How Do I Do That? Using the Insta Lovin' kits

I've had sooo many questions about my Insta Lovin' kits!  Thanks, everyone on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest...& here!! I wanted to do a concise blog post with all of the tutorials & helps right here in this post for all my Newbies *& those that have been on here for a while!*

Remember, this isn't an app. (hoping someday we will get to that point, but for now they are digital kits!)

When you open these kits, (all except the Insta Frames- more on those later.) I offer 3 versions:

1. The TTF font file. (to be used in Phonto on your phone.) HOW TO INSTALL on your computer :: your PC simply unzip & select the font files (.ttf, .otf or .fon) then Right-click > Install

or for your MAC simply unzip & Double-click the font file > "Install font" button at the bottom of the preview.

2. The ABR brush file (to be used in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. as a digital brush- tutorials on my blog)

3. Black Font PNG files (to be used as clip art in Word programs OR as drag & drop black images in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.) I explain HERE why I offer the black PNG files in each kit.

Now...Let's look at HOW to use the Insta Lovin' kits with Instagram!

NOTE: Each kit on Rhonna Designs has a 'description' next to the image. Be sure to read this carefully so you know what you are purchasing. 

FIRST: Upload the Insta Lovin' TTF fonts onto your phone to use in the app: Phonto!  For a great tutorial, go to my friend Lindzie's blog to see HOW!

SECOND: Use the fonts to create magic in your Instagram photos! LOOK HERE for a HOW-TO & alittle exploration on opacity, stroke, etc.

The font file, as shown in the description on the Rhonna Designs site, is ONLY the ALL CAPS A-Z. So, in order to use them, you would just type. 'A'

or 'B'....etc. for that particular image. **except the Insta Numbers....They will go from ALL Caps A-Z, then a, b, c, d to finish the numbers out to 31**

For instance.

When you see the fonts that you've loaded onto your phone, they are called 'insta'.... something. (looks like this...& I'm not sure why they are all different)

Choose the desired font & begin to type the CAPITAL letter. Each CAPITAL letter has it's own Insta Lovin' image.

I absolutely LOVE how Heather of WhipperBerry blog shares her love for Instagram. She has an Android, so some of these are a big different than my Top apps on my iPhone...but, read carefully what she says about the Insta Lovin' kits...& check out her lovely creations...she's so fab!

Ok...now, like I mentioned above...

the only kit (so far) in the Insta Lovin' series that is NOT a font is the Insta Lovin' Frames. They are a colored PNG files that are pre-designed frames & are so cute I love them all!

Now, the difference here is:

1. They can't be used in the Phonto app(since they aren't a font), but they CAN still be used on your phone.

2. They come in 2 sizes: High resolution (so you can put your photos in them & print off!) or Web Sized versions...(low rez) & this is what you use on your phone & in Instagram.

So, HOW TO use these frames on your phone?

1. Purchase the app: PhotoForge 2  It is similar to Photoshop in that you can use photos, layers & basically digital scrapbook right on your phone. But, you will need a DropBox account & have it on your phone to add any Rhonna Designs elements in there.

2. Save the Insta Lovin' Frames (web sized PNG files) to your Camera Roll.

3. Go into PhotoForge 2 & upload the Insta Lovin' Frames layers, resize & adjust the way you want.

4. Save to your Camera Roll & upload to Instagram!

So, there ya have it...so many things to do to kick the Creativity process up a notch...just on your phone! I LOVE it!

And...I LOVE the Creative kick that Instagram gives me. My fave is finding NEW peeps to follow & see their amazing photos...truly uplifting & inspiring.

So.

Today, I started something fun...it's called:

Hey It's Friday Follow.

And I'm totally excited about it. It's my way of giving a SHOUT OUT to those that inspire me.  So, are you on Instagram? If so, play along! Tell me your user name here...& then Hash tag #heyRhonna to share YOUR photos on Instagram. & then, each Friday I'll be shouting out a fellow IGer!

 Have a fab weekend...we are working on The Daisy...she's coming along. I finished the outside (complete with scallops) & will be sharing the Befores/(Happily Ever) Afters on Monday! holla!

How Do You Do That? >>Rhonna Designs Fonts with Instagram & Phonto apps

You've heard me rant & rave about the new update to my fave font app: Phonto. Well, I've been having so much fun using Rhonna Designs fonts in my Instagram photos! And a lot of questions, too! So, I thought I'd share some of my tips & tricks on how to use them together!

The Rhonna Designs fonts are just like any other fonts. Simply purchase, download & remember where you saved it.

In order to use it on Instagram, you will need the app: Phonto.

In that app- & from your phone- you can follow this tutorial on how to sync this app w/ the fonts you have saved on your computer. i.e. Rhonna Designs dingbat font: Chic Shack.

Remember, this is all for a Mac & an iPhone. ** If you have a PC, I'm sure you can google how to use Phonto on your Android?**

Now, let's have a little fun with Rhonna Designs dingbats!

BORDER:

In Phonto, I simply selected myRD Chic Shack dingbat font: & typed in 'x'.  This gave me the border art & I went to SIZE & upped it all the way. 

Then, I selected COLOR & chose white, but as you can see, I adjust the OPACITY on that bottom slider to a very low percentage. AND, notice, I have 'Text' selected. That will apply the COLOR & OPACITY to only the text as opposed to the STROKE & BACKGROUND.

You would just use the MOVE button to get it on your photo where you like it.

FRAME:

Next, tap on the screen again & type 'o' for this cute frame in the RD Chic Shack font.  Select COLOR & find the blue you like.  I played around with the STROKE aspect of it & adjusted the COLOR sliders until I liked it.

Remember, you can play, play, play. And each photo will be different. There really is no recipe to creativity...you just have to experiment!  That's one reason I LOVE the Apps on my phone: creativity-on-the-go is perfect for my daily Creativity Exercises!

Ok...so, really quickly...I also had some questions about the particular 'heart bokeh' lighting effect I had on this photo.  I LOVE the Lenslight app for their various bokehs...you can fiddle with them, move them around, etc. But, for this particular one, I used the PicFX 'Hearts Small' Light effect.  I love the tiny hearts, but the CON is: you can't move them around.

The GREAT thing is: the Rhonna Designs Dingbat fonts are filled with all sorts of goodies; frames, birds, flowers, crowns, borders, tags, etc!  And since they are a FONT, you just type a letter & it is an image instead of text.  LOVE the possibilities! Also, the other amazing thing is: since this art is in FONT format, you can size it as you would type...i.e. you don't lose the quality of the image no matter how large you resize it. **vector files do this!**

The Chic Shack dingbats I've been showing for this particular photo has 60 images in the font!

frames, crowns, flowers, chandeliers, silhouettes, swirls, borders...I 

el. oh. vee. E 

this one!

The Rhonna Designs dingbats are filled with 90 images including LOTS of swirls, flowers, damasks, etc. LOTS of 'designs'! All hand drawn by me...I adore this font!

And even though the 50  Wicked Awesome dingbats are holiday themed...there are plenty of versatile images: I LOVE the swirls in here, the frames, banners & labels, too!

And, again...this one is holiday themed, but the 75 dingbats in this Christmas 2011 set are versatile as well. LOVE the 'enjoy' & 'family' word art, the cute wings, birds, deer, labels & ornaments! 

I"m sooo giddy about the new Phonto app I just LOVE creating with the Rhonna Designs dingbats...& of course, I've been working on NEW Summer themed ones...so, be watching for them soon in the store!

now...GO! create!

How Do You Do That? DIY Hybrid Easter Wreath

The past few weeks I've been forcing Spring here by Spring Crafting...I've created wreaths, garlands, shadow boxes, updated my Spring Jars, all using Rhonna Designs. 

Print, cut, create. Love the hybrid aspect of these kits!

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So, I thought today, I'd share HOW to create the Easter Wreath I did...I'm loving this!

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First off....the Junquey wreath base was created back in December when I took Margie's Spark Your Christmas online class. Then, I just Added some Rhonna Designs Spring Circus & more color to create this wreath for Easter.

***Alert: Did you see Margie's doing another online class? Spark Your Spring..I'm sure you will LOVE it! Go on over & sign up! She's always got fab ideas!**

So, I just took a wreath I had already created & filled in some SPRING! ....made it *bloom* if you will.

You can do this with any wreath you have around the house...just add in filler with 

Rhonna Designs Spring Circus papers (printed on good matte photo paper & cut into flowers & butterflies) & these NEW Rhonna Designs Easter Celebrations Printable: 'He Is Risen' cut out with 1 1/2" scalloped punch

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This little bird just makes me so happy. I added her on top of the vintage paper flowers I had in there (See HERE for the Valentine versions & FREE Template) 

To create the little top hat, I just punched out some of the Spring Circus paper with a 1" circle punch. Then, added a strip of the paper & glued on top...added flowers & Voila! Cutest little Top Hat for my Easter Birdie!

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Simply punch out tons of butterflies & flowers out of the Spring Circus papers...I used the Circus Harlequin...I"m in LOVE with that paper....

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I added gold glitter around the edges of all of the printables: flowers, butterflies & this NEW 'Easter Celebrations" kit that I'm in LOVE with...I'm using it on everything! 

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So, there ya have it...a happy Springy wreath ready to hail in Easter! All with the help of Rhonna Designs! Happy Weekend!

How Do You Do That? Layering Digital Stamps/Brushes

For this week's installment of How Do You Do That? we'll play with the layering of digital stamps/brushes.  

Now, if digital brushes/stamps are new to you...here's a starter tutorial on how to load, use, etc.

And HERE is another good explanation with step by steps, too!

And when I was in House of 3, I did this brushes video tutorial....these Hof3 brushes aren't available anymore, but you get the jist of it & you can see HOW to do it on a video.  And, of course, you can use these same techniques using ANY brushes.

Ok, so now, let's do a little tut on how to layer....fun fun! And...we'll make a printable while we are at it!

**note: I'm using Adobe Photoshop here...Adobe Photoshop Elements will be slightly different.

Supplies:

Spring Circus Backgrounds

Spring Circus Tattoos

Spring Circus Brushes

Monogram Junque Brush kit

Mini Seals Brush kit

Step 1.

Open up your Yellow Chevron Background (the 8x10 size).

Recolor it by following this tutorial. And, in the image below, notice the numbers I've got in my Hue/Saturation box in case you want to do the same color.

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Step 2.

Open your Spring Tattoo & cut/paste onto your background.

Step 3. 

Go to: NEW>LAYER>  NEW & name it whatever you need...*note: for each brush color, create a NEW Layer.

Step. 4.

After you've LOADED your Mini Seals, Spring Circus & Monogram Junque Brushes following THIS tutorial, start to stamp on each New Layer...

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This is where it gets fun & you can layer & add depth.  Notice the top Layers Icon above....the 'green brushes' Layer is going to a 42% Opacity which will look like this:

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Step. 5

Now, create another New Layer & stamp your word onto its own Layer.  I did the top layer in white, THEN had fun layering by doing a grey stamp under the white "Love".

Now...you've created your own printable that you can print out on fab paper, like mentioned HERE, & frame it up!

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I created this one...framed it & am LOVING the Spring Circus I've got going on...

Happy weekend...& cReate to uplift & inspiRe!

& for some Friday inspiration...check out Heather's Whipper Berry link party...something fun!

How Do You DO That? Digital to Printables

With the release of the NEW Spring Circus kits, there are always question HOW to use the kits if you are not a digital scrapbooker or digital diva!

When you print out these digital files & craft with them...it's called Hybrid Crafting...& that's what we'll be talking about today.

Basically, you can use all of the kits to print out & enjoy, except the actual Brush files. So....here's a little help on HOW to do that!

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Ok, the first kit I want to talk about is the Paper Card Printables kit...These are offered in PDF format which can be opened in ANY program! Yes, ANYONE that has a computer & printer can use these at home. 

Once you download your kit, unzip it & then OPEN up the PDF file. Now, depending on what kind of software you have on your computer, your PDF file will open up & you just send it to your printer & print off.

IF you choose to use these kits to print at a office supply store or copy center, be sure you are familiar with the licensing....some stores will ask you about it.  Our personal license states in sections III & VII that as long as you are not changing anything & only printing for personal use....no commercial use/compensation.

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This Card kit is designed with 2 funky 5x7 fold over cards with a cute little stamp on the back. The edges have some word art that can be cut out & used for the inside of the card...or other projects. So, print out, cut & fold for easy & gorgeous cards!

The above image with the Printable Journal cards has got to be my fave.  Small 'playing' cards can be used for journaling, note cards, labels, or how about sewing them together for a cool & funky banner?

And the last sheet in this kit is the plain cards: Invitations, greeting cards...whatever you want!

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These were designed to be a one sided card, post card, or even a photo card for your scrapbooks! The bottom greetings are sized perfectly for the shape of the banner....It would be cool to *pop* them up on there! I envisioned these blank insides for a photo, a handwritten note, or IF you are savvy...you can OPEN up the PDF file in Photoshop & apply one of the Spring Circus  brushes, Tattoos, or just type a message on there and then print out!

Also...one of the great things about printing at home is the various printing mediums out there. I LOVE experimenting with printable fabric, sticker paper, window decals, tattoo paper, iron on transfer paper, clear transparency paper or even clear sticker paper! Have fun with these! 

Now...all of the other digital kits can be used as digital art OR they can also be printed out. For example...

this gorgeous Spring Paper kit can be printed out on gorgeous ink jet matte photo paper.

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& WOW...it's amazingly gorgeous! This kit comes in JPG files which are just like Photo files. So, how ever you print your photos (at home, Costco...or my fave: Persnickety Prints) you can just upload them as you would your photos. See? not so scary, huh?

The other kits: Borders, Tags & Tattoos are all in colored PNG files. Now, think of PNG files as Clip Art. You can actually print them out as you would Clip Art....so, any program you use Clip Art in (like Word) you can just use the PNG files to resize & put on an 8 1/2 x 11 page.  Cool, Huh?

The only kit that can't be used in other programs is the Brush kit...since the ABR brush file is specifically for Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.  

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But, I do have to say...if you are DYING over the designs & want them in black...as Clip Art...you CAN still purchase the kit & use the black PNG files as Clip Art. *just sayin'*

OK.

Now...a word about paper.

All inkjet paper is not created equally. I've had people emailing us with questions as to WHY the color isn't as it appears on the monitor...chances are (IF your monitor & printer are properly calibrated) it's your paper choice. I LOVE this paper: Epson Presentation Paper. It's just plain paper weight, but the colors are rich & beautiful...not washed out or too faded. *sometimes you may want that look, so keep that in mind*  See the bottom paper? It's printed out on plain inkjet copy paper...Look at the others...much more true to color...bright, rich & soo lush!

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I also have an Epson R2000 printer, so keep that in mind, too. You may need to do some of your own experimenting to see what papers work best with your printer.

For card stock weight, I LOVE this paper: Epson Premium Matte Double sided photo paper. Again, rich gorgeous color. And double sided means you get the same quality on each side...so fun!

Don't mind me...I"m just printing out all of the Spring Circus stuff to create.... Have an uplifting & inspiRing weekend!