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Things I'm Thankful For-Screensaver

by Dyan Cross

Digital Deck Designer


While I've created some fun scrapbooks for friends and family, I don't scrapbook for myself. I've read some wonderful articles about journaling so that you don't lose track of special events, but I find I don't do that either! However, I recently saw a great scrapbook page entitled "100 Things I Love" that stirred my imagination. The artist had created a 12" x 12" page filled with funky fonts, turned every which way describing things she loved. The text was interspersed with some photos.




I pondered how to adapt the idea. I first thought of creating a scrapbook page and then framing and hanging it over my work desk, but my walls are pretty full now!

I then came up with the great idea of creating a desk calendar. Once I created each page I would print them out on 4x6 photo paper, attach to both sides of slightly larger cardstock and punch holes along the top for a coil binding. I would make one of those little cardboard triangles to use as a base and each day I could just flip a page.

Great idea until I figured out how much ink it would be to print all those photos!




Then my girlfriend suggested a slide show. Not bad, but would I really open up PowerPoint, and watch the show?

Then it came to me. I would make a Screensaver! I spend all day in front of my computer at work and at least half the weekend in front of my computer at home. I use Webshots which allows you to add your own photos to the screensaver, and I have the program set to change my Wallpaper every 10 minutes.




Okay, I was ready! I started making a list, thinking of things I loved, things I was thankful for. (It's amazing how many of them are food related!) Then I searched the Internet for appropriate photos. Of course, you can use your own photos, and can develop any theme you wish - Funny Faces My Kid Makes, Favorite Vacation Places, etc.

I tried to be a little creative with my titles - for example, "crisp, tart apples" rather than just "apples." Every Saturday morning, I make a cup of coffee and treat myself to a biscotti, so it's the Saturday morning ritual, rather than just the biscotti that's important to me.




Next, I determined my page design. I wanted uniformity among all the pages, but didn't want them exactly the same. I also didn't want my page design to be too busy and detract from the photo, but I didn't want to just use photos by themselves.

  1. Create a 4" x 6" rectangle in Paint Shop Pro and add the checked paper to the background
  2. Add a layer, and add the photo - resize as appropriate
  3. Add a layer, use the Checkerboard brush to divide the photo from the background
  4. Add a layer and add the text in an appropriate font, matching the color to the checked divider
  5. Save as a .psp file to preserve the layers
  6. I would suggest that you save the file as "Master," and then Save As using the appropriate name. This way you will have a master file to use to make changes




For each new page:
  1. Open your Master, Save As and name appropriately
  2. Change the color of the background by using Adjust > Hue & Saturation > Colorize
  3. Change the color of the checkerboard divider by selecting it with the Magic Wand and filling with a color that's a good contrast to the background. Now you see why each element was placed on it's own layer!
  4. Replace the photograph
  5. Move the divider to the right edge of the photo
  6. Delete the old text layer, and add a new one with the new text. (You will see in a few cases that I printed the text directly on the photo, rather than on the background.)
  7. Save your file

I also created two collages - one for Stargate, and one for Italian Love Songs. I dragged all the images for the collage onto a transparent background, arranged them, and then merged all layers and saved. My collage was then a single photograph like the others that I could drag onto my background.




This is still a work in progress and some of the more important things I'm thankful for, such as my husband's smile, or good friends, are not completed yet. The wonderful thing about this project is that pictures can be added or deleted at any time, and when I do see the pages up on my computer, I truly do try and remember how blessed I am and how sometimes it's just the little things that brighten our days.

Dyan Cross
dyancross@ssreflections.com
Digital Deck Designer
S.S. Reflections Publishing Group
http://dyan.topcities.com


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