I have moaned and groaned about Photo Shop Elements a number of times; my terrible first experience with digi-scrapping and how fearful I am of it as a result. Why not give up and just paper scrap? After all, I have a whole studio full of paper and I can make a paper page in less than an hour.
Well, my reasons are three-fold:
- First and foremost, I like the idea of getting quick stories told. Photos I might not necessarily print off and scrapbook. Those everyday moments that could potentially get lost in the telling of more "important" events or creation of bigger projects. Life is contained in the ordinary moments and I want to use digi-scrapping to tell those stories.
- With all the time I spend in rinks and parking lots, the portability factor is appealing.
- I love the look of digi-pages, especially the minimalist presentation of the Paislee Press templates, papers and embellishments. Even better? The incredibly talented Liz Tamanaha provides tutorials for those of us who are more challenged than most.
Even with a brilliant tutorial, written by the person who created the template, I was stumped.
I really, really want to get my 12-of-12 project done digitally this year. I have chosen a gorgeous template, made even more gorgeous by the fact is free. Love me some free :) But, knowing my shortcomings and not wanting too much of a battle, I chose a 2-photo layered template on which to practise. Good thing.
Have I mentioned, I was stumped?
One of the commenters on my 12-of-12 post mentioned that if I needed help to let her know. (I have to say, I love comments, all of your comments, I appreciate your opinions, support and much needed offers of help.) One of my new favourite on-line people, Aud Neal, came to my rescue!
And, boy, did I need rescuing! What was wrong with me? Why am I the only person in the scrappy-world who just doesn't get it? Normally I wouldn't take up an offer such as this out of sheer embarrassment and avoidance. I'd just do what I normally do: put the project away and continue to read blogs, pick up bits and pieces of information as I went along, until the urge struck again and I'd hit the same walls. This is exactly why NOTHING got done during my Ali Edwards Yesterday & Today course. Starting to see my problem?
Frustration was high and I had been fiddling with the project from lunch time to after-school collection. Three hours of stopping, starting, turning on, turning off, reading my Missing Manual, using google repeatedly. Nothing. But contact Audrey, I did.
I'm so glad I did! I'm fed up with being digi-beaten.
We sent a couple of detailed notes back and forth. Finally resorting to communicating via these screen shots (LOVE screen shots!):
STUCK. See, no clippy icons anymore. Eek!
Long after midnight I gave up, I went to bed. Maybe the Adobe angels would visit in my sleep.
I think they just may have!
When I got up, while waiting for the olders to get ready for school, I re-read all of Aud's brilliant e-mails, a couple of times. And, because clearly the universe is on my side this morning, I found this tutorial waiting for me in my Google Reader (yes, I was avoiding the challenge by reading blogs ...) and it was the swift kick I needed. My brain engaged.
Check it out:
The photo is CLIPPED!
How? How could this be?
Turns out, since I'm on a Mac, CTRL+G does not work. Neither did CTRL+ALT+G. Oh, the frustration of it all. But you know what does? This does:
The COMMAND key. The command key? YES!
So there you have it. Hours upon hours of time spent to realize I was using the wrong combination of keys. I knew it had to be something simple, but I was at a loss for what that simple thing could be.
Lessons (many, but primarily):
- Accept help when it's offered
- Face your fear, especially one that is a simple computer program because if it's not working, it's YOU, not the computer or software
- Fail, you learn more from your mistakes, get over yourself, Lee. Seriously.
- Share, because you can't possibly be the only one with this experience and you just might be able to help someone else conquer their fear
In the end, I came up with this:
I believe I can do this. I'll stick with the simple stuff, the ideas of stamps and brushes are a bit advanced for me. Today, anyway. I realize I have to get a handle on the terminology: one thing like "clipping mask" can be called so many different things! The poor communication of tools and ideas is confusing, even made more so since this is a communication medium. And, I'd better find myself a COMMAND+ cheat sheet.
Is there something you find intimidating? What stops you from conquering your fear?
