Looking for a scrapbooking product

[jskintauy Profile Private messageWebsite]

Hi Folks,

I wanted to get some direction on a nice scrapbooking program that has some basic embellishments included. I have heard good things about Fotofusion, but they have 3 versions........a very inexpensive essentials, enhanced, and pro. I don't have the budget for the pro version (would like to keep the cost under $125 at the outside). Is the essentials version worthwhile? I saw the comparison sheet and I am quite sure I don't need the Pro version. What about the other two?

Does anyone have any other good recommendations?

I know I can use evaluation versions to compare, but figured I would stand on the shoulders of someone with good experience. Thanks ahead.

Jim

[ChrissyC Profile Private message]

Hi Jim, I use the program Scrapbook Max
you'll find the program here
http://www.scrapbookmax.com/?gclid=CMun ... iAodaDcMwQ
they have lots of pages already made, all you do is add your photo's, but your not committed to the page as is, you can delete parts of the page and add other elements, it's a very user friendly little program..I design my own pages so most of the time I choose blank page and add my own elements, you can use scrapbooking things you might have collected along the way, so it's very versatile.
You'll get many suggestions because there are a few scrappers in the forum and we all use different programs, as soon as they read this they will respond......let me know which one you decide to go with.....have fun
take care, Chrissy

[jskintauy Profile Private messageWebsite]

Hi Chrissy,

I will give that a shot. The site sure has a lot of content and it looks good. With a 30 day trial I have plenty of time to go through it. I like that you said it is user friendly. I am not looking for a big learning curve given how much time I am spending with Proshow, Photoshop and a couple of video editors

As you pointed out, I am sure others will have suggestions.

Thanks for the reply. Now I have some work to do evaluating Scrapbook Max!


Jim

[ChrissyC Profile Private message]

Jim, if you go to my Family Blog, you'll see a sample of Scrapbook Max's work, my family pages are here and all made with this program.
have a look....
Chrissy
http://chrissyscorner-chrissyc.blogspot.com/

[Wilcovr Profile Private message]

Hi Jim,

Personally I have a lot of fun with digital scrapbook artist 2.
Lots of possibilities and aditional themes and packs.

http://shop.daisytrail.com/Products/Categories/Software/ScrapbookArtist2.htm
http://www.serif.com/scrapbook/

Have fun,
Wilco

[trulytango Profile Private message]

Hi Folks... I wanted to get some direction on a nice scrapbooking program that has some basic embellishments included. I know I can use evaluation versions to compare, but figured I would stand on the shoulders of someone with good experience. Thanks ahead. Jim

Hi Jim

Like Wilco, I use Scrapbook Artist 2 from Serif. It comes complete with a wide variety of kits so you can get going straight away, and the Digikit Creator allows you to import any of the free kits you come across online - there are thousands of freebies out there! It has a great collection of design tools built into it too, so once you get the hang of things you'll be making things from scratch - there's a learning curve of course, but it's not paricularly steep. Here's the front page of a recent scrapbook I designed for my great-nephew:



TTFN
Iris

[trulytango Profile Private message]

...go to my Family Blog, you'll see a sample of Scrapbook Max's work, my family pages are here... Chrissy
http://chrissyscorner-chrissyc.blogspot.com/

Chrissy!

Your Blog's looking FAB - Laney's page is especially beautiful! I really like the idea of scrapping and uploading a page for each member of the family. What a wonderful thing to do... might just have to start a rogue's gallery of my own - trouble is, they're not as good-looking as your lot

[ChrissyC Profile Private message]

Hi my friend Iris, aww thank you for the sweet compliment...I thought my family would get a kick out of seeing their photos all done up in a page..my cousin asked if these can be printed out and I said yup, I made them 8oo x 800 perfect album size, if they print them all out they'll have an album with everyone in it! How cool is that for a Family Album! I like the idea of you doing that to! and want to follow your Blog if you do and it's ok for me to peek at yours
Your son is a doll and your daughter is dear to my heart because of her red hair, Eddie is a ginger head to and I love your daughters ginger to!!
thank you Iris for all your help and encourgement.......
hugggs, Chrissy
This project will keep me busy for a long time, I have many many more pages up my sleeve....

[PhotoBob Profile Private message]

Has anyone worked with Proshow and a scrapbook program? I think that it could make a really interesting show.

[ChrissyC Profile Private message]

Hi Bob, yes I have made a scrap show in Producer and it came out good, but the best one I've seen was made by Iris, trulytango, it's on her site
http://trulytangotemplates.wordpress.co ... llo-world/
click on Scrabooking and look at her's, it's very cute..
Chrissy

[PhotoBob Profile Private message]

Yes, I would have to admit that it is cute.

[trulytango Profile Private message]

Thanks Chrissy

I remember all those discussions we used to have about the correct 'size' to scrap i.e. use square files 'as is' or stretch them to fit 4:3, or even further to 16:9! But the truth is you can do whatever you want and sod the black bars that result!

Anyway Bob, as you might have realised, there are at least two of us Enthusiasts that have scrapping roots!

The backgrounds and other graphics for the 'Javea' show Chrissy pointed you towards, were created by me in Photoshop, but I have created other kits in Serif's Scrapbook software with equally nice results.

Happy ProShow-Scrapping!
Iris

[jskintauy Profile Private messageWebsite]

Hi Chrissy and Iris,

Thanks for the suggestions. On a more important front I really enjoyed both of your sites. Chrissy's family blog is charming and I love the trulytango site. Nice freebies and a couple of things I may purchase in the future.

BTW - Serifs product does not have a free trial, but is well reviewed. I might have some questions about some of the features in Digital Scrapbook Artist. I would consider purchasing it if a couple of the things I saw about their product is well implemented. In the meantime, I am looking at Scrapbook Max and Fotofusion right now.

Jim

[ChrissyC Profile Private message]

Hi Jim, thank you for stopping by my Blog and the nice comment, if you ever need any scrap elements, papers, Alpha's just give me a holler, I have an external hard drive about 650 gigs and it's half filled with scrapping STUFF!!!! I have scrap stuff coming out my ears, and it's all in a huge jumble, I have to hunt for everything, but thats OK because while I'm hunting I find things I have forgotten I even had, it's like Christmas everyday
I am such a clean freak in my home, NO clutter, clutter makes my upper lip sweat and I get twitchy hahahaha but on my computer well thats a different story, it is packed with junk cluttered to the max and I could care less.....so if you need me to hunt for something please let me know so I can find more treasures I have buried!
Oh shoot I forgot to look where your from, well if your American have a HAPPY 4TH....
Chrissy
and if your a Brit, nah nah we won (just teasing)

[trulytango Profile Private message]

Serifs product does not have a free trial, but is well reviewed.

Jim

Hi Jim, there is a pared-down, compact version that's available for free from Daisy Trail. I actually use the free version in my day job (working in adult, community education). Not got as many bells and whistles as the full version, of course, but it serves as a great little program and a fine advert!

Here's link to the Free version (and umpteen FREE digikits):

http://www.daisytrail.com/free_stuff.html

TTFN