A few people had problems with the newsletter links so we wanted to make sure you got to grab this fantastic set!

Shadowed – Tips and Tricks by Tiffany of Inspiredbydominic Designs

Not everyone creates layouts the same way and shadows are no different.
The way you shadow your layouts is very much a personal preference.
However,there are ways to realism to shadows and really make your pages pop!

One of the easiest ways to make shadows look realistic is to adjust the color of the shadow itself. My Shadowed style set uses a slight gray-brown color. If you adjust the color to be a darker, grayer version of your background it will add heaps of realism to your pages. Just with that one simple move.

Next, it is important to look at the shadowing of the element itself so that your shadows do not conflict. You also want to try to use similar light source angles for your shadows or your page will conflict with itself.

Some elements would naturally move away from the page more, such a strings, and the distance on these elements shadows can be increased to add realism. Others are larger and while they create a larger shadow also the distance should not be too far, but the softness of the shadow would likely increased. Playing with the distance and softness of your shadows will help you see what looks best for your page.

One final quick way to adjust the appearance of your shadows is to adjust the opacity of the shadow. If the background is darker, use a darker opacity. If it is lighter, a lower opacity will probably work best.

These are just some simple tricks to create fabulous shadows. Some programs allow you to separate your shadow layer and warp it to create beautiful shadows. However, if your program cannot do this the tips above will help you make the most of your shadowing.

Try my Shadowed layer styles included here to test which shadows you like best.
Adjust them to suit your preferences and enjoy!

You can grab Inspiredbydominic’s Shadow Styles here!

Please use the coupon code: ibd_shad_sample to get them FREE. Also don’t miss IBD’s 25% off sale in honor of her new kindergartner! She has recently uploaded tons of fantastic papers, overlays, and styles so check them out: CU Items or PU/S4H Items.

Check out Scrappity-Doo-Dah’s Facebook Fan page for an additional coupon from Inspiredbydominic!

written by Lisa Coleman
I started digi-scrapping soon after my daughter, Sophia, was born. I realized that things were happening in her life that I was going to forget and I didn’t want that to happen. I love being a mom and for me, part of that is leaving a legacy. So, when I look at my layouts, I look at the picture and then I read the journaling. Almost all of my layouts have some form of journaling….and if it is not on the actual layout, I write a note on the back of the printed layout. When I look for a layout of the day, or I comment on a layout, I often look for journaling. Why was that moment important? What was so special about that picture? Will you remember in 10 years? Here are some tips about journaling:

• Journal about the everyday stuff. So often, we think of our every day life as boring or uninteresting, but in a few years, will you remember that routine that meant something to your children? Will you remember the funny little ways you say good bye or good night? Don’t just journal about the big things.

• Don’t forget the date! This is my biggest issue. Don’t forget to date your pages! I always say “I know I will remember this!” but in all likelihood, you won’t. So, save yourself the grief and date your pages! You can do it in your journaling, or under your journaling, but don’t forget!

• Make sure it is legible. Use a font that you will be able to read. Make sure that the size is big enough that you will be able to read it, without zooming in on your scrap program. See Yvonne’s article “What the Font?” for more help with this.

• Use Word Processor first. I don’t know how many times I have created a layout with lots of journaling, posted it all around digi world, finally printed the page, only to realize I have a spelling mistake! It is so frustrating. Type your journaling into a word processing program, spell check it, then copy and paste it in to your layout. You can still play with size and font and at least your know you don’t have any mistakes.

Here are some great examples of layouts with journaling from our gallery….

By Sam:

By jencrook:

By JennMurphy

By C0r1nn3: