Precious

This is really lovely, BillieJean. I'm so glad you shared your work. I like the way the elements are placed on the page and you picked the perfect picture!

I learned basic scrapbooking using another software and don't claim to be great at it. It's really a hobby for enjoyment as far as I'm concerned. I have only recently started to scrap with PSE 13 so am still feeling my way with it. I'm afraid I don't always follow 'rules' either.
Unless you are one of those very clever people who can make their own stuff, to scrap, you really need to obtain kits with background papers, embellishments, frames, masks etc;
There are plenty of sites where these can be obtained for a reasonable price. However having said that, for a taster – you can use some of the graphics that come with PSE. I made this page as a rough example, using some of those items. In the process I learned some things myself.

I opened a new blank document 8inches x 8inches then I went to the Graphics tab, By Type, Backgrounds and chose this green background by double clicking on it. Then By Type, Graphics I chose the daisy, moth, word art and leaf embellishments and placed them where I wanted on the page. I gave them all a drop shadow. The word art was completely black so I selected it with the marching ants then opened the Gradient Tool and clicked on the edit button to choose the colours I wanted. Chose linear and dragged over the selected word art to produce the colours that you see. I then gave it a bevel.
The daisy I also gave a linear gradient effect to kind of dull the brightness of the daisy in the top left corner. The photo came from Pixabay. I used a mask on that and lightly erased parts of the edges.

Maybe this is more info than you wanted or maybe it will encourage you to dip your toe in the scrapbooking water

     

I use Photoshop Elements 11 - but all versions of PSE and Photoshop can be used.  The Digital Scrapbooking Universe seems to prefer Photoshop products to design their pages.

Here is an example of a template.  As you can see, I used it pretty much as designed. 

However, you do not need to use a template - you can start with a background paper and add some photos and move them around until you like the look and then add a title and some journaling - and you have a layout.

A template is in psd format - psd allows the saving of layers, so each element on the template is on it's own layer - so it can be grouped/clipped with photos or background paper or it can be moved or deleted. A template is a starting point. You can make it just like you see it - or your end result may no longer look at all like it when you get done. Like I said - no rules.

If you find something that looks like a template, but it's in png format - it's not a template - it's a quick page.  A quick page is designed to stay as it is designed - you merely pop a photo into the design (either under the first layer or on top of the layer) and you are done.  It is saved in png format, so the area you place your photos in is transparent - so if you drop a photo underneath, it can show through the opening.

You cannot change anything to a png because it's one layer.  However, you can personalize it if there is space to do so - you add things on top of the original layer.

Just remember, the digital scrapbooking world revolves around 300 resolution. And most people scrapbook at 12x12 at 300 resolution - which means - 3600 pixels by 3600 pixels. The scrapbook kits will come in this format.  This does not mean you have to print at 12x12 - you can print any square size.  I print at 8x8 and I find the details are still sharp and text is easy to read.  If I use 8x8 I can print at home and I can use readily available 8.5x11 photo paper.

Thanks to all for their nice comments.
Janice I'm glad to see that you also subscribe to the theory that where digital scrapping is concerned there are 'No Rules'. Not everybody goes along with that. At the end of the day if the page you put together pleases yourself that's what matters. It's all about self-expression.

You said > 'your layouts are beautiful. They are very complex for one who doesn't do it often.'

I hope I haven't given you the wrong impression. I have been scrapping for around 3 years now but only recently started using PSE for that purpose which is very different from what I'm used to.
In another thread some time ago you mentioned the JustArt site and every so often I have a look at their forum. I'm not too familiar with the work of many of the members but one of them 'jirsev' is also a member of another site of which I am a member. I love her work. It is beautiful, so clean and precise and at times can seem almost 3D like. When I look at all the beautiful pages I realise afresh that I have much to learn and that's not false modesty talking honestly.