trying to usurp the title of Favorite Date Marker. It's pretty close...

Goodness, there's so much design potential there, it makes me giddy!

What do you think?

It's obvious what Regina Easter does when she has time to play! She whips out her paper, her cutting machines, her sewing machine, and her miles of creativity. I love seeing what new projects she comes up with. Using DB Kapow for the title and LD Little Piggy for text, both on sale Tuesday during ScrapNfonts Parade of Products, she came up with this clever card.

I LOVE the details she puts into her projects. She also used DB Bugs for the mosquito. Check out those little jewel eyes and the raised body.

And the stitching, button, and hemp bow? So cute!

A card like this would sure make my day if I was feeling a little under the weather! Thanks for sharing your talent, Regina.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional photographer... but sometimes I like to fake it.

I take a lot of photos. Most of my photos are "meh" and I think, gosh, I can do better than that. Every once in awhile I get a magic photo. Sometimes I don't even know I've taken it until I'm reviewing my photos on my computer. It was REALLY exciting to get a magic photo before the digital era, when you had no idea what your photos looked like until they were developed and processed... I'm so glad for digital.

Magic photos are photos I've taken that take my breath away. It's almost unbelievable that I took that photo! They come every once in awhile, I've had maybe 10 magic photos in my life. I took a magic photo last week and I can't stop staring at it. So I thought I'd add to it with a little scrapNfont magic.


Using SNF Jasper Hand and LD Woodland in white font color, I typed over my photo. I added a slight drop shadow then I made the typed layer transparent to 40% to keep most of the focus on the photo.

Here is Britta faking that she is a professional photographer with her magic photo (notice the watermark):

Gosh I love that photo.