I love using Photoshop Elements! I try and learn a new tool each time I design a page. My favorite way to use the program is to open up a document at 12x12 size with a 300 pixels and RGB color. Then I either use a background that came with Photoshop or I use one I have downloaded for free off the internet. I haven’t succumbed to the purchase of cute digital kits but I know the day is coming.

Then I use frames, over in the Create section, and size them how I want them. I drag my pictures into the frames and then resize them if necessary. To complete each framed picture I add a drop shadow, one of the 8 always works for me.

I like to keep my pages simple so I can get back to spending time with my family. When I am in the mood for deep, detailed page spreads I go somewhere else, aka not my home, and digi-scrap for a few hours uninterrupted. By the way, I am a two page spread kind of girl. I like to open a scrapbook and have a two page spread relate to each other.

I plan on having Shutterfly print a digital scrapbook for me in the Spring for around $50-$60. Last year I printed a 12x12 and I think I might enjoy the size of an 8x8 better. We’ll see what I choose this Spring. I only print one for our whole family and if the kids want to take one with them for their future families they can print one later. This has become a frugal way for me to scrapbook and preserve our memories.