LAYOUTS
Good-bye Winter, Hello Spring
For many, the arrival of spring is met with cheers of welcome,
and no more so than those of us living in cold, northern climates.
Seeing the tips of colorful crocus and yellow-headed daffodils
poking up through mounds of snow is truly an exhilarating sight.
And what a delight it is to take a winter’s day walk to see tiny
pink and white buds bravely sprouting from ice covered branches
and pushing up from the still frozen earth. That’s when you smile
and breathe a small sigh of relief, knowing that winter will soon
give way to the glories of a new season.
Spring Makeover designed by Jane Davies
Spring Walk
Rounding the corners on these five photos and title rectangle creates
an uncluttered and clean layout, while felt flower strips balance
the journaling and add a nice punch of color.
The Spring Garden
Arranging photos in an overlapping fashion makes
a unique statement on this simple, yet creative layout. Use Pop
Dots to adhere some of the photos for added dimension.
England in Springtime
Lace cardstock provides plenty of ideas on
how to cut and arrange your own garden of flowers. Whether you
choose to cut away one entire area like the triangular border overlapping
the photo, or select individual flower stems sprouting from under
a band of color, you’re sure to be pleased with the results. Antiquing
the edges with chalk ink offers endless possibilities for colorful
arrangements. Using as many different brads as possible to embellish
flower centers enhances the colors in the photo and adds a touch
of whimsy.
Soccer Stars
Clean, simple, and just plain fun, these soccer layouts take full
advantage of some super-action soccer photos, starring designer
Tracy Burgos’ son and daughter. Son Joey’s page features three
assorted sized photos and a journal block arranged in a neat rectangular
fashion. Daughter Michaela shines on a two layout spread with four
same size photos matted as one large photo across the two pages.
Either way, all three pages capture the joy these two youngsters
share for their game.
Cubs Teeball
A pink baseball helmet and mitt dress up a “girly-girl’s” blue
uniform, but what do you do to keep all those sports photos from
looking unfeminine? Designer Annette Pixley chose shades of red
and pink to highlight her daughter’s baseball accessories, and
softened the photos by cutting them into circles. Then, while rummaging
in her scrap bin, she discovered color coordinated patterned papers
and acrylic letters that she had never used. And as you can see,
a blending of the girl and the sport is the lovely result.
All Stars
A photo taken of a favorite pair of shoes was the inspiration behind
this fun layout. Designer Kimberly Kent let the funky designs on
her daughter’s sneakers guide the color and embellishment selection.
Says Kimberly, “My daughter wears these shoes everywhere! I just
had to document them.”
Solitary Confinement
My sweet dog with the cute little face can be rather naughty at
times. In reality, she is pretty much incorrigible most of the
time, but we love her and continue to try to teach her manners.
It seems to be a never-ending battle. Roo loves to dig in the yard.
She adores chewing on the sprinklers so that they no longer ‘sprinkle’
the lawn but instead form geysers, spraying water straight up into
the air. Another favorite activity involves shredding newspapers
into thousands of tiny little pieces. But Roo’s all-time favorite
thing to do is to steal our possessions and then run out the back
door, tearing all over the yard with them in her mouth. It’s great
fun to be a puppy, you know! When she was younger, we would barricade
Roo in the kitchen with baby gates at both entrances when we weren’t
able to provide constant supervision. On one such occasion, I was
able to photograph Roo as she attempted her prison break. Don’t
be fooled by those sad little eyes. She is a hardened criminal
that deserves to do her time.” – Patty Lennon
Cool Dudes
All for one and one for all! There’s no problem for a loyal friend
squeezing in between these “cool dudes,” especially when you come
equipped with your own pair of shades.
Cute as a Button
A felt frame and flower team up with flocked letters and a faux-lace
card-stock to keep things as soft and cuddly as this warm-your-heart
puppy.
A Passion for Pet Shop
I was really inspired to create this layout to document my daughter’s
ongoing love for these toys. She has such a connection to her little
pets. I took close-up photos of some of her favorites, and had
her choose several to be photographed with her. She really enjoyed
being involved in this layout about her passion.” – Annette Pixley
Top 5 Reasons I Love You
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” Elizabeth Barrett Browning
said it best in Sonnet 43, but designer Laura Solomon says it even
better with her top five reasons. Isn’t Love Just Great?
Bliss
Detail pens are a great way to express your individual style and
personalize your layouts in unique ways. Drawing dots, dashes,
scallops and other doodles allow you to create interesting accents
that can really “pop” a page.
Bliss designed by Cherryl Mezzetti
Twelve
Working with multiple photos and figuring out where to place journaling
can be challenging, but designer Lisa Pace came up with some creative
ideas for both. After antiquing the edges of each photo, she arranged
them in rows. Lisa adhered two photos flat, then added dimension
by using foam squares to pop the remaining four. Notice how the
first photo is elevated and faces inward to the right, while the
last photo is flat and faces inward to the left. This simple placement
keeps your attention focused and moves the eye around the page.
Journaling is handwritten onto the studded flower stems and travels
the length of the vine, providing a unique and creative addition
to the page.
Fun
Samantha Walker's Holey Cardstock allows tremendous flexibility
in creating unique layouts such as the one featured here. Designer
Cheryl Mezzetti adds color by first duplicating white flower images
in red, then alters a few leaves by slipping light green cardstock
underneath the cutout areas. The result is a beautifully focused,
yet lighthearted page.
Carpe Diem
Clear flower shapes offer many creative alternatives when searching
for the perfect embellishment. The flowers on the layout shown
here were painted different colors on one side, then outlined and
glittered on the other. Designer Lisa Pace kept it simple and elected
to use buttons to crown each center.
Deep in Thought
Inquisitive kids with inquisitive minds come up with the “darndest”
questions. Sometimes what they ask makes you stop and wonder, “Where
do they come up with this stuff?” Designer Lisa Pace recorded all
of the unique questions her daughter asked and scrapped a page
as lighthearted as some of the musings. Please note that there
are no answers…does anyone know why glue doesn’t stick to the inside
of a bottle, or why black lights are purple? Just those two questions
alone would put anyone deep in thought!
I Love You
This stunning page took full advantage of one small detail in the
photo – the reflection of the sun streaming through lace curtains
and dancing across the subject's face. Designer Cheryl Mezzetti
skillfully matched a similarly patterned and colored background
patterned paper that beautifully captures the moment.
Annalee
While the background for this layout may look like preprinted patterned
paper, it’s not. Would you believe it started out as regular, run-of-the-mill
white cardstock? The secret behind its transformation from plain
to eye-catching is a simple technique using fabric dyes that’s
fast and fun. Complete instructions for creating your own “to dye
for” background papers are provided below.
Soon to be Blessed
Preparing for the arrival of a new baby is a joyous and exciting
time. After the nursery walls have been painted and the shower
gifts all tucked away, take some creative time to make your own
“welcome” page for the newcomer. It would make the perfect first
page of baby's first scrapbook album.
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FEATURES
Out-of-Order — NEW SERIES
Right Brain vs. Left Brain (Tapping into Creative Inspiration)
Designing with Pen Tablets
This article takes a look at Wacom pen tablets and the creative opportunities it affords for scrapbookers and crafters alike.
The 4" x 6" Bamboo Fun tablet is perfect
for the digital scrapbooker or hobbyist
Using Embellishments
Effectively
In fashion, it is often the added accessories (like shoes, handbags, and jewelry)
that make or break an outfit. This is also true in scrapbook design. Embellishments
such as ribbon, buttons, metals, and keepsakes are small details that add great
personality to a layout. Designer Kellie Englehardt of Close to My Heart provides
eight tips for using embellishments for effective design.
A Flourish for Every Season — NEW SERIES
Welcome to the first installment of A Flourish for Every Season. We begin our
four-part series by selecting one major embellishment to represent each season,
then show how four talented designers choose to design their pages around it.
The spring season is a time for renewal, when early rains leave crystal drops
of water on budding leaves and tiny blooms push from the darkened earth. Rhinestone
flourishes ranging from clear to black were chosen to grace the following pages
that welcome the arrival of this spring issue of Scrapbooking & Beyond.
This Much designed by Robbie Herring
Sweet & Sassy
Pretty in pink! Designer Niki Meiners created this layout as a way of saying
good-bye to the teen years. Her journaling begins, “Spirited with a splash of
sweetness is one way of describing the beautiful young woman you are becoming”
and ends with “I hope you will always have that little spark in your eye—the
one that makes you sassy.”
Heartfelt Photo Frame
A forever moment between mother and child is beautifully captured in this tender
photo, then framed in the softest colors of a mother’s love.
Pretty Baby Album
Muted stripes and dainty flower spray patterned papers were used to showcase
the photo of this pretty baby. Light antiquing around the edges and the careful
placement of pale pink and “ash of roses” satin ribbon add an appealing softness
to this lovely album.
Capture the Memories Albums
No pastel blue or “namby-pamby” prints for this little dude. Baby bears, chubby
elephants, and wild things are more his style. He’s all boy, so you better get
used to it!
Ideas Album
Want to add more to your albums? Use journaling stamps to create
more space for jotting down your ideas. Also, add pockets or envelopes to hold
even more.
Ideas Album designed by Tessa Bundy
Felted Flower Keepsake Box
Felt is a Latin word meaning “to beat,” and is considered to be one of the oldest
textile fabrics, predating spinning, weaving, and knitting. For centuries, this
nonwoven fabric has been used to make blankets, rugs, footwear, and clothing.
Felt is created from wool or other animal fibers that are densely matted together
by an agitation process requiring hot water and soap. Hot water causes the fibers
to open, while the soap allows the fibers to slide easily over each other. Agitation
by hand bonds the fibers together permanently. The introduction for the “felting
needle” allowed artisans to create felt creations without the need for soap or
water. The needles are comprised of downward barbs that entangle the wool fibers,
allowing the user to create flat or sculptured felt works of art. Needle felting
with wool roving is a fun technique with unlimited potential for making unique
embellishments for scrapbook layouts, cards, ornaments, and other artistic projects.
Lovebirds Keepsake Box
This sweet little box is the perfect place to store tiny treasures and mementos.
In keeping with a cozy, country style, small floral and dotted patterned papers
were antiqued and then edged with faux stitched lines. A unique twist is the
box lid, which employs embellished clear acrylic fragments that are arranged
to simulate mosaic tiles. But the real surprise is inside the box – fully lined
and boasting a buttoned flower and lovebirds. It’s really quite charming…
Birds in Paradise
This beautiful piece of artwork isn’t a watercolor, oil, or lithograph image.
It’s actually a piece of scrapbook paper applied in an entirely different way.
Framing what you have in your pile of stash is a creative way to finally use
some of those leftover scraps of patterned paper we all seem to have on hand.
Look for papers with large image subjects such as the bird featured here, then
choose coordinating stripes or other subtle prints for matting purposes. Look
for inexpensive frames on sale or keep an eye out for garage sale finds. It’s
just plain fun and so economical!
The Barnyard
Want to try something that’s uniquely different and just plain fun? Try making
your own personal artwork by combining photo images and patterned papers. Designer
Erikia Ghumm took this photo about 15 years ago, intending to do a little photo
and paper experimenting, but she never got around to it. So the photo stayed
put in her box of photos until she saw the Urban Prairie Collection by BasicGrey.
She loved the intensity of the color and the patterns sparked her imagination,
rescuing the old photo from obscurity. Says Erikia, “I love how surreal the patterned
papers make the photo look. It’s like a landscape from a dream.”
Butterfly Frame
Instantly transform any plain frame into a stunning creation like the one featured
here. Simply use a pair of scissors or craft knife to trim around the image selected.
Place the image where desired and rub the wooden applicator over the surface.
Remove the clear protective sheet, then lay color foil of choice over the image.
Use your fingertips to rub over the foil. Gently peel foil back to reveal the
altered design. It’s fun, fast, and, best of all, it’s easy!
Making Time for Romance
Romance endures even for those who have two busy careers, nine kids, and pets
thrown into the mix! Taking a break from the craziness of life and spending quality
time together is a good thing. Using soft, romantic colors and different textured
embellishments might just remind you to take a quiet moment, pour a glass of
wine, and snuggle up on a comfy sofa together (sans the kids and pet, of course).
Personality Profiles
Discovering what your personal scrapbook style reveals
about you!Which Scrapbook Diva are YOU?
Exclusive Freebie
Join us in celebrating the arrival of spring
with this cheerful, free digital kit from Polka
Dot Potato (www.polkadotpotato.com). For this issue, designers Yvonne Busdeker, Betty
Jo Martin, Mulberry Lane, and Lucy Marino
got together to create this selection with a
vintage vibe. “This Is How Love Grows”
contains 18 different patterned papers ranging
in color from chocolate brown to green to
robin’s egg blue, along with 36 embellishments (frames, tags, buttons, and flowers), and 4
mini-quick pages. Word art is also included,
making it super easy to say it your way!
Download your free kit today from
www.polkadotpotato.com/sbspring09/.
MORE LAYOUTS
Hush
Sweet and simple, Kraft cardstock provides a neutral background,
blending beautifully with the soft cocoa brown images and lettering
on the patterned paper shown. A muted orange flower adds just the
right amount of punch to this lovely baby layout.
Just Ducky
When I finally got my Canon Rebel Xti, I was taking pictures of anything
and everything. That evening, my son Sean was playing in the bathtub.
He loves putting his head under water and hearing the sounds muffled.
On a whim, I took off my socks, stepped in the bathtub, and took
a picture from up above. I absolutely loved the end result and decided
to scrap that!” – Claude Campeau
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