October 8, 2014

"The Magic of Christmas" Chalkboard Christmas Card
Free Download

Yes, Yes,  Halloween is still to come, but I know it, you know it, EVERYONE knows it. It's time to start thinking about Christmas.

Today I have another Chalkboard Christmas Card for you to download. For some reason we're really on a chalkboard kick.  This card is also featured in our etsy shop if you don't want to do the editing and printing yourself.

I've done something a little different with this card than I have with other cards, in the past.  The image area is a clipping mask. What is a clipping mask? I'll let adobe explain.
"A clipping mask is a group of layers to which a mask is applied. The bottommost layer, or base layer, defines the visible boundaries of the entire group. For example, suppose you have a shape in the base layer, a photograph in the layer above it, and text in the topmost layer. If the photograph and the text appear only through the shape and outline in the base layer, they also take on the opacity of the base layer. "
Clear as mud? I thought so. You can read more about it here. Scroll down to see the tutorial on how to add an image using a clipping mask.

I used two fonts for this Christmas Card, DK Carte Blanche and DK Wayang. They both can be downloaded from DaFont.com.



*Remember - Loving Life Designs downloads are for followers only. We ask that if you download our creations you become a follower. It only takes a second. Thanks.

If you don't want to handle the pain of editing or printing yourself, let Loving Life Designs do it for you! You can purchase this card and many others in our new print shop.

This card requires two downloads. The front of the card, which is a PSD file, and the back of the card. For the back of the card I have two download options for you, a JPG or a PNG.







Thanks for reading.

Enjoy - (: 



How to add your family image using the clipping mask to loving life designs Christmas card.
  1. In photoshop click file/open.

     
  2. Navigate to your family photo. 


  3. Click on it and then hit enter/return or the open button. 
  4. Drag the photo onto the christmas card. (Seriously, it's as easy as grab, drag and drop.)


  5. Move the family photo layer to just above the layer titled clipping mask shape
  6. Right click the family photo layer and select create clipping mask. 



  7. If you have it lined up correctly the happy couple with the dog should disappear and your image should only be seen in it's place. 
  8. Resize the image to your liking.


  9. Thats it! Enjoy your Christmas Card.  If you have any trouble email us at lovinglifedesigns at gmail.com
Creative Commons License

October 3, 2014

Snowflake Merry & Bright Christmas Card
Free Download

Hey everyone, guess what is just around the corner! Christmas!! I know you aren't thinking about it right now. Nor am I! I'm still concentrating on Labor day of this year, and pleading with the weather Gods to keep up this beautiful weather we are having here in Kansas right now. It won't though. :( I'm honestly not a big fan of cold weather, even though I come from the great state of Utah. 
 
Today, I have this cute 5x7 christmas card for you to download (for personal use only). I created this card years ago for one of our readers. I decided to finally make it available for everyone else. I made some small changes to the original, but I still love this design even if it's more then a few years old. 
 
It's relatively easy to navigate in photoshop. I have a front to the design and a simple design for the backside (It is optional! below you will find instruction on what to do with it). I thought you could write personal messages to each person/family/relative you send these to, with the amount of negative space I give in the back. Make sure you have the appropriate font installed on your computer. I used the font called Euphorigenic. You can download it at dafont.com
 
TO DOWNLOAD FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL USE, GO HERE
 
*Remember - Loving Life Designs downloads are for followers only. We ask that if you download our creations you become a follower. It only takes a second. Thanks. 

  If you don't want to handle the pain of editing this for print yourself, let us do it for you! Purchase this from our new print shop, go here to check it out. 


A little note about the psd file -

If you want to use the optional  backside for a double sided card - There will be two different folders and a layer with guidelines. One folder will have all the layer for the front design and layers for the optional backside. When you open the file, you will see what I mean. I suggest you save the different sides as a png or jpg file and naming them something like "backside/front for invitation". * sidenote: make sure that you hide the other layer when saving them for print, especially the guideline layer!

Where can you print double sided cards? You can use *Costco or *Vistaprint. There are other services but you can use, but you can do your own homework on that one.

If you are not planning on using the optional backside - If you plan on printing this as a 5 x 7 photo and purchasing your own envelopes. Then ignore the backside layer - you can delete it or just hide it, then begin working on your invitation.

If you have any problems email us at lovinglifedesigns at gmail dot com. 

*We are not getting paid to say that!

Enjoy!  Michelle 
Creative Commons License

October 1, 2014

Announcing Loving Life Designs
Print Shop


Today we would like to make a quick announcement about our NEW Etsy print shop.

Thats right! We have started a shop. We will still offer our designs for free here on our blog. Eventually, Loving Life Designs will be offering premium designs in the print shop. But that is not today.

What do you get if you purchase from our shop?

• First things first, Loving Life Designs will edit the design for you. This is wonderful if you don't have photoshop or any other PSD editing software.

• Take the hassle out of printing greeting cards and invitations yourself. Isn't it just a pain to figure out how to print it? where to do print it? and what is the best? We have done our research and have found a company that we are excited and confident about. They are amazing and we are positive you'll love them too. You can have your cards in as little as 7 days.

What comes with the cards and invitations?

• You get an amazingly high quality double sided digitally printed flat greeting card on 110lb cover stock card stock

•AND mailing envelopes.  (white for invitations and general greeting cards, holiday red for christmas cards)

Prices start at $30 for 15 cards.

Here are just a few items that are now available in the shop?


Don't see your favorite design from Loving Life Designs? No problem just drop us a line at lovinglifedesigns@gmail.com and we will make it.

*Remember all our designs are still free for you to download here and edit yourself. We are just helping to take the guess work out of doing it yourself.

Tell your friends and family.

Enjoy :)


Creative Commons License