thank you for all of your nice comments on my first foray into scrapbooking. a lot of the comments had questions, so here i will answer all of you!
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for the actual editing program i used photoshop elements 4. (way less expensive than photoshop ... you can get photoshop elements 6 for $100). but you could use any graphics editing program that you prefer. (nikki ... see another use for your photoshop elements that you've boycotted!!)
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for all of the page elements (background design and embellishments) i downloaded them from http://www.epsoncreativezone.com/ (everything was free). there are also a bunch of other sites out there were you can download things for digital scrapbooking. i haven't tried any others, but i'm just starting out!
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overall i thought it was SUPER easy to do (but i am fairly computer efficient and know my way around photoshop). the first page probably took me about an hour and a half (although i was talking and wasn't focused) the second page probably only took me 20 minutes. the thing that took the longest was trying to decide what pictures to scrap (which i'm sure applies to regular scrappin' as well) and deciding what to download and what to use! you could get caught up downloading everything ... because, well ... it's FREE!! plus it's all mostly super cute!! i loved it and will continue doing my scrappin' digitally. any other questions that i missed or didn't answer thoroughly enough? just ask and i'll update the post!
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here's another page, i created it while hanging with my son ... enjoy! it took about 30 minutes, it probably would have gone faster if aidan would have stopped bugging me!! all of the papers can be downloaded here. i really like the layout, not sure if those are my fave pictures on it, but i can always go back and change that easy!!

my favorite site to download free fonts is http://www.dafont.com/ ... i love it! they have TONS of fonts in a bunch of different styles. i could spend hours on there looking for fonts.
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for more information, i recommend taking this free online "getting started with digital scrapbooking" course.
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april recommends:
http://www.scrapblog.com/
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radel recommends these sites:
ikeagoddess.blogspot.com
simplyyin.blogspot.com and
mistycatodesigns.blogspot.com
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lisa recommends these sites:
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/
http://www.scrapartist.com/
http://www.digiscrappin.biz/
http://www.scrappersguide.com/
http://www.scrapbookgraphics.com/
http://www.cottagearts.net/
www.misprintedtype.com/v3 (cool fonts)
april recommends:
http://www.scrapblog.com/
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radel recommends these sites:
ikeagoddess.blogspot.com
simplyyin.blogspot.com and
mistycatodesigns.blogspot.com
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lisa recommends these sites:
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/
http://www.scrapartist.com/
http://www.digiscrappin.biz/
http://www.scrappersguide.com/
http://www.scrapbookgraphics.com/
http://www.cottagearts.net/
www.misprintedtype.com/v3 (cool fonts)
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okay ... here's my answer to kerstin's question regarding printing. i haven't printed any of my designs yet. but i plan to, that is why the 2nd and 3rd designs were 8.5x11 instead of 12x12 (as i don't have a wide format printer). i LOVE my printer, you can read all about how awesome it is here. it's designed to print pictures and has a paper tray just for 4x6. i LOVE it. it prints borderless as well, after i print some i'll take some pictures and post.
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i don't know how i would go about printing if i wasn't planning on printing at home. maybe kinkos (.49 cent color copies)? or somewhere like snapfish (2.99 for an 8x10)? i guess i would have to look into it and compare the differences. didn't you just get a new printer, have you tried printing your layouts? i guess it would depend on the quality, etc. but i figure printing would cost less than actual scrapbooking anyways when you add it all up (paper [.60 cents], plus all the embellishments, ribbons, rub-ons ... etc.)
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sorry i don't know if that was very helpful!
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