DAK

So I gather I was headed in the right direction, when using a texture background, use the blend if sliders and mask off what you don't want to see textured.  I guess I was trying to keep the entire image of branch and basket as well as the baby texture free.  And couldn't figure out how to mask the branch and basket with all the little holes so tired to erase the gray background instead of using a mask.  

I see now it was a high resolution jpg not low res.  I was trying so many different things, got confused.

 My texture layer was black and white low resolution, don't know it that makes a difference.  I clipped a hue/saturation layer to the textured layer to turn it brownish.   I masked the image of the baby onto the background basket layer.

I just used a normal and the blend if slider.

3 hours ago, Damien Symonds said:

I don't understand.  What did you need to do with this area?

Mask the gray background so I can put a texture behind branch and basket.

ok, posting two images.

I found my answer....http://www.damiensymonds.net/replace-background-hair

Thank you again for the replies.

Thank you for the clarification.  Is there a specific tool/method for creating a mask for this type of image with many cracks and spaces that you could recommend?

Thank you for the reply.  In the spirit of learning, what is really bad?  The eraser tool it's self? The composite?  Please be more specific than everything is bad.  I posted here because I'm looking for honest CC so I can learn.  The background of the branch and basket was gray. I typically mask everything so it can be modified but in this case to get a really clean extraction I tried the eraser.   How do you get a precise selection with an image with lots of little cracks and spaces through the basket? And the vines in the middle?   Should I have used channels to create a selection? I'm not that familiar with creating channel selections but will learn if it's what you recommend.  

Also I tried using blend if sliders with the textured layer and basket but was not as successful as I hoped.

Are there any cases were the eraser tool can be used effectively to replace a background?

Or is this type of composite something you really really dislike seeing?  I posted the image to some newborn fb groups and all I get is stunning, beautiful etc.  i know it's not perfect, that's why I'm posting here for help and the truth.  

I've been working on this overlay for awhile and would welcome any and all cc.  I apologize in advance if this is not the correct topic.  I don't see an area for CC on photoshoped images.

I used the eraser tool to remove the branch and hanging basket from the original overlay and added a texture.  The baby is my image.