Great job...it helps to see rather then to read about...
very helpful...

Creating a mask using an image in Digital Scrapbook Artist 2:
1. Open up a blank scrapbook.
2. Select the background tab on the left hand side and press the “add” button.
3. For this example just select any background and then press the “done” button.
4. Drag the background from the left hand tab onto your scrapbook. This will cover your whole scrapbook publication. This will now create a background layer in the layers tab on the right hand side. (You should now have a background layer and layer 1)
5. In the layer tab on the right hand side select the “add mask layer” button. (this is the 2nd icon from left to right at the bottom of the layer pane)
6. You should now have layer 2 (with a little mask symbol, to indicate a mask layer)
7. Now select the “photos” tab on the left hand side and press “add”
8. Select an image which is transparent and then press “open.”
9. Now drag the image onto your publication. (you should get a red box around the image, but will not see the image)
10. Now on in the layers tab move layer 1 above layer 2 (which is the mask layer)
You have now created a mask with the image you inserted. The instruction above can be used with not just the background objects. You can in-fact use any elements to create a mask, even using another image. It is important if you are create a mask from an image that the image is a PNG or other formats that support transparency.

Creating a mask using text in Digital Scrapbook Artist 2:
1. Open up a blank scrapbook.
2. Select the background tab on the left hand side and press the add button.
3. For this example just select any background and then press the done button.
4. Drag the background from the left hand tab onto your scrapbook. This will cover your whole scrapbook publication. This will now create a background layer in the layers tab on the right hand side. (You should now have a background layer and layer 1)
5. In the layer tab on the right hand side select the “add mask layer” button. (this is the 2nd icon from left to right at the bottom of the layer pane)
6. You should now have layer 2 (with a little mask symbol, to indicate a mask layer)
7. Now select the artist text frame and click on your page.
8. Now in the text frame type any word. You should get a red box around the artist text to indicate its a mask
9. Now on in the layers tab move layer 1 above layer 2 (which is the mask layer)
You have now create text that masks the background.

Hiya Michael
.

I do appreciate the effort you've made in helping me create masks, but it is very hard to read.

What I had to do is copy your message intoa PagePlus text frame and add paragraph breaks. Now, I can follow it more easily.

For some reason, paragraph breaks are lost on this forum. Hmmm.

EDIT: I've posted this tutorial in the DSA forum on www.serif.com here. It is formatted for easier reading.
http://forums.serif.com/showthread.php?p=503081#post503081