Transplanted Canadian

[Heather G]

Hi, my name is Heather. I subscribed to Scrapper's Guide Premier late last year and have uploaded a few of my attempts at scrapbooking but haven't gotten into the forums yet. (Thank you!! to all of the encouragement I have received, it keeps me trying new stuff)

I am originally from Alberta, Canada but about a year and a half ago, my husband and I moved to North Carolina for a work opportunity for him. Since we are Canadians, it has meant coming here on a visa which allows him to work but not me. Therefore, I went from being a working woman to a stay at home wife with new found time yet no hobby to occupy my time. We have no kids (hope someday but that is in mother nature's hands) but have become the parents of 2 cats since moving.... and they both seem to be very interested in digital scrapbooking! They have started sitting on top of my chair behind me or on the arm rest of my chair and stare intently at the screen while I work.

I have browsed a lot of different websites on digital scrapbooking but it has been Scrapper's Guide that has given me the encouragement and wonderful tutorials for me to finally say I have found a hobby which I can see myself delving deeper and deeper into. I can't thank you all enough for being part of giving me focus again. Your layouts give me so much to think of as to composition, what things in my life I can scrap about... thank you!

Now that I have figured out that there is so much more to this site than just the tutorials and gallery, I hope to get more involved in the forums.

My husband bought me a Bamboo fun for Christmas and I just adore it.

Now, I have a question about the next step I am looking to make... currently I use Photoshop Elements 4 (Mac) but am debating making the upgrade to Photoshop CS3. Most things I have seen doable in CS3, I have figured out how to do in Elements with more steps but I am drooling over the Warp tool capabilities. Has anyone else made the switch? What features does CS3 have that you just can't do with Elements regardless of how many more steps you do?

[troush]

Welcome Heather! I'm glad you've joined us. I can't answer your questions on the jump from PSE to PS, but many people have. Having learned PSE first will make it easier. I'm pretty sure Adobe has a trial version available. Have you tried it?

-Trish

[Heather G]

I plan to try out the trial first but as it is a 30 day trial and I want to make the most of the trial time, I want to hear what people think are essential reasons to make the switch first so that I can be sure to try those things out with the trial.

[troush]

A few things I can think of...

1. Text on a path.
2. I think you can make text fit to the inside of a shape.
3. True layer masks (I use Grant's tools as an add-on, but built right in would be handy).
4. More layer styles and more control of them.
5. Ability to create actions.

Those would be things I want... Also, I think you can load layer styles as you need them, and not have to have them in the right place when you open it.

-Trish

[Heather G]

A few things I can think of...

1. Text on a path.
2. I think you can make text fit to the inside of a shape.
3. True layer masks (I use Grant's tools as an add-on, but built right in would be handy).
4. More layer styles and more control of them.
5. Ability to create actions.

Those would be things I want... Also, I think you can load layer styles as you need them, and not have to have them in the right place when you open it.

-Trish

All great ideas of things to try out!

What are Grant's tools and how do you use add-ons?

I just purchased a bunch of action sets to try them out with Elements as from what I have read, Elements can use them just not make them. Atomic Cupcake is making a switch from all you can download for a monthly subscription to per item pricing Feb 1st so I made the plunge and purchased and downloaded them all this month. Currently backing up all my photos and tutorials and kits before I try them out as I have been lax in backing up things since I started.

My husband is glad that I finally found a hobby but not sure he is too happy about the ease of being able to "shop" so easily online rather than going out to stores :)

[troush]

All great ideas of things to try out!

What are Grant's tools and how do you use add-ons?

I just purchased a bunch of action sets to try them out with Elements as from what I have read, Elements can use them just not make them. Atomic Cupcake is making a switch from all you can download for a monthly subscription to per item pricing Feb 1st so I made the plunge and purchased and downloaded them all this month. Currently backing up all my photos and tutorials and kits before I try them out as I have been lax in backing up things since I started.

My husband is glad that I finally found a hobby but not sure he is too happy about the ease of being able to "shop" so easily online rather than going out to stores :)

Grant's tools (http://www.cavesofice.org/~grant/Challenge/Tools/Files.html) are a set of add-ons that give you a few photoshop features: curves, layer masks, guides, and channels (I think channels). I just about only use the layer mask. (If you have the PSE 6, then you can get his PSE 5.0 tools and use them in PSE 6.)

(I'm sure most husbands agree with your last statement.)

Are you working on Vista or XP - that will affect the directions for adding the actions?

-Trish

[Heather G]

Grant's tools (http://www.cavesofice.org/%7Egrant/Challenge/Tools/Files.html) are a set of add-ons that give you a few photoshop features: curves, layer masks, guides, and channels (I think channels). I just about only use the layer mask. (If you have the PSE 6, then you can get his PSE 5.0 tools and use them in PSE 6.)

(I'm sure most husbands agree with your last statement.)

Are you working on Vista or XP - that will affect the directions for adding the actions?

-Trish

I am actually a Mac user.. love it!!... we have 4 now :) Technical stuff I can usually figure out or if not, my hubby is my computer guru.

Currently on OSX but once I finish my backups today, I will be finally updating to Leopard which I have been putting off until my backups were done... hard to complete backups when you can't stop playing and creating more. :)

I will look into if I can use Grant's tools or not. That sounds very handy. I keep hearing about doing things in channels but haven't used them yet.

[troush]

If I'd just keep track of the whole thread, I'd remember you were on a Mac... Since you have 4, get his tools for PSE 4.0. I'm sure there are installation instructions there somewhere.

-Trish

[Heather G]

Thanks! I was just reading his disclaimer and stuff and it appears he did his testing on Mac too so I should be good to go.

[Wendy]

Hi Heather ...

Grant's tools work just fine on the Mac ... I did the testing for PSE2, PSE3 & PSE4 :)

... but if you do buy CS3 then you won't need them as CS3 can do all those things anyway.

I'm still using CS2 (must upgrade sometime) but the thing I just love about Photoshop is the pen tool. It rocks !!

Wendy