I have an issue with borders and frames. My eye “needs” a boundary on a photo, on a page. I need a stopping point to keep my eye from wandering. That is why there is some kind of border around almost all my pages (stitching, doodles, paper frame) and why almost all my photos have a white border on them. It is the easiest (and fastest way) to make a photo really stand out and draw the eye. Here are a few examples:
(on a side note, I picked these layouts because of their white border on the photos but I soon noticed that that all also had a page frame. At least I am consistent 
Luckily, putting a border on your photos is REALLY easy. I remember when I first started scrapping and I cut out a white piece of paper and put it underneath the photo, always frustrated because I couldn’t get the dimensions even. And then I learned the beauty of the stroke.
To easily add a border to your photos
(these instructions are for PSE but can be done in other programs as well)
1. Select the layer you want to add a border to. Go to edit > stroke (outline) selection
2. Set your desired width (I usually use 25-35 pixels for a photo).
3. Choose your border color.
4. Select you type of stroke: for a border you want to choose INSIDE stroke (meaning that the border will go 25 pixels INTO your photo, not add to the outside of your photo.) I will show you why this is important in a minute.
5. Click OK.
Credits: Everything (except staples) from SCRAPPING & SNAPPING at THE DAILY DIGI Store
6. DONE….easy as that!
Now this is why you need to choose an inside stroke. In the above image, an outside stroke was chosen. For some reason, it creates a wonky cut-off corner on your border. And unless it is still 1995 and you are paper scrapping with wavy scissors and construction paper, I can’t think of why you would want your border to look like that.
So there you have it — my number one digi scrapping “tool.” Couldn’t live without it.
updated: you can see a video tutorial for this technique on Planet Photoshop, or you might want to do this in Gimp, or Paint Shop Pro
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Cool! I love PS tips like this as I use a scrapbooking program for most of my layouts as I find it easier! I know PS can do everything that program can (and more) I just don’t know how and don’t want to waste the time trying to find out! Thanks for the tip, very helpful!
this so totally makes a difference! a question, if I have made a template, using clipping masks, how do I add the stroke/border to that?! thanks.
Yes, I agree I like a border of some kind, too, but what about printing and binding?
I don’t trust the company (whatever company I choose when the time comes to print the book(s)) to print it so it is perfectly even. So I am staying away from edges and border and making all my edges so they can be cut less than perfectly. Do you think I’m making a mistake?
I love the stroking, but I’m having problems getting it to work on photos I’ve used a clipping mask with (PSE 6 for mac) -I’m using a template. Any suggestions? When I click on the photo it’s not an option.
You can’t believe how many people I know who still live in 1995 and scrap with wavy scissors and construction paper. Yikes! Funny!
I am so happy you showed us this….I have been trying to figure this one out and other little simple tricks for that added punch….lame PSE user that I am! Thanks sooooo much!
i gotta have borders, too!
I love borders and strokes, too. Such an easy way to add punch to your layouts!
Thanks for sharing! I love your style and I love the dailydigi
I love that tip, too! I love your Park Day layout- and all the stitching!
I was going to ask that too – I love all the stitched borders you showed here and would like to know where to buy them!
Thanks for this tip – I used a much harder way to make white borders for my photos (copy the layer, paint it to a white rectangle, resize it, then center it behind.) This is SO MUCH EASIER. Thank you thank you!
Wow! I’m so excited to use this! Thank you!!!!
Thank you! I have never knew it was that easy. Thanks!!!
You are right! It does look better with a border, thank you for mentioning it and showing how easy it is to do.
We would all agree, that all stitches are not created equally. I really love the stitches you use. Could you share designers of your stitches? Thanks
That’s a neat trick – thanks for sharing
My favorite tool also!
Thanks for the tip……love borders!
I could never figure out why there was a clipped edge! Thanks for explaining that.
glad i am not the only one I also have an issue with orders. lol
Totally agree Janet – the stroke tool is the BEST! I always teach people to use the inside as well, because I learned the hard way a long time ago that the outside stroke is wonky! Sometimes you don’t notice it until you print your page and that is a catastrophe!
So cool! Thanks a bunch!
Perfect…just what I needed to know!! I had used the stroke function last week to make a border around several photos and was looking at it last night wondering what the heck did I do to the corners!?!?!? Wasn’t sure what I had done, but I just knew they didn’t look right and would need to be fixed!! Thanks to you I now know exactly what I did and how to fix them!! Thank you.