Episode One - KISS (Keep It Simple, Suitey!)

Kit used: "Sweetcakes" by Meredith Cardall

**Please note** This series assumes that you have at least a basic working knowledge of MMSv2. If you are a total 100% this-is-my-first-day-with-MMS newbie, you might want to start by going through some (or all) of the amazing tutorials found at http://www.mymemoriesblog.com/2010/05/march-into-mms-video-tutorials-links.html and then come back and do this series when you are feeling ready! Or... just try and dive in anyway! That's a great way to learn too : )

Now, I'm sure you've done your stretches, jogged a few laps around your computer chair and are all warmed up - so, let's go! We're starting out nice and light for our first work-out with a few of my fave little tricks thrown in there. Estimated calorie burn: 200. I hope this layout shows you how "less can be more" and the power of empty space in a layout! I want to remind you right off the start that the purpose of lifting (or copying) a layout is *not* to make exactly the same page as someone else, but to use their ideas to help inspire your own creativity! Don't let my design ideas box you in - just use them as a launch pad to create your own, uniquely YOU, layouts. It's not like there is really anything that great about my layouts, they are just what I have to work with to make a series where I could break down each major step.

So.... you ready? "Let's Lift A Layout!!" *grunt*

Step #1 - choose a paper with a small & busy pattern (or just a pale solid color could work too).

**Trainer's Tip** Sometimes you will love a pattern on the paper BUT not want it to be so bold. To adjust that, go to "Background Papers" and reduce the OPACITY until you are happy with the look. You can always adjust it later when adding text. You can see below that I reduced it to just below 20% for this page.

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Step #2 - Add photo and frame. Here I am also adding a strip just below and behind the photo. To do this, I created a photo box and drag-n-dropped my choice of background paper in there from the resource bar on the left (not shown in my photos). Then I cropped the paper to suit my needs. To crop, double click the photo or click "crop".

**Trainer's Tip** Great papers can serve as their own embellishments by cropping key parts of the paper and using it in a creative way! (see below)

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Step #3 - It's sprinkle time! Many kits come with "scatters" or "spills" or "sprinkles" that make great background embellishments. Here I have copied and pasted a sprinkle spill and "mirrored" it to use it going in different directions. In this step I also added a background ribbon and shadowed it.

**Trainer's Tip** To give your spills a little "pop" off the page, good shadowing makes all the difference! Keep the blur low and the distance close (see below). Here you can see I went with no blur and about 60% opacity with X:2 and Y:1. Did you know you can adjust the shadow by using your arrow buttons OR by grabbing the shadow and moving it with your mouse?

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Step #4 - Add larger embellishments over the spill. You can see I made the top and bottom cupcake smaller and the largest one to hide my ribbon ends and balance the look of the page. I kept it simple with the flower - you could always do more there! As with any lift, in the end it's your page and you can make whatever adjustments suit you and the kit you are using.

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Step #6  & 7 - Add word art and text. As for the frame - often we set our background and then layer a paper over top of it. In this layout, I set the background and then made a frame using a paper from the kit and a photo box in the frame shape. (see below)

 
So you can see I just added a photo box, changed the shape to the frame, expanded it to fit my page and then I drag-n-dropped the background paper from my resource bar (on the left, not shown in this photo) that I wanted in there. Last step was to add a shadow at X:0 Y:0, Blur -4 and 95% opacity. This gives a slightly different look than the paper over the background which we typically use.

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Hopefully all you Suite Peeps aren't TOO out of breath right now! Just take a few minutes to cool-down and do your stretches again and then post your page to our FB site while basking in the sweaty glow of your first completed work-out. I expect to see you tomorrow in our Scrappy Gym - take a couple Advil if your scrappy muscle is a little sore ; ) If that was way too easy for you, just hang on - I promise to kick it up a notch soon!

Your challenge for the day: Spend an extra few minutes on your shadowing - it can make the difference between good and GRRRRRRREAT! : D  Also, try and embrace the white space today. Don't feel like you have to fill your page. Experiment with keeping it clean and simple - you just might like it!



PS Got comments or questions? Leave them here on the blog, post them to our FB page or email me at jengscraps(AT)gmail(DOT)com.