Sketch of the Week: 2012-05-06

This week's Sketch of the Week is an 8.5" x 11" two-page layout format.  You can swap out pictures for patterned paper blocks, embellishments or journaling


Thank you to everyone who voted!!


Happy Scrapping!

Sketch of the Week: 2012-04-22 (8" x 8")

OK, so I promised both a 12" x 12" and an 8" x 8" two-page layout sketch this week and this is the latter of the two.


Next, with Mother's Day coming up, I'm transitioning to handmade card sketches, but you can still vote for the Sketch of the Week (I'll still keep posting those too).  Happy Scrapping!

Sketch of the Week: 2012-04-22

There was a tie in this week's Sketch of the Week (between a 12" x 12" two-page and 8" x 8" two-page layouts), so I'll post one of each.  The first one is the 12" x 12" and probably looks pretty simple, but that's the point.


This two page layout will display at least eight pictures (wallet size).  If you crop a bigger picture and use in the big strips, you can display even more.  My vision for the large strips are for patterned paper with a simple adjective vertically along the far right edge describing the picture (joy, smile, hope, courage, fun, summer, etc.) - the adjectives are your journaling.


Happy Scrapping!!

Wanderlust

This is my take on the Sketch of the Week.  My version incorporates the arrows in the original sketch and is actually a 12" x 12" single page layout.  Since the base paper had stripes, I used those as the lines for my journaling.


Happy Scrapping!!

Sketch of the Week: 2012-04-12

Thanks to everyone who voted for the Sketch of the Week!!  This week's sketch is for an 8" x 8" two-page layout and incorporates Washi Tape into the layout to add some visual (vertical) interest.  If you would like a different sketch, make sure to vote!  The format of the sketch can change every week depending on your votes alone!  Happy Scrapping!!

Meeting Grandma and Grandpa

So, we've had a page in your new baby scrapbook featuring Mom, Dad and even siblings, but what about Grandma and Grandpa?!! We can't forget about their first visit, especially if they travelled many miles to get there.  And...just so there is equal "billing" among the two sets of grandparents....this layout features two 4" x 6" pictures.  


If you'd rather, you can use this layout for other "introduction" pictures, like your new son or daughter meeting their Aunts, Uncles, Cousins or family friends for the first time.  Happy Scrapping!!

Announcing...Your New Baby!!

You saw this sketch 10 days ago, but I wanted to put I wanted to put it in its proper context....


The design of this layout is taken almost directly from (of all things) a birth announcement.  I loved the design of my cousin’s announcement and thought it would make a great layout for a new baby scrapbook. Unlike “traditional” scrapbook layouts, where the focal picture is on left….this one has the focal picture on the right.  Now, while it may go counter to standard design criteria, it still maintains proper visual flow from left-to-right (those standard design criteria are more like guidelines anyway...).  You can use store bought patterned paper for the one-inch strip that runs across the bottom of the page or you can make your own with your new baby’s birth information (click here for more information) and for a title, you can put your baby’s name in big chipboard letters.  Happy Scrapping!!

Special Delivery!

You’ve waited nine months for the stork to arrive with a “Special Delivery”, so find two of your favorite pictures (4" x 6") of your little one or two pictures from the hospital to fill in the next two pages of your new baby scrapbook. Of course, you can always use this layout for something completely different, like baby’s first bath, pictures with siblings, the trip home or baby’s first Christmas.

Daddy's Pride and Joy

Gather up those precious pictures of Daddy with his “Little Angel” or “Little Man” and show them off on these two pages of your new baby scrapbook.  


You’ve got room for a 5” x 7” and two 3” x 5”.  You can switch up the title based on whether or not your new bundle of joy is little girl or a little boy and…if you’ve rather use another format for your “Daddy” pictures, then you can use this for “Big Brother/Sister” pictures because they are important too and it is too cute to see your first born cradle their baby brother or sister.  Happy Scrapping!!

Cute as a Button

So, how many of you loved to collect stickers as you were younger?  Or maybe you just love to accessorize?... Then you will probably love to embellish your scrapbook pages too, but what is a scrapbook embellishment?  Click here to learn more!!

Precious Moments

Precious “Mom”ents…  You can’t have a new baby scrapbook without a layout featuring Mom!  In this example, the two-page layout calls for three average size pictures (4” x 6” and 3” x 5”), but you have the room to turn your focal picture into a 5” x 7” or change the two 3” x 5” pictures into four 3” x 3” pictures.  Click here to learn more!!

New Baby Scrapbook

The birth of a child is a great motivator to start a new baby scrapbook - what better way to show off your new bundle of joy, or new grandchild! Of course, the prospect of scrapbooking can be daunting…to someone looking for the outside in. What size scrapbook to use? What kind of adhesive should I use?...and probably one of the hardest of all… How do I arrange all my pictures (in other words…how do I make a layout)?  Click here to learn more!!

What is a Scrapbook?

By its simplest definition, a scrapbook is a collection of memories, usually in photographic and/or written form (a picture does tell a thousand words, but sometimes it helps to embellish with words) bound in an album.  Of course, these albums come in many shapes and sizes and the definition of a scrapbook "album" has morphed over the years from a ring-bound photo album (with those yucky sticky pages) to 12" x 12", 8" x 8", etc., all made with archival products.  For more on how to make a scrapbook, check out this article!


For more scrapbooking definitions....visit the Scraptionary!!  Happy Scrapping

Scrapbooking Tools: Paper Piercers

I was asked the other day about paper piercers..... What are they?  What you can do with them (besides stick your finger)?  Where can I get one?

Well, in its simplest form, a paper piercer is a handheld tool that looks like a large needle with a handle. It works a lot like a hole punch, but on a much smaller scale. The purpose of a paper piercer is, as its name indicates, to pierce paper, but instead of creating an eraser-sized hole (like a hole punch), a paper piercer makes a pin-sized hole.  


A lot of scrappers will use it to make a hole in their cardstock when attaching brads because brads by themselves aren't sharp enough and have a tendency to rip your precious scrapbook paper.  A paper piercer will make a nice pin-size hole in your paper for the brad to fit in. You can also use it to make starter holes for thread work, if you like to embellish your scrapbook layouts with fancy thread or ribbon. 


You can find paper piercers at about an arts and crafts or hobby store and even on Amazon. They're inexpensive and a must, in my opinion, in any scrappers tool kit.

Happy Scrapping!

Sketch of the Week - 25 Feb 2007

Sketch of the Week - 25 Feb 2007
Originally uploaded by choubox.

As I mentioned in my previous post, most of you have asked for future Sketches of the Week to be 12x12 double-page format. So....here you go! I hope you enjoy it.

Also as a request of your requests, I'm in the process of finishing up my "Let's Get Organized" section and just launched my latest set of articles on scrapbook Tips and Techniques.

Have a great week and Happy Scrapping!!