Have you made a custom header for your Facebook timeline?

It’s quite easy to do and it makes your Facebook timeline look a bit more unique than just using a photo like everyone else does.

Here’s how you do it.

Fundamentally your header is just a specialised digital scrapbook layout. You just need to remember that your Facebook photo will overlap on the bottom left hand corner so you need to design your header allowing for that.

The other thing you need to remember is that there’s not a lot of space available so I suggest you keep your design simple  and relatively uncluttered. Here’s mine so you can see what I mean.

I made this using The Garden Party Mega Kit. And you are welcome to use the kit to design your own headers (I’d appreciate it if you would give Scraps of Mind a credit on your page) as long as it’s for a personal header and not for a commercial one.

If you have a graphic editing software program such as Photoshop Elements…

1. Create a new file 860 x 300 pixels and 72 dpi resolution
2. Choose the digital scrapbook elements you want to use for your header and open them into your graphics editing program.
3. Drag them onto your header file and arrange to form your design. Note: because we’re working in such a low resolution your elements will be a lot bigger than your file and you’ll need to drag them smaller to fit on your header.
4. When you’re happy with your design save your file (choose the Save for the Web option)
5. Note the folder where you are saving it to so that you can find it when you upload it onto your Facebook Timeline.
6. Now open your Facebook Timeline in your browser and click on Change Cover then choose Upload Photo.
7. Select your header file from the folder where you stored it.
8. Your header should fit snugly into the available Facebook space.

If you don’t have a graphic editing software program…

If you don’t want to invest in a full sized graphics editing program there are a number of other more simple options available to you. I recommend the My Memories Suite as worthy of consideration.

It’s easy to use (especially if you’re not familiar with digital scrapbooking) and low cost. You can read my review of My Memories Suite here.

And when you use my special code  you get an even better bargain.

All you need to do is paste my special Scraps of Mind promotion code into the Promo Code box in the shopping cart

and you’ll get a whopping $10 discount of f the price of your My Memories Suite

PLUS you’ll get a $10 gift certificate to spend in their store.

So click here to go to My Memories Suite

And paste this code into the Promo Code box to get your Scraps of Mind Discount:

STMMMS70328

And here’s how to create your Facebook Header with My Memories Suite

1. Open your My Memories Suite software and  create a new album and choose design your own.
2. Then choose the ›Custom Size tab in the middle of the screen.
3. You can set the size by inches or pixels. For your Facebook Header choose 860 x 300 pixels.
4. Add whatever content you want, including papers, pictures, text and embellishments.
5. Finally, click on Share Album in far right column and select Export
6. In the Export Wizard, make sure that the image type is jpeg and the image size is the size you chose for your header and click finish
7. Now open your Facebook Timeline in your browser and click on Change Cover then choose Upload Photo.
8. Select your header file from the folder where you stored it.
9. Your header should fit snugly into the available Facebook space.

Blog banners

And you can use these methods for creating your own blog headers too.

Just change the size of the file you’re creating. Usually a Blogger header is around 1000×300 pixels and a WordPress header is 904×160 pixels.

So now there’s nothing stopping you from having a beautiful custom designed header on your Facebook Timeline or your Blog. Have fun with this and let me know how you go.

And if you think this is a good idea please share it with your Facebook friends or share the link to this article on your blog.

Scraps Of Mind - All about scrapbokking, digital scrapbooking and hybrid scrapbooking

I have been having mojo issues off and on for some time now.

But it’s been a particular struggle in the last few months.

I don’t have any particular reason to offer… unless you count my addiction/obsession with Castleville on Facebook as a reason. But there is it is; creativity brick wall.

So this post is for all of you who are having similar creativity brain blocks.

Here are some articles I’ve written on ideas that might help you to get firing on all cylinders again.

When Your Mojo is No-Go

10 Top Ways to Rekindle your Scrapbooking Inspiration

How to beat Scrappers Block

10 Speedy Scrapbook Ideas

And for me?

Well I’m going to start making some Christmas cards!

Yes I realise Christmas is over half a year away but I think it’s a gentle way to try and ease back into the creative stream again. Christmas cards aren’t too demanding and I have plenty of stamps and embellishments etc. to get me started.

But most of all – I don’t feel pressured to make the perfect card.

I’ll be making over 50 cards so I can try different things and different techniques or do a bunch of simple cards all the same. No pressure.

So wish me and my missing mojo luck.

And please let me know in the comments section below if you have any mojo generating ideas of your own that we can share.

Scraps Of Mind - All about scrapbokking, digital scrapbooking and hybrid scrapbooking

One of the many things I love about digital scrapbooking is blending.

You can blend several background papers together using different blending modes to give you a whole different looking paper.

And another very cool blending idea is to blend your photo into the background for a really funky look.

Here’s how you do it (I’ve used Photoshop Elements but this will work with any software program that lets you work with layers):

1. Open a new Scrapbook layout file and drag onto it the background paper of your choice.

2. Now drag your photo on and position/resize to suit your layout. Remember you’re going to remove a lot of the area around your focal subject so you may need to make the photo a bit larger than you otherwise would.

3. Select the Eraser tool from your tool bar and choose a grungy style brush from the drop down list in the top menu bar.

4. Now reduce the opacity of the brush in the menu bar. Probably 10-30% is a good range. If you don’t like it you can always back out of what you’ve done with the Undo button or Ctrl+Z keys.

5. Increase the size of the brush using the slider in the top menu bar or by pressing the ] key on your keyboard.

6. Now, with your photo layer selected, start dabbing around your photo with the Eraser brush. Start at the outside and work inwards. Don’t be too fussed on being precise, the effect you’re looking for is not one of precision. You’ll probably want to go over the outside edges several times so that you lose the hard edge of the photo. You can remove however much or little of the background as you like to give you the effect that you want.

7. Finally you can reduce the opacity of the photo a little to let it blend even more with the background. Just play with the opacity slider in your layers palette until you get the result that you like.

If you’re someone who picks things up more easily with visuals rather than text you might like to check out my Step by Step Digital Scrapbook Intermediate Tutorial 3 which shows you step by step how to do this (as well as some other very cool techniques you may find handy)

If you think this tutorial was useful please let me know in the comments below, otherwise I don’t know if I’m just talking to myself or not.

Other related articles:

How to blend your background papers – Scrapbook video tutorial

How to Digital Scrapbook – from Soup to Nuts

Scraps Of Mind - All about scrapbokking, digital scrapbooking and hybrid scrapbooking

Give yourself the fun of digital scrapbooking with the Step by Step Digital Scrapbooking Tutorial Course.

Who knew learning could be this much fun?

Christmas is in sight.

You’ve spent the last month running around like a mad thing buying gifts for your nearest and dearest.

Now it’s time for you.

Give yourself this fabulous opportunity to learn how to digital scrapbook with these super easy to follow video tutorials.

My Step by Step Digital Scrapbook  is a ‘soup to nuts’ digital scrapbooking course which will take you from complete beginner to being an advanced digital scrapbooker in 25 easy lessons.

You’ll get 50 videos (2 per lesson) which will take you by the hand and guide you easily through all the tricks and techniques to creating your own fantastic, unique and super-personal digital scrapbook layouts in Photoshop Elements. And these special creations can then be easily shared with all your family and friends.

As well, each lesson comes with a full sized complementary digital scrapbooking kit which includes all the elements that are used in making the demonstration scrapbook layout as well as many more so that you can customize and personalize your own versions. That’s 25 complementary digital scrapbook kits!

Plus you’ll get a Techniques Sheet which you can print out and keep handy as you create your own digital scrapbook layouts .

And if you want to give this Special Christmas Gift to someone special in your life, you’ll also get this Gift Card which you can print out and give to your Special Someone.

Each of these tutorials sell for $4.50 when purchased individually ($112.50 in total) and if you purchase the whole Soup2Nuts Course the normal price is $99.50 saving $13.

But the Step by Step Digital Scrapbook Soup2Nuts Course can be yours for just $79.50 if you buy before 24 December 2011. That’s a further $20 reduction.

Bringing your total saving to a massive $33!

I’ve only ever made this special price offer once before and that was last Christmas. Chances are you won’t see it again before Christmas 2012

So if you’ve been toying with the idea of joining in all the fun of digital scrapbooking and making wonderful scrapbook layouts that you can share with all your firends and family, there’s never going to be a better time.

Remember on Christmas Day the price will bounce right back to the full price.

So don’t miss out because the price will definitely be going back up again on Christmas Day.

Scraps Of Mind - All about scrapbokking, digital scrapbooking and hybrid scrapbooking

Giving is always a good feeling and it’s an extra good feeling at Christmas Time.

Once again Antoinette has rallied the Christmas spirit and organised a massive digital scrapbooking Christmas freebie site at Worldwide Christmas Scrapbooking Freebies.

All through December you can pick up any and all of these wonderful digital scrapbooking freebies

. . . starting here!

Click on the image below to download a bunch of free Christmas Word Art and papers that you can use on your Christmas cards, decorations or scrapbook layouts.

To download right mouse click on the image and choose

Save Target as… or Save Link as…

And once you’ve done that you can carol yourself over to Worldwide Christmas Scrapbooking Freebies and browse through a massive selection of Christmas digital scrapbooking freebies to your heart’s content.

Just a gentle reminder. All of the designers who contribute to Worldwide Christmas Scrapbooking Freebies put in a lot of their time and creativity to bring you these wonderful freebies. Please remember to leave a little note of appreciation when you download. It costs you nothing and it means a lot to the giver.

Other related articles:

Worldwide Christmas Scrapbooking Freebies 2010

Worldwide Christmas Scrapbooking Freebies 2009

Want to learn how to Digital Scrapbook? Click on the banner below for easy to learn Step by Step Digital Scrapbook Tutorials.

Scraps Of Mind - All about scrapbokking, digital scrapbooking and hybrid scrapbooking

From December 1st the Worldwide Christmas Scrapbooking Freebies will be back in operation all through the month of December.

So get your download finger ready and come back to Scraps of Mind on the 1st of the month for your first Christmas Digital Scrapbook Freebie and your gateway into the Wonderful Worldwide Christmas Scrapbooking Freebies.

This is a massive gathering of digital scrapbook designers who contribute their creativity and time to bring you truckloads of Christmas scrapbooking freebies.

So don’t miss out.

Come back here on December 1 and scoop up all the glorious freebies.

Christmas Digital Scrapbook Freebie Bonanza

Scraps Of Mind - All about scrapbokking, digital scrapbooking and hybrid scrapbooking

Well in case you hadn’t noticed it’s that spooky time of year again.

So here’s some free Halloween Word Art to adorn your Halloween scrapbook layouts. I’m not sure if this comes under the heading of trick or treat. You be the judge.

If you post any of your Halloween creations using my word art on the Internet please post the link in the comments section below. I’d love to go and see them.

To download the word art just right mouse click on the image and choose Save Target as… or Save Link as…

Hope you enjoy the word art and have a seriously spooky Halloween.

Scraps Of Mind - All about scrapbokking, digital scrapbooking and hybrid scrapbooking

I’ve been a bit distracted in recent weeks as I’m in the middle of a kitchen renovation.

If you’ve been there you’ll know how it goes.

It all started with a small, simple idea. I’d freshen up my kitchen by re-cladding the cupboard doors and panels. I was happy with the bench-tops and tile splash-back. As a project this shouldn’t be too demanding. How hard could it be?

Then I got seduced by all the wonderful IKEA storage options and next thing you know I have a three ring circus on my hands.

So now my old kitchen is all stacked up in my living room waiting to go to the tip. and we’re in the middle of installing my lovely new IKEA cupboards. Some of them have to have modifications to deal with some ‘special’ features of my kitchen area such as a central heating intake air vent which needs to be accommodated in one of the cupboards.

Where's my Wall - y?

The tiles are no more and will be replaced with pressed aluminium splashbacks. Sadly when we took them off the wall they brought the plaster board with them so now I have a big hole where my wall should be.

And now that I’ve decided to replace my peninsula style bench with an island I’ve got a patch of floorboards that’s unvarnished and matching it to the rest of the floor may prove to be a bit of a challenge.

But I’m not fazed. despite all this the project is progressing well and I’m looking forward to having a fully functioning kitchen in a couple of weeks. By which time I will be well and truly over making the tea on the bathroom vanity top and doing the washing up in the bathroom basin.

Now here’s the bit where I ask for your help.

Not with my kitchen renovation. But with the scrapbooking of it.

I want to make a scrapbook layout covering the whole kitchen renovation experience.

I’ll be using lots of photos and I’m looking for some innovative ideas on how I might design the scrapbnook page.

I wrote an article a while ago about scrapbooking with multiple photos but those ideas are not what I want for this layout. I’m looking for something different.

So if you’ve got some ideas you could share with me I’d really really appreciate it. Just put them in the comments below.

And thanks a lot for your help.

Scraps Of Mind - All about scrapbokking, digital scrapbooking and hybrid scrapbooking

Read to the end for a fantastic offer!

A lot of people ask me “Is there a way I can get into digital scrapbooking without having to spend time and effort learning how to use a graphics software program like Photoshop?”

Well  as a devoted fan of Photoshop Elements I would always recommend you invest the time in learning how to use a fully functional graphics program. But if you really are seeking instant gratification then there are some options open to you.

My Memories Suite is just such an option.

My Memories is a software package specifically designed for digital scrapbooking. That’s a plus at the start because all its functions are focussed on things that help you to create a scrapbook layout.

Everything that you need to do is presented to you in your workspace and all the editing and enhancement options are easily accessed by a button click so you don’t have to start working out where things are in drop down menus.

When you open the program you can choose whether you want to use their templates or whether you want to take a more creative path and design your own layout.

It makes it easy to load your photos into the layout and size them as you want. And the templates offer you a range of positioning options. Just click on the photo boxes to easily load and crop your photos to size.

If you don’t like the colors provided in the templates it’s easy to change them using the color changing button.

You can also use your own digital scrapbook papers, such as the Scraps of Mind Garden Party Kit so you’re not confined to the software’s library.

And you can add a music sound track to your album if you want or even video.

The software comes with a library of scrapbooking elements which are easy to find and use. But you also get access to the My Memories website where you can find lots of extra elements which you can download: and many of them are free.

But most of all, My Memories is very easy to use. You can have your first digital scrapbook layout done in a matter of minutes (half an hour, tops).

“But are there any downsides to all this perfection?”  I hear you say.

Well of course there are. Nothing in life is totally perfect.

The other side of the ‘easy to use’ coin is that you don’t get the same level of scope and flexibility to design and tweak your scrapbook layouts that you would get in a full-on graphics editing program. My Memories is not Photoshop. But then it doesn’t pretend to be.

And did I mention that it doesn’t come with a Photoshop price tag either. You can pick up this digital scrapbooking software package for the great value price of $37.97.

I’m impressed with this product as a quick and easy way to get into digital scrapbooking and I’m happy to endorse it.

So here’s a fantastic limited offer for Scraps of Mind readers .

Buy My Memories using the link on this page and I’ll give you FIVE (yes that’s right, 5!) Bonus Digital Scrapbook Kits.

Bonus Digital Scrapbook Kit Limited Offer with My Memories purchase

Just send me a copy of your receipt I’ll give you this bonus digital  scrapbook kit package for FREE!!

But wait, there’s more…

Paste my special Scraps of Mind promotion code into the Promo Code box in the shopping cart

and you’ll get a whopping $10 discount of f the price of your My Memories Suite

PLUS you’ll get a $10 gift certificate to spend in their store.

I’m a bit gobsmacked by this offer and I’m thrilled to be able to give it to you.

So click here to go to My Memories Suite

Paste this code into the Promo Code box:

STMMMS70328

Grab your MyMemories digital scrapbooking software package at your special $10 off price, and before you start shopping with your $10 gift voucher, send me a copy of your receipt and you can get my bonus digital scrapbooking kit package.

Ahhh . . . how sweet it is.

Scraps Of Mind - All about scrapbokking, digital scrapbooking and hybrid scrapbooking

Today’s article is a Guest Post from Dee who’ll be sharing some ideas on making collages that will hopefully spark your creative imagination.

Collages and Colors

A collage is similar to a mosaic style piece of artwork, crafted from paper, card, moving boxes, photos or any other paper-based medium (and if you’re digitally minded you can create great collaged scrapbook layouts on your computer, but that’s another article). The pieces are glued together, on a larger piece of card stock or plywood to create a bigger over-all picture. Paper-based collages can be an extremely effective medium and a wonderful form of self-expression.

Photo Collages

Step by Step Digital Scrapbook Intermediate Tutorial 9 shows you how to make this photo collage layout. Just click on the layout to go there.

Photo collages are a fun way to create a montage of your pictures of your favourite people, places or landmarks. Take a photo showing a person you want in the collage and cut out the person, along with any background that you wish to keep. Place the cut-out on a piece of clean card or paper and leave it where you would like it to sit in the final draft. Cut out all your other favourite items and place them in the best possible position on the card, until it is totally filled up. Move the pieces about until you are happy with their positioning and the way they overlap each other, then use a safe (acid-free) glue to stick them to the card. Once they are all stuck down you can use a photo frame with glass to protect your photo collage and have it remain in excellent condition for many years. If you’re making a scrapbook layout one of the elements you should incorporate into your collage design is your title. You might print this out on your computer and cut it out, mount it on some card and add to the mix. Or you might use some chipboard alphas which you can cover with paper or paint. If you use large alphas it’s a nice idea to use them for your journaling too. Just keep is short and simple so it doesn’t become too crowded.

Color Collages

Abstract art is mostly color and shape based and is a great way to teach children how to be artistic. You can use colored construction paper for these types of collages and you can either make up a picture or just stick random colored pieces to the artwork. There doesn’t need to be a real sense of composition on these kinds of collages because what you are trying to create is a colourful, eye-catching collage. You can choose either pastel or primary colors, pattern wallpaper or gift wrapping paper. The choice is yours. Anything which is bright and contrasting, effective and eye-catching and highly artistic will capture yours and other people imaginations. If you use paper which is sealed—like wallpaper—you can also opt to varnish it afterward and protect it.

Fabric Collages

Fabric is another brilliant medium for making collages. You can choose any type of fabric that you prefer, whether it be old sheets and pillow cases, old dresses and shirts or old jeans and trousers. Drapes material is also another idea. It really can be anything suitable. The best form of backing for a fabric collage is ply wood or hard board. You should always use a suitable glue that will not burn the fabric or cause it to discolor. You can also use staples around the edges and complete the piece of artwork by adding beading, to make a make-shift frame—or simply use a picture frame.

There is no limit to what you can create when you make a collage. It really is about what comes out of your imagination and what you want your finished piece to look like. You can make a collage to fit an entire wall, or just make smaller version to use as pictures or scrapbook layouts.

Dee is a travel writer and amateur photographer who loves a good scrapbooking session, especially when she feels the need to reminisce about the time when photos weren’t all stored digitally (God rest polaroids!)

Other related articles:

Capture the moment in a photo collage

Scrapbooking Techniques & Tips – Make a Photo Collage Layout

Scraps Of Mind - All about scrapbokking, digital scrapbooking and hybrid scrapbooking