Tech Tips: Using PDFs on your digi pages

I recently got an email asking for someone asking how they would use my printable, which I provide in a PDF form, on their digital layouts. The timing of the question was perfect since starting this month I’ll be launching a new series here on the blog called “Tech Tips.” Most weeks, I’ll be sharing some sort of tech tip to help you in your memory keeping and crafting endeavors. Some weeks it will be a purely craft share (no technology, just crafty goodness).

Using a PDF or parts of a PDF on your digital page is super easy, so I wanted to show you how to do it, step-by-step. This of course is the way I do it. I’m sure there are a number of other ways to accomplish the same thing. Personally, I find this to be the easiest a quickest route.

Step 1: Open your PDF. I use Photoshop, so my instructions are based on Photoshop. I’m nearly certain it works the same way in Photoshop Elements (though I’ve been known to be wrong on occasion, just ask my husband!).

Step 2: Select the rectangle marquee tool from your tool bar.

Step 3: Click and drag (draw) a box over the journaling card you want to use.

Step 4: Copy your selection. I use the keyboard commands (control + c), but you can also find this action under the “Edit” menu.

Step 5: Paste your selection onto to your Project Life template (that’s what I’m showing) or whatever template or document you might be using. Again, I use the keyboard shortcut (control + v), but you can access the action from the “Edit” menu.

Step 6: Now your selection will be on your document and you can rename it, move it around in the layers palette, adjust its size, clip it to a mask, etc.

Step 7: Clip your card to the the layer where you want it to be. This can be done by hovering over the thin black line between the journaling card layer and the mask layer and then selecting control + g. Once you’ve clipped your card to the layer, can resize the card to better fit the box. To resize proportionally: select one of the corners, hold down the shift key and then drag the card to the size you want it to be.