Here is what you will need for this project/tutorial:

• Adobe Photoshop Elements4 or Adobe Photoshop CS2
• DeeDoo Layered Template, which can be downloaded Here.
• Photos
• Digital backgrounds and elements from the DeeDoo freebie mini kit, which can be downloaded Here. NOTE: This tutorial instructs using DeeDoo's mini kit, but you can substitute your own papers and elements if you prefer!)

When you finish you will be able to print your layout for your scrapbook, or share it with others via email and online galleries!

Let's begin!!!

1. Open the DeeDoo Layered Template - Here's how:

• On the Menu Bar, choose File-Open
• Go to the directory where you saved the freebie DeeDoo layered template.
• Highlight and double-click on the template to open it in Photoshop. (You will see that the template is a PSD file. This is because it contains multiple layers, which is not allowed in PNG files.)

2. Rename and Save a copy of the template. You will use this new file for your work, thereby preserving the original template for future use. Here's how:

• On the Menu Bar, choose File-Save As
• When the window opens, you can choose a different folder in which to save the file, if desired.
• Rename the template and click "Save". Since you will need to see more than one open file at a time, take a moment to minimize the template file, if necessary, by clicking on the bottom right corner of its window and dragging up and to the left a bit.
• Close the original template.

3. Take a moment to review the layers in your new template file. The template file contains 13 layers. The first time you open the file, only the base layer will be visible (as indicated by the "eye" to the left of the Base Paper thumbnail) and its layer should be highlighted in blue in the layers palette. The remaining layers above and below the Base Paper layer should all be "hidden", with an empty gray box (no "eye") to the left of their thumbnails. These other layers contain additional shapes to be trimmed, shadows, and inked edges and stitches, which we will use later.

4. Open a background paper from the freebie DeeDoo mini kit. (Follow "File-Open" steps above). Again, since you will need to see more than one open file at a time, take a moment to minimize the background file, if necessary, by clicking on the bottom right corner of its window and dragging up and to the left a bit.

5. Now we are going to drag the background paper into the template.

• Holding down the "Shift" key, click on the Background layer in the layers palette of your background paper file and drag the background into the open Template file, releasing the mouse (first) & the "Shift" key (second).
• This centers the background paper in the template file, so you don't have to adjust it!
• Close your original background paper.
• The background paper will be called "Layer 2" in the template file.

6. Lengthen the layers palette viewing space by clicking with your mouse and dragging the lower left corner of the palette to the left and down slightly, just until you are able to see all the layers.

• "Layer 2" should be just above the "Base Paper" layer. If not, find "Layer 2", click on it with your mouse and drag it to the spot just above the "Base Paper" layer.
• With the "Layer "2" layer highlighted in blue, hold down the "Alt" key and gently guide your mouse to the line between the "Base Paper" layer and the "Layer 2" layer until you see a little black icon. With the icon still visible, click on the line between the layers. This will cause the background paper to be grouped with the base paper layer.
• Hold down the "Ctrl" key and the "E" key at the same time to merge the two layers together. You will have one layer now, named "Base Paper", which will be the shape of the template covered with your background paper.
• Now select the "Trim Paper" layer (it should be highlighted in blue) and click in the box to the left of the thumbnail to make the layer visible.
• Repeat Step #4 and Step #5, (and Step #6, if necessary) above, to get your second background paper into your template document.
• "Layer 2" should be just above the "Trim Paper" layer. If not, click on "Layer 2" and drag it until it is stacked right above the "Trim Paper" layer.
• Once again, with the "Layer 2" layer highlighted in blue, hold down the "Alt" key and gently guide your mouse to the line between the "Trim Paper" layer and the "Layer 2" layer until you see a little black icon. With the icon still visible, click on the line between the layers. This will cause the background paper to be grouped with the trim paper layer. Now, once again, hold down the "Ctrl" key and the "E" key at the same time to merge the two layers together. You will have one layer now, named "Trim Paper", which will be the shape of the template covered with your second background paper.

7. Now, to start adding photos & more!

• Select the "Photo 1-Center Left" layer and click in the gray box to the left of its thumbnail to make it visible.
• Open one of the photos you wish to add to the layout. The space available for each of the 5 photos in the template is approximately 4" x 4". You may wish to crop or resize your photo prior to bringing it into the template.
• The "Photo 1-Center Left" layer should still selected (highlighted in blue).
• Go to your open photo file. Click with your mouse in its layer and drag the photo into the template.
  • This time, when you drag your photo into the template, don't hold the "Shift" key down, because we don't want the photo to be centered.
  • Instead, just click on the photo layer in the open file and drag the photo into your template.
• You can now lower the opacity of the photo layer, allowing you to see the template beneath it.
  • In Both PSCS2 and PSE4: go to the layers palette and click inside the window to the right of the word "Opacity" and type in the number "50" to lower the opacity to 50%. (Or, in PSCS2: go to the layers palette and click the right-pointing arrow next to the word "Opacity".
  • Using the slider that will appear, adjust the opacity so you can see your background paper). With these templates, you can lower the opacity to 50% and still be able to click and move the template.
  • Move your photo until you are satisfied with its placement above the template.
  • When satisfied with the placement of your photo, return the opacity to 100%.
• Once again, with the your photo layer highlighted in blue, hold down the "Alt" key and gently guide your mouse to the line between the your photo layer and the "Photo 1-Center Left" layer until you see a little black icon.
• With the icon still visible, click on the line between the layers. This will cause your photo to be grouped with the template layer.
• Now, once again, hold down the "Ctrl" key and the "E" key at the same time to merge the two layers together.
• You will have one layer now, named "Photo 1-Center Left", which will be the shape of the template covered with your first photo.
• Repeat the steps under #7 for each of the four remaining "Photo Layers" in the template, until you have 5 finished photos in your layout.

Now you can experiment with the remaining layers, making each visible or hidden, to see what the various combinations look like. You can use the eraser tool and erase portions of the inked edges, if you wish. Just have fun! In the MiniKit there are two coordinated tags and a sponged flower for you to use for additional embellishments for the layout, if you wish. Experiment with the flower as additional 'stamping' on the background paper, or resize it and stamp it on the tag. You can adhere the tag to the page with a staple, pin, or brad, each of which are also included in the MiniKit, or use an item from your own "stash". Be sure to save your work as a layered file so you can make changes to it in the future.

8. Now to print your file and save it to share in online galleries and/or email!
The layout you have created using the DDoo Layered Template and the freebie Chameleon Mini Kit should still be a layered 300 dpi PSD file. Be sure that all the layers you want to show are visible.Then, flatten the file. Here's how:

• On the Menu Bar, choose Layer-Flatten. You may be asked if it is okay to discard hidden layers. Click "OK".

To save for email and/or sharing in online galleries:

• On the Menu Bar, choose Image-Image Size.
• Then change the entries in the window, starting at the bottom of the window and working up to the top, as follows:
  • At the bottom of the window, be sure there is a check mark in each of the 3 boxes (Scale Styles, Constrain Proportions, Resample Image)
  • Change the Resolution to 72
  • Change both the width and height to 500 pixels
    • On the Menu Bar, choose File-Save As
    • In the window, click on the arrow to the right of the second window at the bottom (next to "Format"), to open your choices for file formats.
    • Choose "JPEG". You may navigate to a different folder, if you wish to save the file elsewhere, and/or rename the file (if desired).
    • Then you can click "OK" to save the file.

This creates a 500 x 500 pixel .jpg file at 72 dpi, which is safe for emailing and for display in online galleries, while maintaining a small file size.

To print the file:

• Once you have flattened the file (above) you can choose File-Print or File-Print with Preview from the Menu Bar.
• Options will then appear which are dependent upon the printer you have installed.
  • This layout is 12" x 12" when printed. If you do not have a 12" printer, you will want to resize the layout to fit the paper size you are able to print.
  • To resize your layout to 8" x 8", which will print out properly on 8-1/2" x 11" paper, do the following:
    • On the Menu Bar, choose Image-Image Size
    • Be sure that "Resample Image" is NOT checked
    • Change the width to 8" in the window (the height will automatically be changed)
    • The dpi will change from 300 to 450.
• On the Menu Bar, choose File-Print or File-Print with Preview

Choices from this point forward will depend upon your specific printer. For information regarding printing options, please refer to your printer's manual or help files.

Speed Version instructions for using DeeDoo Layered Template:

• Make a copy of the DeeDoo Layered Template, being careful to give it a unique name. Work on this copy so you can preserve the original template for future use.
• Drag the desired background papers and photos into the template, being sure that each lies above the layer of the template you wish to for it to replace.
• Create a clipping mask with each photo or background and the template layer beneath it by highlighting the photo or background layer and clicking Ctrl-Alt-G.
  • Then merge the two layers by clicking Ctrl-E.
• Continue this process until you have incorporated all the background papers and photos you wish to include in your new layout.
• Some templates include layers that you may not want to use. Simply drag those layers to the trash can or click the "eye" to make them invisible.

Conclusion

Add embellishments from your personal "stash" of goodies, if desired. Add titles, journaling, etc., to make the layout your own.

We hope you've benefited from this tutorial on using layered templates. Using layered templates can be a quick and easy way to get a digital scrapbooking layout started and can be a useful tool in your digital toolkit!