I like to watch for scrapbooking trends. Some of them I just don’t understand. Like the owl trend. Seriously. Have you seen that one? Not that I have anything against owls, I just don’t understand why I would want to put them on my page unless owls had something to do with my photos.
Some trends, though, I really like. For example, for quite a while I’ve been noticing lots of scalloped edges, particularly skinny strips of paper with one edge scalloped, like in my layout here. Now there’s a trend I can put on just about any page! And today I’m going to teach you how to make your own scalloped strips, and give you a free brush set to help!
If you’re unfamiliar with brushes, or just don’t understand them, don’t worry. This will be easy. And for those of you who don’t think you’ll ever need to use a brush (and yes, I know you’re out there), I’m hoping to change your mind after today!
Step 1) Download the brush set
Click here to download the brush set (free for a limited time).
If you have Photoshop Elements 2.0 or earlier, click here to download an alternate file.
Be sure to save it to a place you can find it. I have a folder with my digital kits called “Brushes” and I put all of my brush files in there.
Step 2) Load your brush set
- In Elements, choose the Brush tool from the Tool Bar to the left.
- Open the Brush Picker in the Options Bar above.
- Click on the side-facing arrow in the upper, right-hand corner of the Brush Picker.
- Choose Load Brushes and navigate to the new brush set called “Scalloped Strips JBinder”. Choose that brush set and click Load.
Step 3) Create and prepare a new document
- Click File > New > Blank File, choose your desired size and settings, click OK. I created a 12″ x 12″ document.
- Create a new layer by clicking on the Create a new layer icon at the top of the layers palette.
Step 4) Create the scalloped strip template
- Your Brush tool should still be chosen, but since we didn’t actually choose a brush from the set we just loaded, we’ll have to do that now. Open the Brush Picker again, and choose brush 08 Single Scallop Med. (If you don’t have the same view as shown below but you want to, open that same fly-out menu we opened to load our new brush set, and choose Stroke Thumbnail.)
- If you want a solid color for the scalloped strip, choose it now by clicking on the Foreground Color Chip at the bottom of the Tool Bar on the left side of your desktop. This will bring up the Color Picker. Click on the vertical color bar to choose your main color, and click inside the big, square color box to choose the shade you want. Click okay. Your brush will now paint with that color.
- For those of you who want to add textured or patterned paper to the scalloped strip, it doesn’t matter what color the strip is when you first make it. The paper will cover it up. For this tutorial we’ll cover the scalloped strip with paper.
- Either way, do check the Options Bar above and make sure the Mode is Normal, and Opacity is 100%.
- Position your mouse so part of the brush outline extends off of the side of your page.
- Click and hold, but don’t move. Add and hold the Shift key, then drag your mouse sideways across the page. When your strip extends to the opposite side of the page, you can release both your mouse and the Shift key. You have just created your scalloped strip template.
Step 5) Group with paper and merge
- Bring a piece of paper into this document by either dragging and dropping, or copying and pasting. (I prefer to drag and drop, but before dropping I press and hold the Shift key so my paper will be centered on my document.)
- Make sure this paper is just above the scalloped strip template layer in the layers palette.
- Group the paper with the template by holding down the Alt key (Mac: Opt key) and placing your mouse between the two layers in the Layers palette. When you see the double circle with arrow icon, click.
- If your paper isn’t covering all of your scalloped strip, you can click on it and move it around, or even re-size it. (To re-size, press Ctrl T [Mac: Cmd T], then re-size using a corner handle, and double click on it to accept the transformation.)
- When you’re finished making any adjustments, merge the two layers together. Do this by clicking on one of the layers in the Layers palette, then hold Ctrl (Mac: Cmd) and click on the other layer. This should highlight both layers in the Layers palette. Press Ctrl E (Mac: Cmd E) to merge them together.
Now you can use your scalloped strip on your scrapbook page. For my page, I used a different brush (but it is one included in your free set). Then I used the Rectangular marquee tool to select and delete part of my scalloped strip. I also rotated it by choosing Edit > Transform > Rotate 180°. And finally, I applied a drop shadow.
Try out all of the Scalloped strip brushes. There are 4 different styles, each in 3 different sizes. Just be sure to put each strip on its own layer so it can be manipulated individually.
To see another example of something I created with the brush set, click here. Have a great week!
Credits: Tutorial by Jenny Binder, www.HeirloomScrapbooks.com. Kit used to create layout: Rustic Fields by Doreen Stolz. Title font: CK Retro Block.
Download a PDF version of this “Easy Scalloped Strips” tutorial.
Leap Frog To The Next Level!
Tired of learning a bit here and a bit there? Our CD, Learn Digital Scrapbooking, takes you step-by-step from rank beginner to confident digital scrapbooker in a fraction of the time!
Find out more and get a free sample video lesson.
{ 66 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you Jenny for the wonderful tips on doing the scallop edges. I really did not know that the paper would become the scallop and so I have been pleasantly surprised! Love the tip and thanks for the brushes.
Hi Jenny,
The TOTW sounds like so much fun but the link to download the brush set doesn’t seem to work. All I get is a bunch of jibberish. I love all your tips.
Sue
OOPS! The link to download the pdf version doesn’t seem to work either.
Susan, I am getting the links to work. What web browser do you use?
I’m on an iMAC and use Safari.
Be sure to open the .abr brush file with Photoshop or Elements. If you open it with some kind of text editor, you’ll see all kinds of strange characters!
Thanks for the brushes and tutorial!
Susan, I had to right click and choose Download linked file (or something like that) on my Mac to avoid the gibberish.
I don’t have right click on my Mac, if I hold down the control key I can save things that way but when I do that on this file, it just saves it as a text file.
Susan, on my Mac, I have to Right-click (or Option-click) and Save Linked File when I am in Safari. Firefox on a Mac seems to download with no problem. If you open the file with a text editor or a browser, it will show up as a bunch of gibberish. (The technical reason is because all .abr brushes are binary files that can only be ‘read’ by a program such as Photoshop or Elements.)
Is your file saving as a .abr?
I’m just clicking on the link in the newsletter and no matter what I try it just saves it as a txt file.
I think I finally have them. When I clicked on control-click to save them I noticed that the name of the file had .abr.txt at the end. I deleted the .txt and now have them, at least I think I do anyway. Thanks.
Glad it worked for you! Have fun scrapping with these great brushes.
option-click still just gives me a text file. In 2 years using Safari, I have never had a problem downloading anything before.
Thank you so much for the brushes and the tip. I have really enjoyed having your knowledge saved in the handy PDF file so I can refer to it again and again. I only wish I had saved all the emails when I first found your site so that I had access before! Thanks again!
Jenny these brushes are so cool! I’ve already tried each one to see how they look. I can’t wait to use them on pages. They are just wonderful. Thank you SO much. Brenda
I’m on a Mac with Safari also, and I am unable to download the brush file…even with right clicking, it is giving me a .abr.dms file extension which does not work. I’ve never run into this before and I’ve done a lot of downloading brushes this way with Safari. Just zipping up the file would be helpful for those of us using Safari. Thanks.
Cindy, I’ve uploaded a ZIP file now which will should work for anyone experiencing difficulty with the original file.
My Mac will not download the zip file either
My “download screen” jumps up but nothing happens to it.
(Mac Leopard PSE6 Safari )
Try downloading again and then doing a Spotlight search for scallopedstrips_jbinder.abr. It’s a very small file with a speedy download time. You might even want to open your brushes in PSE6 and see if it installed there!
It was in my brushes, thanks for the tip. Never had it bypass the download step before.
Thanks Jenny, haven’t completed this yet but I will !
Thank you so much for these! They are great!
One question though (this is the first time I’ve used brushes other than the ones that come in PSE7). By following these instructions will these become part of my brush library or do I need to load them to use them every time? I had to close out of Elements and when I went back I had to follow the steps again. Sorry for what is probably a basic question!
You need to load the brushes each time you use them unless you install them inside PSE. To install brushes, place a copy in the brushes folder inside PSE following this path:
In Vista: Start > Computer > Local Disc (C:) > Program Files (x86) > Adobe > Photoshop Elements 7.0 > Presets > Brushes.
In Windows XP: Start > My Computer > Local Disc (C:) > Program Files > Adobe > Photoshop Elements 7.0 > Presets > Brushes.
You will need to restart PSE after installing the brushes. Then you’ll see them in the menu at the top of Brush Picker in the Options Bar, and you’ll be able to choose them from that menu whenever you want.
Thank you Soooooooooooooooooooo! Much. I love the Brush Set. I already tried it and it works great.
Sally
absolutely love this tutorial! Thanks for the great brush set. Can’t wait to “play”!
Always, Alayne
Thank you, thank you. I love these tutorials. You are helping me expand my use of Photoshop Elements in ways I never thougth of.
Thank you again.
I loved your cake decorating page. I know just what you mean, being a homeschool mom, myself. And even when you picked something to do for yourself – it was for others, because you know you’ll use your cake decorating skill to decorate everyone else’s cakes! God sees your sacrifice, and He is your reward!
Yes, you’re right–I guess I never thought about it, but I didn’t take the class so I could decorate a cake for myself!
And the cake I made for the class I actually gave away, too, before I even got home with it. Didn’t figure I needed all that frosting…although I do love frosting…
This has been a wonderful tutorial! Thank you so much for the brush set, I love it!
Thank You for the brushes and showing how to make the strips. Plus thanks to the person who made this into a PDF file.
You’re very welcome! My daughter, Allison, has taken on the task of making the PDF each week. I’ll pass along your comments!
Thanks for these nice brushes. Can’t wait to use them. Love your tutorials.
Jenny, thanks so much! I’ve been wanting to learn how to make a scalloped edge, and you’ve made it so easy for all of us. I love your tutorials. Can’t wait to use your brushes!
Help! I’m having trouble downloading the brushes. I have saved them to a file in my documents but when I try to find them in photo shop 5 they do not appear in the file. What am I doing wrong
Are you not finding the brush file when you try to load them according to Jenny’s instructions? Or are you simply looking in the folder and not finding them? Did you right click on the download link and choose the folder you wanted them to be saved in?
Cherie, I had the same problem. I had forgotten to un-zip the file. After doing that, voila. Maybe the same for you? Rayleen
Rayleen
Thank you, I didn’t un-zip the file but when I did, it worked. I didn’t know how to un-zip a file but after you suggestion I checked out the HELP and there the instruction where and Wala!!!
Thanks again
I’m pretty sure that I down load them correctly since I can see the file in my document but am not able to see them from Photo Shop. Thinking that it might be a file type problem … I’ve checked the file type at the bottom of the window dialoge box, in Photo Shop, but there are no other file type choices.
By the way I have Photo Shop 5 Sorry it took me so long to check for your response …. Grandma duties call frequently.
Sorry I keep forgetting tocorrectly identify my Photoshop ELEMENTS 5
Cherie
Cherie, What file type are they when you see them in your documents folder?
Jenny
My problem was as Rayleen suggested …. un-zip the file. I’m some what of a novice in that regard, no formal training, I learn what I need when I need it. Thanks to everyone who tried to help
Cherie
What a marvelous tutorial! I’m anxious to try it out! Many thanks for the tutorial as well as your generosity in sharing the brushes.
Love this scallop brush! How sweet of you to give us such a great freebie! Thanks so much!
These tutorials are so awesome. I’ve learned so much ! I appreciate and look forward to them all. The brushes are such a great “bonus”
Thanx!
Gave it a try and it worked like a charm. So easy and so much fun. Thanks again for such a neat tutorial. I never knew you could bond paper to a brush. Wonders never cease!
I believe you can “bond” paper to any other layer that has solid pixels on it, although I can’t remember now if you have to rasterize/simplify a type layer or not. Anyway, grouping is one of those things I literally use on every layout since I build a simple template first. Grouping is a wonderful thing!
You’re right, you can group with any layer that has pixels on it, even type, without rasterizing, or “simplifying” as it’s called in Elements.
Thanks for the wonderful tuts n brush
Thanks for the brushes. I also appreciate the PDFs. I used to copy and paste your tutorials into Word documents; this is better!
I took at look at your beautiful cake too. I know just what you mean, as a homeschooling mom of 3 myself! My fun activities for myself this summer are: I’m learning to knit and I’m taking a photography class. But yeah, I’ll be knitting and taking pictures for other people too!
Mrs. Binder,
I downloaded the brushes and followed all your steps but when I drew the strip on my page all I drew was gray & black checkered squares. I had the same thing happen when I tried to make a textured background. What is wrong, what should I do? Do I need to download something?
Thank You,
Hi Emily,
It almost sounds like you have the Pattern Stamp tool selected. Check to see which tool you have selected. Hover your mouse over the tool icon in the Tool Bar on the left and see what the pop up name says. It should say Brush Tool.
Now look in the Options Bar—the lowest bar across the top. What do you see there? You should see a preview of the brush you picked. Also, make sure your Mode is normal and Opacity is 100% Now make a new layer and try it again. Hope it works for you!
Thank you so so much for these brushes! I will use them often!!
Thanks for the brushes and tutorial!
Thanks so much for the brushes and tutorial. I love how you used the scallop brushes on both your layouts.
Thanks, Jenny! Your tutorials are FABULOUS!! I am so addicted to scrapping, and you can just never imagine how much you are helping me to learn my PSE7 software and enabling my imagination to come to life! Sending a million hugs!!
I did not have any problem with downloading the brushes and installing them but I don’t know how to drag and drop or copy and paste a piece of paper on top of the scallop that is across my page. Thanks for any help.
Donna
To move a piece of paper onto your page:
• Open the paper you want to use over the scalloped border (File > Open).
• Select the Move tool (at the top of the Tool Bar on the left).
• Click on your paper and drag it down to the thumbnail of your page in the Project Bin. When you see a + sign next to your cursor, let go of the mouse and your paper will be copied onto your scrapbook page.
Note: Don’t drag upward from the Project Bin to your page. This will change the size of your paper for technical reasons I won’t get into here.
Thank you Jenny for this great tutorial. It took me a little bit before I got the hang of it. A question of reading correctly I guess:-) But now I know it. Love the effects.
I am very new to this but I was able to download and make a pretty pattern! I loved it! Now, my questions….how do I make it in a color? AND, why do we bond to the paper?
Click on the Foreground Color Chip and choose a new color to change the color of the scalloped strip.
We bond, or “group,” paper to the scalloped strip because it makes the strip look like it was made out of that paper. When you use the Brush tool, you only get one color, but being able to group a piece of paper to the scalloped strip gives you infinite possibilities!
Thanks so much for these brushes. This is so easy! I am now wondering how to make the scallop go all around the edge of a piece of paper. Is that another TOTW??
Thanks for great digital scrapbooking education!
• Make a strip.
• Press Ctrl J (Mac: Cmd J) to duplicate the strip.
• Choose Image > Rotate > Layer 90° to rotate the strip.
By duplicating and rotating the strips, you can place them around all four sides of a piece of paper.
Thanks so much for the brush set. Your directions are very easy to follow. I have already used this technique in a LO.
I am missing when to select the color for the scallop . I must be doing
something wrong.
To select the color for the scalloped strip, click on the Foreground Color Chip. When the Color Picker comes up, click on the vertical bar to choose the main color and click inside the big box of color to select a shade. Click okay. Your brush will now pain with that color.
This was fun and easy. I can’t believe I waited so long to download these and start playing with them. Thank you!!!! I love them.