ScrappinWAHM’s Journal

Wanted to post real quick that I found something new in my TLC Shop. Actually it’s right there on the front page available to anyone who wants it! Download a FREE desktop layout based on our ABC Theme. Select your format - 1280 x 1024, 1280 x 800 or 1024 x 768 - then plug it into your favorite desktop scrapbooking program!

You can get a better idea of the entire kit’s contents here - http://mybreezyshop.com/lhaugh/DigiPack.aspx?t=5 This would be a great theme for an “All About Me” photobook, or to create a personalized “ABC’s of…” anything book. I love the colors in this kit!

Long-time readers of my Journal blog here know that Top Line Creations offers their exclusive scrapbooking designs in digital format - through their personal publishing service LifeTimez Online. In it’s past TLC offered digital scrapbooking software with separate photobook layout kits (hence the birth of LifeTimez) that were, and still are compatible with Memory Mixers software.

Now, Top Line Creations has re-introduced their exclusive digital content in high resolution PNG and JPEG formats. The raw formats give you complete control and freedom to use your favorite designs with Photoshop Elements, Paint Shop Pro and many other graphic programs!

There are currently 8 new digi pak themes in my TLC shop. Each is available as an embellishment, paper, or graphics pak that can be ordered on CD, or for instant download. Retail (and Member) prices will vary depending on the size and detail of each digital kit.

I’ll make my disclaimer one more time - these are my experiences, using a dial-up service, thus more tips may be more geared to those who could benefit from some online scrapbooking time-saving tips. Come on dial-up users - I know you’re out there!

Of course you are going to find the most accurate information from the LifeTimez Online (LTO) blog and tutorials - but these are my experiences, and some tricks I used to make my sessions with LTO go smoother while using my dial-up internet connection.

First - I have to say I did some initial work, editing the pictures, readying them for upload on my computer first. And if I had really thought ahead (espespecially with only having 10 days to work) I would have sorted through and chosen my pics before I even signed up for the LTO trial.  Choosing the pictures WAS the hardest and most time consuming part of creating my brag book.
Plan a little bit ahead to save time in the end - go to LTO and check out all of the design options.  You can even see all of the brag book themes and each page layout. Then you can have your pics all lined up before you even get to signing up! You might even go as far as doing some preliminary cropping in your photo editor -

I added the journaling to the photo above before uploading it to LifeTimez Online. I found that with the brag book, not every page allows for journaling within the online text editor - only those pages that have text boxes. So this was a way to still have the journaling on the page. (Caution: this may be a step you’ll want to wait to do until you have signed up and can actually see how your photo might fit on to the page.)

One more thing about pre-cropping your photos, it does cut down on the file size, but don’t cut it too close, as you’ll still be instructed to fit yur picture into the picture window for the page, and you may find some of your cropped photo is cropped some more.

I think there is still more to come - I’ve been inspired by this and want to add more helpful hints for the LifeTimez lovers out there.  Though I must say - I think some of these tips would be helpful for any online scrapbooking service.