Making Your Layouts "Pop"

*This Tip is from a post I did on the Noel Mignon Blog on July 4, 2009

Ok so taking pictures of your layout is never easy -- I know I put it off until the last possible minute. But here is a couple tips I have for you. First, take your picture in indirect sunlight --- I use the kitchen, and sometimes even take it outside on my patio table. Some other ways I have taken photos are: *scanning it (although I had a 12x18 scanner so I don't know how to "stitch" the layout together) *I also used to place it right on the ground on top of a white towel and shoot directly above it. I did this outside in the evening. *If I am running real late on a deadline I will use my external flash inside and that usually gets a decent picture. I want to show you where I start with all my layouts. I upload into Picasa and usually crop it (for me it is easier there than in PSE. This one is not cropped but it shows you what my photo looks like straight out of camera. Not too hot - look at all that background noise --and just fyi - I have a cookie jar propping my layout up. Sometimes I will use a little display easel but that means everything has to be nice and neat and lately that ain't happening! LOL! Ok so this is what it looks like with the background noise cropped out. Note: This is in Picasa

Ok, now I need to brighten this layout so it looks true to life.

In photoshop elements (and this works in PS too), I go to.. ENHANCE>ADJUST LIGHTING>LEVELS

Now you should see this on your screen. When you do click on the WHITE eye dropper.

ok with that white eye dropper you will take it to your layout and click on anything that is white. When you click it you will see your layout "pop". I would suggest not settleing on the first pop -- some white parts are lighter than others and you have to find the right click to make it look true to life.

This is what my final take looked like

Big difference from the first one huh?

Punch Organization

**this post was taken from a post I did on the Noel Mignon Blog on August 9, 2009.

Hey there! I just happened to reorganize my punches this past week and I thought it would make a perfect tip for you!

First, I originally had all of my punches in a metal cart what had 3 baskets -- it worked perfectly in the last place we lived because it was wider and I could move it about. But since the move I have converted our closet that is narrow but is very long - into my scrap space. The cart thing was bugging me because it was always in the way when I wanted to get to one of my storage shelves. So I finally changed it up and I am happy with the result. It is nothing new - but I changed it so I would like it and like looking at it. Here it is

I have seen this done with the clear shoe organizers and was not really wanting one - but it made sense to me. And all I could find were mesh ones --- so I utilized this shabby chic one that is usually in my daughters room - but we have not used it here - so I gave it a shot. To help me tell which punch was where I punched the design out onto black cardstock and then glued that onto kraft paper. Then I simply used a safety pin to hold it in place.

I can fit about to or 3 punches in each depending on the size. And the top one with no tag has my new ek success ones. 

 So just an idea if you need to free up some space and/or are looking for an alternative to the clear shoe organizer.!

Michelle

Teacher thank you card

I made this card for my daughters teacher.  I sent it the first week of school.  It's real easy and super cute:)

You will need

Cardstock

Pattern paper

crayons

embellishments