Well, hello again, all of you lovely Lilypad Peeps! It’s me, Polly, and I’m here to solve a few of your life’s problems. Well, at least a couple of your scrap problems, hehe…
If you missed my grand debut last month, you can check it out here. Now, I know you sweet thangs were EXHAUSTED after all of the scrapping you did for MOC. Whew. It was crazy around the Pad all January long. So, there weren’t as many questions for me to answer this go-round. Don’t fret, though, darlins. I’m sure you’ll think of something next month *wink*.
Here are a couple of things YOU all wanted to know this month…
1. Dear Polly, When I unzip files on my PC, there is often a __MACOSX folder (which I delete) and I don’t know what it’s for, I just assumed the designer uses a MAC? But what is the .DS store folder? (bestcee)
- It’s a file that started being created on Mac’s after 10.4 (Tiger) when Spotlight was introduced. Spotlight is a feature that lets Mac users search over the whole computer (I’m sure there is a PC equivalent.) We (Mac users) also have .thumbs folders that show up from PC users. No harm if you delete it.
sources sited: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.DS_Store#cite_note-5
2. Dear Polly, I want to learn more about the dodge and burn functions in Photoshop. I know they help somehow give dimension to flat objects by making stuff darker or lighter, but I can’t ever remember which one is which. I also would like to learn some dodge and burn techniques. I watched a video on Peppermint’s blog about using dodge and burn with washi tape, but I just want to learn more. I’m on PSE10.
Love, an eager learner (threeunderfour)
- This is how I remember which one is which: when you burn something (literally, with fire) it gets darker or “burnt” – and then Dodge is… the other one. Haha.
I probably use Burn more than Dodge, and usually it’s along the shadowed edge of something dimensional on my page. So if I’m using a natural looking daisy, and I shadowed it at 45 degrees, I will lightly (10%) burn the tips of the petals on the bottom left side, sometimes making a few passes to build the effect. And then perhaps I’ll Dodge the upper right petals a tiny bit.
- Dodge and burn. I remember it as one makes it brighter and one makes it darker. And it’s the opposite letters.
3. Dear Polly, I collect beautiful alphabets, but rarely use them. I find it too time consuming to open, select, copy, close and paste each individual letter. I’m pretty sure there is a way to select all letters at once to create my title word . . . can you help? (pagefrocks)
- This is actually why I want my alphas separate.
Open your alpha folder so you can see them…using control key and mouse click on each letter you need for title
example… Funny Face
Click F, u, n, y, a, c e
While they are highlighted..you pull them all over to your canvas AT the SAME time!
bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam bam (one bam for each letter) and they are stacked smack in middle of your canvas! You can duplicate the F and n and you have your letters all on the working canvas!
You can link and shadow all at once…it is wonderful!
I can’t leave this question alone without showing off a few of my favorite alphas that you can find in the store and will use again and again.
4. Hi Polly! I’m a big fan! I have a question for you. But It’s not about digi. I hope it’s not too personal. How did you and Bart meet? You are such a cute couple! Also, what are your beauty secrets? You are so lovely! (grrfluudy)
- It’s a long and romantic story about how Bart and I met. I am just giddy thinking about it. He’s a real Prince *sigh*. I’ll share the whole story with you some day, but I will say for now that when you sweet peeps “Kiss the Frog” during all of your special event and such, it ain’t nothin’ like the real thing. *swoon*
- About my beauty tips, Bless Your Heart for sayin’ I look lovely. I drink a good amount of sweet tea each day and of course, don’t go anywhere without my sunscreen. Good gravy, the sun is bright on our little lilypad. And here’s the advice my mama told me… I’m passing it on to you cuz I think you are the cat’s meow.
“Learn how to fake a smile that doesn’t look fake, wear big ugly hats to work in the garden, wash your makeup off every night no matter what, wear purfume everyday even if it’s just for yourself, shave your legs even during winter, find a red lipstick that suits you & wear it often.”
So now you know ;)
See you all next month.
Love, Polly
Johanna (grrfluudy) says
Thanks for answering my question, Polly!! You are so lucky, Bart is so handsome!! And as for your beauty tips…well, they are fantastic!! But shave my legs during winter, really?! ;)
<3