1. Do you always use templates? Almost always, yes. Like the other ladies have said, it makes things go faster. When I buy a new template pack, I tag the preview with the number of photo spots and create folders labeled by the number of photo spots and put all those previews in there so if I have 5 photos I want to use, I can spend less time hunting for a template. (I'll also tag them with holidays or another search term like hexagon or heart if it has certain shapes in it)
2. Do you only use elements and papers from one kit? 99% of the time, yes.
3. How do you save your layouts for print? I export my pages from my software as 3600x3600 jpgs
4. Favorite printing site? I use Persnickety Prints for single pages and Shutterfly for books (watch for their unlimited pages sales). I've also learned when printing books to design the photo spot with a small edge of white space so as to not lose anything from my page edges.
5. Any other beginners tips? There are some great tutorials that the sugarbabes have put together. There's a great one about reusing clusters from your favorite template(s) that can be helpful if you're not using a full template for your page. I agree with the advice to not compare yourself to others. However, if there's a scrapper with a style you like, try scraplifting some of their pages while also including your own personal style.
I'd also recommend joining in the monthly challenges. They can help give you ideas when your mojo is low and expose you to new techniques or styles.
|