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katie kaapcke │ board member Knit Night Adobe Photoshop • Paper from “Jungle Paperpack” by Lynn Grieveson; masking tape from “Assorted Tapes Kit”; note paper from “Curled Journal Spots No 2” by Katie Pertiet (www.designerdigitals.com) • Zurich and Rusted Plastic Font |
digital and the diy crafter
the internet is the perfect home for digital scrappers
by katie kaapcke
Perhaps you have heard the term DIY, which stands for Do It Yourself. Lately, it’s also come to mean Design It Yourself. DIY promotes the ability of the ordinary person to learn to do more than they thought was possible. In the world of digital scrapbooking, this can mean anything from finding a tutorial online and teaching yourself how to use a new tool, to designing your own digital products and starting your own home-based business selling them.
The fact that you’re online reading this article right now probably means that you’re already a do-it-yourselfer in digital scrapbooking, and you’ve discovered that the internet is an invaluable resource for furthering your craft. Perhaps you’re using the internet to learn more about your digital scrapbooking tools. Many digital scrapbookers are self-taught, navigating challenging programs such as Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Paint Shop Pro or Digital Image Pro via internet tutorials and message boards. Some digital scrapbookers have come to the craft as former graphic designers, well versed in such programs, and they share helpful information, tips and tricks in many virtual communities.
These virtual communities are a valuable asset for DIYers. The crafting networks and “virtual friends” developed by digital scrapbookers serve several purposes. When you become obsessed with a craft, there’s nothing as exciting as finding like-minded people who share your passion and with whom you can discuss the craft. Where else are you going to find people who will giggle in excitement over the new textured “paper” for sale or a new trick you discovered in Photoshop? These groups are great for new digital scrapbookers as well as experienced ones, and a life-saver for digital scrapbookers in very rural areas.
There are many digital scrapbooking websites and forums where you and other scrappers can learn and discuss new techniques, find answers to questions that stump you at home, and become inspired by more experienced scrapbookers’ designs. You can share pages, compare frustrations, ask questions and participate in “chats.” Digital scrapbooking can be a very solitary activity, but with an internet connection, you can still be a part of a crafting community without ever having to leave your house.
Another great source of crafting information is the ever-expanding crop of blogs – online diaries where the host posts frequent (sometimes daily) musings, essays, or simple observations. Reading a digital scrapbooker’s blog entries about her current projects, challenges, and pictures of her completed projects can be a truly intimate experience. Blogs are frequently interactive, in that visitors can leave comments and participate with the blogger.
Ronalyn Barut’s blog: ronalynbarut.typepad.com
Many digital scrapbookers have found ways to use their online websites and blogs as commercial outlets for their creative projects. They can promote and sell their digital designs, offer freebies, preview new products, showcase their design teams, hold contests and offer tutorials or weekly inspiration challenges. Some digital scrapbookers have even taken their skill with powerful design programs like Adobe Photoshop beyond the digital scrapbooking realm, and have begun selling their own designs on products like t-shirts, mugs, tote bags and mouse pads through online stores they’ve opened at sites such as cafepress.com and etsy.com. Etsy.com specializes in handmade items, so it is home to many upcoming designers of clothing, jewelry and home products.
The internet has made it possible for thousands of digital scrapbookers to take their craft to new levels, meet online friends who share the same passions, and even take their hobby and turn it into a home-based business. It’s an exciting time to be a digital scrapbooker; it’s an exciting time to learn (or advance) a craft or skill. It’s even an exciting time to open your own home-based business. What’s stopping you from being a DIYer?
Etsy.com helps DIY crafters sell their products online.
Some DIY Sites Worth Checking Out
There are so many up-and-coming DIY designers/crafters and digi artists online–where do you begin? Here are just a few amazing websites that deserve your attention. More and more inspiring and exciting sites are cropping up every day.
- Many digital scrapbookers design and sell their own digi products through their online boutiques, like Gina Miller http://www.ginamillerdesigns.com/boutique/
- Katie Pertiet’s Designer Digitals boutique sells digi products from several designers and offers message boards, chats, inspiration and tutorials http://www.designerdigitals.com
- Katie is also responsible for Idea Books 4u, an online store offering art and scrapbooking idea books http://www.ideabooks4u.com/
- Angie Svoboda’s photo printing business is perfect for digital scrapbookers who need to have their pages printed http://www.goodlifephoto.com/
- Many digital scrapbookers have crossed over into becoming professional photographers as well. Digital scrapbooker and designer Andrea Burns has her own photography business at http://www.andreaburnsphotography.com/
- In addition to her blog, Ronalyn Barut also has a must-see photography business with a separate website http://www.rbarutphotography.com/
- Rhonna Farrer opened a café press store featuring her designs on anything from t-shirts to mousepads http://www.cafepress.com/rhonnafarrer
- Digi designer Tia Bennett opened up an etsy.com shop for her handmade crafts at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5003280
