I don't know how to ask this question so I am going to try to explain what I am doing.

I used the layer mask that I had installed in Elements 5 to put one pic ontop of the other. I removed all the grass around the top pic that I didn't want in the pic, because the bottom pic is all snow, but there is a few blades of grass on the subject in the top pic that I have to remove. I tried the clone tool stamp but nothing happend and I tried the healing brush and again nothing happened. I am doing this all on the layer mask.

So I guess my question is Do I put another layermask on or even another blank layer or a duplicate layer or something? How many times can you use the layer mask or a blank layer and if it is a duplicate layer which one do I duplicate?

I sure hope I got the explanation right for you.

I am really new at all this stuff. Please bear with me.

Why is it everytime I post a reply and then go back to try again it works. Silly

OK forget the first question, all I did was unselect the layer mask and then used the healing brush.

You can still answer the second question for me though. Please.

And I am going to add a new question. There is snow falling in the bottom pic but not in the top pic. Can someone explain how I can copy/clone/heal whatever it is called, that so the subject looks like it more belongs into the pic.

As far as I know you can't clone on a mask. Highlight the image itself and try cloning on that. It should work fine. If it doesn't be sure to come back and ask again.
Oops didn't see you answered your own question. As for the snow falling try painting it back in with the layer mask. It would help if I could see the 2 pictures, also

Ok here is the bottom pic.





See snow falling in pic. I should put that somehow on this bear the top pic.




But I don't think it will work because there is too much other stuff in behind the snow flakes and it will cover the bear.

Help would be appreciated if I am wrong on that assumption.

I will fiddle around with some tools while I wait for anyones answer.

Under image effects there is a snow effect. Do a stamp visible on a new layer (control+alt+shift+e) and apply the effect. Then erase over the bear so bear from layer without the snow effect shows through.

ljames01 --- Hey that is a cool effect. Thanks for the idea, but I have decided that it too much of a blizzard all over the pic. There is nothing that has just a few flurries in it. Even though my pic was taken in a blizzard it doesn't show up that prominent. Maybe I am just being too fussy.

Here is what I did
open bear image
put snow scene on top...lower opacity of that layer alot so you can see bear
down to bear layer..double click and change layer name to layer 0
using the transform tool resize bear image to the size you want and put where you want bear to be
back up to snow layer..add layer mask..paint with black to bring up the bear..to fine tune zoom in real close and switch between black paintbrush and white paintbrush. When finished bring the opacity of snow scene back to 100%

Bear0162-1aa.jpg (44.72 KiB) Viewed 1675 times

suzib ---- That is what I wanted. Thank you. I am printing it out and going to see if I can follow your instructions. If I can't I will come back and ask you to go step by step.

SUZIB Help--

I can not get a black paintbrush, only a clear one. What am I doing wrong. I see you are in CS3. I am using Elements 5.

Grrrrr. this is so frustrating. I am so close yet am stumped.

I din't understand what you mean by clear. Make sure your foreground color is black and background color is white. When you paint on the white layer mask it should fill in with black (where you are painting)if you are using the black color. The bear below should come through on the top layer. Layer mask is on the top layer right?? It is the same in CS3 and elements

I think you are using the wrong brush tool. The selection brush instead of the paintbrush. Screenshot of the right brush.