Pattern Maker Photoshop CS5

This one is Lots of Strips templates by Scrapping with Liz (LO created using SuzyQ Scraps with her new fabulous collection - A Life Expressed - both available at SO)

I really loved the tons of strips, and rather than getting each paper into the template, and using the magic tool, or shift clicking the layer and then cutting it out of the selected paper, I found that using a pattern overlay was MUCH easier, and I could also manipulate how big the said paper looks on the template strips or shapes. Its also very easy to "move" the paper within the shape or strip in case you're paper is multicolor or patterns and you want to capture that specific color/design.

So, without further ado, I'll get to the explaining. (Please bare with me, I've never done this before, I might be a bit wordy or not explain very well, sorry!)

First: Select a paper you want to keep in your "patterns". I am choosing a paper from Rachel's Fantasia collection.

Second: Go to Edit > Define Pattern and it will ask you to name your pattern. I always leave my patterns whatever the name of the paper is originally. h paper - I don't know if you can do multiple papers at once. If you need help with creating an action, message me and I'll write another tutorial on that (or maybe I will anyways! lol). Anyhow, now that you've created a pattern, you can apply it to any shape or really just about anything. This pattern will also remain here after you’ve made it for future templates and other such uses.

So I'm going to load up a template now and show you how the rest of this works. You can also create a pattern while working on any workspace. If you've already got your template open, drag your pattern on top of your template (bring to front) and hit your pattern maker action or go thru the above steps. Your paper always has to be on top (or whatever is on top.) So keep in mind if your paper doesn't cover the whole canvas, whatever is behind it will also be including in your pattern. This function is similar to screenshot, just for inside the canvas.

Third: Now I’ve decided to use a template by Nanie Designs. I am going to select her round mat in the center of the page and right click to go into blending options

When the popup box comes up, you’ll go down to the box on the left that is labeled Pattern Overlay.

Note that as soon as you click on the box labeled Pattern Overlay, whatever you have chosen to add this overlay to immediately changes to whatever the first pattern is in your folder.