Digital Scrapbooking Addiction

Yes, I added another crafty addiction of sorts. It started out innocent enough. I just wanted to make some blog buttons, new banners for the shop & blogs...maybe an ad or two. I didn't think I'd wind up scrapbooking. I guess you could just call it graphicing (okay, not a real word) too. After all, I am not doing traditional scrapbooking. No family photo books or anything. Yup...keep telling yourself that Theresa...keep telling yourself.

The other day, about the same time we got our new computer, I was trying to make more Deal of the Day "signs" for my Tilt's Creations blog. I use Picnik lots, they have some fun collages now. But I wanted my own. I love my GIMP for photo editing & I knew you can do a lot with graphics also. So i started looking around for clip art. Duh! Get Print Shop. But that still is not quite what I want. It is still too formatted.

Okay, so I start thinking "Hey, I see all these cute buttons, ads, banners & blog backgrounds that look like scrapbooks. Perfect". There is freedom in designing in my own space on GIMP (or Paint Net) that Print Shop doesn't have. Plus, I already have those programs. But I set out on a digital scrapbook software hunt anyway. Thank you cNet! There is a ton out there.I got 2: Scrapbook MAX (trial version for now) and Digital Scrapbook Artist (got the free compact version...for now). I have played with both. Not sure which I prefer just yet.

my 1st one

Then I wanted to find out how people make blog backgrounds, Twitter backgrounds, etc. First I found Kevin and Amanda's scrapbook blog background tutorial. Opened up even more. Now I have been visiting All Things Digital Scrapbooking, The Scrap Girls University, Cutest Blog on the Block, and DigiScrapDepot which led me to tons and tons of fabulous scrapbook blogs & designers. So cool!

Gonna go play some more, but first, I have a question. I don't want to go all pirate & do things I am not supposed to with these scrapbook pieces (still learning the lingo). Do you know any easy to follow, in plain English - not lawyerese - on what you can do with all this stuff? I understand personal use is well, personal. So can I use the freebies & purchased pieces to make my own ads, banners, backgrounds, etc. without having to list all the places I got the pieces from? I realize each place may be different & I am trying to figure out the best way to know which lets you do what. I know I saw one place that stated you can even sell the final design as long as you credit them for the graphic pieces (I am not talking about quick premade templates,just using the pieces).
Nevermind....I read more of the text TOU documents that came with the freebies & I think I have a better grasp. You can't sell/give the parts that make up the scrapbook/graphics but you can use the final, flattened image that you create from the elements. Nor can you take credit for the parts - just the final piece...but best to give credit to the creaters of the pieces within. Okay, so 1 or 2 ask you not to use their stuff, even final creation, in any "public" place (like your blog or banner) without permission. I just deleted those so I don't accidentally use them wrong.
In one creation I play with pieces from a variety of designers...guess I'll need to keep a running tab on who I use each time, just in case.

Okay, I am rambling now...bye :)

Almost forgot, one other thing I found - via my Etsyblogger forum thread - a tute for making favicons & adding your own signature to blog posts: Designed by Jen.

Next to learn...how to create the graphics :) It's inevitable.