More brush help!

[andyapc]

I am brush challenged.

I am trying to get that overall blended look. I love the look of AlohaMamma's layouts and all of those other layouts that have that dreamy, blended, textured look. For instance, this one in Aloha Mamma's gallery:

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=10975

Now, I KNOW that it will be A LONG TIME until I can do anything even close to this. However, am I at least on the right path? What I've been trying to do is this:

Background = white
Layer 1 = photo
Layer 2 = filled with color
Layer 3 = brush strokes

I add a layer mask to Layer 1 and using a wide airbrush, basically erase the edges of my photo so that it kind of melts into the backround

I brush on Layer 3, in white or gray, and reduce the opacity.

I reduce the opacity of Layer 2

Are these the steps I should be taking?

[Emma]

sounds fine, you can post an in progress layout temporarily if you'd like some more specific advice

use many, many layers for brush strokes, however. There's going to be a lot of overlapping, so try to create new layers often. Not every little thing needs a new layer, but try to strike a balance between too many and too few

[andyapc]

Do you mean that I should put some different brush strokes on several different layers and tweak their respective opacities?

Also, do blending styles come into play here at all?