Here are the full instructions for creating your FAST and fun pages with Simply Printables. A PDF of these instructions comes with each album, too!

 

1. OPEN SIMPLY PRINTABLE PAGE. Browse to your Simply Printable Page file. It is a .PNG file, which is a single layer of page elements. There are one or more openings in the .PNG for your photos.

2. SAVE FILE. Go to File>Save As> and give the project a new name. It will automatically save in a .psd format, or Photoshop Document. This means that when you add your photos, they will become additional layers.

3. ADD PHOTOS. Go to File>Open and browse to your first photo. Drag the photo onto the layout. It becomes "Layer 1." Close the photo window. In the Layers Palette, make sure your photo is below Layer 0 (the layer of page elements) by dragging the photo layer within the palette. 

On your layout, use the Move Tool to move the photo under a photo frame. You can click and drag the corners to size the photo, if you like. Do the same with other photos. Click the green checkmark to confirm placement and size.

A NOTE ABOUT TRIMMING PHOTOS: In the event a photo intrudes into an adjacent frame, it is easy to trim the excess. Select the Marquee Tool and it will become your "digital scissors." In the Layers Palette, make sure the layer of the photo you want to trim is highlighted. Take your Marquee Tool and surround the area you want to remove (don't worry if other elements are within the marquee; only the highlighted layer will be trimmed). Hit Backspace and you've made the trim.

A NOTE ABOUT ADDING PAGE ACCESSORIES: I designed Simply Printable Pages with the simple look that I prefer. However, feel free to add page accessories as you see fit. Just open a Page Accessory PNG and use your Marquee Tool to surround an accessory, and use your Move Tool to drag it just above the Page Element layer. Use the Marquee Tool to drag and size it, and then save with your project as a JPEG as usual.

A NOTE ABOUT ADDING TEXT:  You can put as much or as little text on your page as you like. You may want to just pick up a pen or Sharpie and write your own notes about the photos. Your handwriting becomes an art element and preserves a bit of your personality for future generations.

If you prefer digital text, you can use the Simply Printable Pages Text Layers. This layered Photoshop document has various types of text you may want to use on your layout. When you’ve decided which text layer you want on your project, click on the layer name in the Layers Palette on the PSD. Use the Selection Tool to select the text block and drag it to your layout. On your layout, use the Text Tool to compose your text; then highlight and select a font from the Options Bar. To change size of a Text Box, use the Text Tool to click in the box and click and drag the corner.

A NOTE ABOUT OMITTING PHOTO FRAMES:  If you’d like to have fewer photos than the predesigned PNG, it’s easy to change! When you save your PNG as a JPEG, the empty photo frame becomes white. So, leave off the photo and place anything you like (text, accessories) over the spot. 

If you prefer, you can draw a marquee around the photo frame and fill with white so the transparency isn’t distracting.

4.  PRINT AT HOME. Simply Printable Pages have margins that fit all home printers, or you can also upload them for commercial printing. Because they all feature white backgrounds, they’re easy on the toner, too!

This project in my life: I am having a blast catching up with my family scrapbooking usilng Simply Printables. It truly is the fastest thing I've found and showcases the photos beautifully! Here's a multi-page layout I did recently. Sometimes, journaling isn't needed ... sometimes it is ... these pages allow you to do as much or as little as you like. I love them!